The Minnesota Vikings defense is expected to be one of the top defenses in the league in 2017. Let’s take a closer look at who will be leading the way.
The Minnesota Vikings defense started off the 2016 season with a bang against the Titans with two defensive touchdowns. Although they slowed down a bit as the season progressed, they still finished as the 2nd highest rated defense in the NFL.
Higher expectations have been given to the 2017 Vikings’ defense. Forcing turnovers is a large part of this defense’s ability to succeed. A year ago, Minnesota had 14 interceptions, 13 forced fumbles and 4 defensive touchdowns.
A lot of the same should be expected this season, as the core of this defense remains the same as last year. The defense will heavily rely on putting pressure on the opposing quarterback and capitalizing on mistakes.
Here are my statistical predictions (non-tackling) for the top defensive players for the Minnesota Vikings in 2017:
Xavier Rhodes
Rhodes was a breakout player for the Minnesota Vikings in 2016. His success allowed him to be named a top 100 player in the NFL via ESPN. Expect him to build off a strong campaign and make another pro-bowl case for himself this season.
Interceptions: 4
Interception Yards: 74
Defensive Touchdowns: 1
Trae Waynes
Waynes had his struggles with man coverage last year, but still found success in the interception category, with 3. As he gets more experience and matures as a defender, expect his man coverage to improve, and interception amount to increase.
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Interceptions: 3
Interception Yards: 52
Defensive Touchdowns: 1
Linval Joseph
Joseph has made a statement as one of the top defensive linemen in the league. He leads one of the best D-lines in all the NFL. He also has the strength and smarts to force a lot of fumbles and wreak havoc on any running game.
Forced Fumbles: 3
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Everson Griffen
Griffen, like Linval Joseph, has made a name for himself as one of the best defensive linemen in the league. He forced 2 fumbles last year, and with his ability to pass rush with the best of them, could see that number increase in 2017.
Forced Fumbles: 4
Fumble Recoveries: 2
Next: Vikings Stats Leaders: Tackling
The Minnesota Vikings are expecting a big year from their star-studded defense in 2017. Forcing turnovers will help this team to give a mediocre offense good field position and an opportunity to score. SKOL!