Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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No. 22 (down 3 spots): NFL Staff – Bleacher Report
It is officially time to panic in the Twin Cities.
For a time Sunday, it appeared the Vikings were going to stop the bleeding from their awful start. They led the undefeated Tennessee Titans by double digits in the second half.
But Minnesota couldn't hold the lead, and when Kirk Cousins threw his second interception of the game to kill the last drive, the Vikings found themselves in an all-too-familiar spot this season — on the short end of the scoreboard.
Rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson had a big game, hauling in seven passes for 175 yards and a score. So did running back Dalvin Cook with 199 total yards and a touchdown. But that's precious little solace for a Vikings team that is watching its hopes of making it back to the playoffs circle the drain at ever-increasing speed.
No. 24 (down 1 spot): MMQB Staff – Sports Illustrated
Kirk Cousins threw six interceptions in all of 2019. Three games into the 2020 season, he's already matched that total. And so in Houston this week, two teams that were in the playoffs last season will meet, each searching for their first win a month into the season.
No. 28 (down 4 spots): Vinnie Iyer – Sporting News
The Vikings defense simply cannot stop anything that matters, whether it's run or pass. It's hard to believe that's a Mike Zimmer defense. The offense is expected to be flawless to compensate, and that's been far from the case for Kirk Cousins.
No. 22 (up 1 spot): Nate Davis – USA TODAY Sports
Only Carolina has fewer sacks than Minnesota's three. With DE Danielle Hunter sorely missed, might be time for Mike Zimmer to ratchet up the blitz.
No. 21 (down 2 spots): Courtney Cronin – ESPN.com
Although the Vikings did move Pat Elflein to right guard and had a competition between two former backups for the starting job at left guard, many anticipated the continuity of this group (i.e., settling on a starting five early in camp) would yield a better result than we've seen so far. Kirk Cousins experienced the third-highest pressure rate of his career (47 percent) against Tennessee, and Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia are among the worst-ranked guards (per PFF) in the NFL. This unit hasn't gotten better because its personnel has not gotten better.
No. 30 (down 2 spots): Mike Florio – Pro Football Talk
Trevor Lawrence would look great in purple.