Last week, the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers clashed in a thrilling NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field, where the Vikings emerged victorious with a nail-biting score of 31-29. The game was a rollercoaster ride, featuring a first half that had Vikings fans dancing in the aisles and a second half that left them biting their nails down to the quick.
In a twist that had fans buzzing, Aaron Jones made his return to Lambeau, but this time he was rocking the purple and gold instead of the green and gold. Talk about a plot twist worthy of a Hollywood script! The Vikings were looking to capitalize on their early momentum, and boy, did they deliver in the first half.
The first quarter was a Viking feast, with Jordan Addison making a triumphant return to the field. He wasted no time making an impact, catching a 29-yard touchdown pass from Sam Darnold on a lightning-fast drive that had the crowd buzzing. Not to be outdone, tight end Josh Oliver joined the party, snagging his first touchdown of the season to close out the first quarter. The Vikings were rolling, and the Packers were left scrambling like a kid who just realized they forgot their lunch.
But the excitement didn’t stop there! In the second quarter, Addison continued to shine, adding a rushing touchdown to his impressive performance. Meanwhile, Justin Jefferson kept his scoring streak alive, catching his fourth receiving touchdown in as many games. With the Vikings’ offense firing on all cylinders, it felt like they were playing a different game altogether.
Meanwhile, the Packers were in absolute shambles. As Jordan Love was sacked once and turnovers were raining down like confetti at a New Year’s Eve bash. Brayden Narveson, the Packers’ kicker, had a first half to forget, doinking his first field goal attempt off the right upright and sending his second one way off target. He finished the half 0-2, leaving fans wondering if he was trying to kick field goals or just practicing his aim.
Just when it seemed like the Vikings were cruising to an easy victory, the tide began to turn. A muffed punt by Jalen Nailor, which was picked up by Bo Melton of the Packers at the 3-yard line, was ultimately turned into a surprising 7 points before halftime. Suddenly, the Vikings’ momentum took a nosedive, and the second half would prove to be a different story altogether.
While the Vikings had scored a whopping 28 points in the first half, they managed to muster only 3 points in the second half. It was as if they had left their offensive playbook in the locker room, and the Packers seized the opportunity to claw their way back into the game. The Vikings’ defense, which had been solid in the first half, started to show cracks, allowing the Packers to find their rhythm and make it a nail-biter down the stretch.
As the clock wound down, the Vikings found themselves in a precarious position, needing to clean up their act on both offense and defense. The second half was a reminder that even the mightiest of Vikings can have a sloppy day at the office. If they want to keep their playoff hopes alive, they’ll need to tighten up their game and avoid the pitfalls of a lackluster second half.
In the end, the Vikings escaped Lambeau with a hard-fought victory, but not without a few lessons learned. As they look ahead, they’ll need to channel their first-half energy and ensure that they don’t become the team that only shows up for half the game. After all, in the NFL, it’s not just about how you start; it’s about how you finish. Here’s to hoping Kevin O’Connell can get his Vikings to find a way to keep the momentum rolling and avoid any more second-half slip-ups in the weeks to come!
KEY PLAYERS FROM WEEK 4
Offense
- SAM DARNOLD – 28 Attempts 20 Completions 275 Yards 3 TDs 1 INT; 7 carries for 15 yards
- AARON JONES – 22 carries for 93 yards (4.2 yards per attempt); 4 Receptions 46 yards
- JUSTIN JEFFERSON – 8 Targets 6 Receptions 85 Yards 1 TD
- JORDAN ADDISON – 4 Targets 3 Receptions 72 Yards 1 TD; 1 carry for 7 yards 1 TD
Defense
- BLAKE CASHMAN – 6 Tackles 5 AssistS
- CAMRYN BYNUM – 6 Tackles 1 Assist
- BYRON MURPHY JR – 5 Tackles 2 Assists 1 INT
- PAT JONES II – 1 Tackles 2 Assist 1 SACK
- SHAQ GRIFFIN – 2 TackleS 1 Assist 1 INT
- KAMU GRUGIER-HILL – 1 Tackle 1 Assist 1 INT
JETS vs VIKINGS WEEK 5
It’s Week 5, and we’re off to jolly old London Town! The Jets are gearing up to take on our undefeated Vikings, and trust me, this clash is shaping up to be one for the history books! The Minnesota Vikings have been on a wild ride with their injury report this season, but Week 5 brings a glimmer of hope. Defensive Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has been nursing an ankle injury since Week 3, leaving a gaping hole in their run defense. But fear not, he’s set to make his triumphant return this week across the pond! His presence should help rein in the dynamic duo of Breece Hall and Braelen Allen. With Brian Flores finally having his defensive squad back in action, could this be the week Aaron Rodgers finds himself taking an unexpected tour of Sack City? If we consulted in the magic eight ball, I have a feeling it would say, “Signs point to Yes!”
