Fire Donatell tonight

Donatell wants to "take some of the air" out of coverage. Asked why players have played "off" so much, he said: "We just want to be tighter. That's what we're looking for. Our players are doing what they're coached to do."

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 14, 2022

can we evaluate Ed for a concussion…!?  ;) B)  

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"supafreak84" said: Anybody who thought Donatell was a good hire in the first place is an idiot and that includes KOC. Donatell is a turd, and has always been a turd. He was rewarded for hanging on to Fangio's coat tales in Denver last year while not calling the defense. I told everybody he was a shitty hire and this 3-4 switch was a bad idea based on our roster strengths. You CAN NOT play "bend but don't break" in today's NFL. Teams and QB's are too good and will carve defenses up, which is exactly what has happened with us. If we get bounced in the playoffs because the defense falters, then KOC has nobody to blame but himself for making this ridiculous hire for his DC.

The roster wasn't there for the 34,  but 8n fairness nobody expected this team to be in this position so a retooling year was no big deal....well a couple lucky bounces and a string of back up QBs and we are #2 seed with no defense and no running game.  In the grand scheme of things we are not likely to be looking back at this year thinking what could have been if donatell hadn't been the DC as our O still has a long way to go to compete for the only real prize in pro football.

Whats gonna suck is an offseason with very few decent draft picks and the only way to create cap space is to potentially lose our veterans who are still performing at a high level.  Imagine if Harry and AT say FO when the team comes asking for a pay cut for next year?  More than likely I see a major  can kicking offseason to try and fund a major all in effort, and a hard hard rebuilding period starting in about 3 years.

@"Vikergirl" said: https://twitter.com/SeifertESPN/status/1603072560576569349?t=hfI5IN2tNgVnWXjLketA8w&s=19

WHAT THE FUCK IS HE TALKING ABOUT?  IS HE A COMPLETE FUCKING IDIOT?

they want to play tighter, acknowledging the fucking obvious that a tighter coverage at the snap would benefit the effectiveness of our pass rush,  but then counters that by saying the coverage is doing what they are coached to do?  What kind of dumb ass shit is that? 

"We want to be tighter,  that's what we're looking for?"  Well then,  how about having the CBs actually line up in a press position and force the WR to win a GD battle in order to pick up some yards?  I am pretty sure there are high school coaches that could hang 300 a game against this defense and after reading this crap I am understanding why.

Holy shit... I try and defend defensive coaches because its the side of the ball that has the rules stacked against them and typically don't get their share of cap space or quality draft picks,  but damn Ed is really a testing SOB.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Vikergirl" said: https://twitter.com/SeifertESPN/status/1603072560576569349?t=hfI5IN2tNgVnWXjLketA8w&s=19

Normally I would abbreviate this,  but in this case I don't think it would do justice to the screaming voice in my head.....

WHAT THE FUCK IS HE TALKING ABOUT?  IS HE A COMPLETE FUCKING IDIOT?

they want to play tighter, acknowledging the fucking obvious that a tighter coverage at the snap would benefit the effectiveness of our pass rush,  but then counters that by saying the coverage is doing what they are coached to do?  What kind of dumb ass shit is that? 

"We want to be tighter,  that's what we're looking for?"  Well then,  how about having the CBs actually line up in a press position and force the WR to win a GD battle in order to pick up some yards?  I am pretty sure there are high school coaches that could hang 300 a game against this defense and after reading this crap I am understanding why.

Holy shit... I try and defend defensive coaches because its the side of the ball that has the rules stacked against them and typically don't get their share of cap space or quality draft picks,  but damn Ed is really a testing SOB.

I didn't know whether to like your post or laugh @JimmyinSD because he contradicts himself. And then there is the injury report.

Cam Dantzler (illness) missed his second consecutive practice, which might be why the Vikings signed CB Kalon Barnes off the Dolphins' practice squad. Harrison Phillips (back) returned to practice. Danielle Hunter (neck) was limited. https://t.co/oRSkvyicz6

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 14, 2022

The Vikings placed OL Blake Brandel (knee) on IR, signed CB Kalon Barnes off the Dolphins' practice squad and signed practice squad LB William Kwenkeu to their active roster.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 14, 2022

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Vikergirl" said: https://twitter.com/SeifertESPN/status/1603072560576569349?t=hfI5IN2tNgVnWXjLketA8w&s=19

Normally I would abbreviate this,  but in this case I don't think it would do justice to the screaming voice in my head.....

