Mattison vs. Chandler

Mattison and Chandler

In Denver, Alexander Mattison had one of his best games of the season, save for his game-altering fumble late in the third quarter. He gained 4.5 yards per carry, 3.44 of which came after contact. He ended up slightly on the positive side of NFL NextGen’s Rushing Yards of Expected stat and caused a season high seven missed tackles.

On the season, however, his numbers remain underwhelming. Out of 31 running backs with at least 100 carries, Mattison grades 30th by PFF and 25th in terms of yards per attempt. As far as the all-around game goes, he’s 23rd in receiving grade and mid-pack in terms of pass protection.

His blunder against the Broncos combined with RB2 Ty Chandler’s 110-yard game on just 10 carries and four receptions opens the door to the potential of Chandler getting more opportunity going forward.

“I think it is pretty obvious to see his burst, his athleticism. He is an exciting player with the ball in his hands,” O’Connell said. “We try to find different ways to get it in his hands throughout the game. He does play a critical role right now on our offense to be a featured player, we are continuing to add to his workload every single week because he has earned those opportunities. I feel great about where Ty is at just in year two of his career the progression.”

Chandler’s game was not flawless though. He allowed a pressure on a blitz up the middle in which Dobbs’ arm was hit and the ball intercepted by the Broncos.

“The blitz pick up that is very critical throughout the regular phases of our offense where we are trying to be multiple dimensional,” O’Connell said.

That’s important because something similar could be going on with Chandler. The fan sitting on their couch could be screaming for Chandler to take over the lead role in the backfield. However, O’Connell could see things in practice that make him believe he’s not suited for the task.

That came through after Chandler’s performance during a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks last August. While O’Connell acknowledged Chandler’s explosiveness, he also alluded to something behind the scenes that was holding him back.

Just any time he had the ball in his hands, [he was] very rarely tackled by the first defender in space. Catching the ball…and then picked up where he left off as far as his ability when the lights come on to sometimes turn into a different guy. Now I want to see it every single day and really see him be consistent, because he’s proven when it goes live and it’s real football he’s a tough guy to bring to the ground.

It’s hard to know what that issue could be. However, Chandler’s miss on a blitz pickup on Josh Dobbs’s interception in the fourth quarter may give some clues. There may also be other issues not visible to the common fan, but they could be obvious to the people who watch him practice every day.



The Vikings have been hesitant to put Chandler on the field. Chandler recorded only six carries in his rookie year, partially due to a broken hand, and he began minicamp behind Kene Nwangwu on the depth chart.

In addition to re-signing Mattison, the Vikings also reportedly had interest in David Montgomery, who ultimately signed with Detroit.

Minnesota even threw an obstacle in front of Chandler during the season by acquiring Cam Akers in a trade with the Rams. If Akers didn’t suffer a torn Achilles, there’s a chance that Chandler wouldn’t be on the field, raising even more curiosity about what’s going on with Chandler that we can’t see.

That puts O’Connell and his staff in a tough situation. Mattison isn’t cutting it as a primary running back, but they don’t have another option they feel comfortable with. While Chandler should have an increased role, it creates an element of risk that may be worth it. However, it also could sabotage Minnesota’s playoff hopes.

That’s a big problem, one that must be figured out in the coming weeks. Otherwise, more moments like the ones Mattison had on Sunday night could be common as the Vikings head down the stretch.