More than anything else in week 11, we need to see Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy take a step forward in his development as the future face of this franchise.

With Jonathan Greenard ruled OUT on the other side of the football, it’ll be up to those around him on the Vikings defense to hold help corral Caleb Williams often enough for Minnesota’s offense to figure out a Chicago defense that has been putrid most of the season.

MN Vikings WR wants fanboy NFL refs replaced by full-timers

One teammate hoping to help his young QB out on Sunday is recently reacquired veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen. But that’s not the only area of this weekend’s football game where the 35-year-old Thielen wants to see improvement.

In fact, he isn’t just looking for improvement from his team or the opposing Bears. On Friday during an interview with KFAN Radio’s Power Trip Morning Show, Thielen revealed to hosts Cory Cove, Meatsauce and Chris Hawkey that the league’s biggest referee issue right now is a lack of professionalism.

See, the NFL still has part times refs; guys and gals who referee NFL games on weekends, between grinding out normal five-day workweeks at their full-time job.

In fact, Thielen referred to today’s standard NFL ref as a “fanboy” who uses their super cool part time job as a way to brag to co-workers during the week at their real job.

"We have these guys that are kind of fanboys a little bit."

Vikings WR Adam Thielen told the @PowerTripKFAN this morning that he thinks the NFL should have full time referees.@iHeartRadio #iHeartRadio pic.twitter.com/4PXUgZaoHw

— KFAN1003 (@KFAN1003) November 14, 2025

“I think we need to have full-time referees. I think it’s ridiculous that we have — and no offense to these guys, they obviously love their job and they put a lot of time into it, I know they do — but we have these [referees] who are kind of fanboys, a little bit.

They love the fact that they get to go out there and they get to shake hands with Patrick Mahomes. They get to hang out with these professional athletes. Then they go to their real job on Monday through Friday and tell everybody how cool their side job is.

I think there should be full-time referees. I mean, the NFL has billions and billions of dollars. There’s so much money in the game, there’s so much betting on the game, that these games matter so much.

Obviously, not just the people who are gambling, but what about the people who put in so much time and effort to try and go performa well and win games. All the time the coaches put in. They deserve to have full-time referees. That’s my take on it and I think it’s very easy to do and I don’t know why it hasn’t been done.”

Adam Thielen – Power Trip Morning Show – KFAN Radio

Related: MN Vikings Superstar Calls on Year 3 Jets to Return

Thielen’s comments on the Power Trip Friday came at an interesting time. Last Sunday, against the Baltimore Ravens, Adam threw an all-time Thielen tantrum, which is saying something since he has had some legendary on-field outbursts in the past.

Context to Adam Thielen’s comments on KFAN Radio

The Detroit Lakes native and Minnesota State – Mankato alum lost his mind after he was called for an illegal blindside block that cost the Vikings one of only a few productive offensive plays in the game.

Theilen seemed even more frustrated after the game, following a meetup he had with some fanboy refs postgame who expressed confusion over whether or not they made the right call against him on the field.

Adam Thielen and the Vikings are pissed! This was called a personal foul for a blindside block… pic.twitter.com/M1SnIpkOxK

— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) November 9, 2025

Late in the 2025 preseason, after Jalen Nailor went down with a preseason wrist injury and Jordan Addison was suspended, the Minnesota Vikings were staring at life for three weeks without a respectable outside option for JJ McCarthy.

Looking back now, it sure feels like the Vikings panicked in the moment, especially once Nailor returned sooner than expected. In order to pry Adam out of Carolina, Minnesota had to give up multiple mid-round draft picks — a a 2027 4th and 2026 5th.

Related: JJ McCarthy Shows Up to Vikings Practice with New Ailment

Fast forward ten weeks later, where Justin Jefferson, Addison and Nailor are all healthy and cemented above Theilen on the Vikings depth chart, and it seems likely that 2025 will finish as the least productive in Adam’s career since 2015, when he was still just a special teams player.

Through nine games, the results have not been what Adam Thielen or the MN Vikings expected. Thielen has caught just 7 passes on 15 targets for a total of 63 yards and 0 touchdowns, which is not up to snuff for a guy who was so expensive to bring back.

It was the most undisciplined games Kevin O’Connell’s crew has played this season, which is saying something. For starters, the Vikings committed a total of 13 penalties worth a total of 102 yards, seven of which were false-start penalties.

Kid quarterback JJ McCarthy threw two interceptions and they turned the ball over three times, total. But the offensive play-calling might’ve been the most undisciplined part of yesterday’s loss.

The MN Vikings averaged 6.7 yards per carry vs Baltimore, gashing the Ravens defense just about every time they handed the ball off to Aaron Jones or Jordan Mason.

