The Minnesota Vikings continue to find ways to win football games with the latest being a 33-26 win over the greatest coach of all time in Bill Belichick and his New England Patriots.
The game was excellent as both teams went back and forth with all 12 scores either taking the lead or tying the game.
With the Vikings’ offense carrying the team, the PFF grades on that side are better than the defensive side, but both turned out to be good. Here are the best and worst of the PFF grades from Thanksgiving night.
Top 3 offense
- WR Justin Jefferson 86.1
- QB Kirk Cousins 70.8
- WR Adam Thielen 70.6
These three were the best players on the field for the Vikings on Sunday. Cousins proved that he could play great on the biggest stage, dominating the Patriots’ defense outside of his lone interception.
Jefferson and Thielen were a tremendous dynamic duo. They combined for 18 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns and did a lot of their damage on crossing routes..
Bottom 3 offense
- RB Dalvin Cook 54.9
- LT Blake Brandel 55.2
- RG Ed Ingram 57.2
The Vikings couldn’t get much of anything going on the ground and Cook was the main reason for that. He had only 42 yards on 22 carries and couldn’t get anything going.
Outside of the sack he allowed to Josh Uche, Brandel played pretty decent. He was, most importantly, not a liability.
Ingram continues to have struggles oversetting to the right and it showed when Matthew Judon got inside on him incredibly quick. He did show improvement by only allowing one pressure.
Top 3 defense
- ILB Eric Kendricks 81.8
- OLB Za’Darius Smith 79.7
- CB Patrick Peterson 77.1
The Vikings defense wasn’t great as a whole but, outside of getting baited by play-action like the entire team was, Kendricks was solid on the day. He even had a pass breakup and three stops.
Smith was credited with five pressures on the game but he didn’t feel nearly as involved and dominant as he has been.
Peterson was great on the day. He was only targeted twice and allowed only one catch for five yards before the final drive when he tackled the receiver in bounds which was arguably the smartest play of the day.
Bottom 3 defense
- OLB D.J. Wonnum 47.9
- S Camryn Bynum 52.0
- DE Ross Blacklock 54.9
The Vikings’ defense wasn’t on their A-game on Thursday night and the grades were reflective of that. Bynum was credited with allowing the touchdown that came on the Patriots first drive of the game. Wonnum only played 25 snaps and failed to generate a pressure while Blacklock’s grade was saved by his sack on the final drive of the same.
Other notables
- RT Brian O’Neill 69.0
- C Garrett Bradbury 68.0
- NT Harrison Phillips 70.8
- OLB Danielle Hunter 55.4
- CB Duke Shelley 58.5
