5 most surprising Minnesota Vikings stats of the 2019 season
By Dustin Baker
Three unlikely pass-catchers led the NFC North in catch percentage: Kyle Rudolph, Irv Smith Jr., and Bisi Johnson.
Of the wide receivers and tight ends within the NFC North division that hauled in at least twenty-five receptions, Kyle Rudolph (81.3%), Irv Smith Jr. (76.6%), and Bisi Johnson (68.9%) topped the division in catch percentage. Rounding out the top five were the Lions Marvin Jones (68.1%) and the Packers Allen Lazard (67.3%).
One can debate if this sure-handedness was a consequence of talent–or the byproduct of Kirk Cousins putting the ball on target. The answer is likely a combination of both. Cousins is, after all, the second-most accurate quarterback in NFL history.
The excitement embedded in this statistic is the notion that two men under the age of 22 were so reliable. That’s not necessarily unprecedented, but it was unforeseen.
For context, 18 NFC North players qualified for this metric. The top three were Minnesota Vikings.