Adam Thielen has historic day in Philadelphia

Photo by: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

After starting the first quarter of the season slower than they had hoped, the Vikings looked better on all phases of the ball in Philadelphia. They bounced back against the Super Bowl Champion Eagles this week beating them 23-21, with a lot of help from star wide receiver Adam Thielen.

Thielen, who went for 116 yards on 7 catches and a touchdown against the Eagles, is the first player in the Super Bowl era to have more than 100 yards in the first five games of the season. Through those five games, he has caught the ball 47 times for 589 yards and 3 touchdowns.

To put those numbers into perspective in Minnesota, the most receiving yards through the first five games in Vikings history belonged to one of the best to ever play the position. Randy Moss started the 2003 season with 515 yards.

Thielen has been called an underrated receiver since he came into the NFL. When he was working his way up the Vikings roster as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State, that phrase may have fit him. Anytime someone makes an NFL roster coming out of a Division II program on a $500 scholarship they should be considered underrated. But that name is no longer fitting for the Vikings star receiver.

Thielen should be recognized as not only one of the best receivers in the league, but as one of the best playmakers in the league. No matter what his background is, the numbers he’s put up through the first five games are unheard of. Number 19 is on pace for 150 catches, 1884 yards and 9 touchdowns. It would be asking Thielen a lot to continue to put up such high numbers on the stats sheet, but the possibility is there.

Through the ups and downs of the first five games, the Vikings golden gloved receiver has been the teams brightest star. With the great quarterback play from Kirk Cousins, Thielen is on pace to have one of the greatest seasons ever by a wide receiver.

 

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