The Minnesota Vikings will turn to tight end T.J. Hockenson to step up in a big way in Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins, but he could have trouble turning it over against a South Beach rookie.
Minnesota is dealing with a couple of key offensive injuries that could affect its passing and running game. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson and tight end Josh Oliver are out for the game, leaving more on Hockenson to be one of quarterback Kyler Murray's top receivers and to help block in the running game.
A key matchup for Hockenson could derail everything that the Vikings want to do against the winless Dolphins. The question is whether Hockenson can get it done against Jacob Rodriguez.
Minnesota Vikings' key to victory is T.J. Hockenson beating Jacob Rodriguez one-on-one
Rodriguez is not a linebacker to mess with or overlook, as he's already proven to be a tackling machine. He's got 28 tackles this season, but more importantly, his coverage is above average for a linebacker.
Through three games, he has allowed a passer rating of 63.3 and has gotten an interception this season. Pro Football Focus has his coverage grade at 66.7, ranking 25th out of 67 qualified linebackers.
Hockenson is coming off a very quiet game in the Vikings' 23-16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3. He only caught one pass for 11 yards in the win.
This season, Hockenson has caught nine passes for 76 yards and one touchdown in three games. PFF gave him a 56.6 overall, ranking 31st out of 34 tight ends.
It's been another year of Hockenson seeing a dip in his performance, which puts him up against a young, instinctive linebacker like Rodriguez, which might not help him. Still, there's a way to rattle the rookie into doing his job.
To get the running game going, the Vikings could use a bit of play action to get Rodriguez second-guessing. This should help Aaron Jones in the backfield when Minnesota wants to hand the ball off to him.
Also, sending Hockenson down on the seam routes will force Rodriguez to chase and cover Hockenson. The Vikings know they will have a size advantage with Hockenson over Rodriguez, so Murray can just throw it up in one-on-one coverage and let Hockenson win those battles.
Minnesota is favored to win, but Rodriguez looks like a future star in the NFL. Hockenson can humble him a bit with a strong performance and get back into the good graces of Vikings fans.
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