Welcome back to the Vikings Postgame Report presented by Lumen - The trusted network of A.I. The Minnesota Vikings defeated the New York Giants 16-13 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Vikings Quarterback J.J. McCarthy played in the first half before leaving due to a hand injury, finishing 9-of-14 passing for 108 yards, a rushing TD, and an INT. Quarterback Max Brosmer came in and played in the 2nd Half, finishing 7-of-9 passing for 52 yards. Running Back Aaron Jones Sr. led the rushing attack with 21 carries for 85 yards. Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson hauled in 6 receptions for 85 yards and became the NFL's All-time leader in receptions in a player’s first 6 seasons. Kicker Will Reichard was perfect again on the day, with 3 field goals and 1 XP in the game. Meanwhile, the Vikings Defense was all over Giants Quarterback Jaxson Dart throughout the game, recording 5 sacks in the contest. Defensive Tackles Jonathan Allen, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Jalen Redmond all recorded a sack, while Linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel and Eric Wilson each notched one as well. Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. recorded his first interception of the season in the 2nd Quarter. Paul Allen and Pete Bercich breakdown the game, including: the historic run the Vikings Defense is currently on, watching players step up and contribute when called upon, the steady nature of Defensive Tackle Jalen Redmond, and Kicker Will Reichard making a case to be the team MVP this season. Plus, Head Coach Kevin O'Connell’s press conference and more are all in this edition of the Vikings Postgame Report - presented by Lumen - The trusted network of A.I.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:18):
Welcome to the Vikings postgame report from New Jersey. I'm
Paul Allen, joined by Pete Persich. This is powered by
Looman and the Minnesota Vikings have won three consecutive games.
Pete and I have called a lot of games together.
In fact, we've been together since two thousand and seven.
I started No. Two, Pete played and coached. So when
somebody like Pete says I can't remember this happening, ever,
(00:42):
you said it about three times today with all the
injuries in the game. The Vikings won sixteen thirteen, They've
won three in a row. But all the penalties like
twenty two to twenty three combined. I mean, what, it
was just a wonky game today, but won The Vikings won.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, I mean one hundred and sixty three yards and
penalties for both teams in the Giants only had one
hundred and twenty eight yards of total offense and once
the last time we've seen a quarterback get held to
thirty three yards. Wow, you know, passing, it's just a
masterful job, I think defensively, not letting Dart ever get
comfortable even when he did have it, you know, against
(01:17):
the zero Blitzy threw that ball up, that pass breakup
that Isaiah Rodgers had on Wandale, that play right there
was was I think the game changer because that gets completed.
That's a huge play there in scoring position. But overall defensively,
what a great job that they've done. Injuries on the
offensive line, still running the football doing it, you know,
(01:40):
being efficient today. No huge runs, but when you needed
it right at the end to move the chains, that's
what you get. Aaron Jones checks himself back in and
you know.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
You do what you have to do.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
And props to Michael Jurgens, who replaced Ryan Kelly who
was knocked out in the first half. Props to Max Brosmer,
the Gophers rookie. He had to play the entire second
and half after JJ McCarthy was knocked out by Brian
Burns on the second sack for Burns, it was the
only touchdown the Giants scored. It was former Gopher Tyler
Nuban on the bumble recovery. Brozemer came in and went
(02:12):
seven of nine for fifty two yards. McCarthy had to
leave with a hand injury, and we have a short
week with the Vikings taking on the Detroit Lions Christmas
Day shortly after three o'clock. Good job by Jurgens, good
job by Max.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah, absolutely, those guys did. They did a great job
up front. The Giants had their fisher of injuries, their center,
you know, their whole left side of their offensive line
had gone down. But yeah, there's you left some plays
on the table. But this is you know, December football
outdoors in New York. So you're gonna get the elements
you're gonna get, You're gonna get the wind, you're gonna
(02:46):
get all those things. And you know, again with all
the drama getting out here and everything else, I still
had to I have to credit the Vikings for seeing
through and getting through all of that and then still
getting out and doing what you need to do to score.
I mean, Riiker continues to be an underrated MVP candidate
(03:06):
for this team. Man. I mean, he's just been so automatic.
You just need to get that ball somewhere around the
thirty forty yard line and boom, you're coming away with
three points. So great day for Riker two.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
From a defensive standpoint, the Vikings have not allowed a
passing touchdown six consecutive games. There only are two teams
in the last quarter century to do that. The twenty
twenty five Vikings on the twenty eighteen and nineteen New
England Patriots. You know, I mean Jackson, Jackson Dart he
had a rough game against Flores today, but that six
consecutive includes quarterbacks like Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Caleb Williams
(03:42):
and so on. I mean the Vikings defense, their pass
defense has been terrific.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, they have been in Byron Murphy hadn't shown up
with eighteen games not an interception. He comes up with
one today, almost had two and another tip football and
that was early. That was the second quarter. And after
that the Giants said, you know what, We're just We're
just gonna keep handing this football off. So but yeah,
overall defensively, uh when they put six, seven, eight guys
(04:07):
on the line of scrimmage, stayed aggressive. Uh yeah, they
they they ran the day. And again you know Andrew
Van Ginkle with the sack right at the end when
you need it. You know, he comes up big. They
tried to block him with a tight end, which is
a mistake. But that's what that's what this defense does.
