Quote: @Jor-El said:
@ prairieghost said:
@ Jor-El said:
My theory is that LB play has crashed. Kendricks is late to plays or blocked out, and Barr has been ineffective or detrimental. LBs don't collect great stats in this defense, but
they used to help the other areas excel. Now, I think bad LB play is dragging down the whole defense, but it's more visible in the line and backfield.
Also, there has been a lot of debate about the value of veteran leadership. Before this year, Kendricks appeared to be intense and smart - the kind of player who would step up into that role, especially now that he is a 4th-year vet with a multiyear commitment from the team, and at 26 he's hardly a child on this team. So where is he?
My theory: Kendricks is distracted by his big bro's legal issues.
NFL linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who played his first game for the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, is facing some serious jail time after pleading guilty to charges of insider trading on Thursday.
The 27-year-old, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles last season, is now facing up to 25 years in prison following his plea, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Kendricks will learn of his fate at his sentencing hearing in December.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/seaha...jail-time/
Possible, but Mychal himself is playing better than Eric - led Seahawks in tackles and had a sack last week. Maybe Eric is going to be named in that case and knows it? That would be another typical Viking distraction...
Oh, I hear ya there Jor-El...yes it would be!
I don't think we have to think too much more beyond the D is obviously going to take longer to get over the Everson shock than the offense. The offense has had more time come to grips with Tony's death and most of the D is probably closer to Everson than most of the O. This team has taken a 1-2 sucker punch combo to its soul.
Quote: @prairieghost said:
@ Jor-El said:
My theory is that LB play has crashed. Kendricks is late to plays or blocked out, and Barr has been ineffective or detrimental. LBs don't collect great stats in this defense, but
they used to help the other areas excel. Now, I think bad LB play is dragging down the whole defense, but it's more visible in the line and backfield.
Also, there has been a lot of debate about the value of veteran leadership. Before this year, Kendricks appeared to be intense and smart - the kind of player who would step up into that role, especially now that he is a 4th-year vet with a multiyear commitment from the team, and at 26 he's hardly a child on this team. So where is he?
My theory: Kendricks is distracted by his big bro's legal issues.
NFL linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who played his first game for the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, is facing some serious jail time after pleading guilty to charges of insider trading on Thursday.
The 27-year-old, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles last season, is now facing up to 25 years in prison following his plea, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Kendricks will learn of his fate at his sentencing hearing in December.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/seaha...jail-time/
No matter what, that's his family. Of course it's a distraction. How could it not be? But football can be a safe haven and a distraction in this situation. On the one hand, he doesn't have to focus on his brother's issues. He can escape. On the other hand, the issues with the team are making the escape challenging.
Let's go over the games.
Game 1: Vikings vs. 49ers (score: 24-16)
I'm assuming everyone is fine with this one. Defense caused 4 turnovers (3 INTs and 1 Fumble) while giving up 16 points and scoring 1 TD (the difference in the score at the end).
Game 2 : Vikings @ Packers (score: 29-29)
1st Packer score (TD) - blocked punt score. Defense wasn't even on the field.
2nd Packer score (TD) - 62 yard drive.
3rd Packer score (FG) - 43 yard drive.
4th Packer score (FG) - 67 yard drive.
5th Packer score (FG) - 59 yard drive.
6th Packer score (FG) - 39 yard drive.
7th Packer score (FG) - -5 yard drive.
So, there was 1 TD and 4 FGs given up by the Vikings defense. The other 2 drives (blocked punt and FG after an INT), the Vikings defense "gained" 5 yards, but the packers still scored 10 points.
Game 3: Vikings vs. Bills (score: 6-27)
1st Bills score (TD) - 75 yard drive.
2nd Bills score (FG) - 4 yard drive.
3rd Bills score (TD) - 25 yard drive.
4th Bills score (TD) - 65 yard drive.
5th Bills score (FG) - 17 yard drive.
The Bills had 2 really good drives (75 yards and 65 yards) that netted 14 points. 2 drives started at the Vikings 15 (FG) and the Vikings 25 (TD) off of fumbles. 1 drive started at the Vikings 48 (3 and out by the offense and a poor punt) which the Bills only needed 17 yards for the FG.
Game 4: Vikings @ Rams (score: 31-38)
I won't go through this one. The Rams were red hot and the Vikings defense couldn't keep up. It happens. The Eagles gave up 35 points to the Rams last year, they just scored 43 to win the game. That's the team that won the Superbowl (considered having one of the best defenses last year) while also having to outscore the Patriots in a shootout.
In conclusion, 1 bad game. Games 2 and 3 saw 5 drives (23 points scored) while giving up just 41 yards. Pretty rough to proclaim the defense as terrible or "figured out" or whatever.
Havn’t seen or heard much from Geoff or Pete for that matter, must be a twitter only thing...
Quote: @eckman said:
easy. overrated players and a coaching scheme that was been figured out.
