Minnesota Vikings Best and Worst: Week 16 vs. New Orleans Saints
By Adam Carlson
The Best
While the 2020 NFL season has been a bit of a wash for the Minnesota Vikings, there are some great reasons to be excited about the future of this team. One of the best things to be optimistic about is the offensive youth on the team’s roster.
Justin Jefferson is the talk of the town. The rookie wide receiver is breaking franchise records and should be considered one of the top candidates for offensive rookie of the year. His performance in this game saw him catch six passes for 85 yards, but he also faced some double teams with the Saints making it a point to attempt to contain him.
Aside from Jefferson, Minnesota saw Irv Smith Jr. step up again with Kyle Rudolph being out against New Orleans. At 22 years old, Smith has a bright future ahead of him and this week’s stat line of six catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns goes further to help his supporters.
Of course, 25-year-old Dalvin Cook added 73 yards on 15 carries and one rushing touchdown to go with two catches for 12 yards. Plus, there is also hope that Ezra Cleveland from the 2020 NFL Draft will develop into a solid lineman for Minnesota.