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The Minnesota Vikings showed plenty of promise in a 34-25 win over the New Orleans Saints in the preseason opener. While the victory was nothing short of an all-around team effort, there were still some unproven faces that managed to stand out.
Here are the three biggest individual performances from the Vikings' win against the Saints.
Mike Boone – RB
The Vikings have experienced major turnover in the backfield in recent years, with the departures of Jerick Mckinnon prior to the 2018 campaign and Latavius Murray this offseason. Although Minnesota is confident in Dalvin Cook's ability to serve as the workhorse back, there is still plenty of speculation regarding the depth behind him.
Running back Mike Boone certainly made his case to become the complementary option to Cook by providing the Vikings their biggest highlight in Week 1. The former undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown on a whopping 17.5 yards per carry. He was a dependable and highly productive performer against New Orleans, giving coach Mike Zimmer a noticeable bright spot.
It should be noted that the majority of his production came on the back of a 64-yard touchdown run. Regardless, there is no question he took advantage of his limited opportunities, since his mere four rushes tied him with Ameer Abdullah for the third-most carries on the team behind Alexander Mattison (9) and De'Angelo Henderson (7).
Sean Mannion – QB
The Vikings' offense was clicking on all cylinders in the preseason opener. Aside from the flawless opening drive by quarterback Kirk Cousins, quarterback Sean Mannion did a tremendous job of leading the offense during his time under center.
Mannion completed 7 of 13 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. Of course, the most impressive statistic was that neither he nor any of the other quarterbacks threw an interception.
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Minnesota learned the importance of having a quality backup after its run-in with the Nick Foles-led Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game a few seasons ago. The Vikings are hoping that the addition of Mannion will provide them that same insurance in case things go awry under center.
The 27-year-old Mannion spent his career as a backup with the Los Angeles Rams. Mannion's experience in a high-powered offense with the Rams should provide the Vikings some much-needed stability behind Cousins.
Hercules Mata'afa – DL
Defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa was finally able to make his long-awaited debut for Minnesota after a torn ACL cost him his rookie season in 2018. Fortunately, he was able to make the most of his opportunity with a strong comeback performance.
The former undrafted free agent out of Washington State has spent the offseason competing for a backup spot. It did not take long for him to make his presence felt after entering the second quarter and finishing the game with one sack and two tackles for a loss.
Mata'afa still has a long way to go if he hopes to establish himself as the backup to Linval Joseph and Shamar Stephen. Considering Minnesota's willingness to keep him around after the severe injury he suffered last year, he should be provided with ample opportunities to show off his skill set.
