Stefon Diggs & Adam Thielen’s 2019 Match-Ups
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One of the league’s best receiving duos combined to catch 215 balls, 2,394 yards, and 18 touchdowns in 2018. Will the numbers in 2019 look similar? Let’s take a look at the match-ups Stefon Diggs & Adam Thielen will be facing in this upcoming season.
Week 1: Desmond Trufant & Isaiah Oliver (Atlanta Falcons)
Trufant 2018 Stats: 66 Tackles, 1 Sack, 12 Pass Breakups, 0 Interceptions (16 Games)
Oliver 2018 Stats: 23 Tackles, 7 Pass Breakups, 1 Interception (14 Games)
Desmond Trufant has never been much of a ball-hawk, but he is physical, mirrors receivers well, and has proved that he belongs in the conversation of one of the top corners in football year after year. On the other end, it looks as though Isaiah Oliver is finally going to get his chance to prove he can be a full-time starter after the departure of Brian Poole this past offseason.
Week 2: Jaire Alexander & Kevin King (Green Bay Packers)
Alexander 2018 Stats: 66 Tackles, 0.5 Sack, 11 Pass Breakups, 1 Interception (13 Games)
King 2018 Stats: 17 Tackles, 2 Pass Breakups, 1 Interception (6 Games)
Unfortunately for Vikings fans, it looks like the Packers found a budding gem in the 2018 NFL Draft with the selection of Jaire Alexander. In the time that we saw him last season it looks like he’s everything you hope and look for in a franchise corner.
Kevin King on the other hand hasn’t even come close to being healthy for a complete season yet, in his young career. At 6’3″, he poses a strong physical match-up for opposing wideouts but has yet to prove he can stay on the field.
Week 3: Gareon Conley & Nick Nelson (Oakland Raiders)
Conley’s 2018 Stats: 37 Tackles, 15 Pass-Breakups, 3 Interceptions (15 Games)
Nelson’s 2018 Stats: 20 Tackles, 1 Pass-Breakup (10 Games)
Gareon Conley missed the majority of his rookie season and made a come back last season to make a big impact for the Raiders defense. He’ll without a doubt be the best corner on the team heading into the season.
Nick Nelson on the other-hand was not a starter in his rookie season but after all the transactions from the spring it looks like he and rookie corner Isaiah Johnson (Houston) will battle it out in camp for the opposite corner spot. Expect to see Nelson cover a majority of the slot match-ups as well.
Week 4: Kyle Fuller & Prince Amukamara (Chicago Bears)
Fuller’s 2018 Stats: 55 Tackles, 21 Pass-Breakups, 7 Interceptions (16 Games)
Amukamara’s 2018 Stats: 66 Tackles, 12 Pass-Breakups, 3 Interceptions (15 Games)
2018 was easily the best season of Kyle Fuller’s career thus far. When you have a defensive front like the Bears do it makes your job much easier. Although, Fuller and Amukamara both had exceptional seasons in 2018, Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen still did a good job of giving the Chicago corners fits. In two games last season, Diggs and Thielen combined for a total of 31 receptions, 277 yards, and 2 touchdowns.
Week 5: Janoris Jenkins & Deandre Baker (New York Giants)
Jenkins’ 2018 Stats: 70 Tackles, 1 Fumble Recovery, 15 Pass-Breakups, 2 Interceptions (16 Games)
Baker’s 2018 Stats: N/A
Janoris Jenkins struggled mightily last season and vows to regain his Pro Bowl form in 2019. The Giants defense as a whole struggled in 2018 and has looked to boost it’s secondary in the draft with a young physical corner out of Georgia (Deandre Baker). This should be a fun match-up for Diggs and Thielen as they go up against a secondary that gave up an average of 253 YPG through the air last season.
Week 6: Ronald Darby & Jalen Mills (Philadelphia Eagles)
Darby’s 2018 Stats: 43 Tackles, 12 Pass-Breakups, 1 Interceptions (9 Games)
Mills’ 2018 Stats: 42 Tackles & 9 Pass-Breakups (8 Games)
The Philadelphia corners had a hard time staying healthy last season but it’s not a duo that Diggs and Thielen aren’t unfamiliar with. Adam Thielen TORCHED Jalen Mills in last season’s match-up when he hauled in 7 balls for 116 yards and a score. This time around, the Eagles don’t have home-field advantage.
Week 7: Darius Slay & Teez Tabor (Detroit Lions)
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Slay’s 2018 Stats: 43 Tackles, 17 Pass-Breakups, 3 Interceptions (15 Games)
Tabor’s 2018 Stats: 28 Tackles (12 Games)
Nevin Lawson is gone so Teez Tabor will have to step it up for the Detroit defense in the upcoming season. Darius Slay and “Snacks” Harrison are currently unhappy with their current contracts and have asked for extensions. Both will most likely be ready to go by the time the Vikings come to town but it’s still something to keep your eye on. Unfortunately, Stefon Diggs missed one game against the Lions last year due to injury and played in less than half the offensive snaps in the second matchup due to another injury. Hopefully, he’ll get his chance to see the field this time around.
