JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The final score was the only thing that shared a tight scoreline in this contest.
The Minnesota Vikings’ formidable defense limited the Jacksonville Jaguars to just 143 yards, marking the fewest yardage tallied under coach Doug Pederson during his three seasons. Last Sunday, the Vikings managed to edge past the Jaguars with a score of 12-7 despite quarterback Sam Darnold’s three interceptions.
“These are the types of games that strong teams find a way to win, regardless of the day’s challenges,” said Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell. “I’m proud of our performance, but there are definitely aspects we need to improve and address.”
It was not the prettiest win for the Vikings (7-2), yet it felt as imbalanced as some of the more one-sided defeats the league has witnessed this season.
The Vikings dominated the game with 82 offensive plays compared to the Jaguars’ 43. Minnesota possessed the football for an impressive 42 minutes and 19 seconds, while Jacksonville only held on to it for 17 minutes and 41 seconds. The Vikings notched 28 first downs, significantly outperforming Jacksonville’s 10. They also ran 39 plays within the Jaguars’ territory, finishing the game with a total of 402 yards.
Despite the Vikings’ overall control, Darnold seemed intent on giving the game away to Jacksonville (2-8). This marked his first game in three years with three interceptions, with a fourth nullified by a penalty.
Darnold’s throws targeted All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson, who had five receptions for 48 yards, including two crucial catches in the red zone.
“I need to improve on protecting the football,” acknowledged Darnold. “That much is evident.”
The Vikings kicked three field goals across five appearances inside the red zone, with John Parker Romo making three of his four attempts in his NFL debut from distances of 29, 34, 33, and 45 yards.
In a dramatic moment, the Jaguars had a brief chance to stage a comeback thanks to a critical sack by Travon Walker on a third-and-one; however, it was a confusing call given their struggling offense.
Making his first start in nearly a year due to an injury to Trevor Lawrence (non-throwing shoulder), Mac Jones struggled to make an impact. Nonetheless, he managed to guide Jacksonville through the second half with some assistance from a facemask penalty on linebacker Blake Cashman.
Ultimately, Jones threw his second interception with just 1:49 remaining, which effectively squashed any hopes of a rally. He ended the game with two additional turnovers: another interception and a fumbled snap early in the fourth quarter.
“I didn’t find this easy enough,” Jones admitted.
As the game was nearing a punt situation for Minnesota, Walker was penalized for unnecessary roughness while attempting to strip the ball from running back Aaron Jones. This allowed the Vikings to run out the clock.
In terms of performance, Mac Jones completed 14 of 22 passes for 111 yards, finishing with a passer rating of 38.3.
As per NFL Research, the Vikings made history by becoming the first team since 2006 to secure a win despite three turnovers and not scoring a touchdown.
