EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – When Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen received a text from defensive line coach Andre Patterson saying, "Give me a call," he wasn't sure what to expect.

"He thought he might be in trouble," Patterson said, laughing.

The reason for Patterson's message, however, was to personally tell Griffen that he was headed to his first career Pro Bowl.

Griffen could not be more excited, and Patterson could not be more proud.

"He's put in a lot of hard work these last two years to achieve this goal, and it was a great moment for me as his coach to share that with him," Patterson said of Griffen's accomplishment. "He deserves it. He's played well. I thought he should have been in there last year, and it didn't work out. Usually the first year you put your name on the map, and it takes you two years to get in there.

"I think it worked out the best way," Patterson continued. "If he had made it during the regular time, one of you guys would have told him, and I would have had to see him later and congratulate him. But to be the one to be able to tell him, and have him hear from my voice was a great thing for me as his coach."

Despite playing through a nagging shoulder injury during part of the season, Griffen's 2015 performance was one for the books. In his sixth season with the Vikings and second as a starter, Griffen recorded 49 tackles (27 solo), 10.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, four passes defensed and a forced fumble.

As a whole, Minnesota's defensive line played well throughout the season, with a noticeable uptick over the last four-game stretch. Patterson said the line continued to build even stronger chemistry and work together as one unit.

"It's not just about Everson getting a sack," Patterson said. "It's about the other guys performing their jobs so one of the four [linemen] can get it."

One of Griffen's sacks this season came against Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. During that play, Patterson explained that Griffen was able to make the play because nose tackle Linval Joseph read the situation and reacted appropriately because Joseph knew where Wilson was going.

"When [Wilson] saw Linval's head in the B gap, he turned back, and Everson got the sack," Patterson said. "If Linval hadn't done that, he would have taken off and ran, and Griff' would have wasted a good move."

A similar situation occurred on a separate snap, when defensive end Brian Robison and defensive tackle Tom Johnson came together to close down the pocket, giving defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd an opportunity to make the sack.

Robison made several such plays throughout the season, and they were not all from the same position on the field. Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer and Patterson asked Robison to do different things at times, and he adapted well and helped the defensive line function more effectively. The coaches' focus was to get their most athletic linemen on the outside in pass-rush situations, and Robison was able to move inside and rush on the guards, allowing Griffen and rookie defensive end Danielle Hunter to bookend the line.

"If 'B-Rob' wasn't as smart and intelligent of a football player as he is, I don't think we would have been able to do those things with him," Patterson said. "He deserves credit – he's an intelligent football player that I trust, and I gave him the ability to make calls out there on the field and not go through me."

Robison emphasized the defensive line's performance down the stretch, saying the unit executed plays it hadn't done to start the season. For Robison, it all boiled down to versatility and a team-first approach from him and his teammates.

"I think that's a testament to the guys we have in that room – not being selfish, guys being able to move around, do some different things," Robison said. "A lot of [success] is from guys learning on the fly and understanding that there are certain things we need to do in order to win ball games."

Robison finished the regular season with 34 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, four passes defensed and two fumble recoveries.

Johnson played all 16 games for the Vikings, starting eight of them and rotating in when necessary. Although he flew a bit below the radar, Johnson finished the regular season with solid stats: 47 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

In his second year with the Vikings, Joseph added a sizeable presence on the line that proved difficult for offensive linemen to deal with. Joseph missed four games of the season with a toe injury. In the 12 games he played, Joseph recorded an impressive 71 tackles while doing grunt work that enabled teammates to come up with the big plays.

Hunter made an impact early on in his rookie season, quickly demonstrating not only existing talent but plenty of potential as well. Hunter's athleticism on the outside was undeniable, and he came in second on the team in sacks (6.0).

Patterson said much of Hunter's success reflects who he is as a person both on and off the field: conscientious, disciplined and eager to learn. Hunter, who turned 21 on Oct. 29, was the youngest player in the NFL during the 2015 season – but he didn't play like it.

"You have to remember, this kid started in the SEC at 17 years old," Patterson said. "We had to teach him to get his game to go to another level, and to his credit, he was able to achieve that."

Under the direction of Zimmer, Patterson and assistant defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez, the defensive line helped the Vikings achieve an 11-5 regular season record and claim the NFC North division title for the first time since 2009.

The chart below includes statistics of the defensive line (tackles and quarterback hurries are by coaches' tally):