Our LB’s and safeties are a huge issue

@"JR44" said: The great coaches coach to the talent of the team, the less talented ones know one system and that is all they stick with.  The defensive talent on this team is not built for a 3-4, it is not even close, we don't have the big NT that you need and we do not have one 3-4 DE, Hunter is built for a 4-3 as is our LBs.  This DC has continued to force a square peg into a round hole all year and it is not working.  Mac Jones hasn't thrown for that many yards since pee wee football!

Completely agree, but I knew when we were hiring Donnatell and shifting to a 3-4 that there would be major growing pains because you need specific personnel to run it successfully and I never thought he was a good hire. I thought he was a shit defensive coordinator in Green Bay and was given way too much credit in Denver where Fangio ran that defense. He is the Nathaniel Hackett of defensive coordinators. Thusfar I've seen a defense that can only win when the opposing offense is making mistakes. We can't collapse the pocket. The blitz packages, which is supposed to be a major advantage in switching to a 3-4 has been largely non existent. Kendriks and Hunter both have been dimimished by switching to a 3-4 due to the scheme not suiting their skill sets. The soft shell zone coverage makes average QB's look like all-pros just like we saw again last night with Mac Jones. It's literally pitch and catch with receivers running to open holes in the zone and quarterbacks delivering the ball from clean pockets. No adjustments, no changing fronts, no nothing. The two things that are going to derail this season for us is this new scheme on defense and Kwesi completely blowing the draft where we have gotten virtually zero contributions from any of the rookie class

I really believe KOC needs to move on from Donatell this off-season. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Bullazin" said: We have way to many wide open receivers running intermediate and even long routes. 

our inside LB’s are not closing/ filling gaps in the run game. We need a stud Mike for this D. Kendriks and Hicks play the same position 

Yes, the ILBs are the flashing red light to me.

Kendricks is the biggest villain IMO. I've been a Kendricks fan for years, but I don't think he's suited particularly well for this defense. He's not big enough to cover for the lack of an anchor at nose. And he appears to have lost a step in coverage. Hicks is just a guy. He flashes, but has been largely inconsistent. 

@"greediron" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Bullazin" said: We have way to many wide open receivers running intermediate and even long routes. 

our inside LB’s are not closing/ filling gaps in the run game. We need a stud Mike for this D. Kendriks and Hicks play the same position 

Yes, the ILBs are the flashing red light to me.

Kendricks is the biggest villain IMO. I've been a Kendricks fan for years, but I don't think he's suited particularly well for this defense. He's not big enough to cover for the lack of an anchor at nose. And he appears to have lost a step in coverage. Hicks is just a guy. He flashes, but has been largely inconsistent. 

I think the injuries at DB hurt more than any of this.  But yes, EK is not suited for 3-4 and Hicks was a cheap free agent for a reason.

@"1VikesFan" said: I really believe KOC needs to move on from Donatell this off-season. 

Or do we need to find players that fit the scheme?  Not saying the DC isn't the problem,  but as somebody said a 34D is better suited for today's game so is it the players or the scheme?

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"1VikesFan" said: I really believe KOC needs to move on from Donatell this off-season. 

Or do we need to find players that fit the scheme?  Not saying the DC isn't the problem,  but as somebody said a 34D is better suited for today's game so is it the players or the scheme?

@"JR44" said: The great coaches coach to the talent of the team, the less talented ones know one system and that is all they stick with.  The defensive talent on this team is not built for a 3-4, it is not even close, we don't have the big NT that you need and we do not have one 3-4 DE, Hunter is built for a 4-3 as is our LBs.  This DC has continued to force a square peg into a round hole all year and it is not working.  Mac Jones hasn't thrown for that many yards since pee wee football!

Lol, loved the pee wee football comment, most likely very true!

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"1VikesFan" said: I really believe KOC needs to move on from Donatell this off-season. 

Or do we need to find players that fit the scheme?  Not saying the DC isn't the problem,  but as somebody said a 34D is better suited for today's game so is it the players or the scheme?

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"1VikesFan" said: I really believe KOC needs to move on from Donatell this off-season. 

Or do we need to find players that fit the scheme?  Not saying the DC isn't the problem,  but as somebody said a 34D is better suited for today's game so is it the players or the scheme?

@"supafreak84" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"1VikesFan" said: I really believe KOC needs to move on from Donatell this off-season. 

Or do we need to find players that fit the scheme?  Not saying the DC isn't the problem,  but as somebody said a 34D is better suited for today's game so is it the players or the scheme?

I don't agree that it's necessarily better suited for today's NFL game. A lot of the top defenses in the league still roll out a 4-3 including San Francisco, Buffalo, Washington, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Jets, etc. Dallas runs a true variety and takes advantage of matchups. I pretty much hate everything about what we do defensively. 

