The Minnesota Vikings’ come-from-behind 39-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers was as miraculous a win as you’ll ever see. They scored 29 unanswered points in the final 20:09 minutes of the contest.
The defense spearheaded the comeback with two takeaways in the span of five plays midway through the fourth quarter. However, not everything went as planned on that side of the ball.
Notably, their rookie class didn’t provide nearly as much of an impact as expected in the season opener. Fullback Max Bredeson actually led the class in snaps with 24. Their five (active) rookies on the defensive side of the ball saw a combined 38 snaps.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores provided some insight into Minnesota’s mindset in that regard when speaking to reporters this afternoon.
“I think every game is a little bit different,” Flores said. “If we’re going to go down, we’re going to go down with our best players. We had plans for [Jake] Golday to get in and Chuck D [Demmings] to get in, but those plans kind of went awry based on how the game went. Those guys are still practicing at a level that we feel would allow them to get in the game and play, but when you’re in the moment it’s kind of like ‘eh’.”
He also added, “Not that we don’t have confidence in those guys. We do. It just doesn’t work out sometimes.”
Caleb Banks Played Fewer Snaps Than Domonique Orange
Domonique Orange’s 22 snaps were the second-most snaps among Vikings rookies (and most on defense). Meanwhile, first-round selection Caleb Banks only played 16 snaps.
The discrepancy isn’t all that surprising if you’ve been paying attention to the Vikings’ preseason contests. However, it’s still a noteworthy development to watch as the season progresses.
Orange made the most of his opportunities, as well. He was a key reason why they stopped the Packers on a key fourth-and-short midway through the fourth quarter. That stand was essential to their ability to mount the furious comeback they did.
He wasn’t shy in voicing his excitement over that play, either. “Absolutely I knew it was going to be [a sneak],” Orange said. “Fourth-and-1 and you have a rookie in front of you? If I was a quarterback, I’d try that too. But they don’t know about Big Citrus yet.”
Two Hyped-Up Rookies Didn’t See The Field At All
One of the more surprising developments is the fact that fifth-round selection Chuck Demmings and second-round selection Jake Golday didn’t see any playing time. The former could’ve helped shore up the back end, as they struggled to hold up in coverage early in the game.
Meanwhile, Golday is a hybrid DE/LB who many believe can develop into a weapon for Flores’ defense. Sure, Blake Cashman put together a standout performance, but he still could’ve made an impact as an extra rusher in one of the 10,000 blitz packages they sent at Green Bay throughout the contest.
VikingsOnSI’s Adam Carlson actually predicted that he’d play the most defensive snaps (25) among all rookie defenders leading up to the contest.
“The toughest player to predict among all of Minnesota’s draft picks is Jake Golday. Knowing how much he will fill in for Eric Wilson or Blake Cashman is hard enough, but the rookie will also sneak in some reps on the edge and likely play special teams, boosting his snap count to look huge,” Carlson wrote.
“That said, Golday should have the most defensive snaps of any Vikings draft pick this year. Despite not starting, the team sees him as a hybrid player who can contribute at multiple positions on defense as well as on special teams.”
While Golday has plenty of time to get in on the action this season, it was still surprising to see him not make a dent against the Packers, considering the blitz-heavy gameplan.
Vikings DC Brian Flores Gives Blunt Insight Into Rookie Playing Time Against The Packers