Andrew Buller-Russ
The NFL’s International Series kicked off in Week 4 with the Minnesota Vikings traveling to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, Ireland. It felt like Pittsburgh was in complete control from nearly the start to the end. Ultimately, the Steelers wound up winning 24-21. Now, it’s time to grade the performances of players and coaches from each side.
Minnesota Vikings’ O-Line: D
Make no mistake, Minnesota’s offensive line was atrocious. But it didn’t help that two starters had to leave due to injury. That includes four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and two-time Pro Bowl right tackle Brian O’Neill. They already didn’t have first-round rookie left guard Donovan Jackson. While they were forced to play shorthanded, the Vikings’ replacements didn’t handle themselves well. Overall, Wentz was sacked six times in an ugly performance from the line.
Justin Jefferson: A-
Just when folks were starting to highlight Justin Jefferson coming into the game without recording a 100-yard performance in six consecutive games, he puts up a new season-high with 126. It doesn’t seem to matter who’s throwing him the ball, No. 18 always delivers. Yet, he may have had a touchdown opportunity had the Dublin turf monster not tripped him up in the red zone.
Carson Wentz: C
The Vikings had to break the glass when emergency struck in the team’s Week 2 loss, losing J.J. McCarthy until Week 7. Carson Wentz was signed on August 24, and he was thrust into the starting lineup less than a month later on September 15. Considering he was signed so late, we can’t fault him if he’s not up to speed with the offense.
That hasn’t been an issue at all. He’s often in sync with his receivers, but the fact that he’s taking so long to process information and get the ball out suggests there’s still room for improvement. Today, he threw two interceptions, one directly to T.J. Watt and another that was tipped. He also took six sacks. Neither is acceptable.
Wentz did complete 30-of-46 passes for 350 yards and two touchdowns, so it was good for him to show he can lead a high-powered passing attack, but overall, this was a mixed effort.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings
Pittsburgh Steelers Defense: B-
The Steelers did allow 372 yards, but overall, this was an impressive effort. They held the Vikings’ rushers to just 3.5 yards per carry and zero touchdowns. It’s hard to stop Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, they both combined for 240 of Wentz’s 350 yards. Otherwise, they did a good job pressurizing Wentz seemingly all afternoon, racking up six sacks and two interceptions, plus a few other near-INTs.
Kevin O’Connell: B
The Vikings committed eight penalties for 85 yards. As the head coach, that falls on Kevin O’Connell. His team also committed two turnovers and didn’t force any from Pittsburgh. Scheme-wise, O’Connell’s offense outgained Pittsburgh 372 to 313, and that came without five starters when the game was done.
We would have liked to see the Vikings come up with other ways to help Wentz avoid getting sacked six times, but the fact that Minnesota never gave up and even scored 15 fourth-quarter points shows that this team never throws in the towel, no matter the deficit.
Aaron Rodgers: A-
Rodgers didn’t need to show off a big arm, he just needed to operate efficiently, and that’s something the four-time NFL MVP has mastered. Rodgers only had four of his 22 attempts touch the ground, showcasing his ability to avoid negative plays. He also got the ball out extremely quickly, negating a Vikings pass-rush that ranked sixth in sacks per game. Rodgers did still take two sacks, but he ended up recording 200 yards, including a perfectly-timed slant to DK Metcalf that went for an 80-yard touchdown.
Mike Tomlin: B
The Steelers had a good, sound game plan coming in. The plan was to get the ball out quickly, control the time of possession, and force turnovers. The Steelers checked two of the three boxes, only losing out on time of possession. Yet, there were certainly moments when it was obvious that Mike Tomlin was second-guessing himself.
The first time we saw the Steelers get stuffed on 4th-and-3, handing the ball back to the Vikings. Later, the Steelers were trying to chew up the clock with a three-point lead and 2:08 remaining. But they only generated three yards while burning 1:06 off the clock, which included a delay of game penalty. The Steelers could have easily ended up losing this one in the end, but the win will keep coach Tomlin content for another week.
