Minnesota Vikings First Quarter Review: Offensive MVPs

First Quarter Offensive MVP

Adam Thielen, WR

Let’s not go back into Adam Thielen’s extraordinary history as an undrafted NFL player.  Let’s dive instead into the data and science of his superlative play.

The dude’s a baller.  Beginning with the fact that his numbers through four weeks project to 160 catches for 1892 yards and eight touchdowns on the season, Thielen has made himself available to Viking quarterback Kirk Cousins in the most crucial circumstances and under the most pressure. 

Can you forget the pylon catch at the end of regulation in the Packers game?  Name five guys in the NFL that haul that pass in.  A hands-in-his-face basket catch where Thielen had to keep his heels in play while his body fell out of bounds.  Incredible.

Thielen is considered one the best pass pattern runners in the game.  He is also one of the most reliable on third-and-long. Without him, Cousins would be playing with one hand.  Thielen makes his fellow receiver Stefon Diggs better by leading by example, and he makes his team better by busting his butt on every play.

In addition, with a 1-2-1 start to the first quarter of the season, he has shown a slightly nasty, competitive attitude on the field that will behoove the Vikings’ in weeks to come.  Take a look at replays of how Thielen responds to being told by the refs that he had to leave the field for concussion protocol after taking a knee to the head late in the Rams’ game.

You didn’t want to mic that up.