One Viking Leads the League in Rather Important Stat
Much of the 2024 Vikings’ current success can be attributed to a defense that is playing as well as any unit across the league. It’s a team effort rather than the result of one or two superstar players, but one Viking leads the league in important stats with just five games of the regular season left to play.
One Viking Leads the League in Rather Important Stat
The man is Jonathan Greenard, and the stat is quarterback pressures. Sacks are the big stat people always look at, and Greenard is doing his job there, too. He has 10 sacks from 12 games, which is fourth-best in the league. However, there is more to rushing the passer than just the sacks, and a player who creates pressure will set up sacks for his teammates or force errant throws and incompletions.
Greenard leads the league in QB pressures with 60 from his 12 games.
Greenard tops the list of the who’s who of edge rushers, thanks to an excellent level of consistency. He has caused 5 pressures in all but three games this season — only drawing a blank against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10. That was the first of his three games in a row with less than five pressures, but he returned to the five mark last week against the Arizona Cardinals.
Player of the Month
Greenard has been excellent ever since he stepped foot in Minnesota, but a particularly productive November has seen him named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month. Greenard is the second Vikings player to be named player of the month this season after QB Sam Darnold won the offensive version in September — both players were signed as free agents this offseason.
In November, Greenard dominated with 16 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback pressures, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass deflection. Greenard has proven he is the lead pass rusher the Vikings needed, but he is also so much more. He has the all-around game to be a force on every down, no matter what the opposing offense draws up.
The Dynamic Duo
During the offseason, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah decided not to re-sign longtime star edge rusher Danielle Hunter. It was a decision that was questioned, but not only did the Vikings get younger and cheaper at the position with Greenard, but they used some of the savings to bring in Andrew Van Ginkel. The duo has been as good as it gets in the league this season. They trail only the pair of Hunter and Will Anderson by half a sack as the leading edge rushing pairs in the league this season.
At just 27 and in the first year of a four-year contract, this should be the start of a beautiful relationship between Greenard and the Vikings, with many more years to enjoy. The next quarterback is former Vikings signal-caller and current Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins. While Cousins’ lack of mobility can make him susceptible in the pocket, the Falcons OL is a solid unit that is doing a good job keeping him clean this season.
Greenard needs 3 more sacks this season to eclipse his personal best of 12.5 from last season — per Pro Football Reference. With five games to go, he has every chance.
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