IPJ...
Demoted for good??
What the heck happened? I guess it was Wilson
Heading into facing the league's reigning leading rusher and the purveyors of the "Tush Push", the Minnesota Vikings entered Week 7 with the 24th-ranked run defense in the NFL. Apart from finding a way to stop the most unstoppable play the league has seen in a while, containing Saquon Barkley was going to be critical.
While the Vikings did not beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, they did hold Barkley to 44 yards on 18 carries. The return of a key piece of the defense who hasn't played since Week 1 was surely helpful to that effort, even if linebacker Blake Cashman didn't light up the stat sheet (six total tackles).
Eric Wilson stepped into a big role when Cashman was out, starting all four of those games and playing every defensive snap in three of them. He also played well enough to possibly keep a prominent defensive role when Cashman returned to action.
But playing time is a zero-sum game. If someone is returning from injury at a position, or someone has proven they deserve more playing time, someone else is in line to lose playing time.
Minnesota Vikings bench Ivan Pace Jr. against Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7
A missed tackle rate approaching 16 percent (15.9 percent) coming into the game against the Eagles, and general struggles easily revealed by the eye test, led to the idea that Ivan Pace Jr. would have a reduced role when Cashman returned. In that scenario, Wilson would remain a starter.
According to Pro Football Focus (h/t to Tyler Forness of AtoZ Sports), Cashman played all 50 of Minnesota's defensive snaps against the Eagles, and Wilson played 42.
With the variable alignments defensive coordinator Brian Flores uses, there isn't always a lot of room for another typical off-ball linebacker to play a lot. On Sunday, safety Josh Metellus lined up as a linebacker more often than he did in previous games.
That left Pace, who did not play a single defensive snap as the odd man out--all the way out, in fact, at least for one game. He was relegated strictly to special teams duty, and perhaps uncoincidentally, the Vikings' run defense was notably better.
Cashman is often overlooked as a critical factor in the success of the Vikings' defense. He was impactful in how Barkley was held in-check on Sunday, but his return to action also led to things aligning more ideally in terms of how linebacker snaps were doled out.
And with that, even with some accounting for matchups and a short week before taking on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8, Pace's days as a primary part of the Vikings' defense might be done.
Vikings Age
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
He’s always been bad in coverage. Tied for the league lead in missed tackles. Looks like a ST only. Odd that King was inactive yesterday.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
Pace has been terrible this year, and I thought it was possible Wilson would get his starting job, but I never thought Pace would get cut from the lineup altogether. That seems like a statement.
MaroonBells wrote:
Pace has been terrible this year, and I thought it was possible Wilson would get his starting job, but I never thought Pace would get cut from the lineup altogether. That seems like a statement.
Impressive job by the D keeping SB in check - far better than I predicted...Problem was Hurts ended-up killing em - and Wentz ;)
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
can anybody explain why Mettelus ended up manned up against a WR on that first TD when the WR was lined up right next to a TE who had a CB covering him? Wouldnt a switch have been a better matchup for us in that situation?
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
JimmyinSD wrote:
can anybody explain why Mettelus ended up manned up against a WR on that first TD when the WR was lined up right next to a TE who had a CB covering him? Wouldnt a switch have been a better matchup for us in that situation?
Eagles ran a crossing route and at the cross Mettelus and Rogers (I think it was him) switched guys they were covering and got caught in a bad match up.
It was kind of a broken play. 4th and 4 and Metellus was playing the sticks. Had that covered like a blanket. But since Hurts had a week and a half to throw, he just directed Brown to go deep and it was over.
#Vikings LB Blake Cashman on Ivan Pace Jr playing 0 defensive snaps yesterday:
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 20, 2025
“He's done a lot of wonderful things here and he will continue to do great things. I just told him to keep keep plugging away. Don't get discouraged. I actually shared some stories with him about… https://t.co/42xdDPP4Qy pic.twitter.com/9DJCFO0MDU
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
supafreak84 wrote:
Eagles ran a crossing route and at the cross Mettelus and Rogers (I think it was him) switched guys they were covering and got caught in a bad match up.
there was no cross on the routes, they motioned brown across the formation and Rogers followed him, then instead of continuing onto the the outside receiver ( Brown) Mettelus slid down on Brown, and Rogers took Goddart off the line. it wasnt forced at all by the routes, simply a head scratcher for me. the lack of pressure from our DL is what made the play happen, but the choice of a tweener DB/LB when you had a CB right there...
we only really rushed 3 with a spy, but when Turner is one of the 3... well did you really "RUSH" 3? I have hope for Turner to put some more meat on that frame, and/or develop something more than a weak bull rush. He's only 22 so there might still be more to come for him, but its really not looking like anything worth what was given up to take him.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
JimmyinSD wrote:
there was no cross on the routes, they motioned brown across the formation and Rogers followed him, then instead of continuing onto the the outside receiver ( Brown) Mettelus slid down on Brown, and Rogers took Goddart off the line. it wasnt forced at all by the routes, simply a head scratcher for me. the lack of pressure from our DL is what made the play happen, but the choice of a tweener DB/LB when you had a CB right there...
we only really rushed 3 with a spy, but when Turner is one of the 3... well did you really "RUSH" 3? I have hope for Turner to put some more meat on that frame, and/or develop something more than a weak bull rush. He's only 22 so there might still be more to come for him, but its really not looking like anything worth what was given up to take him.
I'd have to see the play again and thought the announcers mentioned that's what happened, but maybe not. Regardless we got caught in a mismatch that the Eagles took advantage of
supafreak84 wrote:
I'd have to see the play again and thought the announcers mentioned that's what happened, but maybe not. Regardless we got caught in a mismatch that the Eagles took advantage of
As MB said earlier. Metellus had the play at the sticks on a 4th and 4. But Hurts rolled out and played sandlot, sending Brown deep.
Harrison Smith had to point him to the right position in previous games and he has been lost in coverage, he deserved to take a seat
You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it. — Robin Williams
greediron wrote:
As MB said earlier. Metellus had the play at the sticks on a 4th and 4. But Hurts rolled out and played sandlot, sending Brown deep.
which is why you dont want a hybrid S/LB on a WR, it was a fuck up IMO. lots of plays break down, receivers routinely run double move routes, just like the physical advantage that Goddart had over Rogers if he had gotten the ball, teams scheme for mis matches and we just handed them one.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
JimmyinSD wrote:
which is why you dont want a hybrid S/LB on a WR, it was a fuck up IMO. lots of plays break down, receivers routinely run double move routes, just like the physical advantage that Goddart had over Rogers if he had gotten the ball, teams scheme for mis matches and we just handed them one.
This ^^^
is he injured or is there off field stuf?
The reason Brian Flores is a great defensive coordinator is he puts players in position to make plays.
My guess Flores is White Hot pissed off that pace is leading the league in missed tackles..
It's fixable.
if pace was a stiff with no ability that's one thing. But that's not the issue here.
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