Bring in Fangio this offsesason, doubt he gets another HC job…

@"RS Express" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"1VikesFan" said: I really believe KOC needs to move on from Donatell this off-season. 

Or do we need to find players that fit the scheme?  Not saying the DC isn't the problem,  but as somebody said a 34D is better suited for today's game so is it the players or the scheme?

This.  I've loved Kendricks over the years but a 3-4 ILB has to have serious range because the OLB's are usually pass rushing.  Kendricks knows what he should be doing IMO, but his legs can't physically do what his brain is telling him.  Hicks is much the same.  

Hopefully getting Dantzler, Evans and Tomlinson back will help going forward.

I think it is more DT and LB, and next offseason will be huge. Need to be able to find some guys coming off 1st contracts that may be ascending.

Vikings are 9-2 with arguably the NFL's worst defense. That's worrisome. But it also shows that being more aggressive situationally and making plays in the clutch is more important in today's NFL. 

@"StickyBun" said: Vikings are 9-2 with arguably the NFL's worst defense. That's worrisome. But it also shows that being more aggressive situationally and making plays in the clutch is more important in today's NFL. 

There might be some situational method to Donatell's madness. A lot of people watched us successfully blitz Jones late in the Patriots game and wondered why we didn't do it more earlier. I think the reason it was so successful late was precisely because we didn't do it earlier. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Vikings are 9-2 with arguably the NFL's worst defense. That's worrisome. But it also shows that being more aggressive situationally and making plays in the clutch is more important in today's NFL. 

There might be some situational method to Donatell's madness. A lot of people watched us successfully blitz Jones late in the Patriots game and wondered why we didn't do it more earlier. I think the reason it was so successful late was precisely because we didn't do it earlier. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Vikings are 9-2 with arguably the NFL's worst defense. That's worrisome. But it also shows that being more aggressive situationally and making plays in the clutch is more important in today's NFL. 

There might be some situational method to Donatell's madness. A lot of people watched us successfully blitz Jones late in the Patriots game and wondered why we didn't do it  more earlier. I think the reason it was so successful late was precisely because we didn't do it earlier. 

@"supafreak84" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Vikings are 9-2 with arguably the NFL's worst defense. That's worrisome. But it also shows that being more aggressive situationally and making plays in the clutch is more important in today's NFL. 

There might be some situational method to Donatell's madness. A lot of people watched us successfully blitz Jones late in the Patriots game and wondered why we didn't do it  more earlier. I think the reason it was so successful late was precisely because we didn't do it earlier. 

We had zero quarterback hits going into the 4th quarter and we were letting Mac Jones and an absolutely inept Patriots offense pile up yardage like they were the '99 Rams. There's no way that was being done "to not tip our hand" for something later in the game. Donnatell has been awful all year long. 

@"supafreak84" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Vikings are 9-2 with arguably the NFL's worst defense. That's worrisome. But it also shows that being more aggressive situationally and making plays in the clutch is more important in today's NFL. 

There might be some situational method to Donatell's madness. A lot of people watched us successfully blitz Jones late in the Patriots game and wondered why we didn't do it  more earlier. I think the reason it was so successful late was precisely because we didn't do it earlier. 

We had zero quarterback hits going into the 4th quarter and we were letting Mac Jones and an absolutely inept Patriots offense pile up yardage like they were the '99 Rams. There's no way that was being done "to not tip our hand" for something later in the game. Donnatell has been awful all year long. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"supafreak84" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Vikings are 9-2 with arguably the NFL's worst defense. That's worrisome. But it also shows that being more aggressive situationally and making plays in the clutch is more important in today's NFL. 

There might be some situational method to Donatell's madness. A lot of people watched us successfully blitz Jones late in the Patriots game and wondered why we didn't do it  more earlier. I think the reason it was so successful late was precisely because we didn't do it earlier. 

We had zero quarterback hits going into the 4th quarter and we were letting Mac Jones and an absolutely inept Patriots offense pile up yardage like they were the '99 Rams. There's no way that was being done "to not tip our hand" for something later in the game. Donnatell has been awful all year long. 

It should be obvious to everyone that you don't want your defense giving up long pass plays to Mac fucking Jones. But there are two ways to play defense, you challenge the QB with pressure or you challenge him with coverage. You can't do both unless you can get pressure without bringing extra. I think that's what Donatell was trying to do early considering the injuries along with Pats OL. Which IMO gives far more credit to Jones than he probably deserves, since the basic idea is that you blitz young QBs and you don't blitz veterans.  

Two things to keep in mind. 1. Every deep pass play completed by Jones was either on 1st or 2nd down. 2. Vikings rank dead last in the NFL in defense. But rank 4th in the NFL in 4th quarter defense. That's a pretty remarkable difference, wouldn't you say? I think there might be more going on here than meets the eye.  

The only thing I know for sure is that if fans ran NFL teams, every offensive play would be a pass and every defensive play a blitz. LOL.