Tough day for Minnesota Vikings wide receivers

Meanwhile, when JJ McCarthy wasn’t throwing the ball to the other team in purple, he was throwing it into the dirt or (sometimes) into the stands. In the end, his inefficiency led to a < 50% completion rate, as he dropped back and winged it a career-high 42 times (20 completions).

Then, there’s Justin Jefferson, who looked disengaged and frustrated for most of the afternoon. Of course, he was nowhere near as frustrated as Adam Thielen, whose latest sideline meltdown has to fall in the top 5 on a career fully charged with emotional moments at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Adam Thielen is upset after that penalty

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/e295ZSpPti

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 9, 2025

What in the world could cause our darling Adam to lose his cool (again) against the Ravens? It came after he was called for a blindside block during the fourth quarter, as the Vikings were trying to come back from a 19-10 deficit.

A closer look at Adam Thielen’s “blindside block”

According to the NFL rulebook, offensive players who are moving parallel or back toward the line of scrimmage are not allowed to block a defensive player with force, which is a key part of the conversation.

The rule was made to rid the league of Hines Ward-style blindside blocks that used to leave safeties and cornerbacks wondering what reality they originated from.

Of course, Theilen’s was not that, but he certainly did square up and launch slightly into an unexpecting Kyle Hamilton, which resulted in him being completely laid out.

Adam Thielen and the Vikings are pissed! This was called a personal foul for a blindside block… pic.twitter.com/M1SnIpkOxK

— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) November 9, 2025

Related: Asante Samuel Jr Visit is Not What You Think…

There’s no doubt, as you can see in the video above, that Adam Thielen was indeed parallel with the line of scrimmage and blocking an unexpected defender. But was he protecting himself or was it a dirty block?

Postgame, Adam was still frustrated, noting that the Minnesota Vikings offense had practice that play all week, to make sure that he would not be called for a blindside block.

Refs admit to MN Vikings, Adam Thielen they aren’t sure either

More importantly, Thielen told Andrew Krammer (Star Tribune) in the Vikings locker room that the refs approached him after the game and told the 12-year veteran that they needed to go back, review the play, and get proper instruction from the league on whether or not they made the correct call.

“Obviously, [Adam Thielen] still was pretty heated after the game. And he had just mentioned that, look, we coached it. We actually got the exact look from the Ravens we were anticipating. If Kyle Hamilton was within one yard of the line of scrimmage, I knew I could stand there and wall him off.

He said, but it wasn’t as vicious as it looked on camera where it does kind of look like his head kind of contacts Kyle’s head. He said, ‘I have to defend myself. I can’t just stand there and get runover’… I think he used the word destroyed. ‘I can’t sit there and just get destroyed.’

So the refs told him, ‘You were too aggressive and you needed to just wall him off and not give any little bit of a shot at him. Yet the officials came up to him [after the game] and said, ‘We need to go check with the league about officiating that call. We need to just clarify this specific play, what you did, and make sure we were right on it.’

It sounded like even after the game, officials were still not sure.

Andrew Krammer – Access Vikings Podcast (Star Tribune)

While I appreciate the referees being open and honest about what they know and do not know… I feel like this was a pretty important call to throw a flag on, if you weren’t 100% sure on the rule. My guess, that’s very much how Adam Thielen is feeling too.”

And game one played out just as the sportsbooks expected, only worse. A 114-88 blowout Thunder win. While the Wolves did themselves no favors, shooting (15-of-51 from deep) and turning the ball over 19 times (leading to 31 points OKC points off turnovers), it was Shai’s close-knit relationship with NBA referees that stole the show, postgame.

Minnesota Timberwolves fighting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander + NBA referees

Commonly known as “The Free Throw Merchant”, Gilgeous-Alexander drew so many ridiculous referee whistles Tuesday night that it often felt like they were shooting a 2000s Juelz Santana music video. In the second half, when the Minnesota Timberwolves went ice-cold from deep, it was time for the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Show, starring Shai and the Refs.

A little flop here, a trip there and well-timed flail of here… the MVP went 11-of-14 from the free throw line. The Wolves went 15-of-21 as a team. No other player on either team shot more than seven free throws in game one.

And it isn’t just locally that Shai’s flop whistles are garnering attention. Nationally, many pundits around the league saw what Minnesota Timberwolves fans did. The whistle SGA gets is unlike anything ever really seen before and it’s something that can, in and of itself, shift an entire playoff series. The Ringer’s Bill Simmons talked about just that, after game one.

“I feel like Shai is getting this whistle that nobody else in the playoffs is getting.”@BillSimmons and @ZachLowe_NBA react to Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. pic.twitter.com/DScRLtHmew

— The Ringer (@ringer) May 21, 2025

“I feel like Shai is getting this whistle that nobody else in the playoffs is getting. Where there’s these little touch fouls, or these bumps where you’re not even sure who initiated the bumps and he’s just getting it. If you’re Minnesota, the one thing you’re going to come out of the game is we have to get a better whistle on these SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) calls.”

