Awards etc

[Montana Tom]

Levi Drake-Rodriguez was honored as NFC Special Teams Player of the week for his play in Detroit.  He only played 17 snaps, but got his first sack as a pro and was noticed for his block of the Field Goal with just over 6 minutes left in the game.

While I'm giving out accolades, Blake Brandel (from Oregon St via Portland), was the ONLY Vikings OL who gave up ZERO pressures against the Lions, per PFF.

[greediron]

Huge play. Kudos to LDR

[Montana Tom]

A few more callouts...up and down.

Top PFF grades on offense:
Aaron Jones 76.6
Justin Jefferson 72.8
Blake Brandel 68
Donovan Jackson 67.4
Christian Darrisaw 65.7

Worst offensive grades
RB Jordan Mason 55.2
G Will Fries 55.9

Best run blocking grades
TE T.J. Hockenson 80.4
G Donovan Jackson 69.5
TE Nick Vannett 65.2
C Blake Brandel 62.5
OT Brian O'Neill 61.6

Best pass blocking grades
C Blake Brandel 84.6
OT Christian Darrisaw 82.1
RB Aaron Jones 79.4
G Donovan Jackson 78.1
TE Nick Vannett 71.1

Worst run blocking grades
WR Jordan Addison 53.4
G Will Fries 55.7

Best defensive grades
LB Blake Cashman 90.8
DL Javon Hargrave 81.4
LB Andrew Van Ginkel 75.1
CB Fabian Moreau 73.4
S Harrison Smith 67.4

Worst defensive grades
LB Ivan Pace Jr. 31.4
DL Jalen Redmond 45.3
CB Isaiah Rodgers 48
CB Byron Murphy Jr. 49.2

Best run defense grades
LB Ivan Pace Jr. 37.8
DL Jonathan Allen 38.6
DL Jalen Redmond 43.8
DL Levi Drake Rodriguez 44.8
Edge Dallas Turner 52.9

Best pass rush grades
DL Jonathan Allen 80.1
LB Ivan Pace Jr. 79.6
DL Levi Drake Rodriguez 75

Best coverage grades
Edge Dallas Turner 77.7
LB Blake Cashman 71.5
CB Fabian Moreau 70.8

[greediron]

A few more callouts...up and down.

Top PFF grades on offense: 
Aaron Jones 76.6
Justin Jefferson  72.8
Blake Brandel 68
Donovan Jackson 67.4
Christian Darrisaw  65.7

Worst offensive grades
RB Jordan Mason 55.2
G Will Fries 55.9

Best run blocking grades
TE T.J. Hockenson 80.4
G Donovan Jackson 69.5
TE Nick Vannett 65.2
C Blake Brandel 62.5
OT Brian O'Neill 61.6

Best pass blocking grades
C Blake Brandel 84.6
OT Christian Darrisaw 82.1
RB Aaron Jones 79.4
G Donovan Jackson 78.1
TE Nick Vannett 71.1

Worst run blocking grades
WR Jordan Addison 53.4
G Will Fries 55.7

Best defensive grades
LB Blake Cashman 90.8
DL Javon Hargrave 81.4
LB Andrew Van Ginkel 75.1
CB Fabian Moreau 73.4
S Harrison Smith 67.4

Worst defensive grades
LB Ivan Pace Jr. 31.4
DL Jalen Redmond 45.3
CB Isaiah Rodgers 48
CB Byron Murphy Jr. 49.2

Best run defense grades
LB Ivan Pace Jr. 37.8
DL Jonathan Allen 38.6
DL Jalen Redmond 43.8
DL Levi Drake Rodriguez 44.8
Edge Dallas Turner 52.9

Best pass rush grades
DL Jonathan Allen 80.1
LB Ivan Pace Jr. 79.6
DL Levi Drake Rodriguez 75

Best coverage grades
Edge Dallas Turner 77.7
LB Blake Cashman 71.5
CB Fabian Moreau 70.8

That makes no sense.

Where is Wilson in the pass rush grades?  And the low run defense grades when we shut them down?  Silly stuff.

Also, Addison destroyed a safety or DB on Jones's big swing pass that was actually a rush.  Go back and watch it, he waits for the guy to turn and then buries him. This distracts the guy covering him, also slows the LB who eventually gets Jones out.

[supafreak84]

That makes no sense.

Where is Wilson in the pass rush grades?  And the low run defense grades when we shut them down?  Silly stuff.

Also, Addison destroyed a LB on Jones's big swing pass that was actually a rush.  Go back and watch it, he waits for the guy to turn and then buries him.

It's PFF. Nobody really knows what's going on with those grades

[StickierBuns]

It's PFF. Nobody really knows what's going on with those grades

This ^

[Mattyman]

Credit Vikings coaches and the incubator oline system.

Passing on jurgems and starting BB with no experience was a ballsy move. especially at Detroit with rookie QB.


A lotta eyebrows went up.

[StickierBuns]

Credit Vikings coaches and the incubator oline system.

Passing on jurgems and starting BB with no experience was a ballsy  move.  especially at Detroit with rookie QB.


A lotta eyebrows went up.

If I'm Brandel, I'm pushing hard to stay at center from this point forward in his career. He'll benefit greatly from a whole offseason, OTAs, training camp and preseason focusing on and playing only center if that's what Minnesota chooses to do.

[Montana Tom]

If I'm Brandel, I'm pushing hard to stay at center from this point forward in his career. He'll benefit greatly from a whole offseason, OTAs, training camp and preseason focusing on and playing only center if that's what Minnesota chooses to do.

Completely agree.  I mean this is only his third game playing that position.  Big dude, too...6'7"
He knows all the other positions on the line, it sorta makes sense that he could grasp the blocking assignments.
But it's a totally different animal to understand snap counts and communication with the QB...two different one's in three weeks.

[greediron]

Credit Vikings coaches and the incubator oline system.

Passing on jurgems and starting BB with no experience was a ballsy  move.  especially at Detroit with rookie QB.


A lotta eyebrows went up.

I don't see it as that ballsy.  Brandel had started the last several games, Jergens is young, inexperienced.  Why switch to inexperience when the line might be starting to solidify?  Doesn't mean you don't go back to Kelly when he is healthy, that is switching to an experienced vet at the position.