Aaron Jones Sr. is day-to-day, and that is the only injury news the Minnesota Vikings had on Monday. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said the running back’s status was “very similar to what it was after the game,” a day after Jones hurt the same knee he had been managing earlier this season in a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts. “A lot of the guys that came back after missing some time came out clean,” O’Connell said. “So hopefully we’ll be able to have a full, complete week of practice.”
The win made Minnesota 6-0. Next is a trip to Detroit to face the 4-2 Lions, who beat the Green Bay Packers 20-17 on a field goal at the gun on Sunday. “To be 6-0 and still feel like there’s a lot of upside for us, not only on offense but still some things out there for the other two phases as well, is exciting,” O’Connell said. “Try to be 3-0 in the NFC North, that would be a heck of a thing for our team.”
No depth worry at running back
Jones had eight carries for 26 yards before he left in the fourth quarter. Jordan Mason, back from a broken thumb, carried 15 times for 68 yards. Asked whether the Vikings have enough depth if Jones cannot play, O’Connell said he feels good about the room. “With where Aaron’s at and where we feel coming out of the game, don’t necessarily see it as a depth issue at all,” he said. “But obviously things could change as we go day-to-day here.”
“We’re going to need some points this week”
O’Connell said the tape confirmed what he felt after the game: Minnesota moved the ball but did not finish drives. He pointed to short-yardage runs that came up short early, a pass to Justin Jefferson affected by pressure, a holding penalty that wiped out a first-and-goal chance and a late throw to T.J. Hockenson in the end zone. “Between the red zone turnovers in New Orleans and then obviously some self-inflicted things yesterday, it just hasn’t equaled points,” he said. “We’re going to need some points this week against a team with a high-powered offense like Detroit and going on the road in a tough environment.” He said scoring early was one of the big reasons Minnesota won in Detroit last year.
He said the plan against Indianapolis was built around limiting DeForest Buckner, and that other Colts linemen took advantage by winning their one-on-ones. The Colts also crowded the line on third-and-long. “The second we got in those third-and-7-pluses, there was going to be seven or eight Colts up at the line of scrimmage,” he said.
Kyler Murray as an “elevator”
Asked about Kyler Murray’s accuracy, O’Connell said there was no single cause for the incompletions. He noted that Murray “had completed 40 of his last 48 attempts” over about six quarters going into the game. Asked whether Murray has been the kind of quarterback who lifts the players around him, O’Connell pointed to Murray’s 35-yard scramble on third down early in the fourth quarter, which set up the go-ahead touchdown to Hockenson. “I feel like that is an elevating kind of play right there,” he said. He added that Murray has been “phenomenal protecting the football.” Minnesota had no turnovers against Indianapolis.
Cashman and Rodriguez
Blake Cashman had 12 tackles and two sacks against the Colts. O’Connell said the linebacker, a Minnesota native who came home to the Vikings, is now “seeing things before they happen.” “Every week after the game, it’s just another week of talking about Blake having double-digit tackles, sacks, passes defensed,” he said. “He was close to maybe even taking one back the other way a couple times in the game yesterday. And I know that play’s coming for him.”
He also singled out nose tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez, who has taken on a bigger role. “He’s shown the ability to hold up at the point versus double teams and allow some of these other guys to go make plays,” O’Connell said. “I’m super proud of Levi, and quite honestly glad you asked about him, because sometimes those guys … maybe they don’t register a bunch of stats.”
The Vikings have won 11 straight games, the longest active streak in the league, and have allowed three fourth-quarter points all season. O’Connell said none of that changes the approach. “We can’t get bored with just trying to do whatever it takes to win one game a week, regardless of what our record’s been,” he said.
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