Bill Simmons – The Ringer

None of this is to say that SGA isn’t a great player. You don’t score a league-leading 32.7 points per game by accident. But what would he be without the foul calls he piles up game in and game out, that even other NBA superstars (cough Anthony Edwards) do not? He certainly wouldn’t be averaging over 30 points per game, that’s for sure.

Related: Anthony Edwards Unphased by Timberwolves Loss; Shocked by Postgame Box Score

At 7.9 made free throws per game, there isn’t another player in the league who makes more freebies than SGA, the second-straight season that’s been the case. Attacking the rim, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does so well, will naturally lead to free throws. But other guards attack the rim too, and they don’t get these calls.

SMOOTH AND-1 FROM SHAI ⚡ pic.twitter.com/W0j20WFaUp

— ESPN (@espn) May 21, 2025

At no point to Jaden initiate contact here. pic.twitter.com/RuYtWOHVmo

— Ted (@tlschwerz) May 21, 2025

Chris Finch and the Minnesota Timberwolves knew that Shai’s quick whistle was going to play a part in this series. What they cannot do, is let it affect the ultimate outcome. It’s also up to the referees. They need to watch the tape, too. Because, while SGA & Co. made the Wolves look bad in game one, no doubt the referees look just as bad.

CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn, during his postgame takeaways, noted how effective Shai’s flopping was in game one, and talked for a bit about how big of an issue it is for the NBA. SGA has made foul-baiting such a major part of his game that he has referees eating out of his hand.

“That is the problem here. It’s not that Gilgeous-Alexander is foul-baiting, but that it’s working. The burden here is on the league to both enforce its existing rules properly and to change broken rules that players learn how to exploit. Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday was a reminder to the league to do both, because, despite Oklahoma City’s incredible defensive performance, all anyone is talking about is what the presumptive MVP managed to get away with.”

Sam Quinn – CBS Sports

It’s so bad that games involving the OKC Thunder often turn into unwatchable, slow-moving slop fests that drag out and make playoff basketball unsatisfying to watch. Here, we are used to seeing Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards get completely mugged and receive no help from NBA referees.

It will be a raucous crowd that is sure to bring both cheers and boos for their former quarterback. A victory, along with some help from around the league, could help the Vikings clinch a playoff spot with four games to go. Below, you can find out how to watch the Falcons-Vikings game, including who will be commentating and officiating.

Falcons vs Vikings Broadcast Map + TV Announcers and Referee Crew for Week 14

Much of the country will be able to catch this game on their local FOX station, including a majority of the Midwest. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 PM CST. For the second week in a row, we have Joe Davis on play-by-play with Greg Olsen on color commentary.

Some may argue that this is FOX’s best broadcasting duo, so be appreciative we get them once again. The red on the broadcast map below represents parts of the country that will air Falcons vs Vikings.

This week's broadcast map feels weird. Random pockets of the country are getting Vikings-Falcons. I'm not saying it's not a good matchup. I just don't understand the rhyme or reason for it. pic.twitter.com/nufAo3FoYk

— Skol Cole (@SkolSmith) December 7, 2024

Minnesota Vikings draw Alex Kemp as referee

Referee Alex Kemp and his crew will officiate their second Vikings game of the season. They handled duties Week 1 when the Vikings faced the Giants out in New York.

Related: It was the Vikings Owners Who Pushed Kirk Cousins Out… and He Didn’t Like That

Kemp’s crew is “all or nothing” when officiating games. Altogether, they call the sixth-most penalties among all 17 crews. Fortunately for the Vikings, Kemp calls 0.55 roughing the passer penalties per game, tied for third-most in the league. So the Falcons shouldn’t be able to get away with facemasking Sam Darnold.

There are some other interesting nuggets about both the Falcons and Kemp. Atlanta has been called for only two defensive pass interference penalties all season, the fewest in the league. They have also been penalized three times for defensive holding. Only six teams have committed fewer this year.

Kemp’s crew has thrown the fewest flags for DPI this season, and we know that teams like to get handsy with Justin Jefferson. But his crew also calls 1.36 defensive holding penalties per game, the second-highest mark in the league.

So even though the Vikings may not get many spot fouls on pass interference, they could draw quite a few automatic first downs just from the Falcons holding before the pass. No crew calls as many offensive holding penalties as Kemp’s crew. They have called it 3.64 times per game so far.

The Vikings and Falcons have been called for it 14 times this year, which is tied for 18th in the league. Although they haven’t been habitual offenders of this call, they could be flagged more often than usual in this one.

