3 Easily Overlooked Vikings to Watch in The Saints Game
K. Joudry
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Quite often, we can become preoccupied with a team’s most notable names. Someone like Justin Jefferson is – for good reason – recognized as central to every game Minnesota plays. That’s what happens when someone is an elite player (even if he currently is in a mini slump). No one thinks Jefferson is among the overlooked Vikings.
That being said, we ought not forget the players who aren’t as well-known. Football is a tremendous team sport, and getting strong contributions from players throughout the lineup obviously can make a critical difference. Keep these 3 players in mind as you watch the game tomorrow.
The Overlooked Vikings
Johnny Mundt, Tight End
Count me among those who have been impressed by Johnny Mundt. Take a look at this clip of Alexander Mattison scoring a touchdown:
Mundt – who is wearing #86 – is lined up along the left side with Irv Smith Jr. He does a nice job of getting his mitts on the defender, maintaining his block for a couple moments while even getting the Lions player to turn his shoulders a bit. In so doing, Mundt allows Alexander Mattison to have a touch more room as he takes the football into the end zone. It was a good block and a great run.
Moreover, Mundt has made several catches this season. He has turned 8 targets into 7 catches for 68 yards. The 9.7 yards-per-catch average is far from explosive. However, his average-depth-of-target is a mere 2.5 yards, and 53 of his yards have come after the catch. In other words, he’s getting the ball in the short area of the field and then being trusted to pick up yards after the fact.
4 of his 7 catches have gone for a first down. A TE2 who can block well and pick up first downs is exactly what this offense needs.
Dalvin Tomlinson, Defensive Tackle
The veteran defensive tackle is currently the 24th-ranked DT on PFF, a notable position given that 120 are considered. Perhaps most impressively, the 6’3″, 325 pound player is the 11th-ranked DT when it comes to just the pass rush. In 3 games, he has a half sack to go alongside 2 hurries and 3 pressures.
So far, he has played in 71% of the defensive snaps for Minnesota. He and Harrison Phillips are a handful.
The Saints have a ton of talent on their offense, so the potential is there for the Vikings defense to have a tough day. Getting pressure up the middle early and often can make a massive difference, folks. Pressure off the edge prompts the QB to step up into the pocket. The issue will arise when a DT is winning his rep, putting himself in the area of the field that the QB is trying to escape toward.
I’m expecting Tomlinson to again be leaned on to play plenty of snaps on Sunday. Hopefully, the veteran can regularly soak up blockers and collapse the pocket.
Kene Nwangwu, Running Back/Kick Returner
It has been a slow start to the year for the talented kick returner. So far, he has played 21 snaps on special teams and 0 on offense.
His returns haven’t been as explosive as last season’s. He had 18 returns last season, resulting in 579 yards gained and a pair of TDs. He had a 32.2 yards-per-return average. This season, that average has dropped to 22.8 yards per return. His 8 returns have gone for 182 scoreless yards. Given that a touchback would result in starting at the 25-yard line, averaging less than 25 yards isn’t a good thing for returners.
Moving forward, Nwangwu will be looking to reverse his slow start. Being a depth RB who hasn’t scored on special teams means he may find himself among the overlooked Vikings. Thankfully, he’s getting opportunities, so it mostly feels like a matter of time before he brings a kick back for an explosive gain.
A kickoff touchdown in London would go a long way in helping Minnesota climb to 3-1.
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