Vikings Struggle with Turnovers in Second Straight Loss
The Minnesota Vikings suffered their second consecutive loss in Week 2, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 27-7. The game was marred by multiple turnovers, particularly fumbles, that hindered the Vikings’ chances of mounting a comeback.
The trend of turnovers began early for the Vikings, as Brandon Powell fumbled a punt to give the Eagles an early advantage. Alexander Mattison followed suit with a fumble just after the Vikings secured an interception. Justin Jefferson also fumbled out of the end zone, costing the team a potential lead late in the second quarter. Quarterback Kirk Cousins added to the turnover tally with a sack on the second play of the third quarter.
The most impactful turnover came from Jefferson’s fumble out of the end zone, as it directly handed the ball to the Eagles and prevented the Vikings from taking a lead before halftime. Instead, they were left trailing by six points. The deficit only grew, ultimately reaching 27-7 before the game settled down.
Jefferson took responsibility for his costly turnover, acknowledging that it shifted the momentum away from the Vikings. “Fumbling in the end zone like that when we need points and we’re driving and having that momentum… that’s on me, and it won’t happen again,” Jefferson said.
The Vikings’ issues with turnovers extend beyond just this game. With six lost fumbles in the first two weeks of the season, the Vikings have reached a level of ball security that is concerning. In fact, the last time the team had this many lost fumbles in the opening two games was in 2003, when the St. Louis Rams lost seven fumbles.
The trend of turnovers in the first two games is not a positive sign for the Vikings. Since 2000, only seven out of the 33 teams with seven or more turnovers in the first two games have made the playoffs. The Vikings are also the first team since the 2019 Miami Dolphins to have this many turnovers in their first two games.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell expressed his disappointment in the team’s turnover performance and emphasized the need for improvement. “Clearly, I have to coach it better… Ball security is a major focus in our football philosophy, but clearly, I need to do a better job and our staff,” O’Connell said.
Despite the glaring issue of turnovers, O’Connell highlighted the team’s close margin of defeat in their first two games. The Vikings lost both matchups by a combined nine points. This is a stark contrast to their perfect record in one-score games last season, in which they went 11-0.
Moving forward, the Vikings will need to prioritize protecting the football to turn their fortunes around. Quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson have posted impressive statistics through the first two weeks, showing promise for the offense. However, solidifying ball security will be crucial for the team’s success. The Vikings will look to get their first win of the season when they face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3.
O’Connell acknowledged the importance of ball security and expressed his hope for improvement. “If we make ball security the living, breathing way that we talk and walk about everything in our building, it will improve,” O’Connell said. “That’s on me and our coaching staff to emphasize it and ultimately start seeing it show up on Sundays.”