3 Keys To Victory Against The Steelers
After an ugly loss to the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings’ playoff chances now hang in the balance. With 5 games left in the season, the Vikings move onto one of their hardest stretch of games this season. The best way for the Vikings to make it to the post-season is to win-out the rest of their season. That all starts with the Steelers on Thursday Night Football in Minneapolis. Can the Vikings get the win to strengthen their playoff odds? Let’s take a look at the Vikings’ keys to winning.
Prime Time Kirk
Kirk Cousins’ record in prime time is no secret. Cousins is 8-17 in prime time games. That record includes being 2-5 on Thursday games. When the bright lights are on and all eyes are on Cousins, he struggles. Cousins has also cracked under pressure before with the Vikings. In a Monday night game in 2019, Cousins only threw for 122 yards. In 2018, with the playoffs in the balance, Cousins only threw for 132 yards against the Bears. Kirk Cousins has consistently cracked under pressure and has lost key games for the Vikings before.
That being said, Cousins has looked different this year. Cousins led the offense to Detroit’s red zone twice in the first quarter. Both times, the Vikings settled for a field goal. In the second quarter, the Vikings scored zero points. It looked to be another long game for Minnesota Vikings fans. In the second half however, Cousins turned on the jets and ended the game with 340 yards. That’s something Cousins typically hasn’t done in the past. If Cousins can play well on Thursday and get the win, he’ll silence a lot of his doubters. He’s also make a big statement as to why the Vikings should keep him for next season, considering his cap hit.
The Offensive Line Without Darrisaw
The Minnesota Vikings were without their rookie left tackle Christian Darrisaw on Sunday. Given the short week, Darrisaw is likely to miss Thursday’s game as well. Losing Darrisaw was an issue. He’s been a solid tackle when healthy and has provided stability for an offensive line that has struggled in the past. The Vikings’ solution to missing Darrisaw was equally troubling. The team shifted their offensive line. Players were playing out of position. The results were interesting. The Lions were able to get pressure early and often against offensive linemen who looked out of place.
If it was a problem against the Lions, it will definitely be a problem against the Steelers. The Vikings’ offensive line faces on of their hardest challenges yet in TJ Watt, who had 3.5 sacks on Sunday. There’s no easy solution for this problem because even if Darrisaw was starting, Oli Udoh will still be on the offensive line. Udoh has struggled all season and will likely struggle even more against an elite Steelers pass rush. Kirk Cousins is at his best when he’s given time to throw the ball. When he’s pressured, cracks start to show. The Vikings offensive line and Kirk Cousins will likely have a tough game on Thursday.
Leaving Points Off The Board
The Minnesota Vikings play in close games every week. They’ve never won or lost by more than a touchdown this season. Over the past 2 games, it’s gotten them in trouble. A missed 2 point conversation against the 49ers and an overthrown pass on a fourth down in the red zone ensured their loss that game. Against the Lions, they missed 2 two point conversions in a game where they only lost by 2 points. They also settled for 3 points twice in the first quarter in Detroit’s red zone.
The Vikings will likely play in another close game on Thursday. The difference maker will be the drives the Vikings are able to finish. If the Vikings can follow through on good drives and not settle for three points, they’ll likely win this game. However, that hasn’t been there strong suit over the past 2 games. It will take some coaching improvements for the Vikings to be able to finish drives.
Final Verdict
The Vikings need this win to keep their playoff chances alive. However, coaching has been an issue all season and Kirk Cousins has shown to many times that he cracks under pressure. Mike Zimmer has also shown before that he cracks under pressure. The game on Thursday feels to high stakes for the Vikings to win. Expect the Vikings to crack under pressure once again and lose in a close game.
Other Notable Factors
- Adam Thielen will likely be out this game. Expect more KJ Osborn.
- Dalvin Cook returned to practice this week, but it’s probably to early for him to return from injury. If he does play, he’ll probably split carries with Alexander Mattison.
- Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks both returned to practice this week. Their defense will get a big boost if they play on Thursday.
- The Vikings’ coaching staff is in hot water after the loss to the Lions. If they lose this game as well, changes might come sooner than we think.
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