Defensive MVP – Honorable Mentions
Giving up 40 points is never good. However, there is an argument to be made for three turnovers and future Hall of Fame wide receiver Julio Jones making a big impact on a Vikings team with young corners and a pass-rush missing their best player, Danielle Hunter.
This game exposed many of the problems Minnesota has, but there are still some players who had strong performances against the Falcons and deserve some recognition for their efforts in Week 6.
Ifeadi Odenigbo – DE
Minnesota is still struggling without Hunter, but Ifeadi Odenigbo has been getting some production in his place. The pass rusher ended the day with five total tackles (two for a loss), 1.5 sacks, and three hits on Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan.
Anthony Harris – S
With so many receiving threats in this game for the Vikings to cover, Anthony Harris was asked to do a lot. He did a good job of stopping ball carriers eight times with five of them being unassisted. The safety added one pass breakup as well.
Jeff Gladney – CB
While his coverage still needs work, Jeff Gladney was everywhere on Sunday, stopping ball carriers while chasing some of the best offensive weapons in the league. He had 11 tackles on the day with nine of them being solo and 2.5 being for a loss. He was a big reason there weren’t bigger plays from the dangerous Atlanta offense.