With so many focus on the identity of the Vikings starting quarter for 2025, it was easy to forget the upgrades made in order to strengthen the two melee lines. Especially in the middle.
In attack, the Vikings have a new center and two new guards. In defense, they have new defensive plasters. And both had a major impact on Monday evening.
Consider this statisticFrom Nick Olsen from VikingSterritory.com.
Against the Bears, the defensive platform Javon Hargrave underwent seven quarters of a quarter. This is most of all the interior defensive line players of the week 1. The defensive platform Jonathan Allen had six, tied in the second row.
Together, it’s 13 in a match.
Last year, the defensive plasters starting from the Vikings – Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard – combined to record 21 quarter -Arrière pressures. For the whole season.
Yes, the Bears Caleb Williams quarter-rear has always moved away from the pressure. Over the game, however, constant harassment seemed to affect it. Before the walls could start to close, Williams missed a widely open DJ Moore for a touchdown, a game after the tight winger Cole Kmet made an incredible taking of 31 yards to put Chicago to Minnesota 34 with 2:53 to play. If Williams had struck Moore, the Bears would have had much more time to try to force overtime, or perhaps to win the match in regulation.
Although the defense of the Vikings sometimes seemed to run in the mud – and despite real concerns about the quality of the blanket in the back – they kept the game near until the offense emerges from prolonged funk. Hargrave and Allen had a lot to do with that.
To move forward, they could help keep the Vikings at a striking distance if / when the offense is spraying. And they could help slam the door if the Vikings are two scores with 15 minutes to play.
