Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom;Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) reacts during an NFL International Series game against the New Orleans Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Saints 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
Pro Football Focus released its first All-Pro team of the season this week.
The sports analytics company releases All-Pro teams at different points of the season before a final one when the season finishes. As one of only two unbeaten teams to start the season, we can expect Minnesota to be represented in this team, right? Wrong. The unveiling showed the Vikings snubbed in PFF’s First Quarter All-Pro team.
There are certainly a few names who could have been there. Justin Jefferson is the best wide receiver in football, and Dan Orlovsky has been pounding the table for him as the MVP of the season so far.
Jefferson hasn’t had the huge yardage games we might be accustomed to, but he has made big plays at big times. As Orlovsky points out, he does so much on the field to create space for his teammates to make plays. Nearly every big play the Vikings make on offense has Jefferson’s fingerprints somewhere. However, that cuts no dice with PFF, who prefer the exploits of Nico Collins, Chris Olave, and Juan Jennings across the first four games.
Sam Darnold’s excellent start to the season was also not deemed good enough for a place, despite Darnold leading the league in passing touchdowns and passer rating and being named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September. PFF opted for New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr instead. Carr started the season on fire, but with one passing touchdown and two interceptions in the last two games — and a 56% completion percentage against the Eagles — my eyebrows are somewhat raised for Carr as the selection.
Christian Darrisaw is the other star on the Vikings offense and has started the season well. His overall grade from PFF this season stands at 86.3 which is fourth best across the league. Darrisaw wouldn’t have been far from inclusion but missed out to Philadelphia Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata.
Apart from the second half in Green Bay, where the Vikings got a bit soft and perhaps a bit complacent, Minnesota’s defense has been lights out this season. Brian Flores and his unit have smothered opposing offenses and made their quarterbacks’ lives miserable. That being said, it’s no great surprise that no Vikings defender has made this All-Pro team. The Vikings’ defense isn’t about individual superstars; it is about synergy. Flores has a proven ability to bring good players together and make a whole greater than the sum of the individual parts.
He made a bad defense look good for half a season last year, and now, with a better group of players, he is making a good defense look great. Despite how good the Vikings’ defense has been as a whole, they only give four Vikings an overall grade above 70—Blake Cashman, Stephon Gilmore, Josh Metellus, and Harrison Smith. Cashman and Smith rank in the top 10 with PFF for their respective positions.
PFF will release an All-Pro team at the halfway mark next.