The Minnesota Vikings appear to have advantages across the board heading into their Week 4 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Brian Flores has led the Vikings' defense to the league's top unit in EPA/play allowed and DVOA. Minnesota has the best overall special teams, which also rank first in DVOA.
Even the Vikings' offense could pop off if Kyler Murray gets settled in. Minnesota currently ranks last in offensive yardage, but even without Justin Jefferson on Sunday, the offense still boasts Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, T.J. Hockenson, and a solid offensive line.
Winning individual matchups will be key to a potential Vikings victory. Below are three key matchups to watch where Minnesota could hold a massive advantage, tilting the scales heavily
in its favor.
3 Matchups to watch between the Vikings and Dolphins in Week 4
Jordan Addison vs. Chris Johnson/ Jason Marshall Jr.
The Vikings' offense was largely ineffective last Sunday against the Buccaneers, but Addison was one of the few bright spots, catching five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. There were other potential opportunities to get him the ball, but whether because of pressure or indecisiveness, Kyler Murray turned them down.
Addison caught two of three targets 20+ yards downfield, displaying big-play ability even with Jefferson sidelined with an ankle injury. Can Minnesota test that again against a defense allowing 9.1 yards per pass? Johnson, Miami's first-round pick, has allowed 11 completions for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts. Marshall has given up nine completions for 92 yards on 10 attempts in coverage, per Next Gen Stats.
Dallas Turner vs. Patrick Paul
No one has produced more pressures than Turner this season (25, per NGS), and his 3.5 sacks are tied for sixth in the league. Turner has lined up on the offense's left side on 55% of snaps this season, meaning he will likely line up primarily against third-year left tackle Patrick Paul on Sunday, a formidable player who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 325 pounds. Per PFF, Paul has allowed six pressures and one sack, and his 90% pass-block win rate is tied for 16th in the league, per ESPN.
Andrew Van Ginkel vs. Austin Jackson
Turner isn't the only EDGE rusher with the potential for a big day. Van Ginkel has three sacks this season, and his 12 pressures tie for 20th in the NFL heading into Sunday. He will likely primarily line up across from right tackle Austin Jackson, who has allowed a team-high 12 pressures and two sacks, per PFF. Jackson has a 39.6 pass-blocking grade from PFF, the lowest among all tackles who have played at least 135 snaps this season.
Flores could still line Turner up across from Jackson to create another mismatch. Van Ginkel and Turner's impacts will be vital not only to sacking Willis but to keeping him from escaping the pocket. With De'Von Achane on injured reserve, Willis (17 carries, 101 yards, one touchdown) is the Dolphins' leading rusher among healthy players.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 3 Matchups to watch between the Vikings and Dolphins in Week 4
