The Good
Aug 9, 2015; Canton, OH, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end MyCole Pruitt (83) reaches the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
- The Stefon Diggs hype train keeps rolling. Aside from one early fair catch where he had some room to run, Stefon Diggs played a really good game. He showed elusiveness and speed as well as quick decision making on several occasions. We’ve heard from Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer that this kid just “gets” the game of football. And that’s exactly what we saw on the field yesterday. (2 catches on 2 targets, 14 yards. 2 punt returns for 66 yards)
- MyCole Pruitt showed that his college tape is no lie. Watching tight end MyCole Pruitt slip past the defenders to find the soft spot in the secondary was beautiful. Then, he showed off the hands that made him one of the top tight end targets in the 2015 NFL Draft. But it didn’t end there. He also put on a showcase when it came to blocking, showing that he could be the full package at tight end and a great compliment to Kyle Rudolph. (4 catches on 4 targets for 51 yards and a touchdown)
- Teddy Bridgewater looked crisp. Although he didn’t lead the team to the end zone on his one and only drive, he showed great poise in the pocket, looked off defenders, and went through his progressions. He completed his first five passes before a low (but still catchable) ball to Mike Wallace fell to the ground. This is the high percentage game of football that we saw from him at the end of last season. (completed 5 of 6 passes for 44 yards)
- Gerald Hodges continued his case for more playing time. This guy was EVERYWHERE last night. He was disruptive and sure handed in his tackles. He looked impressive toward the end of last season and to see him take that momentum into training camp and keep rolling into the preseason. If the injury to Anthony Barr is more serious than we thought, Hodges could play a big role in this team’s defense in 2015. (3 solo tackles)
- Jabari Price stepping up. This is the same guy who was arrested this offseason, but he came to play on Sunday. He played a great blend of coverage that was the perfect mix of physical and finesse, helping to thwart the Steelers on three passes from inside the 10 yard line. If he keeps up this kind of play, he’ll be well on his way to earning much more playing time. (2 total tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 2 passes defended)
Next: The Bad