Chase Young has spent the first four weeks running into quality tackles and still found ways to make life difficult up front. Now the New Orleans Saints edge defender gets a much friendlier setup in Week 4, with the Minnesota Vikings ruling Christian Darrisaw out.
That matters. Ryan Van Demark took over for Darrisaw in Week 4 after Darrisaw left with a concussion, and he allowed three hurries on 22 pass-blocking snaps.
Darrisaw, by comparison, has given up five pressures on the season, and three of those were sacks. If Van Demark plays anywhere near last week’s level again, Young should have a real chance to take over.
The left side of Minnesota’s line is already in rough shape, with left guard Donovan Jackson out for the rest of the season. That leaves the Vikings without the kind of veteran presence that can steady a backup tackle, and that only adds to the opening for Young.
Of course, a backup doesn’t guarantee a big day. Young didn’t record a sack or a quarterback hit last week even though Falcons starting tackle Jake Matthews missed most of the game. But the matchup still changes the math.
Young’s track record against stronger competition suggests he’s equipped to cash in here. He opened the season against Penei Sewell and had some quick wins against the standout tackle, even if Jared Goff’s fast releases kept the pressure numbers from popping.
That strip sack also looks better in hindsight. Just saying.
He followed that up with Ronnie Stanley, and that was his best game of the year. Young finished with 7 pressures and 1.5 sacks on Lamar Jackson in key moments.
That’s why this week feels like an opportunity for a reset. Young had at least a quarterback hit in each of the first three games and totaled 3.5 sacks in Weeks 2 and 3, but he was held off the board in both categories last week. The Saints need him to bounce back.
They also need someone to keep Kyler Murray from turning the game into backyard football and to make sure Justin Jefferson doesn’t get all day to work downfield. Right now, Young has been the team’s most reliable pass rusher, so the burden falls on him. Against Van Demark, he has a clear chance to make it count.
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Saints Face A Familiar Problem Against Unbeaten Vikings
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What stands out is the range of opinions. Some see enough in the Saints to believe a rebound is coming, while others are leaning toward a tight Minnesota victory, a split that says plenty about how even the matchup looks on paper. The game will come down to whether New Orleans can sort out the defensive response and give Tyler Shough a clean enough answer for the Vikings blitz looks, which is where the margin figures to be decided. [Read more 🡒]