Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings: Key matchups

Damarious Randall versus Stefon Diggs

As things currently stand, all signs seem to point to Sam Shields sitting out Week 2 due to a late-game concussion he suffered in Jacksonville. In the absence of Green Bay’s top cover man, defensive coordinator Dom Capers may very well assign second-year corner Damarious Randall the unenviable task of shadowing Minnesota’s most dangerous pass-catching threat Stefon Diggs.

The 6-foot Diggs is a master route runner that routinely throws off defensive backs with his ability to sell his patterns by using both his upper and lower body to confound the opposition.

He also possesses the speed and ball-tracking skills to go deep and make over-the-shoulder catches.

Diggs was very efficient last week by securing seven of his nine targets for 103 yards and an off-target throw by Hill was the only thing standing in the way of the University of Maryland product scoring a touchdown.

Though Diggs could see a variety of coverages due to the different spots he typically lines up in, Randall seems to be one that is best equipped to provide tight one-on-one coverage.

The 24-year-old displayed excellent timing in breaking up two passes against the Jaguars along with assisting Micah Hyde on a 4th-and-1 tackle of Allen Hurns on Jacksonville’s final play of the game. Randall’s natural cover skills, awareness and overall effort earned him the highest grade (86.1) from Pro Football Focus among Packers defenders.

Next: Randall Cobb Versis the Vikings secondary