Six Vikings takeaways through six games
Vikings fans, now that the team is on a bye week, it’s time to assess what is going right and wrong.
Minnesota is 3-3 currently, which means there are plenty of positive and negative talking points to discuss. So here are six Vikings related takeaways through the first six games of their 2021 NFL season:
Kirk Cousins is on a tear
Photo: AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn
Cousins has 1,769 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He’s also led some game-winning drives. PFF has Cousins with the third-highest passing grade this season. The only players ahead of him? Tom Brady and Russell Wilson.
If Cousins keeps playing like this, the Vikings have a shot at a winning record.
The special teams is up and down
Photo: AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn
K Greg Joseph has had a lot of highs and lows already. He made the game-winning field goal against the Lions. He also hit the game-tying kick against the Bengals, sending the Week 1 game into overtime.
Joseph missed crucial end-game kicks against the Cardinals and Panthers, though. Then, there’s the punt unit.
P Jordan Berry has a gross punt average of 48.43 yards, which ranks him seventh in the league this year, per PFF. However, the Vikings gave up a blocked punt to the Panthers in Week 6. Dede Westbrook has been inconsistent as a punt returner, too.
It’s hard to really say what will define this group by the end of the year.
The Vikings defense has been good lately
Photo: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
Minnesota held three consecutive opponents to 17 points or fewer in Weeks 3-5. The Vikings slipped up a bit against the Panthers in Week 6, allowing 28 points, though seven of those points came as a result of a blocked punt returned for a touchdown.
The Vikings defense looked abysmal against the Bengals and Cardinals. Since then, the group has figured things out.
But CB Patrick Peterson will be missed
Photo: AP Photo/Rick Scuteri
The Vikings placed CB Patrick Peterson on IR. Peterson is easily the team’s best corner this year. Now, other players will have to step up in Peterson’s absence.
OT Christian Darrisaw looks promising
Photo: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
Darrisaw earned his first NFL start on Sunday against the Panthers. The left tackle had a really nice block on C.J. Ham’s 30-yard run. He has a PFF grade of 64. Vikings fans have only seen a small sample size of snaps, but Darrisaw has been decent.
The Vikings have a difficult road ahead
Photo: Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports
According to tankathon.com, the Vikings have the most difficult remaining 2021 slate of any NFL team. Minnesota has shown that it can be good at times, even against stellar competition. But the team has to be more consistent if it has any hope of a playoff berth.
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