Tag: Harrison Smith

3 Vikings make Pro Bowl, including Dalvin Cook

A few players who probably should have gotten a look for the Pro Bowl include Kirk Cousins, Eric Kendricks and Anthony Harris. 

The Vikings had three players named to the Pro Bowl for the 2019 season.

Defensive end Danielle Hunter, safety Harrison Smith and running back Dalvin Cook will represent the Vikings.

For Hunter, this is his second-straight selection. He has 13.5 sacks on the season and just one away from his career-high mark of 14.5 that he hit last season. Earlier this season, he became the youngest player in NFL history to reach the 50-sack mark.

For Smith, this is his fifth-straight appearance on the list. He has 11 passes defended and a career-high two forced fumbles this season.

And for Cook, this is his first selection. Cook has been on a cold streak lately, going seven weeks without a 100-yard game. But his overall numbers are solid, rushing for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns to go with 53 catches for 519 yards.

A few players who probably should have gotten a look for the Pro Bowl include Kirk Cousins, Eric Kendricks and Anthony Harris.

We’ll have more about them in another piece.

Notre Dame Football: Four Former Domers Headed to Pro Bowl

Finally, Ronnie Stanley who we discussed more thoroughly just a few days ago because of his truly elite pass blocking grades is headed to his first ever Pro Bowl. 

Tuesday night brought news of the 2020 Pro Bowl rosters in the NFL and as a surprise to none, Notre Dame was well-represented as four former Fighting Irish football players were named to the NFL All-Star rosters.

Perhaps the least surprising news is that three of the four players to earn a berth to the Pro Bowl make their living on the offensive line.

It’s becoming a late December tradition but Nick Martin, right guard of the Dallas Cowboys was named to his sixth straight Pro Bowl on Tuesday.  Martin has made the game each of his six years in the league.

Joining him at the guard position will be Quenton Nelson of the Indianapolis Colts. Nelson has transformed the Colts from having one of the poorest offensive line units in the league to one of the better ones and will be participating in his second Pro Bowl of his two-year NFL career.

Finally, Ronnie Stanley who we discussed more thoroughly just a few days ago because of his truly elite pass blocking grades is headed to his first ever Pro Bowl.  He is one of a record 12 Baltimore Ravens to be selected for the game, a game he very well could miss since his Ravens appear to be the best thing going in the NFL right now and could very well be getting ready for the Super Bowl on Pro Bowl Sunday.

And defensively Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings is headed to the Pro Bowl for the fifth season in a row.  Smith has again been a bright spot on a Vikings team that has seen the rest of it’s secondary begin to a look a little long in the tooth this season.  Smith has picked off three opponents passes this season while forcing and recovering a couple of fumbles each as well.

The 2020 Pro Bowl will take place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on January 26.

2 Vikings make PFF’s Team of the Week

These have been two of Minnesota’s best defenders all season long.

The Vikings had two players, both on the defensive side of the ball, make Pro Football Focus’ Team of the Week after their win over the Chargers on the road.

Defensive end Danielle Hunter made the team with a PFF grade of 91.1 against the run and an 87 grade against the pass. Hunter was all over the field and was a nightmare for LA’s offensive line.

Safety Anthony Harris, who didn’t allow a single completion against Philip Rivers, also made the team.

These two have been two of Minnesota’s best defenders all season long, and Hunter’s name should probably be in conversations for Defensive Player of the Year.

Hunter has a PFF grade of 89.6 on the season, the best mark of his career and third among edge players in the league.

Harris, meanwhile, has a grade of 87, a mark that ranks fourth among safeties. One spot behind him? Teammate Harrison Smith and his grade of 85.2.

Vikings defense steps up big in win over Chargers 

The Vikings and their defense didn’t look back in the second half and ended up finishing with seven total turnovers.

The Minnesota Vikings finished out their road schedule in Los Angeles with a dominating 39-10 win over the Chargers. The game started out close, but the Vikings started to pull away before halftime with an Ifeadi Odenigbo fumble recovery for a touchdown. 

The Vikings and their defense didn’t look back in the second half, and ended up finishing with seven total turnovers. Harrison Smith had an interception and a fumble recovery, while Danielle Hunter also made a huge impact with two forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery. 

While Hunter and Smith had the better performances of the day, others such as Mike Hughes, Anthony Harris and Trae Waynes got in on the turnovers. 

Going into this game, the Vikings defensive struggles were a main talking point around the team. Philip Rivers and the Chargers had been known to turn the ball over this season, and the Vikings took advantage of that with a get right performance on the defensive side of the ball. 

While the defense had their fun, the offense started to figure things out without Dalvin Cook in the second half. Cook went down with a shoulder injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the game rather quickly. 

