Fansided

NFL Week 13 Winners and Losers: Hoyer vs. Manziel, Rams players, Andy Dalton and more

By Andrew Garda

Nov 30, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt (81) puts his hands up to show support for Michael Brown before a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt (81) puts his hands up to show support for Michael Brown before a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 11
Next
Nov 30, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) returns a blocked punt for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) returns a blocked punt for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

Winner: Vikings Special Teams

The Minnesota Vikings are a team which is still rebuilding, but days like this past Sunday have to get fans excited.

Two blocked punts returned for a touchdown will do that to fans.

Special teams is an underrated factor in victories, one that most fans don’t fully appreciate. Field position is usually the reason a unit gets praised, but blocked punts returned for scores are pretty big factors as well.

Watching the Vikings Adam Thielen do it in the first quarter was incredible. His ability to quickly get the ball and then actually carry it forward was impressive and something the Vikings were able to build some momentum.

Still, it is the sort of thing that a team like Carolina could overcome.

The second punt return, this time by Everson Griffen, pretty much broke the Panthers.

While Minnesota never did too much more offensively outside of a Greg Jennings touchdown, they didn’t have to. The special teams had done its job and pretty much won the game on its own.

How often can you say that?

Next: Loser: Arizona Cardinals

Home/Arizona Cardinals