Pat Jones II had one goal in mind: get to the quarterback.

The ball was snapped, and Jones burst off the line to spin through the gap between Tennessee's right tackle and guard, easily pushing off the latter to reach for and topple Will Levis.

Jones' takedown of the Titans quarterback thwarted the team's fourth-down attempt and turned the ball over on downs, ensuring momentum stayed with Minnesota for the game's final 9-minute stretch.

The play made a tremendous impact, but Jones still felt he left something on the field.

"I'm actually a little mad about it still," he quipped Monday. "I tried to grab the ball, too, but I missed it."

While Jones didn't get a forced fumble, he did log his second sack of the game, marking his third contest this season with 2.0. Sunday's win increased his season sacks total to seven, which is already three more than his previous high (four in 2022).

"He wanted to prove himself," Christian Darrisaw said of Jones early in October. "He's been out there dominating, making big plays and things, beyond what shows on the stat sheet. He's out there doing what people don't even notice sometimes; but I feel like he's taken a big step."

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell also has noticed Jones' increased drive and the way he's settled into his skills and identity within the defense.

"I think Pat's really figured out what he is as a rusher and his high-level traits to do those things [as a pass rusher] and then, 'What are the change-ups off of those?' " O'Connell said. "He studies a lot, he knows where the weakness and protection is. He knows how he's gonna be blocked and then he attacks it.

"That's the one word that comes to mind when I think of Pat, whether he's setting the edge in the run game or pressuring the quarterback – it just feels like he's at his best when he's in that attack mode," O'Connell added, "and he's done a great job of that."

Now in his fourth NFL season and with 52 games under his belt, this certainly isn't Jones' first rodeo. He will tell you, though, he approached the 2024 campaign a lot differently than previous seasons – and it's paying off.

Going all-in

Jones felt disappointed in himself as Minnesota's 2023 season wrapped up.

"I only had one sack. Didn't think I made a big enough impact," he said. "That motivated me even more to get locked in. I told myself, 'Bro, you can't go out like that.' "

Jones challenged himself to come back "better than ever" for the final season on his rookie contract. Rather than heading home or seeking out warm weather following the Vikings season finale, he stayed in Minnesota to ensure continued focus on workouts and training.

He went all-in on a new diet, detoxing for multiple weeks and then staying away from processed foods, chemicals and added sugars.

"I was paying attention to what I put in my body. I wasn't drinking. Wasn't putting anything in my body that I shouldn't," Jones noted. "I was just eating straight protein and vegetables; I cut out all other carbs. No sodas, no [sports drinks] – just water and protein shakes."

Jones appreciated the support of his fiancée, Michaela, who kept him on track in moments he was tempted to stray from the nutrition plan.

"I'll be like, 'Hey, let's go get a cheeseburger right quick,' and she'll remind me, 'Nuh-uh! You know what you've gotta do. You've gotta lock in,' " Jones recounted.

He's also made his Christian faith a priority, something he says has helped him refocus in several areas of life, including football.

Jones and his sisters grew up attending church with their parents, and he said he's always valued faith, but he felt it fall by the wayside during the busy schedule of a college athlete and then preparing for and starting his NFL career.

"I still believed in God but felt less in-tune with my walk with God," Jones said. "Being in the NFL, it's hard to go to church when we play on Sunday, but that's not really an excuse for me – we had chapel services the nights before games, we had Bible study options, and I wasn't always going to those.

"That's something I told myself this year, that I really wanted to tune into God, my faith," continued Jones. "That's been a major thing for me. The diet was cool and everything, but I feel like [leaning on God] is what really did it, really got me right.

"I said, 'God, you tell me you've got plans for me, a purpose for me, and I've gotta stick to the plan," he added.

Jones is thankful for whatever quiet moments he can find to listen to sermons, spend time in prayer or simply re-center on the tangible goals in front of him.

