The Minnesota Vikings lost to the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night by a score of 17-7. The game was mostly a battle of second and third stringers and it was full of dropped balls and missed opportunities. The Vikings may have left the game with more questions than answers. Let’s do a deeper dive into some of the good, and the bad from the game.
Anyone who was waiting for Kellen Mond to take another step forward in his maturation as a quarterback had to walk away from the game shaking their heads. For the night, Mond’s stats were 10-20 for 82 yards and two duck-like picks. He was off the mark on his throws all night and never really looked in command of the offense. Any momentum he had going from the previous game evaporated very quickly after the game started.
Minnesota Vikings Backup Quarterbacks Struggle
That’s a wrap from @usbankstadium.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 21, 2022
See you back here September 11. pic.twitter.com/RuwKSSC3Qf
Sean Mannion fared a little better in his performance. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 65 yards and led the Minnesota Vikings on their only touchdown drive. Speculation abounded after the game that the Vikings would make a move to shore up their backup quarterback situation.
Fans received their answer on Monday as the Vikings acquired veteran Nick Mullens from the Las Vegas Raiders for a conditional 2024 7th-round draft pick. Mullens will not make anyone forget Vikings’ great Fran Tarkenton, but he is a considerable upgrade from both Mond and Mannion. The fate of the latter two is now very much in doubt.
Minnesota Vikings Class of 2021
Outstanding honor for @NwangwuKene!
— Cyclone Football (@CycloneFB) January 25, 2022
?️??️ pic.twitter.com/ZTw8Mcop4a
Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. The 2021 Minnesota Vikings draft class will never be considered a bust. First, you have two starters in offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw, and safety Camryn Bynum who are making significant contributions to the team. Next, you have exciting offensive/return specialists Kene Nwangwu and Ihmir Smith-Marsette who have brought immediate excitement to Vikings football.
And young edge rusher Patrick Jones II will be firmly entrenched in the defensive line rotation this year. Where the rudder hit the iceberg is on three of the 3rd-round draft choices: Mond, guard Wyatt Davis, and linebacker Chazz Surratt. We have already covered Mond’s on-the-field woes in depth. Davis is buried on the depth chart and his time as a Viking is almost at an end.
And Surratt is simply not a factor when he is out on the field. Add to this the ineffectiveness of edge rusher Janarius Robinson and you have four second-year players who likely will not make the team. These players also constitute some of former Minnesota Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman’s last draft selections to who the new management regime has no ties.
Players That Impressed
.@__allcost continues to terrorize opposing QBs this preseason.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 20, 2022
?: @FOX9 pic.twitter.com/IN8dqVfbFf
Journeyman defensive tackle T.Y. McGill continues to impress. Not only has he registered four sacks in the two preseason games, but he has looked explosive at shutting down the run. Backup offensive tackle Blake Brandel has looked impressive on both his pass and run blocks.
Jones with his dynamic speed rushes continues to show people why he will be a key rotational player. And rookie cornerback Akayleb Evans was a hitting machine on Saturday night and he even forced a fumble at the goal line.
Denied by @AkaylebEvans ❌❌ pic.twitter.com/6HO2eV8LLo
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 20, 2022
The Minnesota Vikings did not have many positives to take away from their loss to the 49ers. The backup quarterback situation continues to be a mess, and the return game has been dreadful and error-ridden. But the Vikings have to be encouraged by the play of some of their younger players. They hope to rebound, in their final preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday night.
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