Minnesota Vikings

Vikings Snap Counts: Despite holiday, no rest for defense

Published Nov. 27, 2017 3:56 p.m. ET

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The Minnesota Vikings were playing on short rest on Thanksgiving, but head coach Mike Zimmer didn't give his top-ranked defense any time off.

Linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, safeties Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo and cornerback Xavier Rhodes were on the field for all 59 of the Vikings' defensive snaps against the Detroit Lions.

It's just the third time this season that all five players have played an entire game together.

The strategy paid dividends for the Vikings, who held the Lions to just 289 yards of total offense -- it's the fourth time this season they've been held under 300 yards -- and limited their high-flying passing game to just 154 yards.

Other notes from Sunday's snap counts:

-- Defensive end Brian Robison appeared on a season-low 27 percent of the defensive snaps after missing Week 11.

-- Running back Latavius Murray out-snapped Jerick McKinnon for the first time since Week 4, appearing on 50 percent of the offensive snaps (40 total).

-- After logging 16 offensive snaps in Week 11 wide receiver Michael Floyd was back to being an afterthought in Week 12, getting just five.

-- Wide receiver Stefon Diggs' numbers are climbing again. Diggs was on the field for 90 percent of the offensive snaps -- tied with Adam Thielen -- the first time he's reached that threshold since Week 2.

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

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