Vikings safety Harrison Smith named Week 16 NFC Defensive Player of the Week

After being snubbed for the Pro Bowl for 2017, Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith earned the Defensive Player of the Week award in Week 16.

The Week 16 game between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Wisconsin was a cold contest where both teams struggled to move the ball efficiently in the freezing temperatures.

One player who was not struggling at all during the game was safety Harrison Smith, who intercepted Green Bay quarterback Brett Hundley twice and was a major factor in the Vikings shutout win over the Packers.

In fact, his efforts have been recognized for this game, as he earned the NFC Defensive Player of the Week honor for Week 16 according to the official Twitter account of the Minnesota Vikings.

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As previously mentioned, Smith’s two interceptions were the highlights of his performance, but he was also a grinder during the game. He led the Vikings in tackles according to the ESPN box score, tying Eric Kendricks with 8 each but having one more solo tackle than the linebacker and adding a tackle for a loss.

This adds more fuel to the fire for a man who is Pro Football Focus’ top-graded safety for the 2017 season heading into Week 17 yet failed to be named to the Pro Bowl by fans, coaches, and his peers.

Fans of Minnesota know just how valuable Smith is to the team’s defense and what a game changer he can be, but it appears as though the rest of the league is sleeping on the physical safety this year.

Next: Ups and Downs from Week 16 at Packers

Harrison Smith should continue to be a force at Safety in Week 17 and beyond for the Minnesota Vikings, being a key part of what makes their defense one of the most feared units in the NFL. Congratulations to Smith on earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 16!