After another one possession victory, the Minnesota Vikings moved to a 4-1 record under their new regime. However, the Vikings are still yet to play a complete game of good football, which has limited how well individual Vikings players have performed. This week, they travel to South Florida where they are likely to play against rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson of the Miami Dolphins. This interesting matchup creates some interesting potential boom and bust candidates.
Week 5 boom: Danielle Hunter – MEH
Week 5 bust: Kirk Cousins – MISS
Boom: Christian Darrisaw
The Vikings’ second-year left tackle Chrstian Darrisaw has been excellent to start the 2022 season. He ranks as Pro Football Focus’ third best offensive tackle this season, as he has excelled in both the run and the pass. Darrisaw is on his way to establishing himself as one of the best left tackles in the league if he continues at this rate of improvement. After shutting down Robert Quinn last week, Darrisaw opposes another 3-4 defense in the Dolphins. While they have has their sparks, the Dolphins have struggled to force constant pressure. They are a well-rounded group but they are yet to take over games against either the run or pass. The defense has allowed the second most yards per pass attempt in the league, signaling that early pressure has been lacking. Kirk Cousins has been very decisive this season, often locating a target quickly, which minimizes the window the Dolphins will have to force pressure. If Darrisaw posts another clean sheet going into the bye week, he is making a strong case for Pro Bowl and All-Pro votes.
Bust: Patrick Peterson
Despite the quarterback misfortunes for the Miami Dolphins, the Vikings could once again struggle against the pass, particularly veteran Patrick Peterson. Although Peterson has been mostly solid for Minnesota, it is clear that he has had struggles against top end speed. The Dolphins’ wide receiving core consists of two of the fastest in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Considering Peterson has primarily matched up with a team’s top receiver this year, he is likely to see a lot of Hill, who has obliterated secondaries with his speed his entire career. Hill uses his quickness to run exceptional routes, making him one of if not the most dangerous receiver in the league. When the Vikings played Hill and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019, Hill burned the Vikings with backup quarterback Matt Moore. Skylar Thompson will have to play like he has nothing to lose this week and target his top weapons downfield. If he can be accurate and on time, Peterson and the Vikings could be facing an upset.
