How did our defense become so offensive??

[RpMc]

Okay, we’ve enough brain power on this forum to light a small city, or at least a model of a really small city. So, let’s hear the fixes?

For me, the first things I try are:

Wilson ————> Barr (and I’m trying to trade him)

Iloka ————> Sendejo (Sendejo hasn’t played poorly, but he’s not impacting the game either)

Kearse ————> slot defender (Hughes and Mack have been picked apart as slot corners)

Also letting Edwards try handling playcalling duties. It’s either the scheme or Zimmer’s tendencies that have been figured out - we may as well try to figure out which one it is. 

[Cearbhall]

9 minutes ago, RpMc said:

Wilson ————> Barr (and I’m trying to trade him)

 

I have not been as high on Barr as many on here were this offseason, however, while Barr was on the wrong end of too many highlights this evening I have trouble blaming Barr for most of that. No LBer should be expected to do what Barr was being expected to do today. It doesn't matter who you play at LBer if the defenses you call are going to rely on the LBer to cover WRs of that caliber.

In other words, all fixes the Zimmer puts in on defense ought to start with Zimmer taking a long, hard look in the mirror. Get the right set of personnel out there to match up with an offense and call the right plays.

I wouldn't mind seeing Wilson and Iloka mixed in there more but for the most part I stick with the guys and expect more out of the coach. Generally, Zimmer is very good at this and expect that things will improve there. Last week Barr embarrassed himself. This week Zimmer put him in a position to fail.

[vikingsrule]

I'd stick with Zimmer and play calling duties. 

Youre missing a big one, Everson Griffen. He's a leader up front and for a team that wants to play coverage, not having that pass rusher hurts.

Barr and sendejo have also been dreadful and really need to be replaced. Wilson should okay over Barr as an off ball LB, I think Barr needs to play more on the LOS, maybe even at DE as a situational pass rusher. I know he's not proven much in that capacity, I feel it's fine to try something new because he can't play in space this year for whatever reason.

id replace Sendejo with Harris personally. I think he could give us more in coverage and play with more range on the open side of the field that Sendejo plays on.

[vikesfan89]

I wonder if it's just gotten too predictable. It seemed like they had the perfect play call for the defense a lot

[SemperFeist]

Losing Griffen hurts more than we think. Not only is he the fiery leader of the defense, but he consistently got pressure. And even if that didn’t result in him getting sacks, it often led to other reaping the benefits of that pressure. 

Kendricks and Smith look like they are pressing. They look like they are either trying to cover up someone else’s mistakes, often leading to their own. Or they are trying too hard to make a play which is moving them out of position. 

Zimmer just doesn’t seem to be making the right adjustments. 

[Vikes_Bolts1228]

48 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

 

Zimmer just doesn’t seem to be making the right adjustments. 

Last week, we didn't start putting two safties over the top to prevent big plays until half time against Allen.

This week, our play calls ended up resulting in linebackers covering 4.4 receivers. I don't know if that's bad luck or what but it's not fair for a linebacker to be covering Cupp streaking down the field and Robert Woods down the seam. 

[marshpit23]

1 minute ago, Vikes_Bolts1228 said:

Last week, we didn't start putting two safties over the top to prevent big plays until half time against Allen.

This week, our play calls ended up resulting in linebackers covering 4.4 receivers. I don't know if that's bad luck or what but it's not fair for a linebacker to be covering Cupp streaking down the field and Robert Woods down the seam. 

Okay, now we’re on the same page. WTH!

[Vikes_Bolts1228]

1 minute ago, marshpit23 said:

Okay, now we’re on the same page. WTH!

Yeah well you smell.

Better?

[marshpit23]

1 minute ago, marshpit23 said:

Okay, now we’re on the same page. WTH!

How does Zim and the D keep putting Barr in unrealistic scenarios?

[marshpit23]

2 minutes ago, Vikes_Bolts1228 said:

Yeah well you smell.

Better?

Umm, sure

[byuvike88]

It's like the defense aged over night while losing all their smarts. They look so slow and out of position all the time. I have never seen a Mike Zimmer defense leave so many guys just wide open like tonight

[HitStickAllDay]

I think putting Kearse out there helped tonight. Wouldn’t mind seeing Wilson get some run and try out Iloka instead or as a tweener LB/over Sendejo.

I think Zimmer used to be excellent at quickly responding to schemes and this ear for whatever reason that as changed. 

The two big plays that looked like they were on Barr weren’t really on him. From my early view it looks like Mac was supposed to trail Kupp and Sendejo got baited by Goff despite the guy he went to help bein covered by two players. 

With the amount of free runners in the flats, on crossing plays, and wheel routes it seems like teams have found an exploit and Zimmer et al need to figure out a counter quickly. 

[HitStickAllDay]

Would love to see Iloka get a shot and use Jayron as a roamer or use Harrison as a roamer if Zimm thinks he’s better at diagnosing plays (likely is). Roamer responsibility is to contain flats and delayed runners and blow up screens. For Christ’s sake, Danielle hunter was 10 yards downfield and 30-40 yards downfield chasing screens. Ordinarily X or Griff or Wayne’s or Kendricks smell these out and blow them up  not sure why it is so different this year. Also, I seem to remember the LOS being consistently shifted by Big Goon which created clutter on the screen plays. Not as present this year. HELP!

Where’s the double A gap look with attempts to clog slant lanes? I don’t know. Maybe a long week will allow for some introspection and realizing that we’ve got to make due with the players we have. Ultimately I think that means putting the most amount of athleticism on th field when it is warranted. 

[vikingsrule]

It's sad seeing how much money and early draft picks is being pumped into the secondary and LBs yet they are playing so poorly and out of position. 

The season is lost if this isn't fixed quickly. 

[Ozzy]

I have said this since week one, and got the typical response of "relax"....

 

Yeah it is a problem.  

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24819685/mike-zimmer-concerned-minnesota-vikings-struggling-defense

 

Everyone can blame Barr but I blame the system for putting Barr in those situations.  No OLB in the NFL could cover Woods or Kupp in the slot and pretend to do well against them on a go route.  

 

Rhodes like I said has not played well this year, both he and Waynes went out of the game because of injured did they not?  Was nice to see Hill in there and like some have already said use Kearse more.  Like some have said I also feel Sendejo is an issue, especially in pass coverage.  Look at the Rams safeties, Joyner and Johnson both played corner at times in college, both could cover in the slot if need be.  No way Sendejo could do that and only provides a big hit once in awhile.  Need to give Kearse a shot back there also, and Hughes did some nice things on the boundary I thought and was one of the few defensive backs that put up a fight from time to time.

 

But yeah big issues like I said week 1 on that side of the ball.  Still a hangover obviously from getting their butt kicked in the Playoffs on defense and it has well carried over to this season. Not good when the offense plays this well and you still lose.  Yeah if they do not correct it they will not win games consistently trying to out score people.  Sure Rams can do that kind of thing, not the Vikings.  

 

Crossing routes are an issue for this team, cluster players are an issue, the overall DL has not been that strong at getting consistent pressure.  Guys get open pretty quickly.  Yeah they have a lot of things to fix and correct and at least now some can admit it.