We are in London for Week 5 as the Minnesota Vikings take on the New York Jets. The Vikings have an impeccable record in games played in London and hope to continue that trend and stretch their 100% record in the 2024 season to five games.
Vikings vs. Jets | Key Personnel Battles
If the Vikings are going to achieve that goal, they will need to succeed in some key personnel battles. This week, I am choosing four matchups that I think will prove pivotal.
Justin Jefferson & Jordan Addison vs. Sauce Gardner & DJ Reed
We never got the anticipated Justin Jefferson vs. Jaire Alexander matchup last week. Alexander sat out the game injured, while Jefferson continued his run of scoring a touchdown in every game this season while catching 6 of 8 for 85 yards. This week we get a tag team bout of Jefferson and Jordan Addison vs. Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed. Addison proved he shouldn’t be forgotten about on his return from a two-game absence with an ankle injury, catching 3 of 4 for 72 yards and a touchdown as well as adding a 7-yard touchdown run.
The Vikings showed just how potent their offense is with their receiving corps back at full strength. Addison led the league in Week 4 with a 100% separation percentage. Not many teams have two stud cornerbacks who can try and handle a pair of top-level receivers. The Jets are one such team. It should be a fascinating battle between four excellent players. This is a game where the Vikings will miss TJ Hockenson’s presence in the middle of the field. The good news is that Hockenson’s return doesn’t appear far away.
Harrison Phillips vs. Joe Tippmann
The Vikings have won the battle on the ground in the opening four weeks, and doing so again this week will be an essential factor in the game. Harrison Phillips leads the charge for the Vikings run defense, and this week, he will be up against Joe Tippmann. A second-round pick last year, the Jets center is enjoying a strong start to his sophomore season. His overall grade from Pro Football Focus of 71.2 is ninth best among centers across the league. It will be necessary for Phillips and his teammates to be strong against the run to help with the battle against the quarterback that we will get to later.
Stephon Gilmore vs. Garrett Wilson
Despite having the best QB situation of his young career, the season hasn’t gone quite as well as Garrett Wilson would have wanted. Wilson has caught 20 of 34 in four games for 191 yards and 1 touchdown. He also has a drop and a fumble to his name. The 2022 offensive rookie of the year will want those numbers to improve significantly over the coming weeks.
At the other end of his career, 34-year-old Stephon Gilmore has been a revelation for the Vikings. On game day, you can be forgiven for forgetting about him. His coverage is generally so good that teams rarely throw the ball in his direction. In last week’s game at Green Bay, on 44 coverage snaps, Gilmore allowed just three receiving yards, with one, was deflection, and a passer rating of just 42.4. The Vikings will be hoping their veteran CB can continue to keep Wilson quiet for another week.
Brian Flores vs Aaron Rodgers
Brian Flores has had his defense making quarterbacks’ lives miserable this season. This week the task is to do the same to one of the best to ever do it. Interestingly, this will be the first time Aaron Rodgers has ever come up against a Flores defense. Now nearly 41 years old, Rodgers might not possess all the powers he once had, but he is still a very intelligent QB who can thread the ball through a defense. Rodgers signed for the Jets last season but snapped his Achilles at the start of his debut game.
It has been a mixed start for the Jets this season, who come into the game with a 2-2 record. They aren’t getting a huge amount done on the ground to help Rodgers out. Their 366 rushing yards as a team rank 27th in the league. The offensive line isn’t doing a stellar job of protecting him either, with Rodgers sacked 10 times already this season. The unit is banged up, too, with right tackle Morgan Moses ruled out of the game and right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker on the injury report with an ankle injury. Rodgers has undoubted talent, but he can’t take down Flores and his defense alone. He will need others to step up with him.
