Neal: Vikings didn’t put Max Brosmer in position to succeed in Seattle

SEATTLE — It was a debatable fourth-and-1 call from the Seattle 4-yard line in the second quarter. A play-action bootleg with Aaron Jones Sr. chugging into the flat and Justin Jefferson working the backside.

It will be remembered as the signature play of Max Brosmer’s baptism as a Vikings starting quarterback.

The play called for Brosmer to fake a handoff to C.J. Ham, turn his back to the defense, then turn around for a run-pass option. But when he did, Seahawks lineman DeMarcus Lawrence was in his face.

“That’s my responsibility,” Brosmer said. “To take care of [the] football, and not my responsibility to make, try to make, something happen when it’s not there, and keep the ball in our hands and get ready for the next drive.”

That’s what not happened. Just before getting sacked, Brosmer tried to throw the ball away. Instead, he threw away seven points to Seattle. Ernest Jones IV grabbed the floating gift out of midair and raced 85 yards for a touchdown.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is an offensive savant. But a run there seemed more appropriate at that moment. Foot speed ain’t Brosmer’s strong suit. Why are we moving him there? Maybe someone like J.J. McCarthy is better suited for that play. Brosmer? Hand the ball off or drop back to pass.

But what can’t be overlooked on Sunday was that Brosmer was handed an enormous task for an undrafted rookie who had thrown only eight passes before Sunday.

And the Vikings needed Brosmer to be Neo.

Instead, Brosmer went 19-of-30 for 126 yards and four interceptions in the Vikings’ 26-0 pasting by Seattle. It is the Vikings’ first shutout loss since Nov. 11, 2007, when Green Bay ripped them apart 34-0 at Lambeau Field. The Purple’s quarterback that day was the affable Brooks Bollinger, who was 16-of-26 for 176 yards and only one interception.

Even a middling performance under these circumstances, leading perhaps to a more competitive game, would have been a commendable achievement for Brosmer. Instead, it was a forgettable performance that, unfortunately for him, will be remembered for a while. Brosmer and the Vikings ran just 50 plays on Sunday, averaging 3.2 yards.

“It’s a tough ask, obviously,” O’Connell said. “And I thought from a procedural standpoint, running the huddle and making some of the calls that he did, and we tried to take as much of that off his plate as possible. I thought he was functioning at a high level.”

If anything, O’Connell said, Brosmer was thinking and processing too quickly at times, rather than the game being too fast for him to process. Especially on throws when he let the ball loose before a receiver was coming out of his break.

Things clicked once, when he hit T.J. Hockenson for a 29-yard gain on his first pass of the second half. Those moments need to be stacked.

There was a deep shot to Addison in the fourth quarter that needed to be made, but Brosmer underthrew to him as he neared the goal line, and the pass was picked off by Riq Woolen. The Vikings kept possession as Jalen Nailor forced a fumble during the return, then recovered the ball.

Overall: Teaching moments, there were a few.

Brosmer got plays called, players lined up and protections in place. They were overwhelmed by a talented, winning team playing at the home of the 12th Man. At least it’s easier to help an inexperienced quarterback slow things down than to get him to adjust the other way.

Brosmer will be a better quarterback as he accumulates more starts. McCarthy, who was still in concussion protocol on Sunday, has only six career starts and will also develop with more reps.

There’s an old saying: You can’t fall down when you are already on the floor.

Brosmer had a 32.8 passer rating on Sunday. It won’t take much for him to build momentum.

“That’s what I told him after the game is, this is great experience for him,” O’Connell said. “It won’t get harder than going to Seattle for your first start against that defense.”