Daily Norseman
Soak it in, folks. Wins like these for the Vikings are few and far between. Few as in the number of playoff games we’ve won this century, and far as in the vast gap between Cowboys fans’ endless arrogance and the team’s actual record the last thirty years. I mean, what was that in Chicago?
But I digress.
Indeed, our 38-point margin of victory is the highest since we defeated the Jaguars by a 40-point margin back in 1998 (50-10). How rare was this? Well, this is only the second time the Vikings have scored 40 points since 2019, while only two teams (Jets and Raiders) have done it fewer times than us since 2010.
Here are some quick observations:
Carson Wentz, as advertised. Wentz played well. He was efficient and executed the offense with the expected veteran savvy. Some beautiful throws reminded you why he was the second overall pick in the 2016 draft.
A stat line of 14/20 for 173 yards and 2 TDs isn’t going to win you any weeks in fantasy football, but the game flow didn’t require anything more. Given his history and the weapons at his disposal, I have no doubt Wentz could win us games regardless of the situation.
With one start already under his belt, along with Jordan Addison and Ryan Kelly (likely) returning, an impressive performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers wouldn’t be surprising. The same goes for the following week against the Cleveland Browns, although their defense is on a different level.
Before the kickoff of Week 1, Troy Aikman noted that, given last year’s record and the improved team around him, J.J. McCarthy faced the most pressure of any quarterback in the NFL. If Wentz plays well and the team is 4-1, the pressure gets ratcheted up even more. Wentz running the show (and well) would then be a known entity, and the more impatient segment of the fan base would clamor for change at the first sign of trouble.
In my previous article, I explored the possible scenarios for Wentz as the starter, including one where he never relinquishes the job.
My opinion? McCarthy returns and will be exactly as envisioned. I have unwavering faith that he’s the Vikings’ QBOTF.
Christian Darrisaw is the best left tackle in the league. Given his track record and age, this is not hyperbole. After missing nearly an entire calendar year, he calmly comes back and puts Trey Hendrickson and his 35 sacks over the past two seasons on a milk carton. Zero pressures, zero QB hits, zero sacks. Welcome back, CD.
Jordan Mason, RB 1. I received some pushback in the comments of an earlier article, stating that it was not a matter of whether Mason would take over the starting role from Aaron Jones, but rather when. We’re here. I love Jones, and he was fantastic last year, but at this point in his career, with all the carries and hits, a complementary role is a better fit for him.
After...
