The Viking Age
FanSided

Minnesota Vikings MVPs: Week 3 vs. Oakland Raiders

By Adam Carlson

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 22: Darren Waller #83 of the Oakland Raiders loses the ball as Xavier Rhodes #29 and Eric Kendricks #54 of the Minnesota Vikings tackle him during the third quarter of the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The ball was ruled down on the play. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 22: Darren Waller #83 of the Oakland Raiders loses the ball as Xavier Rhodes #29 and Eric Kendricks #54 of the Minnesota Vikings tackle him during the third quarter of the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The ball was ruled down on the play. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 08: Garrett Bradbury #56 of the Minnesota Vikings in the huddle in the second quarter of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 8, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Garrett Bradbury #56 of the Minnesota Vikings (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /

Offensive MVP – Honorable Mentions

After last week’s one-dimensional attack, the Minnesota Vikings offense was able to spread the ball around both through the air and on the ground in Week 3 against the Raiders. That means there are many more options out there for offense MVPs.

While not a candidate for MVP this week, Kirk Cousins looked like a completely different player than against Green Bay, showing the efficiency he lacked in Week 2 and hit numerous different targets in the game.

Even though these players weren’t named the MVP this week, here are some honorable mentions for the award:

  • Irv Smith Jr. – tight end: The rookie had an amazing game from several different stances. First of all, it was nice to see him make some catches and gain yards before going down. His three catches for 60 yards led the team. However, what was more impressive was his blocking downfield, which helped the run game in a big way.
  • Alexander Mattison – running back: It’s great to see another rookie on here this week. Mattison got his first NFL touchdown in this game on a hard running play that saw him go airborne. He ran the ball 12 times for 58 yards, including a 21-yard scamper.
  • Adam Thielen – wide receiver: This wasn’t a perfect day for Thielen, but he was a good target for Cousins, especially when he is streaking across the field. He only caught three passes on the day, but they added up to 55 yards and a score.
  • Ameer Abdullah – running back: While he didn’t do much on the offensive side of the ball, Abdullah deserves recognition for his efforts on special teams. Not only did he have a big tackle that put Oakland in bad position but he had a solid kickoff return for 25 yards.
  • Brian O’Neill – offensive tackle: Most of the pressure on Kirk Cousins this game came from either up the gut or the left side, allowing the quarterback to roll to his right. O’Neill held his own in the run game too, making holes even when Josh Kline left the game with a concussion.
Home/Minnesota Vikings News