The Vikings Delivered on a Promise

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.

The Minnesota Vikings have basically said, “Hey, folks. We’re gonna get Dallas Turner integrated into the defense soon. Please just be patient.”

The Vikings Delivered on a Promise

And then they did.

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.

Turner logged 26 defensive snaps on Sunday Night Football as Minnesota toppled the mediocre Indianapolis Colts by a score of 21-13. Heading into the event, onlookers wondered why Turner hadn’t seen much action since Week 1 and grew especially curious when the pass rush faltered in Weeks 7 and 8 while Turner mostly stood on the sidelines.

But have no fear; the Turner emergence is here.

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The Athletic’s Alec Lewis tweeted, “Vikings rookie Dallas Turner played 26 snaps and had four pressures last night — the second most on the defense. His burst is undeniable.”

SI.com’s Will Ragatz added, “Best game of Dallas Turner’s NFL career last night. 26 snaps, nearly matching his total from the previous four games combined. 4 pressures, 1 QB hit, 1 run stop, 71.3 PFF grade. Encouraging stuff from the 21-year-old rookie.”

Turner also came oh-so-very-close on this play to sacking and leveling Colts quarterback Joe Flacco:

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded a junior version of “the farm” for Turner in April, and curiously, defensive coordinator Brian Flores only used the Alabama alumnus sparingly in the last few games before Sunday Night Football. Yet, with the home crowd behind him and veteran outside linebacker Patrick Jones II’s reduced role, Turner’s time came versus Indianapolis.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.

On Turner, Head coach Kevin O’Connell said a week and a half ago that his time was coming: “He’s a young player in a defense where the roles and responsibilities sometimes in-game can adjust based on what we’re seeing.”

“I think we’ve got a really deep outside linebacker room with Gink (Andrew Van Ginkel) and (Jonathan) Greenard, Pat Jones, and then Haddy (Jihad Ward) has got his role. We’re going to continue to see Dallas have an impact. It may be a growing thing as we go here, but trust me, I’ve got a ton of confidence in Dallas. He’s growing within a pretty high-level IQ defense.”

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.

Although team-oriented about his assignment, Turner sounded a bit confused last week, too, about his role. He told KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, “I mean, just, I don’t know either. Just working every day in practice, still getting better, still learning from my guys. Whatever works best for the team, I’m not really complaining.”

“I mean, any way I can help the team go out there and affect the quarterback, impact the game in any type of way, I’m up for it. Every day, I thank God just to be in the position I am today,” he added.

The time arrived. Turner’s utilization will only spike from here.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

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