3 Winners, 3 Losers From Vikings' Loss to Ravens: Offense Struggles

The Minnesota Vikings played their second preseason game of the 2026 NFL season on Saturday when they faced the Baltimore Ravens at U.S. Bank Stadium. Most of the starters sat out, but there was still plenty for fans to pick apart.

Some players had better games than others. This is a crucial time for many players who are on the bubble to make a good impression, so it's important to track whose stocks may have gone up or down after Saturday's contest.

Vikings winner No. 1: Dillon Bell, wide receiver

The Vikings needed to see more from Dillon Bell as a receiver, and that's exactly what happened against the Ravens. He led the team with six catches and had 51 yards in the loss. This game will go a long way toward proving he should be in the conversation for the 53-man roster this season.

Vikings loser No. 1: Henry Byrd, offensive tackle

Henry Byrd is listed as the third-string right tackle on the Vikings' unofficial depth chart, but he started at left tackle in this game. He was beaten on the edge on a couple of occasions and was called for a holding penalty. It was not a good day for an offensive lineman who was allowed to prove he could expand his role.

Vikings winner No, 2: Will Reichard, kicker

By now, anyone who watches Minnesota play should know how good Will Reichard is at kicking the ball. Head coach Kevin O'Connell gave him a chance at a 52-yard kick in the second quarter, and "The Thrill" knocked it through with quite a bit of distance to spare.

Vikings loser No 2: J.J. McCarthy, quarterback

Entering the game, J.J. McCarthy needed to have a good game to keep Carson Wentz off his heels in the race for being the backup quarterback. McCarthy connected on a nice deep pass to Tai Felton, but he still looked inconsistent and inaccurate, while Wentz didn't have a bad game. The veteran is still hot on the young man's heels after Week 2 of the preseason.

Vikings winner No. 3: Zavier Scott, running back

With the great practices that rookie running back Demond Claiborne has enjoyed, people tended to forget about Zavier Scott. However, Saturday's effort against the Ravens saw him lead the team with 28 rushing yards on seven attempts while adding a catch for eight more yards.

Vikings loser No. 3: Special teams return team

Even when the Vikings were able to get a solid on a kickoff or punt, there was a flag that would push Minnesota back. Those are the kind of mental errors that can't happen during the regular season, especially if the offense struggles the way it has this preseason and all of the 2025 season.

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