Each Wednesday, we highlight five Vikings stats that really mean something.
Five Vikings stats that stand out, including Teddy Bridgewater's quick trigger
In the 38-17 win over the Bears, Teddy Bridgewater on average took 2.27 seconds to get rid of the ball. That was the quickest figure in his two seasons in the league.
December 24, 2015 at 6:24PM
2.27 — seconds it took Teddy Bridgewater to throw last week
The Vikings often ask Bridgewater to take deep drops in the pocket and look to throw to receivers who are running vertical routes. Only Buffalo's Tyrod Taylor has averaged more time to attempt a pass this season than Bridgewater, who on average has taken 2.78 seconds to pull the trigger, according to Pro Football Focus. The past couple of games, though, Bridgewater has been getting the ball out quicker. In the 38-17 win over the Bears, Bridgewater on average took 2.27 seconds to get rid of the ball. That was the quickest figure in his two seasons in the league. He threw for 231 yards with four touchdowns and a career-high passer rating of 154.4.
10 — players who had five or more sacks in their age-21 season
Rookie defensive end Danielle Hunter recorded 1.5 sacks against the Bears, which gives him five on the season, tops among rookies. With five sacks in his age-21 season, Hunter joins a small group historically, one that includes some noteworthy names. According to Pro Football Reference, only 10 players, including Hunter, have had five-plus sacks in their age-21 season. The list includes Terrell Suggs, Shawne Merriman and Robert Quinn. He is a long way from Suggs, though. Suggs had a dozen sacks in his rookie year.
six — number of catches Kyle Rudolph needs to tie his career high
The fifth-year tight end has become more involved in the passing game in recent weeks, perhaps because the Vikings have played from behind in three of their past five games. Rudolph has caught 24 passes since Week 11, which ranks fifth among NFL tight ends over that span. He is now six catches shy of his career high of 53, which he set back in 2012. Rudolph is 51 yards from his career high in receiving yards of 493, which he also set in 2012.
41 — quarterback hurries for Tom Johnson through 14 games
Johnson got his third straight start against the Bears and recorded a sack and two quarterback hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. He has now started a career-high seven games and has played more snaps this season than starting defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Sharrif Floyd. He has made the most of them, especially as a pass rusher. According to PFF, Johnson ranks fifth among defensive tackles with 41 quarterback pressures. Johnson had 30 of them last season, albeit in considerably fewer snaps.
four — Vikings rookies all-time with more grabs than Stefon Diggs
Diggs caught a trio of passes in the win over the Bears to move into fifth place all-time among Vikings rookies with 47 receptions. But it is highly unlikely he will get anywhere close to the Vikings rookie record set by Randy Moss in 1998. Moss had 69 catches, so Diggs will need to average 11 catches in the next two games to get there. He has only reached five catches in a game since Week 8. But five total catches the next two weeks will allow him to leapfrog Paul Flatley and Sammy White on the list, putting him behind only Moss and Percy Harvin, who caught 60 passes in 2009.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
