The Minnesota Vikings looked downright awful in the first half, and in the third quarter, they somehow looked even more lost. It all led to a fourth quarter that many people had expected to become a bloodbath for the Vikings, but instead, the defense and Brian Flores had other plans.
The defense said, "Fine, I will do it myself," and they were able to change the momentum completely in the game.
Everyone started making plays on defense while Brian Flores ended the game with a blitz rate of nearly 80%. The offense was able to capitalize on short fields, they didn't make mistakes, and everyone at every level of the roster was making plays. The end result was a 39-22 win for the Vikings, and it now has us buzzing heading into our post-game analysis.
With the stage set, time to drop some report grades.
Quarterback: A
When Kyler Murray went down, Carson Wentz stepped up in a big way. He made some errors, but he played mostly good, clean football, and the end result was that it allowed the Vikings' comeback to be fueled. Did he benefit from short fields? Yes, but he still had to execute when he got close, and he did.
Running Back: B
Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason had an okay game, they were certainly used more, but they lacked tru effectiveness. They did very well with their goal-line carries, which is all you can hope for in short-field situations, but they still lack that home-run ability.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: A-
Justin Jefferson looked like an All-Pro, T.J. Hockenson found the endzone for the first time since the beginning of December, and yet, there was still room for improvement. Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings never got going, sadly, and that may have had to do with the game plan changing when Kyler Murray went down. However, Jefferson did enough for everyone to make this a good grade.
Offensive Line: B+
This was a mostly good performance from the Vikings' offensive line. They did a good job pf protecting Carson Wentz and giving the running game some lanes, but they still had some questionable moments. In the second and third quarters, the line looked downright awful, but they adjusted in the fourth quarter, and it helped get things going overall.
Defense as a Whole: A+
The defense gets one whole grade here for their masterful performance in the second half. They clutched up and stopped the Packers' offense from making any real inroads. They constantly pressured Jordan Love; they smothered the run game, and they were physical in coverage. It all led to a major comeback, and now they are back to being considered among the best defenses in the NFL.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Report Card Grades from the Vikings' Week 1 win over the Packers