Everything else you need to know for Vikings vs Falcons

• Final Minnesota Vikings Injury Report for Week 14 is Full…
• Top 10 Most Defining Moments of Kirk Cousins’ Vikings Career
• Vikings Activate Phenom Rookie Kicker and His Long Snapper
• Can the Minnesota Vikings Clinch a Playoff Spot This Weekend?

Minneapolis, MN Weather Forecast- December 8, 2024

As has been the case since 2016, the Minnesota Vikings game today vs the Atlanta Falcons will once again be played indoors, at the beautiful U.S. Bank Stadium. And thankfully, traveling to the stadium will be easier this week.

According to Weather.com, temperatures will be in the low-to-mid 30s starting around 9 AM. The wind will be coming out of the southeast at 7 miles per hour. It’s expected to be cloudy all day. Temperature around kickoff will be a balmy 37 degrees, outside The Bank. Inside, it’ll be 70 degrees… with a 100% chance of SKOL chants and eardrum blistering decibel levels.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Have Been Trying to Extend Byron Murphy Jr

When today’s game is over, it should be around 40 degrees, as fans are leaving the stadium. Not too bad for a mid-December day in Minneapolis. Plenty warm enough for Minnesota Vikings fans to celebrate a sixth consecutive win for their favorite football team and avoid any evening scaries later.

Below, you can find out how to watch the Vikings-Cardinals game, including who will be commentating and officiating.

Cardinals vs Vikings Broadcast Map and TV Crew- Week 13

Most of the country will be able to watch this game on their local FOX station. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 PM CST. Red on the week 13 NFL broadcast map below represents who can watch Vikings-Cardinals. We get FOX’s next-best crew, with Joe Davis handling play-by-play duties and Greg Olsen on color commentary.

Most of the country gets Cardinals-Vikings tomorrow. The rest get their terrible local game. pic.twitter.com/bRegRE9PHJ

— Skol Cole (@SkolSmith) November 30, 2024

Minnesota Vikings draw Bill Vinovich & Crew as referees

Bill Vinovich will call his first Vikings game of the season. His crew doesn’t call many penalties, but he calls one important call less than any other crew. You can view more stats and trends about Vinovich and his crew below.

This will be the first time referee Bill Vinovich and his crew will work a Vikings game this year. The last time his team worked a Minnesota game was last December when the Vikings lost 27-24 in overtime to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Related: Vikings Future QB1 JJ McCarthy Gives Update on His Injury Recovery

Vinovich and his crew stand out because they don’t throw many flags (per nflpenalties.com). They throw 11.5 flags per game, higher than only four other crews. However, home teams have generally been penalized more this season, drawing 6.5 flags to the visiting team’s five.

The 86.8 penalty yards per game called by Vinovich is second-lowest in the NFL. If there is one penalty that Vinovich’s crew does emphasize, it’s defensive pass interference. They call the sixth-most penalties, in that area. Surely KOC will remind Vinovich to watch these calls on Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson.

What’s odd is that Vinovich’s crew doesn’t extend this before the pass. No one calls fewer defensive holdings than Vinovich, which is almost exclusively called on passing plays before the pass is thrown.

expect KOC to once again be in the officials’ ears before and during the game as the Cardinals’ 20th-ranked pass defense attempts to slow down the Vikings’ passing game. Don’t expect tons of flags before the ball is thrown, but even one or two would show how much stress the Vikings put on opposing secondaries.

Minneapolis, MN Weather Forecast- December 1, 2024

The game will be played inside, but for those traveling to the game (or locals blissfully unaware of what’s happening outside), tailgating will be cold. According to Weather.com, temperatures will be in the teens all morning, getting as high as 18 degrees right before kickoff.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Can Pretty Much Clinch a Playoff Spot vs Cardinals

The high for the day is 22 degrees, around 3 PM, when fans will be leaving the building. Fortunately, the sun will be out, although there will also be some clouds. It won’t get too windy, with wind coming out of the northwest as high as 9 miles per hour. That’s about as good as you can hope for in December in Minnesota.

Let’s see if the climate-controlled stadium can help this team play its cleanest game in two months. They need a win, if they want to remain in the running for the NFC’s No. 1 seed, come playoff time.

The Vikings were not as fortunate, however, with their drawing at referee, this weekend. This is the second time Clay Martin’s crew has worked a Minnesota game this year. The first came at U.S. Bank Stadium, a 31-29 loss to the Detroit Lions, one of only two losses on the entire season for the purple.

Minnesota Vikings Refs in Week 12: Clay Martin Crew

At first glance (per nflpenalties.com), Martin’s crew throws flags at a slightly above-average rate. Out of 17 NFL referee crews, they throw the sixth-most flags, for the seventh-most yards. However, they throw 7.33 flags per game on visiting teams, the second-highest in the NFL. Home teams have been called for 1.11 fewer flags.

