Vikings defeat a club 3-0; Dobbs sits out and Jefferson is hurt.
The Vikings defeated the Raiders 3-0 to snap their two-game losing streak. However, they’ll return home with a laundry list of worries. After coach Kevin O’Connell benched Joshua Dobbs, the Vikings scored their lone touchdown of the day on their second drive with Nick Mullens. This was the first game to end with a 3-0 score since the Steelers defeated the Dolphins on Nov. 26, 2007.
Dobbs was sacked five times during his final 10 of 23 passes for 63 yards on the day. The receiver left the game after throwing a high pass across the middle to Justin Jefferson, who was hit in the ribs by Raiders safety Marcus Epps. As a precaution, Jefferson was brought to a nearby hospital. Jefferson finished the game as the team’s top receiver with two receptions for 27 yards, but that would change when Mullens found T.J. Hockenson for 26 yards on his opening play of the fourth quarter.
Check out the Miami Herald’s article 282905213.html#storylink=cpy for additional information.
Due to an ankle injury, right tackle Brian O’Neill left the game, and running back Alexander Mattison was listed as questionable early in the second half but did not return. These two injuries meant that the Vikings finished the game without their starting lineup.
Why it happened: In a game that felt eerily similar to the Vikings’ 12-10 loss to the Bears before the bye, their defense turned in an exemplary performance against Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell,
restricting Las Vegas to 173 yards in total for the day. Before Joseph’s game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter, the Vikings were the only team to attempt one during the contest. Joseph missed wide right from 49 yards. The only points of the day came from Kevin O’Connell’s decision to switch from Dobbs to Mullens, which also reopened the quarterback debate for Saturday’s matchup with the Bengals.
What it means: With the Rams losing to the Ravens and the Seahawks losing to the 49ers, the Vikings are still in playoff position and have reclaimed a one-game advantage over two of the teams chasing them. They have three division games after Saturday’s game in Cincinnati, but they have a lot to work out in the short week leading up to it, including the quarterback controversy and injuries to Jefferson, O’Neill, and Mattison. With the loss to the Lions, the Vikings are back in control of their own destiny in the NFC North, but it’s hard to predict anything about their chances of making the playoffs because they have so many unresolved issues.
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Play of the game: On the Raiders’ first offensive play after Joseph’s field goal to give the Vikings the only points of the day, Ivan Pace Jr. picked off Aidan O’Connell in the middle of the field, dropping into a zone and undercutting O’Connell’s throw for Davante Adams. The rookie celebrated with a backflip, and the Vikings ran out most of the clock to seal the game.
Turning point: With the Vikings facing a third-and-6 from the Raiders’ 42 in the fourth quarter, Mullens threaded a throw for Jordan Addison on an out route near the Vikings sideline. Addison made the catch, slipped under a tackle attempt and gained 22 yards to the Las Vegas 20. Joseph’s 36-yard field goal won the game.
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