Vikings Blake Cashman Instrumental In Win Over Packers

Kyler Murray left with a concussion. Christian Watson ripped off an 81-yard touchdown. Carson Wentz, the veteran backup was charged with getting the Vikings back in the game. Jordan Love had the passing game clicking and looked headed to victory.

But something changed.

It is easy to paint a hero of the game to someone on the offense. Wentz kept Minnesota in the game with timely throws in big spots and threw for 3 touchdowns. Justin Jefferson did what Justin Jefferson does and looked like his old self with 8 receptions, 92 yards and hauling in 2 touchdowns. That was awesome to see, but not really the reason for the Vikings getting back into the game even though it played a part.

Blake Cashman and the Vikings defense turned everything upside down on the Packers Sunday afternoon.

In the 4th quarter Green Bay had an opportunity to extend the lead again. When the score was 22-17 and Minnesota seemed to have pulled to within five, the Packers went right back down the field. The Packers threw out their field goal kicker on 4th and 6 and punched through a field goal.

Packers extended the lead to 25-17, but there was an offsides. Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur opted to go for it on fourth down! They ended the season last year with the Bears charging back from 21-3 and defeating them in their last game in 2025.

Perhaps the thought process was go for the throat, and put the game away.

Minnesota had other plans. They stuffed the sneak by Jordan Love with Vikings 3rd round pick Domonique Orange clogging the line of scrimmage. What an impact play in your first game!

Brian Flores has ILB Blake Cashman on the field as his defensive play caller. As a veteran, and since being in Minnesota, he has really become a nucleus of the defense. He is the “Green Dot” communicator that like Harrison Smith, makes it like another coach on the field. He is a high-IQ player with talent who knows where his teammates need to be. He makes it easy for Brian Flores to concoct defensive schemes and can trust Blake on the field to be able to get the defense in the right spots.

Blake did that especially well in the second half.

Since being down 22-10, the defense started to play better, but that stop on 4th down was the moment it all changed.

Now, for Packers fans wanting to blame the referees, that next drive did have a couple calls go Minnesota’s way that definitely assisted in the go ahead score. Not going to argue whether they should or should not have been called. It extended the drive and allowed Jordan Mason to run in for 1 of his 2 touchdowns of the day and give Minnesota the 25-22 lead. There was now “blood in the water.”

The offense finished 4-for-4 in the red zone on the day. That is great! All of that was real. None of it happens though if Cashman does not collapse Green Bay’s protection, by putting the defense in the right position with communication and his play.

The very next Green Bay possession went like this.

Tackle for loss, with Cashman and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins on the play.

Sack by Dallas Turner with a forced fumble recovered by Green Bay.

Sack by Andrew Van Ginkel and Blake Cashman with a fumble recovery by Van Ginkel at the Packers 1 yard line!

The Vikings then had Jordan Mason punch it in for his second touchdown of the day to go up 32-22.

Cashman finished with seven tackles, five of them solo, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a half-sack. Those numbers don’t just pop, but were impactful in turning the tide of the game. That includes his tipped Jordan Love pass that ended in a James Pierre interception. Blake Cashman was also the highest rated player for the Vikings on the day with a 91.8 PFF score.

PFF ratings don’t mean everything, but do have an indication of good play. According to Next Gen Stats, Blake Cashman generated seven quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds) against the Packers, the most by an off-ball linebacker in a game since at least 2018. Cashman averaged 1.88 seconds to pressure across his eight total pressures.

Blake is in his last year of his contract with Minnesota at 30 years old, but as shown yesterday still has a lot of good play in him left. A University of Minnesota alum as well, and born in Eden Prairie, it is likely Cashman hopes to remain in Minnesota.

As a Viking fan, I hope Blake Cashman retires in purple, and we get a contract done during the season.