MINNEAPOLIS -- Before Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings' downfield passing game had perhaps been at its best this season on Oct. 9 against the Houston Texans, when Sam Bradford exploited the Texans' man coverage scheme to find Adam Thielen on a handful of strikes off corner routes.
That the Vikings were playing the Jacksonville Jaguars -- a defense built in the mold of the Seattle Seahawks who would present Bradford with plenty of single-high safety looks -- probably helped revive the team's downfield passing game at precisely the right time on Sunday.