Vikings vs Dolphins: Best and worst PFF grades from Week 6
The Minnesota Vikings emerged from the depths of Miami with a 24-16 win over an injury-depleted Dolphins squad. That win puts the Vikings at 5-1 and has fans riding high going into the bye week.
Unlike previous weeks, the Vikings’ PFF grades were close to average. The offense couldn’t move the ball with any form of consistency but the defense stepped up in a huge way.
Here are the Vikings’ PFF grades from Sunday’s win in Miami.
Top 3 offense
Miami Dolphins cornerback Nik Needham (40) makes a tackle on Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) during the first half of an NFL game. Needham left the game after the play with a leg injury. Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Oct. 16, 2022.
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WR Justin Jefferson 76.0
WR Adam Thielen 73.3
RT Brian O’Neill 71.6
The Vikings offense wasn’t great overall but the wide receivers were on point. They were both in good position most of the day and made plays when the Vikings needed it, including Thielen’s touchdown.
For O’Neill, he was the most consistent offensive lineman for the Vikings on Sunday. His pass blocking grade was 79.1 and he was the only Vikings offensive lineman that didn’t allow a pressure on Sunday.
Bottom 3 offense
Oct 16, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) embraces Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. (84) at the end of the game between Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
TE Irv Smith Jr. 46.9
FB C.J. Ham 50.0
TE Johnny Mundt 52.2
The main theme of these grades is run blocking. The Vikings, outside of Dalvin Cook’s 53-yard touchdown run, were awful at blocking the run. Smith Jr. was involved in the passing game, catching four passes but only accumulating seven yards. The Vikings’ role players having rough games is a theme from Sunday’s game as the star players really had to carry the team to a win.
Top 3 defense
Miami Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) gets sacked by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Za’Darius Smith (55) during the fourth quarter of an NFL game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Oct. 16, 2022.
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OLB Za’Darius Smith 92.0
OLB Danielle Hunter 90.7
CB Patrick Peterson 89.9
The defense was the reason that they beat the Dolphins on Sunday. Smith is arguably the defensive MVP right now for this team. He garnered 11 pressures on the day and turned those into two sacks. He was also pivotal on the first sack of the day for Patrick Jones II.
Hunter came through on the stat sheets more than he has prior to Sunday, but he has been impactful most of the season. His six pressures this week were the most he has had all season and he garnered his third sack of the season. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell had Hunter with his hand in the dirt a little more often than he had been in weeks prior.
Peterson looked like the all-pro that he was in Arizona. He was draped all over receivers and had one interception which could have been more but it turned into three pass breakups. With the emergence of Cameron Dantzler, the Vikings have a cornerback duo that they can count on.
Bottom 3 defense
Oct 9, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) dives for a first down against the Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks (54) in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
OLB Luiji Vilain 39.5
CB Chandon Sullivan 41.9
MLB Eric Kendricks 45.0
The Vikings rough spots on defense make a lot of sense. Vilain played 18 snaps in his NFL debut and was able to garner one pressure on his 13 pass rush reps. His success will come in time but it wasn’t a bad debut from the Wake Forest star.
Let’s face it, Sullivan is not good and the Vikings need to consider an upgrade at the position. He struggled once again in this game in allowing six catches on eight targets for 113 yards. Just a rough game from Sullivan.
Kendricks was fine on Sunday but he wasn’t a major difference maker for the Vikings on Sunday. Of the four catches Kendricks allowed, one of them was for a touchdown. I wouldn’t be concerned about Kendricks long-term, just one of those games.
Other notables
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8), in action during first half against the Miami Dolphins during NFL game Sunday Oct 16, 2022 in Miami Gardens.
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QB Kirk Cousins 71.5
WR K.J. Osborn 61.5
C Garrett Bradbury 58.2
LT Christian Darrisaw 58.1
OLB Patrick Jones II 78.2
S Harrison Smith 68.4
