Inside The Vikings

Vikings' Camryn Bynum Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

It's the second consecutive week where a Vikings player has won the award.
Will Ragatz|
Vikings' Camryn Bynum Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week
Vikings' Camryn Bynum Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

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Minnesota Vikings

For the second consecutive week, a Vikings player has taken home NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after a multi-takeaway performance. First it was Jordan Hicks against the Bears. This week, the award goes to safety Camryn Bynum, who had the biggest game of his career in the Vikings' upset win over the 49ers on Monday night.

Bynum was involved in a huge early turnover when he tackled Christian McCaffrey and Harrison Smith punched the ball out. He led the Vikings with nine tackles. And when the game was on the line, he came up with huge interceptions not once, but twice.

With 5:30 left and the Vikings clinging to a 22-17 lead that felt quite unsafe, Bynum dove to snag a stray ball over the middle of the field when Brock Purdy and Jauan Jennings weren't on the same page. It was his first interception of the season.

Due to a Greg Joseph missed field goal, the 49ers got the ball back with the score unchanged and just over a minute on the clock. In desperation mode, Purdy stepped up in the pocket and fired another ball over the middle. Bynum, who had seen it the whole way, leapt up and grabbed another pick to seal a massive victory for the Vikings. It was a redeeming moment for the third-year safety, who mistimed his jump on a potential interception a couple weeks earlier against the Chiefs.

From start to finish, this was an incredible, game-winning type of performance from Bynum, who has thrived this season under Brian Flores after perhaps being misused last year by Ed Donatell. Bynum ranks fifth in the league with 69 tackles, and his 85.7 PFF grade ranks fourth among 71 safeties who have played at least 200 snaps.

"All year long, his tackling has really jumped out," Kevin O'Connell said. "He's been consistently right around, if not near the Top 5 in tackling in the NFL. He's in a different kind of position than he was a year ago where he played a little bit more in the deep part consistently, but when we ask him to do that now, (Harrison Smith) or (Josh) Metellus around the line of scrimmage, Cam still is really, really good around the deep part of field both times tonight. That last interception was, as far as him going up to get it, very tip of his fingers, looked familiar going back it the Kansas City game. He makes that play. That's what I'm just so proud of our guys. Not worrying one bit about what has transpired but letting that fuel us."

After his breakout game on national TV, Bynum — who is always repping his Filipino roots — used the platform to ask for help with his wife's visa issues. He got married in the Philippines earlier this year and his wife is currently stuck over there, unable to come to the U.S. and watch him play.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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