Have you found yourself screaming at your TV every time the Vikings fail to pick up a first down when all they need is one yard?
The Vikings have had 19 of those situations on third or fourth down this season. Surprisingly, 12 of them have been converted for a first down or touchdown. But don’t let that fool you.
- 3rd and 1: Peterson 2-yard rush (first down)
- 3rd and 1: 18-yard pass (first down)
- 4th and 1: 4-yard pass (first down)
- 3rd and 1: Peterson 2-yard rush (first down)
- 3rd and 1: Asiata 1-yard loss (punt)
- 3rd and 1: Asiata 2-yard rush (first down)
- 3rd and goal at the 1: incomplete pass (field goal)
- 3rd and 1: Asiata 5-yard rush (first down)
- 3rd and 1: 20-yard pass (first down)
- 3rd and 1: Line 2-yard rush (first down)
- 3rd and 1: Line no gain (went to 4th down)
- 4th and 1: Asiata no gain (turnover on downs)
- 3rd and 1: Asiata 1-yard rush (first down)
- 3rd and goal at the 1: touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph
- 4th and 1: Asiata no gain (turnover on downs)
- 3rd and goal at the 1: Ellison 1-yard rush (touchdown)
- 3rd and goal at the 1: Asiata 1-yard rush (touchdown)
- 3rd and 1: Asiata no gain (punt)
- 3rd and 1: Asiata 1-yard loss (punt)
The Vikings are 4-of-5 in those situations when they throw the ball and just 8-for-14 when they run the ball. In other words, they’re 80 percent successful when passing and 57 percent successful when running.
“We try so hard, but we just can’t get the yard,” Asiata said Sunday, according to the Star Tribune. “We go in thinking we’ll get it. Expecting we’ll get it. But we don’t.”
Even when they do convert, it’s not by much. Their longest carry when needing one yard on third or fourth down is five yards. No other carry in the same situation has resulted in more than two yards.
More ugly numbers
7
According to Pro Football Focus, safety Harrison Smith has missed seven tackles in the last three games. He missed a total of seven tackles all of last season. Seven is also the number of sacks Minnesota’s defense has generated in the last six games. They led the NFL with 15 sacks in the first three weeks of the season.
5.3
Pro Football Focus notes that quarterback Sam Bradford’s average pass went just 5.3 yards in the loss to the Redskins. That was the lowest average depth for any quarterback on Sunday. On top of that, he was just 3-of-9 on passes of 10 yards or more.
2.7
That’s how many yards per carry the Vikings are averaging this season, good for dead last in the NFL and a mark lower than any that’s been seen since 1953, according to Yahoo Sports.
12
The number of days the Vikings have to play their next three games in. They host Arizona this Sunday followed by back-to-back Thursday games at Detroit and at home against Dallas.
