Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen: Twin Terrors

After last season, in which Everson Griffen had to take part of the season off to deal with some mental health issues (something that should be applauded, even with how the events leading up to it happened, because it’s not easy asking for help in bettering your mental health), I think it was fair to say that Vikings fans were becoming more and more certain that the baton of best pass-rusher on the team had fully passed from Griffen to fifth-year rusher Danielle Hunter.

The work Griffen has done in the offseason and through the first two weeks of the season are making that a much tougher discussion to have.

Impressively, 11 of Griffen’s 15 pressures this season came on Sunday against Green Bay and familiar foe David Bakhtiari.

It’s regularly been a marquis matchup to watch two of the best at their craft go at it when the Vikings take on the Packers, and in this case, Griffen did get the better of Bakhtiari.

And the two haven’t just been getting pressures either (especially with how vague an idea pressures can be from site to site and grader to grader). They have been getting to the quarterback.

While the two have just three combined sacks so far, a total of 30 pressures, nine QB hits, and three sacks is great production from your two starting defensive ends.

They will need every bit of skill they have for this weekend, as Oakland is, somehow, actually managing to build a bit of offensive line talent under Tom Cable.

QB hits allowed can be a subjective thing, especially with how different offensive schemes can keep some quarterbacks from getting hit better than others. But no matter how it’s happening, the Raiders have been pretty good at protecting Derek Carr, and the Vikings will have to hope that changes if they want to ensure they move to 2-1.