So a great D and amazing special teams I guess will have to be enough....

You don’t see this often:

Donovan Jackson vs Vea 😳 pic.twitter.com/ZbxrXo0px6

— Dustin (@Dust_Vikings) September 28, 2026

Kyler played his first real game in a year, on a new team in a whole new offense, with Jefferson and Mason out, against a tough defense on the road. KOC imo didn't do him a lotta play calling favors under the circumstances.

I realize the average angry meathead Viking fan would switch quarterbacks after every incompletion, but I'm going to give it a few games to hopefully come together. 🤔😎

comet52 wrote:

Kyler played his first real game in a year, on a new team in a whole new offense, with Jefferson and Mason out, against a tough defense on the road. KOC imo didn't do him a lotta play calling favors under the circumstances.
I realize the average angry meathead Viking fan would switch quarterbacks after every incompletion, but I'm going to give it a few games to hopefully come together. 🤔😎

Its week to week, its what you have to go by. I knew the excuse wagon was going to get rolled out for K1 and here we go. I also hope that he will keep getting better for all of our sakes for 2026, and its early for sure.....but so far? 🤔

Bye bye to an unsung hero in the blocking game. Sucks.....but the amount of injuries around the league this year already is crazy:

#Vikings TE Josh Oliver is feared to have suffered a torn biceps in Sunday’s game and will have an MRI today determine if that is the case, sources say. Oliver would be out indefinitely if the testing confirms.

— Ian Rapoport @RapSheet Sep 28, 2026

𝕏 X / Twitter — Ian Rapoport @RapSheet

#Vikings TE Josh Oliver is feared to have suffered a torn biceps in Sunday’s game and will have an MRI today determine if that is the case, sources say. Oliver would be out indefinitely if the testing confirms.

View on X

StickierBuns wrote:

Its week to week, its what you have to go by. I knew the excuse wagon was going to get rolled out for K1 and here we go. I also hope that he will keep getting better for all of our sakes for 2026, and its early for sure.....but so far? 🤔

I wouldn't say it's excuses, just trying to be objective. People want 24/7 instant gratification but football is hard. If it doesn't look better in a month from now then I'd worry.

WILL OWNS THE LEAGUE pic.twitter.com/WDMkY9IzJ1

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) September 27, 2026

comet52 wrote:

I wouldn't say it's excuses, just trying to be objective. People want 24/7 instant gratification but football is hard. If it doesn't look better in a month from now then I'd worry.

One man's excuses are another fan's objectivity. And so it goes. We could have won these last 3 games with the Triple Wing offense with this defense.

Agree with OP, here's more thoughts-

• I really hope Jefferson is okay. He's our best player.

• An Eric Wilson Week! Dude was everywhere and laying wood out there. Awesome.

• AVG, Van Noy, Metellus, Turner... all making splash plays. Our defense has so many guys playing great right now. AWESOME.

• The Thrill, Price, Hekker- A++++

• The run up the middle worked for all of one drive (the first one), but heck if we weren't gonna keep trying!

• Demond Claiborne- Is this a guy we need to get out in space? Or what's the profile here because he hasn't shown much between the tackles.

• Tai Felton- Don't dress like Jefferson homie, it's confusing.

• 3-0! Filet the fish!

Still lots of games left to be played, Sticky. But the offensive production doesn't look much different than it did last season when most were saying it was JJ McCarthy's fault because he sucked.

It's been one game and 11 snaps in another, but I've yet to see anything to get me excited about Kyler Murray as our starter. I think we all expected to see more out of a veteran guy with his physical talent and experience. He deserves until at least Week 10 to see if things get better.

The defense is plenty good enough for us to win a Super Bowl, need the offense to catch up. Regardless of who is under center, we need much better QB play moving forward or we'll end up being a one and done playoff team again.

StickierBuns wrote:

You don’t see this often:
https://x.com/dust_vikings/status/2104412462460129758?s=46&t=ohFAAgt56m6anXyDpx1btQ

Can you say "PANCAKE"...

THIS...This thread right here, and the multitude of those following this is why there was a strong contingent of fans thinking the whole Murray thing is/was stupid. It's not even about Murray himself, but more so over the same damned process the Vikings run through over and over. Sure, we are 3-0, but everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Maybe Murray gets better, but this offense is offensive and we all know the Vikings are like the Wile E. Coyote pushing the anvil up the cliff. It's going to fall on our head. So I go back to how stupid this all was because he were are right back in the same flipping spot. What makes it worse is, we haven't spent the time to develop our guy and will be right back here again next year...

The definition of insanity is the Vikings...

comet52 wrote:

Kyler played his first real game in a year, on a new team in a whole new offense, with Jefferson and Mason out, against a tough defense on the road. KOC imo didn't do him a lotta play calling favors under the circumstances.
I realize the average angry meathead Viking fan would switch quarterbacks after every incompletion, but I'm going to give it a few games to hopefully come together. 🤔😎

I doubt KM is the long term answer at QB, but declaring him a bust after 1 game without Jefferson - who was lost during the game, so not something we had game planned for - is premature. If after 5 more games this offense still looks the same, then we can declare him a bust - and let's lay some of the blame on KOC, too.

