Vikings' Season Ends With a Whimper as Sean Mannion Struggles in 37-10 Loss to Packers
The Vikings came into Sunday night's game in Green Bay knowing their season was on the line. Results elsewhere earlier in the day meant that a loss to the Packers would officially eliminate Minnesota from playoff contention.
Kirk Cousins going on the COVID list on Friday was a massive blow for the Vikings' chances of pulling an upset, but there was still a game to play. The optimistic line of thinking was that maybe a spirited defensive effort and a big game from Dalvin Cook would help Sean Mannion keep things in striking distance in frigid temperatures at Lambeau Field.
No such thing occurred. Mannion and the offense were horrific, the defense wore down after a few early red-zone stands, and the Vikings' strange 2021 season came to a lifeless end in a 37-10 loss to the rival Packers, who clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC and are eyeing a third straight trip to the conference title game.
In playing Mannion, the Vikings may have been doomed from the start. The seventh-year veteran backup has never shown any indication that he's an NFL-caliber QB. Mannion threw his first career touchdown pass on Sunday night on his 103rd regular season pass, but it meant nothing to the outcome as the Vikings were already trailing 30-3.
Third-round rookie Kellen Mond eventually came into the game for one series in the fourth quarter and nearly threw a pick-six. What does it say about the rookie — who was selected 66th overall in April — that he couldn't beat out Mannion for this opportunity? What does it say about general manager Rick Spielman, who was the one who drafted Mond and then signed Mannion to be Cousins' backup?
Nothing went well for the Vikings in this game.
The offensive plan from coordinator Klint Kubiak gave Mannion no chance to succeed. The Vikings went with an ultra-conservative approach early on, which makes you wonder if they were merely trying to avoid being embarrassed in primetime. Dalvin Cook could do nothing against a Packers defense that was not remotely scared of the pass, finishing with 9 carries for 13 yards. Mannion routinely threw short of the sticks until the Vikings had fallen well behind in the game.
The result was a turnover on downs and five three and outs on the offense's first seven drives.
Defensively, Zimmer's shorthanded group showed some early life in holding the Packers to 6 points on three trips inside the red zone. But the wheels then fell off as Aaron Rodgers and the Packers scored touchdowns on three straight possessions in ten minutes of game clock spanning the end of the second quarter and the start of the third.
Just as concerning as the offensive ineptitude is that the Vikings' defense appeared to quit in the second half. There was little physicality or fire as the Packers marched the ball down the field for six straight scoring drives, four of which ended in touchdowns. Green Bay was winning comfortably enough that Jordan Love came in for Rodgers halfway through the fourth quarter with the outcome already long determined.
The final numbers in this game don't tell the whole story, considering the Vikings moved the ball a little bit in an extended period of garbage time. They're still bad anyways. The Packers out-gained the Vikings 481 to 206, had 29 first downs to Minnesota's 11, and dominated time of possession. They ran for 174 yards and threw for 307. The Vikings' longest play prior to the final minute of the game was a pass that deflected into the hands of center Garrett Bradbury, who showed a lot of heart in rumbling for 21 yards.
It was a bloodbath that brought the competitive portion of the Vikings' season to an ugly end.
Now they face major questions. For the first time in the eight-year Zimmer era, the Vikings have gone consecutive seasons without making the playoffs. They haven't been above .500 since the end of the 2019 season. They've made the postseason just three times in those eight seasons, with a 2-3 record in those appearances and no wins over teams other than the Saints.
Since the Vikings made their run to the NFC title game in 2017, were blown out by the Eagles, and signed Kirk Cousins, they've gone 32-31-1 with one playoff berth in four seasons. They haven't looked anything like a team capable of competing for a Super Bowl.
As a result, you have to wonder if big changes are coming. Zimmer's job could be in jeopardy. Spielman, Cousins, and Kubiak might not be safe either.
After a loss like that with the season on the line, nothing should be off the table in 2022.
The Vikings will wrap up the season at home next week against the Bears in meaningless fashion. Then a fascinating offseason will be underway.
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