Thank you for submitting questions for this Vikings mailbag. You can send questions to @Andrew_Krammer on X (formerly Twitter) or andrew.krammer@startribune.com. Listen for answers on the weekly Access Vikings podcast or find them here. Let's get to it.
Q: Can Alexander Mattison keep his hold on the top job? Cam Akers looked pretty good in his first game. – Levi
AK: Only three other NFL running backs have more than Mattison's 188 rushing yards over the past two weeks, a strong response after the Vikings acquired Akers via trade from the Rams. The Chargers and Panthers aren't atop many run defense rankings, however. I expect Mattison to start and retain valuable work in hurry-up situations, but coaches view Akers as having a similar, hard-charging approach that could lead to more of a 50/50 split at some point, should Akers continue his efficiency. Akers had 51 yards on seven touches in Carolina. Head coach Kevin O'Connell referred to Akers as complementing Mattison, who remained the clear lead back. But Mattison put the ball on the ground three times in Weeks 2 and 3, and he probably can't afford many more fumbles to keep playing 70% or more of the snaps.
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Q: I am here to eat a big piece of crow cake for calling out Marcus Davenport last week. I hope this works for the team this week, so I am calling out the linebacker play against the Chiefs. Do we have the right guys to keep Mahomes in check? – Jeff
AK: Davenport's physical talent was stark in Carolina, where he had one sack (nearly two) and blew up a few runs. As defensive coordinator Brian Flores said Thursday, "We needed it." Edge rushers D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones have not been productive while Davenport dealt with an ankle injury to start the season. Now that he looks healthy, they'll need Davenport and Danielle Hunter to carry heavy workloads and minimize how often they need the bench.
At linebacker, rookie Ivan Pace Jr. continues to draw strong reviews in Eagan. He's eliminated the supposed rotation with Brian Asamoah II, who has played two defensive snaps in the past two weeks. He's been a solid run defender and frequent blitzer while leading all undrafted defenders in playing time through Week 4. With veteran Jordan Hicks in charge, they've been solid if unspectacular so far. Hicks had the forced fumble on Chargers receiver Joshua Palmer in the Week 3 loss. Hicks and Pace have been strong tacklers combining for 58 takedowns and three misses, per Pro Football Focus. Chasing Patrick Mahomes around on Sunday will be an all-hands-on-deck affair.
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Q: Do we still see a high percentage of blitzing from Brian Flores with Patrick Mahomes? – @enfield_jeff
AK: NFL defensive coordinators don't often blitz Mahomes. He ranks 31st in total blitzes faced so far this season, per Pro Football Reference, as opponents prefer to drop more into coverage. He's only been sacked twice – fewest among starters – yet his leading receiver is Justin Watson, a sixth-year journeyman from the Buccaneers. He's still finding ways to move the chains. He's found 11 different Chiefs for a first-down catch this season. Flores said Mahomes and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid have answers for whatever is thrown their way, and that variety in coverage and rush plans are key. Flores called plays twice against Mahomes in 2018 with the Patriots and again in 2020 with the Dolphins. He went 2-1. Mahomes threw for at least 350 yards in two of those games, but had nine touchdowns to five interceptions overall. Flores' blitz rate in Minnesota has been high, even by his standards. Perhaps that's because they didn't have Davenport for much of the first three games. They'll have Davenport on Sunday against a quarterback who dices the blitz. This summer, Mahomes was graded by Pro Football Focus as the fourth-best passer against the blitz since the company began tracking that data in 2006, behind only Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
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