Three Intriguing Takeaways From Vikings Preseason Loss To Titans
The Minnesota Vikings faced the Tennessee Titans at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday. The game was the second of three preseason contests as the team prepares for the 2023 season.
For the second week in a row, Minnesota didn't play their starters, including quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The lack of first-team players was clear, as the Vikings only scored 16 points and one touchdown.
So what stood out in this game? Here are three takeaways from the Vikings' 24-16 loss.
Oli Uh-Oh
Offensive lineman Oli Udoh had a rough outing against the Tennessee defense. Udoh was guilty of several penalties during Saturday's game. He also played a part in a second-quarter sack on Nick Mullens.
The Vikings selected Udoh in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 41 games for the club and has 17 starts.
Udoh was the most-penalized Viking during the 2021 season, his only year as a full-time starter. That year, his number was called 13 times for a total of 114 penalty yards. Nine of those penalties were due to holding.
Assuming that Udoh is a lock to make the 53-man roster would be insane. I see few positives in keeping a below-average penalty-prone lineman entering his fifth year in the league.
The Highs And Lows Of Lewis Cine
Second-year safety Lewis Cine had a game full of ups and downs.
The 23-year-old started on a high note making a great third-down tackle, which forced Tennessee to punt. Rising star Ivan Pace Jr. also provided some pressure on quarterback Malik Willis.
Later in the first quarter, Cine missed a tackle allowing Titans rookie running back Tyjae Spears to score a 33-yard touchdown.
However, the back-and-forth performance didn't end there. In the third quarter, the former Clemson Tiger sacked Willis. The play went a long way, as the Vikings would force a Titans field goal.
I said it last week, and I'll say it again. There is no need to be panicky about Lewis Cine. He suffered a serious injury only nine months ago. It's going to take time to get back in the swing of things.
Overall, I liked what I saw from Lewis Cine in this game, and I'm excited to see how he continues to grow throughout the season.
So. Many. Vikings. Penalties.
Penalties were a problem for the Vikings last week, and it certainly carried over into the Titans matchup.
Minnesota was flagged six times Saturday, bringing some promising offensive series to a halt.
I'm not overly concerned about the penalty issue bleeding into the regular season, but it's disappointing to see preseason drives end early.
Final Thoughts
In terms of NFL preseason action, this game wasn't all that bad. We got some fun highlights, and several players stood out to me.
The first standout was rookie quarterback Jaren Hall. He had a tough start to his NFL career last week, so it was nice to see some positive plays with him under center.
Running back Ty Chandler continued to make his case for the RB2 spot. He finished with 24 yards on 11 carries.
Ivan Pace Jr. was calling the plays on defense, showing the coaching staff has lots of confidence in his ability to be a reliable starter. Pace recorded two tackles and one QB hit.
Finally, kicker Greg Joseph was a perfect three-for-three on field goals. He also made his only PAT attempt. Joseph seemingly won the kicking job earlier this week after the team released Jack Podlesny.
The Vikings will host the Arizona Cardinals in the final preseason game next Saturday.
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24 yards from 11 attempts seems pretty pedestrian. I would hope any running back on the roster could do better than that.