Last week’s preseason game in Seattle showcased a promising first half for the second units on both offense and defense for the Vikings. That was followed by a second half that showed that Minnesota can’t expect too much out of third- and fourth-stringers. As the Vikings preseason rolls on with a game against Tennessee, there are a few trends to watch. One of the key ones will be if the Vikings pass rush under Brian Flores can keep up their momentum.
Vikings Preseason Week 2: Pass Rush Looks to Keep Momentum
The Second Unit Pass Rush
It was awesome to watch the Vikings backup defensive lineman harass Drew Lock throughout the first half last week. Guys like Pat Jones and Luiji Vilain were living in the backfield early in the game. It felt like the defense as a whole was taking on the aggressive personality that Flores has been preaching. It was certainly a welcome sight after Vikings fans had to watch Ed Donatell coach like he was afraid of his own shadow last season.
None of the Vikings starters played on the defensive line in the first week of preseason and the same should be expected against the Titans. Tennessee Head Coach Mike Vrabel also typically doesn’t tend to play starters during the preseason. That should again allow the guys fighting for spots in the regular season pass rush rotation a chance to shine. There isn’t currently a proven edge rush talent behind Danielle Hunter on Minnesota’s roster. If free agent acquisition Marcus Davenport disappoints there could be a big opportunity for the guys making preseason impacts.
Jaren Hall’s Playing Time
It was interesting to see Nick Mullens play the entire first half of last week’s game in Seattle. Given that he’s considered to have a solid grip on the backup quarterback role, the prominent thought was that rookie Jaren Hall would see some snaps with the backups prior to the half. Instead, Hall was relegated to playing with the 3s and 4s exclusively in the second half.
The talent level and execution around Hall was so poor that it was difficult to give him a proper grade. He was regularly running for his life and had to throw more than a few balls away as a result. It was promising to see him remain patient despite the chaos around him; it’s better to give up on a play than throw a needless jump ball when guys aren’t breaking open. He also showed off his impressive speed extending plays toward the sideline after his pocket inevitably broke down. It would be great to see what Hall looks like with a few more seconds to get rid of the ball to receivers that can actually run a route tree. Hopefully, Hall gets that chance against Tennessee.
Andrew Booth’s Place in the Pecking Order
Cornerback Andrew Booth was Minnesota’s second-round pick in last year’s draft and was considered a steal by many analysts at the time. That’s why it was a bit jarring to see Booth get relegated to second-half duty against Seattle last week. Part of that could certainly be that he’s just starting to practice after returning from some lingering injuries. It does however make it feel that he’s behind other young corners on the roster like Mekhi Blackmon. Especially with Blackmon shining in his first preseason action, Booth has his work cut out for him.
Minnesota’s secondary was one of the league’s worst a season ago, and last year’s starters are all gone. The Vikings desperately need Booth and their other young corners to prove they can make an impact in the league. General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also doesn’t want to see both of his first two draft picks earn the bust label. Booth playing well in front of the home crowd Saturday would provide hope that he can stave that designation off.
Ivan Pace’s Second Act
Linebacker Ivan Pace has been the most talked about player at Vikings camp since it opened in July. The wind might have come out of those sails a little bit following his first Vikings preseason game. He wasn’t abysmal, but he also didn’t really pop on tape either. As an undrafted free agent pushing for serious playing time in his rookie year, he’ll have to show more.
Tennessee loves to run the football and will feature two young quarterbacks that are very prone to mistakes. That should give Pace the perfect opportunity to create the splash plays that were missing a week ago. If he can come up with a turnover or a few impactful tackles, it will help lend credence to the storm of hype that’s been surrounding Pace this summer.
Main Photo: Brad Rempel – USA Today Sports
