| Vikings free safety Harrison Smith (22) and strong safety Jamarca Sanford (33) break up a pass intended for Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) during the second quarter of a smothering defensive effort in Minnesota's 20-13 win. (AP) |
While the Vikings’ previous week win over the 49ers may have turned some heads, their 20-13 victory on the road against the Lions on Sunday made a statement. That statement begins with the belief that the Vikings can win on the road against a desperate divisional opponent that made the playoffs last season -- one they haven’t beaten in three previous meetings.
The Vikings did so without their best offensive passing performance of the season because the other facets of their team -- rushing, defense and special teams -- stepped into the void. The NFC North Division-leading Vikings may not yet be ready for the playoffs, but they are no longer the team that had won just nine games in the past two seasons.
Offense: B-
QB Christian Ponder had trouble finding receivers (he was 16 of 26 for 111 yards), but at least he didn’t throw the ball to the defense. He was aided by the presence of WR Jerome Simpson, who drew two big pass interference penalties on the Lions and then made the biggest catch in the game to grab a first down and run time off the clock late in the fourth quarter. The offensive line did well against a tough opponent, but Ponder was sacked twice. Still, the line opened plenty of holes for RB Adrian Peterson. He rushed 102 yards and most of those yards came after contact. Peterson refused to go down and even when he was gang-tackled, he dragged the opposition for additional yardage. He was the engine that ran the offense on Sunday and the power he displayed was amazing so soon after his knee surgery.
Previous game's grade: A-
Defense: A
The Vikings defense appears to be getting better each game. Despite missing two starters (LB Erin Henderson and S Mistral Raymond) they shut down the run (55 yards), kept WR Calvin Johnson in check (five receptions for 54 yards) and pressured QB Matthew Stafford (five sacks and nine quarterback hits) all game. LB Chad Greenway, MLB Jasper Brinkley and CB Antoine Winfield each had double-figure tackles and helped the entire unit shut down one of the most potent offenses from last season, holding them to 13 points. Time and again, the defense turned bad situations and poor field position into field goals with big hits from S Harrison Smith (to prevent a sure Calvin Johnson touchdown) and S Jamarca Sanford (who forced a fumble and then recovered it). The Vikings' tough defense never allowed the Lions offense to get going and that really was the biggest key in the game.
Previous game's grade: A
Special teams: A
K Blair Walsh’s perfect season may be over, but a pulled 46-yard field goal is the only blemish on a near perfect performance by the special teams. The highlight reel includes a 105-yard kickoff return touchdown (the longest play in Vikings history) by Percy Harvin to start the game and a punt-return touchdown on their first possession of the second half by Marcus Sherels. (The Vikings are now the only team in NFL history to have such a TD return combination in three different games.) But there were also five touchbacks by Walsh (tying a team record) and great coverage on punts that included downing one on the Detroit 2-yard line with less than two minutes left in the game to help seal the win.
Previous game's grade: B-
Coaching: A
The Vikings' game plan was solid on both sides of the ball, and even the call of return right on the opening kickoff that went for a score was something the coaches saw in film study, and then the players executed to perfection. Even though the offense struggled in the passing game, late in the fourth quarter when the Vikings needed to hold the ball and burn more clock, the third-down call to float a pass to the leaping Simpson was unexpected and effective, as the Lions (and everyone else) figured the Vikings would hand off the ball to Peterson and hope for the best. Simpson made an acrobatic catch, a first down and put a crimp in Detroit’s comeback plans.
Previous game's grade: B+
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