The Minnesota Vikings come out of Week 4 still undefeated, thanks to a 31-29 win over fierce divisional rivals the Green Bay Packers.
Reactions to Vikings Win over The Packers
The Vikings are one of only three undefeated teams, along with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle plays the Lions on Monday night.
The victory gave the Vikings back-to-back regular season wins at Lambeau Field for the first time since 1992/93. Here is a collection of reactions to the Vikings’ win over the Packers.
Player Reactions
Vikings safety Camryn Bynum got the camera rolling on the field at the end of the game. Of course, getting in his “movie” catchphrase, Bynum also excitedly spoke of coming out victorious in enemy territory.
There has been much talk of coming up with a nickname for this Vikings defense. Going down the theme of rapper 50 Cent, who seems to be the choice of music for this Vikings team at the moment. Vikings DT Harrison Phillips seems to have come up with one.
One reason for the Vikings’ success so far this season has been players making plays all the way down the depth chart.
The Vikings had eight different players make a catch in Sunday’s game, showcasing that depth. Brandon Powell—who incidentally didn’t make a catch—talked up the Vikings’ receiving unit post-game. The Vikings still have TJ Hockenson to come into the mix in the coming weeks.
It’s All About Sam Darnold
Right now, Sam Darnold is riding the crest of a wave. When he signed for the Vikings, he was stepping into, by far, the best situation he has ever had as a (potential) starting quarterback. The injury to JJ McCarthy meant Darnold had the full season to grasp his big chance, and that is exactly what he is doing. He is leading the Vikings to a 4-0 start, leading the league with 11 touchdown passes, and performing at an elite level.
Aaron Jones told Chris Simms that it’s no surprise to him or anyone else in Minnesota how good Darnold is playing right now.
Darnold is on historic pace with four games with a passer rating north of 100 to start the season. It is the first time a Vikings QB has achieved that feat and the first team any QB has since 1970. At current pace, Darnold’s stats over a 17-game season would be 3961 passing yards and a whopping 46.75 touchdown passes. Few men have ever thrown that many touchdowns in a single season.
Former Player Reactions
I always enjoy seeing former players basking in the glory of their team’s success. One amusing thing going on at the moment is the interactions between Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith.
Smith was unconvinced Darnold could maintain his start to the season with the Vikings. Carter vociferously defended his old team on a Tuesday First Take appearance, which later led to a complete 180 from Smith as he jumped aboard the Vikings bandwagon. Evidently, Carter is looking forward to what Smith has to say after yet another Vikings win.
Former Vikings running back and Fox Sports analyst Robert Smith perfectly summed up being a Vikings fan in a humourous fashion. In a game that looked to be comfortable, the Vikings inevitably made it stressful for their fans before sealing the win. In the end, a divisional win on the road is a huge result early in the season.
Minnesota heads to London in Week 5 to face Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets. and extend its unbeaten start to the season