Buried underneath Joshua Dobbs' remarkable performance in the Vikings' 31-28 win in Atlanta on Sunday is how well Brian Flores' run defense continues to play.
The last time the Vikings had a top five rushing defense (by yards per carry), a journeyman quarterback jumped into action in 2017 and led them to an NFC title game. Through nine weeks this season, the Vikings are allowing just 3.7 yards per carry — tied for fifth leaguewide. They've been particularly strong in the past three weeks against the Falcons, Packers and 49ers.
Edge rusher Danielle Hunter and defensive tackle Harrison Phillips were the stars of the front in Sunday's win, but Flores' aggressive style brings safeties Camryn Bynum, Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus to the line, where they've been sure tacklers.
The Falcons are one of the NFL's best rushing attacks, but they couldn't buy a yard against the Vikings in the first half. Running back Bijan Robinson, the eighth overall pick in this year's draft, had just 19 rushing yards on six attempts at halftime.
Atlanta only ran successfully on one fourth-quarter scoring drive, in which Robinson and running back Tyler Allgeier combined for 57 of their 90 rushing yards in the game.
Otherwise, the Vikings removed the Falcons' identity.
There was no better example than the goal-line stand in the second quarter. While Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and Dobbs pieced together a winner on their side, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith made two head-scratching calls with consecutive running plays directly at Hunter — the Vikings' best defender — from the 1-yard line.
"Danielle made two monstrous plays there," Flores said. "In my opinion, this was the best game he's played. I know there wasn't the sack production, but there's some things he did in this game that were just eye-popping and really showed off his abilities in the run game, his strength and tenacity."
In the video below, you'll see the three-play sequence start with nose tackle Khyiris Tonga (95) making an incredible hustle play. He's the team's heaviest player, listed at 338 pounds. He chases down a screen to Falcons tight end Jonnu Smith, who might have scored had Tonga not tackled him at the 1-yard line.
From there, Arthur Smith said afterward he wanted to attack the perimeter of the Vikings defense because of their heavy goal-line personnel. Minnesota had four defensive tackles aligned tight in Phillips, Tonga, Jonathan Bullard and Jaquelin Roy.
The Falcons ran to the edge — Hunter's edge. Hunter won both times.
On Hunter's first stop, he obliterates Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts to stall Jonnu Smith on the sweep. Hunter's second stop is more impressive. He takes on two blockers — the second, Smith, motions across the formation to hit Hunter. With a herculean second effort, Hunter pushes Smith back into Allgeier, who runs into Smith's back, stumbles backward and loses 4 yards.
"Big swing in the game," Flores said, as the goal-line stop kept the deficit to one score, 11-3, following a Falcons field goal.
Robinson and Allgeier were also held in check as receivers. They combined for minus-1 receiving yard on four grabs, including a quick sweep pass to Robinson stopped by linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. for a 1-yard gain.
Only four teams — the Eagles, Chiefs, Dolphins and Saints — have a longer streak than the Vikings' seven games without allowing a running back to eclipse 100 yards from scrimmage. San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey, who had 96 yards from scrimmage in the Vikings' Oct. 23 win, is the only one to eclipse 70 yards from scrimmage against Minnesota in that span.
Vikings' yards allowed per carry
2023: 3.7 (t-5th through nine games)
2022: 4.5 (t-19th)
2021: 4.7 (t-29th)
2020: 4.6 (t-21st)
2019: 4.3 (19th)
2018: 4.1 (t-7th)
2017: 3.7 (5th)
