Top Minnesota Vikings Rookies: Week 14 vs. the Detroit Lions

How did the Minnesota Vikings rookies perform during the team’s dominant 20-7 win against the Detroit Lions on Sunday?

It may not have been exciting or all that pretty, but the Minnesota Vikings did what they needed to do and got a key victory against the Detroit Lions in Week 14 as they continue to battle for a playoff spot.

The Vikings offense was a little out of whack all day long, but the defense stepped up in a big way and carried the team after being part of the reason they lost to the Seattle Seahawks last week. Overall, it was a good team effort by Minnesota and both sides of the ball did enough to beat a hapless opponent at home.

The Vikings rookies made some good contributions in the victory over the Lions on Sunday. This week, all of the rookie production came on the offensive side of the football for Minnesota, as no rookie defender accumulated any stats. Rookie defensive tackle Armon Watts, who had been hot lately, was active but he didn’t produce anything that showed up on the stat sheet.

So that’ll put us on the offensive side of the football for this week’s rookie review. Not every Vikings offensive rookie made significant contributions on Sunday though.

Rookie wide receiver Alexander Hollins was active and even though he had a target, he was unable to haul in a reception from Kirk Cousins. Tight end Irv Smith Jr. had another quiet week from a production standpoint. He did have three catches, but they went for just 21 yards.

Smith almost broke away from a defender, but a Detroit defender was able to hang on to his jersey enough to slow him down until help came. It feels like Smith’s breakout game is coming any week now, but Sunday against the Lions wasn’t it.