The Minnesota Vikings failed to capitalize on an opportunity to control their own destiny by losing a tough game in overtime to the Cincinnati Bengals by a score of 27-24 in overtime.
How you think the defense performed is going to depend on your opinion of the fourth quarter and overtime. The Vikings entered the fourth quarter up 17-3 but allowed 24 points the rest of the way. Now, some of it was a little bit lucky, especially the second of Tee Higgins’ touchdowns. Sometimes, you just get beat and that was the end of the game for the Vikings defense.
The grades for the offense are in from Pro Football Focus and reflect both well and poorly.
Top 5 overall grades
- CB Byron Murphy Jr.: 83.5
- NT Sheldon Day: 76.5
- S Harrison Smith: 65.0
- OLB D.J. Wonnum: 64.6
- CB Akayleb Evans: 64.1
Bottom 5 overall grades
- S Camryn Bynum: 34.0
- OLB Pat Jones II: 49.6
- DE Jaquelin Roy: 50.3
- ILB Troy Dye: 50.8
- DE Jonathan Bullard: 52.7
Top 5 run defense grades
- CB Byron Murphy Jr.: 92.5
- ILB Troy Dye: 76.0
- NT Sheldon Day: 73.7
- S Camryn Bynum: 70.2
- OLB D.J. Wonnum: 76.5
Bottom 5 run defense grades
- OLB Danielle Hunter: 45.4
- CB Akayleb Evans: 49.5
- S Josh Metellus: 50.4
- DE Jonathan Bullard: 52.5
- DE Jaquelin Roy: 54.6
Top 5 pass rush grades
- OLB D.J. Wonnum: 70.7
- OLB Danielle Hunter: 66.7
- CB Byron Murphy Jr.: 66.6
- S Harrison Smith: 66.5
- NT Sheldon Day: 69.5
Bottom 5 pass rush grades
- ILB Troy Dye: 49.8
- S Josh Metellus: 52.7
- NT Harrison Phillips: 53.4
- DE Jaquelin Roy: 55.2
- OLB Pat Jones II: 56.1
Top 5 coverage grades
- CB Byron Murphy Jr.: 72.7
- CB Akayleb Evans: 67.5
- S Josh Metellus: 62.1
- S Harrison Smith: 60.8
- S Theo Jackson: 60.6
Bottom 5 coverage grades
- S Camryn Bynum: 32.1
- OLB D.J. Wonnum: 36.3
- ILB Troy Dye: 42.0
- OLB Pat Jones II: 44.7
- OLB Danielle Hunter: 49.6
Top 5 tackling grades
- S Harrison Smith: 81.6
- ILB Ivan Pace Jr.: 81.3
- OLB D.J. Wonnum: 76.5
- OLB Pat Jones II: 75.5
- CB Mekhi Blackmon: 72.8
Bottom 5 tackling grades
- S Josh Metellus: 41.3
- CB Akayleb Evans: 44.1
- S Camryn Bynum: 47.2
- ILB Troy Dye: 49.1
- OLB Danielle Hunter: 54.6