One of the things that is getting lost in the entire ineptitude of the offense, is why does the offensive coordinator get none of the blame? He is supposedly involved in developing the game plan, so what the hell does he do on Sundays? Anything. No input on the play calls at all? Does KOC even talk to him during the games, I mean the guy sits up in the press box doesn't he see any places to attack the defense? Most teams that struggle on offense he is the first one to get the boot yet the Vikings keep him around despite his troubles off the field. Time for somebody to be the scapegoat for the crappy offense.

comet52 wrote:

Kyler played his first real game in a year, on a new team in a whole new offense, with Jefferson and Mason out, against a tough defense on the road. KOC imo didn't do him a lotta play calling favors under the circumstances.
I realize the average angry meathead Viking fan would switch quarterbacks after every incompletion, but I'm going to give it a few games to hopefully come together. 🤔😎

1. The Bucs were the 23rd-ranked pass defense in the league who were shredded by Deshawn Watson the week before.

2. Even without Jefferson, the Vikings still had Addison and Jennings (who are better as a duo than some teams’ ACTUAL #1 and #2 receivers)

3. We still had Hock and Aaron Jones

4. We had an offensive line that gave up, I think only 3 pressures the entire game. So he had time.

5. Sammy “ghosts” Darnold seemed to figure out the offense right away but the same can’t be said for the guy who has been called “possibly the most talented QB the Vikings have ever had”

All of that, and we couldn’t get the offense into the red zone one time. And the one TD pass was an underthrown deep ball that Addison had to make a crazy play on to score.

I’m not saying Kyler can’t get marginally better, but he couldn’t have set the bar any lower with his early play

CFIAvike wrote:

The Bucs were the 23rd-ranked pass defense in the league who were shredded by Deshawn Watson the week before.
Even without Jefferson, the Vikings still had Addison and Jennings (who are better as a duo than some teams’ ACTUAL #1 and #2 receivers)
We still had Hock and Aaron Jones
We had an offensive line that gave up, I think only 3 pressures the entire game. So he had time.
Sammy “ghosts” Darnold seemed to figure out the offense right away but the same can’t be said for the guy who has been called “possibly the most talented QB the Vikings have ever had”
All of that, and we couldn’t get the offense into the red zone one time. And the one TD pass was an underthrown deep ball that Addison had to make a crazy play on to score.

I’m not saying Kyler can’t get marginally better, but he couldn’t have set the bar any lower with his early play

We'll put you in the one game and give up category. Fans of the recently dearly departed JJM were always telling me 10 games just wasn't enough lol. I'm willing to give it a month with KM. Pretty big of me eh?

Agreed, Sticky. Good post and comments from others. I'm not ready to write off Murray by any means, as it'd be silly to do, but he's showing all of my concerns and what I mentioned when he was signed. I'm not a fan of his game, but I do like his escapability. However, if he's not going to use it, then that will limit his success, IMO. Similar to the KSU QB, Avery Johnson, use what works for your game and that's your legs. If KO doesn't open things up for him, it'll be a difficult go offensively this season, IMO.

What I don't understand is where is Jennings, Addison (outside of Jefferson injury), and Hock. Why are we not using creativity to get momentum and rhythm on high percentage plays? I do know Hock was wide open on the 3rd down incomplete bomb to Addison though, so maybe it's just a QB read issue still. Where are the roll outs, just like with Kirk, getting Kyler outside the pocket to see the field and make things happen?

Our defense is playing well right now and is smothering offenses and our special teams have stepped up nicely. Will is one of the best kickers in the league and isn't flashy, so he won't get the pub, which is fine. I loved seeing Van Noy getting involved immediately as well.

IceRatz16 wrote:

Agreed, Sticky. Good post and comments from others. I'm not ready to write off Murray by any means, as it'd be silly to do, but he's showing all of my concerns and what I mentioned when he was signed. I'm not a fan of his game, but I do like his escapability. However, if he's not going to use it, then that will limit his success, IMO. Similar to the KSU QB, Avery Johnson, use what works for your game and that's your legs. If KO doesn't open things up for him, it'll be a difficult go offensively this season, IMO.

What I don't understand is where is Jennings, Addison (outside of Jefferson injury), and Hock. Why are we not using creativity to get momentum and rhythm on high percentage plays? I do know Hock was wide open on the 3rd down incomplete bomb to Addison though, so maybe it's just a QB read issue still. Where are the roll outs, just like with Kirk, getting Kyler outside the pocket to see the field and make things happen?

Our defense is playing well right now and is smothering offenses and our special teams have stepped up nicely. Will is one of the best kickers in the league and isn't flashy, so he won't get the pub, which is fine. I loved seeing Van Noy getting involved immediately as well.

The offensive play calling was, well offensive...

They just couldnt/didnt adjust well after JJ went down.

Its like the intermediate passing game was pulled from the playbook after that...

StickierBuns wrote:

One man's excuses are another fan's objectivity. And so it goes. We could have won these last 3 games with the Triple Wing offense with this defense.

The triple wing might be an upgrade for KOC and his bombs away obsession. No short game, no movement, no creativity. No adjustment to your #1 WR down and your #2 getting doubled, just more of the same to less likely targets.

purplefaithful wrote:

The offensive play calling was, well offensive...
They just couldnt/didnt adjust well after JJ went down.
Its like the intermediate passing game was pulled from the playbook after that...

None of the WRs excel with that 15 yard in cut route like Jefferson.

That is what I saw as well. The offense couldn't find anything that worked consistently after his injury. Glad the 2 bombs to Addison worked. TJ was open a few times but KM couldn't hit him.

Murray looked to concerned about staying in the pocket rather than making plays. Is KOC's coaching style showing up again like it did with JJ?

Fries is weak and slow. He is a backup.

Jackson looks solid but did have another free runner lined up across from him he ignored, and there was no back to block him.

How many plays did Murray make on schedule in the passing game? Hopefully he will settle into the system, relax, and improve against the fish. He really just needs to be an average QB. He surely wasn't that.