Some quick thoughts and then I'll start breaking down tape:
COACHING/MANAGEMENT
I already said this elsewhere, but it deserves repeating:
Still too many runs on 1st down (and attendant 2nd and longs), but great collective effort by the coaching staff. Honestly, all told, likely the best sense they've been here:
1) Offense left a lot of plays out on the field due to execution errors.
2) Great job at the end of the 1st half (where has that been the last 1.75 years?). I also agree with the choice to take 3 there. League-wide has 1st and G from 1 at 57 % conversion rate. However, that NFL-wide conversion rate is weird because its brutally skewed by the best running teams in the NFL who also have play-making QBs. So that 4 (and that is assuming you make the PAT) EPA is well under 50 % if you take those teams out. So its well under 3.5 Expected. Further, given that the FG is 100 % there at 3 points and you only have one (crack at it, you take the 3 points all day long in that score spread.
3) Great decision to Scratch Fournette. Hopefully it remains that way.
4) Great decision to give Barrett more looks at Right Edge.
5) Great Pressure Packages in key situations by Bowles.
PASS RUSH
Suh was an ABSOLUTE MONSTER. This was one of the top 3 games of his career and his best game since 2016. If this was the Suh you're getting game-in, game-out, this is a 20 million dollar a year player (except you're getting nothing like this typically).
Barrett struggled in the run game, missed a key tackle, and was bad in his 4 Coverage Snaps, but he was dominant in Pass Rush. Dominant. And that is overwhelmingly what matters to an Edge player. Do you get Pressure at a high % rate and do make game-changing plays in Pass Rush? If yes, then struggles elsewhere are absolutely an afterthought.
JPP did not have a productive day in Pass Rush, but he had a huge play and he consistently was good with Speed to Power in collapsing his side, maintaining his rush lane, and not allowing escapes his side (which is where Cousins likes to escape).
Winfield had 2 extremely effective blitzes and a huge play.
Nacho was productive in Pass Rush.
Unfortunately (frustratingly), White only got 2 Snaps on Blitzes (not getting anything done on either).
PASS PROTECTION
Yes, the Vikings are bad up front (real bad), but this was just an absolutely outstanding effort in Pass Protection. Our 5 OL gave up only 1 Pressure (Hit by Cappa). Everyone else completely stoned their guys. This was Donovan Smith's greatest game as a professional and its not close. If this was his typical play (its not), then pay_the_man_his_money. You want to know how good Wirfs is? He was just as good as Smith and he's had several games just like this (elite) in his rookie year.
4TH DOWN CONVERSIONS GIVEN UP
Gave up 4/5. Not good. I want to cover what defense we were in vs the situation and what went wrong.
