Minnesota Vikings

Vikings Snap Counts: Veterans Robison, Newman still game changers

Published Dec. 19, 2017 1:25 p.m. ET

Once again, the high level of play from veterans Brian Robison and Terence Newman was a big factor in the Vikings’ 34-7 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Robison, 34, and Newman, 39, certainly aren’t slowing down, as they both played over 60 percent of the defensive snaps against the Bengals.

Robison sacked Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton twice -- his 10th career game earning more than one sack and the first time since Week 5 against the Texans last year. Now playing in his 11th year in the NFL, the University of Texas product has racked up 59.0 sacks -- one sack from tying Kevin Williams for fifth all-time in Vikings history and two behind teammate Everson Griffen for fourth.

The Vikings are 8-1 the last two seasons when Robison records a sack.

In Newman’s 36 snaps Sunday, he tallied two pass deflections and one highlight-reel interception.

Newman’s third-quarter interception looked more like an early-2000s Vince Carter dunk than a turnover, as Newman grabbed the ball between his legs -- while in midair -- and was somehow able to complete the catch.

When will the motors of these seasoned veterans begin to slow down? Probably not anytime soon.

Other notes from Sunday’s snap counts:

-- A season-high 41 different players saw action on offense and defense, as backups played substantial time in the fourth quarter after the Vikings built a 34-0 lead.

-- Teddy Bridgewater’s return to the field is well-documented, but we’d be remiss not to mention he was under center for nine snaps against the Bengals. That accounted for four rushing plays, two passing plays (he threw an interception and an incompletion), and Bridgewater knelt for the final three snaps in the victory formation to end the game.

-- Thanks to a blowout, offensive linemen Nick Easton, Joe Berger and Rashod Hill were the only three players on either side of the ball to play in 100 percent of the snaps.

GAME 14: BENGALS (OFFENSE)

PLAYER	PLAYS (67)	%
Berger	67	100%
Easton	67	100%
Hill	67	100%
Remmers	58	87%
Elflein	58	87%
Keenum	58	87%
Thielen	56	84%
Morgan	50	75%
Diggs	46	69%
McKinnon	35	52%
Murray	32	48%
Treadwell	24	36%
Rudolph	21	31%
Ham	20	30%
Carter	18	27%
Wright	16	24%
Floyd	14	21%
Sirles	12	18%
Isadora	9	13%
Bridgewater	9	13%

GAME 14: BENGALS (DEFENSE)

PLAYER	PLAYS (55)	%
Waynes	51	93%
Griffen	42	76%
Sendejo	41	75%
Smith	41	75%
Rhodes	41	75%
Kendricks	41	75%
Barr	41	75%
T. Johnson	40	73%
Hunter	39	71%
Newman	36	65%
Robison	33	60%
Joseph	32	58%
Stephen	25	42%
Gedeon	22	40%
Harris	14	25%
Kearse	14	25%
Lamur	14	25%
Weatherly	10	18%
Brock	10	18%
Sherels	9	16%
Brothers	9	16%