3 Vikings Players Coming Off Dismal Performances in Week 1

Most of the Week 1 game was brutal for the Minnesota Vikings. Everything began to change late after Green Bay’s ill-fated 4th down attempt got stuffed by Domonique “Big Citrus” Orange, just one of the Vikings players to help turn the momentum. So, too, did Myles Price break off a long return as the defense turned on the pressure.

Add it all up and Green Bay was in trouble.

The final score showed a Vikings win by a score of 39-22. Just glancing at the headlines may have led to the belief that Minnesota put together a dominant day but that would be a misguided takeaway based on the lopsided score. The Vikings were outplayed for most of the day, partially due to some key players failing to perform well in Week 1.

3 Vikings Players Coming Off a Brutal Packers Game

No. 1 — Linebacker Eric Wilson

Veteran linebacker Eric Wilson brings much to the table. Part of the issue, though, is that expectations are considerably higher due to demanding a three-year contract worth a total of $22,500,000 (OTC). Can he live up to that deal?

On Sunday, Mr. Wilson missed some tackles (a pair, per PFF). More broadly, he generated a putrid 29.6 grade that’s cause for some concern even if the sample size is the definition of small due to Minnesota playing just a single game. Look for Wilson to continue demanding work even as Ivan Pace and Jake Golday are keeping the pressure on. Linebacker snaps are hard to come by in Minnesota and Blake Cashman isn’t going to give up his.

No. 2 — Corner Byron Murphy Jr.

Byron Murphy Jr. got cooked out there.

The Vikings’ well-paid CB1 missed tackles and tackled a receiver well before the ball arrived. Nobody can dispute that his job is a difficult one as somebody who is burdened with travelling all over the secondary. Still, it was rough out there. He finished the day with a 54.4 grade. As a whole, the secondary was a mess.

Consider what Jeff Diamond had to say in his piece earlier today: “coverage mistakes–it was better when Harrison Smith was in there more in the second half as the key communicator but concerns remain about the problems Theo Jackson and Josh Metellus have in coverage and it was probably Byron Murphy’s worst overall game as a Viking when Christian Watson burned him several times.”

No. 3 — Right Guard Will Fries

Demanding $88 million across five years as a right guard means that there are high expectations. Will Fries needs to be better.

In fact, Kevin O’Connell basically said precisely that in his Monday presser, albeit with the normal gloss that accompanies the perpetually-positive skipper. Look at a lingering play:

Known for his snarl and toughness, Mr. Fries can’t have plays like the one above.

Check out some of what he told Vikings Territory about his approach in a quick chat back in August. Offering up some of that promised violence is what the Vikings are looking for out of the man known as “Spud.”

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