Top graded Minnesota Vikings players from Week 16 at Packers
By Adam Carlson
The grades are in from Week 16 when the Minnesota Vikings took on the Green Bay Packers from Lambeau Field. Here are the top 5 from Pro Football Focus.
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers by a final score of 16-0 during Week 16 of the NFL season. The Saturday Night Football game was a freezing cold affair with only one touchdown scored between the two teams, but it helped to put the Vikings in a good position for a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Of course, there are going to be up and down performances from each team, including great and disappointing players. But, since we like to look at the positives, let’s talk about the cream of the crop from Week 16.
Thankfully, Pro Football Focus is known for their great analysis and shared an article titled Refocused: Minnesota Vikings 16, Green Bay Packers 0 which showed the best performances of the game from the boys in purple.
TOP 5 GRADES:
- Harrison Smith, S – 99.9 overall grade
- Xavier Rhodes, CB – 89.0 overall grade
- Eric Kendricks, LB – 82.1 overall grade
- Stefon Diggs, WR – 81.2 overall grade
- David Morgan, TE/LS – 80.5 overall grade
Any fan watching the game knew that Harrison Smith had a great game. He was excellent in coverage and was often seen in the mix when tackling Packers ball carriers. Of course, the two interceptions were the highlights of the game from possibly the biggest snub from this year’s Pro Bowl.
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"“He was utterly dominant and he took over the game from the start. Smith recorded eight tackles, five of which were stops. He also allowed only three catches on five targets for 21 yards and picked off two passes.”"
On the other hand, quarterback Case Keenum turned in one of his
worst performances of the season, earning a score of 46.8 during the game. That’s not surprising considering the ice-cold temperatures at Lambeau Field on Saturday night, impacting the passing game of both teams.
"“With blistering-cold temperatures, the Vikings featured the run and Keenum struggled with his accuracy all game long. He only took four shots deep against a depleted Packers secondary, completing just one of those passes beyond 20 yards.”"
Next: Ups and Downs from Week 16 at Packers
It’s awesome to see Harrison Smith continue to prove that he is an elite-level safety in the NFL a well as see David Morgan getting some love for his versatility. And while it wasn’t the prettiest win the Vikings have had all season, it moved Minnesota to 12-3 on the season and put them in a good position for a first-round bye.