The benefit of listening to a prime-time NFL broadcast team is that you are often hearing bits of collective wisdom gleaned throughout the years in addition to specific tidbits gained with excellent access to teams in the week leading up to a game.
So when veteran broadcasters Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth dug in on the Vikings’ offensive ineptitude as the game veered further away from the team’s grasp in the fourth quarter, it was worth listening to and revisiting.
Let’s get to the biggest talking points at the start of today’s 10 things to know:
- Collinsworth cut to the point when talking about what the Vikings have invested in second-year QB J.J. McCarthy and what they have seen from him so far. “We have seen one good quarter — really good — and seven not good. This is a 14-win team from a season ago, and they played offense better than this. ... Sam Darnold, we know about him. He’s off to Seattle. Daniel Jones, had a chance to keep him, he’s doing great in [Indianapolis]. Kirk Cousins, he had a chance to be here. And don’t forget Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers wanted to come here. They really put all their eggs in one basket. They really believe in J.J. McCarthy, and I guarantee that hasn’t changed because of one football game. But it does ratchet up the pressure a bit.”
- Collinsworth is a former high-level wide receiver. Even though there is no evidence that Justin Jefferson is dissatisfied with his role or McCarthy in general, it is human nature to wonder how long that will last. Jefferson has just seven catches on 13 targets through two games (in fairness he had eight catches on 13 targets through two games with Darnold last season), and it is evident that the chemistry between QB and receiver is off after McCarthy missed so much time last year and Jefferson missed a lot of camp with a hamstring injury. “You just have to wonder what he’s thinking,” Collinsworth said of Jefferson. “We know he’s a team player. We’ve heard all the stuff from Kevin O’Connell about how good his spirit has been, but you just have to wonder if he’s getting a little frustrated right now.”
- The video above of perhaps McCarthy’s biggest miss of the night, an overthrown deep ball to Jalen Nailor on third-and-1 in the fourth quarter with the Vikings trailing 15-6, preceded a decision to punt on fourth-and-1 from their own 28 with 9:47 left. That put it in the 90th percentile for “cowardly punts” over the past quarter century, according to a site that tracks such things and was part of a bad night for O’Connell.
- In a lighter moment after the game, it was revealed that former Vikings kicker and new Falcons kicker Parker Romo, who went 5-for-5 including a clutch 54-yarder, did not even know who one of his Atlanta teammates was as they shared space during a postgame interview.
- This is supposed to be the lightest part of the Vikings’ schedule. Maybe we will look back at this loss to the Falcons through a different lens if Atlanta finishes the year as a playoff team, but the next three against the Joe Burrow-less Bengals and then overseas against the Steelers and Browns, are a time to bank wins. If the Vikings can’t do that, I shudder to think what they will look like against better competition after the bye week. Patrick Reusse and I talked more about the big picture on Monday’s “Daily Delivery” podcast.
- About the only good thing about Sunday’s Vikings game is that it was played late enough that it didn’t conflict at all with the Lynx steamrolling Golden State in Game 1 of their playoff series. Minnesota looks like it means business and will have a chance to close out the best-of-three on Wednesday at Golden State. New York, Atlanta and Las Vegas all won on Sunday as well, though Breanna Stewart injured her knee late in the Liberty’s overtime win. That could affect the Liberty’s ability to hold off Phoenix and certainly could impact a potential semifinal matchup with the Lynx.
- The Vikings’ rough loss Sunday provided some cover for the Gophers football team. Their 27-14 loss at Cal was more evenly played but still disappointing if you think this team is on an upward arc. A muffed punt by standout Koi Perich was a pivotal (and surprising) play.
- Minnesota United is riding high after a 3-1 win over West-leading San Diego over the weekend. Maybe the Loons are true MLS contenders this season.
- The Twins host the Yankees for three games at Target Field starting Monday. Usually there would be some buzz about this series, but there is close to zero right now.
- Tuesday’s podcast will feature a look back at the ugly film from Sunday’s Vikings loss with the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer.
