King of the Hill

Walking out with a W.#Skol pic.twitter.com/jaY2I6I1b8

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 21, 2018

Minnesota successfully grounded the Jets on Sunday. It was the first time in franchise history that the Vikings were able to take down “Gang Green” in the big apple, and there was one play in particular that caught my eye.

With heavy winds hindering both offenses, the first half was more or less a stalemate. Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Vikings held a 27-17 lead. Down by only 10 points, New York’s rookie quarterback Sam Darnold was hoping to lead a scoring drive. The rookie saw a golden opportunity to exploit Minnesota’s defense when star cornerback Xavier Rhodes went down with an ankle injury. The Vikings had other plans for Sam…

Holton Hill with his first career pick pic.twitter.com/rBUGbkQrfp

— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) October 21, 2018

Since Rhodes was hurt, undrafted rookie Holton Hill emerged from the sideline to see some of his first NFL action. The untested corner immediately had a bullseye on his back, as Darnold targeted Hill on the very next play. “Hollywood” Holton Hill lived up to his flashy nickname, intercepting Sam’s pass to ultimately seal the game.

It was only one play, but it will certainly help Hill’s confidence as he works on his craft and seeks more playing time. With Mike Hughes out for the year and the retirement of Terence Newman, it’s great to see we have capable backups. Rhodes will likely reclaim his starting role soon, but it was fun to get a glimpse of Holton’s potential.

Congrats to the Vikings on another big win, and to Holton on his first pick!

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