5 Minnesota Vikings players to watch in Week 7 vs. Detroit Lions

Pat Elflein – LG

Pat Elflein is having a down season. He is the weakest link on the Minnesota Vikings offensive line and it seems like he allows at least one sack every single game. He is really struggling in pass protection but actually hasn’t been all that great in the run game either.

It’s unclear why Elflein is playing so badly. He should be fully recovered from his ankle and shoulder injuries but maybe he just lost confidence since then or is afraid of getting injured again. The Lions have a formidable defensive line with guys like A’Shawn Robinson and Snacks Harrison on it. Elflein has struggled with these types of big powerful defenders all season long, so he could be in for another shoddy performance.

If Elflein has another bad game against the Lions it may be time for the Vikings to demote him. They have guys like Brett Jones, Dakota Dozier, and even the rookie Dru Samia that they could use instead and wouldn’t be much of a drop off if any at all.

There really is no good reason to keep Elflein in the lineup if he’s going to continue to allow defenders to blow past him and then just watch as his quarterback gets crushed.

This game could very well be Elflein’s last chance this season, and if he doesn’t improve, he may find himself allocated to the bench.