09-16-2023, 08:04 PM
The Vikings, who put an emphasis on a more efficient run game in the offseason, have run the ball just 26 times and gained only 69 yards through two games.The Vikings, who ranked 25th in the league in average rushing yards before contact in 2022, kept the same offensive line they had last season. The NFL schedule started them with two games against teams with imposing defensive fronts (Tampa Bay and Philadelphia). In those two games, they ran the ball just 26 times and gained only 69 yards on the ground through two games.
They are one of two teams in the league to have played two games. Of the remaining 30 that have played just once, 17 teams still have more rushing attempts than the Vikings, and 26 have more yards.
O'Connell said Friday the Vikings had called four or five more runs against the Eagles, but had changed those to passes because they saw opportunities for a productive pass play. Instead of running on their second offensive play, they opted for a quick pass to Justin Jefferson as a chance to get the receiver the ball in space. For the coach, it's not as simple as just running the ball more, especially when a failed run means possibly ending a drive early or taking opportunities away from a skilled passing game.
"Right now, we need to run the football more, but our yards per carry is not justifying doing that, other than just the overall landscape of how that helps your team," O'Connell said. "But third-and-7 plus on the road is not something that I'm going to continue to hunt by forcing things when our execution level is not what we need it to be.
The causes, and the effects, of the Vikings' ground game struggles seem to touch just about every area of their offense. All nine of their runs on Thursday night were on first down, and through two games they've executed just seven designed run plays on second or third downs: five Mattison handoffs, a Cousins sneak and the fumble against Tampa Bay when Ed Ingram knocked the ball out of Cousins' hand as he prepared to pitch it to Mattison.
"When you turn on the tape, it's something where you see a lot of plays where it's the old could've, would've, should've," O'Connell said. "We're one block away here or there from maybe being not only more efficient but have more significant gains, which is what we need to find. … That's schematics, that's player techniques and details, understanding where the run's supposed to hit, where our hat placement and body presence on the down lineman, and on to the second level needs to be. There's examples all over the tape of that needing to improve.
"https://www.startribune.com/vikings-eagles-running-game-alexander-mattison-kevin-oconnell-d-andre-swift/600304995/
They are one of two teams in the league to have played two games. Of the remaining 30 that have played just once, 17 teams still have more rushing attempts than the Vikings, and 26 have more yards.
O'Connell said Friday the Vikings had called four or five more runs against the Eagles, but had changed those to passes because they saw opportunities for a productive pass play. Instead of running on their second offensive play, they opted for a quick pass to Justin Jefferson as a chance to get the receiver the ball in space. For the coach, it's not as simple as just running the ball more, especially when a failed run means possibly ending a drive early or taking opportunities away from a skilled passing game.
"Right now, we need to run the football more, but our yards per carry is not justifying doing that, other than just the overall landscape of how that helps your team," O'Connell said. "But third-and-7 plus on the road is not something that I'm going to continue to hunt by forcing things when our execution level is not what we need it to be.
The causes, and the effects, of the Vikings' ground game struggles seem to touch just about every area of their offense. All nine of their runs on Thursday night were on first down, and through two games they've executed just seven designed run plays on second or third downs: five Mattison handoffs, a Cousins sneak and the fumble against Tampa Bay when Ed Ingram knocked the ball out of Cousins' hand as he prepared to pitch it to Mattison.
"When you turn on the tape, it's something where you see a lot of plays where it's the old could've, would've, should've," O'Connell said. "We're one block away here or there from maybe being not only more efficient but have more significant gains, which is what we need to find. … That's schematics, that's player techniques and details, understanding where the run's supposed to hit, where our hat placement and body presence on the down lineman, and on to the second level needs to be. There's examples all over the tape of that needing to improve.
"https://www.startribune.com/vikings-eagles-running-game-alexander-mattison-kevin-oconnell-d-andre-swift/600304995/
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