The Tight Ends Delivered for Minnesota
The Minnesota Vikings spent the first handful of weeks this season without the services of T.J. Hockenson. That left the tight end position in flux and had Sam Darnold missing one of his top options. Hockenson returned against the Los Angeles Rams, but Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars saw the tight ends run the show.
The Tight Ends Delivered for Minnesota
Although Hockenson has the much more significant ceiling and is the top option, Josh Oliver came out of the gates on fire Sunday. Despite Hockenson being back in action and without restriction, it was the veteran blocking tight end who drew looks early and often from Sam Darnold.
When the dust settled, Oliver had turned his six targets into four receptions for 52 yards. It was a strong showing of his abilities and helped to highlight that his skillset plays much more than just as a block.
Then there was Hockenson. The former Detroit Lions star tied Justin Jefferson for the team lead in targets. While Darnold struggled to get the football in the hands of Jefferson, he continuously hit Hockenson in stride. The Vikings tight end finished with eight receptions on nine targets and posted a team-high 72 yards. Darnold continually looked to his tight end on plays to convert first downs, and he was a constant threat in the middle of the field.
Sunday showed a blueprint that had Darnold struggling mightily when attempting to push the ball down the field. He was inaccurate and made poor decisions when looking to pick up chunk yardage. The opposite was true in the intermediate passing game. The area in which his tight ends typically live saw Darnold slinging the ball all over with significant success.
As Minnesota moves forward in the second half of their season, tight end play will be a significant part of the game plan. Minnesota extended Hockenson because he is an elite talent with otherwise untouchable skills. He can be a constant receiving threat for Darnold this season, and seeing his breakout on Sunday was a great reminder.
The Vikings have a boatload of capable playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. At times it will seem difficult to get them all involved. The reality is that any of them can beat you at any time. On Sunday, it was the tight end game.
One Beloved Former Viking Is Ready to Go
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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