Analysis: Jonathan Greenard calls to mind image of Johnny Randle chasing that chicken

Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores poked his head into Sunday’s winning locker room, smiled and made an A-gap beeline blitz to embrace his “closer”: 10-sack edge rusher Jonathan Greenard.

A week earlier at Chicago, Greenard’s ninth sack felled Bears elusive rookie Caleb Williams in overtime to help seal a 30-27 victory. Greenard’s next sack came Sunday with Arizona’s way-more-slippery Kyler Murray facing second-and-5 from his 35 with 53 seconds left in the Vikings’ 23-22 come-from-behind victory at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Flores was told that Greenard’s latest sack and subsequent tackle of the diminutive Murray for a 3-yard gain on third-and-13 one play later reminded this observer of that old Nike commercial where Vikings Hall of Famer John Randle was chasing the little chicken dressed in the Favre Packers jersey.

“Those two [Williams and Murray] are hard to get down; they’re good,” Flores said before nodding to Greenard and adding, “but he’s pretty good, too.”

Murray falls a tad short of being an elite quarterback. But the 5-10, 207-pound jitterbug is a first-ballot pain in the rear when it comes to corralling him when he and his legs go off script.

He ran seven times for 48 yards, a game-high 6.9 average. There was a designed run that got 6 easy yards on a first down. There was an 11-yard scramble on second-and-10 from the 50 with 51 seconds left in the first half. That led to a field goal and a 9-6 lead.

“He’s the kind of guy where you can have the perfect rush,” said Greenard, “and he still squirts out on you. That’s what happened on that 19-yard run.”

The Cardinals faced second-and-14 from their 12 early in the game. Murray was surrounded in the pocket.

“I was staying outside, and I couldn’t go back inside on a guy like him,” Greenard said. “He’s such an electric athlete. He was out the little door on that one.”

The same door was slammed on him by Flores’ “closer.” Murray hadn’t been sacked all game. Heck, he only got hit three times all day.

But …

“I was rushing from the right and when I went around the corner on him, I just stuck out my hand figuring he was going to wind up,” Greenard said. “I think I hit his knuckle or something just enough.”

Greenard got back to the huddle and was met by cornerback Shaq Griffin.

“I told him, ‘Keep doing that. You make a play, we’ll make a play on the back end,’ ” said Griffin, who ended the game two plays later with an interception on fourth down.

Greenard was asked if tackling Murray in space for a 3-yard gain on third-and-13 was harder than the sack.

“100 percent,” he said.

Griffin agreed.

“That’s a tough one,” he said. “But at that point, no matter how tired [Greenard] is, no matter how long he’s been chasing Kyler, we trust that Jonathan can get him on the ground.”

So how’d Greenard, who’s 5 inches taller and 52 pounds heavier, get Murray on the ground in open space?

“By running straight at him,” Greenard said. “His strength is stopping and starting. So running straight at him gets him to stop his feet and have to make a decision, which buys some time.”

Greenard was credited with four tackles and the strip sack. He also teamed up with Andrew Van Ginkel to force the massive penalty on Murray for intentional grounding on first-and-goal from the 10 with 4½ minutes left. That led to an Arizona field goal and a six-point lead that ended up one point shy.

Greenard looked and sounded a little winded after the game. He talked about going for a breathing treatment because of a cough he has. But he was in a good mood when asked if he ever saw that old Johnny Randle commercial.

“I have not,” Greenard said. “But I’m going home and watch it now.”

Spoiler alert, J.G.: Although you won’t see Randle catch the chicken, the commercial ends with him barbecuing the chicken with a smile as big as yours was on Sunday.