When the Vikings entered the season the biggest question, outside of the run game, was if the offensive line would take a step forward. So far through four weeks they have, even with Ed Ingram making costly mistakes.
“All the metrics, so far, would tell you that they have a good offensive line,” said Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller in the latest Purple Insider Extra.
Believe it Vikings fans. Through the first four weeks of the season Kirk Cousins in the seventh least pressured quarterback in the league. That’s without an effective run game to take keep opposing defenses honest.
“The thing is that Vikings fans have been so beaten down by guards giving up pressure that every single time a guard gives up a pressure, or a center, it’s ‘Look at our offensive line. It’s not good enough,'” continued Coller. “The Carolina game is a great example. The offensive line had a phenomenal day. They pushed the Panthers all over the place in the run game and Kirk Cousins was pressured five times in 20-something drop backs. He was not under duress a whole lot but one big mistake on one play ended up causing a turnover.”
Despite a stuttering offense, Kirk Cousins was sacked just once and hurried just twice all afternoon in Carolina.
“I think that that’s where the difference is between what the metrics say on the whole. Which is that they’re very good,” continued Coller. “[Pro Football Focus] has them in the top-5 so far in the NFL. Versus the mistakes that they have made have been very costly. We saw that against Carolina.”
“So, it doesn’t mean that the Vikings have the 1992 Dallas Cowboys but the tackles are so good,” said Coller. “Brian O’Neill has comeback excellent off of his Achilles injury late last year and [Christian] Darrisaw is continuing to prove that he’s an all-world player. I also think that Austin Schlottmann at center, has filled in pretty admirably. But what’s happening at right guard has been problematic.”
While the Vikings have graded out well there is still the Ed Ingram problem. The Vikings’ 2022 second-round pick has followed up a historically bad season in 2022 with the same issues in the first quarter of the 2023 season.
“Ed Ingram, once again, is one of the league leaders in sacks [allowed], one of the league leaders in QB hits and one the league leaders in QB pressures [allowed],” Coller pointed out. “So when you have this weak-link it stands out quite a bit.”
The question is, are they going to continue with Ingram, and hope that he carries over a little what happened in Carolina which on the whole was a good performance, or are they going to go to Dalton Risner,” asked Coller. “So far we don’t have answers on that but if they do have Risner in there, based on his previous performance where he was an above average pass blocker, you could have five guys across the line, and with Garrett Bradbury likely coming back that are a very solid group.”
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was hesitant this week to say whether a change would be coming, now that Dalton Risner has had a couple weeks to absorb the Vikings offense.
“That doesn’t mean that they are the best offensive line of all time but they should not prevent this offense being very, very good throughout the season,” Coller said.
