Chargers @ Vikings
Final Score: Chargers 28, Vikings 24
Writer: Brennan Rampe (@phdinnfl on Twitter)
Both teams entered this game with an 0-2 record, looking for a much-needed win. It was a high-scoring battle with a thrilling yet infuriating finish. Los Angeles tried giving the victory to Minnesota with a failed conversion on 4th-and-1 late in the fourth quarter, but the offense botched the clock management. This led to an interception that was Minnesota’s ninth turnover of the year. The Chargers improve to 1-2, and at 0-3, the season is essentially over for the Vikings. As a fan, I hope this team loses enough to get USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. It’s time for the Kirk Cousins era to end.
Three Up
- Justin Herbert – Had over 400 yards passing and no turnovers. He was fantastic.
- Keenan Allen – Was absolutely unstoppable. Had a franchise-record 18 receptions.
- Justin Jefferson – Over 100 yards once again and scored his first touchdown of the year. Too bad it didn’t matter for Minnesota.
Three Down
- Kirk Cousins – Threw the game-sealing interception at the end of the game. He led a ton of game-winning drives last year, but the magic is gone.
- Vikings’ defense – This unit is terrible. No pass rush whatsoever.
- Brandon Staley – The Chargers won, but not because of him. His decision-making is terrible and nearly cost his team the game. The guy is just not a good coach.
Los Angeles Chargers
Quarterback
Justin Herbert: 40/47, 405 Yards, 3 TD | 2 Carries, 11 Yards, 1 Fumble (Recovered)
As mentioned above, Herbert was nearly flawless today. His 405 passing yards were a season-high, and he put the team on his back. The ground game was nonexistent, which makes his stats even more impressive. The offensive line deserves some praise, as Herbert was barely touched and gave him all the time to distribute the ball to his talented receivers. He’s been playing like this the whole year, but his team won the game this time despite Staley’s poor decision-making.
Notes
- 123.8 passer rating.
- Only seven incompletions.
- Would probably be talked about as an MVP candidate if the team was 3-0 or even 2-1.
- 213 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception, a franchise record.
Running Back
Joshua Kelley: 11 Carries, 12 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
Kelley, simply put, is not Austin Ekeler. Nor will he ever be. His stat line says it all. He just lacks Ekeler’s explosiveness and vision. He isn’t any good as a receiver either. Anyone who started Kelley this week is probably frustrated with this performance in such a high-scoring game.
Isaiah Spiller: 2 Carries, 7 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Keenan Allen: 20 Targets, 18 Receptions, 215 Yards, 1 Fumble (Recovered) | 1/1, 49 Yards, 1 TD
Allen set a franchise record with his 18 receptions and had a career-high 215 yards. He was Herbert’s go-to target, and Minnesota was helpless in trying to stop the duo. He even threw a touchdown pass to Mike Williams! He did it all today, and was the main reason why the Chargers got the victory.
Notes
- Caught a first down on 3rd-and-17 and everyone knew Herbert was going to throw to him. That play took all of the energy out of the stadium.
Mike Williams: 8 Targets, 7 Receptions, 121 Yards, TD
Keenan Allen got all of the attention for the win, but Williams was no slouch. He caught all but one of his targets and was on the receiving end of Allen’s touchdown pass. Unfortunately, he went down with an injury and was carted off the field. He also had to be carted to the team bus after the game. Fantasy managers will have to wait and see how serious the injury is. A multi-week absence would be the best-case scenario, as it didn’t look good.
Joshua Palmer: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 66 Yards, TD, 1 Fumble (Lost)
Palmer didn’t do as much as his teammates but had an unbelievable touchdown that was beyond infuriating as a Vikings fan. He got lucky, as the ball bounced off of Vikings cornerback Akayleb Evans and into his hands. He might see more targets in the future, as it seems Williams will miss some time.
Quentin Johnston: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 10 Yards
The first-round pick never really established himself in this game. The rookie out of TCU will need to step up his game if Williams misses time.
Derius Davis: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
Gerald Everett: 6 Targets, 6 Receptions, 30 Yards
Everett caught everything thrown his way, although fellow tight end Donald Parham Jr. was the tight end catching touchdowns.
Donald Parham Jr.: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 4 Yards, 2 TD
He has 44 career receptions and 10 of them are touchdowns. Not bad. The 6-8 tight end is a menacing end zone threat.
Minnesota Vikings
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins: 32/50, 367 Yards, 3 TD, INT | 1 Carry, 10 Yards
Same story, different day with Kirk Cousins. He had another good statistical day, but came up short when the team needed him once again. Cousins excelled in leading game-winning drives last year, but every year is different. This Vikings team clearly doesn’t have what it takes to win close games currently. Cousins had two opportunities to lead his team to victory late in the fourth quarter but came up short twice. The second attempt was beyond infuriating. They got a first down and let 13 seconds run off the clock as the offense couldn’t get set. Cousins didn’t clock the ball which would have given him some time to talk on the sideline with Kevin O’Connell. Instead, he threw an interception in the end zone. Just awful. A veteran quarterback should know better in those situations.
Notes
- Continues to be a good fantasy quarterback, at least he has that going for him.
Missed Opportunities
- Had a chance to win the game at the very end, but threw an end-zone interception.
- Overthrew K.J. Osborn on what could have been a potential game-winning touchdown.
Running Back
Alexander Mattison: 20 Carries, 93 Yards | 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 32 Yards
Mattison had his best game of the season. He had some running lanes this week, and he did mostly well catching the ball. He took a lot of big hits but never missed much time.
Notes
- His performance should make him the lead running back going forward, despite the team trading for Cam Akers this week.
- Kept the playbook open with his effective runs.
Missed Opportunities
- Dropped a ball on what would’ve been a walk-in touchdown.
Ty Chandler: 3 Carries, 27 Yards | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Justin Jefferson: 13 Targets, 7 Receptions, 149 Yards, TD
Once again, another 100-yard day for Jefferson. It was his third 100-yard game of the year, and he scored his first touchdown. There was a very scary scene at the end of the game where it looked like he might have suffered a serious injury. Thankfully, it was only cramps, and he came back in at the end of the game. As a Vikings fan, I feel bad for him. He gives it his all out there, and it hasn’t resulted in a win.
Notes
- I may be biased, but he’s the best wide receiver in the league right now. He’s a beast on the field and on fantasy teams.
Missed Opportunities
- Should have been targeted more on those end-zone drives at the end of the game. He’s the best player on the roster, and Cousins should have tried to throw it to him more.
Jordan Addison: 8 Targets, 6 Receptions, 52 Yards
The rookie from USC had a solid day, catching all but two of the targets thrown his way. He caught three consecutive passes on a series. Playing with Jefferson, Osborn, and Hockenson definitely helps give him opportunities. No touchdown today, but I’m sure he’ll score more in the future.
K.J. Osborn: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 36 Yards, TD
Osborn only caught one ball, but he made it count. He had a catch-and-run on fourth down that resulted in a touchdown. Aside from that, not much.
Brandon Powell: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
C.J. Ham: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
T.J. Hockenson: 11 Targets, 8 Receptions, 78 Yards, 1 Fumble (Lost)
Hockenson had a fine day. He caught most of his targets but has had difficulty finding the end zone this year. It looked as if the Vikings were going to score a touchdown on their opening drive, but Hockenson had the ball ripped from his arms for a fumble. These fumbles are emblematic of the Vikings season thus far.
Josh Oliver: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 4 Yards, TD
The seldom-used tight end had a touchdown reception, but will never be a viable fantasy option in this offense.