5 Vikings Predictions for Week 4: Adam Thielen gets a TD, Cam Akers shines
By Chris Schad
Prediction No. 4
Bryce Young will shred the Vikings against the blitz
Brian Flores’s defense struggled to stop Justin Herbert last week, but even though Young has struggled in his first two starts, he could put up a similar performance on Sunday afternoon.
Young has had plenty of issues to start his career, but working against the blitz hasn’t been one of them, as he has completed 7-of-10 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown on 14 dropbacks against the blitz this season.
While this seems like a small sample size, Young was also efficient against the blitz during his final season at Alabama, compiling a 119.2 passer rating in 182 dropbacks.
If there’s one thing we can count on for Sunday’s game, it’s that Young’s portfolio against the blitz will continue to grow. The Vikings have blitzed on 63 percent of their defensive snaps this season but have only generated a 16.8 percent pressure rate.
With Marcus Davenport likely to miss his fourth straight game with an ankle injury, Flores is likely to keep throwing the kitchen sink, especially at a young quarterback.
This should open an avenue for Young to make some big plays and keep the Panthers in the game on Sunday.