Stopping Derrick Henry
The Minnesota Vikings are currently giving up 154.5 yards-per-game on the ground through the first two weeks of the season. This is a problem that has to be rectified at the earliest possible opportunity.
Mike Zimmer prides himself on a physical defense that stops the run consistently. This has been the trademark of their success over the years, but being without Danielle Hunter and free-agent departures such as Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen has hurt them an untold amount.
If they were hoping for some sort of respite in Week 3, Minnesota might be out of luck.
They will be trying to stop the formidable Derrick Henry, who might not have hit the ground running during the early stages of the campaign. But he has the potential to be a real factor in this one.
There isn’t a lot you a defensive front can do when Henry is firing on all cylinders. He is a mammoth size for a back and has the speed to match. So trying to bring him down at the initial point of contact is almost impossible.
The influence of Eric Kendricks is going to be vital in the Vikings’ pursuit of thwarting Henry’s potential impact on proceedings. The All-Pro has to be around the running back whenever he gets the ball and must be a clinical tackling presence on the workhorse throughout.