The Minnesota Vikings have emerged from Week 7 as the last remaining undefeated team in the NFL, as they picked up a hard-fought 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Once again, it was the defense bailing the offense out, as Kyler Murray and company could not get going for much of this game.
At the end of the day, a win is a win, but at some point, the offense is going to have to get going if this team intends on making a Super Bowl run. Murray obviously needs some time to acclimate to his new team, but it’s time for him to get going. If you ask Vikings legend Cris Carter, it sounds like he isn’t all that impressed with what he’s seen from Murray to this point.
Cris Carter Doesn’t Hold Back on Kyler Murray
After receiving virtually no production from the quarterback position last year, the Vikings signed Murray in free agency over the offseason to come in and at least compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. It didn’t take long for head coach Kevin O’Connell to name him the starter over McCarthy, who has since been traded to the New York Giants.
When Murray is healthy, he is going to be the starter for Minnesota. The problem is that he hasn’t been all that productive so far this year. In what has essentially amounted to four games of work, Murray has completed 66.4% of his passes for 812 yards and three touchdowns, while also throwing a pair of interceptions. He’s also beginning to make more plays with his legs, although he still has just 132 yards on 25 carries this year.
In a way, it feels like Minnesota is winning in spite of Murray, not because of him. Obviously, the team isn’t going to complain about being undefeated, but at some point, Murray and the offense are going to have to get going. Carter knows guys have been in and out of the lineup early on, but he’s ready for Murray to take a step forward under O’Connell’s tutelage.
“All the quarterbacks that have played under KOC, you see them getting better, and a lot of them did not have the overall ball talent or speed and ability to get out of the pocket,” Carter said in an interview with RG.org. “I would probably give him a C. Him running might get him a B-minus and everything, but I think it’s only going to get better when they get the wide receiving corps healthy.”
Can the Vikings Keep on Winning With Kyler Murray at Quarterback?
The Vikings defense has been so good that it almost doesn’t matter what Murray and the offense do. That train of thought is obviously going to change, though, once the quality of the team’s opponents begins ramping up. And while that will put some pressure on the defense, it will shine an even brighter spotlight on Murray, especially if he continues to struggle.
Things will immediately get more difficult for Minnesota in Week 8, as a big divisional matchup against the Detroit Lions and their high-powered offense awaits. For as good as the Vikings defense may be, this game could hinge on what Murray is capable of doing under center. Kickoff for this contest is set for 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 1.
Vikings Legend Cris Carter Gets Brutally Honest on Kyler Murray