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Vikings abandoned the run like no other team all season Posted by Michael David Smith on December 3, 2018, 1:05 PM EST ![[Image: gettyimages-1067801860-e1543860331864.jp...316&crop=1]](https://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/gettyimages-1067801860-e1543860331864.jpg?w=560&h=316&crop=1) Getty Images Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer was not happy that offensive coordinator John DeFilippo abandoned the run in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots. And Zimmer had good reason to be unhappy.
In fact, the Vikings abandoned the run like no other team all season: Minnesota finished Sunday’s game with 95 yards on just 13 carries. That’s the most rushing yards any team has had all season in a game in which they ran the ball 15 or fewer times.
That’s a remarkable statistic: 13 carries for 95 yards is an average of 7.3 yards per carry. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook was having an excellent game, with nine carries for 84 yards. And the Vikings just stopped going to him.
It wasn’t that they had to pass because they had fallen far behind, as the game was close even into the fourth quarter. It wasn’t that Cook was hurt or needed a breather, as he got 47 snaps. It was just that on more than 80 percent of Cook’s snaps, the Vikings didn’t give him the ball.
The Vikings’ offense has been a major disappointment this season. They expected to take a step forward with Kirk Cousins at quarterback, but by just about any measure the offense is worse this year than it was last year. Unless the playcalling improves in a hurry, the Vikings are in serious danger of missing the playoffs
Cook looks healthy and frisky finally. Damn shame he barely got the football.
If a team abandons the run because they feel a need to start throwing DOWNFIELD to play catchup, I get it. I'm frustrated because we abandoned the run to throw the ball behind the line of scrimmage. Our offensive philosophy seems dependent on expecting an unrealistic amount of YAC.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
If a team abandons the run because they feel a need to start throwing DOWNFIELD to play catchup, I get it. I'm frustrated because we abandoned the run to throw the ball behind the line of scrimmage. Our offensive philosophy seems dependent on expecting an unrealistic amount of YAC.
What I think is funny is that I thought we did pretty good in terms of YAC last year, but it doesn't seem like we copied hardly anything from last years playbook.
Zimmer needs to go back to his roots and make this team like he wants it. Play good defense, establish the run, and make big plays off play-action. Fans want the offense to be like the Rams, Saints, and Eagles, but look at teams like Seattle and Dallas... they are still winning with defense, running the football, and play-action.
There is more than one way to win in the NFL. This team has lost it's identity and I think Zimmer tried to be more open to a different style of offense with the DeFelippo hire and it's completely backfired. He has an offensive coordinator that won't commit to the running game and it's got the offense stuck in neutral. Things won't get better until we can start asserting our will on offense. Too often it seems like we abandon the run, go pass happy, and it makes it really easy for the other team to defend.
Zimmer needs to put his foot down and tell Flip this is the way it's going to be before it's too late (and it might be too late already).
Yep, major mistake. And something you'd think would've been front of mind for Flip considering Zimmer's comments the last few weeks. I think it's inexperience on Flip's part, and maybe Zim not being strong enough to simply walk over to him and say "hey, run the fucking ball, you moron." Just sayin.
It puts us in a bad position going into Seattle. A very publicized NEED to run the ball more will have Bobby Wagner geared up to stop it. And they probably will. And then the false narrative will become "see, we CAN'T run the ball." That's what's so hard about being a play caller. It's a dance and right now Flip got no rhythm.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
If a team abandons the run because they feel a need to start throwing DOWNFIELD to play catchup, I get it. I'm frustrated because we abandoned the run to throw the ball behind the line of scrimmage. Our offensive philosophy seems dependent on expecting an unrealistic amount of YAC.
No shit. Not only did they abandon the running game they pretty much refused to throw an intermediate route to the wide receivers. A bunch if 4 yard passes hoping to break them for 15 yard gains.
It looks very much like the 2016 offense. Maybe someone just changed the cover and reissued it.
Last week aside, I'd be interested in knowing at what point do they abandon the run? In other words, is the lack of running a function of a defense allowing the team to fall behind? And how does this vary vs a 13/3 y.ago? Or is Flip using the pass to set-up the run? Maybe both?
I do remember earlier in the season hearing if we can't run, we're not going to beat our heads against the wall and run...
And yah, these bunches, short passes hoping for Yac has gotten old...HOWEVER - do they trust the OL to hold-up for even intermediate routes (let alone downfield?)
There is a lot that just isn't right this season. Pieces aren't coming together and the rules and injuries have made it even more difficult.
They'll have to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath-water next off season. I think this team needs some tweaking and a few up-grades vs a complete overhaul.
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