WHAT THE FUCK IS HE TALKING ABOUT?  IS HE A COMPLETE FUCKING IDIOT?

they want to play tighter, acknowledging the fucking obvious that a tighter coverage at the snap would benefit the effectiveness of our pass rush,  but then counters that by saying the coverage is doing what they are coached to do?  What kind of dumb ass shit is that? 

"We want to be tighter,  that's what we're looking for?"  Well then,  how about having the CBs actually line up in a press position and force the WR to win a GD battle in order to pick up some yards?  I am pretty sure there are high school coaches that could hang 300 a game against this defense and after reading this crap I am understanding why.

Holy shit... I try and defend defensive coaches because its the side of the ball that has the rules stacked against them and typically don't get their share of cap space or quality draft picks,  but damn Ed is really a testing SOB.

@"greediron" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Vikergirl" said: https://twitter.com/SeifertESPN/status/1603072560576569349?t=hfI5IN2tNgVnWXjLketA8w&s=19

Normally I would abbreviate this,  but in this case I don't think it would do justice to the screaming voice in my head.....

WHAT THE FUCK IS HE TALKING ABOUT?  IS HE A COMPLETE FUCKING IDIOT?

they want to play tighter, acknowledging the fucking obvious that a tighter coverage at the snap would benefit the effectiveness of our pass rush,  but then counters that by saying the coverage is doing what they are coached to do?  What kind of dumb ass shit is that? 

"We want to be tighter,  that's what we're looking for?"  Well then,  how about having the CBs actually line up in a press position and force the WR to win a GD battle in order to pick up some yards?  I am pretty sure there are high school coaches that could hang 300 a game against this defense and after reading this crap I am understanding why.

Holy shit... I try and defend defensive coaches because its the side of the ball that has the rules stacked against them and typically don't get their share of cap space or quality draft picks,  but damn Ed is really a testing SOB.

I think it was mostly coach speak.  

I am so sick of Donatell. The personnel doesn't fit the scheme. He keeps trying to fit square pegs into round holes. Ain't gonna work dumbass. I think the man is losing it based on his latest presser. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Vikergirl" said: https://twitter.com/SeifertESPN/status/1603072560576569349?t=hfI5IN2tNgVnWXjLketA8w&s=19

Normally I would abbreviate this,  but in this case I don't think it would do justice to the screaming voice in my head.....

WHAT THE FUCK IS HE TALKING ABOUT?  IS HE A COMPLETE FUCKING IDIOT?

they want to play tighter, acknowledging the fucking obvious that a tighter coverage at the snap would benefit the effectiveness of our pass rush,  but then counters that by saying the coverage is doing what they are coached to do?  What kind of dumb ass shit is that? 

"We want to be tighter,  that's what we're looking for?"  Well then,  how about having the CBs actually line up in a press position and force the WR to win a GD battle in order to pick up some yards?  I am pretty sure there are high school coaches that could hang 300 a game against this defense and after reading this crap I am understanding why.

Holy shit... I try and defend defensive coaches because its the side of the ball that has the rules stacked against them and typically don't get their share of cap space or quality draft picks,  but damn Ed is really a testing SOB.

I think it was mostly coach speak.  

Well if thats hows he talking in the team meetings,  its no wonder that pros look completely fucking clueless in his defense. 

He's a b.s. artist who doesn't know what he's doing.  I don't know why KOC hired him.   A while back Will Ragatz broke down something Donatell said in a presser as follows:

"In today’s world, there’s so many ways to measure things," defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said on Thursday. "Yards never won or lost a game. The team with more yards usually loses the game — I mean, or it’s close to 50-50. But it’s a way they measure. Stats are fun, man. When you’re real high on something, (you say) ‘Oh, that looks good’ and it makes you feel good. Just going in to examine one area really seldom tells the story."

Fact check: Teams are 119-60-1 this season when they win the yardage battle, and 52-13-1 when they win it by 100 yards or more. Yards typically have a pretty strong correlation with points and overall success.

