The Vikings have turned the page to Sunday’s game at Green Bay, but there is one big question was still worth asking about their 19-17 loss to Chicago last weekend: What the heck went wrong on that kick return that set up the Bears’ winning field goal?
After a touchdown pass by quarterback J.J. McCarthy gave the Vikings the lead with 50 seconds left, they immediately gave up a 56-yard kick return to receiver Devin Duvernay that put the Bears in position to win the game.
As he reflected on the sequence 48 hours later, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels was asked how he felt walking off the field after a 48-yard field goal from kicker Cairo Santos sailed through the uprights as time expired.
“Sickening,” Daniels said. “I’ve never felt the way I felt after that game.”
It’s the fickle nature of playing special teams in the NFL.
There aren’t many people still thinking about how rookie receiver Myles Price gave the Vikings the spark they needed with a 42-yard punt return. Not after Duvernay’s return in the final minute cost the Vikings the game.
“We made a ton of plays in that game to help us go out and win it,” Daniels said. “Then when the team needed us most, we find a way to not answer the bell.”
The toughest part for Daniels to stomach was that the Vikings worked on that exact type of kick return because of what the Bears had shown on film. They even had kicker Will Reichard send the ball in the specific direction because they liked the one-on-one matchups they had on the wide side of the field.
All the Vikings needed was for everybody to stay in their lane, literally and figuratively, and they likely would have made the play. Instead, a few different players strayed from their assignments, which allowed Duvernay to gallop into open space before finally being brought down by linebacker Eric Wilson.
“We live in a world where attention spans are shortening,” Daniels said. “There’s a belief of wanting this instant gratification, and everybody wants to be the guy to make the play.”
It appeared that the main players responsible were linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., rookie linebacker Austin Keys and rookie receiver Tai Felton. The film shows all of them freelancing after the ball is caught, which left a gaping hole toward the wide side of the field between edge rusher Tyler Batty and cornerback Tavierre Thomas.
“We have young players, and young players have to learn through the fire,” Daniels said. “Sometimes we’re going to get burnt, and obviously we got burnt in that situation.”
Though some criticized the Vikings for not booting the ball out of the back of the end zone, Daniels noted how 94 percent of the kickoffs they’ve covered this season have resulted in tackles behind the 35-yard line. They had earned the right to cover that kickoff.
They simply didn’t execute.
“We’ve been doing an unbelievable job of covering kickoffs up until that point,” Daniels said. “It’s unfortunate that guys got greedy out there looking to make the play. I totally understand wanting to get it; at the same time, there’s a level of discipline we have to have at the most precious moments.”
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