The Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals took the field in U.S. Bank Stadium for the third and final preseason game of the summer.
It was once again a losing effort for Minnesota as the Vikings lost their 10th straight preseason game going back to the 2019 season. That last win actually came against the Cardinals on August 24th, 2019.
Minnesota came roaring out of the gates with QB Jaren Hall, who actually played the entire game and overall had a very strong showing. The rookie completed 17 of his 28 passes for 178 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also added 21 rushing yards to his stat sheet.
The Vikings scored a touchdown on their opening drive as Hall operated a methodical 10-play, 75-yard possession that was capped off by a DeWayne McBride 1-yard TD run. McBride had one of his stronger preseason showings as well with 8 carries for 37 yards and the score.
After Minnesota jumped on the scoreboard, the defense also stepped up in a huge way. S Jay Ward got an unblocked sack of Cardinals QB Clayton Tune, forcing a fumble which was recovered by LB Troy Reeder at Arizona’s 5. A play later, Hall would hit RB Abram Smith for a TD score.
This was about all the Vikings would muster on offense for the remainder of the game, though. The Cardinals hit a field goal on their ensuing possession, and Minnesota proceeded to punt on four consecutive possessions.
To conclude the half, Hall would lead another 10-play drive that got into the red zone. However, he took a third down sack from former Viking Zach McCloud. Minnesota would settle for a field goal, heading into the half with a 17-3 lead.
Unfortunately, the second half would be all Cardinals as veteran QB David Blough (another former Viking) would lead Arizona all the way back. Blough completed 11-of-22 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown while RB Corey Clement helped him out with 14 carries for 79 yards.
Arizona opened the half with a touchdown drive, but a missed extra point from Matt Prater allowed the Vikings to maintain a 17-9 lead. It was a 26-yard connection between Blough and Davion Davis (yep, another former Viking) that earned the Cardinals their touchdown.
The Vikings had a pair of drives which ended in punts as the third-team offense sputtered while Arizona was able to score another TD. Blough scored on a 5-yard run, but a failed two-point conversion kept Minnesota in front, 17-15.
On the following drive, Hall threw an interception that turned into another Prater field goal, and the Cardinals took the lead for the first time, 18-17. Minnesota would give one final push, but a missed 54-yard field goal from Greg Joseph would give Arizona the win. It was the kicker’s first miss of the preseason.
Ultimately, while the second half offense could not generate drives for Minnesota, it was positive to see Hall make plays throughout the first half with the game’s starters. This is a great sign for the young QB moving forward and should be an excellent launching pad into the regular season.
The Vikings finished preseason play with another 0-3 campaign. Now, they will get ready for the real football. Minnesota kicks off its regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 10th in U.S. Bank Stadium.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
