Armon Watts, not Sheldon Richardson, On Deck for More Playing Time
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings rank eighth-worst in the NFL through four weeks in rushing yards allowed (135.5 per game allowed), so naturally the team will likely be without its top run-stopper, Michael Pierce, on Sunday.
Pierce is nursing an elbow injury, leading to a probable absence for the Vikings nose tackle.
His injury is less than ideal because Minnesota has strangely struggled against the run in 2021. And the same thing occurred in 2020, evidenced by the woeful performance on national television versus the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Day.
While the Vikings have better run-stuffing personnel on roster in 2021 than in 2020 – Dalvin Tomlinson, Eric Kendricks (he was hurt down the stretch), Danielle Hunter, and Pierce – the result so far is the same. The Vikings cannot stop the run.
The news about Pierce’s elbow acts as an insult to injury for this situation. Thankfully, Minnesota isn’t relying on Jaleel Johnson and Shamar Stephen in 2021 – those were the men tapped for duty last season – but the Week 5 plan seems a bit odd.
Minnesota signed Dalvin Tomlinson away from the New York Giants via free agency in March. In the Big Apple, Tomlinson played nose tackle – Pierce’s current position. With the Vikings, Tomlinson is the starting three-technique defensive tackle. General Manager Rick Spielman also acquired Sheldon Richardson in free agency, who plays three-tech as well.
The Vikings will assuredly slide Tomlinson to nose tackle – he’s good at that position – and insert Richardson at the 3DT job, right?
Nope.
The plan appears to be a starting assignment for Armon Watts.
Mike Zimmer didn't have an update on Michael Pierce's status after he had an MRI Monday on his elbow. "We'll just have to see how the week goes."
So if Pierce can't go vs. DET, is it likely Tomlinson will move back to NT and Richardson will play more 3T?
"I don't think so."
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) October 6, 2021
So, take what you think you know about roster positioning and toss it in the trash can. Per Zimmer, a Tomlinson-Watts combo is more effective than Tomlinson-Richardson.
To Watts’ credit, he’s performing reasonably well in 2021. His Pro Football Focus grade through four games is 62.4 with a 64.3 run-stopping grade. There is some method to Zimmer’s madness.
But Richardson is a renowned defensive lineman accustomed to starting for teams. His PFF score in 2020 with the Cleveland Browns was 71.1 with a 67.8 run-stopping grade.
Indeed, Zimmer fancies rotating bodies in and out on his defensive line, so it’s not like Richardson is being shut out for defensive snaps. Yet, conventional logic suggested the man would start if something happened to Tomlinson or Pierce.
Something did happen to Pierce – at a terrible time in the season when Zimmer’s run defense is floundering.
Unless the plan shifts before Sunday, per Zimmer’s words, it’ll be the Armon Watts Show at nose tackle more so than the Sheldon Richardson Experience.
Minnesota hosts Detroit on Sunday, an 0-4 team evidently in the midst of a full rebuild. The Lions rank 20th in the NFL in rushing yards. The Vikings are favored to win by nine points.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).