Vikings

Four Stat Sheet Takeaways at the Vikings' Halfway Mark (Defense)

(Photo Credit: Luke Inman)

With the Minnesota Vikings 6-2 at the bye week, it’s a convenient time to figure out what individual players are on pace to accomplish. With the season exactly halfway through, all we have to do is multiply by two to get a theoretical stat total for the full 16-game slate.

Here are four notable takeaways from the Vikings’ defensive stat sheet.

(Check out the story focusing on the offense right here.)

TRAE WAYNES’ PASSES DEFENDED
Currently: eight
On Pace For: 16

With teams challenging him at every turn, Trae Waynes has begun to tighten up in pass coverage. After a rough showing in Week 2 against Pittsburgh, Waynes has held up well against the fourth-most targets in the league (56). He is on pace for 16 PDs. The only Vikings player in the last 10 years with more than that was Xavier Rhodes with 18 in the 2014 season. That was the year Rhodes emerged as a rising star. Waynes is not at that stage yet, but he may be getting closer to realizing his potential.

ERIC KENDRICKS’ TACKLES
Currently: 62
On Pace For: 124

Kendricks is on pace for back-to-back 100-tackle seasons. He’s also prepared to have the most tackles since Chad Greenway in 2013. It’s interesting to look back, though, on Greenway’s career since fans often forget how dominant he was against the run. Over a four-year stretch Greenway averaged 145 tackles and never had fewer than 134. With the league passing more than ever, Kendricks may not compile as many tackles as Greenway did, but he’s been outstanding at playing the Mike in the base defense and sniffing out pass plays to the edge in the Nickel.

EVERSON GRIFFEN’S SACK TOTAL
Currently: 10
On Pace For: 20

Of course, this had to be included. Griffen is on pace to become the third Vikings player and the 12th player all-time to complete a 20-sack season. His career high of 12 in 2014 is likely to be shattered. Griffen has a sack in each of the first eight games, tying a Vikings record. But it’s not as if he’s delivering one sack per game and doing nothing else. Griffen has the most pressures in the league when rushing from the right defensive end spot, and he is 10th in run-stop percentage, according to Pro Football Focus.

He has certainly justified his contract extension.

BRIAN ROBISON’S PRODUCTION
Currently: 1 sack, 3 tackles
On Pace For: 2 sacks, 6 tackles

The Vikings defense has been so strong, there’s little reason to nitpick. It’s worth pointing out, however, that Robison is having a very quiet year as his snaps have been reduced close to 20 percent. No longer is Robison getting as many chances to rush off the edge with Danielle Hunter taking that role, so many of his snaps have come from an inside rush position. Even so, he is on pace for career lows in sacks and tackles.

That being said, if Hunter or Griffen ever went down, the Vikings know they have a capable veteran to fill in.


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