Licked in London-Vikings beat Browns late 21--17

   Minnesota's Jordan Addison caught a twelve-yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz with twenty-five seconds remaining in the game to lift the Minnesota Vikings to a 21-17 win over the Cleveland Browns in their game at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Dillon Gabriel threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns in his first start, and Quinshon Judkins rushed for 110 yards to lead the offense for the now 1-4 Browns.

Cleveland will visit Pittsburgh next Sunday.

Brownie Bits

1) Dillon Gabriel was OK in his first start.

Not bad or awful, but not great.

2)  I still think he's a backup guy in this league.

 Some think Gabriel added that "spark", but I didn't see that as much as others, and while this was far from a disaster, I'm interested in seeing more next week in Pittsburgh, but I'm not sold.

3) Gabriel's stature is going to be a factor as he plays more often.

Many passes were tipped and batted away, and while it didn't hurt them in London, it's a matter of time before footballs start fluttering into the hands of opponents.

4) The game-winning touchdown pass to Jordan Addison was given up because the zone coverage allowed Addison to get farther to the outside than Denzel Ward intended.

Ward took accountability for the play, which is what leaders do, but when you are paying Ward as an elite corner, which he is, why aren't you in man-to-man coverage?

5) If Ward gets beaten, these things happen, and if the Vikings throw to the other standout WR (Justin Jefferson), that can be lived with as well, but I do question why your best corner isn't one-on-one, best against the best, with the game on the line.

6) Another wonderful game from Jerry Jeudy, which I seem to write every week, with two catches for fifteen yards.

7) Kevin Stefanski didn't have a good day from the bench with a few key mistakes.

The most glaring was his pass play on third and long with three minutes to go.

The pass fell incomplete, allowing the Vikings to save their final timeout and keep extra time on the clock.

8) Another decision was near the end of the first half when the Browns settled for a field goal on a drive that saw the Browns call a draw play on first and goal, not with powerhouse Quinshon Judkins but mediocre Jerome Ford.

9) Quinshon Judkins is a beast and rushed for over one hundred yards with a touchdown that was nullified by a penalty.

Judkins is the only legitimate offensive threat on this team.

10) Ten penalties for seventy-eight yards for  "smart, tough and accountable" Browns.

11) Three of fifteen on third down. Ugh

12) This game was another game there to be won, and yet it wasn't.

Lots of blame to go around, but in the end, the L is the L.