Tag: Ivan Pace

Vikings lose key defensive starter ahead of battle vs. Cardinals

The Vikings placed a starting linebacker on injured reserve ahead of their game against the Cardinals in Week 13.

The Arizona Cardinals will face the Minnesota Vikings this coming Sunday in Week 13. Minnesota’s defense, fifth in the league in points allowed at 17.9 points per game and No. 1 in rush defense allowing 74.7 yards per game, will be without a key defensive starter.

Linebacker Ivan Pace, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first quarter of the Vikings’ 30-27 overtime win over the Chicago Bears, was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday. He will miss the game against the Cardinals and at least three more games.

Pace has 59 tackles, three sacks, six tackles for loss and six quarterback hits on the season, having played in nine games.

After Pace’s injury, Blake Cashman moved over to replace him and the Vikings used Kamu Grugier-Hill in the other linebacker spot.

They signed former Washington Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis on Tuesday. He could see playing time on Sunday.

The Cardinals and Vikings kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (11 a.m. Arizona time) from U.S. Bank Stadium.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Sports Illustrated offers high praise for Vikings LB

Another media outlet has recognized Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. as the team’s most underrated player. This time it’s SI.

Just over a month ago, the team at PFF took a look at the NFL and named each team’s most underrated player. For the Minnesota Vikings, they landed on linebacker Ivan Pace Jr.

They’re not alone in thinking Pace is the most underrated player on the Vikings roster. This time, it’s Sports Illustrated senior writer Conor Orr. Orr looked at each team in the league and broke it up by conference. For the NFC, when he got to the Vikings, the choice was clear. Pace’s story is phenomenal, and he’s an exceptional player who has only just begun to scratch the surface of the player he can be. In Orr’s own words:

There is raw talent and there is supernatural instinct, the latter of which Pace seems to major in. Despite coming into the season at the bottom of the pecking order in a notoriously amoebic Brian Flores defense, Pace ended up not only being as good a blitzer as he was in college but a true off-ball linebacker who could handle just about any situation. Pace was up on the line of scrimmage for about 10% of his rookie-year snaps, which can help Minnesota diversify a tough unit even more in 2024. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him as part of the next generation of foundational leaders for this unit, which is being turned over under the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah regime.

Pace was a nice surprise story for the 2023 Vikings after entering the league as an undrafted free agent. In 2024, the team and Brian Flores will need Pace to expand upon that success. Flores’ scheme plays to Pace’s strengths, and Flores will be counting on that to continue building a defense that was much improved in 2023 but still has a lot of room to grow.

Ivan Pace, Jr. named to The Sporting News’ top 25 under 25 team

Minnesota linebacker Ivan Pace, Jr. went from undrafted free agent to one of the league’s best young linebackers in just one season.

It’s not uncommon to see undrafted free agents make the team in the NFL. In fact, according to Yahoo! Sports, from 2019-2023, well over 400 undrafted free agents went on to not only make their team but reach the team’s starting lineup.

What’s more rare, though, is an undrafted free agent playing so well that he becomes somewhat of a household name. That’s becoming a reality for Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace, Jr. Pace went undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft but quickly worked his way into the lineup and has become one of the league’s rising young stars, according to The Sporting News.

In his list of the top 25 players in the league under 25 years old, Vinnie Iyer put Pace on the team in one of his three linebacker spots, saying:

The undrafted gem from Miami (Ohio) was on the field everywhere making big plays for Brian Flores as a rookie in 2023. He can become more prolific out of the gate this season.

Pace earned his spot on The Sporting News’ list by being a productive player in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defensive scheme at all levels. Pace’s rookie season ended with him notching 102 tackles while also accounting for two tackles-for-loss, nine quarterback hits, and 2.5 sacks.

But Pace wasn’t just a force at or behind the line of scrimmage. Pace also had two passes defended and one interception while playing in all 17 games for the Vikings, with 11 starts.

It truly was an exceptional rookie season for the young linebacker—one worthy of praise and likely worthy of an expanded role for Flores’ defense in year two.

Jordan Addison and Ivan Pace recognized for sensational rookie seasons

Jordan Addison and Ivan Pace were recognized for their outstanding rookie seasons by the PFWA Writers.

As we get farther into the offseason, the Minnesota Vikings continue to see accolades for the 2023 NFL season.

The Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling reports that wide receiver Jordan Addison and linebacker Ivan Pace have been selected to the PFWA Writer’s All-Rookie teams.

Addison made the team alongside the Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua and Pace alongside the Detroit Lions’ Jack Campbell and Rams’ Byron Young.

Addison’s 10 receiving touchdowns rank tied for the 10th-most all-time by a rookie receiver and are the most since Ja’Marr Chase in 2021. When Jefferson went down in week five, Addison was called upon to be the go-to receiver in the offense. Between weeks six and twelve, when Jefferson was out, Addison’s four touchdowns tied for eighth-most by any receiver in the NFL.

Ivan Pace’s 102 combined tackles and 63 solo tackles led all rookie linebackers. It also ranks as the fourth-most tackles in NFL history by an undrafted rookie in their first season, the most since the Atlanta Falcons’ Paul Worrilow in 2013.

Congratulations to both Addison and Pace on their remarkable seasons!

