Taste of bad finish in 2017 lingers for Vikings defense

[purplefaithful]

Aiming to learn from last season's sour finish, the Vikings worked on a lot of situational football during OTAs and minicamps, which ended this week.While they won’t talk about it too much, there’s no doubt the Vikings coaching staff has spent a lot of time looking at the film from the 38-7 NFC Championship Game loss to Philadelphia. And they have help in the form of former Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, who is now the Vikings offensive coordinator and can tell them anything they need to know.
http://www.startribune.com/taste-of-bad-...485750372/

[Guest]

The unit was ranked No. 1 overall in both points allowed per game (15.8) and yards allowed per game (275.9), something the franchise had accomplished just twice, in back-to-back seasons in 1969 and 1970.
Still, the fact that the team struggled defensively in its final six quarters, allowing 665 yards and 62 points combined to the Saints and Eagles, gives the defense a lot to improve on.
“We can be better,” Zimmer said. “We may not be statistically better, but there’s a lot of things that go into [the stats], how your offense plays, special teams, field position. But can we be better? Yes.”
Zimmer said the defense is at an advanced level.

[Guest]

He's got the defense in a situation where they know it front and back: they can just use their athleticism now. The talent level is extremely high. I think the Vikings will always have a good to dominant defense as long as Zimmer is the HC. 

[Guest]

Man, Anthony Harris keeps getting bigger:

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
He's got the defense in a situation where they know it front and back: they can just use their athleticism now. The talent level is extremely high. I think the Vikings will always have a good to dominant defense as long as Zimmer is the HC. 

Stay Healthy
Play Better Situational Football

The statistics from previous years should follow and hopefully the wins...

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
Man, Anthony Harris keeps getting bigger:

I think that’s #44 Boone...

[Guest]

They need more pass rushers.  They got Griffin and Hunter, but that's not enough.  They need more out of the younger DLs.

[Guest]

@Ponifan said:
They need more pass rushers.  They got Griffin and Hunter, but that's not enough.  They need more out of the younger DLs.

They are going to get more middle push this year with SR... that alone will make our DEs and LBs much more effective.  They will still have BRob getting about 40% of the DE snaps and hopefully one of the other youngsters is able to pick up 30-40% as well so our starters arent out there more than 60% or so themselves... however I know a lot is made of % of defensive snaps by starters... but we also have to remember that when you have the #1 3rd down defense that our starters are getting off the field quicker than most teams so even though their snap % might be higher... their snap counts are likely to be lower.