Having one of the stars of the offense go down with an injury is never an easy thing, and it is something that Vikings fans are all too familiar with. However, Mike Boone was given his chance and he didn’t disappoint. 

The preseason standout came in for Cook and finished the game with 13 carries for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Boone is in his second season with the Vikings, and his touchdowns were the first two of his career. 

The offense also got their star receiver back in Adam Thielen, but he was put on a snap count and only recorded three catches for 27 yards. 

The game plan was clearly focused around running the football, and after a slow start the Vikings finished with a total of 137 rushing yards. 

A huge reason for the offense’s success has been due to the improved play by the offensive line. Not only did the line allow the Vikings run game to get to 137 yards, but they also didn’t give up a sack. The Chargers have two of the best pass rushers in the NFL in Melvin Ingram III and Joey Bosa, and the Vikings offensive line held them both to a quiet afternoon.

Heading into the final two games of the season against divisional opponents, this was the exact type of game the Vikings needed. The Vikings defense proved that they can still play a big factor in winning games, while the offense might have found yet another solid option at running back. 

The Vikings will be back at home for their final two games, with the next game being a Monday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers. If the Vikings defense can continue to improve, and the offense keeps playing at the level it has been since the loss in Chicago, this Vikings team could head into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league.

Seahawks offense up for tough test against Vikings defense

The Seattle Seahawks offense is very good, but so is the Vikings defense. That sets the stage for a tough matchup in Monday Night Football.

The Seattle Seahawks are among the best teams in this league, and they didn’t get there without respecting their opponents. Led by quarterback Russell Wilson, the Seattle offense is having a great year – but the Minnesota Vikings won’t be a cakewalk.

The Vikings defensive unit is a stout one with a lot of very solid players. Add in the fact that Wilson has been sacked 11 times over the last two games and things get even more interesting.

Even with the dynamic game of Wilson, there are a lot of players on the Vikings defensive unit that can be a big problem.

“They’re such a veteran group,” Wilson said of the Vikings defensive unit. “They got everything you could want on defense. They got a great defensive line. Great linebackers. These guys are flying around making tremendous plays.”

There are a lot of names on the back of those purple jerseys to watch out for. Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks wreaked havoc as linebackers at UCLA, now they are doing the same as members of the Vikings. Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen are tough up front. However, it’s a defensive back that Wilson remembers most.

“Harrison [Smith] is is arguably one of the best in the game,” Wilson said. “I remember coming in into the 2012 class with him. Just a tremendous football player and just a guy who had the right attitude, was first in line at every drill. Just a guy who was a great leader. You really sensed that from the beginning.”

Smith is listed as questionable for Monday’s bout, but all signs indicate he is likely to suit up for the Vikings.

The Seahawks offense is no slouch. It’s gearing up to be a fun matchup to watch between offense and defense. That is what Wilson is anticipating anyway.

“It’s going to be a great battle and they coach extremely well,” Wilson said. “It’s going to be a tremendous feat. We’re looking forward to it.”

Wilson and the rest of the offense has their work cut out for them in this game. The Seahawks enter the game in search of their 10th win of the season and a spot atop the NFC West against the surging Vikings, who have won six of their last seven, losing only to the Chiefs in that stretch.

[lawrence-related id=51972]

Vikings WR Adam Thielen questionable vs. Seahawks

After being limited all week in practice with a hamstring injury, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is officially listed as questionable for Monday night’s game against the Seahawks. Thielen injured in the hamstring in Week 7 against the Lions and …

After being limited all week in practice with a hamstring injury, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is officially listed as questionable for Monday night’s game against the Seahawks.

Thielen injured in the hamstring in Week 7 against the Lions and re-injured it in Week 9 against the Chiefs.

The team cut Josh Doctson earlier in the week, so the prospects look good for Thielen to play, but he did say that he would not play if he was not 100 percent, which is the right play.

If Thielen can’t play, we’ll continue to see more of rookie Bisi Johnson.

To round out Minnesota’s injury report, linebacker Ben Gedeon (concussion) is out.

Nose tackle Linval Joseph (knee), safety Harrison Smith (hamstring), safety Anthony Harris (groin) and defensive tackle Shamar Stephen (knee) are all questionable.

We’ll get the official status of these players at 5:50 p.m. CT on Monday. Stay tuned.

Vikings WR Adam Thielen returns to practice

Thielen looks on track to play on Monday Night Football against the Seahawks in Week 13.

Good news for Vikings fans.

After being in and out of the lineup with a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 7, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen was back at practice on Tuesday, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.

Thielen looks on track to play on Monday Night Football against the Seahawks in Week 13.

Guard Josh Kline (concussion) was also back at practice.

Those not practicing included nose tackle Linval Joseph, defensive tackle Shamar Stephen, linebacker Ben Gedeon, safety Anthony Harris, defensive end Everson Griffen and safety Harrison Smith.

