The Viking Age
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Schmidt’s Week 1 game grades: Minnesota Vikings vs. Saints

By Jordan Schmidt

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 11: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings makes a contested catch late in the first half of the game against the New Orleans Saints on September 11, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 11: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings makes a contested catch late in the first half of the game against the New Orleans Saints on September 11, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 18: Kicker Kai Forbath #2 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on August 18, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 18: Kicker Kai Forbath #2 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on August 18, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

Vikings Special Teams grade: B+

The Vikings special teams’ played a decent game but there were some plays that need to be clean up before next week game.

Kai Forbath won the kicking job in the preseason where he did not miss a kick. However, Forbath did a Blair Walsh impression on his second extra point try when he missed it. It is a little thing that he needs to make sure doesn’t happen anymore. Besides that, he was flawless going 3/3 on field goal opportunities with his longest made field goal coming from 45-yards out.

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Jerick McKinnon was in charge of kick returns and seems to be a solid replacement for Cordarrelle Patterson. He averaged 27 yards a return. His longest return of the night was 39-yards.

The one thing McKinnon can improve for next week is his decision when he should run a kick out of the end zone. On some of the kicks last night it seemed like he should have taken a knee but decided to take it out instead. However, he was able to get the ball across the 20-yard 3 times out of the four and was never tackled inside the 10-yard line.

Marcus Sherels was the punt returner who had a quiet night. He only had two tries on returning punts which he averaged 5.5 yards a punt.

Next: Vikings Ups and Downs from week 1

Overall, the specials teams played a solid game as they allowed no big returns by the Saints. Jayron Kearse stood out on one punt when he was able to fight off a block and made a solid open field tackle on the Saints returner.

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