GREEN BAY, Wis. — The unfortunate collision on Sunday that left Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray in concussion protocol was nothing more than that.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell addressed the play on Monday and confirmed that the league investigated the nature of it; however, it wasn’t perceived to be malicious on the part of Green Bay Packers safety Javon Bullard.
“It was a violent, physical play,” O’Connell said.
On the Vikings’ third offensive possession of Sunday’s divisional tilt against the Packers, Murray, renowned for his dual-threat ability, left the pocket in an effort to pick up a first down with his legs on third-and-7. The Packers’ defensive backfield converged to keep him short of the sticks, and while attempting to slide to avoid contact, Murray was sandwiched by Bullard and edge defender Lukas Van Ness.
Murray slowly and awkwardly shifted over onto his back while several teammates gestured for the medical staff. Bullard was slapped with an unnecessary roughness penalty, and the Vikings, now with No. 2 quarterback Carson Wentz under center, were gifted a free 15 yards and a fresh set of downs.
Whether or not Bullard should’ve been flagged has been a topic of conversation. Murray appeared to enter his slide a little too late for any defender, let alone a speedy safety coming downhill, to suddenly halt his momentum. In real time, the hit from Bullard looked significantly worse than it was, but the league has made it clear in its intent to protect the head of the quarterback, even in polarizing situations such as this.
“As fast as those things happen out there, it would be one thing if there was a head-first slide and a clear declaration,” said O’Connell. “But I don’t put any fault on anybody there.”
O’Connell added that Murray came into the team’s facility on Monday and feels “pretty good,” but he'll remain in concussion protocol. He’s been participating in team meetings, which could be a positive sign for his availability for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.
Murray attempted just five passes in his debut with the Vikings—one of which was intercepted on his very first dropback—before being replaced by Wentz. Oddly enough, Wentz subbing in may have been to the detriment of the Packers, who spent all week preparing and game-planning for Murray’s tendencies.
Wentz, who started five games for the Vikings last season amid their quarterback carousel, tossed three touchdowns and completed 12 of his 19 passing attempts for 133 yards. He helped orchestrate a massive comeback that saw the Vikings score 29 unanswered points after trailing 22-10, including a 22-point fourth quarter. Notably, the Vikings were four-for-four on their red-zone trips, with all four touchdowns coming in the final 20 minutes of the game.
The Packers were a stark contrast, only cashing in with a touchdown on one of their four red-zone trips in the game.
Zachary Jacobson is the author of The Packer Dispatch. He is entering his 12th season covering the Green Bay Packers after spending seven as the Editor-in-Chief of Packer Report. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Follow him on Twitter @zachjacobson or contact him via email at itszachariahj@gmail.com.