There is no sugarcoating the Minnesota Vikings’ poor performance in a 41-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field other than extremely disappointing.
The game started off well with Josh Metellus getting a blocked punt just one week after blocking one against the New York Giants. After not being able to do anything after not being able to get in the end zone after getting the ball at the two-yard line.
The PFF grades are out and they paint quite the picture for what the game really was for the Vikings.
Top 3 offense
- WR Jalen Nailor 96.0
- WR K.J. Osborn 75.8
- TE T.J. Hockenson 73.0
Nailor’s performance was good, but it also needs to be taken into context that it was in garbage time. He caught three passes for 89 yards and his first-ever NFL touchdown.
Osborn and Hockenson were both good on the day. Despite some early issues, Hockenson was solid throughout and continued to get open down the field. Osborn provided the same effort on Sunday that he has all season and it didn’t waver from start to finish.
Bottom 3 offense
- C Chris Reed 39.0
- TE Johnny Mundt 50.2
- RG Ed Ingram 51.0
Reed was the easiest inclusion here. He only allowed one pressure on the day, but you could tell that Reed isn’t a natural center. There were multiple mistakes with the snap count and a few botched snaps as well. Things will get smoother in time, but that’s not a great start.
Mundt wasn’t noticed on the field at all, as most of his snaps came in garbage time. Ingram struggled mightily after Brian O’Neill left the game with a calf injury. He needs a veteran next to him in the worst way.
Top 3 defense
- S Harrison Smith 74.5
- NT Harrison Phillips 73.4
- CB Duke Shelley 72.4
The defense didn’t leave a lot to be happy about, but the continued success of Shelley is something that the Vikings should be happy about. While he is somewhat undersized to play on the outside, it hasn’t mattered yet. They may have found a starter in a player that the talent void Chicago Bears cast aside.
Bottom 3 defense
- CB Chandon Sullivan 36.6
- S Josh Metellus 39.9
- OLB Za’Darius Smith 42.5
The secondary was overall decent as a whole, but Sullivan and Metellus were the two obvious weak spots. In the slot, Sullivan was getting consistently beat on the inside and Metellus got torched on the Robert Tonyan touchdown.
Smith was a huge disappointment for the Vikings. After a dominant performance in week one, he was a virtual non-factor against his former team and was held without a pressure for the first time this season.
Other notables
- QB Kirk Cousins 64.4
- WR Justin Jefferson 55.9
- RB Dalvin Cook 58.2
- LT Christian Darrisaw 65.4
- DE T.J. Smith 72.0
- DE Dalvin Tomlinson 72.0
- CB Patrick Peterson 67.0
- NT Khyiris Tonga 62.2
