Elf On The Shelf? Vikings’ Lineman May Miss Sunday
Mikegreitzer
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After a successful rookie season and a disappointing second, Vikings’ guard/center Pat Elflein may be close to missing a start in a week two because of a knee injury suffered last Sunday.
It’s hard to get much information from Vikings coaches about injuries. Reporters may persist–and even annoy–with questions, but guys like Mike Zimmer don’t budge much.
In the case of third-year guard Pat Elflein, reports state the obvious.
Elflein sat out practice on Wednesday with fellow teammate Mackensie Alexander (dislocated elbow), then returned to practice in “limited” participation on Thursday.
That means stretching and warm-ups.
If Elflein misses game two on Sunday, it may open a box of punditry and prognostication regarding the third-year player that has been waiting just beneath the covers.
PFF And Me
For whatever weight anyone puts in Pro Football Focus, they’re grading of Pat Elflein has been at best modest, and at worst derogatory in his two seasons in Minnesota.
In 2017, Elflein was rated by PFF as an overall below-average center (66.1), as a rookie. In 2018, he had a subpar overall grade of 43.5, a rating that made him the 38th ranked center in 32 NFL teams.
Off-season shoulder operations obviously affected Elflein’s performance on the Vikings’ line in 2018, but to say that the young lineman dispelled all doubts about his ability through the preseason would be highly inaccurate. In fact, the popular opinion of Mr. Elflein is not high.
So–if Elflein is an injury scratch from the Packer game, who takes his place?
Good question. And one whose answer is not forthcoming from Mike Zimmer.
With guards Dakota Dozier, Brett Jones, and rookie Dru Samia behind Elflein, at least there’s not too much to worry about there. All went through the Vikings’ full training camp and are well-versed in the new offensive scheme devised by offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski and assistant head coach Gary Kubiak
But the question that’s really on everyone’s mind is this: If a reserve guard plays well on Sunday, could Elflein be in jeopardy of losing his starting job?
In that case, the chances are slim. If new offensive line coach Rick Dennison has chosen Elflein to be a starter beside rookie center Garrett Bradbury, he’s going to stick with them unless he shows he can’t go.
It’s a rare Sunday when a guard shows such a superlative performance that he gets a starting nod over an incumbent lineman early in the year, especially after a win.
Having said that, if Dakota Dozier sticks an impression of former Vikings Hall of Famer Randall McDaniel out there in Lambeau, he may prove the exception.
Boob Tube
In the kaleidoscope that is the NFL video universe, you can find hundreds of cut-ups of Pat Elflein getting beaten to the punch by opposing defensive linemen in his two seasons as a Viking. Not as numerous are montages of Elflein correctly working a block or holding his ground, or knocking a guy to the turf.
In the case of rookie center Garrett Bradbury, there are similar videos, pro and con, after just one game. Bradbury was graded at a basement-low 35.1 on his Sunday afternoon against the Atlanta Falcons. Pat Elflein beside him, was graded at 58.1, below-average.
Here’s the thing about PFF. With subpar week one grades for several Vikings’ offensive linemen, the team still rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday, burying the Falcons with a persistent ground game that had the victory sealed in the third quarter.
So, “Focus” grades or not– the thing ain’t broke and it’s not going to get fixed. That means the third-year guard from Ohio State keeps his job no matter what happens in Green Bay.
However, it’s a long football season. Elflein will have to show consistent improvement from his sophomore year in the NFL to stay in Rick Dennison’s lineup.
He’s got a job to do and that job is beating the man in front of him. If it doesn’t happen, no one will have to consult a website to see it.