He especially loves fishing, and he often spends hours on the river with his friend Luke. Sometimes the two talk about life – or the best time of day to reel in a 40-pound catfish – and other times they sit in almost silence, enjoying the simple sounds of an afternoon in Minnesota.

Jones started taking his tablet along on fishing trips that would last two, three, four or sometimes more hours at a time. He flips through plays of upcoming opponents and homes in on anything specific that might help him take advantage.

Last month, we joined Jones for an evening on the Minnesota River and observed his process.

"Look at that tight end; he's leaning super heavy. That's something I'm going to take a look at. And that tackle, he's leaning super heavy, too," he explained, slowing down the film and pointing out each detail.

Then, a few minutes later:

"Right here, I'm looking and see there's no tight end in the formation, and there's one running back. The back's kinda wide, so I'm automatically thinkin' it's probably a pass. Because if that tackle's up, and that tackle's up in the stance, too, I think, 'OK, both tackles up – that's a pass.' "

One by one, he moves through the frames and practices, diagnosing the plays.

Jones said watching film is a skill learned through practice that's improved for him over his three-plus years in the pros. There's a right way to do it, he noted, and a wrong way.

"I think when I was younger, I would try to see too much. There's a saying: 'See a little, you see a lot,' " Jones said. "That's what I've gotten to. I started watching it to, really, watch for the little things – and it actually allowed me to see a lot more."

Game changer

Jones is thankful for coaches and teammates, past and current, who have helped coach him in film study. He doesn't shy away from "taking tidbits" from the veteran players who have gone before him, and he's generous with information for any youngsters who approach him for insight.

Andrew Van Ginkel, who signed with the Vikings this spring as a free agent, has been impressed with Jones' approach and execution.

"He genuinely loves football and wants to make an impact," Van Ginkel said. "He wants to be the best teammate, and the best player, that he can be. And it's showing up. He's proven it week after week."

Darrisaw has known Jones for much longer but echoed Van Ginkel's sentiments.

"He's strictly about this business," said Darrisaw.

He and Jones played concurrently in the ACC at Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh, respectively, and were 2021 NFL Draft classmates.

"I didn't really know him like I do now, but in college, man, they had a great defensive line," Darrisaw said. "He was one of those dudes out there at Pitt, and we knew when we were playing them, we had to bring our 'A' game.

"And he's taken a huge step since we both came in together, having opportunities to go up against him every season in practice. This year, Year 4, coming into camp, man, I feel like his game changed completely. Like, night and day," Darrisaw continued. "He always had the strength. He's always been the strongest – I remember back in college, yeah, just powerful. He's so strong. But then really developing into a pass rusher into this league, and coming up with moves, having a plan of attack … and you see him out there making those plays now. I'm happy for him."

In addition to the extra grind Jones has put in, he's also benefiting from Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores' methodology and second year in his system.

Jones noted the "major impact" of Flores, who's moved him around in different roles, including lining up at defensive tackle in dime packages in addition to playing on the edge.

"When you have a coach who's leading you, you see the type of passion and type of energy they bring to the game, that just sets the tone," he said. "When your leaders have that from the top, that sets the tone for everything. And you know Coach Flo' is really giving his all to it."

Because Flores is drawing up defensive plays "every day," Jones noted, he made a personal commitment to match the cadence and watch film each day.

"I've gotta stay on top of my stuff daily so we can all work together as a team and do everything we need to do," Jones emphasized. "You don't wanna let anybody down. Coach Flo' has just set the tone by his actions and energy."

Likewise, Flores has appreciated Jones' unwavering commitment to his craft.

"His approach since I've been here has been one that's all about work ethic and all about trying to improve in different facets of this game," Flores said. "Whether it's in the run game, whether it's pass rush, whether it's just football I.Q., and understanding protections and run fits and different runs that offenses could give us.

"Pat's really done a nice job across the board," he added. "We're all happy for his success, because we know he really works hard at it. It's important to him."