11-18-2019, 07:58 PM
Smith’s 51 total snaps in the game equated to 74% of total plays, the highest mark of his career. Over the past six weeks he’s been in the game for more than half of the Vikings’ offensive snaps and for more than 60% in each of the last four games.
During that six-game stretch of regular playing time, the former Alabama standout has 22 catches on 26 targets for 197 yards. Over 16 games that translates to 59 receptions and 525 yards. When targeting Smith, Cousins has a 111.1 quarterback rating (per PFF).
You won’t find too many No. 2 tight ends in the NFL producing like Smith since Aaron Hernandez’s brief NFL career in which he produced 45 receptions as a rookie and then 79 catches in 2011.
His success has been based both on performance and circumstance. Under Gary Kubiak and Kevin Stefanski’s offensive scheme, the Vikings stand way out from the rest of the NFL in their usage of big/heavy personnel packages. Per SharpFootballStats, the Vikings use 11 personnel (3WR) just 22% of the time, lowest in the NFL and 12 personnel (1RB, 2TE)on 29% of plays, 22 personnel (2RB, 2TE) on 12% (second most) and 13 personnel (1RB, 3TE) on 10% (most)
Overall Smith grades out as Pro Football Focus’s 16th (of 47) best tight end in the NFL. The two tight ends drafted ahead of him, Denver’s Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson, are 41st and 35th, respectively.
“He made a good read on the touchdown catch and every day I see him getting better, coming out and running better routes…I think it’s part of the process of becoming more reliable,” Zimmer said
https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2019...r-vikings/
During that six-game stretch of regular playing time, the former Alabama standout has 22 catches on 26 targets for 197 yards. Over 16 games that translates to 59 receptions and 525 yards. When targeting Smith, Cousins has a 111.1 quarterback rating (per PFF).
You won’t find too many No. 2 tight ends in the NFL producing like Smith since Aaron Hernandez’s brief NFL career in which he produced 45 receptions as a rookie and then 79 catches in 2011.
His success has been based both on performance and circumstance. Under Gary Kubiak and Kevin Stefanski’s offensive scheme, the Vikings stand way out from the rest of the NFL in their usage of big/heavy personnel packages. Per SharpFootballStats, the Vikings use 11 personnel (3WR) just 22% of the time, lowest in the NFL and 12 personnel (1RB, 2TE)on 29% of plays, 22 personnel (2RB, 2TE) on 12% (second most) and 13 personnel (1RB, 3TE) on 10% (most)
Overall Smith grades out as Pro Football Focus’s 16th (of 47) best tight end in the NFL. The two tight ends drafted ahead of him, Denver’s Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson, are 41st and 35th, respectively.
“He made a good read on the touchdown catch and every day I see him getting better, coming out and running better routes…I think it’s part of the process of becoming more reliable,” Zimmer said
https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2019...r-vikings/
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