JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Turnovers, pre-snap penalties and poor execution in the red zone nearly cost Minnesota on Sunday in Jacksonville, but the Vikings are 7-2 and are sitting right behind the Detroit Lions in the NFC North standings.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold threw three interceptions and the offense went 0-for-5 in the red zone, but newly acquired kicker John Parker Romo connected on all four of his field goal attempts and the defense was stellar as the Vikings squeaked out a 12-7 victory at EverBank Stadium.
Minnesota's defense picked off Jacksonville quarterback Mac Jones twice to offset some of Darnold's mistakes, but the offense continually shot itself in the foot while trying to grasp momentum in a game that went down to the wire.
The Vikings were penalized six times, including three false starts and two illegal formation infractions, which continually put Minnesota's offense in tougher situations.
While Minnesota was able to overcome some of those penalties, amassing 402 yards of total offense, it made extending drives even more difficult and played a major part in the Vikings finishing the game with zero touchdowns for the first time this season.
The defense, however, showed up for the second straight week to help the Vikings escape with the ugly victory. Minnesota's defense forced three turnovers — two interceptions and a fumble — while holding the Jaguars to just 143 yards of total offense. Safety Cam Bynum snagged a pick at the goal line with under 2 minutes to play to help preserve the victory.
"Those are the types of games that good teams win, regardless of what it looks like all day," said Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell. "I'm proud of that, but, absolutely, a lot of things we need to correct and fix."
Minnesota walked away victorious, but it wasn't pretty. Here are three takeaways from Sunday's sloppy victory:
Turnovers galore
The Vikings controlled the time of possession — 42:19 to 17:41 — and dominated in total yards (402-143), but they found themselves trailing as late as midway through the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Sam Darnold threw three interceptions, including two in the first half, despite the Jaguars having just two picks in their first nine games.
It was the second straight week Darnold threw multiple interceptions, and while none of them led to Jacksonville points, they stopped all the momentum built on those promising drives. The 27-year-old quarterback finished 24 of 38 for 241 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions.
The first pick came at Jacksonville's 22-yard line after the offense marched 45 yards on the previous three plays. The second interception ended a 17-play drive that went 76 yards and lasted more than 10 minutes. Darnold threw behind receiver Justin Jefferson, and Montaric Brown came away with the pick. The third, again, happened while trying to find Jefferson, but Darnell Savage jumped the pass at the goal line to once again wipe away any potential points on a field goal attempt.
He nearly threw a fourth interception, but a penalty wiped away an underthrown ball that landed in the hands of Jacksonville defensive back Ronald Darby midway through the third quarter.
"We've got to find a way to execute, and find a way to end (the possession with the ball) in our hands," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said. "I know we will rectify that problem and go back to putting points on the board when we get down there."
Minnesota escaped with the victory, but there's plenty to shore up on offense if the Vikings want to keep pace in the ultra-competitive NFC North.
Defense to the rescue
While Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold struggled mightily to protect the football, he had a safety net: The defense.
Minnesota's defense didn't allow a single point off turnovers, and even forced three turnovers, including a pair of interceptions, to keep the Jaguars from ever gaining any momentum.
The Jaguars, who finished with just 143 yards of total offense, only possessed the ball for 17:41, and much of that was due to Minnesota's ability to get off the field. Jacksonville had just two drives of six plays or more and only one drive that went for more than 40 yards.
Jacksonville quarterback Mac Jones, who was sacked three times, finished 14 of 22 for 111 yards and two picks, while running back Travis Etienne, Jr. had just 44 yards on 11 carries.
"I don't know if I've been a part of one of these stat-line-wise with that kind of time-of-possession and 82 (offensive) plays and getting that many run attempts (43) off," O'Connell said. "But I was proud of the way the guys just kept playing. Defense picked them up."
Cornerback Byron Murphy recorded an interception for the third straight week, while safety Cam Bynum had his first since London. Bynum, who has become known for his celebrations, hit a Raygun-style dance following his late-game interception that essentially sealed the victory.
The defense has been a catalyst the past two weeks, but the offense will need to do its part moving forward, especially against higher-quality teams.
Romo's memorable debut
Kicker John Parker Romo had little time to prepare for his NFL debut as he signed with the Vikings midweek following an injury to rookie Will Reichard.
Romo, who spent time with the Vikings over the offseason, connected on four field goals, including a 45-yarder on his first-ever field goal attempt in the first quarter. He was filling in for Reichard, who was placed on Injured Reserve last week with a quad injury, and he wasn't the only newcomer on the kicking unit.
Long snapper Jake McQuaide also signed with the Vikings last week after All-Pro long snapper Andrew DePaola was placed on Injured Reserve.
Reichard, a sixth-round pick, will be Minnesota's starting kicker once he recovers from his quad injury, but Romo took full advantage of his opportunity on Sunday by scoring every point for the Vikings in the victory.
"We had Parker Romo with our team before we drafted Will Reichard, and had a lot of confidence through the early part," said Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell. "The offseason program was about two weeks old when we pulled Will's card in the draft, and we had confidence. We were going to let them compete, and they did, Will's just been fantastic. ... When we let Park go, I said, 'You should be kicking in the NFL this year, with your talent and with the confidence that I have in you.' We were just lucky he was available."
Extra points
Jefferson climbs the list: Star receiver Justin Jefferson moved into fourth on the Vikings' all-time receiving yards list after hauling in a 5-yard pass on the team's opening drive. Jefferson supplanted Detroit Lake native Adam Thielen after finishing Sunday's game with 48 yards on five catches.
Cashman's return: Returning from a toe injury, linebacker Blake Cashman immediately made an impact. The Eden Prairie native recorded five total tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. Cashman led the team in tackles prior to sustaining a turf toe injury in Week 5 against the New York Jets.
Jones' chest injury: Running back Aaron Jones left the game in the third quarter with a chest injury, but eventually found his way back on the field in the fourth quarter. He was carted back to the locker room early in the fourth quarter, before returning to the game to carry the ball four more times in the closing minutes. "We was able to kind of get his wind back, it was one of those things," said Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell of Jones. "Once he was able to go, he was itching to get in there."
