Five Things we Learned from Yesterdays Vikings Game

Finally, Jared Allen found the quarterback. Coming into yesterdays game the Minnesota Vikings defensive line only generated two sacks! Allen had 2.5 sacks yesterday alone. The defensive line finally generated enough pressure to get the opposing quarterback off his rhythm. When the defensive line actually generates pressure it allows the weak secondary of the Vikings off the hook. If the Vikings want to continue winning, they need to hope that the defensive line shows up just like they did yesterday. What we learned is that the Vikings d-line finally showed up for the 2013 NFL season.

Going into this past weekend the Vikings were tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for having zero receiving touchdowns. Greg Jennings found the end zone twice yesterday and erased the goose egg next to the receiving touchdowns. The quarterback play is apart of the reason that the receivers played a huge part in the game, but later on I will talk about the quarterback play. Yet it was nice to see Jennings finally reach the end zone, and watching Jerome Simpson, and Cordarrelle Patterson run all over the field. What we learned was that the Vikings receiving core is greatly improved over last seasons core, and with better quarterback play the receivers could help Adrian Peterson run with less men in the box.

I was about to talk about the Vikings secondary, but with some injury issues yesterday I will wait until next week. So I am going to focus on Adrian Peterson. Peterson blasted past 100-yards yesterday. Jerome Felton was back to play Robin alongside of Peterson's Batman. Felton is a huge upgrade for Peterson, and with Felton running in front of him AP ran for 140 yards, and two touchdowns. If the Vikings hope to move out of the NFL cellar they need AP to continue to run like he did yesterday. What we learned is that Peterson's kryptonite is Felton on the sideline.

For the third straight week, the Vikings offense stalled in the fourth quarter. Even with better quarterback play the Vikings couldn't put the game away. We all blamed Christian Ponder, and he does deserve some blame, but Musgrave play-calling is to passive late in the game. The Vikings could be four-and-zero if Musgrave could just keep the gas on, but when the game goes into the fourth quarter Musgrave takes the foot off the gas and allows the opposing team to get back into the game. What we learned is that going into the bye week the Vikings need to address their offensive play-calling because Musgrave is afraid to put the dagger to the opponent.

Matt Cassel stepped in yesterday and looked like an NFL quarterback. Cassel saved the season, and might have the Vikings thinking that Ponder is not the answer anymore. Leslie Frazier said all the right things after yesterday's game by saying "Ponder is still our guy", but with some of the quotes coming out of the locker room saying that Cassel's command in the pocket is amazing. It is almost a forgone conclusion that Cassel will be starting for the Vikings after the bye week, but if and I mean if, the Vikings start Ponder the Vikings might have a split locker room. Cassel actually got the ball to the receivers, and can actually make a NFL throw that Ponder cannot make! What we learned is that the Vikings found their next quarterback, but it is not a franchise quarterback; it is a season saving quarterback.