Vikings Snap Counts: With Rodgers wallop, rookie Wonnum makes a difference

We’ve seen it too many times.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers takes a 10-step drop, climbs back up in the pocket and hurls a prayer to the end zone, which somehow lands in the hands of a receiver and the Packers steal a victory.

That was in jeopardy of happening in the final seconds of the Vikings’ 28-22 win over Green Bay on Sunday. With 12 seconds to play, the Packers lined up in a four-receiver set from Minnesota’s 41-yard line. Rodgers danced around the pocket, ran outside and was preparing to hurl another deep pass when Vikings rookie defensive end D.J. Wonnum smacked him from behind.

The football bounced 20 yards down the field into the arms of Minnesota linebacker Eric Wilson, who fell on it to secure the upset win.

.@DWonnum with the FINISHER!!!

?: https://t.co/EYGyNNg0Yf pic.twitter.com/ih7Y5cD2wh

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 1, 2020

It marked Wonnum’s second career sack and undoubtedly the biggest play of his young career.

A 2020 fourth-round pick (No. 117 overall), Wonnum played a career-high 37 of Minnesota’s 72 defensive snaps on Sunday (49%). He tallied one tackle, one sack, one forced fumble and two quarterback hits at Lambeau Field.

Wonnum has been splitting time at defensive end in a rotation with Jalyn Holmes, who played 62 snaps (83%) against Green Bay in his first game starting in place of the traded Yannick Ngakoue. Ifeadi Odenigbo played the second-most snaps at the position (79%), followed by Wonnum.

In an obvious pass-rushing situation, Holmes, Odenigbo and Wonnum were the three defensive linemen on the field for the final game-clinching play.

Other notes from Sunday’s snap counts:

— With Mike Hughes and Holton Hill out with injury, the Vikings’ young core of cornerbacks were tested against Aaron Rodgers. Cameron Dantzler returned off the COVID-19 reserve list just in time to play, but he suffered a scary neck injury in the first quarter and left the game after playing 14 snaps.

— Jeff Gladney was the only cornerback to play all 72 defensive snaps. Kris Boyd (76%), Harrison Hand (39%) and Mark Fields II (28%) also appeared in the secondary. Fields II left in the third quarter with a punctured lung.

— Rookie receiver Justin Jefferson played just 34 of Minnesota’s 52 offensive snaps (65%), his lowest percentage since Week 2 (54%).

— Dalvin Cook, who had a monster game against Green Bay with 227 total yards and four touchdowns, was on the field for his highest clip of snaps this season (88%). Backup running back Alexander Mattison played a season-low five snaps.

— Wide receivers Chad Beebe (11 snaps) and Olabisi Johnson (2) were barely featured in the offense Sunday. Beebe caught one pass for 16 yards on a critical third-and-8 in the third quarter.

— Activated from injured reserve Saturday, rookie linebacker Troy Dye played 21 snaps and recorded one tackle.

WEEK 8 — AT PACKERS (OFFENSE)