Minnesota Vikings Strengths and Weaknesses for 2017 Week 3
STRENGTHS
First comes the bad news, as the Vikings possess one of the best defenses in the NFL when they’re healthy.
I’ve made a big deal in the past about the Buccaneers needing a stud at every level, and Minnesota has just that.
Everson Griffen and Linval Joseph are just half of a very effective defensive front. Griffen will go against Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith this weekend, and the on-and-off third year guy out of Penn State hasn’t looked too consistent in his short career.
On one sack in Week 2, Smith got caught flat-footed, and the result was a sack of Jameis Winston by a player who appeared in just 20 snaps in Chicago’s Week 1 contest. So, a backup.
Griffen is far from a backup, and Smith has to step up his foot work and his attention to detail to survive this match-up. Also, Tampa has to push some tight ends and running backs his way to give him some help.
Anthony Barr is coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons for the Vikings, and there’s good reason why.
Eric Kendricks is a big-time breakout candidate, and a player everyone needs to watch, especially Winston.
These two linebackers are smart, athletic, and know how to make plays. If Winston isn’t smart on his placement and knows where these two guys are, then an interception by one of them is almost a foregone conclusion.
In the running game, pulling guards, tackles, and tight ends need to have their heads on a swivel as both these men possess the ability to change directions and penetrate a gap we all may have thought they over-shot.
In the secondary, the excellent Xavier Rhodes and safety Harrison Smith give Minnesota a very formidable pass defense.
Florida State fans who also love the Buccaneers are going to find themselves a bit conflicted if Rhodes grabs an errant pass this Sunday.
Much has been made of the Mike Evans match-up against Rhodes, but really, this all sits at the feet of Dirk Koetter.
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Rhodes doesn’t travel. At least he didn’t in Week 2 against the Steelers, and if he isn’t going to follow Antonio Brown, why would he follow Evans?
So it’s a match-up game for Koetter and his offense. Hell, I’d challenge the Vikings defense right off the top and line-up with Evans and speed receiver DeSean Jackson on the left side of the defense while pushing rookie Chris Godwin or Adam Humphries down to Rhodes’ side of the field.
Let’s see if Minnesota is ok letting both the Buccaneers’ star receivers match-up against Trae Waynes and Terence Newman while Rhodes covers a third or fourth receiver.
Tampa stretched the field early and often until the game was in hand against Chicago. Doing the same this week will force the Vikings defense to spread out vertically, and give Winston and his receivers more space to operate.
Look for Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard to get linked with Ben Gedeon, the rookie linebacker from Michigan, as the Bucs try to exploit the inexperienced member of this linebacker group.