Oakland Raiders Week 3 opponent preview: Minnesota Vikings

Offensive strength: Wide Receiver

While the offensive line is spotty at best, what’s not is the receiver core for the Vikings. Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs are one of the best duos in the NFL currently.

Thielen isn’t that fast, but his lack of speed makes up for his route running ability. Even though he was called three times for offensive pass interference in the Packers game, he caught nearly every pass thrown to him with five for 75 yards on eight targets.

On the season, he has eight receptions for 118 and a touchdown, with five of those coming in the second half. Also, where he thrives is on third down.

50% of his passes have come on third down this year and 65% was last year. Even dating back to the past five years. From 2014 through 2018, he has third-down catch percentages of 87%, 41%, 63%, 64%, and 65% respectively. What’s also important to note is he’s only had six fumbles his whole career with only one being lost.

If all of this, including two straight Pro Bowls isn’t enough, he’s tied for fastest Viking player to reach 1,000 yards, ten games, and to reach 100 catches, 13 games, with Randy Moss. Adam Thielen is not a player the Raiders need to ignore.

The next big receiver is Stefon Diggs. The fifth-year receiver only has three receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown, but that comes with a 28.7 yards per catch rank. Not only does he have high yards per catch, but he had a career year in 2018 with 102 receptions, 1,021 yards, and nine touchdowns.

Last year, Thielen and Diggs became the first duo to catch 1,000 yards each, over 100 receptions, since Chris Carter and Randy Moss did back in 2000. Diggs is also the fastest Vikings receiver to get to 200 receptions with 42 games breaking Randy Moss and Percy Harvin‘s record at 47.

Along with Thielen, over half of his receptions are coming on third down. Since 2014 it’s been 59%, 56%, 65%, 48% and currently, 66%.  Both combined have an average of 60% since they’ve been together. These two receivers are good knowing where the marker is and know how to get open on third down. Both of these receivers can’t be ignored by the Raiders.

Kirk Cousins

Not only has the offense done a good job at getting their receivers open, but Kirk Cousins has also done a good job at finding them open. The story of the Vikings has always been that they’re a quarterback away from winning a Super Bowl.

Last year, it seemed as they were going to make a run for it but were knocked out early. The Vikings strength is up the middle behind their two run-blocking guards. However, Cousins made a few poor throws leading to 7 points being taken off the board from them.

One was in the second quarter, where he forced the ball due to being pressured and the throw was too hard and bounced off Digs hands and the defender caught the ball, and the other was on a very bad throw where the defender made the cut on a short out and got in front of the ball in the endzone.

Cousins, when he has time, he’s decent to an above-average quarterback. But he folds under pressure and the Raiders need to get some pressure on him.