I’ve always been fascinated by individual basketball matchups. There is so much analysis that can be derived from a Michael Jordan and a Joe Dumars, or a LeBron James and Steph Curry. Even theoretical ones like Shaq vs Wilt have always piqued my interest.
Something about the game getting boiled down into a singular matchup was appealing, as it was often the key to how the game would result.
The NFL, however, is much more of a team sport. Individual matchup story lines aren’t billed like “Bird vs. Magic”
or “Lebron vs. KD.”
The closest we ever get is the Brady vs. Manning matchups, but because they don’t play on the field at the same time, there is a little less intrigue. Manning isn’t dropping into coverage, and Brady isn’t rushing the passer. It’s different.
But what if we were able to analyze an individual matchup for an NFL game and identify exactly why that matchup is vital to how the game will play out? That’s what One on One is going to track each week.
Beginning with Week 1.
Gervon Dexter vs. Will Fries
While a lot of the headlines this week are going to be split between “McCarthy vs. Williams” or “O’Connell vs. Johnson” or even “JJ (Jaylon) vs. JJ (Justin)”, Gervon Dexter vs. Will Fries is my key one-on-one matchup this week.
Through his first two seasons, Dex has seen the majority of his snaps occurring between 1-Technique (the gap between the Center and Guard) and 3-Technique (the gap between the Guard and the Tackle). With this in mind, Dex’s primary assignments will be against the Vikings’ guards.
One of those guards is Will Fries, the Vikings’ biggest OL acquisition this offseason. Fries, previously with the Colts, suffered a broken tibia in October of last season, ending a short but impressive season. As he returns to action, he will be faced with the important task of limiting pressure up the middle for a young J.J. McCarthy making his first NFL start.
Cited by many Quarterbacks as being the worst type of pressure, it will be paramount for Dexter to get in McCarthy’s face early and often. It is even more important for Dexter to get pressure on the Vikings’ QB without Allen having to blitz frequently, as one of J.J.’s greatest assets in college was his ability to beat the blitz.
In the 2023 college football season, McCarthy led the NCAA in YPA against the blitz with 9.3. Given he has veteran pass-catchers in Jefferson, Hockenson, and Aaron Jones, getting the ball out quickly with a blitz in his face could be a key part of KOC’s game plan.
Meanwhile, Will Fries is looked at as a high performing run-blocker, but a much more pedestrian pass blocker as he received a 75 grade from PFF in 2024, and a 65 grade in 2023. While Dexter’s pass-rushing grade was also middling at 66 last year, there is hope that he can continue to grow in that respect. Getting in McCarthy’s face up the middle will be hugely imperative in getting him uncomfortable during a primetime game on the road to start his career. If Dexter can shake the kid, expect sacks and turnovers to follow.
