Christian Darrisaw and the Vikings' Offensive Line Keep Ascending
One great game can be a fluke. Three great games in a row probably means you're a great player.
Vikings second-year left tackle Christian Darrisaw had a third consecutive incredible outing in Sunday's win over the Bears, continuing his emergence as a star. Based on what he's putting on film right now, Darrisaw looks like a franchise cornerstone, a future All-Pro, and perhaps even the Vikings' second-best player behind Justin Jefferson. He needs to keep playing at an elite level to validate those lofty claims, but that's how good he's been in recent weeks.
Darrisaw broke out with a basically flawless game against the Lions in Week 3 and hasn't looked back since. He got a game ball from Kevin O'Connell on Sunday for his performance against Bears edge rusher Robert Quinn, who was second in the league with 18.5 sacks last year. Darrisaw hasn't allowed a sack all season, and O'Connell credited him for "showing up and attacking that (matchup against Quinn) and competing all day long."
PFF grades are an imperfect metric, but Darrisaw received an 82.9 grade against the Bears, highlighted by a 90.2 pass blocking grade. It was the second game in the last three weeks in which he didn't allow a single pressure. He's now PFF's No. 2 qualified tackle, trailing only the Giants' Andrew Thomas. In a year where Rashawn Slater is out for the season and Trent Williams is out indefinitely, Darrisaw appears to have a real chance at Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors as one of the game's top left tackles if he keeps this up.
The PFF grades match the eye test. Edge rushers, even those of Quinn's caliber, are not having a fun time going against Darrisaw right now. He just seems to be in complete control as a pass protector. He's got the length and anchor to shut down bull rushes, the agility to guide outside speed rushes out of harm's way, and the hands and balance to shut down all kinds of moves and counters. And if you don't truly attack Darrisaw off the line of scrimmage, you might end up on a highlight.
Pancaking someone in a one-on-one pass protection rep is not something that happens very often. Darrisaw's power and technique were on full display on that play, which ended with him somersaulting over Quinn, creating a huge area for Kirk Cousins to step up into and deliver a completion.
Darrisaw isn't just pass blocking at an elite level right now. He also ranks second among tackles in ESPN's run block win rate. A fantastic athlete, Darrisaw's mobility and strength show up time and time again in the run game.
Darrisaw is doing just about everything well right now. He and left guard Ezra Cleveland are in sync when it comes to picking up stunts and twists. Darrisaw even pancaked a Saints linebacker on the screen pass Alexander Mattison scored a touchdown on in London.
"I'm excited about him," Cousins said after Sunday's game. "I made a comment earlier this week about how you don't even know he's there. At one point in today's game, I felt him. He was upset about something, whether it was a snap count or a call. He got fired up, and I remember thinking, 'I like this. I like feeling his edge a little bit.' Seeing that from him, you start to feel like this guy is a vet more than a young player. He's only going to get better."
Although Darrisaw's dominance has drawn most of the attention, the Vikings' entire offensive line has been shining this season. Right tackle Brian O'Neill, PFF's No. 12 tackle out of 60, is the ultra-reliable leader of that unit. Cleveland, PFF's No. 11 guard out of 63, led all players with an elite 90.0 grade on Sunday.
Perhaps most notably, fourth-year center Garrett Bradbury has looked like a different player in O'Connell's offense this year. After three years of struggling mightily in pass protection, Bradbury is PFF's No. 9 center out of 32 on the strength of his pass blocking grade. He didn't give up a single pressure against the Bears and remains a major asset as a run blocker and the quarterback of the offensive line. Rookie right guard Ed Ingram is the weak link of the unit, but he's been good in the running game and should continue to develop as he gets more experience.
"I thought the guys up front had a really good day, just handling a lot of different things up front movement-wise, different fronts, different ways to defend our scheme that we’re seeing week in and week out," O'Connell said on Monday.
A lot of credit should go to offensive line coach Chris Kuper, who has done a remarkable job since arriving in Minnesota this offseason.
"Kup’s built a dynamic in that room where there’s a lot of dialogue and communication back and forth between him and (assistant OL coach) Justin Rascati and those players so they have a really good understanding of the 'why' behind what we’re doing," O'Connell said on Monday. "That ultimately allows them to put out some problems without always needing the sideline, having to come over and talk about things. They’ve got some reps logged together now. ... Performances like that from those guys up front, it’s what we’re looking for."
The Vikings' offensive line has been a never-ending question mark for more than a decade. This 2022 unit, led by an emerging young star at left tackle, looks like the real deal.
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.
