11-14-2019, 11:26 PM
But before the Vikings reached the playoffs in 2017, they were still trying to prove they could be legitimate contenders. In Week 13 they traveled to Atlanta to face a 7-5 Falcons team that was starting to come together. Early in the game Keenum struggled with accuracy and the Vikings managed just seven points in the first half. With the defense putting up a typical performance, Minnesota trailed by three points with 8:11 remaining in the fourth quarter and received the ball on their own 11-yard line.
And then Shurmur had a defining moment as the Vikings’ play caller. After Keenum completed three passes to get the Vikings to mid-field, Shurmur decided to pound the rock. He called for eight runs in a 10-play stretch to set up a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph. The final four plays were all gives to Latavius Murray.
In total the drive went 89 yards on 15 plays and took 8:15 off the clock. The Vikings won 14-9, helping them secure a home playoff game.
On Sunday night, Stefanski channeled his inner Shurmur.
With 7:01 left in the third quarter and trailing 21-20, Stefanski dialed up 10 straight running plays on a drive that took 6:59 and ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Dalvin Cook.
Kirk Cousins said after the game that he’d never seen anything like it in his career. Mike Zimmer said it broke the Cowboys.
“It just breaks your will,” Zimmer said. “That’s the one thing with football is it’s a tough sport and if you allow people to run the ball like that against you then it really deflates you.”
The drive featured a mix of a number of different concepts that have worked particularly well for the Vikings this season and play to the strengths of their personnel
https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2019...in-dallas/
And then Shurmur had a defining moment as the Vikings’ play caller. After Keenum completed three passes to get the Vikings to mid-field, Shurmur decided to pound the rock. He called for eight runs in a 10-play stretch to set up a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph. The final four plays were all gives to Latavius Murray.
In total the drive went 89 yards on 15 plays and took 8:15 off the clock. The Vikings won 14-9, helping them secure a home playoff game.
On Sunday night, Stefanski channeled his inner Shurmur.
With 7:01 left in the third quarter and trailing 21-20, Stefanski dialed up 10 straight running plays on a drive that took 6:59 and ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Dalvin Cook.
Kirk Cousins said after the game that he’d never seen anything like it in his career. Mike Zimmer said it broke the Cowboys.
“It just breaks your will,” Zimmer said. “That’s the one thing with football is it’s a tough sport and if you allow people to run the ball like that against you then it really deflates you.”
The drive featured a mix of a number of different concepts that have worked particularly well for the Vikings this season and play to the strengths of their personnel
https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2019...in-dallas/