The Vikings wanted all of 4 minutes and 20 seconds Thursday night time to attain extra factors than the Patriots had allowed of their earlier two video games mixed.
Meanwhile, it took the Patriots three-plus quarters to get a grip on the Vikes’ high offensive weapon.
Then, Minnesota knocked the Pats out anyway.
With All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson double-covered, Vikings receiver Adam Thielen caught the game-winning landing within the Pats’ 33-26 loss, a 15-yarder with 9:40 remaining. His rating balanced out a spectacular night time for Jefferson, who sustained Minnesota’s offense with 9 catches for 139 yards and a landing. Jefferson drew double protection on Thielen’s landing, which instantly adopted Jefferson’s final catch of the night time, a 36-yarder down the left sideline.
“It got to the point in the game where it wasn’t just helping on (Jefferson). We had to get him,” Pats security Devin McCourty stated post-game. “We knew we needed to be sure that he didn’t make any extra performs within the man-to-mans, and that’s what we did. And we all know when that occurs, we’ve obtained to do an excellent job on all people else.
“It’s always tough when they go crossing routes … but those are plays we’ve just got to try to make.”
The Patriots’ incapacity to include Jefferson and obtain their most elementary defensive objective — eradicate an opponent’s energy — put them behind early and infrequently. Jefferson secured three receptions on Minnesota’s opening landing drive. He additionally caught a number of passes on two different scoring sequence, whereas no different Vikings receiver, moreover Thielen, completed with greater than 43 yards.
“That’s a special talent,” Pats move rusher Matt Judon stated. “You get those every so often in the league, and he does what he does every week. You’ve got to cover him, but he’s a special talent.”
Jefferson’s manufacturing helped offset a lackluster operating sport that averaged 2.1 yards per carry, together with 42 yards on 22 carries from Pro Bowl rusher Dalvin Cook. Meanwhile, the Vikings accomplished 81.6% of their passes, the second-highest proportion allowed by the Patriots within the Bill Belichick period, per ESPN. Overall, quarterback Kirk Cousins went 30-of-37 for 299 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
McCourty credited Cousins for unloading the ball shortly towards stress and benefiting from his alternatives. Cousins stated post-game he wasn’t positive how typically the Patriots would double Jefferson, who noticed loads of No. 1 cornerback Jonathan Jones in single protection. And once they didn’t double him, Cousins was positive to get Jefferson the ball.
That mixture finally broke the Patriots’ top-ranked protection by DVOA, even when Jefferson wasn’t on the receiving finish however as an alternative a lethal decoy.
“We called that play several times. We just didn’t get the look we wanted, so I just kept checking to something else,” Cousins stated of the landing throw. “(Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell) called it again and we got the look. … I was trying to make sure they truly went with Justin, and they did, so Adam got through there. Just a phenomenal catch by him.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com