No referee crew in the league has called offensive holding as often as Martin’s. They have called 2.00 holds per game on the home team and 2.22 on the visitors. Both the Vikings and Bears have been good about not getting holding penalties, but it’s still worth monitoring.

Opposing defenses have all eyes on Justin Jefferson these days, and rightfully so.

He sees a lot of double-coverages, wants that 1-on-1 chance again.

Jefferson didn't play the Bears at all last season, would imagine Jaylon Johnson will be attached to him this Sunday. pic.twitter.com/p68ofD3XBF

— Alec Ausmus (@A_TwiceKSTP) November 21, 2024

Here’s where things get tricky. Only two crews call fewer defensive pass interferences per game than Martin’s. This will help the Bears who have the ninth-ranked pass defense in the league. This too, would seemingly benefit Chicago, who you’d have to imagine wants to get handsy with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

Watch out for more illegal formation calls…

One final nugget to monitor is that no one has called illegal formation more than Martin. This has been a point of emphasis in 2024, hurting the Vikings two weeks ago in Jacksonville and then benefitting the Purple last week when it erased a Titans touchdown.

Related: Vikings RB Aaron Jones Gives Update on His Injured Ribs

The purple are tied for the second-most such infractions in the league, meaning their offensive line and receivers need to be disciplined when lining up before the play. And really, that’s not something the Minnesota Vikings have been particularly good at this season.

So, if you’re sitting in front of your TV on Sunday and wonder why the Vikings may not be benefitting from many calls, just know it’s part of the gig when referee Clay Martin and his crew are officiating the game.

After a slow start, the Vikings offense finally figured things out in the 3rd quarter. The defense had one of its most impressive performances of their season, too. In the end, turnovers from both teams made this a roller coaster, back-and-forth affair that was exciting, yet hard to watch, at times.

In the end, though, it was the Vikings who took the victory, and moved to 6-2 on the season. Now, they sit in 2nd place in the NFC North, and they’d be the 5th seed in the NFC, if the NFL Playoffs started today. But this is only the halfway mark of the season.

There is a lot to take away from this game. Here is what we learned about the Minnesota Vikings during Sunday night’s win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Minnesota Vikings defense is so back

A lot has been said about the Minnesota Vikings defense, over the last couple of weeks, after it was exposed by the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions. But that was not the case on Sunday night, when the Colts totaled just 227 total yards of offense, zero offensive touchdowns and two turnovers.

The Vikings were good against both the run and pass. Joe Flacco threw for 179 yards (63.7 cmp%). Jonathon Taylor compiled only 48 yards on 13 carries and no Indianapolis wide receiver totaled more than 60 yards. It was an impressive effort by Brian Flores’ defense all around.

Vikings Defense,
NFL Ranking,
per EPA/Play:

Week 1-5: 1st
Week 6-8: 28th
Week 9: 1st

— Dustin Baker (@DustBaker) November 4, 2024

Bynum with a great play pic.twitter.com/pM0NdWhOLJ

— Dustin (@Dust_Vikings) November 4, 2024

The Minnesota Vikings needed Brian Flores to get his defensive group back to the something that resembled the early dominance displayed during the first five weeks of the 2024 NFL season, back when they were setting DVOA marks that were so high, they nearly broke the entire algorithm.

Related: Kirk Cousins vs Sam Darnold – Comparing Old/New Vikings QBs Through Week 9

And finally, after two games riding the struggle bus, the Vikings defense delivered the exact type of performance we had been missing. And the offense needed it, because the path to victory in week 9 was anything but smooth.

The Sam Darnold roller-coaster is a wild ride

Every week that Sam Darnold plays football in a Minnesota Vikings uniform, I realize more and more why he has been both criticized and praised throughout the season. One moment, he is making impressive, heady plays that display his arm talent and ability to scramble when needed.

Then, a play or two later, he makes some of the most mind-numbing decisions and poor throws ever seen in downtown Minneapolis… and that’s saying something. On Sunday, he had a relatively impressive statline, going 28-of-34 for 290 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Some of the good throws make your jaw drop. The bad decisions are deflating in a much different way. Look at the difference in these two plays. One is a beautiful touchdown pass to Josh Oliver. The other is a bone-headed interception that he threw immediately after his own defense did the same thing.

Sam Darnold is still seeing ghosts pic.twitter.com/p1Y88zeoAC

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 4, 2024

Justin. Jefferson. Good. At. Football.

📺: #INDvsMIN on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/45lcyDBb6c

— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2024

Thankfully, the Vikings defense came to play this weekend, which made Darnold’s mistakes and referee blindness (keep reading) factors that the team was able to overcome. But going forward, Sam has to find a way to eliminate the mistakes that hold him back from being one of the better quarterbacks in the league.

