Vikings CB Receives Praise for Dominant Play
Even in team sports, key matchups often determine the direction of the game. One-on-one matchups that usually make or break games are one of the most intriguing aspects of football.
One battle that is often given attention is the one between the wide receiver and the cornerback. One Vikings CB has received praise for his dominant play against a division rival in recent seasons.
VikingsTerritory looks at the praise being showered on Vikings CB for dominant performances against a division rival.
Pro Football Focus looked at some of the noteworthy wide receiver-cornerback matchups over the past three NFL seasons. They then picked out seven matchups that were either dominated by the WR, dominated by the CB, or were back and forth with both players dominating in different games. Vikings CB Byron Murphy Jr. was picked out for his dominant displays against the Chicago Bears’ wide receiver, DJ Moore, starting with a dominant performance back in 2022 when Murphy was with the Arizona Cardinals and Moore was with the Carolina Panthers.
Since joining the Vikings, he has continued to fare favorably against Moore, who is a genuinely good WR1 in four meetings. Good news for Minnesota as Murphy is now undoubtedly the team’s CB1, who will often be tasked with tough matchups.
Murphy was one of only two CB-favored matchups — the other being Patrick Surtain over Garrett Wilson. Here is what PFF had to say about their selection.
CB BYRON MURPHY JR. VS. WR D.J. MOORE
Moore has been one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL since he entered the league in 2018, averaging more than 1,000 yards per season. He’s been a hard player to stop, but no cornerback has given him more trouble than Byron Murphy Jr. over the past few seasons.
In Week 4 of the 2022 season, Moore was targeted three times with Murphy in coverage, failing to catch any passes, two of which resulted in interceptions (0.0 passer rating). In the three matchups following that, Murphy allowed just nine receptions, 67 yards, and zero touchdowns, and recorded another interception
Minimal yardage allowed, no touchdowns allowed, and interceptions are the recipe for success for any CB. Murphy will hope to keep this good run going when the Vikings travel to Chicago in Week 1 and then host the Bears in Week 11.
Murphy’s Overall Prospects for 2025
Murphy enjoyed the best season of his career to date, which ended in Pro Bowl recognition and a big payday with the Vikings re-signing him to a three–year, $54.00 million contract extension. Reward his efforts in 2024, where his play went up a level from his previous five seasons in the league.
Minnesota signed Murphy back in 2023 as a former second-round pick with inside/outside versatility who had been good but not quite the level that had been hoped for — particularly on the perimeter. It was a similar story in his first season in purple, but last season, scoring an overall grade of 72.8 with a coverage grade of 72.6, he finally proved himself to be on the level of a competent CB1. He also led the league in interceptions among CBs with six.
He now needs to follow that up with an equally good, if not better, season in 2025. There are still doubts about the Vikings at CB due to the lack of proven and sustained coverage ability.
Murphy needs to lead the group in proving the doubters wrong and can look forward to a matchup that has proved favorable to start the season, although with a new head coach and new pieces to their offense. The Bears promise to be a more difficult proposition for the Vikings’ defense this year.
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