The Minnesota Vikings were intent on putting on a show for their home fans in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens. Instead, the team endured a nightmarish performance, with self-inflicted mistakes costing them dearly. The visiting Ravens walked into U.S. Bank Stadium and came away with a 27-19 victory.
The Vikings’ home field is known for its loud crowd noise, which can be problematic for visiting teams when they have the ball. The noise makes it difficult for offensive players to hear the quarterback’s signals. However, the home team typically does not face this issue, as Vikings fans are usually wise enough to quiet down when quarterback J.J. McCarthy is calling signals. Unfortunately, the Vikings were brutally inefficient throughout the game, with pre-snap execution being basically non-existent.
Minnesota was penalized eight times for illegal procedure penalties—the second-most by any home team since 2000. The Vikings share this unfortunate mark with the 2005 St. Louis Rams, while the 2009 Buffalo Bills hold the record with nine illegal procedure penalties by a home team.
After their Week 9 victory at Ford Field, the Vikings had momentum and hoped to move above .500 with another win. They showed promise early in the game, stopping the Ravens on their opening possession and then driving 86 yards in seven plays to take the lead on Aaron Jones’ four-yard touchdown run.
However, the Vikings quickly made multiple costly mistakes. McCarthy missed open receivers and opted to throw the ball even when he had opportunities to gain yards on the ground. On the defensive side, Baltimore effectively contained star receiver Justin Jefferson, holding him to just four receptions for 37 yards. Jefferson appeared to be a half-step off his game throughout.
With the 27-19 loss, the Vikings fell to 4-5 on the season. They will look to bounce back and return to the .500 mark when they host the Chicago Bears in Week 11.
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-news-vikings-false-start-woes-in-front-of-home-crowd-are-hard-to-believe