5 Bold Predictions: Minnesota Vikings vs. Washington Redskins – Week 8
By Chris Schad
Johnson will score another touchdown
The Vikings will come into Thursday’s game shorthanded as it appears that Adam Thielen will be out with a hamstring injury. Although the star wide receiver is optimistic that he’ll be able to play, it just doesn’t make sense to risk further injury against a team that Minnesota should be able to handle easily.
That means that someone on the Vikings’ paper-thin receiving corps will have to step up. Since it remains unlikely we’ll ever see Laquon Treadwell‘s breakout game, the most logical candidate is Bisi Johnson.
The rookie from Colorado State took his opportunity and ran with it against the Lions last Sunday, catching four passes for 40 yards and his first career touchdown. His matchup on Thursday suggests that there’s room for more as he’ll likely go up against Jimmy Moreland and Fabian Moreau for most of the night.
Both Moreland and Moreau have struggled this season for the Washington defense. Moreland has allowed a 132.7 passer rating when targeted in slot coverage (fourth-worst among qualifiers) and Moreau has allowed 16 receptions on 19 targets this year.
With Josh Norman sitting out last week with injuries to his thigh and hands (and him not being effective while healthy), the Redskins secondary should be ripe for the picking and Johnson (along with Stefon Diggs) should be able to take advantage.