Vikings Snap Counts: Parry makes an impact in limited action

Published Sep. 18, 2018 2:54 p.m. ET

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A lot happened in the Minnesota Vikings’ 29-29 tie with Green Bay at Lambeau Field. Four missed field-goal attempts. Controversial penalties. A ferocious comeback by Minnesota’s new quarterback Kirk Cousins.

But lost in that mess was an impact play from a relative unknown: Defensive tackle David Parry.

Parry started all 32 games for the Indianapolis Colts from 2015-16, logging five sacks and 50 tackles. However, his career took a wrong turn after that.

Suspended for the first four games of the 2017 season after police alleged he stole a golf cart while intoxicated, Parry was eventually sentenced to two years of supervised probation.

He landed with the New Orleans Saints, appearing in just one game last season while spending time on injured reserve and the practice squad.

Parry flew under the radar when he signed with the Vikings in May and again when he made the 53-man roster.

But despite the Vikings' stacked defensive line, Parry reintroduced himself with authority Sunday, outmuscling Packers guard Lane Taylor and sacking Aaron Rodgers with the Vikings trailing 20-7 in the third quarter.

He made the most of his limited playing time, finishing with a sack and two total tackles despite appearing on just 16 percent of the Vikings' snaps on defense.

Parry was used similarly in Week 1, appearing on 21 percent of the snaps.

Other notes:

-- Mackensie Alexander returned from an injury that kept him out of Week 1 action, and he played in 70 percent of the defensive snaps. He was burned badly a few times in coverage but made a couple of tough open-field tackles and sacked Rodgers on a third-and-4 to kill off a Packers drive in overtime.

-- For the second straight week, Andrew Sendejo, Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr, Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes appeared in every defensive snap.

-- George Iloka, signed by Minnesota after being cut by Cincinnati in late August, hasn’t appeared on defense through two weeks, but he did appear on 15 special-team snaps Sunday.

-- Vikings second-round pick Brian O’Neill made his NFL debut, replacing an injured Rashod Hill at right tackle in the fourth quarter. In his postgame press conference, head coach Mike Zimmer said O’Neill did "pretty good." O'Neill played in 32 snaps (44 percent).

-- Wide receiver Brandon Zylstra appeared in two plays on offense. Expect those numbers to rise as the Vikings search for answers at their No. 3 receiver position.

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

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