VT Question of the [Bye] Week: Which Viking has Impressed You the Most?
All right, Vikings fans, we’ve made it to Bye Week. With four weeks down and a .500 record, there have been some ups and downs to the season thus far. Looking back over the games under our belt, which Vikings player has impressed you the most? Check out our answers, and as always, leave us a comment to let us know your opinion!
Carl: Adrian Peterson, RB
Mike Zimmer has put his stamp on the 2015 Minnesota Vikings football team, and the result is a roster full of players buying into a team-first approach. Yes, this question is a bit harder to answer because so far this season both the offense and defense appear to be playing good “team” ball. But individually, Adrian Peterson has impressed me the most after four games. His 372 yards leads the NFL in rushing and his 5.0 yards per carry average has been a shot in the arm for the offense. After seeing the run game struggle in the preseason, it has been a joy to see some explosiveness back in the backfield.
Brent: Anthony Barr, LB*
There isn’t any doubt that expectations of Barr were sky high going into his second year, but nagging injuries that lingered into the preseason created some cause for concern. Barr has been outstanding thus far and outside of Harrison Smith is having the best season of any Vikings defender. What has been most impressive is Barr’s improvement in coverage through four weeks. Picking off Peyton Manning will be on Barr’s highlight reel for a long time and for good reason. Imagine if he were to have come away with the second INT.
*(other considerations: Joe Berger, Linval Joseph & Eric Kendricks)
Lindsey: Linval Joseph, DT
I’ve actually been impressed by a number of players so far, including Harrison Smith, Adam Thielen and Matt Kalil (and of course Adrian, but I don’t think that’s a surprise to anyone). However, when I think about the guy that stands out most to me through the first four weeks, it’s actually nose tackle Linval Joseph. The veteran came in last year with quite a bit of hype surrounding him, but I feel like he’s finally settling into Coach Zimmer’s system and is poised to have a breakout season. Joseph has 12 tackles already, including three against Denver Sunday. He does his job effectively, although he may be less noticed than other defensive players like Smith or Anthony Barr. Overall, I am exited to see what Joseph continues to do moving forward.
Adam: Harrison Smith, S
A number of players have impressed me so far this year, especially on defense, but none have consistently impressed me in the way Harrison Smith has. If this defense has an “X-Factor,” then clearly Smith is that guy, capable of creating fireworks on any play whether it is in run or pass defense. Opponents that go into the game not fearing Smith tend to leave the game with a corrected notion of No. 22, and he is worth every penny the Vikings are getting ready to pay him as long as he can prove durable throughout a second contract.
Andy: Anthony Barr, LB
Harrison Smith would be a good choice, but he’s already established an elite level of play. Barr, on the other hand, is a player on the rise and is showing why he was a favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year last season before he got hurt and faded down the stretch. He recorded his first interception Sunday (basically a long handoff from Peyton “Chicken Parm” Manning, but we’ll take it) and was probably the only reason the Niners didn’t put up fitty on the MondayNight Game We Will Never Speak Of™ by leading the team with 10 tackles. But beyond the boxscore, Barr has become a presence that opposing offenses must game-plan for. He seems more confident in assignments allowing his #Elite instincts to shine through, is less awkward playing in space this year, and his patented A-gap blitzes bring a tear to this Irishman’s eye. I shudder to think how good Barr will be in a few years in Mike Zimmer’s system, but for right now I’m just enjoying the show.
Austin: Harrison Smith, S
Whether he’s tackling running backs with one arm or picking off one of the league’s best quarterbacks, Smith has been as impressive as ever. He continues to lead the Vikings secondary and is slowly gaining recognition as a top-tier safety. Fans in Minnesota have known for years that Smith is one of the NFL’s best, but his solid play in coverage and surprising ferocity against the run is beginning to make Smith a household name. I was tempted to put Anthony Barr on this list, as he’s made the most “splash” plays of any Vikings defender this season, but Smith’s consistency has been most impressive in my mind.
Brett: Matt Kalil, OT
There was a lot of doom and gloom surrounding the Vikings’ tackle situation headed into the 2015 season – and that was before Phil Loadholt was lost for the entire season to an injury. A lot of folks had given up on Matt Kalil, some even suggesting that the Vikings blow it up and start over at left tackle. Kalil’s lackluster performances since his rookie season combined with knee issues had many people questioning if Minnesota dropped the ball using its fourth overall selection on the consensus best left tackle in the 2012 draft.
However, it looks like Kalil is back on the right track and trending upwards. Though he’s been far from elite, he’s started off the 2015 season much stronger than many expected. Per Pro Football Focus, Kalil has allowed an impressive zero sacks, one quarterback hit and four quarterback hurries (in contrast to the 2014 season where Kalil allowed 12 sacks, seven hits and 36 hurries.) Once believed to be the Vikings franchise left tackle and anchor on the offensive line for years to come, Kalil is slowly regaining the form we came to expect after 2012. Considering what the expectations were and the strong competition he’s had to face in the first four games, I believe Kalil has had the most impressive start to the season.