It gets offenses out of their protection schemes getting the
funky different you know, funky looks and they don't have
(04:30):
the right guy blocking the right defender at the right time,
and uh, you know, so overall the what a what
a between Cashman being just all over the field, right,
it was at first drive we were leaky in the
run and then we just kind of dialed it in
as you saw it. You just dialed it in as
the game went on, right, and Elijah Williams getting in
there a lot of this is that time of year
(04:50):
where you got a lot of backups and a lot
of guys getting an opportunity to get out there. Taki
Taki getting out there on special teams. So you know
you're seeing some new names and some new numbers. But
all those guys stepped into the great job.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And lastly, before we hear from the head coach, Kevin O'Connell,
it's our weekly praise of Jalen Redman. Whether they win
or lose, Jalen Redman plays well every single game. He
had a sack, but he also had a pass defense
to block shot. As Kevin O'Connell would say near the
end of the game, that was big because the giant
receiver was open for a first down. I mean, Jalen
(05:21):
Redman is just fantastic.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, and he's been consistent, Paul, and he continues to
get better. And that's what you'd love to see out
of these guys that kind of come out of nowhere, right,
and he makes an impact, makes a team. But then
he doesn't stop there, right, He's continuing to work his
trade and getting better. He almost had two sacks today
close to to got that pass broken up at a
very key opportunity. And yeah, Redmond is the I mean,
(05:45):
that's I guess that's the story of Flores right, finding
guys like this putting him in their position to succeed.
Jonathan Allen I thought played well. So the interior tackles
of this defense, I thought had a pretty good day.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
It's three in a row, four KO. Three in a row,
four KO. The Vikings up seven thories. Now with you
to go. Let's hear from Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin
O'Connell after a sixteen to thirteen victory from Metlive Stadium.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
It was a interesting twenty four hours or so for
our team, but really proud of the way the guys
handled a little bit of the adversity yesterday.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
And then found a way to win a football game.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Played really really good defense all day long, you know,
did you know, did enough from a standpoint of third
downs and running against a really good I mean, that's
a that's a pretty darn good front, just trying to
play physical there, fighting through some injuries that I'll get
to here in a second thought. There were some really
good individual performances, but the defense as a whole, that's
(06:40):
that's their game ball right there.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
For what they were able to do two.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
To ten on third downer three in the red zone
for those guys, and then the five sacks and whatever
it ended up passing yardage wise, so really really impressive
performance by them. And then offensively, you know, it was
kind to kind of be one of those games from
a standpoint of you know, cold day. Seven to twelve
on third down though, and then one on one on
fourth down like the way we finished, you know, running
(07:05):
a play to put the game away there at the
end Byron Murphy with the interception and a couple of
tackles Blake Cashman. It was it was a see you know,
sixteen tackles all over the field him and c. J.
Hamm with Mattelis and Jonathan Gernard going out, players decided
that they wanted those guys to be our seventh and
(07:26):
eighth captains today, so they had the C on their
chest today, which was an awesome, awesome moment. Will kicking
in those conditions obviously three or three. And then I
thought Aaron Jones was an absolute warrior playing through, you know,
being being a little dinged up there, but just continuing
to run hard. And then I thought Justin's effort on
some of those plays to just give him a chance.
(07:48):
Sometimes you just got to give him a chance to
have the ball. And even if it's not a concept
more than just have some guys, you know, spread out
trying to get some blocks and give him a chance
to have the football. You know, his greatness was on
full display. Injury wise, Jordan Mason did have the right
ankle very very early and did not return. Unfortunately, Ryan
Kelly was a being evaluated for a concussion did not return,
(08:13):
and then JJ McCarthy with his right hand did not return.
Aaron Jones did kind of get evaluated with that right
ankle and was able to fight get back in the
game and help.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Us finish it out there.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
But three in a row tough point in the season
when a lot of guys could have, you know, focused
their intentions elsewhere. These guys have just continued to fight
and find a way to win three in a row,
which I absolutely love what those guys are built in
their locker room and the culture in our building to
continue to go. And we've got a football game coming
(08:47):
up on a short week. We got to get ready for.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
You know, the extent of JJ's injury.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I do not right now. I you know, he.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
You know, likely I have not seen the play, but
apparently you know, it happened before his touchdown run, and
I was actually concerned with the angle that I had
when he did run it in. I just wanted to
make sure he you know, I thought he got hit
in the head or neck area going into the end zone,
but he he was clean there. And then you know,
I asked him if he was all right, uh, and
he and he uh, you know, he said he was.
