New Vikings Faces Contributed in a Big Way on Sunday
The Minnesota Vikings finally found a way to snatch their first victory of the 2023 season in Week 4.
The Vikings met with the Carolina Panthers this weekend with both teams facing desperation time after 0-3 starts to begin the year.
Luckily, though, Minnesota had some added firepower that we hadn’t seen in the first three weeks, and the new Vikings faces contributed in a big way for the team’s first win of the season.
New Vikings Faces Contributed in a Big Way
RB Cam Akers
The Vikings acquired more depth for their RB room last week when they traded for Cam Akers. The 2020 second-round pick spent his first two NFL seasons with Kevin O’Connell as his offensive coordinator, and Akers got his first chance to perform in a Vikings uniform on Sunday.
The running back proved to be the perfect backup to Alexander Mattison by totaling seven touches for 51 yards, including an explosive 9-yard run in the red zone to set up the Vikings first touchdown of the day.
Minnesota totaled 135 rushing yards this weekend, easily their most of the season, and they did it by averaging nearly six yards per carry. Hopefully, the one-two punch of Mattison and Akers can keep it rolling into next weekend against the defending champs.
OLB Marcus Davenport
Sunday wasn’t Marcus Davenport’s first game in a Vikings uniform, but it was the first time we got to see him play more than one drive. Minnesota signed the outside linebacker in free agency as a direct replacement for Za’Darius Smith, who was traded to the Cleveland Browns this spring.
However, an ankle injury had limited Davenport to just four snaps through the first three games of the season. Neither Pat Jones nor D.J. Wonnum had done much in his stead, either, heading into Week 4.
However, Davenport not only played a full game in Week 4, but his impact could be felt throughout the day. He finished his day with four tackles and a second-half sack. The Vikings defense allowed zero points over the final 30 minutes of this game largely because of a much better effort collectively in the pass-rushing department. Davenport’s presence was a key factor in that improvement.
With a very tough matchup against the Chiefs looming in Week 5, the Vikings will need more of the same from Davenport and the rest of the defense in order to come away with a victory.
1 Vikings Play Saved the Season
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
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