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After An Unusual Game Of Dropped Passes, Vikings Hope To Bounce Back

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For the first time in more than two months, the Vikings are preparing for a game this week after a loss.

What made Sunday's loss so unusual was the way they lost, with so many uncharacteristic mistakes -- perhaps none more glaring than all those dropped passes.

If it seemed like this was out of the ordinary for the Vikings this past Sunday, you'd be right. According to Pro Football Focus, the Vikings dropped just 11 passes in their first 12 games this season -- but they dropped five against Carolina.

"I would say it's always the same reason: you took your eye off it," Vikings WR Stefon Diggs said.

"Whenever you drop a ball it's usually a lack of focus," Vikings WR Adam Thielen said.

So what will they focus on this week in practice to bounce back?

"I kind of relate it to DBs," Diggs said. "DBs get beat, they've gotta forget about it fast. For receivers, when things do happen that way, it's just like, I mean nothing you can do about it now. No reason to get down on yourself or dwell on it because more plays are going to come."

Thielen has a different philosophy.

"Yeah, I don't have that skill. I put a lot of pressure on myself," he said. "But yeah, I mean, there's definitely a point where you're on to the next play and just try to beat the guy the next play."

Kyle Rudolph hadn't had a drop all season until Sunday. Thielen was one of the most sure-handed in the league, and we've all seen the kind of catches Stefon Diggs can pull down.

Thielen said the fact that he, Diggs and Rudolph all had a case of the drops in the same game Sunday was just merely coincidental. It's not like it's a contagious problem -- but how do you fix it? Just get right back after it.

"It's how you respond, it's how you come back from it. And it's all you can do," Thielen said.

The Vikings play the Packers Saturday in Green Bay.

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