(09:18):
And you know, obviously we just scored a touchdown, big moment,
but then when we went out for the next drive,
that's when he seemed to have some discomfort there. So
we'll evaluate it and uh, you know, make sure we
find out what's going on there, and.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Did you did he mentioned discomfort when he got back
to the sideline.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
When he did not, Uh, he when we were you know,
in those moments, and I've I've done something pretty similar
with you know, with the quarterbacks hit their hands all
the time, whether it's helmets or you know, deflect you know,
other defenders and things like that.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
It happened to me in college, and I didn't even
know I had a significant injury until you know, the
next time I took a snap, which you know, we
ran the ball in first ten and then you know,
just trying to throw a simple receiver screen very similar
to what we had thrown to Justin on some of
those third and long conversions. And I'm not sure he
was able to even grip the ball, But I don't
(10:11):
know if he knew or not. At that point, I
have not had a chance to talk to him. They
took him away to evaluate him. But yeah, he was
unable to grip the football.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Apparently, Where did you think that his performance up until then?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
You know what I thought, again, he was in a
rhythm of great decision making early on. Obviously the tipball
interception on just a simple quick game out route, you know,
makes a great decision there. You know, Justin's kind of
on the underneath route and they're giving up the out
route to to Jalen Naylor and we just got to
(10:46):
pitch and catch that one. There was a couple other ones,
but loved the decisive decision to Addison on the play
action there at one point, and he was you know,
he showed his athleticism on a big, big third down
to put the ball in the end zone, which was huge.
So I thought, uh jj was doing a lot of
really good things and really really unfortunate that he was
(11:07):
not able to finish the football game. And he's he was,
in my opinion, stacking putting together a very nice performance.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Again Londo's lines. Just the disruption with these injuries to
his development.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
How much is that is set back that every time
he starts.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
To get rhythm.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Yeah, you know, a party wants to just make sure,
you know, it's part of this game and he's a competitor,
and you know, I think it's I think it's something
where he's gonna go out there and lay it on
the line every single week. And like I said, I
don't know, you know what at what point the injury
actually happened, And I'm not I don't even know if
he does and when and when I talked to him.
(11:42):
Will try to try to pinpoint that down, but it
is unfortunate just thinking about what these last three weeks
and really two and a half weeks or so outside
of uh, you know, outside of that that last play
of the half there, I mean, he's looked like he's
really found a place of decisiveness or ownership for the offense.
I mean, the discussion and the dialogue about things he's seeing.
(12:04):
So yeah, it's it's a bummer just because I'm having
a blast coaching him and seeing the growth of a
young player getting the opportunity to actually go out there
and grow and develop and to like, I've been so
proud of the way he's come, you know, really these
these last few weeks, come back.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
And just really shown some growth. So you'd love to
have him.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
I'd love to have him for two straight home games
to finish and and we'll see where his hand's at
and if he has the ability to play for us again.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
I sure hope.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
So good. Just to clarify that it wasn't him turning
down that that screen or not throwing it.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
He just couldn't the ball right from the From the
sounds of it, I know there was a I know,
I think Carter might have been on the edge, but
that's a perimeter receiver screen.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
That you get that thing started.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
I think they were in man coverage and you got
a chance to get two blocks and possibly give Justin
another chance to activate underneath, you know, and pick up
some of those big guys coming out there. I don't
the ball needs to be thrown right away, and he
knows that he had done it already in the game.
And if you do hold it on a receiver perimeter screen,
the backside defensive end is coming and and he knows that.
(13:07):
So I haven't seen it yet, but my guess is,
you know he could not grip the football with some.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Of the drops.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
How do you kind of parse through those, whether it's
him throwing the ball hard and receivers need to adjust,
or just receivers needed to make catches there.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Yeah, and it's it's kind of look. I thought it
was impressive some of the throws he made.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
I mean, the wind was significant at times when it
was dusting a cold day, and he's out there pushing
the ball.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
But yeah, some of it's unfortunate.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Simple kind of day one, kind of quick game, kind
of ball out kind of plays, and you know, very
similar to the one Justin had into the boundary and
that one got on Justin in a hurry, you know.
And it's just it's just those are the things that
when you fully catch your stride as a group, those
are all pitching and catching and we're you know, either
(13:51):
first and ten or second and short, whatever it is, and.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
H that will be, you know. And that's been a
big part of how we've operated here.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
For a long time, is the pitching and catching has been, uh,
you know, a big part of what we do. And
I thought over these last two three weeks it's really
shown up. I even liked you know, the early the
early decision JJ had against man coverage to Addison, you know,
on the first drive of the game, giving them an
opportunity to make that ball.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
And our guys will make those plays.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
We got some of the best in the league at
the receiver position, you know, clearly with Justin and and
you know, Jordan and Speedy have all had you know,
really really bright moments this year. It's just some of
those glue plays in between that we we uh, we
got to continue to work to make those throws and
catches at a at the level those guys are capable of,
(14:39):
not only the quarterback but the receivers as well.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
The max through kind of down the stretch too. Can
you just walk us through that play there?
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Yeah, So that's a you know, you're kind of knowing,
you know that the defense is playing pretty spectacular. You
also know you're gonna need, uh, you're gonna need to
potentially try to find a way to at least give
Will a swing at it. So we get ourselves into
the you know, into a third down and long, very
long situation. And it's basically a play where we were
(15:09):
going to try to do some work to help on
the edges and had CJ in there, and Justin's got
you know, Justin can run the out route from that point,
he can run the en route, he can go vertical,
he can run a he's basically got all angles of
the cut by what we've put on tape. In that circumstance,
he's he's running an outcut off of simulating kind of
maybe running an incut to try to see if we
can win the leverage. I told Max if he felt
(15:32):
like there was grass out there, I just want you
to lay it out there and let him go get it.
