DETROIT — All of a sudden, the Minnesota Vikings are right back in the fight.
After leaving the Twin Cities last weekend with roughly a million questions surrounding this particular group, the Vikings returned home with a 4-4 record following a 27-24 upset win over the Detroit Lions.
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The highly anticipated return of young quarterback J.J. McCarthy couldn’t have gone much better. He completed 14 of 25 passes for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding a touchdown on the ground.
The contributions went beyond McCarthy, however, as the Vikings got solid efforts on offense, defense and special teams. It was a complete team effort that served as the embodiment of the culture head coach Kevin O’Connell has worked hard to build.
Here are takeaways from the game that helped the Vikings get back on track
J.J. McCarthy provided a spark
McCarthy’s performance was more than a month and a half in the making.
After rebuilding some of his mechanics from the ground up while recovering from a high ankle sprain, McCarthy was impressive in his third NFL start.
He was decisive with his delivery in the early stages to help the Vikings take control, and while he hit a bit of a lull midway through the game, he found a way to be at his best down the stretch.
In the final minutes, McCarthy delivered a perfect back shoulder fade to Jalen Nailor, who came up with the grab to put the finishing touches on an improbable win.
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The next step for McCarthy will be staying healthy so he can continue to come into his own.
Aaron Jones showed some juice
It felt as if veteran running back Aaron Jones dialed back the clock on his career on Sunday. He was highly effective running the ball while also proving to be a threat catching the ball in space.
He likely would have cleared 100 yards from scrimmage had he not suffered a minor shoulder injury midway through the game. It would be a significant loss for the Vikings if Jones has to miss an extended period of time.
Though the emergence of fellow running back Jordan Mason shouldn’t be overlooked, Jones brings a dynamic element to the backfield that the Vikings simply don’t have without him.
Justin Jefferson set the tone
After talking the talk in a team meeting led by the captains, star receiver Justin Jefferson went out and walked the walk.
He set the tone from the onset, making an incredible catch in the end zone on the Vikings’ opening drive.
There was noticeable professionalism from Jefferson the rest of the way as he did everything in his power to will the Vikings to a win. If he wasn’t catching the ball himself, Jefferson was drawing a host of defenders to provide opportunities for fellow receiver Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson to make some splash plays of their own.
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It was the type of game the Vikings have come to expect from their best player.
The defense bounced back
The critics were out in full force roughly a week and a half ago after the Vikings got roasted by the Los Angeles Chargers in primetime.
There were few adjustments made by defensive coordinator Brian Flores in that game as the Vikings hemorrhaged yards pretty much each time they took the field. The unit as a whole seemed to lack juice.
That’s why the response against the Lions felt important. The defense reclaimed some of their identity, particularly by using an interior pass rush to wreak havoc behind the line of scrimmage. Among those whose play stood out: defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, linebacker Blake Cashman and linebacker Eric Wilson. The return of edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel also made a big difference.
Myles Price continues to pop
The impact that rookie receiver Myles Price continues to make can’t be overstated.
He helped take the edge off with 61-yard kick return. He later added a 99-yard kick return for a touchdown that was nullified when cornerback Tavierre Thomas was called for holding.
There’s an argument to be made that Price is already among the best returners in the NFL; he’s steadily becoming a threat to take it the distance every time he touches the ball.
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He would have even more impressive numbers if his teammates would stop getting penalized. Not bad considering Price made the Vikings as an undrafted free agent.
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