The 2nd half of the season will tell other teams a lot about what type of quarterback Sam Darnold will be, if he joins an organization that is able to foster further development, after the 49ers and Vikings have set him back on the proper career track.

Related: Former Vikings Assistant Could Be New Play Caller in Vegas

If he can prove that some of these issues will be fixed, with more experience, he can make a lot of money this offseason. But should Darnold continue to throw games away (or try to), then his suitors in a few months will be fewer and more far between, meaning less money and job security for our (likely) one-year QB hitman.

Will Reichard is a football guy (and human)

This might be the biggest concern to come out of the Minnesota Vikings vs Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. Alabama rookie Will Reichard missed a 48-yard field goal, just wide right in the first half. That was weird. Then, the very next drive, he lined one up from 31 yards… and missed that too.

Will Reichard with a DOINK. pic.twitter.com/3smBOZMqqJ

— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) November 4, 2024

A short time later, videos started to surface of Reichard limping and putting a heat pack on his thigh, in between kicks. We then found out he was dealing with a quad injury, that he tweaked at some point during the first two quarters.

Still, the 2024 6th round (No. 203 overall) pick continued to go out, kickoff after kickoff, field goal attempt after field goal attempt, and try to help his team. Let’s be real, nobody on the Vikings roster is better a better kicking option than Reichard, even if he’s only at 50%. He still made every extra point and found a way to get his kickoffs into the end zone. But you could tell that every single kick caused major discomfort.

Related: Former Vikings Assistant Could Be New Play Caller in Vegas

After the game, Reichard confirmed the injury is something that he has been dealing with this week, but that something happened in the first half that made it worse. He’ll have an MRI on his right quad Monday. He’s now 14 of 16 in his NFL career (plus 23-of-23 XP). Let’s hope our new kicker has good news come back from his MRI, so we can get back to putting footballs through the uprights.

Referees are still the worst

I am going to make this section short and sweet. If you want more on the situation, you can head over to our write-up on it over here. But the referees did their best on Sunday night, to yet again try to derail the Minnesota Vikings quest for six victories.

The most egregious play came on another egregious missed roughing penalty involving the head of Sam Darnold. Instead of a facemask penalty, Sunday’s illegal contact to the facemask came with a forearm clothesline that was so obviously a foul that NBC’s retired booth referee was flabbergasted at the no-call.

Terry McAulay felt the Colts might have gotten away with a penalty.

"That's a pretty big blow to the head from the forearm, hand/wrist of the tackler…If they would have called that, left the flag down, that's certainly supportable as a foul for unnecessary roughness." pic.twitter.com/0k5MlFgFgB

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 4, 2024

How in the world does this happen two weeks in a row? We have seen contact to helmet penalties called for love taps and slight grazings, in the past. Now, we can’t even get one for WWE style clotheslines off the ropes.

After the game, the pool referee gave an excuse that felt awfully familiar to what we received last week, just days before the NFL fined the Rams player who committed the no call penalty. Will that be the case again this week? Probably.

What’s to take away from Minnesota Vikings vs Indianapolis Colts

Overall, this was a big win for the Minnesota Vikings, and it was one that they had to scratch and claw for. While there are some worrisome notes to take away from the victory, there are more positives. The biggest of which is the aforementioned play of the defense.

We have to hope Sam Darnold comes around. But if this team is going to have any chance in the playoffs, the defense will have to be closer to dominant, than they are atrocious. And on Sunday night, they were all that and more.

In the process, rookie phenom Will Reichard tweaked a right leg injury, which caused him to miss two field goals, one from 31 yards out. The Vikings defense was much better than what we have seen in the past two contests. Oh, and riding the Sam Darnold rollercoaster was worth the price of admission.

Darnold went 28-of-34 for 290 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. His 82% completion rate was incredibly impressive, and some of the throws he made were even better. But then… he goes and makes some of the most boneheaded plays of any QB in the NFL.

Sam Darnold takes another no-call hit to the head

But his fatal mistake from week 9 wasn’t really his fault. In fact, it looked pretty clear in real time, and upon review, that his fumble, which led to a scoop and score touchdown for the Colts, was going to be called back for illegal contact to the head of the QB. But then… it wasn’t. Even former ref Terry McAulay couldn’t believe it.

Terry McAulay felt the Colts might have gotten away with a penalty.

"That's a pretty big blow to the head from the forearm, hand/wrist of the tackler…If they would have called that, left the flag down, that's certainly supportable as a foul for unnecessary roughness." pic.twitter.com/0k5MlFgFgB

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 4, 2024

It’s difficult to know why NFL referees dislike Sam Darnold so much. Maybe it’s his red hair, or that he’s a really terrible interview subject. Maybe they are playing against him in fantasy football? Who knows, but that’s two straight weeks Darnold has taken a shot to the head that was not called. Each time, the no-call resulted in points for the other team.