I thought it was a phenomenal throw to get it
up and over the flat defender. It was kind of
a unique inverted too deep coverage, so the corner's got
the half and we could dive all the way in
on that, you know, if we if we had a whiteboard.
But what it was is Max making a big time
throw and given Justin Jefferson a chance. You know, after
(15:54):
the year and the leadership he's shown, that play will
probably not be remembered with some of the five sacks
or some of the plays that were made JJ scramble
for a touchdown. But I thought that was as game
win because of from a player today, and it was
Justin Jefferson in a huge moment to make the play and.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Max stepping in.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
How about that stepping in and functioning at a high level,
throwing some completions here and there, running the show, made
some great decisions, you know with our can system in
the run game, and you know, his total team effort
not a very pretty performance, but on a day like this,
you know, it rarely can be with some of the
elements it's.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Still fresh, but with Brian Kelly, just your level of
concern and just I mean, I know how much he.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Means to him.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Yeah, you know, concern just because of obviously you know,
his journey and and just how quite frankly, how well
he's been playing, and the time that we all took
and he took most importantly to get back out there.
And then he's absolutely you know, one of our best
players over these last few weeks since his return. I
(16:57):
got to see the play because you know, I don't
know where the contact could have come from in the
normal rhythm of a play like that that could cause
that There was some there was some concerns from some
of the folks out there about the play, you know,
on our side, and and I'm gonna need to take
a look at it to kind of figure out what
happened there. But most importantly, I am absolutely you know,
(17:19):
the concern for Ryan.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Is you know, well, we're all you know.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Just hoping and and and and really just thinking about
him and don't have an official kind of diagnosis or anything,
but anytime anything like that happens, you have concerns.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
As a head coach, concerns about the play. The people
at your guys.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
Out there are concerns about there was just some you know,
I don't want to get too much into it. I
think we all need to probably you know, take a
look at it and kind of figured it out from there.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
That's good given with JJ. I mean, do you have
concern that this could be something that could endue season.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
I don't have the answer to that right now. Like
I just know they told me he could not return.
You know, I know at this point the only information
I have is that X rays were negative. But you know,
obviously the hand, there's a lot going on there, So
I don't want to speculate one way or the other.
And you know, just crossing our fingers that will have
(18:14):
him back out there once again.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
JJ McCarthy with a hand injury, got knocked out at
the end of the first half. Max Brosmer came in
and you know, it wasn't the long of his career.
He started the Seattle game and you know, had some
disaster to it on many levels, but he had a
pass to Justin Jefferson right hash to the left sideline,
where it ended up being a massive first down for
(18:36):
the Viking. So Max took a step today.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
He did, and and what a great catch by you know,
by Justin Jefferson. And you look at McCarthy. The the
interception that he threw, I don't think was on him.
It was off the hands of Jalen Naylor.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
And so yeah, I think overall the quarterbacks played pretty well.
But Brosemer, you see it, you see it. You get
through that first game, you get your first time out there,
didn't go the way wanted it against you know, against
the Seattle Seahawks with the four interceptions. Now he's getting
his next shot and things are gonna be different. They're
gonna be a little bit slower out there. But that
(19:09):
was he also threw another beautiful throat to Naylor right
right that that you know, maybe he got twisted up, Yeah,
he got a little bit twisted up, but he threw
the ball exactly where it needed to be, where only
the receiver could catch it. So Brozemer still continues to
just pop right and you you know that Kevin O'Connell
has the confidence in calling the full offense with Brozemer
(19:31):
in there. The only thing Brozemer doesn't have that McCarthy
might have right now. Is that the mobility in the pocket,
But he's a great decision maker, makes him quickly gets
the ball out fast. So for McCarthy's he's trying to
learn his way. But Brosmer is also, you know, he's
doing the same thing that It's kind of interesting to
see these two young quarterbacks just develop week to week.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
All right.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
So with a short week coming up, three thirty kickoff
against the Detroit Lions in the penultimate game of the
twenty twenty five season. It's at us Bank Stadium, and
it's this Thursday. We're not going to guess about MacArthur
or Brosemer or who's coming up next. The bottom line is,
you know, this team at one point was four and eight,
took a bad loss. We had the kick return with
(20:11):
Devin Duverney the shutout against the Seattle Seahawks. But after
that Seahawks game, Kevin O'Connell's done a great job to
galvanize this team. They've won three consecutive games. Many people
have heard about the complicated travel for the Vikings to Newark,
New Jersey, where we were on buses and or planes
(20:33):
for ten and a half hours. Finally got to the
team Hotel about eleven thirty. That could have set them
back a little bit. I mean, they didn't play the
greatest football in the history of the NFL, but they
did enough to win behind the legs of Aaron Jones
and an outstanding defensive effort. Next come the Detroit Lions
that ought to be fun.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Yeah, and don't forget this defense was out there today
without Josh Mattelis, without Jonathan Gernard. So you're losing Jayvon Hrgrave.
So you're losing three your starters right there. And to
be able to come out and still be able to
do what they did today, that's Eric Wilson and Blake
Cashman and Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner picking up the slack.
