The Minnesota Vikings’ ferocious defensive end got off to an impressive start during the 2017 season by getting a sack in each of his first eight games.
After proving he was more than capable of being a full-time pass rusher when the Minnesota Vikings made him one of their starting defensive ends in 2014, Everson Griffen was rewarded this past summer with a lucrative contract extension that will likely keep him with the team for the remainder of his NFL career.
Apparently, Griffen’s new deal was motivating enough for him to take his play to an entirely new level in 2017.
The eight-year pro began his season with an impressive performance against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1. Griffen played a big part in the Vikings getting a victory over the Saints as he notched a total of six tackles (one for a loss), one sack, and one quarterback hit.
Despite Minnesota suffering a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2, their talented pass-rusher finished his day with four total tackles (two for a loss), two sacks, and three more hits on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Over the next six games, Griffen would find a way to finish each matchup with at least one sack. The Vikings defensive end notched a sack in eight-straight games, tying the team record held by both Jim Marshall and Jared Allen.
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After the first eight weeks of the 2017 season, Griffen’s 10 sacks were tied for the second most in the NFL.
Unfortunately, his sack streak came to an end during Minnesota’s Week 11 win over the Los Angeles Rams. However, Griffen did make up for his lack of sacks against the Rams by ending up with two during the Vikings’ very next matchup in Week 12 with the Detroit Lions.
In his last four games, the Minnesota pass-rusher has a total of just one sack. However, more of the Vikings’ opponents have been making an extra effort to prevent Griffen from wreaking havoc on them and that may have a little something to do with his decrease in production recently.
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His sack streak may have ended a few weeks ago, but his relentlessness to get to the opposing quarterback has not even come close to slowing down. When opposing offensive linemen take the field during the upcoming playoffs to face Minnesota’s defense, they all know that dealing with Griffen is going to be one of their toughest tasks of the day.