How did our defense become so offensive??

[Klomp]

On 11/28/2018 at 6:49 AM, Krauser said:

Vikings have the best defense in the league by DVOA (which does adjust for quality of opposition) from week 6 (Cards game) to now:

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2018/week-12-dvoa-ratings

I’ve made the point before but it’s not so much that the Vikings defense was terrible from weeks 1-5 as they had a brutal game against the Rams. By DVOA:

• Weeks 1-3 (through the Bills game): -13.4% (10th)
• Weeks 1-4 (adding Rams game): 7.2% (25th)
• Weeks 1-5 (adding Eagles game): 8.9% (26th)
• Weeks 6-12: -23.1% (1st)
• Weeks 1-12: -9.8% (6th)

So it looks like they would’ve been roughly at -10% for 4 of the first 5 games, leaving out the Rams game. Not bad, but but clearly a step below their performance in the 6 games since, starting with the Cards game,  where they’ve played like the best defense in the league at -23% (Chicago leads for the season as a whole with -22%).

Interestingly, their season as a whole defensive DVOA is basically the same, roughly -10%, as it was for weeks 1, 2, 3 and 5 — skipping the Rams game. That means the significant improvement with their lower defensive DVOA from weeks 6-12 (6 games) is only enough to cancel out the Rams game by itself. A 13% improvement (-23% vs -10%) weighted by 6 games, vs a single game where their DVOA must have been incredibly bad. If the Rams game was 6 times worse than the improvement it’s cancelling out, that would put it (6*13=) +78% from the -10% baseline, meaning at +68%.

in other words:

• weeks 1, 2, 3 and 5:  -10%
• week 4 (Rams): +68%
• weeks 6-12: -23%

...that’s a big outlier

I think part of the panic of the Rams game was due to the fact that it came on the heels of the Bills game. In reality, the defense was put in pretty bad situations against the Bills quickly, going on the field in own territory at the 15 and 25 within the first 9 minutes of the game.

[Klomp]

 

[SemperFeist]

20 minutes ago, Klomp said:

 

And now we get Matthew Stafford 😈

[perrynoid]

9 hours ago, SemperFeist said:

And now we get Matthew Stafford 😈

My concern is that our d-linemen will suffer dehydration due to excessive salivation.

[SotanKing]

Both Rams & Saints offenses have been struggling recently...if we can get our offense together & reach playoffs, I do think we stand a decent chance against any NFC playoff team...I trust our current defense...it's the offense which hopefully can get it's **** back together under Stefanski

[VikeManDan]

IF we make the playoffs this defense should have something to prove, a chip on their shoulder, based on the last 6 quarters of playoff football they played last year...

[since72]

Hunter, Barr, and Smith named to the 2019 Pro Bowl roster.

[gopherwrestler]

we have talked about maybe drafting another pass rusher. Maybe the Vikings believe they have one on the roster. 

[SemperFeist]

Odenigbo and Mata’afa are two players that I’m looking forward to watching this offseason. 

[SteelKing728]

On 12/19/2018 at 6:52 PM, since72 said:

Hunter, Barr, and Smith named to the 2019 Pro Bowl roster.

I'm offended they were the only ones named to it.

[RpMc]

9 hours ago, gopherwrestler said:

we have talked about maybe drafting another pass rusher. Maybe the Vikings believe they have one on the roster. 

At this point, I trust coach Patterson to get absolutely everything out of the talent he's given at the defensive end position.  Weatherly looks like he could be primed to take over the eventual starting role from Griffen, Bower looked like a good rotational piece already, and Odenigbo flashed at the end of the preseason.  Anything that Mata'afa can provide is a bonus.  Obviously a position of high importance, so I'd be all for taking a 5th-7th round physical freak at the position every year, but this team has shown great ability in developing mid to late round pass rushers.

[Cearbhall]

12 hours ago, RpMc said:

Anything that Mata'afa can provide is a bonus.

Wasn't he playing DT? Ade Aruna was the late round DE this year.

[SemperFeist]

1 hour ago, Cearbhall said:

Wasn't he playing DT? Ade Aruna was the late round DE this year.

They were moving him around during OTAs. LB, DE, and DT. 

[Krauser]

Even if Richardson is retained, I think DT will be fairly high on the list of needs next year. Linval’s play took a step back this year, and he’s 30 now. Tom Johnson won’t be back, Jaleel Johnson has been better but still only OK and Jalyn Holmes never saw the field at DT, only DE.

If Griffen will accept a pay cut in return for more guaranteed money (only $1.2M dead money left on his extension, so maybe knock his cap hit down to $8M for 2 more years), they can go into 2019 with very good depth at DE: Hunter, Griffen, Weatherly (last year of his rookie deal), Bower (last year of his rookie deal), Odenigbo and maybe Holmes if he’s moving back to DE. Could add another day 3 pick to that group but there’s no pressing need there.

Hopefully one of the tweener DL (Holmes, Odenigbo, Mataafa) can step up as a nickel pass rusher and rotational 3 tech and take Tom Johnson’s spot. Otherwise that’s the hole that needs to be filled, and the need at DT is especially bad if Richardson moves on.

[vike daddy]

The Vikings defense was able to limit the Lions to just three field goals in the first half while the offense was finding its footing.

After halftime, Minnesota’s defense rode the wave of momentum from the offense and allowed just five yards in the third quarter. Detroit had the ball for just 3:26 of the third quarter.

Opponents have averaged just 3.53 points in third quarters against the Vikings this season.

https://www.vikings.com/news/3-stats-that-stood-out-vikings-at-lions