Jonathan Allen continuing to play well as he has really,
(21:12):
you know, towards the last few games, last few weeks,
he's shown up more and more so. But yeah, Paul,
this team's their business, right. They're here to They're here
to play a football game. It's a business trip regardless
of what time you show up. Yeah, I mean, not
getting here to bob midnight. I mean, that's a quick
turnaround for this team. So it's impressive, all right.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
We are back with you Christmas Day on the KFA
and Minnesota Vikings Audio Network three point thirty kick against
the Detroit Lions. Tickets are available for the Christmas Day
game by the Way Vikings dot com. If you're interested
for pete ursug, I'm Paul Allen. Good news from New Jersey.
The Vikings beat the New York Giants sixteen thirteen, and
that's the Vikings postgame report powered by Looman
Welcome to the Vikings postgame report from New Jersey. I'm
Paul Allen, joined by Pete Persich. This is powered by
Looman and the Minnesota Vikings have won three consecutive games.
Pete and I have called a lot of games together.
In fact, we've been together since two thousand and seven.
I started No. Two, Pete played and coached. So when
somebody like Pete says I can't remember this happening, ever,
(00:42):
you said it about three times today with all the
injuries in the game. The Vikings won sixteen thirteen, They've
won three in a row. But all the penalties like
twenty two to twenty three combined. I mean, what, it
was just a wonky game today, but won The Vikings won.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, I mean one hundred and sixty three yards and
penalties for both teams in the Giants only had one
hundred and twenty eight yards of total offense and once
the last time we've seen a quarterback get held to
thirty three yards. Wow, you know, passing, it's just a
masterful job, I think defensively, not letting Dart ever get
comfortable even when he did have it, you know, against
(01:17):
the zero Blitzy threw that ball up, that pass breakup
that Isaiah Rodgers had on Wandale, that play right there
was was I think the game changer because that gets completed.
That's a huge play there in scoring position. But overall defensively,
what a great job that they've done. Injuries on the
offensive line, still running the football doing it, you know,
(01:40):
being efficient today. No huge runs, but when you needed
it right at the end to move the chains, that's
what you get. Aaron Jones checks himself back in and
you know.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
You do what you have to do.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
And props to Michael Jurgens, who replaced Ryan Kelly who
was knocked out in the first half. Props to Max Brosmer,
the Gophers rookie. He had to play the entire second
and half after JJ McCarthy was knocked out by Brian
Burns on the second sack for Burns, it was the
only touchdown the Giants scored. It was former Gopher Tyler
Nuban on the bumble recovery. Brozemer came in and went
(02:12):
seven of nine for fifty two yards. McCarthy had to
leave with a hand injury, and we have a short
week with the Vikings taking on the Detroit Lions Christmas
Day shortly after three o'clock. Good job by Jurgens, good
job by Max.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah, absolutely, those guys did. They did a great job
up front. The Giants had their fisher of injuries, their center,
you know, their whole left side of their offensive line
had gone down. But yeah, there's you left some plays
on the table. But this is you know, December football
outdoors in New York. So you're gonna get the elements
you're gonna get, You're gonna get the wind, you're gonna
(02:46):
get all those things. And you know, again with all
the drama getting out here and everything else, I still
had to I have to credit the Vikings for seeing
through and getting through all of that and then still
getting out and doing what you need to do to score.
I mean, Riiker continues to be an underrated MVP candidate
(03:06):
for this team. Man. I mean, he's just been so automatic.
You just need to get that ball somewhere around the
thirty forty yard line and boom, you're coming away with
three points. So great day for Riker two.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
From a defensive standpoint, the Vikings have not allowed a
passing touchdown six consecutive games. There only are two teams
in the last quarter century to do that. The twenty
twenty five Vikings on the twenty eighteen and nineteen New
England Patriots. You know, I mean Jackson, Jackson Dart he
had a rough game against Flores today, but that six
consecutive includes quarterbacks like Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Caleb Williams
(03:42):
and so on. I mean the Vikings defense, their pass
defense has been terrific.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, they have been in Byron Murphy hadn't shown up
with eighteen games not an interception. He comes up with
one today, almost had two and another tip football and
that was early. That was the second quarter. And after
that the Giants said, you know what, We're just We're
just gonna keep handing this football off. So but yeah,
overall defensively, uh when they put six, seven, eight guys
(04:07):
on the line of scrimmage, stayed aggressive. Uh yeah, they
they they ran the day. And again you know Andrew
Van Ginkle with the sack right at the end when
you need it. You know, he comes up big. They
tried to block him with a tight end, which is
a mistake. But that's what that's what this defense does.
