Three Minnesota Vikings make NFL Media’s Midseason All-Pro team
By Adam Patrick
NFL Media revealed their choices for the NFL’s Midseason All-Pro team on Wednesday and it featured three talented members of the Minnesota Vikings.
Through eight games this season, it is hard to ask for a better start from the Minnesota Vikings. Especially with the injuries to significant contributors the team has already been forced to deal with this year.
The Vikings have been able to get off to such an impressive start to the season thanks to a number of their players performing at a very high level.
On offense, Adam Thielen currently leads all NFC receivers in catches and yards. He is also on pace to set himself a number of single-season career highs.
Already with 10 sacks, defensive end Everson Griffen has been terrorizing opposing quarterbacks all season long. Minnesota has one of the NFL’s top defenses this year thanks to the impressive play from Griffen, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and safety Harrison Smith among others.
On Wednesday, NFL Media’s Chris Wesseling and Matt Harmon released their picks for the league’s Midseason All-Pro team. Two members of the Vikings’ roster were among Wesseling’s choices, while three made the cut for Harmon.
Griffen and Smith were the two lone Minnesota players to be selected by Wesseling. The NFL Media writer explained the reasoning behind his choices.
Wesseling on Griffen:
"“It doesn’t matter who your left tackle is, he had better get some help from a chip blocker, or it’s a going to a long afternoon against Griffen’s relentless speed rush, bull rush and spin move. Griffen is the beating heart of the NFL’s most disruptive defensive line.”"
Wesseling on Smith:
"“Smith recently authored a phenomenal seven-day stretch, sealing the Vikings’ Week 5 victory over the Bears with an instinctual interception of Mitchell Trubisky before notching 1.5 sacks and a spectacular diving pick in the Week 6 win over the Packers. There’s no weakness in his game. A future Hall of Famer with a career-long penchant for game-changing plays.”"
As for Harmon, he also went with Griffen and Smith for his squad. But unlike Wesseling, he felt Rhodes deserved a spot on the team as well.
Harmon described why three members of the Vikings were among his selections.
Harmon on Griffen:
"“Feel free to get upset at this statement, but Griffen has been the most dominant player in the NFL this season. His 45 pressures currently lead the NFL by a wide-margin, and he should be squarely in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion.”"
Harmon on Rhodes:
"“The top-notch cornerback started off 2017 with a bang in two shadow coverage games. Rhodes covered Antonio Brown on 71.4 percent of the Steeler receiver’s pass plays in Week 2, allowing just three catches for 28 yards on eight targets. Rhodes followed that up by giving up just five catches for 53 yards on nine targets to the Buccaneers’ Mike Evans in Week 3. He’s earned his “Rhodes Closed” nickname with no touchdowns allowed on the year.”More from The Viking Age6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings historyFormer Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC NorthBears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022"
Harmon on Smith:
"“Smith is one of the many studs littering the Vikings’ defense. Opposing teams have attempted just one pass down the deep middle of the field against Minnesota, and the team ranks inside the top five in passer rating allowed in the intermediate middle.”"
Unfortunately, no members of Minnesota’s offense or special teams made the cut for either of these guys. Perhaps their minds will change by the end of the season.
Next: Vikings midseason review: Offense
Either way, the work that Griffen, Rhodes, and Smith are putting in this year is obviously getting noticed by more than just those in the state of Minnesota. The Vikings just hope the top level of play is able to continue for these three this season and eventually leads the team on a deep postseason run.