Vikings film review: Rushing attack searching for big plays, touchdowns to help Sam Darnold

Darnold has just about all the help he needs in the passing game. Coach Kevin O'Connell is a respected play caller; tight end T.J. Hockenson announced his return with a team-leading eight grabs for 72 yards; and receiver Justin Jefferson is so good that the Jaguars played with two safeties deep for over 90% of passing plays in an effort to contain the NFL's most explosive passing game. Darnold has thrown 35 passes of 20-plus yards, tying Jackson and the Ravens, according to Pro Football Reference.

The Vikings offense hasn't had a rushing touchdown in the past three games; only two offenses, the Cowboys and Browns, have fewer rushing scores this season than the Vikings' four. Their lack of points from the run game goes back to last season. The Vikings have scored the fewest rushing touchdowns (11) across the league since Week 1 of 2023, a 26-game span.

"We really didn't get close enough to attempt to run the ball in the end zone unless you're going to get a bigger [play]," coordinator Wes Phillips said. "Honestly, we felt like within the game there were some plays where if we're just a little bit better in an area or two than those plays were close to being a 20-yard, a 30-yard run. And that's where we've got to get to if a team wants to put a shell over the top of it. ... We felt like we were close, but we just got to be a little bit better there and make teams think twice about playing shell the whole game."

Much of the game looked like this play below, when O'Connell called a fake screen that spread the defense wide and created space for Jones to run up the middle out of shotgun. The Jaguars are playing off coverage. The Vikings have the numbers advantage. Five blockers to five defenders should allow Jones to break free if it's blocked correctly. But right guard Ed Ingram appears to not peel off the double team up front to get to the Jaguars linebacker, who tackles Jones.

The interior of the Vikings offensive line remains an issue. Ingram and center Garrett Bradbury were the weakest links at Jacksonville, where they both could not consistently climb to the second level and wall off linebackers. In this run below, left tackle Cam Robinson creates a huge lane that is closed because Bradbury doesn't block the linebacker.