It gets offenses out of their protection schemes getting the
funky different you know, funky looks and they don't have
(04:30):
the right guy blocking the right defender at the right time,
and uh, you know, so overall the what a what
a between Cashman being just all over the field, right,
it was at first drive we were leaky in the
run and then we just kind of dialed it in
as you saw it. You just dialed it in as
the game went on, right, and Elijah Williams getting in
there a lot of this is that time of year
(04:50):
where you got a lot of backups and a lot
of guys getting an opportunity to get out there. Taki
Taki getting out there on special teams. So you know
you're seeing some new names and some new numbers. But
all those guys stepped into the great job.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And lastly, before we hear from the head coach, Kevin O'Connell,
it's our weekly praise of Jalen Redman. Whether they win
or lose, Jalen Redman plays well every single game. He
had a sack, but he also had a pass defense
to block shot. As Kevin O'Connell would say near the
end of the game, that was big because the giant
receiver was open for a first down. I mean, Jalen
(05:21):
Redman is just fantastic.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, and he's been consistent, Paul, and he continues to
get better. And that's what you'd love to see out
of these guys that kind of come out of nowhere, right,
and he makes an impact, makes a team. But then
he doesn't stop there, right, He's continuing to work his
trade and getting better. He almost had two sacks today
close to to got that pass broken up at a
very key opportunity. And yeah, Redmond is the I mean,
(05:45):
that's I guess that's the story of Flores right, finding
guys like this putting him in their position to succeed.
Jonathan Allen I thought played well. So the interior tackles
of this defense, I thought had a pretty good day.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
It's three in a row, four KO. Three in a row,
four KO. The Vikings up seven thories. Now with you
to go. Let's hear from Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin
O'Connell after a sixteen to thirteen victory from Metlive Stadium.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
It was a interesting twenty four hours or so for
our team, but really proud of the way the guys
handled a little bit of the adversity yesterday.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
And then found a way to win a football game.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Played really really good defense all day long, you know,
did you know, did enough from a standpoint of third
downs and running against a really good I mean, that's
a that's a pretty darn good front, just trying to
play physical there, fighting through some injuries that I'll get
to here in a second thought. There were some really
good individual performances, but the defense as a whole, that's
(06:40):
that's their game ball right there.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
For what they were able to do two.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
To ten on third downer three in the red zone
for those guys, and then the five sacks and whatever
it ended up passing yardage wise, so really really impressive
performance by them. And then offensively, you know, it was
kind to kind of be one of those games from
a standpoint of you know, cold day. Seven to twelve
on third down though, and then one on one on
fourth down like the way we finished, you know, running
(07:05):
a play to put the game away there at the
end Byron Murphy with the interception and a couple of
tackles Blake Cashman. It was it was a see you know,
sixteen tackles all over the field him and c. J.
Hamm with Mattelis and Jonathan Gernard going out, players decided
that they wanted those guys to be our seventh and
(07:26):
eighth captains today, so they had the C on their
chest today, which was an awesome, awesome moment. Will kicking
in those conditions obviously three or three. And then I
thought Aaron Jones was an absolute warrior playing through, you know,
being being a little dinged up there, but just continuing
to run hard. And then I thought Justin's effort on
some of those plays to just give him a chance.
(07:48):
Sometimes you just got to give him a chance to
have the ball. And even if it's not a concept
more than just have some guys, you know, spread out
trying to get some blocks and give him a chance
to have the football. You know, his greatness was on
full display. Injury wise, Jordan Mason did have the right
ankle very very early and did not return. Unfortunately, Ryan
Kelly was a being evaluated for a concussion did not return,
(08:13):
and then JJ McCarthy with his right hand did not return.
Aaron Jones did kind of get evaluated with that right
ankle and was able to fight get back in the
game and help.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Us finish it out there.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
But three in a row tough point in the season
when a lot of guys could have, you know, focused
their intentions elsewhere. These guys have just continued to fight
and find a way to win three in a row,
which I absolutely love what those guys are built in
their locker room and the culture in our building to
continue to go. And we've got a football game coming
(08:47):
up on a short week. We got to get ready for.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
You know, the extent of JJ's injury.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I do not right now. I you know, he.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
You know, likely I have not seen the play, but
apparently you know, it happened before his touchdown run, and
I was actually concerned with the angle that I had
when he did run it in. I just wanted to
make sure he you know, I thought he got hit
in the head or neck area going into the end zone,
but he he was clean there. And then you know,
I asked him if he was all right, uh, and
he and he uh, you know, he said he was.
(09:18):
And you know, obviously we just scored a touchdown, big moment,
but then when we went out for the next drive,
that's when he seemed to have some discomfort there. So
we'll evaluate it and uh, you know, make sure we
find out what's going on there, and.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Did you did he mentioned discomfort when he got back
to the sideline.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
When he did not, Uh, he when we were you know,
in those moments, and I've I've done something pretty similar
with you know, with the quarterbacks hit their hands all
the time, whether it's helmets or you know, deflect you know,
other defenders and things like that.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
It happened to me in college, and I didn't even
know I had a significant injury until you know, the
next time I took a snap, which you know, we
ran the ball in first ten and then you know,
just trying to throw a simple receiver screen very similar
to what we had thrown to Justin on some of
those third and long conversions. And I'm not sure he
was able to even grip the ball, But I don't
(10:11):
know if he knew or not. At that point, I
have not had a chance to talk to him. They
took him away to evaluate him. But yeah, he was
unable to grip the football.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Apparently, Where did you think that his performance up until then?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
You know what I thought, again, he was in a
rhythm of great decision making early on. Obviously the tipball
interception on just a simple quick game out route, you know,
makes a great decision there. You know, Justin's kind of
on the underneath route and they're giving up the out
route to to Jalen Naylor and we just got to
(10:46):
pitch and catch that one. There was a couple other ones,
but loved the decisive decision to Addison on the play
action there at one point, and he was you know,
he showed his athleticism on a big, big third down
to put the ball in the end zone, which was huge.
