How All Three Phases Powered the Minnesota Vikings Past the Rams in Overtime

The Minnesota Vikings made good on Mike Zimmer's courageous decision in overtime, using game-changing plays from all three phases of the game to dominate the extra period and beat the St. Louis Rams by a 21-18 final in Week 9. 

An exhibition in team football produced the perfect finish to a win, vaulting the Vikings to the top of the NFC North. 

It first took a gutsy call from a head coach brazenly confident in his club to get the ball rolling.  

Most in Zimmer's position on Sunday would have won the overtime coin toss and received the football, knowing a touchdown on the opening possession would end the game before the opposition even had a chance to run an offensive play. No one would have thought twice about the choice had Zimmer gone the conventional route and taken the football, especially at home—where the Vikings haven't lost this season. 

Sunday wasn't a day for conventional thinking. 

With a blustery wind causing chaos for any team facing it head-on, and his starting quarterback back in the locker room receiving concussion testing, Zimmer sided with the elements—banking on his defense and the savage air currents inside TCF Bank Stadium to keep the Rams from marching down the field and scoring the winning points. His team responded with a dominating six minutes of extra-time football. 

The overtime featured one kickoff, 10 plays from scrimmage, one punt and one field goal. The Vikings could have considered themselves winners on almost every play after regulation time ended. 

After taking the wind, kicker Blair Walsh blasted the kickoff for a touchback, leaving the Rams 80 away from a game-winning touchdown. The opening drive lasted just three plays, and the Rams advanced closer to their own goal line than Minnesota's. 

Source: NFL Game Pass

On the very first play, nose tackle Linval Joseph—who played one of his best games as a professional on Sunday—knifed into the backfield and blew up a first down running play to rookie Todd Gurley. The interior disruption forced Gurley back to his left, where defensive end Everson Griffen and safety Harrison Smith were waiting. An attempt to swivel back to the right ended when Joseph made the stop for a six-yard loss. 

On 2nd-and-16, the Rams tried a quick receiver screen to Tavon Austin, but cornerback Captain Munnerlyn beat his block and made the tackle for no gain. Quarterback Nick Foles threw high and wide on third down. Less than 90 seconds into overtime, St. Louis was punting from just outside its own end zone. 

Zimmer's defense had validated his strategy. 

"Well it was obviously extremely big to get them a minus-six on the first play, I believe it was," Zimmer said on Monday. "And then they tried to throw the wide receiver screen and Captain [Munnerlyn] made a nice play, and that was either a minus-one or a zero, so we actually backed them up inside the 20 a little bit and they missed the third down throw."

Despite the wind, Rams punter Johnny Hekker got off a beautiful punt on fourth down. The 63-yard bomb forced Vikings returner Marcus Sherels to retreat at least 15 yards to make the catch. Once he did, Minnesota's spectacular special teamer made San Diego's coverage team pay. Breaking contain to the outside, Sherels tightroped the sidelines and picked up 26 yards, giving the Vikings the football at the Minnesota 49-yard line. 

Just like that, Zimmer's team found itself a handful of yards away from winning the game. 

"That’s kind of what I talk about all the time with the team about creating field position," Zimmer said. "If we can get stops, when the defense has them backed up, we can create stops and make them punt backed up, we have a chance to flip the field position and give our offense an opportunity to score."

Everything on offense played out to plan. Or close enough. 

Jim Mone/Associated Press

On first down, Adrian Peterson wiggled his way for three yards. A play later, backup quarterback Shaun Hill avoided a potential drive-killing sack when he hit tight end Rhett Ellison for six yards despite immediate pressure. It was the kind of veteran play that often gets lost in the box score.

Peterson put Walsh into position on the next two snaps, rumbling for 11 yards on 3rd-and-1 before gaining six more on first down. The 17 yards put the Vikings on the 25-yard line, well within Walsh's range. Two more runs, and Walsh jogged on for the field goal. 

Rams head coach Jeff Fisher used a timeout before his kick. But there would be no icing of Walsh, who dealt with demons to end 2014 and start 2015. Now overflowing with confidence, Minnesota's kicker watched as his 40-yard boot sailed dead center, splitting the uprights and handing the Vikings a sixth win in eight tries to start this season. 

The Vikings couldn't have scripted a better overtime. 

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

	Vikings	Rams
Plays	7	3
Total Yards	29	-6
Rushing Yards	23	-6
Points	3*	0

Zimmer's decision to take the wind and defend the goal was a stroke of genius. Forcing a quick three-and-out made the rest of the period sudden death, and his backup quarterback was handed a short field and very little to do after more strong special teams play. Peterson gained 21 of Minnesota's 29 yards, and Walsh booted a no-doubter to win the game. 

Slowly but surely, the Vikings keep gaining confidence. The forward momentum has everything to do with Zimmer. 

The Vikings head coach has a unique understanding of his football team. Not only does he actively manage some of his club's limitations, but he also trusts his players, no matter the situation. The awareness is manifesting itself in a young team finding new ways to win every week. 

Sunday was a perfect example. Despite not finishing off the Rams in regulation, Zimmer still trusted his defense to begin overtime. That trust allowed him to make a beneficial move in terms of strategy. His players made good on it all, dominating the extra period in all phases to get the win. 

Zach Kruse covers the Vikings for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2