Murphy: Suddenly, the Vikings are alive
The NFC North race was broken open by a Vikings victory in Detroit
By Brian Murphy
As far as opening statements go, Sam Laporta’s catch and carry on Detroit’s opening drive on Sunday was Eminem mic-dropping his final 8 Mile battle.
Laporta dragged not one, not two, but four Minnesota defenders across 10 yards before crashing into the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown reception that was poised to snuff the 2025 Vikings once and for all.
Lions fans had Ford Field roaring. Jared Goff was cruising like it was the fifth quarter of last season’s Week 18 blowout of the purple. And J.J. McCarthy had not even taken a snap as the second-year quarterback once again prepared to reboot his nascent career.
The about-face that unfolded over the next three hours defied the oddsmakers, upended convention and recalibrated expectations for the Vikings, who are not only alive in the NFC North but well enough to contend for a playoff bid that appeared lost 48 hours ago.
McCarthy and the Vikings shrugged off a devastating start to cold-cock the defending division champions, end their five-game losing streak to Detroit and pull back a season hanging over the abyss. It’s morning in Eagan again after Minnesota chiseled a 27-24 victory and clawed back to .500.
With nine games remaining in a softening schedule, the Vikings have a golden opportunity to reestablish themselves as the confident contenders who broke training camp with their franchise quarterback healthy and Super Bowl aspirations dancing in their heads.
McCarthy’s three-touchdown resurgence was modest on flash, but it answered questions that have dogged him since landing on the injury report with a high-ankle sprain after just two starts this year.
When he is protected, mobile and supported by a productive running game and tenacious defense, McCarthy is very capable of meeting the moment and shepherding an offense loaded with dynamic playmakers who yearn to see him succeed.
More important we saw how a healthy defense can still rattle elite quarterbacks like Goff and wreck dangerous offenses like Detroit’s when mistakes are minimized and complimentary football reigns.
“Everyone was making plays,” said defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, the $30 million free agent who reinserted himself into the conversation and starting lineup after being marginalized.
“It’s a humbling league,” he added. “I feel like I just used everything for motivation, and I just got to keep it going.”
There was Hargrave making eight tackles, including two for losses, while helping stuff running back and Vikings killer Jahmyr Gibbs, who roasted them for 330 yards and six touchdowns in a pair of Lions wins last year.
There was Blake Cashman’s 14 combined tackles and forced fumble against Gibbs, which McCarthy quickly leveraged into a touchdown run that gave Minnesota a 10-point lead in the third quarter. Fellow linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel’s tipped passes after returning from a neck injury reminded everyone of his splash-play pedigree.
Cashman and Eric Wilson (two sacks, three tackles for losses) were menaces up the middle as Goff was knocked from his comfort zone and under constant duress. Dominant as Minnesota looked it was a 180-degree reversal from their no-show in Los Angeles against the heavy-handed Chargers.
Total redemption for defensive coordinator Brian Flores, whose big-play resume was shredded in consecutive ugly losses to the Eagles and Chargers. After allowing an average of 130 rushing yards per game, the Vikings held Gibbs and David Montgomery to 65 combined yards on 20 rushes.
“Teams have adjustments and you get down in the dumps, feeling like you ain’t have the right plan and all that, but we just have to trust and believe it,” said edge rusher Jonathan Grenard. “We didn’t play our best game in general, but overall I think we put some good stuff on film.”
Toss a big bouquet to coach Kevin O’Connell for guiding McCarthy through the emotions of returning to the state where he won an NCAA national title for the Wolverines and dialing up a run-pass mix that allowed his young quarterback to lock in quickly and complete timely passes to his star receivers. Most important, O’Connell held a critical team meeting last week that empowered his players to not only take ownership of their disappointing performance but tap into resilience and confidence that was sorely lacking.
NFL head coaches are psychologists as much as they are tacticians – especially during crises. The Vikings were a fragile mess after their 37-10 loss to the Chargers, with pointed questions about how they managed Carson Wentz’s broken shoulder and whether they were even set up to give McCarthy a chance to succeed.
Minnesota was an 8 1/2-point underdog against the 5-2 Lions, who were humming offensively and hanging tough defensively despite a rash of injuries.
O’Connell opened the floor Saturday night in Detroit for team captains to vent and plot a course for the remainder of a season on the brink of extinction.
“We all just trusted how we were feeling,” said safety Josh Metellus. “Giving our thoughts and feelings about how we should approach the rest of the season and how we should approach this game, the reception we got back -- that’s what makes this team what we are.”
On its face, a 4-4 mark midway through the season is uninspiring. But the worst appears over for the Vikings, who finally have momentum and a sense of what McCarthy can do for them – assuming he doesn’t wake up this week with another malady.
They’re only 1 ½ games behind Green Bay in the NFC North, with two games remaining against them. They already have division victories over Chicago and Detroit. And their schedule does not look as daunting as it did mere weeks ago.
Consecutive home games against the Ravens (3-5) and Bears (5-3) bracket encores against the Lions (5-3) and Packers (5-2-1) at U.S. Bank Stadium to finish the season.
In between there are road games at Dallas (3-4-1), Seattle (6-2) and the Giants (2-7), with a home game against backpedaling Washington (3-6), whose quarterback, Jayden Daniels, is mess of injury.
Suddenly feels very doable without wishing for a do-over.