All Things 2025 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Brandel at Center. I mean, he's probably better than Jurgens?

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Here’s some depressing snippets for non-happy hour regarding our porous run D frim Alec Lewis’ article yesterday. If it still sux after we get Cash and Gink back, then yikes-

Veterans Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Allen must do more for Vikings defense to excel

The two free agent defensive tackles have excelled at rushing the passer, but the Vikings expect more of them against the run.

www.nytimes.com

Statistically speaking, their production is difficult to parse. They have combined for two sacks through five games, but their pressure metrics are starkly better than those of the players they replaced: Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard. Run defense is an entirely different conversation. The Vikings have already allowed 15 explosive runs, according to TruMedia, which is 12 more than they’d given up through five games last season.


Minnesota’s run defense ranks 23rd in the NFL in DVOA, a mark that accounts for strength of schedule. Here is where the team stacks up versus the previous two seasons under Flores:

Vikings run game per year

2023	5.4	58.6%	3.8
2024	12.2	62.8%	4.1
2025	0.5	55.1%	4.3

Few defenses are going to excel against Bijan Robinson, who shredded the Vikings for 143 yards in Week 2. More concerning was Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell’s 99-yard outing in Dublin.

When it comes to the assessments of Hargrave and Allen, their influence on opposing quarterbacks is undeniable. They have combined for 24 pressures through five games; Phillips and Bullard totaled 22 in all of last season. Minnesota’s average time to pressure is significant, too. The Vikings rank No. 1 in the NFL in quickest time to pressure at 2.33 seconds, which explains why their previous two opponents designed game plans to get rid of the ball more quickly.

I remember when I was the only gink in the wilderness. Happy to have you onboard.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

I remember when I was the only gink in the wilderness. Happy to have you onboard.

Aye aye, El Captain