Vikings

How Donatell Is Trying To Save the Vikings Defense, Pt. II: The Fix

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings’ defense was in shambles heading into Saturday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. In Part I, we went over the problems with the defense that caused them to give up over 400 yards for five weeks in a row. But things got a lot better against the Colts. It may not seem like it in a game that ended 39-36, but the defense did its part and then some.

The Colts had eight drives that started ahead of their own 30-yard line. Two were thanks to special teams gaffes, two were thanks to fourth-down failures in Minnesota territory, and two were “drives” that started and ended in Minnesota territory on the punt block and pick-six touchdowns. Conversely, in seven drives that started behind Indianapolis’ 30-yard line, the Colts scored just once, a field goal at the end of the first half.

If the Vikings could resist giving the Colts a short field, Indianapolis couldn’t score. The second-half turnaround further evidenced that. Indianapolis ended regulation with six consecutive failed possessions, including a forced fumble and a turnover on downs. Sure, situational football influenced some of that — the Colts had a four-and-out with no passing attempts — but that doesn’t make the stops a passive experience.

So how did the Vikings turn things around? It’s not just a factor of going against a notoriously poor passing attack, although that can’t hurt. The New York Jets and New England Patriots, both struggling so badly they’ve had quarterback controversies with second-year first-round draft picks, managed to shred the Vikings. Why couldn’t the Colts? The answer is man coverage.

The Vikings ran a ton more man coverage than they have all season. By my count, they went to Cover 1 on 19 of their 35 pass defense snaps. Over half the time (pie chart below). Cover 6 and Cover 8, also known as quarter-quarter-half, was a staple all year. On Saturday, they called it just six times. The Vikings have lived in those soft zones all year, experiencing all the problems I outlined in Part I. Thing was, man coverage felt like it might be even worse if the Vikings couldn’t hang on the outside.

The Vikings managed to hold up against the Colts with Duke Shelley in. The change, first reported by Tom Pelissero on NFL Network’s broadcast before the game, was to move Patrick Peterson to the boundary side of the field. For the uninitiated, that’s the side of the field between the hashmark and sideline that the ball is on. The “Field” side (sometimes known as the “short” and “wide” side) is the one with, well, more field to cover.

There are a couple of reasons to do this. The first is just geometry. The side of the field with more space is naturally going to require slightly longer throws. Those throws will be slower, giving that cornerback an extra split second to react. That may just be the difference. Second, NFL offenses love to put the “strength” of their formations to the field side. More space for more players. But the weak side is where they tend to put their studs. So Patrick Peterson will get more difficult matchups as well.

All this means that Shelley had a little extra protection in exchange for a little more pressure on Peterson. Peterson answered the call, and Shelley held up on the field side.

This also allowed the Vikings to unveil some of the wackier pressures and coverage rotations in the playbook. This stuff doesn’t work in soft zones since everyone has to get so deep. You can’t ask Jordan Hicks to line up right over the guard and then back off to a 12-yard zone-drop landmark, for example. But if Hicks’ job is to man cover the running back, you can get away with simulated pressure. Here is a creative fire zone that, while Matt Ryan found a first down due to some shaky execution, still looks like it could be a useful tool moving forward with a few weeks left in the season to polish it.

As a disclaimer, I’m not entirely sure that fire zone is the right term for that rep (it might be screwed-up quarters), but the point is that it’s something fancier than pure, simplified spot-drop zone. If you know the coverage call there, let me know; I struggled to figure out the exact one.

Whatever the term, that’s just one example of the myriad things the Vikings can do if they keep this up. Problem is, they need Peterson and Shelley (or Dantzler or whoever’s body holds together that week) to win their matchups. The weakness of Cover 1 is what happens when they have to contend with, say, D.K. Metcalf or Terry McLaurin in the playoffs. This strategy simply will not work against a team as stacked as the Philadelphia Eagles. But the Vikings have time to keep experimenting. Look at the defensive structure in these last three low-stakes weeks. If it keeps changing, know that Donatell is trying to find the way this defense can look in the playoffs. He found one good page of the playbook. Here’s to hoping he can find more.

Vikings
There’s Joy To Be Found In This Tumultuous Transition Period In Vikings History
By Tyler Haag - Mar 28, 2024
Vikings
Harrison Smith Has Become Minnesota’s Lone Survivor
By Kaleb Medhanie - Mar 27, 2024
Vikings

Andrew Van Ginkel Brings Versatility and Energy To Minnesota's Defense

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

When the NFL’s 2024 free-agency window opened, the Minnesota Vikings quickly attacked the defensive side of the ball, adding a trio of players, including Andrew Van Ginkel. […]

Continue Reading