The Minnesota Vikings are going to have a lot to look back on from this game, as it was very much within their grasp, but they couldn’t close things out.
The Vikings lost to the Eagles by a score of 28-22, with Minnesota having to settle for five field goals on drives where they saw their momentum stall out close to the endzone. Carson Wentz had his worst game as the Vikings starter in Week 7 with two interceptions, with one of them resulting in a pick-six. That one score ended up making a big difference in the game as the Eagles found their passing offense against Minnesota and saw them return to their Super Bowl champion version.
With all of those disappointing facts out there, let’s bust out our grading pen.
Quarterback
Grade: D-
Carson Wentz played well when the Vikings were in Europe for two weeks, when he took over for an injured J.J. McCarthy. He even played well in the blowout over the Bengals the week prior. Unfortunately for the Vikings, Wentz turned back into a pumpkin when he faced his former teams. His two turnovers proved costly in a one-score game, and despite his best efforts, everyone was reminded why the team needs McCarthy back.
Running Backs
Grade: B-
Jordan Mason had some moments where he was able to break through the Eagles’ defensive front. He scored one touchdown and was averaging 3.8 yards per carry, but they were down for most the game so they never gave him a chance to produce more. The offense had a few bright spots and he was one of them.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Grade: A
While Justin Jefferson was taken out of the game by being the focus of the Eagles’ secondary, and I write that despite him having 79 yards. That being said, it was Addison who stole the show with his monster plays, impressive adjustments, and his ability to be in sync with Carson Wentz despite him being caught in the chaos.
Offensive Line
Grade: B+
Blake Brandel was called for a controversial holding call that negated a touchdown catch that would’ve made a difference in the game’s final result. Outside of that, the unit as a whole was very effecient and it was nice seeing the return of Donovan Jackson following his wrist procedure. The unit still was missing Ryan Kelly, and Brian O’Neill was rumored to be dealing with an injury, but the unit held strong despite it all.
Defensive Line
Grade: B+
Jalen Redmond is no longer a rising star; he is a full-blown comet that is destroying the world of opposing offensive lines. He was an impact player from the first whistle and helped the team get pressure on the backfield. Not to be outdone was Jonathan Greenard, who was so close to getting about four sacks, it seemed like, but never could bring Jalen Hurts down. They held Saquon Barkley in check for mostof the game, and it saved this from being ugly as we get towards the play of the secondary.
Linebackers
Grade: B
The Eagles’ running game never got to find its rhythm in Week 7 against the Vikings. After weeks of being hot and cold, Eric Wilson had some brilliant moments while the linebacking unit worked its way back to being fully healthy. They live and die, it seems, based on the play of this unit, so their getting healthy and playing well against the likes of the Eagles was a good sign.
Secondary
Grade: F
This unit played its worst game of the season, and maybe in the tenure of Brian Flores as defensive coordinator. All season long, the Eagles could not get a passing game going, and yet, Jalen Hurts looked like a league MVP. He passed for over 300 yards for the first time since the beginning of last season, A.J. Brown seemingly was the happiest he had been all year, and Devonta Smith scored a career-long touchdown of 79 yards. An awful performance that will need to be forgotten as they get ready for the Chargers in four days.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Report card grades from the Vikings loss to the Eagles in Week 7
