The unbeaten Minnesota Vikings won another game behind a suffocating defense and sterling special teams, while their offense remained disjointed and uninspiring for a restless home crowd.
asserted
offense → win → crowd
Lost in the din of another grind-it-out win and the mild booing sparked by a series of stalled possessions, however, was a promising fourth-quarter performance by Kyler Murray when the Vikings needed their passing attack the most.
asserted
Vikings → lose → attack
Maybe it’ll prove to be a mirage.
asserted
it → prove → ?
More likely, the results over the remainder of the season will land somewhere in the middle.
asserted
results → land → middle
Nonetheless, Murray and his teammates gained some vital steam with their finish against Miami on Sunday that gave the Vikings a 4-0 record.
asserted
that → gain → record
After completing 12 of 13 passes for 112 yards in the fourth quarter of the 15-10 victory, helping the Vikings get eight first downs and hold the ball for 14 of 15 minutes, Murray said he felt “present” in a way he hadn’t experienced yet with his new club.
asserted
he → complete → club
“I definitely felt like the game was moving slower,” Murray said.
asserted
Murray → feel → ?
“I was a little more in control, not perfect by any means, but to be able to get that many reps like I did today, play four quarters again, see defenses, see coverages, see guys moving around and getting to the field zones in man coverages, all that, you can’t put a price tag on that playing this position.
asserted
you → get → position
I think we’re only going to get better.”
asserted
we → think → ?
Murray went 27 of 37 for 249 yards, including six throwaways and three drops by intended receivers.
asserted
Murray → go → receivers
The combination of the game-long commitment by the Dolphins to playing split-safety coverage and the absence of star Justin Jefferson made the intermediate and deep passes more difficult.
asserted
passes → play → Jefferson
Murray repeatedly held the ball in the pocket too long, taking four sacks against a team that had none over the first three games.
asserted
that → hold → games
But he leaned hard on tight end T.J. Hockenson and connected with Jordan Addison for a crucial 27-yard gain on a tough throw to an in-cutting route at midfield with about four minutes left.
asserted
he → lean → minutes
“I thought it said a lot about Kyler and the group as a whole, fighting through some adversity there,” coach Kevin O’Connell said.
asserted
O’Connell → think → adversity
Murray’s preseason work on a demanding playbook was affected some by the competition with J.J. McCarthy, limiting his turns with the first team until he was announced as the starter on Aug. 11.
asserted
he → demand → Aug.
Then he was sidelined in the first quarter of his debut by a concussion that kept him out the following week, too.
asserted
that → sideline → him
In Murray’s return, Jefferson had an injury force an early exit.
asserted
injury → have → exit
The duo has played only 18 snaps together through four games.
asserted
duo → play → games
The Vikings, not coincidentally, are the only team in the last 90 years, according to Sportradar data, to start a season 4-0 and have at least two games with no offensive touchdowns.
uncertain
Vikings → accord → touchdowns
“There’s no lack of confidence by any means,” Murray said.
asserted
Murray → ’ → means
“Obviously we’ve got to be better and cleaner, and we will be.”
asserted
we → get → ?
What’s working
The pass defense was in prime form against the Dolphins, limiting Malik Willis to nine completions in 17 attempts.
asserted
defense → work → attempts
The Vikings lead the NFL in sacks per pass attempt and rank fourth in yards allowed per pass play.
asserted
Vikings → lead → play
What needs help
The Vikings, on the flip side, are second-worst in the league in sacks allowed per pass attempt.
asserted
Vikings → need → attempt
Hockenson tied his career high with 13 receptions for 119 yards, his fifth career game with a 100% catch rate.
asserted
Hockenson → tie → rate
Eight of his receptions went for first downs, and he picked up more blocking responsibility, too, after fellow tight end Josh Oliver suffered a torn biceps that likely ended his season.
asserted
that → go → season
With his fourth 100-yard game for the Vikings, Hockenson tied Joe Senser for most by a tight end in team history.
asserted
Hockenson → tie → history
With rookie Brett Thorson out for a second straight game because of a hamstring injury, veteran Johnny Hekker had punts that grossed only 31 and 20 yards.
asserted
that → have → yards
The Vikings got some bad news Monday on left guard Donovan Jackson, who likely will miss the rest of the regular season with a knee injury.
asserted
who → get → injury
Left tackle Christian Darrisaw is in the concussion protocol and uncertain for this week, along with Jefferson and his sprained ankle.
asserted
Darrisaw → sprain → Jefferson
Key number
26.1 — The percentage of opponent possessions against the Vikings that have resulted in points, the best rate in the league.
Up next
The Vikings play this week at New Orleans, where a noisy stadium could pose a problem with their susceptibility to pre-snap penalties.
uncertain
stadium → result → penalties
The offense had five of them against Miami, including an illegal formation call that negated a 21-yard pass from Murray to Addison in the first quarter.
asserted
that → have → quarter
The Aporia
