The Minnesota Vikings Week 17 loss at home to the Packers felt like it was a long time coming. After Kirk Cousins went down with an Achilles tear against Green Bay earlier in the season, the Vikings had managed to stay frisky through most of the remainder of the season. A lot of that was playing a plethora of inferior or similarly injured opponents late in the year. However, Kevin O’Connell deserves credit for keeping the team playing hard while juggling an impossible quarterback rotation to get right. There are plenty of examples in the NFL of teams mailing it in after losing their starting quarterback. The Vikings cannot be counted among them.
For Vikings fans looking for a silver lining, there is plenty to be optimistic about. The Vikings have had some rookies and young guys make a developmental leap this year. It may not have shown up Sunday night, but the defense also took a massive step forward under Brian Flores. There are reasons to believe that the Vikings will be back in the thick of NFC North title contention as soon as 2024. Heck, if Kirk Cousins didn’t get hurt, Minnesota could have at least been competitive this year.
There is still technically a chance that the Vikings squeak into the playoffs with a win in Detroit next week. At this point though, that shouldn’t be something that people get too excited about. This isn’t currently a team that could compete against the class of the NFC. Any of the Eagles, Cowboys, or Lions would hand the Vikings a quick exit. The Vikings simply wouldn’t be a good watch in the postseason. Although one more week of covering which guy in the Vikings quarterback rotation would get the starting nod would at least provide some intrigue.
The Vikings Quarterback Rotation Did Very Little to Spark the Offense
It’s a common refrain among fans to call for a change at quarterback when the offense isn’t clicking. It rarely works out that the backup can truly provide a “spark” for a struggling offense. That’s certainly been the case for the Vikings quarterback rotation that seems to never be ending. In fairness, there are usually no good answers when a team loses its starting quarterback. The normal method is what teams like the Jets do where they give the job to a young backup and hope that experience leads to incremental improvement throughout the season. Then there’s the approach KOC has taken by leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of consistent quarterback play.
Since Cousins has gone down, the Vikings have churned through three different quarterbacks. Josh Dobbs was an overnight sensation after leading Minnesota to two victories before the wheels completely fell off for him. Nick Mullens proved he could move the football but just isn’t an NFL-caliber athlete. Rookie fifth-rounder Jaren Hall was the last hope that the Vikings had to stabilize the position. It turns out that KOC and his staff may have been right in not playing Hall sooner. Hall looked out of sorts for most of the first half, leading the team to a total of 3 points.
It turns out that picking the right backup quarterback was an impossible decision for KOC and the Vikings. There were simply no right answers on the roster. Should the Vikings have played Jaren Hall sooner to see if he can be their long-term backup? Maybe, but fans can’t blame the coaching staff for prioritizing a playoff push. It will be interesting to see if Hall gets another shot this coming weekend or if the Vikings quarterback carousel keeps on spinning.
T.J. Hockenson’s Impact on the Offense on Display in Vikings Week 17 Loss
This was the first game the Vikings have played without T.J. Hockenson since he was acquired from Detroit last season. His impact on the offense as both a blocker and over-the-middle threat was felt heavily Sunday night. Both quarterbacks were struggling to find open receivers and were rushed on several throws throughout the evening. They really could have used their prolific security blanket to take some pressure off them. With an offense featuring Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, it’s easy to forget how important a guy like Hockenson is. The Vikings week 17 loss certainly served to showcase just how important the big tight end is to the offense.
T.J. Hockenson’s absence also put on display how top-heavy the position group is. Josh Oliver is an elite blocking tight end, but he’s never going to be an impact receiver. Johnny Mundt has had some moments as a third tight end, but he’s not someone who should be getting 7 targets a game like he did on Sunday night. Depth issues aren’t atypical for a team that spends substantial money on a great starter at a spot. However, with Hockenson’s availability for Week 1 in 2024 in question, the Vikings will need to look at improving depth this offseason. At a minimum, they should bring in a day-3 pick or two to compete with Mundt for the backup role.
Main Photo: Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY NETWORK
