4 X-Factor Players for Vikings on Monday Night
X-Factor is defined as “a variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome.”
4 X-Factor Players for Vikings on Monday Night
And the Minnesota Vikings will need men with that reputation to help the team advance beyond Round 1 of the postseason. The purple team will play the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, a showdown moved to Glendale, Arizona, because of Southern California wildfires.
Every NFL team has X-Factor personnel, and these are the Vikings examples in the Wildcard round. They’re listed alphabetically.
1. Brandon Powell (WR)
Powell will play against his former employer on Monday night and is overdue for a notable contribution.
Last year, Powell delivered a game-winning touchdown reception at Atlanta, courtesy of a sweet pass by quarterback Joshua Dobbs, so he has it in his DNA to make big plays.
Powell is also the purple punt returner, and Minnesota hasn’t taken a punt return to the house since 2016. Maybe it’s time.
2. Will Reichard (K)
Reichard missed a 51-yard field goal and booted a kickoff out of bounds last weekend. Correspondingly, fans began to feel familiar kicker-related jitters.
The rookie can rebound, however, and the playoffs are the perfect time for him to do so. Reichard can return to his perfect tendencies from the season’s first seven games and prosper.
3. Cam Robinson (LT)
Robinson had a game to forget on Sunday at Ford Field — like many Vikings — and he seems to fire up a head-scratching performance about once every three or four weeks.
Well, he must respond in Round 1 of the postseason because Jared Verse and Kobie Turner won’t take it easy on him. Acting as Christian Darrisaw’s replacement, Minnesota needs a sturdy showing from Robinson to keep Sam Darnold upright.
4. Dallas Turner (OLB)
Patrick Jones II hasn’t practiced this week, meaning his snap count, in part, will probably shift to Turner if he doesn’t play.
The Vikings didn’t pressure Matthew Stafford much at all in October, so Turner — who has game-breaking potential — can fix that. He just needs playing time.
If Minnesota doesn’t fluster Stafford, the game might trend in the same direction as Week 8, which resulted in a 30-20 loss.
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.
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