BINGO! Especially that scheme thing being figured out.
Quote: @Vikergirl said:
@ prairieghost said:
@ Jor-El said:
My theory is that LB play has crashed. Kendricks is late to plays or blocked out, and Barr has been ineffective or detrimental. LBs don't collect great stats in this defense, but
they used to help the other areas excel. Now, I think bad LB play is dragging down the whole defense, but it's more visible in the line and backfield.
Also, there has been a lot of debate about the value of veteran leadership. Before this year, Kendricks appeared to be intense and smart - the kind of player who would step up into that role, especially now that he is a 4th-year vet with a multiyear commitment from the team, and at 26 he's hardly a child on this team. So where is he?
My theory: Kendricks is distracted by his big bro's legal issues.
NFL linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who played his first game for the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, is facing some serious jail time after pleading guilty to charges of insider trading on Thursday.
The 27-year-old, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles last season, is now facing up to 25 years in prison following his plea, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Kendricks will learn of his fate at his sentencing hearing in December.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/seaha...jail-time/
No matter what, that's his family. Of course it's a distraction. How could it not be? But football can be a safe haven and a distraction in this situation. On the one hand, he doesn't have to focus on his brother's issues. He can escape. On the other hand, the issues with the team are making the escape challenging.
Yup, that's why I wondered aloud about it, it's his brother and he's facing some very serious charges. I'd be in a haze if it was my brother.
Football could be an escape for some but honestly I think it'd be pretty hard to block out something so seriously life changing for Eric's family.
I think we are all wondering what's going on with the defense and I agree that the issues go back to at least the 2nd half of the New Orleans game. It feels like coaches have keyed in on ways of exploiting certain players and coverages that Zimmer runs. Certain things that I've noticed are:
- The D biting hard on misdirection plays, isolating Barr in coverage.
- The safeties being looked off in coverage too easily to create 1-on-1 matchups downfield.
- Teams figuring out how we switch off coverage.
- The popularity of the double A look in the league making teams more familiar with how to block and attack it.
- When the coverage holds for an extended period of time, the front 7 will have generally broken containment giving huge lanes for the QB to pick up yards.
- The pass rush has slowed down. Whether by Griffen being out, the dumb rule changes, or schemes, QBs seem to be buying more time on plays.
- Players being distracted whether it is Griffen's mental health issues, the problems going on with Kendricks' brother, or players' subconciously feeling like they can build off of last year's something hasn't been wright.
- CB coverage has struggled across the board. This is probably the thing that disturbs me the most.
- Loss of veteran leadership/going too young.
- Not on the D, but between turnovers, Weil, and poor protection on punts, we seem to be giving teams better starting field position.
I think that a lot of these issues are correctable and Zimmer likely knows exactly what teams are doing to exploit the defense, but how he cleans up execution and what wrinkles he'll need to throw in to keep OCs off guard are unclear at the moment. Hopefully, having 10-days before our next game is sufficient time for Zimmer to start making corrections. I don't think things are unsalvageable, but what they are doing is clearly not working.
I dont think the league has figured the D out. I do think Zimmer has struggled against some of these younger offensive minded teams.
Quote: @Tyr said:
I think we are all wondering what's going on with the defense and I agree that the issues go back to at least the 2nd half of the New Orleans game. It feels like coaches have keyed in on ways of exploiting certain players and coverages that Zimmer runs. Certain things that I've noticed are:
- The D biting hard on misdirection plays, isolating Barr in coverage.
- The safeties being looked off in coverage too easily to create 1-on-1 matchups downfield.
- Teams figuring out how we switch off coverage.
- The popularity of the double A look in the league making teams more familiar with how to block and attack it.
- When the coverage holds for an extended period of time, the front 7 will have generally broken containment giving huge lanes for the QB to pick up yards.
- The pass rush has slowed down. Whether by Griffen being out, the dumb rule changes, or schemes, QBs seem to be buying more time on plays.
- Players being distracted whether it is Griffen's mental health issues, the problems going on with Kendricks' brother, or players' subconciously feeling like they can build off of last year's something hasn't been wright.
- CB coverage has struggled across the board. This is probably the thing that disturbs me the most.
- Loss of veteran leadership/going too young.
- Not on the D, but between turnovers, Weil, and poor protection on punts, we seem to be giving teams better starting field position.
I think that a lot of these issues are correctable and Zimmer likely knows exactly what teams are doing to exploit the defense, but how he cleans up execution and what wrinkles he'll need to throw in to keep OCs off guard are unclear at the moment. Hopefully, having 10-days before our next game is sufficient time for Zimmer to start making corrections. I don't think things are unsalvageable, but what they are doing is clearly not working.
Pretty comprehensive list.....
Only thing I'll add is:
NO running game - which is such a shame since one of Cousin' strengths is play action
To build on FSU's post, the LB play has been as bad as I can remember it since Zimmer got here
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