Square pegs in round holes-exactly.  He has wasted Danielle Hunter, Kendricks and maybe Z. as well. Meanwhile we are all waiting to put together “a complete game.” It seems an impossible task with this scheme.

@"comet52" said: He's a b.s. artist who doesn't know what he's doing.  I don't know why KOC hired him.   A while back Will Ragatz broke down something Donatell said in a presser as follows:

"In today’s world, there’s so many ways to measure things," defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said on Thursday. "Yards never won or lost a game. The team with more yards usually loses the game — I mean, or it’s close to 50-50. But it’s a way they measure. Stats are fun, man. When you’re real high on something, (you say) ‘Oh, that looks good’ and it makes you feel good. Just going in to examine one area really seldom tells the story."

Fact check: Teams are 119-60-1 this season when they win the yardage battle, and 52-13-1 when they win it by 100 yards or more. Yards typically have a pretty strong correlation with points and overall success.

He's saying basically that teams on the losing end tend to press, and put up a lot of garbage yards. 

However, while our defensive ranking (last) and our record (10-3) would seem to support this, it doesn't. With the exception of maybe week one, we haven't blown out anyone. So there are nearly zero garbage yards on our books. 

Busted coverages and a weak pass rush have been foremost on the minds of Vikings defensive coaches as they've huddled with coordinator Ed Donatell to solve the team's biggest problem.Between the busted coverages and recently ineffective pass rush, Donatell, a veteran defensive backs coach, kept the focus Wednesday on his area of expertise and the porous performance that is the antithesis of a zone-heavy defense designed to take away the deep throw.

"It works all together," said Donatell, speaking for the first time after Lions quarterback Jared Goff became the seventh passer to top 300 yards against the Vikings in Sunday's loss. "But definitely when you look at the balls going down field, you want to get that stopped. Last week, we had two balls go over our head deep. That can't happen. That's way against the vision and the standard of what we're looking for."
"So what do you do?" he added. "You take a hard look at yourself, your positioning. You scout yourself and look at what you can do to rectify that."
Donatell said coaches and players "feel that urgency" to improve so they can capitalize on what's expected to be the franchise's first NFC North division crown — and home playoff game — since 2017. The Vikings get another chance Saturday to sew up the division with a win against the Colts (or a Lions loss to the Jets).
A day after the loss in Detroit, head coach Kevin O'Connell said he wants a more aggressive approach from a defense that has given up a franchise-worst 400 yards or more in five straight games. The Vikings haven't outgained an opponent since the Nov. 6 win in Washington.
"As of right now," O'Connell said, he wasn't considering changing defensive play callers.
Regarding what needs to change, Donatell said, "I really don't think it's drastic."
"We'd like to take some of the air out of the coverage," he added. "You want to be tighter. ... Whether you're in man or zone , we got to be tighter on our matches and tighter to people. That makes it harder for people to run their passing game."
Donatell noted that coaches still are learning strengths and weaknesses of the nine different defensive backs that have started this year. Another lineup change could come Saturday against the Colts as cornerback Cameron Dantzler, the starter who struggled against Detroit in his return from a high-ankle sprain, has missed two practices this week with an illness.
Six corners have started for the Vikings this season, including four different players — Dantzler, Akayleb Evans, Andrew Booth Jr. and Duke Shelley — on the opposite side of stalwart Patrick Peterson.
The constant rotation has contributed to coverage busts and open receivers, including the Lions' Jameson Williams on a 41-yard touchdown over the middle. Peterson said that deep throw was an example of defenders not being aligned.
"We have to make sure that we're on the same page at all times," he said. "A couple of those plays, just not clear communication with one another. ... If one or two guys aren't on the same page, it can be a recipe for disaster."
The pass rush is also under the microscope.
Danielle Hunter's transition to a stand-up outside linebacker role, which comes with varied responsibilities that included dropping into coverage on five of 32 passing downs in Detroit, is a work in progress, according to coaches. That role "is a little new to him still," Donatell said, on early downs when Hunter is often aligned wider in a five-man front with three down linemen and Hunter and Za'Darius Smith standing over the edges.
"Danielle has had some real moments for us," O'Connell said. "But like our whole team and all of our coaches, we're just looking for consistency across the board."
Smith leads all NFL defenders in quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, but a lingering knee injury — first suffered Sept. 25 vs. Detroit — has contributed to him having just one sack in the last six games. But Donatell said Smith is now healthy.
Adjustments against the Jets and Lions included a few more five-man pressures by Donatell, who reiterated his belief in the four-man rush and in tighter coverage.
"We like our four-man rush," Donatell said. "If you can hold the coverage just a little bit longer, a lot of those rushes will work with four. But then we've added some five. You've seen some changeup the last few weeks and so forth. We'll continue to have a combination."
Donatell also alluded to coverages being too easily decipherable and schemed against. He said players can better disguise intentions through "sameness and likeness" in pre-snap alignments.
"Make it hard for the quarterback to see the pass scheme oriented," he said. "That's a work in progress right now and we're not accomplishing it, but it doesn't mean there's not a great opportunity coming."
https://www.startribune.com/ed-donatell-minnesota-vikings-last-placed-defense-needs-tighter-coverage/600235911/

