The season for the Minnesota Vikings is over as they lost 31-24 to the New York Giants in disappointing fashion.
The Vikings played well to start the game, jumping out to a 7-0 lead on the first possession of the game, but they were outscored 31-17 the rest of the way with the defense playing one of their worst games of the season.
Within the game, there were multiple players that played both well and poorly. Here is the final edition of studs and duds for the 2022 season.
Stud: Kirk Cousins
Regardless of the outcome, this was a great game for Cousins. He was the rock that the Vikings desperately needed when things looked grim in the first half. Cousins has stood strong in the pocket and taken numerous hits. He was excellent at going through his progressions which turned into a touchdown to K.J. Osborn.
Dud: Ed Donatell
With his job seemingly on the line going into this game, Donatell did not put his best foot forward. In the first half, they allowed 267 yards and 17 points, but it sure felt worse in real-time. Don’t be surprised if the Vikings end up moving on from Donatell and his “shell” defenses that were among the worst in the NFl all season.
Stud: Danielle Hunter
Despite the Vikings’ pass rush struggling to get home consistently, Hunter was consistent in getting into the backfield. He had rookie right tackle Evan Neal struggling to keep up with him and it paid off in the second half when he finally sacked quarterback Daniel Jones. With Za’Darius Smith still struggling, Hunter was the biggest factor on the Vikings defense.
Dud: Eric Kendricks
Kendricks has had some struggles this season adjusting to Donatell’s defense and they have continued on Sunday afternoon. He has played poorly all game long on multiple levels. Tackling has been subpar, got lost in coverage multiple times and took some poor angles. With a high cap hit next season, Kendricks may be playing himself off the team.
Stud: T.J. Hockenson
With the Giants paying a lot of attention to Justin Jefferson, Hockenson was needed to step up and he did so on multiple occasions. Cousins trusted him on a couple of huge plays, including a slot fade to convert a fourth down. Hockenson finished with 10 receptions for 129 yards and was the dynamic safety valve he’s been all season.
Dud: Patrick Peterson
This was not a great game for Peterson. He was getting beaten in coverage consistently, had a bad holding call in the endzone and didn’t make any plays throughout the game. This was a really big disappointment for PFF’s fourth-best cover corner.
Stud: Oli Udoh
The offensive line wasn’t perfect on Sunday, but it wasn’t the fault of Oli Udoh. While he had help with chips and double teams regularly, the thing that Udoh needed to make sure that he didn’t do was be a disaster and he avoided just that. He was at worst replacement level and that was exactly what the Vikings needed from Udoh.
