Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 9.14.26

Sep 14

The U.S. Open starts a day early, goes until 2 a.m. multiple nights, and still can’t manage to get the men’s final away from the first full day of NFL action. And I know the FIBA World Cup is a world tournament, but yet another U.S. gold medal win got overlooked yesterday, too. (Lynx return Friday).

We’ll eschew the Twins (lost two of three against Cleveland, 5.5 back with 13 to play) and Loons (4-2 loss to St. Louis, just one point ahead of 14th place Seattle) in favor of the game of the week.

Vikings Score Game’s Last 29 Points in Wild Opening Win over Packers

Lifelong Vikings fans have no idea there’s another kind of life out there. I assure you, there are many NFL teams that spent an entire decade not accumulating the type of drama the Vikings can in 60 minutes of football. But would you have it any other way?

A team may see its new quarterback throw an interception on his first pass, sure. The same QB going out of the game with a concussion after a vicious hit to the head on the next drive? Okay. Back-up quarterback, but not the first-round pick, throws three touchdowns including two to Justin Jefferson, who didn’t manage a single TD at home last season? Starting to seem improbable. Three defensive penalties - two questionable - on a single drive, including one that overturned an endzone interception? Meh. Scoring the game’s final 29 points to turn a 12-point deficit in the third quarter into the first EVER 39-22 final in NFL history? That’s your Vikings.

The reward? The Bears - who scored 59 points yesterday - on the road next week.

I wrote in the season’s final month last season that if Carson Wentz had not gotten hurt and remained the team’s quarterback, the Vikings would have earned the last playoff spot over the Packers. He did nothing yesterday to make you think otherwise - okay, maybe an ill-advised interception in the end zone that wound up not counting due to an iffy penalty. Wentz threw for three touchdowns, including two to Jefferson, who was a good soldier last season despite catching just two scores, and none at home.

The reason Wentz was in the game, of course, will be a talker all this week and potentially beyond. Kevin O’Connell built the offense around Kyler Murray, the team’s fourth starter in as many seasons, after he signed this off-season, then lost him on the second drive after getting hit in the head from two sides. Murray “fenced” immediately after the hit, and it’s hard to believe we’ll see him in uniform anytime soon.

But don’t kid yourself - the defense won this game. Brian Flores’ group is often left with too much to do because of an anemic offense. They wilter late. Not yesterday. The Vikings sacked Jordan Love three times in the fourth quarter, causing two turnovers. It’s hard to imagine Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner having a better game. The Vikings hit Love 15 times.

The officiating was not good, either way. Yes, the Vikings benefitted in the second half, but the Packers had some go their way early.

MIA? Jordan Addison, who had no catches and just two targets. T.J. Hockenson, who disappeared in big times last year, caught four passes.

Mississippi State Blows Out Gophers

The good news is, you’ve got six more years before another SEC team rolls into Huntington Bank Stadium. The bad news is that it’s Alabama in 2032.

Mississippi State, picked second-to-last in the SEC, went 1-7 in conference last year. But behind Heisman candidate Kamario Taylor, the Bulldogs seized control early and dominated the Gophers 38-13 on Saturday. Mississippi State was only a one-point favorite over P.J. Fleck’s crew.

The Bulldogs were bigger, faster and more successful at each position. And that includes the coaching staff. Both of Fleck’s coordinators could soon be on the hot seat. There didn’t appear to be much of an offensive game plan against the Bulldogs.

The Gophers won’t ever win when Drake Lindsey needs to throw 48 passes. The Bulldogs scored two touchdowns in each the first and second quarters, limiting what Minnesota could do. The Gophers couldn’t really run the ball down double digits, and when they did they got nothing (literally, 15 rushes for 13 yards). Meanwhile, Mississippi State rushed for 252 yards.

Minnesota should get back on the winning track at home this week against Akron before opening up Big 10 play at Washington on September 26.

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