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"comet52" said: He's a b.s. artist who doesn't know what he's doing.  I don't know why KOC hired him.   A while back Will Ragatz broke down something Donatell said in a presser as follows:

"In today’s world, there’s so many ways to measure things," defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said on Thursday. "Yards never won or lost a game. The team with more yards usually loses the game — I mean, or it’s close to 50-50. But it’s a way they measure. Stats are fun, man. When you’re real high on something, (you say) ‘Oh, that looks good’ and it makes you feel good. Just going in to examine one area really seldom tells the story."

Fact check: Teams are 119-60-1 this season when they win the yardage battle, and 52-13-1 when they win it by 100 yards or more. Yards typically have a pretty strong correlation with points and overall success.

I know what you're saying, but I also know what he was trying to say, but failed. That yards aren't the only predictor of wins. He's right. I think a lot of folks would be surprised that out of 180 games, the team who won the yardage battle won the game only 119 times. 

He's saying basically that teams on the losing end tend to press, and put up a lot of garbage yards. 

However, while our defensive ranking (last) and our record (10-3) would seem to support this, it doesn't. With the exception of maybe week one, we haven't blown out anyone. So there are nearly zero garbage yards on our books. 

@"purplefaithful" said:

Busted coverages and a weak pass rush have been foremost on the minds of Vikings defensive coaches as they've huddled with coordinator Ed Donatell to solve the team's biggest problem.

As to the rush, I think Z is not healthy.  Looking at the way he moves lately, he doesn't seem to have the same burst.

@"greediron" said:

@"purplefaithful" said:

Busted coverages and a weak pass rush have been foremost on the minds of Vikings defensive coaches as they've huddled with coordinator Ed Donatell to solve the team's biggest problem.

Our coverage has been crap.  PP had a few good games, but gets beat rather consistently.  Dantzler needs to shake off the rust and start playing again.  Too bad Evans is out.

As to the rush, I think Z is not healthy.  Looking at the way he moves lately, he doesn't seem to have the same burst.

@"purplefaithful" said:

Busted coverages and a weak pass rush have been foremost on the minds of Vikings defensive coaches as they've huddled with coordinator Ed Donatell to solve the team's biggest problem.Between the busted coverages and recently ineffective pass rush, Donatell, a veteran defensive backs coach, kept the focus Wednesday on his area of expertise and the porous performance that is the antithesis of a zone-heavy defense designed to take away the deep throw.

