A Veteran Vikings Defender Was the Best in the NFC in Week 6
Following his first season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022, some were underwhelmed by the production of Jordan Hicks.
After years of being a blitz-heavy, run-stopping linebacker, Hicks looked like a shell of himself in Ed Donatell’s defense.
However, that cannot be said of the linebacker in 2023. In fact, the veteran Vikings defender was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his Week 6 performance against the Chicago Bears.
Veteran Vikings Defender Was the Best in the NFC in Week 6
With the Vikings sitting at 1-4 heading into their first divisional game, Minnesota desperately needed a victory in order to have any chance at salvaging their season.
They were able to do just, defeating the Bears by a score of 19-13, largely because of Hicks’ strong performance. The linebacker recorded 10 tackles, a fumble recovery which he returned 42 yards for a touchdown, and an interception.
The fumble recovery for a TD was especially important for the Vikings as it put them up by two possessions and served as their only touchdown of the second half.
This was not a one-off performance from Hicks, either. Brian Flores has completely rejuvenated the veteran in his aggressive scheme (as was predicted by yours truly). He now has a PFF grade of 80.3 this season, the ninth-best among LBs who have played at least 50% of defensive snaps.
Hicks has always been known as a player who can make an impact near the line of scrimmage, and he is continuing to do that. However, the most surprising part of the 31-year-old’s season has been his rejuvenated abilities in pass coverage.
PFF has given him a grade of 80.1 in that department with 172 coverage snaps to his name. If the trend continues, it will be his highest coverage grade since 2016 when he was graded at 91.1 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
There was some worry that the Vikings linebacker position would take a step back after they released Eric Kendricks this spring. It seemed warranted given Hicks’ 2022 season as well as Brian Asamoah’s true potential being largely unknown.
Hicks deserves a ton of credit for stepping up and being an anchor in the middle of the Vikings defense. His resurgence, along with the sudden emergence of Ivan Pace, have greatly improved Minnesota’s defense from where it was a year ago.
The Vikings will need his strong season to continue on Monday night as they take on one of the best teams in the NFL, the San Francisco 49ers.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.