When the Minnesota Vikings walked into Seattle on Sunday, they already had their share of troubles. But what unfolded at Lumen Field turned into something far worse, a night they’ll want to forget in a hurry.

With rookie J.J. McCarthy out due to a concussion, the Vikings handed the keys to undrafted quarterback Max Brosmer for his first NFL start. And against the Seahawks’ terrifying defense, the rookie’s debut felt more like a nightmare than a dream.

Brosmer threw four interceptions as Minnesota fell 0-26, suffering its fourth straight defeat. It was also the Vikings’ first shutout in 18 years a painful reminder of how far their offense has fallen. Head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t mince words after the game. “In no way, shape or form can we play offensive football like that and try to win at a place like this,” he said. “We just did not have a type of offensive performance that is ever going to be acceptable.”

For long-time fans, this kind of offensive collapse sadly felt familiar. Just last week, Minnesota managed only four yards in the second half against Green Bay. And before that, McCarthy had thrown six interceptions in three games. Whatever spark once powered this offense seems to have vanished.

Brosmer’s story is one many Minnesotans rooted for. Signed after a strong year at the University of Minnesota and a standout FCS career at New Hampshire, he was a local underdog suddenly thrown into chaos. He finished 19 of 30 for 126 yards and was sacked four times a stat line that tells the story of pressure, mistakes, and lessons learned the hard way.

Even Brosmer admitted things moved too fast for him. “It’s the NFL man, it’s tough,” he said. “I feel like I was maybe a half a click fast in the reads. I feel like that's feeling the flow of the game, feeling the flow of the pocket, feeling the flow of conceptually what's happening down the field.”

The game’s breaking point came late in the second quarter. Down just 3-0, the Vikings seemed ready to seize momentum after a forced fumble set them up deep in Seattle territory. But on fourth-and-1, Brosmer tried a bootleg that fell apart instantly Seattle’s Demarcus Lawrence grabbed him, and in desperation, the rookie threw the ball into trouble. Linebacker Ernest Jones picked it off and bolted 85 yards for a touchdown.

O’Connell’s frustration was clear. “That's about as bad a result as you can have in that sequence,” he said. “Getting the turnover we were so desperately waiting for our defense does that and the sequence ends with them getting seven points, (that) is losing football.”

And it didn’t stop there. The second half turned into a turnover parade. A fumble by Aaron Jones, three consecutive interceptions by Brosmer, and a failed fourth down sealed Minnesota’s fate. Meanwhile, across the sideline, former Viking Sam Darnold calmly led the Seahawks to their ninth win, proof that things could have gone very differently had he stayed.

“There’s no question we’re pressing,” O’Connell said. “That’s maybe guys trying to do too much. Maybe we’ve got to try and limit what we’re asking of the group as a whole, especially with some different guys stepping into the lineup.”

Now sitting at 4-8 and last in the NFC North, how will Minnesota regroup with Brosmer and McCarthy? The Vikings face bigger questions than just who lines up at quarterback next week. Fans are left wondering: can this team find a rhythm again, or has the season already slipped too far away?

Written by

Mohd Mudabbir Ansari

Edited by

Joyita Das