So I thought, uh jj was doing a lot of
really good things and really really unfortunate that he was
(11:07):
not able to finish the football game. And he's he was,
in my opinion, stacking putting together a very nice performance.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Again Londo's lines. Just the disruption with these injuries to
his development.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
How much is that is set back that every time
he starts.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
To get rhythm.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Yeah, you know, a party wants to just make sure,
you know, it's part of this game and he's a competitor,
and you know, I think it's I think it's something
where he's gonna go out there and lay it on
the line every single week. And like I said, I
don't know, you know what at what point the injury
actually happened, And I'm not I don't even know if
he does and when and when I talked to him.
(11:42):
Will try to try to pinpoint that down, but it
is unfortunate just thinking about what these last three weeks
and really two and a half weeks or so outside
of uh, you know, outside of that that last play
of the half there, I mean, he's looked like he's
really found a place of decisiveness or ownership for the offense.
I mean, the discussion and the dialogue about things he's seeing.
(12:04):
So yeah, it's it's a bummer just because I'm having
a blast coaching him and seeing the growth of a
young player getting the opportunity to actually go out there
and grow and develop and to like, I've been so
proud of the way he's come, you know, really these
these last few weeks, come back.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
And just really shown some growth. So you'd love to
have him.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
I'd love to have him for two straight home games
to finish and and we'll see where his hand's at
and if he has the ability to play for us again.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
I sure hope.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
So good. Just to clarify that it wasn't him turning
down that that screen or not throwing it.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
He just couldn't the ball right from the From the
sounds of it, I know there was a I know,
I think Carter might have been on the edge, but
that's a perimeter receiver screen.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
That you get that thing started.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
I think they were in man coverage and you got
a chance to get two blocks and possibly give Justin
another chance to activate underneath, you know, and pick up
some of those big guys coming out there. I don't
the ball needs to be thrown right away, and he
knows that he had done it already in the game.
And if you do hold it on a receiver perimeter screen,
the backside defensive end is coming and and he knows that.
(13:07):
So I haven't seen it yet, but my guess is,
you know he could not grip the football with some.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Of the drops.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
How do you kind of parse through those, whether it's
him throwing the ball hard and receivers need to adjust,
or just receivers needed to make catches there.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Yeah, and it's it's kind of look. I thought it
was impressive some of the throws he made.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
I mean, the wind was significant at times when it
was dusting a cold day, and he's out there pushing
the ball.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
But yeah, some of it's unfortunate.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Simple kind of day one, kind of quick game, kind
of ball out kind of plays, and you know, very
similar to the one Justin had into the boundary and
that one got on Justin in a hurry, you know.
And it's just it's just those are the things that
when you fully catch your stride as a group, those
are all pitching and catching and we're you know, either
(13:51):
first and ten or second and short, whatever it is, and.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
H that will be, you know. And that's been a
big part of how we've operated here.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
For a long time, is the pitching and catching has been, uh,
you know, a big part of what we do. And
I thought over these last two three weeks it's really
shown up. I even liked you know, the early the
early decision JJ had against man coverage to Addison, you know,
on the first drive of the game, giving them an
opportunity to make that ball.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
And our guys will make those plays.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
We got some of the best in the league at
the receiver position, you know, clearly with Justin and and
you know, Jordan and Speedy have all had you know,
really really bright moments this year. It's just some of
those glue plays in between that we we uh, we
got to continue to work to make those throws and
catches at a at the level those guys are capable of,
(14:39):
not only the quarterback but the receivers as well.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
The max through kind of down the stretch too. Can
you just walk us through that play there?
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Yeah, So that's a you know, you're kind of knowing,
you know that the defense is playing pretty spectacular. You
also know you're gonna need, uh, you're gonna need to
potentially try to find a way to at least give
Will a swing at it. So we get ourselves into
the you know, into a third down and long, very
long situation. And it's basically a play where we were
(15:09):
going to try to do some work to help on
the edges and had CJ in there, and Justin's got
you know, Justin can run the out route from that point,
he can run the en route, he can go vertical,
he can run a he's basically got all angles of
the cut by what we've put on tape. In that circumstance,
he's he's running an outcut off of simulating kind of
maybe running an incut to try to see if we
can win the leverage. I told Max if he felt
(15:32):
like there was grass out there, I just want you
to lay it out there and let him go get it.
I thought it was a phenomenal throw to get it
up and over the flat defender. It was kind of
a unique inverted too deep coverage, so the corner's got
the half and we could dive all the way in
on that, you know, if we if we had a whiteboard.
But what it was is Max making a big time
throw and given Justin Jefferson a chance. You know, after
(15:54):
the year and the leadership he's shown, that play will
probably not be remembered with some of the five sacks
or some of the plays that were made JJ scramble
for a touchdown. But I thought that was as game
win because of from a player today, and it was
Justin Jefferson in a huge moment to make the play and.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Max stepping in.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
How about that stepping in and functioning at a high level,
throwing some completions here and there, running the show, made
some great decisions, you know with our can system in
the run game, and you know, his total team effort
not a very pretty performance, but on a day like this,
you know, it rarely can be with some of the
elements it's.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Still fresh, but with Brian Kelly, just your level of
concern and just I mean, I know how much he.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Means to him.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Yeah, you know, concern just because of obviously you know,
his journey and and just how quite frankly, how well
he's been playing, and the time that we all took
and he took most importantly to get back out there.
