Good read on the D

[AGRforever]

Heres a well put together Xs and Os put on on reddit on what happened on Thursday on D.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/9jy9a2/film_study_how_sean_mcvay_and_the_rams_scored_at/

After reading it Ive come away a tad more positive. Im not sure anyone could have defended those throws and play formations. 

[Guest]

Great read.  

[Guest]

depressing read...... but good.

[Guest]

 Zimmer's defense has been around for awhile and some coaches have the players to take advantage of defensive tendencies. I agree with this from the article," The Vikings can't get anyone near Goff, and with enough time any QB is going to pick a zone defense apart."
No pass rush and too much zone coverage leaves this defense vulnerable. I also agree that no safety help behind Barr was critical. 
When Flip came to Minnesota he said the Eagles paid attention to where Harry was on the field on every play and adjusted their play calling accordingly. Zimmer was out coached in that match up and will need to be more creative to beat Pederson's aggressive play calling.
With no running game on offense and no pass rush on defense, I don't see the Vikings beating the Eagles in Philly.
But if they do beat Philly it will put the Vikings back on the right path.

[Guest]

I went through it all, but I wasn't impressed with the very first analysis lol...

If you can't blame a backside linebacker for getting sucked in on play action and giving up a swing pass to his side... it will be a rough ride... The action obviously caused Barr's reaction - but no player should get a pass for biting on play action. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book, not a "Philly Special." Cover it, it's simple. It will be a long year if being fooled on play-action is the right read.

On the cross and go, i'm not convinced Alexander got "lost." Look at the Rams formation. They are bunched. They have 2 WRs split. Kupp is standing left covering the tackle. They have a TE standing right covering the tackle. In presnap coverage, we have Rhodes and Waynes outside left and right corner. Alexander is "covering" Kupp. Harrison Smith is "covering" the TE. Again, these two are covering the tackle presnap. ... Gurley needs to be accounted for as well. Presnap, probably safe to assume a LB is responsible for him with the look. At the snap, the TE in front of Smith crosses left behind the lineman. The Linebackers slowly track the play action and sniff out the pass fairly fast, stepping back to read the QB  and play zone. Harrison Smith's assignment is clearly the running back, once he realizes it is a pass he continues on with his assignment; he has no urgency to "get back," I think because he's covering his guy.  Mac isn't playing man and doesn't follow the guy in front of him across the field - he also recognizes the right side TE is now on the left side standing about where Kupp started the play. i looks like Mac recognizes the TE is heading in his direction and he pauses - the TE doesn't run a route and sets up to block when Goff was stepping to throw. Mac bails. .... the corners are playing man, everyone else looks like they are playing "zone-to-man." They're trying to identify who to cover based on who runs in their area. Harrison came up to the line with a man coverage or blitz look and he ultimately covered Gurley. If Gurley was one of the backers responsibilities on that play call one of them would have sold out on the action naturally; They quickly adjusted to a zone drop back. Mac froze as the TE snuck across and stopped - he and Kendricks were practically standing in the same spot on the field running back to "man" the same guy. Harrison stayed up on the right side, Barr was the only guy left to cover him.

In "man" coverage, if Harrison changed his assignment on the fly than Barr is the next closest defender to "cover" the right side TE. That guy runs left behind the line at the snap and kind of faked a quick flat throw. Barr does kind of appear to step inside reacting to that guy just as Kupp runs around him - Mac does look goofy standing in space all by himself but the whole play looks goofy when Harrison covers the running back and the TE off the line across from him doesn't run a route.

If it was straight up man coverage than sure, Mac should have followed him across and covered him. I don't think it was a simple man coverage call by how other players reacted at the snap. Sendejo clearly bit hard on the streak covered by Rhodes and I do agree with the assessment that Sendejo should have been in the middle of the field.

[Guest]

I do kind of think there were a few times where we clearly were in a bad formation relative to the look they gave us - where the answer was just calling a time out. There is such a premium to retaining all 3 time outs for the end of the game, that I think the reality of why teams put themselves in bad situations like not having all 3 gets lost. If you're not lined up right, calling the timeout for better odds is better than just letting whatever happens happen.

[Guest]

@BlackMagic7 said:
I do kind of think there were a few times where we clearly were in a bad formation relative to the look they gave us - where the answer was just calling a time out. There is such a premium to retaining all 3 time outs for the end of the game, that I think the reality of why teams put themselves in bad situations like not having all 3 gets lost. If you're not lined up right, calling the timeout for better odds is better than just letting whatever happens happen.

When Barr was matched up 1-on-1 on the 3rd TD he gave up, a timeout would have definitely been advisable. Though as bad as Barr's coverage was, I was more frustrated by the lack of help over the top. Our safeties, especially Sendejo, were getting looked off way too easily, which was making bad matchups that much worse.

I'd like to see Iloka replace Sendejo. I'd also like to see them utilize more big nickel formations, since our LBs are getting exploited in coverage right now and I feel like Kearse has done a nice job as a nickel back. Not sure how much you mix in that look, but I'd like to see him on the field more.