Minnesota Vikings MVPs: Week 15 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
By Adam Carlson
Defensive MVP – Honorable Mentions
In a game with seven turnovers, it’s hard not to praise every single member of the Minnesota Vikings defense for a job well done against a team that was consistently getting pressure and making plays on a regular basis.
Allowing only one touchdown and one field goal on the day, Minnesota deserves a ton of praise for their efforts, but here are some individuals who deserve a little extra recognition.
Here are some of the defensive standouts from this game who weren’t quite the MVP from Week 15 against the Chargers:
- Danielle Hunter, defensive end – This was a big game for Hunter, who continues to prove why he’s among the league’s best pass rushers. He got a lot of pressure, forcing a fumble, recovering a fumble, and getting one sack. He ended the day with five tackles, four of them solo.
- Harrison Smith, safety – Smith ended the game second in tackles for the Vikings, bringing down six ball carriers, five of them being solo efforts and one for a loss. He also recovered a fumble and had an interception on the day, giving him an all-around great effort on the day.
- Eric Kendricks, linebacker – Tackling is Kendricks’ strong suit. Once again, he led the team in tackles with seven, five of those solo. The mobility of Kendricks is incredible, allowing him to prowl the line of scrimmage and sniff out ball carriers.
- Anthony Barr, linebacker – Speaking of players at the line of scrimmage, Barr had a nose for the football. He made 1.5 tackles for a loss as part of his four total tackles, helping to give the Vikings great position on third down to make stops and get the ball back…or, better yet. force the Chargers to make mistakes.