Viktor
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,552
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Regular-Season Statistics
Harrison Smith
84 total tackles (team stats) with 5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions and 12 passes defensed
Anthony Harris
60 total tackles (team stats) with 1 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery, 6 interceptions and 11 passes defensed
Jayron Kearse
27 total tackles (team stats), 1 interception and 6 passes defensed
Andrew Sendejo
12 total tackles (team stats), 2 interceptions and 2 passes defensed
Marcus Epps
1 total tackle (team stats)
Highest highs
1. Harris claimed NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after a monster game against the Falcons to start the 2019 campaign. He intercepted Matt Ryan in the first quarter at the 41-yard line to set up Minnesota's second touchdown of the game, recovered a fumble in the second quarter at the Minnesota 21 and picked off Ryan in the end zone in the third quarter to protect a 21-0 lead. The Vikings followed the second interception with another touchdown and 28-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
2. Smith recorded an interception and fumble recovery against the Chargers in Los Angeles. The pick was his second in as many weeks and marked the sixth time in his career in which he nabbed a pass in consecutive games. He also moved into third place among Vikings defensive backs all-time with 778 career tackles, according to team stats. Smith passed Carl Lee (702), Robert Griffith (714) and Antoine Winfield (769) along the way and trails only Tommy Hannon (1,056) and Joey Browner (987).
Lowest low
1. The Vikings run defense improved on average from 2018 to 2019, but Minnesota gave up a 91-yard touchdown at Kansas City when Damien Williams broke through the line, made a subtle cut to dodge Harris, who slipped, and ran past a diving tackle attempt by Smith. There are multiple factors that can or should happen in front of safeties before a play like the 91-yarder, but the last line of defense was unable to prevent the critical play that turned a six-point margin in favor of the Vikings into a 17-16 lead for the Chiefs in the third quarter.
"The ball just came in the air, and I did my best to track the ball and try to come down with it. I'm not a normal size for a DB, so being able to get up there and track the ball … I was reaching higher than anybody else was."
– Kearse on his interception at Dallas
"It's no surprise, it's who he's always been. I think people notice more when there's splash plays, but whether it's a splash play or whatever … even at the end of the game, he's making the stop on the 2-point conversion. It was a really good play. And both of his picks led to points, those are big-time plays in the NFL."
– Smith on Harris after Minnesota's Week 1 win over Atlanta in which Harris started a season opener for the first time and recorded two interceptions