Three Unsung Heroes From the Vikings' Upset Win Over the Packers

The Vikings' unexpected 28-22 victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday was – as most wins are – headlined by several of the team's biggest names.

Dalvin Cook is the obvious top story after scoring all four of Minnesota's touchdowns in a historically dominant performance. Defensively, linebacker Eric Kendricks was Cook-like in his own right, flying all over the field and leading a depleted unit to four stops on five second-half Packers possessions. Kendricks got help from veteran safeties Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris, each of whom broke up an Aaron Rodgers fourth-down pass attempt late in the game.

Of course, a great deal of credit goes to head coach Mike Zimmer, who has always advocated for a run-heavy offense and made everything happen on defense despite playing seven rookies on that side of the ball.

But this upset victory required contributions from up and down the roster. Here are four unsung heroes from a windy afternoon in Green Bay that kept hopes alive for the Vikings in 2020 – for now, at least.

DE Jalyn Holmes

As Zimmer noted on Monday, the Vikings' defensive line played at a very high level against the Packers. Perhaps motivated by the Yannick Ngakoue trade, that group helped hold the Packers to 4.5 yards per carry and supplied an effective amount of pressure on Rodgers.

One player in particular who deserves more praise for his performance is third-year defensive end Jalyn Holmes. The former Ohio State Buckeye has struggled to make an impact throughout his time in Minnesota, but he seized this opportunity to step into the starting lineup and came up huge. Playing 61 of the Vikings' 74 defensive snaps – more than anyone else on the D-line – Holmes led the team with five pressures. He was strong against both the run and the pass, stepping up as a leader up front and filling the void left by Ngakoue.

The final play of the game is the perfect example of Holmes being an unsung hero. He gets away from Corey Linsley's block and flushes Rodgers out to the right, where D.J. Wonnum was able to hit him from behind for the game-winning forced fumble.

.@DWonnum with the FINISHER!!!

📱: https://t.co/EYGyNNg0Yf pic.twitter.com/ih7Y5cD2wh
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 1, 2020

All four of the Vikings' defensive ends made their mark on the game. Wonnum had four pressures, Ifeadi Odenigbo was outstanding against the run, and Hercules Mata'afa also took advantage of a rare opportunity with four pressures. But Holmes was the catalyst of that group in a strong performance that he'll look to build on against the Lions.

The entire offensive line

I could pick from a few specific offensive linemen to discuss here, but it feels right to praise all five as one unit. This was, without question, the best game of the season for the Vikings' much-maligned O-line, which paved the way for Cook's 226-yard day. The Vikings ran the ball on 34 of their 52 plays, and the quintet up front executed Gary Kubiak and Rick Dennison's scheme to near perfection.

"It was a blast," Garrett Bradbury said. "You’re kind of imposing your will, and that’s every lineman’s dream. And that’s definitely how this offense is built — to run the ball, play-action. We can hurt you a bunch of different ways. But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We were running the ball well and Coach Kubiak was trusting us. He was leaning on us, and Dalvin was being Dalvin."

On Minnesota's 18 passing plays, the O-line was even better. They weren't charged with allowing a single pressure or sack, which hadn't happened since 2008. It's a small sample size, and the Packers did sack Kirk Cousins when Dean Lowry rushed unblocked due to a miscommunication, but it's still an impressive accomplishment.

The Vikings' four highest-graded players on offense were Cook and three linemen: Riley Reiff, Ezra Cleveland, and Brian O'Neill. Bradbury and Dakota Dozier played well, too. The most notable performance came from Cleveland, the rookie who was making just his second career start. After a shaky debut against the Falcons, the Vikings' new right guard showed off his immense potential in Green Bay.

To appreciate some of the excellence of Cleveland and the offensive line's outing, check out this great breakdown from Brian Baldinger.

Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak

Though he wasn't the primary culprit, I do think Kubiak deserved a fair amount of blame for the Vikings' 1-5 start to the season. The play-action rate has been down from last season and it seemed like his play-calling lacked a certain level of creativity and gusto.

But let's give credit where it's due: Kubiak called a phenomenal game on Sunday. Understanding the windy conditions, he was content to ride his superstar running back all afternoon long. Cook touched the ball on 32 of the Vikings' 52 offensive snaps, with both Kubiak and Zimmer doing well to make him the focal point of their attack. Even though the Vikings were running the ball so much, they didn't get predictable in doing so. Kubiak employed an effective mix of inside and outside runs, with Cook following his blocks and attacking gaps all across the formation.

Kubiak also dialed up the screen pass that Cook took to the house, called the play that saw Chad Beebe get wide open on a big third-down conversion, and was money when the Vikings down near or into the red zone. Days like Sunday are why Zimmer was thrilled when Kubiak accepted the OC job this offseason.

Honorable mentions

C.J. Ham
The tight ends (Irv Smith Jr. and Kyle Rudolph)
The defensive tackles (Shamar Stephen and Jaleel Johnson)
Eric Wilson
Andre Patterson
Dan Bailey for making all four extra points in crazy wind
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst for not drafting a receiver in the first round

Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis. Also, click the follow button in the upper right-hand corner of this page (mobile users, tap the bell icon – you may have to click ‘News’ first), leave comments below, and follow me on Twitter.