The Vikings are just one of two undefeated teams left in the NFL. They’ve gotten impressive performances across the board from edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel’s interceptions returned for touchdowns to kicker Will Reichard’s 25 consecutive made kicks to begin his NFL career. But not everything has been pretty. And football players get into hot and cold streaks just like any other sport, so let’s take a look at who’s trending up and who’s trending down entering the Vikings’ bye week.
Three up
Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard
Van Ginkel gets all the attention. But only one NFL defender, the Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson, has pressured quarterbacks more than Greenard (29 pressures) through five weeks, according to Pro Football Focus. Greenard was everywhere against the New York Jets, tying his season high with seven pressures on Aaron Rodgers, including three hits. Greenard has four sacks in five games, which manages to undersell the impact he’s had. The 27-year-old, highest-paid defender in this Vikings defense has lived up to the four-year, $76 million contract he signed in March. He has the quickest acceleration at the snap and a deep bag of pass-rush moves. He’s also an impactful run defender, with two stops among his three tackles Sunday. It’s a win for the front office, too, since Greenard’s $19 million per year is less than the $24.5 million that Danielle Hunter got from the Houston Texans.
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Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr.
This week marked the Vikings’ best tackling effort so far this season, according to PFF, which assigned just four misses in 72 defensive snaps. None were by Pace, the second-year linebacker who has been one of the best tacklers since walking into the Vikings starting lineup as an undrafted rookie. Pace returned from a two-game absence Sunday and was a menace against the Jets run game. He racked up three stops in 10 run snaps. He also sacked Rodgers and remains one of the team’s best blitzers. He was flagged for roughing the kicker on a Jets punt, but it was a questionable 15-yard penalty that awarded a first down. The play looked as if it might’ve warranted the 5-yard variety of running into the kicker. In the video below, you’ll see a two-play sample of Pace’s effectiveness as a run defender.
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Right tackle Brian O’Neill