NFC North Roundup for NFL Week 15
By Dean Holden
Minnesota Vikings Dec 15, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings (15) celebrates with wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Eagles 48-30. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Won: Vikings 48, Philadelphia Eagles 30
The Vikings are just trolling people now. Not only do they beat the playoff-hungry Philadelphia Eagles, but they do it with Adrian Peterson on the bench.
Peterson is supposed to be the Vikings’ entire offense, remember? He didn’t play, and the Vikings had their best offensive game of the season. Now granted, that’s probably more an indictment of the Eagles’ bottom-tier defense than anything, but it’s still a positive sign.
When it’s this late in a lost season, anything that happens in the game is about what it means for next year. If we were to make any determinations from Sunday’s game, it’s that Cordarrelle Patterson looks to be exactly the Percy Harvin replacement he was drafted to be, and Matt Cassel deserves to stick around.
The Vikings’ quarterback situation will be the one most discussed in Minnesota during the offseason, and there’s no reason they shouldn’t draft or sign someone they think can be a long-term solution. But Cassel has proven himself to be, at worst, a capable backup, and someone who can help carry the team if their new QB solution isn’t ready from day one.
Next Game: 12/22 at Cincinnati (9-5)