It’s fair to say the Minnesota Vikings’ upset of the Detroit Lions was a fluke last week. However, there were still positive takeaways from Sunday’s 27-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Despite penalties, turnovers, and inconsistency, Minnesota had the ball late with a chance to tie the game. That didn’t happen, but several takeaways occurred that are worth building upon.
1. Jalen Nailor’s Breakout Game Offers Real Promise
When Justin Jefferson struggled to find his game, Jalen Nailor stepped up and gave the Vikings’ offense life. The third-year receiver finished with five catches for 124 yards and a touchdown, including a 62-yard catch-and-run on the opening drive that set up Aaron Jones’ score. On the play, Nailor nearly fought his way into the end zone.
“I was trying to score,” Nailor said. “I didn’t, but we still put it in at the end of the drive, so I’m excited with that.”
His late fourth-quarter touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 10-yard line gave Minnesota one last chance. It was a moment that showed McCarthy’s trust in him and the chemistry they’re starting to build.
“I’ve said it since Week 1,” McCarthy said. “Speedy was gonna show up one of these days. He’s somebody who always just sticks to his process, does all the little things right, does the dirty work, and doesn’t complain at all.”
2. Vikings Defense Keeps Minnesota in It
Minnesota’s defense did enough to win. Quarterback Lamar Jackson threw for just 176 yards and one touchdown. Star running back Derrick Henry was limited to 75 yards on 20 carries. Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel nearly came up with a game-changing interception late, and Blake Cashman once again led the team with 11 tackles.
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“We knew Lamar was going to be a big task for us and that we had to slow him down,” Van Ginkel said. “We knew it was going to take all 11 of us getting to the ball and just trying to slow their run game down.”
The unit didn’t produce a takeaway, but it kept Baltimore from breaking away. The Vikings’ defense ranked 7th in PFSN’s DEFi entering Sunday. That metric should stay steady or slightly improve after containing one of the league’s most dynamic offenses.
“I felt like we did a lot of good things,” Cashman said. “I thought we kept ourselves in a position to stay in the game and potentially win the game.”
3. Despite Miscues, the Vikings Had a Chance To Take the Lead Late
Even after all the penalties and mistakes, the Vikings still had a chance. Down 27-19 with no timeouts, McCarthy drove the offense from the 8-yard line to near midfield before his final pass to Jones fell incomplete. His 26-yard scramble and poise under pressure gave the team a glimpse of what could be if the growing pains eventually fade.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was competitive. The Vikings continue to make life harder than it has to be, yet they’re still finding ways to stay within reach.