Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Vikings defense shuts down Ekeler
Entering Sunday’s game, Minnesota knew that Chargers running back duo Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler could be problematic. The latter has proved an especially dangerous threat this season with his ability to make things happen on the ground as well as catch balls out of the backfield.
But the Vikings keyed in on stopping Ekeler, and it proved largely effective. The running back was limited to just 19 yards rushing on seven carries and added 62 yards on five receptions.
Mark Craig of the Star Tribune highlighted the Vikings plan against Ekeler in his observations piece following the game. Craig wrote:
A key to getting the Chargers offense out of whack was making sure someone stayed close enough to Austin Ekeler to give him a good whack before he got going.
“Honestly, we had to know every play where he was trying to hit us,” linebacker Eric Kendricks said after the Vikings’ 39-10 win in Los Angeles on Sunday. “He’s trying to go outside. Always. As soon as we see him heading outside, get to running with him.”
In a 45-10 win over the Jaguars last week, Ekeler touched the ball 12 times for 213 yards and broke by three touches Herschel Walker’s 1986 record for fewest needed to reach 100 yards rushing and receiving. Sunday, Ekeler had 12 touches for 81 yards. Philip Rivers tried to hit him on a deep wheel route one time, but Kendricks was there because “I knew pre-snap what they were going to do.”
Craig also highlighted Offensive Coordinator Kevin Stefanski’s “well-orchestrated play-calling,” saying the aspect was “overlooked” due to Minnesota’s flashy defensive performance.
It wasn’t a big yardage day (344), but the Vikings converted [50 percent] of their 14 third downs and didn’t give up a sack. Stefanski opened up with some side-to-side misdirection plays and a nice screen pass to fullback C.J. Ham that turned … Joey Bosa’s aggressive upfield rush in the Vikings favor. Later in the game, with third-string running back Mike Boone in the game because of injuries, the Vikings faced third-and-1. When Kirk Cousins faked to Boone and turned left, the Chargers were completely fooled, and [Cousins] had an open field in front of him. Up to that point, Cousins had a long run of 11 yards and a total of 49 in just 28 carries this season. He split two defenders for a 14-yard gain.