Dallas Turner’s strip-sack late in the second quarter could have been a game-changing play early in the Minnesota Vikings’ 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Instead, Max Brosmer threw an interception on fourth-and-one from Seattle’s four-yard line that Ernest Jones IV returned 84 yards for a touchdown.
“One of the reasons why you go for that in that moment is that, even if you don’t get it, the field position is going to be on your side with a defense playing really well,” said Kevin O’Connell. “Got to call a better play there. Got to decide the best option for us to try to limit that ever being the outcome in that scenario, but also give us a chance to score.”
The Vikings could have kicked a field goal on fourth-and-one, but it was one of the few times they were in the red zone. Brosmer said after the game that he could have just taken the sack. However, he had moved back so far that he had ceded a significant portion of the field-position advantage.
It was the wrong play call with an undrafted rookie quarterback, but O’Connell was right about one thing: Minnesota’s defense was playing well. Brosmer also recognized the defense’s efforts.
“I thought our defense did a good job of holding us in the game for the majority of the game,” said Brosmer. “We didn’t capitalize where we should have. It’s tough to go and try and win games, and we can’t keep the ball in our hands.”
Seattle’s 219 yards were their fewest in a win since 2017. The Seahawks didn’t score an offensive touchdown until midway through the fourth quarter. Minnesota’s defense kept the game within two scores until Seattle’s first drive in the second half. They contained old friend Sam Darnold and held Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the league’s leading receiver, to 23 yards on two catches.
“That’s a big emphasis: Premium players don’t get the ball,” said Josh Metellus. “That’s what we pride ourselves on, especially in the defensive back room.”
However, Minnesota’s pressure on Darnold is a big reason why it held Smith-Njigba in check. According to Next Gen Stats, the Vikings blitzed around 64% of the time and brought pressure about 38% of the time.
Bringing pressure was all part of the game plan. Brian Flores saw Darnold’s production dip when the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams brought pressure against him last year. The league also saw similar issues re-emerge in Darnold’s four-interception game against the Rams this year.
“I’m happy for [Sam],” Flores said with a Cheshire smile in the week leading up to the game. “But we will blitz him this week, for sure.”
“There’s some things that we could say may have bothered him a year ago, but maybe they don’t this year,” he added. “Based on having seen it several times, getting more reps at it, getting more familiarity with a front or a coverage. So, a year later, it’s hard to know. But you try it out and see if that still bothers him. … If it doesn’t bother him, you move on to something else. If it does, you keep running it.”
Most defensive players get excited when they hear that the defensive coaches are installing a blitz-heavy scheme. That includes Dallas Turner, who has sacks in three straight games and whose 11 assists are eighth in the league.
“It was just playing fast [against Seattle], he explained. “Just the more familiar that we get with the defense, the deeper we get into the season, just the faster we gel together, the faster we play.”
Turner only has 5.5 sacks in his second season after the Vikings drafted him 17th overall out of Alabama. However, his peripheral stats indicate he’s making an impact. His 20 solo tackles rank 19th in the league, and he has 18 hurries and 27 total pressures, meaning he’s getting into the backfield.
The entire defense played well in Minnesota’s 48-10 Week 3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but Turner showed signs of breaking out then. He followed that up with strong efforts against the Cleveland Browns in London and against the Lions in Detroit.
However, he’s been at his best recently as Minnesota’s season has fallen apart. He has four of his 5.5 sacks in the past four weeks, and he’s graded out well per PFF. On Sunday, he had two strip sacks, one of which the Vikings recovered.
“KO emphasized it was going to be a lot of turnover opportunities with Sam at quarterback,” Turner explained. “With rushing to pass him, him just having the ball and stuff like that. Just took advantage of it.”
As the season comes to a close, people will naturally focus on J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota’s other first-round pick from two years ago. Still, while the Vikings haven’t drafted well under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Turner could end up panning out at a vital position for any team.
Dallas Turner is capable of making game-changing plays, even if the Vikings can’t capitalize on them this season.
