Linval Joseph Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

According to Vikings.com, nose tackle Linval Joseph has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week after his role in Minnesota’s 21-18 OT win against St. Louis Sunday.

During the game, Joseph recorded 10 total tackles (7 solo), 0.5 sacks, 3 TFLs and 2 pressures. This season, New Orleans’ John Jenkins is the only other defensive tackle to notch 10 combined tackles.

Joseph finished the 2014 season with 29 solo tackles. After just eight games, Joseph already has 26 and leads all defensive tackles in the NFL. Earlier this season, head coach Mike Zimmer said the following of Joseph:

“One thing about [Linval] that I’m very impressed with—and I hope that our whole football team gets this mentality—is that he does an awful lot of dirty work that doesn’t show up in the stat book.”

Joseph continues to do that grunt work to maintain a solid defensive line, but he is now garnering plenty of attention for his efforts.

Sports Illustrated featured Joseph Tuesday, identifying him as a key player in the Vikings’ most recent win.

“Zimmer’s gutsy decision to let St. Louis have the first overtime possession spoke volumes about the faith he has in his defense, and he recently singled out Joseph as ‘maybe the best’ nose tackle he has coached in his long career, no faint praise from Zimmer […]” wrote SI’s Don Banks.

“He’s having a Pro Bowl-type season,” said teammate Brian Robison, quoted in the same article. “He should go to the Pro Bowl. If he doesn’t, it’s a travesty.”

Pro Football Focus also gave Joseph quite the impressive score following Sunday’s win:

Joseph is the first defensive tackle in Minnesota to be named NFC Defensive Player of the Week since Kevin Williams took home the honors in Nov. 2014.