Rob Searles

Denver

Staff Writer - @ZoneCoverageMN | Simley Passing Game Coordinator | The Cy Amundson Show | Former Staff Writer - @DailyThunder & @FantasyPros

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Articles

Jalen Nailor Is the Perfect Embodiment Of the 2024 Vikings

Sep 28, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen |Chris Schad |John Boyd |Rob Searles

Everybody loves an underdog. The story of the hero rising from obscurity to conquer insurmountable odds against all expectations. Rocky, Rudy, The Little Giants. The 2024 Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota had no shortage of doubters this year. I don’t know if anyone outside TCO Performance Center reasonably thought this 3-0 start was possible.
The Aaron Jones Revenge Tour Is Going As Planned

Sep 28, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Chris Schad |John Boyd |Rob Searles |Aidan Cummings

When the Minnesota Vikings visit Lambeau Field on Sunday, it will mean a little more to Aaron Jones. The Green Bay Packers’ fifth-round pick in 2017, Jones ranks third in franchise history in rushing yards and fourth in touchdowns. While he ranks second all-time in rushing touchdowns at Lambeau Field, he will be wearing purple and gold, trying to help the Vikings enjoy their first 4-0 start since 2016.
Green Bay’s Running Game Poses A New Challenge For Brian Flores’ Defense

Sep 27, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | John Boyd |Rob Searles |Aidan Cummings |Bert Bledso

Another week, another convincing Minnesota Vikings win driven by a dominant defensive performance. Brian Flores’ defense has only allowed 10 points per game, good for second in the league behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers. B-Flo’s plan against the pass has been extremely compelling and has even drawn national media attention. How well his defense has combated the run throughout the season hasn’t gotten enough shine.
Kevin O'Connell Has Used the Run Game To Neutralize Minnesota's Biggest Weakness

Sep 27, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Rob Searles |Aidan Cummings |Bert Bledso |Cole Smith

The 3-0 Minnesota Vikings enter Packers Week as early-season darlings. Brian Flores’ defense just turned second-year phenom C.J. Stroud into a pumpkin, and Sam Darnold leads the NFL in touchdown passes with eight. Despite the overwhelming success on both sides of the ball through three weeks, there remains a glaring Achilles heel for this team: the interior offensive line.
It's Time For Sam Darnold To Channel His Inner Case Keenum

Sep 7, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Chris Schad |Aidan Cummings |Nelson Thielen |Rob Searles

If you wanted to give the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason a nickname, “The Summer of Sam” is an excellent place to start. Yes, the Vikings entered the offseason discussing Kirk Cousins’ contract and selecting J.J. McCarthy as the franchise’s future quarterback. But between the discussions about the past and the future sat Darnold, Minnesota’s present. Darnold’s tenure as an NFL starter hasn’t gone well.
Everybody Loves Josh Metellus

Sep 6, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Aidan Cummings |Nelson Thielen |Rob Searles |Tom Schreier

Josh Metellus has become a household name and a favorite among Minnesota Vikings fans. He plays almost every position on defense, is a great human being off the field, and has emerged as a leader on it. The Vikings drafted Metellus in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft as a safety out of the University of Michigan. His career started slow, but he eventually became a special teams ace.
Malik Nabers Is An Exceedingly Movable Object Pushed By An Unpredictable Force

Sep 6, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen |Rob Searles |Tom Schreier

Anyone else remember that wild rumor that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was trying to trade up for Malik Nabers? In the slop heap that is the draft day rumor mill, arguably the wildest was the notion that the QB-needy Minnesota Vikings tried to move up with the Los Angeles Chargers not for a quarterback but for wide receiver Malik Nabers out of LSU instead. As ludicrous as that sounds, I won’t necessarily attack anyone’s credibility in the NFL insider business.
Will the Giants Expose A Longstanding Vikings Weakness?

Sep 6, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Rob Searles |Tom Schreier |Matt Johnson

For seemingly the past decade, the Minnesota Vikings enter the 2024 campaign with question marks throughout the interior of their offensive line. This year, 2020 sixth-round pick Blake Brandel, who the Vikings originally drafted as a tackle, steps into the starting left guard spot vacated by Dalton Risner. Brandel started two games at right guard late last season and allowed a combined seven pressures and one sack. He was also flagged twice.
Could Dwight McGlothern Step In For Mekhi Blackmon?

Jul 29, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Cody Schoenmann |Nelson Thielen |Chris Schad |Rob Searles

Minnesota Vikings second-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL on the first day of Training Camp, ending his sophomore season before it began. Blackmon sustained a season-ending injury just weeks after rookie fourth-round pick Khyree Jackson tragically passed in a car accident. At a recent press conference, Kevin O’Connell said Jackson performed well at rookie minicamp and could have factored in their plans at the position this year.
Duke Shelley Is Minnesota’s New Hope (Again) At Cornerback

Jul 28, 2024 | zonecoverage.com | Nelson Thielen |Byron Murphy |Chris Schad |Rob Searles

Tragedy, injury, and heartbreak has devastated the Minnesota Vikings’ cornerback room this offseason to nearly “Order 66” level proportions. Injuries to Mekhi Blackmon and Shaquill Griffin within the span two days of practice have taken an already dire situation at the position and are quickly spiraling into complete organizational collapse. Make no mistake, this cornerback group was already a ragtag bunch of rebels that needed to rally together to survive against NFC passing attacks.