Week 8: Josh Norman & Fabian Moreau (Washington Redskins)
Norman’s 2018 Stats: 64 Tackles, 3 Forced Fumbles, 1 Fumble Recovery, 9 Pass-Breakups, 3 Interceptions (16 Games)
Moreau’s 2018 Stats: 58 Tackles, 5 Pass-Breakups, 1 Interception (16 Games)
Josh Norman continues to remain as one of the games top corners but didn’t necessarily have the best experience last time he faced the Vikings. Norman and the up-and-coming Fabian Moreau will have to bring their “A-games” as they travel to Minnesota in week 8 for a primetime matchup on Thursday Night Football against Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and their former teammate Kirk Cousins.
Week 9: Kendall Fuller & Bashaud Breeland (Kansas City Chiefs)
Fuller’s 2018 Stats: 82 Tackles, 12 Pass-Breakups, 2 Interceptions (15 Games)
Breeland’s 2018 Stats: 20 Tackles, 4 Pass-Breakups, 2 Interceptions (7 Games)
The Vikings have only won one time at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City in the history of their franchise. They want a chance to do that again they’ll need big games from Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen in this one to keep up with the high-powered offensive attack led by reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City defense had arguably the worst pass defense in football last season, so lets up that trend continues.
Week 10: Byron Jones & Chidobe Awuzie (Dallas Cowboys)
Jones’ 2018 Stats: 67 Tackles & 14 Pass-Breakups (16 Games)
Awuzie’s 2018 Stats: 71 Tackles, 11 Pass-Breakups, 1 Interception (15 Games)
Byron Jones, was in my opinion, the league’s most improved defensive back last season. He’s a nightmare matchup for any wideout because of his full combination of size, speed, physicality, and athleticism. Diggs and Thielen will have their work cut out for them on Sunday Night Football in “Jerry-World”. On the opposite end, Chidobe Awuzie may have put up better numbers last season but that doesn’t make him the better corner. The Cowboys had one of the best defenses in the league in 2018 and this will surely stand as one of the tougher tasks for the Vikings offense and it’s star wideouts during the 2019 season.
Week 11: Chris Harris Jr. & Kareem Jackson (Denver Broncos)
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Harris’ 2018 Stats: 49 Tackles, 1 Sack, 10 Pass-Breakups, 3 Interceptions (12 Games)
Jackson’s 2018 Stats: 87 Tackles, 1 Sack, 17 Pass-Breakups, 2 Interceptions (16 Games)
If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that I am a HUGE Chris Harris fan. He is without a doubt, in my opinion, the best slot corner in all of football. He can play inside and out at a high level and his numbers will never blow you away, but if you watch any Broncos games, you’ll notice that it’s because opposing quarterbacks are afraid to throw in his direction.
Vic Fangio has taken his coaching talents to Denver where he has finally been given the opportunity to be the Head Coach of a football team. Denver’s defense will likely be a tough matchup for any opposing offense in the upcoming season. Expect Fangio to get the best out of each and every player on that defense. Adding a veteran presence like Kareem Jackson never hurts either…
Week 12: Bye Week
Week 13: Shaquill Griffin & Tre Flowers (Seattle Seahawks)
Griffin’s 2018 Stats: 62 Tackles, 8 Pass-Breakups, 2 Interceptions (16 Games)
Flowers’ 2018 Stats: 67 Tackles & 6 Pass Break-Ups (15 Games)
Diggs, Thielen, and the Vikings offense as a whole struggled against the Seahawks in general in last seasons Monday Night matchup. Nothing changes this time around. It’s a December game in Seattle on Monday Night in December. The Vikings will have to be able to move the ball through the air this time around if they want to have a chance in this one.
Week 14: Darius Slay & Teez Tabor (Detroit Lions)
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Week 15: Casey Hayward & Desmond King (Los Angeles Chargers)
Hayward’s 2018 Stats: 46 Tackles & 8 Pass-Breakups (16 Games)
King’s 2018 Stats: 62 Tackles, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Fumble Recovery, 10 Pass-Breakups, 3 Interceptions (16 Games)
In my honest opinion, this game will feature the toughest matchup of the year for Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Casey Hayward is considered by some to be a top 10 corner in the league and I won’t argue against it. He’s a pure technician that rarely gets a ball thrown in his direction because of his blanket coverage.
On the other end, Desmond King was one of Pro Football Focus’ top rated corners in the 2018 season. He’s versatile and the Chargers can plug him in at any spot in the secondary. Casey Hayward, Desmond King, Derwin James, and Eric Weddle. Oofta! Let’s hope the Vikings bring their A-game for this one.
Week 16: Jaire Alexander & Kevin King (Green Bay Packers)
Week 17: Kyle Fuller & Prince Amukamara (Chicago Bears)
Normally I would rant about how tough the matchups are for Diggs and Thielen for the upcoming season, but this time around I think I am more concerned about the opposing corners. Diggs and Thielen are two of the best wideouts in all of football and the Vikings have done almost everything they can to upgrade the offensive line this offseason to give Kirk Cousins the time he needs to deliver accurate shots. As long as all remain healthy, it should be a very successful season for our young wideouts. Which matchup are you most looking forward to in this upcoming season?