Edge Pressure Will Define the Opener For Minnesota
Credit: Jamie Saba\/Imagn Images
“Pressure busts a pipe.” This old saying rarely rings more true than it does when applied to the NFL’s version of a “pipe”: the subpar quarterback. If things run smoothly, an average signal caller can look like a Hall of Famer for a day. If they don’t, mistakes quickly get spilled all over the field.
As the Minnesota Vikings travel to New York to face the Giants in their first game of the season, we will see two quarterbacks who have historically fallen into this category.
Last season Daniel Jones completed 75.2% of his throws in a clean pocket; that number fell to 51% when pressured. In 2023 Darnold went from 67% to 50% when pressured. In their last full seasons (2023 for Jones and 2022 for Darnold) Jones’ numbers fell from 73.6% to 55.6% and Darnold’s from 66% to 46%.
It may seem overly simple, but given these numbers, Sunday’s season opener could easily come down to pressure off the edge.
Getting home will look different for the Vikings who have a brand-new pass rush off the edge. The group’s spearhead, Jonathan Greenard, is coming off a career year with the Texans in which he recorded 12.5 sacks and had a 22% pass rush win rate (6th best in the NFL). Adjacent to him will be the SEC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year Dallas Turner and an excellent rotational pass rusher in Andrew Van Ginkel. The unit is built to have all it needs to make things happen on the edge.
Their opponent, however, will be no easy challenge. Pro Bowl tackle Andrew Thomas has made a name for himself as one of the league’s best offensive tackles. Last season he allowed only 4 sacks sporting a 92% pass block win rate. Where the Vikings should expect to have more success is against Giants right tackle Jermaine Elumanor. Elumanor in his first season with the Giants has bounced around the league, but don’t get it confused, he’s still a solid tackle. Last season he allowed 26 pressures to Thomas’s 21.
On the other side of the ball, Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw will need to prove their status as one of the NFL’s best tackle duos. The Giants will present a strong challenge with new edge rusher, Brian Burns. The former Panther had a pass rush win rate of 21% last season, and his running mate Kayvon Thibodeaux recorded 11.5 sacks in 2023, just his sophomore season. Christian Darrisaw has historically fared well against talented edge rushers and he’ll certainly have to do it again on Sunday.
The back end is a major question mark for both teams. The DBs need all the help they can get and creating pressure on the opposing quarterback will shorten the amount of time they have to cover for, and maybe make up for some lost reps.
Unlike the Vikings however, the Giants wide receiver room is a weak one. The first-round rookie has the tools to be great, but it’s hard to break out in your first-ever NFL game. Jalin Hyatt, the Giant’s second wide receiver is a deep threat, but that’s about all he provides. Getting to Jones will make it harder for him to connect with a new rookie target and give him less time to let Hyatt’s downfield routes develop. The Vikings receivers are the biggest advantage the team has in the game, but it will be for not if Darnold isn’t given the time to comfortably get them the ball.
Winning on the edge is always imperative to winning a football game. It’s even more important in a game where both teams have major holes throughout their roster and the quarterbacks have a tendency to leak. If Minnesota can wreak havoc on Daniel Jones and protect against the Giants talented pass rushers they should be able to keep their team dry and flood the Giant’s sideline.
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