vike daddy Posted December 25, 2022 Author Share Posted December 25, 2022 could it be at all possible we're holding off on blitzing regualrly, so to be doing more of it in the playoffs...? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted December 25, 2022 Share Posted December 25, 2022 It won’t show up on the stat sheet, but the game against the Giants was the most explosive I’ve seen Za’Darius Smith in 8 weeks. Glad to see it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 (edited) There's a couple of HCs that are likely to be shown the door that I'd love the Vikings to pick up next year to run the defense: Todd Bowles Brandon Staley (KOC rams connection) Provide them a couple of talented players in both the draft and FA and i cant see how the defence shouldn't be a top half unit Edited December 26, 2022 by viking 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 I'd be surprised to see him move on from Donatell after 1 season. I think they'll get more players that fit his system and see if he can improve the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 (edited) 2 minutes ago, swede700 said: I'd be surprised to see him move on from Donatell after 1 season. I think they'll get more players that fit his system and see if he can improve the results. The defense is attrocious and Donatell is a dinosaur that has refused to adapt over the season. It's so shocking to me that it seems nobody on the defense has the authority to change the call once the offense lines up. We've got a soft, predictable defemse that has made half a dozen or more average QBs look like Peyton Manning this season alone. If I'm KOC/KAM my first move this off season is finding a talented DC Edited December 26, 2022 by viking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 (edited) https://youtu.be/IAj_6eum1Kw Great insight to how bad our defense has been this season Edited December 26, 2022 by viking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SotanKing Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 Despite frustrations with the defense, it hasn't been as bad as people have been lamenting out...I've seen people act like it's the worst defense in the league but going by EPA, it's roughly average defense. We give up lot of yards but this defense also has faced highest number of drives/plays in the league..so going by raw stats doesn't tell the entire story. They create lot of turnovers and are also a good red zone defense.. I am still frustrated with Donatell but he has definitely been leaning towards blitzing more in recent weeks which is atleast a positive development. They were really having a good stretch during middle of the season for a 4-5 game period until the Cowboys game but then things fell apart for a while. They played really well in that Bills game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 Since when do defensive players even change a call once it's been made? That doesn't happen anywhere, so I'm not sure where you even got that notion that any defensive player has that kind of authority on any team. This defense has clearly been designed to give up yards, but not points. Is it ideal? No, but the way they've run through a number of CBs, it shouldn't be that surprising. While P2 has started every game, there have been 4 other CBs playing opposite him (Dantzler, Booth, Evans, Shelley). It does need to be improved, but sometimes it's not as simple as changing a DC...it's about increasing the talent. Plus, I can't imagine either of those 2 guys getting fired. Both have had rough years, but both are also on the verge of making the playoffs. I certainly haven't been won over by the defense, but they generally make the plays when they need to. I think you have to give him at least another year to see where it's headed, because they aren't 12-3 by accident and based on offense alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 18 minutes ago, viking said: https://youtu.be/IAj_6eum1Kw Great insight to how bad our defense has been this season Who is Brett Kollman and why should I care about what he has to say? What qualifies him as an expert? Being a former production assistant at the NFL Network? Wow, so he knows how to cut tape. Sure makes him an expert. Like I said, the defense certainly has it's faults, but it's done it's job when it needs to. They don't win some of the games they have without it making big plays in big moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 Just now, swede700 said: Who is Brett Kollman and why should I care about what he has to say? What qualifies him as an expert? Being a former production assistant at the NFL Network? Wow, so he knows how to cut tape. Sure makes him an expert. Like I said, the defense certainly has it's faults, but it's done it's job when it needs to. They don't win some of the games they have without it making big plays in big moments. It hasn't done it's job? We give up the most yards and 24th in points. The defense is the weak link of the team and needs to be improved. Doing their job would mean they are at least average and we are far below average Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 Just now, viking said: It hasn't done it's job? We give up the most yards and 24th in points. The defense is the weak link of the team and needs to be improved. Doing their job would mean they are at least average and we are far below average There are other metrics that seem to disagree with that notion. They are average to slightly below average. They are certainly piss-poor if you only look at yards, but last I checked, yards aren't points. And it should also be noted that 26% of the pts they have given up came in their 3 losses. They'd certainly be in better shape if you throw out those 3 games, but we can't. There is a lot that isn't perfect or even close to it, but I don't think changing a coordinator is likely fix it, because I believe it's mainly a personnel problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 Ed Donatell hasn’t been perfect, and he’s certainly earned a fair amount of criticism. But a different defensive coordinator wouldn’t have this defense playing at a significantly higher level. The overall talent just isn’t there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkolMasterMN Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 Whether we keep Donatell or not depends on how we finish the season. If we win the NFC or the Super Bowl, that means or defense stepped up in the playoffs and therefore I have a hard time seeing us wanting to move on from Donatell. Either way though he will need to continue to make changes to his scheme, or else he will have to go. Last in the league in pass D is unacceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 39 minutes ago, SkolMasterMN said: Whether we keep Donatell or not depends on how we finish the season. If we win the NFC or the Super Bowl, that means or defense stepped up in the playoffs and therefore I have a hard time seeing us wanting to move on from Donatell. Either way though he will need to continue to make changes to his scheme, or else he will have to go. Last in the league in pass D is unacceptable. Agree but the roster sucks. Sure it hurts the rookies themselves are hurt with no Cine all year, Booth even when he was out there was bad. Evans has looked ok but even he is hurt as well. The DL is pretty weak, Phillips and Tomlinson make plays but the lack of a true NT really hurts them badly. Blacklock has been close to nothing, Lynch has been disappointing, Tonga is just ok as a backup. Only real bright spot and new dude is Otomewo has played and done decent which is good for a developmental guy like he is. The edge rushers are solid but that is pretty much all that is solid, the the ILBs sure make tackles but they are worthless tackles and the defense is clearly not bend do not break anymore, they give up the 5th most points in the NFL on a per game average and like you said last in pass D, they are 2nd to last overall in total yards allowed... I dislike the hire and the moves they did in the draft not to mention bringing in Sullivan, but wow they have performed pretty badly. Z.Smith I never thought would make it the entire year without getting hurt, but then again he did get hurt once didn't he. Still he has impressed, Hunter not sure he is a scheme fit at all in this because sure they get pressure but they give up so much it is almost meaningless pressure unless they get 1-2 INTs a game which is not reasonable. The CB group is just bad and until that is improved it does not really matter. And sure getting sacks on the edges are nice but I would rather have a consistent rush from the inside and the outside not to mention some creative attacks. The Giants with what 3-4 backup DBs were creative in their blitzing and attacks. But they also have all world Pro Bowl talents on the DL in Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams, something the Vikings are not even close to having. Think if the Vikings had Dexter Lawrence! I would rather have D. Lawrence thank Z.Smith honestly, Jones and or Wonnum could get half the production Z.Smith is getting. Lawrence, no one on the DL is even close to doing what he does game in and game out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBrocks Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 Tonga has better numbers on similar snap counts to Jordan Davis this year… He looks like a keeper for sure. Hunter has been great this year. The edge spot is a strength of this team. Fixing this defense is about getting better DL depth, athletic ILBs, and more consistent CB play. The roster isn’t that far off. Scheme-wise they need to stop putting the edge rushers in coverage, stop playing so much off-coverage, and blitz more consistently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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