And then he's absolutely you know, one of our best
players over these last few weeks since his return. I
(16:57):
got to see the play because you know, I don't
know where the contact could have come from in the
normal rhythm of a play like that that could cause
that There was some there was some concerns from some
of the folks out there about the play, you know,
on our side, and and I'm gonna need to take
a look at it to kind of figure out what
happened there. But most importantly, I am absolutely you know,
(17:19):
the concern for Ryan.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Is you know, well, we're all you know.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Just hoping and and and and really just thinking about
him and don't have an official kind of diagnosis or anything,
but anytime anything like that happens, you have concerns.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
As a head coach, concerns about the play. The people
at your guys.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
Out there are concerns about there was just some you know,
I don't want to get too much into it. I
think we all need to probably you know, take a
look at it and kind of figured it out from there.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
That's good given with JJ. I mean, do you have
concern that this could be something that could endue season.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
I don't have the answer to that right now. Like
I just know they told me he could not return.
You know, I know at this point the only information
I have is that X rays were negative. But you know,
obviously the hand, there's a lot going on there, So
I don't want to speculate one way or the other.
And you know, just crossing our fingers that will have
(18:14):
him back out there once again.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
JJ McCarthy with a hand injury, got knocked out at
the end of the first half. Max Brosmer came in
and you know, it wasn't the long of his career.
He started the Seattle game and you know, had some
disaster to it on many levels, but he had a
pass to Justin Jefferson right hash to the left sideline,
where it ended up being a massive first down for
(18:36):
the Viking. So Max took a step today.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
He did, and and what a great catch by you know,
by Justin Jefferson. And you look at McCarthy. The the
interception that he threw, I don't think was on him.
It was off the hands of Jalen Naylor.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
And so yeah, I think overall the quarterbacks played pretty well.
But Brosemer, you see it, you see it. You get
through that first game, you get your first time out there,
didn't go the way wanted it against you know, against
the Seattle Seahawks with the four interceptions. Now he's getting
his next shot and things are gonna be different. They're
gonna be a little bit slower out there. But that
(19:09):
was he also threw another beautiful throat to Naylor right
right that that you know, maybe he got twisted up, Yeah,
he got a little bit twisted up, but he threw
the ball exactly where it needed to be, where only
the receiver could catch it. So Brozemer still continues to
just pop right and you you know that Kevin O'Connell
has the confidence in calling the full offense with Brozemer
(19:31):
in there. The only thing Brozemer doesn't have that McCarthy
might have right now. Is that the mobility in the pocket,
But he's a great decision maker, makes him quickly gets
the ball out fast. So for McCarthy's he's trying to
learn his way. But Brosmer is also, you know, he's
doing the same thing that It's kind of interesting to
see these two young quarterbacks just develop week to week.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
All right.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
So with a short week coming up, three thirty kickoff
against the Detroit Lions in the penultimate game of the
twenty twenty five season. It's at us Bank Stadium, and
it's this Thursday. We're not going to guess about MacArthur
or Brosemer or who's coming up next. The bottom line is,
you know, this team at one point was four and eight,
took a bad loss. We had the kick return with
(20:11):
Devin Duverney the shutout against the Seattle Seahawks. But after
that Seahawks game, Kevin O'Connell's done a great job to
galvanize this team. They've won three consecutive games. Many people
have heard about the complicated travel for the Vikings to Newark,
New Jersey, where we were on buses and or planes
(20:33):
for ten and a half hours. Finally got to the
team Hotel about eleven thirty. That could have set them
back a little bit. I mean, they didn't play the
greatest football in the history of the NFL, but they
did enough to win behind the legs of Aaron Jones
and an outstanding defensive effort. Next come the Detroit Lions
that ought to be fun.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Yeah, and don't forget this defense was out there today
without Josh Mattelis, without Jonathan Gernard. So you're losing Jayvon Hrgrave.
So you're losing three your starters right there. And to
be able to come out and still be able to
do what they did today, that's Eric Wilson and Blake
Cashman and Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner picking up the slack.
Jonathan Allen continuing to play well as he has really,
(21:12):
you know, towards the last few games, last few weeks,
he's shown up more and more so. But yeah, Paul,
this team's their business, right. They're here to They're here
to play a football game. It's a business trip regardless
of what time you show up. Yeah, I mean, not
getting here to bob midnight. I mean, that's a quick
turnaround for this team. So it's impressive, all right.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
We are back with you Christmas Day on the KFA
and Minnesota Vikings Audio Network three point thirty kick against
the Detroit Lions. Tickets are available for the Christmas Day
game by the Way Vikings dot com. If you're interested
for pete ursug, I'm Paul Allen. Good news from New Jersey.
The Vikings beat the New York Giants sixteen thirteen, and
that's the Vikings postgame report powered by Looman
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