For the first time since 1979 the Purple overcame two 10-point deficits in the same game to win. Coincidentally that was also a division game, but from slightly closer than Detroit as the Monsters of the Midway were the victims that time. That's a great nugget from the final moments of the telecast but something else came to mind as the clock ticked down.
A certain moment that every fan of the team age 20+ will remember.
Flashback 13 years ago to week three and the home opener for Brett Favre & that team of destiny. That game came down to a receiver clinching the contest & carving his name into the team's lore. KJ Osborn's touchdown jaunt can't hold a candle to the artistry of Greg Lewis' leaping grab but it may have a similar effect on the team as they continue to gel under the new regime.
With each of the other teams still be played sure to double & triple Justin Jefferson the Purple will need Osborn & Adam Thielen to step up as they did today - 11 catches on 18 targets for 134 yards & two TDs. Thielen's score was 50 for his career and brought him one step closer to the best to ever wear the uniform, now just two back of Anthony Carter to tie for third all time! With Dalvin Cook ailing Sunday (shoulder), at best, more of the responsibility will also fall on Alexander Mattison (good thing they kept him) while Kene Nwangwu & Ty Chandler may each get some carries against the Sinners. Not exactly the script that was predicted but that's why it's impossible to have too much depth!
The theatrics put a nice veneer on the game but it was far from all duckies & bunnies. Jared Goff, Jamaal Williams & Amon-Ra St. Brown had way too easy a time navigating the defense's schemes. Wiliams was regularly running in the second level while St. Brown & Josh Reynolds both made the coverages look like Swiss Cheese. The numbers don't nearly tell the story of how successful the Kitties O was but zero sacks of a guy who is possibly less mobile than Cousins and no INTs before they were forced to go bombs away at the very end might be the best way to encapsulate the difficulty this week. Getting Harrison Smith back will bring some stability but giving up 2/3 of the fourth down attempts is typically a back breaker. It doesn't help that they were once again on the field for significantly more time than the offense (34 to 26). If Ed Donatell can't get the defense to work better then he may go the way of a pizza handed to the Ninja Turtles. I'm not calling for his job, that's just the harsh reality of the position he's in.
It took until the final moments of the final round but in namesake fashion, they got the knockout. While there remain issues to resolve the value of getting the W can't be underscored! With New Orleans & Chicago serving as the ramp-up to the pre-bye trip to South Beach the team will need to work out some more bugs before taking their shot at that resilient bunch!