Pat Elflein has transformed the Vikings offensive line into one of the team’s strengths

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“Imagine if the Vikings had an actual offensive line.”

That’s something that was said a lot about the teams Minnesota put out in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In these dark ages the team had one of the worst, if not the worst, offensive lines in the NFL. The 2016 roster started guys like Matt Kalil, TJ Clemmings, Brandon Fusco, and Jeremiah Sirles, constantly giving up pressure and sacks. The pass and run both suffered in the process.

In 2017, the Vikings decided to do a complete rehaul on this unit. They signed right tackle Mike Remmers from the Panthers and left tackle Riley Reiff from the Lions. They drafted Ohio State center Pat Elflein in the third round and Miami U guard Danny Isadora in the fifth round. Left guard Alex Boone was released prior to the season, leaving backup Nick Easton to take his place.

Joe Berger was the only starter to be retained during this rehaul, and he was switched from starting center to starting right guard. With Reiff, Easton, Elflein, Berger and Remmers as the starters, there was a clear investment in the line, but would it pay off?

Incredibly, 13 weeks into the season, it has.

The Vikings are on top of the NFC at 10-2, riding an eight-game winning streak with one of the league’s best offenses. The offensive line has gone from an anchor to a strength, and the interior is one of the top units of its kind.

It all starts with the rookie Pat Elflein.

You normally don’t expect a rookie center to have a massive impact on the offensive line, but Elflein is of a different breed. He’s allowed Easton and Berger to play more comfortable roles than in years past because of how talented and freakish he is.

Looking back at it, the Vikings acquired one of the bigger steals of the draft when they traded up in the third round to get Elflein. Not only is he the driving force behind what makes the Vikings OL so good, but he’s one of the more valuable players on Minnesota’s offense period.

So to honor his terrific rookie season, let’s take a look at some of his best blocks as the Vikings center.

Elflein clean interior

As a center, Elflein is obviously the most important part of the offensive line. He not only has to snap the ball, but also has to help direct who to block and instantly block after the snap. This is a difficult task for any center alone, but for a rookie you’d expect the pressure to be too much, especially with a new offensive line.

Thankfully, that’s not the case. Elflein doesn’t just get by on his intelligence; he also shows off impressive athleticism for a rookie center. He provides excellent strength and quickness for someone of his experience, as shown on this play. He provides two blocks here on both defensive tackles, giving Case Keenum more than enough time to throw an accurate pass.

Vikings Murray TD protection

On Latavius Murray’s touchdown run against the Ravens, Elflein again provides two massive blocks. He provides insane speed on his block on the defensive tackle, then pushes the inside linebacker. Along with the left side, this provides a huge running lane for Murray, who does the rest in space.

Pat Elflein athleticism

This play shows off Elflein’s versatility. Aaron Donald is the best defensive tackle in football. He can push aside anyone in his face and get to the quarterback with relative ease, making him one of the toughest defenders to face off against.

Elflein recognizes his right guard will need some help, so he provides impressive, quick footwork and shuffles to Donald. By pushing and standing in front of the DT, Elflein is able to prevent pressure and a disruption, allowing Keenum to complete the easy dump off.

Murray gets blocks

Finally, on the first play from scrimmage in the second half of the Thanksgiving showdown at Detroit, Elflein provided the block to set Murray up for a long run. The left guard initially blocks the defensive tackle with Elflein until he switches over to the linebacker. This leaves Elflein one on one with the DT, and his power buys Murray enough time, setting him up to create even more damage.

 

Conclusion

Pat Elflein has done to the Vikings offensive line what an elite quarterback does to its offense. He’s made everyone around him better and has been one of the best linemen of the 2017 season. That’s not to say everyone else hasn’t played well. Riley Reiff has proven to be a pleasant surprise, as has Mike Remmers whenever he’s been healthy. Nick Easton and Joe Berger have also been complimentary in their roles.

But that’s the thing: Elflein’s insane combination of intelligence, quickness, and power allows the rest of the linemen to play like role players in comparison. By providing the majority of the clean interior, he gives a bigger margin for error for the left and right guards. This allows the quarterback to adjust for blown blocks from the left and right tackles, who are also given greater margins for error.

Elflein is simply that good, and that he even fell as far as he did is a crime. Nevertheless, the Vikings have a center they can continue to build the offensive line around, and the rookie center has transformed the Vikings protection into one of the team’s strengths, finally ending the suffocation the unit had provided years ago.

 

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