Related: Will Reichard Injury Update: Latest on Minnesota Vikings Kicker

Last week, it was a no-call facemask that resulted in a safety. That one ended the Minnesota Vikings’ night vs the LA Rams. This week, it was a forearm to Sam Darnold’s facemask that caused a fumbled, which was returned for a touchdown.

Unlike last week, a flag was thrown on the play. But then, it was picked up. Much like after week 8 vs the Rams, the referees acted like stubborn, arrogant assholes after the game, when asked by the game’s pool reporter (Kevin Seifert – ESPN) why they didn’t call a penalty for illegal contact to a quarterback’s helmet on that play.

PFWA Pool Reporter Kevin Seifert Interview with Referee Shawn Smith

Indianapolis Colts vs. Minnesota Vikings
Sunday, November 3, 2024

Question: Can you tell me what you saw to originally throw the flag (on the Indianapolis fumble return for a touchdown)?

Smith: “What I originally saw was a potential facemask on that high hit on the quarterback.”

Question: What went into deciding to pick it up?

Smith: “We determined that the initial force was at the shoulder and it was incidental contact to the head and neck area.”

Question: Does it matter if it is the forearm or the hands or the helmet that hits in an area? Would a forearm to the head still be considered a blow to the head?

Smith: “Well, I did not see that.”

Question: Was replay assist allowed to help you with that at all? Smith: “No, it was not.”

via Kevin Seifert (ESPN) on Twitter (X)

What are NFL referees trying to prove here…?

Again, how many times do we need to see Sam Darnold get hit in the head before we make these plays reviewable, or we give referees the tools to make sure the penalties get called in real time? Does he have to get his head completely knocked or ripped off? It’s safe to say Kevin O’Connell was not a fan of the no-call.

Kevin O’Connell on the flag being picked up on Sam Darnold’s fumble:

“I thought it was excessive contact to the head and neck area.” #Vikings pic.twitter.com/duA3E2NfUm

— Jeff Wald (@JeffWaldFox9) November 4, 2024

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I get it, we got too used to penalties being called against pass rushers, who did nothing more than graze the helmet of a QB. Nobody wants to go back to that. But the Minnesota Vikings quarterback nearly got his head ripped off his shoulders last week, just to have it followed with a WWE clothesline this week (also not called).

Let’s find that happy common sense medium, because it shouldn’t be this difficult. And I’d rather Sam Darnold keeps his head on his shoulders, at least while quarterbacking my favorite football team.

Minnesota Vikings vs LA Rams: Bad night for NFL referees

Three different times, on third down, LA was gifted three more downs via Vikings penalties. Some of the calls were so brutal that it left the Prime Video broadcast crew wondering who some of the calls were against, and if the refs got their number wrong. Like this “hold” by Byron Murphy Jr…

They called this a hold on Byron Murphy Jr? pic.twitter.com/6BBfa3XuQi

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) October 25, 2024

But those drive-saving gifts to the Rams weren’t even the worst part about the zebras’ performance Thursday. No, that came at the very end of the game. With the Minnesota Vikings down 8 points, and backed up into their own endzone, things got weird.

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Sam Darnold dropped back, tried to scramble to his right, before he was ripped down in the endzone by the left side of his facemask. The guilty party was LA Rams pass rusher Byron Young.

It was one of the most clear and obvious facemask penalties on a QB that you have ever seen. Unfortunately, the refs were momentarily blinded by the bright lights of Los Angeles, and “didn’t see” the egregious penalty.

this ref literally must be blind

staring RIGHT AT the face mask, no call pic.twitter.com/dwE3BzCBgL

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 25, 2024

After the game, referees stood defiantly behind their call. Their excuse? That none of the SEVEN on-field refs saw the penalty take place. This, even though at least three of them were staring directly at the penalty when it happened.

Thus, the Rams got their two points for a safety. And just like that, it was a two-score ballgame, ending any hope the Minnesota Vikings had at a late comeback.

Referee tells Sam Darnold he was pulled down by his shoulder pad…

One day later, there are videos and photos everywhere, analyzing just how a call this obvious was missed. By referees who are supposed to be the best in their business, at that. In the frenzy to find the best possible shot of zebra misconduct, Michael Rand (Star Tribune) clipped a slow motion video of one referee talking to Sam Darnold, immediately after the Vikings QB pulled himself up off the artificial SoFi stadium turf.

Related: Vegas Still Believes in Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell

It happens at the very end of the video he posted to Twitter. In the clip, you see Darnold grab his facemask and yell back at the ref, “FACEMASK”. Immediately after, the ref comes in from the left side of the screen and you can clearly see him mouth, “SHOULDER”. Obviously, he is implying that Sam was ripped down by his shoulder pads, not facemask. To that, Sam yells, “NOOO!”.

