EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings watched a familiar scene unfold Sunday, as Minnesota started hot, fizzled out and eventually added another loss to its record.
The Vikings are now 3-5 as they prepare for a road game Sunday against the Chargers.
Here's a look at Minnesota's snap counts in Week 9:
— Kirk Cousins and three regulars on the starting offensive line (RT Brian O'Neill, LG Ezra Cleveland and LT Christian Darrisaw) played all 54 offensive snaps. Cousins wasn't sacked but threw for just 187 yards, his second straight week under 200 yards.
— Mason Cole got his first start in Purple, playing all 54 snaps at center in place of Garrett Bradbury. Olisaemeka Udoh missed one snap after he got dinged up late in the first half. Blake Brandel replaced him at right guard and played five total snaps up front.
— Adam Thielen played 48 snaps but was minimally involved, catching just two passes for six yards, although he did have a 1-yard touchdown. Justin Jefferson played 43 snaps and also scored (on a 50-yard touchdown), but finished with just three catches. K.J. Osborn was on the field for 26 snaps and had one catch. Dede Westbrook played two snaps and was targeted once without a catch.
— Dalvin Cook played 43 snaps and totaled 110 rushing yards on 17 carries. He recorded a 66-yard run and a 24-yard run, but managed just 20 yards on his other 15 carries. Fullback C.J. Ham played 21 snaps and made perhaps the play of the day with a leaping 27-yard catch in the fourth quarter. Alexander Mattison played nine snaps, rushing four times for zero yards.
— Tyler Conklin played 47 snaps, ending up with five receptions for 45 yards. Luke Stocker (18 snaps) and Chris Herndon (nine snaps) also chipped in at tight end.
— Defensively, the Vikings had four players — Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr, Xavier Woods and Camryn Bynum — who were on the field for all 98 snaps. Bynum started in place of Harrison Smith, who is on the Reserve/COVID-19 list and expected to miss Sunday's game against the Chargers. Bynum nabbed an interception in his first NFL start, and Barr recorded an acrobatic pick in overtime.
— Cameron Dantzler played 96 total snaps as he carried the load at the cornerback spot. Kris Boyd played a season-high 68 snaps. Bashuad Breeland started but was injured in the first half and played just 27 snaps. Mackensie Alexander manned the slot with 36 snaps for the Vikings.
— Everson Griffen and D.J. Wonnum started at defensive end in the Vikings first game of 2021 without Danielle Hunter, who will miss the rest of the season with a torn pec. Griffen played 87 snaps and Wonnum was on the field for 72 plays. Kenny Willekes recorded a half-sack in 41 snaps, and rookie Patrick Jones II made his defensive debut with six snaps.
— Armon Watts led the way at defensive tackle, playing 69 snaps and recording 1.5 sacks on Lamar Jackson. Dalvin Tomlinson played 59 snaps, while Sheldon Richardson (35 snaps) and James Lynch (30 snaps) rotated in. Richardson recorded his first sack of the season. Michael Pierce missed his fourth straight game with an elbow injury.
— Linebacker Nick Vigil played 57 snaps in the Vikings base defense as the Ravens accounted for 45 rushing plays.
— Safety Josh Metellus played two snaps while cornerback Harrison Hand played a single snap on defense.
— Vigil led all Vikings players in special teams snaps with 26. Metellus was part of a group of that included Dan Chisena, Blake Lynch, Troy Dye and Ryan Connelly, who each played 21 special teams snaps.
— Rookie Kene Nwangwu played 15 snaps on special teams and made a splash. He had a 98-yard kickoff return for a score — Minnesota's first score on a kickoff return since 2016 — and also moved the sticks with a 9-yard run on a fake punt run.
— Hand played 17 snaps on special teams, part of a double-digit group that included Myles Dorn (15), Ham (14), Greg Joseph (12), Stocker (11), Boyd (11), Andrew DePaola (11) and Jordan Berry (11). Dorn made his NFL debut after being elevated from the practice squad 90 minutes before the game.