We know that Joseph is still recovering from a knee surgery, Gedeon is dealing with a concussion and Harris missed Week 11 with a groin injury.

We still have six days until the Vikings kick off against the Seahawks, so probably nothing to look too much into quite yet.

Vikings hit bye week at good time

The Vikings go into their bye week having won five of six games, but the injury bug has bit them hard.

The Vikings moved to 8-3 on the season with their comeback 27-23 win over the Broncos on Sunday.

While Minnesota has won five of its last six games, the fact that the Vikings have their bye in Week 12 comes at a pretty good time.

The Vikings were missing Adam Thielen (hamstring), Linval Joseph (knee), Anthony Harris (knee) and Josh Kline (concussion) against the Broncos and All-Pro safety Harrison Smith (hamstring) left the game and did not return.

Those player now have two weeks to prepare for the Seahawks in Seattle on Dec. 2.

The Vikings, who are currently the second wild card team in the NFC standings, have quite the schedule ahead of them to close the season:

Week 13: @ Seattle
Week 14: vs. Detroit
Week 15: @ Los Angeles Chargers
Week 16: vs. Green Bay
Week 17: vs. Chicago

The win over Denver was huge for Minnesota’s playoff chances. Per FiveThirtyEight, the Vikings have a 91 percent chance to make the playoffs.

Vikings S Harrison Smith hurts hamstring, doesn’t return vs. Broncos

In the second half, Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith left the game with a hamstring injury and did not return.

The Vikings came away with a 27-23 comeback win over the Broncos on Sunday afternoon, but it came at the expense of one of their best players getting hurt.

In the second half, Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith left the game with a hamstring injury and did not return.

We can’t really speculate how severe the injury is, but Vikings fans are plenty familiar with how hamstring injuries can linger. Examples: Dalvin Cook in 2018 and Adam Thielen in 2019.

The good news is that the Vikings have a Week 12 bye so Smith will have two weeks to rest before the team travels to take on the Seahawks in Week 13.

Smith went into the week graded as Pro Football Focus‘ ninth-ranked safety in the league.

Vikings secondary needs to improve in final 6 games 

The Vikings seem to have finally gotten their signature win, but there is a critical part of Mike Zimmer’s defense that needs to improve. 

The Minnesota Vikings are coming off of their biggest win in the last two seasons, after beating the Dallas Cowboys 28-24 on Sunday Night Football. The Vikings seem to have finally gotten their signature win, but there is a critical part of Mike Zimmer’s defense that needs to improve. 

When Zimmer took over the coaching duties for the Vikings in 2014, the expectations for the defense were high. Since he took over, his defense has delivered and consistently been a top 10 unit in both points allowed per game and rushing yards allowed. Although the Vikings defense is on pace for both categories to be top 10 once again in 2019, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

The Vikings secondary is a unit with a ton of draft capital invested into it. Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mike Hughes and Harrison Smith were all drafted in the first round.

Smith has been the rock to the Vikings defense since he was drafted in 2012, and is still the key piece in Zimmer’s defense. However, the argument can be made that the best play in the secondary thus far has come from an undrafted free agent in Anthony Harris.

The safety position has been fairly solid all around in 2019, including some strong performances from seventh rounder in Jayron Kearse.  

The position with the most draft investment on the Vikings roster has instead been one of its biggest issues. When Zimmer arrived in Minnesota, he was of course known for his great defensive mind. But he was also known for being a whisperer of the cornerback position. 

If the Vikings want to have a chance at making the playoffs and making a legitimate run, the play of the cornerbacks is going to have to improve. 

Against the Dak Prescott and the Cowboys, the defense allowed nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns through the air. The defense was without Waynes, but with their depth in the secondary, there is no room for excuses. 

Hughes had his hands full with Amari Cooper, who had 11 catches for nearly 150 yards and a touchdown. Granted a lot of Cooper’s catches were miraculous with some elite toe drags, it doesn’t change the fact that he was the second receiver in two weeks to scorch the Vikings corners. 

With so much draft stock invested in the cornerbacks room and a head coach who prides himself on grooming cornerbacks, the Vikings secondary has to be better. Rhodes has regressed drastically since his stellar season in 2017, and if it continues the Vikings have to begin to utilize Hughes and Holton Hill more frequently. 

In the final six games the secondary will get their chance to turn things around. The Vikings still have to face names like Davante Adams, Keenen Allen, Tyler Lockett, Kenny Golladay and more within the next two months. 

With so much talent at the wide receiver position today in the NFL, the Vikings secondary needs to get back on track. 

This upcoming Sunday the secondary gets their chance to do exactly that. This coming Sunday, the Vikings are back at U.S. Bank Stadium where they take on a Broncos team that ranks 28th in pass yards per game.