Vikings Linebacker Calls Out Local Reporter After Bengals Win

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Jonathan Greenard, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Sunday saw the Minnesota Vikings get right, in a big way. Not only was there zero evidence of a team that struggled with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2, but they couldn’t have been less bothered by all of the question marks surrounding the state of the team after that first loss.

The 48-10 victory was a laugher before the first quarter was completed. By halftime, the Vikings lead was 31 points, thanks to a heroic defensive showing from Isaiah Rodgers and a Minnesota offense that finally operated functionally, behind new QB Carson Wentz.

Of course, one week means nothing in this league, since everything swings so greatly from game to game. What’s important is that the locker room remains together, no matter who is playing quarterback or how well the team is playing, at any given time.

Beat writer thought vibes were off in Minnesota Vikings locker room

Entering Sunday’s contest vs Cincinnati, there was certainly concern among the fanbase, both offensively and defensively. Not only that, but there was at least one beat reporter, the Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer who felt that vibes were off inside TCO Performance Center last week, something he expressed on the Purple Insider Podcast on Friday.

“This is a team that is desperate, which is weird to say for a 1-1 team, to use the word’ desperate’, but vibes are not great. That’s at least what I’ve been sensing around the team.”

Andrew Krammer – Purple Insider

Funny enough, the context surrounding Andrew Krammer’s quote was that of a winning prediction. He believed the Minnesota Vikings would come into U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon more desperate than their Bengals competition.

He ended up being very much right, on that front, whether you want to call them desperate or whether their play had anything to do with “vibes being off”, we’ll probably never know. But none of that mattered to Minnesota’s No. 1 pass rusher, Jonathan Greenard.

Jonathan Greenard pulls out receipts on Andrew Krammer

He heard/read Krammer’s comments prior to Sunday’s matchup and they were the first thing on Greenard’s mind when reporters gathered around his locker room, following the Vikings’ win. Fortunately for Krammer, he was not a part of the scrum.

“I don’t know who said something, he’s not in here right now…said the vibes was off. It was the other guy in here, he was shorter, can’t remember his name. He said the vibes was off this week.

Completely false. Just because we’re working and probably weren’t in there the same times you guys were in there, I don’t know why he would put stuff out like that. The vibe is good. Just because we’re even keel and ready to get back to work doesn’t mean the vibes are down.

We just understand that, listen, we didn’t like that performance last week. We put our head down. What do we look like coming in here and smiling for and dancing for and talking all types of energy when we just put up that performance last week? Any time we get a dub, we just try to stay on this upward trend.”

Jonathan Greenard postgame vs Bengals

The comments from Krammer clearly weren’t appreciated in the Minnesota Vikings locker room, and Greenard being the leader that he is, addressed them. It’s difficult to make sweeping assessments early in the season, especially following a loss.

At the same time, we really on reporters to help us with things like locker room vibes. Their closeness to the team does not guarantee they are right, however.

Winning cures a lot of things and the Vikings absolutely crushed Cincinnati Sunday, despite being down their starting quarterback, center and starting wide receiver. Getting Christian Darrisaw back certainly helped, however.

Greenard making an impact for MN Vikings

Thus far on the season Jonathan Greenard has just a single sack. He has recorded nine tackles, three for losses, and has five hits on the quarterback. Obviously it’s always the sack numbers that turn the most heads. On Sunday he wasn’t credited with one, but his presence was constantly felt.

The nature of the MN Vikings front seven is that pressure can come from anywhere. Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel are the guys on the edges, but Dallas Turner and Jalen Redmond are capable of putting up production too. The additions of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen have been felt in the early going as well.

It’s virtually impossible to try and take away one of the Vikings pass rushers without allowing another one to come and get you. Greenard and Van Ginkel have worked in tandem perfectly since joining the team last season.

Minnesota has to feel good about having a leader on the field like Greenard. It’s clear he’s not afraid to lead off of it either.

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