Minnesota Vikings 3-2 Heading into Bye-Week After 21-17 Win Over Cleveland Browns

Haters will complain about style points, but the injury-ravaged Minnesota Vikings won 21-17 against the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

A week after falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ireland, the depleted but not defeated Minnesota Vikings in Week 5 hold on to beat the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 21-17.

It appeared Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell heard the criticism leveled at his play calling because most of the game he focused on calling quick plays for an offense that has been wracked with injuries at QB, RB, and o-line. Despite getting away from the quick game at times during the second half, O’Connell returned to it late in the 4th quarter, dinking and dunking, capping it with a beautiful 12-yard touchdown-pass from QB Carson Wentz to WR Jordan Addison who redeemed himself, somewhat, after being benched during the first quarter for missing a team walk-through. Wentz ended the day 25/34 for 236 yards and a TD—amazing considering that Wentz was listed as questionable with a left shoulder injury at the end of the half.Pieced and patched together, the Vikings’ offensive line protected Wentz better than it had the week before, a remarkable fete with Blake Brandel taking snaps at center for the first time in his NFL career, and rookie Joe Huber making his first career start at guard. It may not be an exaggeration to say that the line’s performance could have saved o-line coach Chris Kuper’s job for another week.

Minnesota Vikings leave London with a 21-17 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5.

Minnesota’s defense struggled to contain a Browns offense led by rookie QB Dillon Gabriel (19/33, 190 yards, and 2 TDs)  and featuring a pounding run game from RB Quinshon Judkins who capped the game with 110 yards on 23 attempts. But the Vikings defense, powered by great plays from Tyrion Ingram-Dawkings, Jalen Redmond, and Levi Drake Rodriguez, held Cleveland to one score in the second half.

Typical of the Vikings’ up-and-down performance, Will Reichard missed a 51-yard field goal wide right, but Ryan Wright kicked some of the best punts of his career.

O’Connell’s Vikings head into the bye-week, miraculously, 3-2 and have a chance to get healthy ahead of their Week 7 game against the Philadelphia Eagles at US Bank Stadium.

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