The Vikings Are Undefeated with a Specific Player in the Lineup
To be sure, football goes beyond just a single player, even one who has proven to be critical to the team’s success.
The writing from Dustin Baker and Janik Eckardt from earlier in the week, though, made note of a simple fact: the Vikings have yet to lose when Blake Cashman has played. How important is the linebacker to what Minnesota is looking to accomplish? Will his presence within the Brian Flores defense be enough to help push Minnesota above Detroit in Week 18?
The Vikings are Undefeated with Blake Cashman
First, consider the thought from Baker, who wrote following the Vikings’ Week 17 victory, “Blake Cashman posted 11 tackles, 2 quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks, and a tackle for loss. Minnesota is undefeated with him in the lineup.”
Second, consider the thought from Eckardt, who wrote following the Vikings’ Week 17 victory, “The defender was acquired to be the heart of the defense, and he has taken the role of the play-caller on the field. In the three games he missed with a toe injury, the Vikes are 1-2, but they are 13-0 when he’s active.”
Already 28, Cashman plays football at a high level. He’s sitting on 104 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 10 QB hits, 8 tackles for loss, 8 passes defended, and 1 fumble recovery in his thirteen games.
Part of the appeal with Mr. Cashman is that he moves so well, allowing him to nullify the other team’s running back(s). Consider, for instance, the challenge that’s going to be presented by Jahmyr Gibbs on Sunday night. Any chance Cashman is better equipped to handle the shifty, elusive runner in Michigan than Ivan Pace?
Consider the video above. Kyren Williams, an excellent running back, gets the upper hand on Pace in a game when Cashman wasn’t able to play. Watch how Pace overpursues, getting onto Williams’ outside shoulder and thus leaving the inside of the field open. Pace is too aggressive, too committed to covering a potential route that’s working toward the boundary. The end result is an easy TD catch for Williams.
Might Cashman have been better equipped to handle the runner coming out of the backfield? On the specific play, it’s impossible to say how things would have turned out. Again, Williams is an excellent playmaker, but it’s notable that Cashman is earning a 67.8 pass coverage grade on PFF in comparison to Pace’s 29.7 pass coverage grade (dead last among the 80 LBs who qualify).
Brian Flores’ LB1 is working on the first year on the three-year agreement he signed during the offseason, carrying a cap hit that’s sitting at just $3,186,765. The coming seasons will see that number grow, but he’ll still be offering positive value. Again, he’s a key part of being able to matchup well with an opposing offense.
After the Packers game, the linebacker chatted with the media for a few minutes. The final question discussed potentially earning the NFC’s top spot: “I think it’s major. I think playing here, like our opponents feel that. And we’ve gotta take care of next week first, but that would give us a great opportunity and I think a leg up on our opponents.”
No doubt, playing at home would be a nice boost. Cashman is right, though, to suggest that taking care of Week 18 is the first thing on the to-do list. Maybe the linebacker’s presence in the lineup will end up making the difference as the Vikings pursue the top spot in the NFC.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.