The Minnesota Vikings have a tight end matchup that could shape how they attack the Miami Dolphins in Week 4, and T.J. Hockenson is right in the middle of it.
With Justin Jefferson and Josh Oliver out, Minnesota needs Hockenson to carry more of the load in the passing game and do work as a blocker, too. That puts extra pressure on a player who hasn’t exactly been lighting it up through three weeks, and it also puts him in the path of a rookie linebacker who has already shown he can make life difficult.
That rookie is Jacob Rodriguez, and he’s not just hanging around making routine plays. Rodriguez has piled up 28 tackles, picked off a pass, and held opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 63.3 through three games. Pro Football Focus has him with a 66.7 coverage grade, which ranks 25th among 67 qualified linebackers.
Hockenson, meanwhile, is coming off a quiet afternoon in Minnesota’s 23-16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, when he caught only one pass for 11 yards. On the season, he has nine receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown, and PFF has him at 56.6 overall, 31st out of 34 tight ends.
That’s the backdrop for a matchup the Vikings can’t ignore. If Hockenson can win against Rodriguez one-on-one, it opens the door for Minnesota to get more done on offense. Play action could be part of that plan, helping create hesitation for Rodriguez and setting up Aaron Jones on the ground.
The Vikings can also lean on Hockenson in the seam, forcing Rodriguez to run with him and deal with the size mismatch. In those situations, Minnesota knows exactly where the advantage should be. With Kyler Murray able to simply put the ball up and let Hockenson attack in one-on-one coverage, that individual battle could end up steering the game plan.
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