Sports Illustrated Kids – September 2019

The Vikings tied division rival Chicago

for third in the league in sacks in

2018, and for that they have Danielle

Hunter to thank. In his fourth season,

the 6' 5" Hunter paced the team with

141/2 takedowns, tied for fourth-best in

the NFL. He’s the star of Minnesota’s

D, which allowed the fourth-fewest

yards per game last season (309.7).

Just 25, Hunter, who runs a blazing

4.57 40-yard dash, has the tools to

blossom into one of the best all-

around defensive ends in the league.

The Vikings hope to balance their

top 10 defense with an offense

that can capitalize on scoring

opportunities. In his first year under

center in Minnesota, Kirk Cousins

put up good numbers (4,298 yards,

30 TDs), and WRs Adam Thielen

and Stefon Diggs both surpassed

100 catches and 1,000 receiving

yards. But the Vikings were 1–6

against playoff teams. Having

RB Dalvin Cook healthy will help the

team have a more balanced attack.

Though the recipe for success in

Minnesota is simple—show up in big

games—it might be hard to follow.

Before the 2018 season, the Bears

Chicago made the playoffs, Nagy

11th-ranked run defense in ’17 to

121/2 sacks turned a solid Bears

pass rush into something downright

scary. Coordinator Vic Fangio left

to take the head job in Denver,

but his replacement, former Colts

head coach Chuck Pagano, will

ensure that his unit is still one of

the league’s best.

On offense the Bears will

transition in the running game,

relying more on first-team All-Pro

punt returner Tarik Cohen (1,580

all-purpose yards) and third-round

draft pick David Montgomery, who

will take over the lead-back role

from Jordan Howard (now with

the Eagles). The combo will help

third-year QB Mitchell Trubisky

(3,223 yards, 24 TDs) in his push to

get the Bears back to the playoffs.

Heading into his third year in

the league, WR Kenny Golladay

(70 catches, 1,063 yards) has

established himself as the top target

for QB Matthew Stafford. The 6' 4",

213-pound wideout, who has an

enviable blend of size and strength, will

just have to contend with a change in

scheme. The Lions hired Darrell Bevell,

the former Seahawks coordinator

known for his run-heavy play-calling.

Golladay, however, could play the role

for Bevell that Doug Baldwin did in

Seattle—of a reliable target who racks

up touchdowns.

Second-year RB Kerryon Johnson

(641 yards in 10 games) will benefit

from Bevell’s arrival, as will newly

signed C.J. Anderson, who excelled in

the playoffs with the Rams.

The Lions’ defense was already

showing improvement down the

stretch in 2018, its first season

running head coach Matt Patricia’s

unit perfect. The Lions will miss
the playoffs for the third
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