"It works all together," said Donatell, speaking for the first time after Lions quarterback Jared Goff became the seventh passer to top 300 yards against the Vikings in Sunday's loss. "But definitely when you look at the balls going down field, you want to get that stopped. Last week, we had two balls go over our head deep. That can't happen. That's way against the vision and the standard of what we're looking for."
"So what do you do?" he added. "You take a hard look at yourself, your positioning. You scout yourself and look at what you can do to rectify that."
Donatell said coaches and players "feel that urgency" to improve so they can capitalize on what's expected to be the franchise's first NFC North division crown — and home playoff game — since 2017. The Vikings get another chance Saturday to sew up the division with a win against the Colts (or a Lions loss to the Jets).
A day after the loss in Detroit, head coach Kevin O'Connell said he wants a more aggressive approach from a defense that has given up a franchise-worst 400 yards or more in five straight games. The Vikings haven't outgained an opponent since the Nov. 6 win in Washington.
"As of right now," O'Connell said, he wasn't considering changing defensive play callers.
Regarding what needs to change, Donatell said, "I really don't think it's drastic."
"We'd like to take some of the air out of the coverage," he added. "You want to be tighter. ... Whether you're in man or zone , we got to be tighter on our matches and tighter to people. That makes it harder for people to run their passing game."
Donatell noted that coaches still are learning strengths and weaknesses of the nine different defensive backs that have started this year. Another lineup change could come Saturday against the Colts as cornerback Cameron Dantzler, the starter who struggled against Detroit in his return from a high-ankle sprain, has missed two practices this week with an illness.
Six corners have started for the Vikings this season, including four different players — Dantzler, Akayleb Evans, Andrew Booth Jr. and Duke Shelley — on the opposite side of stalwart Patrick Peterson.
The constant rotation has contributed to coverage busts and open receivers, including the Lions' Jameson Williams on a 41-yard touchdown over the middle. Peterson said that deep throw was an example of defenders not being aligned.
"We have to make sure that we're on the same page at all times," he said. "A couple of those plays, just not clear communication with one another. ... If one or two guys aren't on the same page, it can be a recipe for disaster."
The pass rush is also under the microscope.
Danielle Hunter's transition to a stand-up outside linebacker role, which comes with varied responsibilities that included dropping into coverage on five of 32 passing downs in Detroit, is a work in progress, according to coaches. That role "is a little new to him still," Donatell said, on early downs when Hunter is often aligned wider in a five-man front with three down linemen and Hunter and Za'Darius Smith standing over the edges.
"Danielle has had some real moments for us," O'Connell said. "But like our whole team and all of our coaches, we're just looking for consistency across the board."
Smith leads all NFL defenders in quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, but a lingering knee injury — first suffered Sept. 25 vs. Detroit — has contributed to him having just one sack in the last six games. But Donatell said Smith is now healthy.
Adjustments against the Jets and Lions included a few more five-man pressures by Donatell, who reiterated his belief in the four-man rush and in tighter coverage.
"We like our four-man rush," Donatell said. "If you can hold the coverage just a little bit longer, a lot of those rushes will work with four. But then we've added some five. You've seen some changeup the last few weeks and so forth. We'll continue to have a combination."
Donatell also alluded to coverages being too easily decipherable and schemed against. He said players can better disguise intentions through "sameness and likeness" in pre-snap alignments.
"Make it hard for the quarterback to see the pass scheme oriented," he said. "That's a work in progress right now and we're not accomplishing it, but it doesn't mean there's not a great opportunity coming."
https://www.startribune.com/ed-donatell-minnesota-vikings-last-placed-defense-needs-tighter-coverage/600235911/

@"comet52" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"comet52" said: He's a b.s. artist who doesn't know what he's doing.  I don't know why KOC hired him.   A while back Will Ragatz broke down something Donatell said in a presser as follows:

"In today’s world, there’s so many ways to measure things," defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said on Thursday. "Yards never won or lost a game. The team with more yards usually loses the game — I mean, or it’s close to 50-50. But it’s a way they measure. Stats are fun, man. When you’re real high on something, (you say) ‘Oh, that looks good’ and it makes you feel good. Just going in to examine one area really seldom tells the story."

Fact check: Teams are 119-60-1 this season when they win the yardage battle, and 52-13-1 when they win it by 100 yards or more. Yards typically have a pretty strong correlation with points and overall success.

I know what you're saying, but I also know what he was trying to say, but failed. That yards aren't the only predictor of wins. He's right. I think a lot of folks would be surprised that out of 180 games, the team who won the yardage battle won the game only 119 times. 

He's saying basically that teams on the losing end tend to press, and put up a lot of garbage yards. 

However, while our defensive ranking (last) and our record (10-3) would seem to support this, it doesn't. With the exception of maybe week one, we haven't blown out anyone. So there are nearly zero garbage yards on our books. 

Ed has a fan...that's one! =)