Inside the Vikings week 11: Sticking with Sam Darnold; will win streak continue?
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings won their second straight game in Week 10, albeit in concerning fashion.
Relying exclusively on a stout defensive performance, plus the leg of new kicker John Parker Romo, the Vikings improved to 7-2 with their 12-7 decision over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Next up: a third straight AFC South clash, this time with the Tennessee Titans. Here's what to expect, plus other nuggets, from CBS Sports NFL writer and Vikings insider Cody Benjamin.
News bits
Star running back Aaron Jones (ribs) is expected to be a full go against the Titans, despite leaving Sunday's win on a cart. Jones explained later that the cart was only used to expedite a trip to the X-ray machine at the Jaguars' EverBank Stadium. Tight end T.J. Hockenson is also trending toward a regular workload after managing just under half of the Vikings' offensive snaps against Jacksonville; the Pro Bowler now has two solid games under his belt after returning from a nearly yearlong ACL rehab in Week 9.
Insider buzz
It's fair to question whether the Vikings can sustain their winning formula with quarterback Sam Darnold seemingly reverting to pre-Minnesota turnover tendencies in recent weeks. Don't be so quick to assume coach Kevin O'Connell is preparing to pull the plug and insert backup Nick Mullens, however. This is a coach who just one year ago endured the weekly rise and fall of emergency fill-ins like Joshua Dobbs and Jaren Hall. He subsequently watched as Darnold built up trust over a full summer program and through the early stages of the season, and he retains belief in the veteran as a playoff-caliber starter.
The big picture
The Vikings certainly haven't erased doubts about their surprisingly hot start thanks to their current AFC South series, which has added two victories to their record while seemingly dampening overall confidence in the club's trajectory. Still, a win over the Titans on Sunday would put them at 8-2, and keep them squarely in the mix for not only an NFC wild card but the NFC North itself. A Week 12 matchup with the rival Chicago Bears also seems winnable.
Around the North
The Detroit Lions (8-1) survived a five-interception outing from Jared Goff to beat the Houston Texans on Sunday night. Now they'll look for an eighth straight win against the Jaguars, who are about as lowly as any team in the NFL. The Green Bay Packers (6-3) are coming off their bye to take on the Bears (4-5), who just fired their offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, following a 19-3 loss to the New England Patriots.
