Murphy: Hitman to the rescue
Murphy: Hitman to the rescue
Brian Murphy writes about Harrison Smith's big day saving the Vikings' season
By Brian Murphy
Sentiment dictated that Harrison Smith would remain in Minnesota in 2023 and punch in for a 12th season as one of the Vikings’ most productive and popular big-time playmakers.
Except NFL bean counters are as sentimental with 34-year-old safeties in the twilight of their careers as sharks in a feeding frenzy.
Staying put required the six-time Pro Bowl safety to almost chop his $14.7 million paycheck in half to accommodate the salary cap-strapped Vikings and spare the front office the indignity of cutting Smith.
The easy part was buying in to the white-hot blitz packages designed by defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The aggressive play caller finally unleashed Smith Sunday to cash in with a flurry of money plays that validated his contract restructuring and may have saved the Vikings’ teetering season.
Smith terrorized Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young like a boogeyman under the bed. His forced fumble late in the third quarter fed linebacker D.J. Wonnum for a 51-yard scoop and score that ignited a 21-13 comeback victory at steamy Bank of America Stadium.
The Vikings were melting before our eyes, running out of territory and time to bury an awful road opponent and stay relevant in the standings. There is no competitive rebuilding at 0-4. Only repetitive rebranding.
Young had marched Carolina 68 yards to the doorstep of the red zone and the Vikings to edge of the abyss and a devastating two-touchdown deficit.
With 4:10 remaining in the third and Carolina facing second-and-17 at the Minnesota 28-yard line, Flores let loose seven pass rushers. Smith darted through the right side untouched, wrapped up Young and separated him from the ball, allowing Wonnum to pounce.
With 14 unanswered points in the third quarter, the Vikings rallied from an unsightly 13-7 deficit, put down an inferior team and tightened the tourniquet that allows them to play host to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs next week with more than just pride at stake.
You can’t be winless if Taylor Swift is in the house. Harry the Hitman made sure of that. He’ll never go out of style.
“We’re the best possible version of the Minnesota Vikings defensively when Harrison Smith is an impact player,” said Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, the relief palpable in his postgame remarks.
“When we had to have it, he just had an unbelievable performance today and it does not surprise me one bit. He’s somebody who I lean on constantly, one of my all-time favorites.”
Smith sacked Young three times, including twice on the final three plays of the game – culminating on fourth-and-goal at the Vikings’ 18. He registered three more hits on the quarterback and had 14 total tackles.
“It wasn’t like they said to me, ‘Harry, we need you to get three sacks,’ ” Smith told reporters afterward. “But when your number is called, you have to make that play when it presents itself.”
The Vikings played like they had to win. The Panthers played because they had to. So let’s not kid ourselves that all is right again in the Land of 10,000 mood swings.
Kirk Cousins redeemed himself with a cagey free-play touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson to extend Minnesota’s lead to eight points late in the third. But he also threw a pair of interceptions, including a 99-yard pick-six to Sam Franklin at the goal line on the opening possession.
Late in the second quarter, right guard Ed Ingram was ventilated by Panthers pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos, who whacked Cousins as he was releasing the ball, another turnover that led to Eddy Pineiro’s 56-yard field and a 13-7 Carolina halftime lead.
Ingram might be charged with involuntary manslaughter for getting Cousins killed in the pocket before recently acquired guard Dalton Risner gets a look. Forget Risner’s mastery of the playbook. Cousins needs a bodyguard more than a precise pulling guard.
Cousins and Justin Jefferson have been productive enough to give the offense a Mulligan, but the Vikings’ defense has been as bad, if not worse, than last year’s sorry unit.
The Eagles gashed them for 259 yards rushing before Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen and the Chargers roasted them for 405 yards passing last week.
Flores had to unleash the hounds against a vulnerable rookie in Young, the reigning No. 1 overall draft pick from Alabama. And his defensive dogs rewarded him with some big bones.
Marcus Davenport, last seen in witness protection, made a key sack that helped set up Jefferson’s 30-yard touchdown grab.
Jordan Hicks, Camryn Bynum and Danielle Hunter also stood up and delivered momentum-killing tackles and were disruptive throughout the afternoon. Finally, the defense bailed out its hapless counterparts for once.
Smith has built a potential hall of fame career on making critical plays and empowering teammates to do the same. Three straight losses, on the back of last season’s wild-card laydown to the Giants, had to leave Smith wondering whether the financial haircut was worth it.
Harry the Hitman was back Sunday. And he rallied the troops for at least one more ride.
“It really was like everyone was executing our jobs,” he said. “It wasn’t anything special, like this game, I get the stats. It doesn’t matter who gets them. Whoever gets the play, make it and then we’ll move on. That’s really all it needs to be.”
I knew we were going to win when the strip sack that hitman had did NOT bounce off the ref and then out of bounds. The way the Vikings had luck has been, that was the high probability possibility to me (the ref kicks it out of bounds so the the Panthers keep possession).. Shocked when Wonnum actually got corralled it.
Other thoughts.
Davenport, if not injured can be really useful.
Heck even P Jones II looked competent today.
Akers can ball as well.
Ingram needs to sit..
Carolina sucks...