Emerging Vikings superstar puts the NFL on notice with historic breakout performance that may never be topped
It’s one of the best performances in NFL history.
After a brutal loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, the Minnesota Vikings desperately needed something to go their way against the Cincinnati Bengals. It didn’t take very long for the Vikings to make it happen.
Going into the game, it was being billed as the battle of backup quarterbacks. Carson Wentz set an NFL record in the game by getting the start, and Jake Browning sees the Vikings for the first time since he told them after winning in Cincinnati that they shouldn’t have cut him. After one half, the Vikings are dominating the Bengals, and it’s due to one player.
Isaiah Rodgers has breakout performance
If the Vikings want to potentially win the NFC North and make a Super Bowl run, they desperately need a breakout performance. Luckily, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers delivered in a big way. Through the first 30 minutes, Rodgers already had one of the best performances in an entire game.
In the first half against the Bengals, Rodgers recorded the following:
- 3 tackles
- 2 forced fumbles
- 1 fumble recovery
- 1 interception
- 1 pass defended
- 2 touchdowns
Yes, you read that correctly. Rodgers was a contributing factor on three first-half turnovers, including a pick-six and a scoop-and-score.
The pick-six was an impressive one, as Harrison Smith read the eyes of the quarterback and tipped Browning’s pass. It landed in the arms of the Rodgers, and he treated it like a punt return for the score.
That alone is impressive enough, and it gave the Vikings a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. It didn’t stop there, as Rodgers had the most impressive defensive play we’ve seen in some time. Rodgers didn’t just peanut punch the ball out; he picked it up and ran 66 yards for a touchdown.
He forced another fumble later in the first half, and the Vikings took a 34-3 lead to the locker room. Rodgers set a Vikings record by becoming the first defender to score multiple defensive touchdowns in one regular-season game, as Audie Cole did it with back-to-back pick-sixes in the 2013 preseason.
Rodgers also set an NFL record on Sunday afternoon, becoming the first player in NFL history to have two touchdowns and two forced fumbles in the same game.
It’s an incredible performance by Rodgers on many levels, and he’s a player that Brian Flores thought very highly of.
“He’s been on my radar since he was at UMass, a fast playmaker,” said Flores about Rodgers during training camp. “I think he’s one of these kinds of late-round guys who found his way in the league in the kicking game. And got in some games and made some plays. I’ve always thought he was a good player and was ascending. And the opportunity presented itself that we could maybe acquire him. I was all in, and I’m happy we got him.
“He’s been a great addition. He’s got a great kind of football IQ and acumen. That’s something that we stressed, really, throughout the group, at all levels, secondary, second level, and obviously D line. And I think it’s just a great addition we talk about, you know, bringing guys in who, as far as building a synergy within the group. How does this guy mesh with Murph (Byron Murphy Jr.) and Harry (Harrison Smith) and Telly (Josh Metellus), and he’s just come in and done a great job from that standpoint.”
Rodgers is almost certain to add Defensive Player of the Week to his resume this week, and it’s likely in a landslide decision.
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