Vikings Snap Counts vs. Bears: Big Roles For Sheldon Day, Troy Dye

The Vikings lost another close game on Monday night, falling 12-10 on a night where the Bears didn't score a single touchdown. This was an ugly game on both sides, filled with mistakes and uninspired offensive football. Despite Josh Dobbs throwing four interceptions, the Vikings still had a late lead and the football, but couldn't put the Bears away and wound up losing on Cairo Santos' fourth field goal.

Before we can fully flush the memory of that game, let's go over the home team's offensive and defensive snap counts to see what we can learn.

Vikings offensive snap counts vs. Bears (out of 55)

QB Josh Dobbs: 55
RT Brian O'Neill: 55
RG Ed Ingram: 55
LT Christian Darrisaw: 55
LG Dalton Risner: 55
C Garrett Bradbury: 55
WR Jordan Addison: 53
K.J. Osborn: 47
TE T.J. Hockenson: 44
WR Brandon Powell: 36
RB Alexander Mattison: 31
TE Josh Oliver: 21
RB Ty Chandler: 18
FB C.J. Ham: 11
TE Johnny Mundt: 7
WR Jalen Nailor: 6
WR N'Keal Harry: 1

This is the exact group of 17 offensive players who saw the field in Week 11 against the Broncos. Powell's WR3 role was even larger in this game, and he was the team's second-leading receiver with 45 yards on just three catches. Justin Jefferson is set to return after the bye, but Powell has been so effective that it's hard to imagine he won't still have some sort of role on offense (perhaps by eating into Osborn's snaps a bit).

Mattison out-snapped Chandler 31-18, was much more effective as a runner, and didn't fumble at all, so his grasp on the lead job appears to be pretty firm once again. That doesn't mean Chandler won't remain involved, it just means the idea of him taking over the top spot looks unlikely.

Harry was waived this week to make room for Jefferson on the active roster. Nailor will unlikely to see the field as WR5 upon JJ's return.

Vikings defensive snap counts vs. Bears (out of 68)

S Camryn Bynum: 68
S Harrison Smith: 68
CB Byron Murphy Jr: 68
S Josh Metellus: 68
LB Ivan Pace Jr: 68
OLB D.J. Wonnum: 67
CB Mekhi Blackmon: 65
OLB Danielle Hunter: 63
DT Harrison Phillips: 48
DT Jonathan Bullard: 42
OLB Pat Jones II: 28
LB Troy Dye: 26
DT Sheldon Day: 20
S Theo Jackson: 17
LB Anthony Barr: 13
DT Khyiris Tonga: 9
DT Jaquelin Roy: 6
CB Andrew Booth Jr: 4

Blackmon got another start in Akayleb Evans' absence and played fairly well against the Bears, although his lack of size sometimes showed up when he tried to shed blocks against the run. Evans figures to return in Week 14, pushing Blackmon back to the CB3 role.

Interestingly, Day made his Vikings debut and was the No. 3 DT behind Phillips and Bullard. The 29-year-old journeyman was effective in Dean Lowry's usual role, recording a fumble recovery to go along with three tackles and a pressure. Tonga and Roy didn't see the field much.

At linebacker, Dye was the No. 2 option behind Pace, who again played every snap. Barr's role remained the same as it was in his season debut against the Broncos — but the veteran made the most of his snaps with a key fumble recovery.

Jackson was on the field for 17 snaps in four-safety looks, which the Vikings are pretty unique in utilizing.

Hunter, Wonnum, and Jones combined for 18 pressures from the OLB position.

Top 11 in special team snaps

Jay Ward: 17
Troy Dye: 17
Theo Jackson: 13
Brian Asamoah II: 12
C.J. Ham: 11
Andre Carter II: 10
Pat Jones II: 10
Johnny Mundt: 10
Nick Vigil: 16
Lewis Cine: 8
Josh Metellus: 8
Kene Nwangwu: 8

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