The Minnesota Vikings thought that linebacker Jordan Hicks would be an ideal fit for their new 3-4 defense. If Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers was any indication, the Vikings will be overjoyed with their new playmaker.
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Hicks led the Vikings in tackles with 14 and tallied a sack on Aaron Rodgers. On that sack, he also forced Rodgers to fumble which stalled the Packers’ first possession of the second half. He led a spirited defense that held the potent Green Bay offense to seven points.
Minnesota Vikings Acquire Jordan Hicks
Jordan Hicks was acquired by the Vikings as a free agent after being cut by the Arizona Cardinals. His cut had more to do with salary-cap purposes than with his on-the-field performance. By most measures, he had been a rock-solid presence in the middle of the Cardinals’ defense.
Hicks was a third-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2015 Draft. After four seasons with the Eagles, Hicks left Philadelphia as a free agent to sign with Arizona. While playing for the Cardinals the past three seasons Hicks averaged 128 tackles per season. And in his final season in Arizona, he also contributed four sacks.
Vikings’ Defense Swarms
Hicks led a revamped Vikings defense that attacked Rodgers and the Packers offense all game long. In addition to Hicks, some of the most aggressive players in the game were also recent pickups by Minnesota. They include edge Za’Darius Smith, nose tackle Harrison Phillips, and nickel back Chandon Sullivan.
The purple defense held Rodgers to only 195 yards passing for the game. Harrison Smith also turned in a nifty play when he intercepted a Rodgers pass intended for Randall Cobb. In addition to the aforementioned sack and forced fumble, the Vikings sacked Rodgers three more times and recorded five quarterback hits during the game. Ed Donatell’s defense was relentless in their pursuit of the future Hall of Famer
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Jordan Hicks and Eric Kendricks Bond
The word out of training camp was that Jordan Hicks and co-middle linebacker Eric Kendricks had developed an instant rapport. They have developed strong non-verbal dialogue similar to what Kendricks had with former Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr.
Barr and Kendricks developed this bond over a ten-year period playing next to each other in College and for the last seven years with Minnesota. The fact that Hicks and Kendricks bonded so early is a great sign of the unity and cohesiveness of the Vikings’ defense. This no doubt added to Hick’s confidence and success on the field.
The Vikings will face another rigorous test on Monday night as they face off against the Eagles in Philadelphia. Containing nimble Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will be a key to stopping the Eagles’ offense. Jordan Hicks and the rest of the Minnesota defense will have their work cut out for them as they try to neutralize the former Oklahoma star. Judging by their performance against the Packers, I believe that they are ready for the challenge.
