EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMINNEAPOLIS -- A horrific offensive performance on Monday Night Football, fueled by the worst performance by a starting quarterback in the NFL this season, has put the Minnesota Vikings at a crossroads.Having lost consecutive games following a 6-0 start, will they use the NFL's Tuesday afternoon trade deadline to add a quarterback? Or will they try to make it work for the rest of this season with a combination of Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer?Coach Kevin O'Connell deferred the question to general manager Nolan Teasley after Monday night's 23-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills. It was the third game this season the Vikings failed to score a touchdown, a level of production that has threatened to waste high-level play from both their defense and special teams."We've had dialogue about a lot of different positions," O'Connell said. "Tight turnaround obviously playing the Monday night game, and we'll get right to work on any potential moves that can be there. But really just focused on the game tonight, which was not good enough in any way, shape or form."Wentz completed only 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards while throwing two interceptions and having a third dropped. His 2.3 QBR was the lowest for any quarterback this season and the lowest by a Vikings quarterback since Tarvaris Jackson recorded a 1.8 QBR during a game in 2006. It was also the lowest in a Monday Night Football game since Sam Darnold posted a 1.1 QBR in 2019 while playing for the New York Jets against the New England Patriots, a game where he was recorded saying he was "seeing ghosts.""I haven't had many starts over the last couple years in general," Wentz said, "but this one felt pretty terrible. I'm not going to lie. Yeah, this one wasn't my favorite, that's for sure."Wentz opened the game with multiple misfires on easy passes, and O'Connell said he "tried a bunch of tools to see if we could help that happen." O'Connell said he wanted the Vikings' offense to be balanced and that he did not want Wentz only to be passing in must-throw situations such as third downs. He admitted afterward that was a mistake, as Wentz finished with an off-target rate of 38% -- the lowest in an NFL game this season."I should have run the football more," O'Connell said, "and then just lived out those third downs. We only had eight of them because we didn't possess the football enough, but also because when we did get first downs, it was trying to see if we could get some completions, move the football and then get a good mixture going. Just not good enough."Instead, Vikings running backs Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason combined for only 11 carries among 46 total plays.Asked if calling offensive plays has ever felt as challenging as it does now, O'Connell said: "No."The Vikings' 11 touchdowns this season are tied with the winless Los Angeles Chargers. They are the first team to have at least six wins, and at least three games without a touchdown, over their first eight games of a season since 1925.If anything, their performance has regressed as they have hit midseason. The Vikings managed to hold possession for only 17:28 Monday night, following a mark of 24:17 in a 19-15 loss last week to the Detroit Lions, leaving most players to suggest there is more going on than just poor quarterback play.Tight end T.J. Hockenson was among multiple offensive players who were still wearing their full uniforms when reporters entered the locker room. Asked if he thought there was a quarterback on the team that could turn around their offense, Hockenson paused for three seconds."I mean, I believe in our quarterback room," Hockenson said. "I believe in who those guys are. I'm with them every single day. I know how good, how talented that room is, and I know who those guys are. We just got to make some things shake on Sundays. It's really all it is."Receiver Justin Jefferson once again appeared frustrated during the game. He skipped his postgame interview after last week's game in Detroit, but on Monday night he suggested the Vikings might benefit by simplifying their scheme."We've got to find ways to simplify it," Jefferson said, "and make it easier for everybody to just go out there execute the plays, not thinking, and just going out there and playing ball. We have the talent, and we have the guys in the room and on the offensive side of the ball to make plays and make something happen. We've just go to make the plays."