Here is a long look at all the replays of the facemask missed last night in the Vikings game. Very end of the clip you can see the referee say "shoulder" to an irate Sam Darnold pic.twitter.com/PXgX4WAYtp

— RandBall (@RandBall) October 25, 2024

The most frustrating part about last night’s call, beyond the fact that it ended any chance the Minnesota Vikings had at mounting a late-game comeback, was the cockiness of which the refs acted, after the play. Every single person in that stadium knew it was a facemask, except for the referees.

Instead of getting together and making the obvious call, even if it was after the fact, they acted as if they were right and the entire football world was wrong. Then, after seeing they were wrong on video, after they game, all they have to say is, ‘we didn’t see it’.

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Yeah, ok… well that’s why everyone was screaming at you to look at the damn jumbotron, so they could be let in on the secret too.

I know this is how this stuff goes, but I still can’t get over the lack of accountability on that no-call. Just so disrespectful to so many. https://t.co/iw8FQ3EkCO

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) October 25, 2024

There were stupid mistakes and even dumber penalties. From pass interference, to illegal formation, Kevin O’Connell’s less than disciplined group committed a total of nine penalties, for 50 yards.

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The Minnesota Vikings scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the game. After that, they failed to punch it in for seven the rest of the night, instead settling for two field goals in the final three quarters. It was an ugly, ugly loss and one that requires this team to look itself in the mirror, over the next 10 days, before they resume their season on November 3.

There, I wrote three paragraphs without complaining about the referees in tonight’s game. Because the referees did not lose this game for our Vikings. Let’s make that clear, before we move forward. But holy moly, were the zebras bad tonight. Almost as bad as the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings lose on egregious no-call facemask penalty

But no call on the night was worse than what happened on the purple’s final offensive play of the game. Sam Darnold, who was 18-of-25 (72%) for 240 yards, 2 TD and 0 INT on the night, dropped back into his own endzone, where he held onto the football for far too long, before pressure came from the left side.

That forced Darnold to step up in the pocket where he then saw 258 lb EDGE Byron Young hurling towards him. Sam dipped and Young hooked onto the left side of Darnold’s facemask, which caused the Minnesota Vikings quarterback to spin down to the ground. It was a clear and obvious 15-yard penalty and a first down for the Vikings. Except… it wasn’t called. So instead, it was a safety, and the dagger in Thursday’s game.

Byron Young has a fine incoming for the blatant facemask officials missed.

Small price to pay for a game-sealing play that changes a lot of things for the #Rams.

pic.twitter.com/bAbSRBrfuL

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 25, 2024

Again, this game is not on the referees. The Vikings did not deserve to win tonight. They were outplayed, outhustled and outmuscled by the Los Angeles Rams. But there is absolutely no way this facemask penalty is missed against any team outside of Minnesota.

How in the world does this missed call happen…?

I mean, the situation makes the missed call even worse. All referees are in pretty tight, given the Minnesota Vikings were backed up into their own endzone. That means all of the refs should have been well-within naked-eye viewing distance of the obvious penalty.

Not only that, but the facemask was committed against the quarterback, while he had the ball in his hands. I know all of the refs have specific jobs during a play and that not every single zebra on the field is watching the quarterback. The pool report, after tonight’s game, said that the refs just didn’t see it.

“We didn’t see it”. Oh well. What a crock of shit pic.twitter.com/C5GYa9cyx0

— Vikeologist™ (@Vikeologist) October 25, 2024

"We couldn't see it." https://t.co/nyFE7L17E0 pic.twitter.com/tMUSmqPTWJ

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) October 25, 2024

But you have to think there are multiple sets of eyes focused in on the guy with the football. You know, the most protected player in all of sports. Well, unless he’s playing for the Minnesota Vikings and the game is on the line.

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Then… the same referees who made Thursday night about themselves for the better part of 60 minutes all suddenly lose their flags during the biggest moment and most obvious penalty of the entire game. How? Minnesota, that’s how.

#Vikings QB Sam Darnold on the non call:

“It is what it is. We could’ve done a lot to not put ourselves in the situation we were in.”

🎥: @The33rdTeamFB pic.twitter.com/PA1YGCxlrw

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 25, 2024

Massacre of the Innocents, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1611-12 https://t.co/qaFCEizcB8 pic.twitter.com/2PLNaxggI2

— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) October 25, 2024

Update:

this is what’s happens when 90% of the public has Vikings.

Vegas doesn’t sleep.
pic.twitter.com/rAz1UCkcMV

— Gavin McHugh (@gavinmchughh) October 25, 2024