[OC] Vikings Defensive Player of Game 4
Before the season kicks off, I'll be taking a look at the Vikings' best offensive and defensive player each game and highlighting exactly why and how they had such a good game. For simplicity sake, I'll be choosing whoever PFF rated as the best player on each side of the ball that week. Right now that's the easiest way to do it, but I'm open to other suggestions like possibly a vote for the upcoming season.
Week 4 of the 2016 season the Vikings held the Giants to only 10 points thanks in large part to their star CB Xavier Rhodes, who is the defensive player of game 4.
Odell Beckham is one of the best WRs in the entire league. He’s been on a historic pace to start his career putting up numbers no one has come close to at the start of a career since the one and only Randy Moss. Xavier Rhodes was all over him this game limiting him to only 3 catches for 23 yards. He also picked up an INT and was inside the head of Beckham the entire game.
The Vikings gameplan going into the game was to have Rhodes follow Beckham everywhere he went and it worked to near perfection.
It takes until midway through the second quarter before Beckham gets his first target on a slant for 9 yards.
A couple of plays later he makes a 4-yard reception on a quick out. A big part of this play though is Beckham really didn’t like the hit by Rhodes at the end. He ended up getting flagged for taunting and it was at this point Rhodes really got in his head.
Two plays later Beckham pushes Rhodes at the top of his break causing him to lose balance. This frees up Beckham to make a reception on a quick hitch for 10 yards. It was his last reception of the night.
That’s right on one drive midway through the second quarter Beckham made 3 receptions for 23 yards and that stayed his total for the entire game. From here on out it was really the Xavier Rhodes show.
Here Rhodes picks up a pass breakup on another hitch. He's in off coverage staying under control in his backpedal until he sees Beckham breakdown, then he makes a great break downhill breaking up the reception at the catch point.
Even though Beckham is out of control Rhodes shows his discipline by staying patient in coverage, not falling for Beckham's signature spin move. The Giants would go back to a double move again but Rhodes stayed under control the entire game.
Here Rhodes makes a pick on deep ball. Beckham was more concerned with making contact with Rhodes downfield then running his route, again another play highlighting how Rhodes was in his head.
This was Beckham's worst game of the season and it came almost solely at the hands of Xavier Rhodes. From the outset Rhodes was physical and got into Beckham's head, winning the mental game. This was highlighted by a Beckham drop and also on the pick where he showed more interest in Rhodes than the ball. Rhodes locked up one of the best WRs in the league in what would be his best season of his career to date.
Week 4 of the 2016 season the Vikings held the Giants to only 10 points thanks in large part to their star CB Xavier Rhodes, who is the defensive player of game 4.
Odell Beckham is one of the best WRs in the entire league. He’s been on a historic pace to start his career putting up numbers no one has come close to at the start of a career since the one and only Randy Moss. Xavier Rhodes was all over him this game limiting him to only 3 catches for 23 yards. He also picked up an INT and was inside the head of Beckham the entire game.
The Vikings gameplan going into the game was to have Rhodes follow Beckham everywhere he went and it worked to near perfection.
It takes until midway through the second quarter before Beckham gets his first target on a slant for 9 yards.
A couple of plays later he makes a 4-yard reception on a quick out. A big part of this play though is Beckham really didn’t like the hit by Rhodes at the end. He ended up getting flagged for taunting and it was at this point Rhodes really got in his head.
Two plays later Beckham pushes Rhodes at the top of his break causing him to lose balance. This frees up Beckham to make a reception on a quick hitch for 10 yards. It was his last reception of the night.
That’s right on one drive midway through the second quarter Beckham made 3 receptions for 23 yards and that stayed his total for the entire game. From here on out it was really the Xavier Rhodes show.
Here Rhodes picks up a pass breakup on another hitch. He's in off coverage staying under control in his backpedal until he sees Beckham breakdown, then he makes a great break downhill breaking up the reception at the catch point.
Even though Beckham is out of control Rhodes shows his discipline by staying patient in coverage, not falling for Beckham's signature spin move. The Giants would go back to a double move again but Rhodes stayed under control the entire game.
Here Rhodes makes a pick on deep ball. Beckham was more concerned with making contact with Rhodes downfield then running his route, again another play highlighting how Rhodes was in his head.
This was Beckham's worst game of the season and it came almost solely at the hands of Xavier Rhodes. From the outset Rhodes was physical and got into Beckham's head, winning the mental game. This was highlighted by a Beckham drop and also on the pick where he showed more interest in Rhodes than the ball. Rhodes locked up one of the best WRs in the league in what would be his best season of his career to date.
