EAGAN, Minn. — Modern NFL teams almost never win the way the Minnesota Vikings did Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings became the third team in the past 40 seasons to finish with fewer than 10 net passing yards in a victory, riding a stellar performance from their defense and placekicker Will Reichard in a 23-10 win over the Detroit Lions.
With rookie quarterback Max Brosmer making his second career start, and three starting offensive linemen sidelined by injury, the Vikings managed just 3 net passing yards. Their total stood at minus-7 net passing yards until Brosmer and receiver Justin Jefferson connected for 10 yards on the Vikings’ final throw of the night.
“It wasn’t our standard in the pass game,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “But sometimes, it depends on how your team plays collectively as a group. I’ve learned a lot as a head coach of [doing] whatever it takes to win each and every opportunity that you get.”
The only other teams that have won games with fewer than 10 net passing yards are the 1987 St. Louis Cardinals (4 yards) and the 2006 Houston Texans (minus-5 yards). It’s even more rare for a team to win by a double-digit margin in that scenario. The Vikings’ total Thursday was the second-fewest passing yards for a team that won by 10 or more points since the 1970 merger.
The Lions have not been one of the NFL’s better pass defenses this season and entered Thursday’s game ranked No. 18 in defensive pass EPA per play. But they largely flummoxed Brosmer, who was starting in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy, sacking him six times and hitting him on five other occasions.
Brosmer threw four interceptions in his first NFL start, a 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13, and O’Connell said the team was determined to “protect the football” against the Lions. Brosmer’s performance reflected a young quarterback who wanted to avoid a turnover at all costs. He almost never looked downfield, attempting only three passes that traveled more than 5 yards past the line of scrimmage, and finished with nine completions in 16 attempts for 51 yards.
Brosmer has started two games this season and played parts of four other games. He has managed just 271 total passing yards in those appearances.
“Lots of learning,” Brosmer said of rookie season. “NFL football is hard, and people say it a lot. NFL football is fun too, and that’s not me saying I don’t enjoy this. My favorite part is the process.”
The Vikings have won four consecutive games to pull their record to 8-8, but their primary goal since they were eliminated from playoff contention — getting a full evaluation of McCarthy — remains incomplete. McCarthy was inactive Thursday after he was diagnosed with what O’Connell called a “very, very small hairline fracture” in his throwing hand earlier in the week.
Although they claimed veteran quarterback Brett Rypien to ensure they had three available passers Thursday alongside Brosmer and John Wolford, the Vikings have not ruled out getting McCarthy back for their Week 18 game against the Green Bay Packers.
“He’s doing well,” O’Connell said. “With the extra time until next week, we’ll see. It’s all going to come down to just grip strength and his ability to grip the football and throw it. And I would obviously love to have him get one more opportunity for this year. … I look forward to seeing how J.J. progresses here early in the week and we’ll see if we can have him.”