1. Continuation of Fumble Woes
The Minnesota Vikings experienced yet another fumble during the opening possession of the game, marking their seventh fumble loss of the season.
After an impressive drive that involved five consecutive runs by Alexander Mattison, taking the ball from the Minnesota 43-yard line to the Los Angeles 26-yard line, a pass to Josh Oliver resulted in no gain on second-and-8.
The Chargers unleashed a blitz on the next play, but it was skillfully picked up by C.J. Ham, leading to a 9-yard completion to Hockenson. Unfortunately, Murray caused a fumble that Alohi Gilman managed to recover at the Chargers 21-yard line.
This fumble was only the third of Hockenson’s career, coming after his 262nd career reception.
Assistant Coach O’Connell expressed disappointment over the turnover, emphasizing the team’s focus on turnovers during practice and drills. He highlighted the missed opportunity to convert the first down, potentially sustaining their impressive running game. Instead, the Chargers capitalized on the turnover, marching 79 yards to secure their first touchdown and take a 7-0 lead.
2. Blitz Delivers Limited Results
The Minnesota Vikings displayed aggression with multiple blitzes, managing to sack quarterback Justin Herbert only once and record five hits.
Notably, outside linebacker Danielle Hunter frequently posed a threat to the Chargers’ offensive line, exerting pressure on Herbert multiple times but failing to reach him.
D.J. Wonnum, filling in for Marcus Davenport, secured two hits on Herbert, while Josh Metellus contributed the remaining hit.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Vikings blitzed Herbert on 40 out of his 49 dropbacks, resulting in an impressive blitz rate of 81.6 percent. This ranks as the second-highest frequency in a game during the NGS era.
Herbert’s quick release and powerful arm enabled him to evade defenders and make accurate passes.
Eventually, Hunter managed to sack Herbert and dislodge the ball, but the Chargers recovered and opted to punt.
