Sep 29, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) fumbles the ball after being hit by Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) during the fourth quarter of their game Sunday, September 29, 2024 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Vikings recovered the ball. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday, surviving a 2nd-half advance from the cheese team and winning 31-29.
The team is still undefeated and will put the streak on the line this Sunday in London against the New York Jets.
Along the way in Green Bay, these three unsung players stood off the page, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = best unsung performance).
In fairness to football on the whole, Reichard didn’t do anything otherworldly. He banged through four extra points and a 33-yard field goal, an easy day at the office for an NFL kicker.
However, the margin of error turned out to be so slim that Reichard’s perfection was mandatory when Sunday ended. Specifically, his drilling of the 33-yarder sealed the deal for Minnesota’s win, and any Vikings fan from any era can tell you kickers have existed who might miss that kick.
Reichard did not, and Minnesota avoided a 28-0 meltdown. Had he missed, most believe Green Bay would’ve marched and scored late in the 4th Quarter.
Grugier-Hill fired up an 83.8 Pro Football Focus grade at the Lambeau Field, his second straight notable performance while filling in for Ivan Pace Jr.
His PFF mark led the way for all purple defenders on a day for the Vikings when the defense largely fell asleep in the 2nd Half — or at least relegated itself to a dreaded prevent defense. Grugier-Hill only had two tackles, an interception, and a pass-defended, but his 26 defensive snaps had an impact, and PFF wasn’t shy about awarding his performance.
The Packers identified Murphy as their primary target — all game — relentlessly targeting the veteran corner right and left. He was not flawless, but his 81.2 PFF told the story.
Murphy punched a fumble from the mitts of Packers tight end Tucker Kraft, a transaction, like many, that felt absolutely vital if Minnesota hoped to avoid a 28-0 meltdown. He also intercepted a last-gasp pass from Jordan Love that helped finish off the Packers.
Through four games in 2024, Murphy has an 86.7 passer-rating-against, an improvement from 97.8 in his first year as a Viking in 2023. He’s doing his part, and his turnover-forcing acumen was vital at Green Bay.
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.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.