The margin in the NFL between winning and losing is so razor thin that even the slightest advantage – a penalty, the spot of the ball, one tick of the clock – here or there can make the difference. Extending an entire possession? That can be a major advantage, and that’s why performance on 3rd down is such a critical variable in most games.
It should be no surprise, then, that part of the Vikings winning effort on Sunday against the Detroit Lions was a quality performance on 3rd downs, particularly by QB Teddy Bridgewater. The Vikings converted 7 of their 14 (50%) 3rd down attempts, a rate high above the average, but it was also the manner in which they converted their 3rd downs that affected the outcome of several drives.