Advertisement

Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks named NFC defensive player of the week

dane mizutani, pioneer press
·3 min read

Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Chicago Bears last Sunday.

There’s a good chance the Vikings don’t earn the 19-13 win over the Bears without Hicks’ heroics.

He led the Vikings with 10 tackles, intercepted a pass at a key moment and also returned a fumble 42 yards for a touchdown. It was the first time a Vikings player had an interception and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the same game since former safety Orlando Thomas did it against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 23, 1995.

Asked about both splash plays, defensive coordinator Brian Flores heaped praise on Hicks for stepping up when the Vikings needed it most.

The interception came shortly before halftime, as Hicks calmly located a ball floating in the air, then tracked it down to make the catch.

“Almost baseball-like in center field,” Flores said of Hicks’ interception. “That’s an unusual play in our game. It doesn’t really happen all that often, so for him to reel that in, that was big for us as a team. It was a huge momentum swing in the game.”

The fumble recovery came shortly after halftime, as Hicks spotted a loose ball, scooped it up and raced down the the sideline to score.

“It was a situation where the player has to make a decision, ‘Do I jump on it and get the ball back to the offense? Do I try to make the real splash and scoop it up and try to score?,’ ” Flores said. “You know, with Jordan being the vet that he is, having the confidence, he made the choice to try and make a great play an even better play, and he got it done.”

Nwangwu reclaims role

After being activated from injured reserve, running back Kene Nwangwu is expected to be the Vikings’ kickoff returner when they play host to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. He will reclaim the role from running back Ty Chandler, who has been the kickoff returner for the past month and a half.

Asked how Nwangwu specifically changes things on kickoff return, special-teams coordinator Matt Daniels noted that he always has the green light to bring the ball out of the end zone. That aggressiveness should be evident with Nwangwu back on the field.

“He’s an All-Pro returner,” Daniels said. “We want to try to find a way to get the ball in his hands as many times as we can.”

Akers used sparingly

There wasn’t much work for recently signed running back Cam Akers last Sunday in Chicago. He had minimal touches in the game, with one carry for eight yards, and one reception for seven yards.

Though that usage would suggest Akers is firmly behind running back Alexander Mattison, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said that isn’t necessarily the case.

“I think each game is a little bit different as to how it plays out,” Phillips said. “I do see Cam continuing to get carries and get touches and get more involved.”

Related Articles