In his debut as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator, Ed Donatell called a great game against the Green Bay Packers. Minnesota surrendered just seven points to reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Donatell’s ability to generate pressure on Rodgers stood out. He did it in various ways, including lining up pass rushers in different spots across the defensive line and running stunts that opened up lanes for free rushers.
For example, look at what the Vikings did on the third-and-eight when Za’Darius Smith recorded his first sack of the season.
For the last eight years, this would’ve been Mike Zimmer’s cue to dial up his famous double A-gap look. Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr would line up over the center and drop into coverage or blitz. However, Donatell brought out a look that featured Smith and Danielle Hunter as interior rushers and Dalvin Tomlinson and Jordan Hicks as edge rushers, with Kendricks and D.J. Wonnum dropping into coverage.
The play call above allowed Smith and Tomlinson each to get a one-on-one matchup. With that opportunity, they were both able to generate pressure, and Smith ultimately came away with the sack. It’s a perfect example of Donatell finding creative ways to give his star players favorable matchups.
For the second sack, Donatell came with a different look from Minnesota’s base defense. The Vikings lined up as though they were rushing five players, with Smith over the center getting ready to blitz the A-gap and Hicks on the outside.
The play worked to near perfection. Smith generated all sorts of pressure by beating the center and bowling over the running back, causing Rodgers to move from his spot. Hicks was sitting in zone coverage in the flat. He recognized he had no coverage responsibility and came up to put a big hit on Rodgers from his blindside. That forced a fumble and stopped Green Bay’s first drive of the second half.
Hicks did a great job. But, make no mistake, this play resulted from the overloaded pressure that Dontell schemed up, allowing Za’Darius Smith to get one-on-one with the center.
The Vikings came out in their base nickel look on the play where they recorded their third sack of the game. It’s a defense that they should be expected to run a lot of throughout the season. For this play, Donatell dials up a stunt that doesn’t go as planned. But Hunter is gonna Hunter, and he defeats the Packers’ left tackle for a sack.
Of course, the Vikings would surrender a first down on the ensuing second-and-19. But that’s beside the point.
For the Vikings’ fourth and final sack of the day, Donatell again dialed up a stunt, the difference being that it worked this time.
Wonnum was the key to success on this play. At one point, he had four players blocking him simultaneously. Because of that, Hunter, coming on a delayed blitz, had a free lane at Rodgers. Unfortunately, Hunter whiffed on the sack, and Rodgers could escape a collapsing pocket to his right. However, Wonnum never gave up on the play and finished it off.
Looking at all four of these plays, they share two common elements.
First, Donatell mixed up his looks with the front and was able to give Smith and Hunter mismatches consistently throughout the game. Getting creative to put your star playmakers in a position to thrive was something that Zimmer’s defense desperately lacked – aside from the 2019 wild card game.
Second, and most importantly, Donatell generated all these sacks with only four pass rushers. Getting home without sacrificing bodies on the back end is a massive boost to any defense. Rodgers had the time to get a throw off on all of these plays. But since nobody was open downfield, he was forced to take the sack.
When the Vikings would send blitzes in the past, Zimmer would be forced to leave Cameron Dantzler or Patrick Peterson on an island. But in Donatell’s scheme, there are two deep safeties at all times, and nobody is left to fend for themselves.
Clearly, the priority of this defense is to limit the big play. Getting pressure comes second. However, since the Vikings have two elite pass rushers, getting home is no problem.
