Vikings Snap Counts vs. Bengals: What Stood Out in Week 15?
Much like basically every other Vikings loss this season, turnovers and missed opportunities were killers on Saturday in their 27-24 overtime defeat against the Bengals. They managed to blow a 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter and just couldn't find a way to make that one extra play to get the job done on the road.
The Vikings are 7-7 this season, with all seven of those losses (and six of the victories) coming by eight points or fewer. Since the start of the 2021 season, they've played in 38 one-score games, which is six more than the next-closest team. They were 6-8 in those games in 2021, 11-0 last season, and 6-7 this year. Their inability to ever put teams away and win big — they haven't won a game by 17-plus points since December 2019 — continues to haunt them this season.
Let's take a look at the snap counts from the game in Cincinnati to see what we can learn.
Vikings offensive snap counts vs. Bengals (out of 68)
- QB Nick Mullens: 68
- LT Christian Darrisaw: 68
- C Garrett Bradbury: 68
- RG Ed Ingram: 68
- LG Dalton Risner: 68
- RT David Quessenberry: 68
- WR Justin Jefferson: 65
- WR Jordan Addison: 62
- TE T.J. Hockenson: 59
- RB Ty Chandler: 55
- WR K.J. Osborn: 37
- TE Josh Oliver: 35
- FB C.J. Ham: 11
- TE Johnny Mundt: 7
- RB Kene Nwangwu: 7
- WR Brandon Powell: 2
Quessenberry and Chandler came into the starting lineup for Brian O'Neill and Alexander Mattison, respectively. Chandler had an outstanding game, making a case for himself as the Vikings' RB1 of both the present and future. Ingram returned to the lineup for Blake Brandel after missing the first game of his career last week.
Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson all played nearly every-down roles and combined for 19 catches, 258 yards, and two touchdowns (both by Addison). Interestingly, Osborn and Oliver basically split their snaps down the middle, with Oliver's 35 marking a season-high.
Beyond that group of 12 players, there were only a handful of snaps left for Ham, Mundt, Nwangwu, and Powell.
Vikings defensive snap counts vs. Bengals (out of 70)
- S Camryn Bynum: 70
- S Harrison Smith: 70
- S Josh Metellus: 70
- LB Ivan Pace Jr: 70
- CB Byron Murphy Jr: 69
- CB Akayleb Evans: 68
- OLB D.J. Wonnum: 66
- OLB Danielle Hunter: 66
- DT Harrison Phillips: 54
- DT Jonathan Bullard: 43
- OLB Pat Jones II: 31
- LB Troy Dye: 30
- DT Sheldon Day: 23
- CB Mekhi Blackmon: 20
- DT Jaquelin Roy: 10
- S Theo Jackson: 7
- DT Khyiris Tonga: 2
- S Jay Ward: 1
As usual, Pace and the Vikings' top five defensive backs played essentially every snap, with Hunter and Wonnum not far behind them. Phillips and Bullard (who picked up a big sack while battling through an ankle injury) led the way within the interior defensive line rotation.
Jones and Dye are a couple Spielman-era middle-round picks (Dye Rd. 4 in 2020, Jones Rd. 3 in 2021) who are playing important rotational roles right now in the absence of Jordan Hicks and Marcus Davenport. Hicks is getting his practice window opened this week, so his potential return would mean Dye goes back to a special teams-only role.
The veteran Day continues to be involved in the DT group. Blackmon, the No. 3 corner, had an unfortunate lowlight when he stopped playing on Tee Higgins' acrobatic game-tying touchdown.
Top 10 in special team snaps
- Jay Ward: 23
- Troy Dye: 21
- Andre Carter II: 20
- Brian Asamoah II: 17
- Theo Jackson: 17
- C.J. Ham: 17
- Josh Metellus: 15
- Nick Vigil: 14
- NaJee Thompson: 12
- Johnny Mundt: 12
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