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Stock up, stock down in Vikings 3-0 win vs. Raiders

In an ugly win like this one, multiple stocks saw movement for the Vikings

For the first time since 1971, the Minnesota Vikings won a game by a score of 3-0. The Vikings outlasted the Las Vegas Raiders in Allegiant Stadium to improve to 7-6.

It was ugly, very ugly. The offenses combined for 430 total yards and 24 total first downs. The passing games combined for 243 yards through the air, an almost unheard-of number in the modern era.

Ugly games happen in the NFL all the time, but they aren’t usually like this. The last game to end by a score of 3-0 was in 2007 when a John-Beck-led Miami Dolphins team fell to Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that the NFL dubbed “The Monday Night Mud Bowl.” But being on the winning end of a game like this is much better than the alternative. 

In a win this hard-fought, some players are bound to see their stocks rise, and others will see theirs fall amidst all the chaos.

Vikings-Raiders was the lowest-scoring indoor game in NFL history

History was made on Sunday afternoon that would make Mike Zimmer proud

If you think it was a historically low-scoring game, you thought correctly. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported that the meeting between the Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders was the lowest-scoring indoor game in NFL history.

The closest we’ve been are three instances of six combined points between 1980 and 1987. The three combined points for this matchup will likely be the standard for defensive domination or offensive ineptitude indoors however you choose to interpret it.

As Seifert stated, veteran backup quarterback Nick Mullens and rookie linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. are the two heroes of this unusual yet remarkable story.

Mullens came in to relieve the struggling Josh Dobbs after he started a third-straight game in underwhelming fashion. Mullens ended the game 9-of-13 for 83 yards, but his ability to keep the offense moving was enough to get Minnesota in field goal range to put the only points of the game on the board.

Pace was everywhere, causing havoc against the Las Vegas front. He ended the day with a team-leading 13 tackles (7 solo) with a sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit. Immediately after the field goal, Pace got his interception that helped seal the victory for Minnesota.

It was ugly, very ugly. It was a couple of moments away from reaching unwatchable territory. But even if it wasn’t visually appealing, a win is a win at the end of the day.

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Twitter reacts to Vikings’ keg stand celebration

While the game itself may not be the most exciting, the Vikings defense may have pulled off the celebration of the year.

Games like this between the Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders force fans to search for reasons to celebrate.

The Raiders threatened to break the scoreless 0-0 tie after a play to Hunter Renfrow put the Raiders in field-goal range. But a few plays later, safety Josh Metellus had other plans. Metellus punched out a would-be catch-and-run, and rookie Mekhi Blackmon recovered it to give the Vikings possession deep in their territory.

That led to one of the best celebrations one would find this week in the NFL from the Minnesota defense. The defense flipped Blackmon upside down on top of fellow rookie Ivan Pace to replicate a keg stand in celebration of the rookie’s fumble recovery.

Immediately, the football world on Twitter showed their appreciation for the creativity and splendor of the keg stand and Minnesota’s keg stand celebration.

Tracking Jalen Carter’s path to NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year entering Week 6

We’re ranking the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates and tracking Philadelphia #Eagles’ defensive tackle Jalen Carter’s chances ahead of Week 6

Jalen Carter was the initial first-round pick to sign his rookie deal.

Before the season, the former Georiga All-American manifested huge goals, and through four weeks in Sean Desai’s system, he’s on his way toward a triumphant affirmation.

Carter wants to win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award and heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Jets and Quinnen Williams at MetLife Stadim,  the defensive tackle has staked his claim to that award and a potential Pro Bowl and All-Pro nomination.

We’re tracking Carter’s path to winning the award from now until Week 17, and ahead of Sunday’s game against the Jets, it’s Carter’s award to lose after the Christian Gonzalez injury news from two weeks ago.

Tracking Jalen Carter’s path to NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award entering Week 5

We’re ranking the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates and tracking Philadelphia #Eagles’ defensive tackle Jalen Carter’s chances

Jalen Carter was the initial first-round pick to sign his rookie deal.

Before the season, the former Georiga All-American manifested huge goals, and through four weeks in Sean Desai’s system, he’s on his way toward a triumphant affirmation.

Carter wants to win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award, and heading into a Week 5 matchup against the Rams and Aaron Donald at Sofi Stadim,  the defensive tackle has staked his claim to that award and a potential Pro Bowl and All-Pro nomination.

We’re tracking Carter’s path to winning the award from now until Week 17, and ahead of Sunday’s game against the Rams, it’s Carter’s award to lose after the Christian Gonzalez injury news.

Tracking Jalen Carter’s path to NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award entering Week 4

We’re ranking the 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates and tracking Philadelphia #Eagles’ defensive tackle Jalen Carter’s chances via @Thacover2NFL

Jalen Carter was the initial first-round pick to sign his rookie deal.

Before the season, the former Georiga All-American manifested huge goals, and through three weeks in Sean Desai’s system, he’s on his way toward a triumphant affirmation.

Carter wants to win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award, and heading into a Week 4 matchup against Washington at Lincoln Financial Field, the defensive tackle has staked his claim to that award and a potential Pro Bowl and All-Pro nomination.

We’re tracking Carter’s path to winning the award from now until Week 17, and ahead of Sunday’s game against the Commanders, it’s Carter’s award to lose.