Buckle up, folks, this is going to be a thrilling ride!
INJURIES/PLAYERS OUT
VIKINGS INJURIES
TJ Hockenson (Tight End)
Injury: ACL/MCL Tears
Status: OUT (Return Window Opened)
TJ Hockenson has finally returned to practice. He’s definitely been a missing puzzle piece in this offense. The vikings have 20 days to return him back to the 53 man roster. I’m guessing they give him that time to take advantage of getting up to speed and back into game condition. My thoughts are he will return in week 7 against the Lions for a sweet revenge game for TJ!
The other key players whom were on Minnesota’s injury report did not receive a designation for the game and are expected to be available!
Josh Oliver (Tight End) (Wrist), Brandon Powell (Wide Receiver) (Chest), Sam Darnold (Quarterback) (Knee), Akayleb Evans (Cornerback) (Illness), Ivan Pace Jr (Linebacker) (Ankle), Stephon Gilmore (Cornerback) (Rest) and Harrison Smith (Safety) (Rest).
JETS INJURIES
Morgan Moses (Offensive Tackle)
Injury: Knee
Status: OUT
CJ Mosely (Inside Linebacker)
Injury: Toe
Status: DOUBTFUL
Leki Fotu (Hamstring)
Injury: Ankle
Status: OUT
The other key players whom were on Jet’s injury report did not receive a designation for the game and are expected to be available.
Tyron Smith (Offensive Tackle) (Vet Rest), Aaron Rodgers (Wide Receiver) (Knee), Alijah Vera-Tucker (Guard) (Ankle).
GAME DETAILS
Location: Northumberland Development Project, London
Date: Sunday, October 6, 2024
Kickoff: 9:00 a.m. ET
Where to Watch: NFL+, KARE-11
Jets vs Vikings Odds
- Spread: Jets +2 (-108) | Vikings -2 (-112)
- Over/Under: 40.5 Points Over (-112) | Under (-108)
- Moneyline: Jets (+120) | Vikins (-142)
Odds courtesy of Draft Kings Sportsbook
My Week 4 Bets and Final Prediction for Jets @ Vikings
- Vikings get the victory this week at -142 and go 5-0
- I’m predicting a Packers 20 / Vikings 27 score for today’s game, which means you should be taking Vikings spread at -112.
- The Total for this game is 40.5. (Every game ever played in this venue has gone over 40.5 points besides one.) With my scoring predictions, I believe taking the Over at -112.
FAVORITE PLAYER PROP BETS
- Aaron Jones – 80+ Rushing Yards (+180)
- Allen Lazard – 40+ Receiving Yards (+100)
- Will Reichard – Over 6.5 Kicker Points (-120)
- Camryn Bynum – Over 4.5 Tackles (-105)
- Jonathon Greenard – Over 0.25 Sacks (-125)
- Will McDonald IV – Over 0.25 Sacks (+115)
The Jets are the 2nd toughest defense against the pass in the NFL only allowing an average of 127 passing yards per game in the 2024 season. This makes me a little worried about Jefferson and Addison’s receiving yards this week.
When it comes to their run defense, they’ve been allowing an average of 128 yards on the ground per game. Even better news, they allow 155 yards to running backs when the Jets are the away team. This could mean a big workload for Aaron Jones, maybe even some work for my guy Ty Chandler.
After week 5, I’m hoping to see the Vikings go into their bye week at 5-0. Would love to see the Vikings come out of that bye with a strong mindset and a healthy TJ Hockenson to face off against another NFC North Foe, the Lions in week 7.
Skol Viking Let’s Win This Game!
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