Dealing with a loss is never fun, but dealing with a loss to your biggest rival is significantly worse, especially when it ends a calendar year.
The Minnesota Vikings are dealing with just that, as they lost to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 33-10. It was a brutal one for multiple reasons and it started with the poor play from the entire team. Pair that with the coaching staff not having this team ready to go and you have a loss that essentially knocked the Vikings out of the playoffs.
Nevertheless, there is still a small modicum of hope for the Vikings to make the playoffs. If they want to make it, they are going to have to show massive improvement.
The Pro Football Focus grades on defense are out and don’t reflect well on what was a really good unit.
Top 5 overall grades
- NT Khyiris Tonga: 92.6
- NT Harrison Phillips: 70.3
- ILB Anthony Barr: 68.7
- ILB Ivan Pace Jr.: 67.5
- S Lewis Cine: 66.3
Bottom 5 overall grades
- CB Mekhi Blackmon: 29.2
- DE Jonathan Bullard: 29.4
- CB Akayleb Evans: 30.1
- ILB Brian Asamoah: 40.4
- S Harrison Smith: 51.1
Top 5 run defense grades
- NT Khyiris Tonga: 86.9
- NT Harrison Phillips: 71.0
- ILB Ivan Pace Jr.: 70.1
- ILB Jordan Hicks: 68.7
- CB Mekhi Blackmon: 67.2
Bottom 5 run defense grades
- S Josh Metellus: 39.0
- ILB Brian Asamoah II: 41.0
- DE Jonathan Bullard: 42.4
- CB Akayleb Evans: 48.5
- OLB Pat Jones II: 50.1
Top 5 pass rush grades
- NT Khyiris Tonga: 91.6
- S Josh Metellus: 78.8
- NT Harrison Phillips: 72.5
- ILB Anthony Barr: 68.3
- ILB Jordan Hicks: 67.0
Bottom 5 pass rush grades
- DE Jonathan Bullard: 48.9
- OLB Andre Carter II: 49.6
- S Harrison Smith: 52.4
- S Jay Ward: 54.6
- NT Sheldon Day: 55.1
Top 5 coverage grades
- S Josh Metellus: 68.2
- S Jay Ward: 65.9
- ILB Anthony Barr: 62.3
- CB Andrew Booth Jr.: 61.8
- OLB Pat Jones II: 61.8
Bottom 5 coverage grades
- CB Mekhi Blackmon: 28.0
- CB Akayleb Evans: 29.4
- S Harrison Smith: 46.6
- ILB Jordan Hicks: 52.3
- ILB Ivan Pace Jr.: 54.9
Top 5 tackling grades
- CB Mekhi Blackmon: 78.0
- OLB Pat Jones II: 77.4
- ILB Jordan Hicks: 75.3
- CB Andrew Booth Jr.: 73.3
- S Lewis Cine: 73.3
Bottom 5 tackling grades
- NT Harrison Phillips: 24.2
- NT Sheldon Day: 27.5
- CB Akayleb Evans: 28.5
- S Josh Metellus: 34.7
- S Harrison Smith: 36.4
