The Minnesota Vikings traveled to Seattle to take on the Seahawks in their preseason opener on
Thursday night. Although the Vikings lost, when the majority of the players that will be on the roster next season were on the field, they looked dominant.
There was a lot to be excited for if you are a Vikings fan. The chance to see rookie wide receiver
Jordan Addison in live action and find out if undrafted rookie linebacker Ivan Pace Jr was as good as advertised in camp.
Neither disappointed. Even though Addison registered just one catch for 22 yards in his 3 drives, he looked electric. He had one incredible catch ruled out because the referee said he was out but he was very much in. Addison caught a dart on the sideline and dragged his feet to complete the catch.
He ran just 13 routes, but all of them ran to precision and created separation with relative ease.
The Vikings had the seventh-ranked offense in the league last season, with Addison opposite Justin Jefferson to provide another weapon for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will put a nightmare for any defense.
However, the issue for the Vikings last season wasn’t the offense. It was their 31st-ranked defense which made things harder for them and cost them in the playoffs last season. When Brian Flores came in as defensive coordinator in the offseason, he was expected to shift the approach to a more aggressive one and that was evident on Thursday night.
Again, they didn’t disappoint. The Minnesota Vikings’ defense was right in their opponents’ faces, pressing them and not giving them any room to maneuver. Undrafted rookie Ivan Pace Jr who has been running with the firsts in camp looked exciting. The former Cincinnati Bearcat plays much bigger than his size. He was everywhere, disrupting everything thing.
There is a lot to be optimistic about if you’re a Minnesota Vikings fan. The key addition on offense looked explosive and the defense looked a lot better. The Minnesota Vikings are in pole position to hold onto the NFC North, if they can continue to improve, they will be looking for much more than just a division title.