Speaking of Banks...
The Vikings are starting to see what Caleb Banks can become — growing pains and all
Banks went from playing backup three-technique defensive tackle, lining up opposite the outside shoulder of guards, to filling in at five-technique when Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins suffered a hip injury on the Bears’ second drive. That meant Banks, the heaviest player on the Vikings roster at 327 pounds, started lining up opposite an offensive tackle. He even had some “contain” edge rushes against slippery Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Coaches started to see Banks’ nearly 7-2 wingspan come into play when he pushed Bears left guard Joe Thuney into the backfield during a pass rush that flushed Williams from the pocket. Another snap saw Banks quickly stepping into the A gap to split a double team by Bears center Garrett Bradbury and Thuney, short-circuiting a run that linebacker Blake Cashman stopped.
“[Banks] was physical,” Flores said. “He used his size, his length, his athleticism. Thought you saw it come together.”
The lows of Banks’ game, like when he was doubled and driven backward off the line during a few big Bears runs, contrasted with the highs of him crashing through for stops.
“His pad level is continuing to improve,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “He’s twitchy and can get off blocks in different ways, but he’s starting to apply it. ... The physical talent is clearly there and the upside is there for all of us to see.”
Riding the wave of good snaps and poor snaps can affect 23-year-old players like Banks, who said maintaining his confidence has been among his biggest challenges in the NFL.
“It’s been up and down,” Banks said. “Coming from Florida, you think you’re like the best guy in the world; nobody can block you and then you get slammed to the ground and you’re like, ‘Woah.’ Now your confidence is completely gone and you got to rebuild it back up and then it’s like you get slammed down again. ... That’s when the mental part comes in again. You just keep playing.”
Where is Banks’ confidence at after the win in Chicago?
“I’d say it’s pretty high,” he said.
Caleb Banks Vikings vs. Bears highlight
The play below did not go down as one of Banks’ six tackles, but it was one of his more impressive snaps against a double team on Sunday.
Watch Banks’ first step mirror his defensive line teammates. He then uses his acceleration up the field to split the double by Thuney and Bradbury.
Bradbury, the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2019, has little chance of moving Banks once he loses position.
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Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
How Caleb Banks helped Vikings slow the Bears running game
The Vikings held Bears running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai to 3.5 yards per carry because of several strong performances up front.
Swift gets only a 3-yard gain on this play, even though before the snap it looked like Chicago’s off-tackle run was set up to succeed.
First, watch edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel pin Bears tight end Colston Loveland; this condenses one side of the rushing lane. Second, watch Banks push Thuney into the backfield again; this closes the other side of the alley.
Banks uses his 35-inch arms to keep Thuney away from his body, maintains vision on Swift and ditches the block as soon as Swift redirects downhill.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Where Vikings rookie Caleb Banks struggled vs. Bears
Banks didn’t always succeed when targeted.
Banks’ poor PFF grade was due in part to the few moments where he was driven off the line of scrimmage. This is where Banks’ high pad level hurts him if blockers get under him from any angle.
In this play below, you’ll see defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez correct Banks’ alignment before the snap. Then the Bears throw two pre-snap motions at the Vikings before directing a downhill run at Banks. The rainy conditions made footing — and perimeter running — more of a gamble, so Chicago instead tested the interior of the Vikings’ line.
Banks did not pass this test when the strength of the Bears line, which is right guard Jonah Jackson and right tackle Darnell Wright, moved him off the ball.
This is only a short gain by Chicago because edge rusher Dallas Turner attacks the lead blocker, Rodriguez pursues from the back side and safety Josh Metellus aggressively fills the rushing lane.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
How the Bears knocked Caleb Banks out of position
Here’s another example of a double team that got Banks out of position.
This 15-yard run by Monangai again goes off right tackle. Banks loses the leverage battle with Loveland after Wright, the right tackle, hits Banks backward from the side. When Banks resets, he tries to rip past Loveland to the inside; Loveland takes the leverage and walls off Banks to give Monangai the running lane. Safety Theo Jackson gets crack blocked by Bears receiver Rome Odunze, who blocked two Vikings DBs on the play.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
How a Bears double team gave Caleb Banks trouble
Here’s another 12-yard run in which Banks was moved off his spot.
This might be the most egregious example from the game. Banks is spun around in the middle of his own secondary. He appears to get a little top heavy as Loveland and Bears left tackle Braxton Jones easily walk him out of the cutback lane, where Monangai gets a big chunk of yardage.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Why Vikings didn’t use Caleb Banks much on third down vs. Bears
Banks only played on 3 of 13 third downs, excluding the two deep in the Vikings own red zone that featured almost every defensive lineman on the roster.
Why wasn’t Banks playing more on obvious passing downs? A third-and-4 snap that Banks got might help shed some light. He aligns off the ball, is a little late reacting to the snap and runs a twist with Rodriguez that gets picked up immediately.
Banks was credited by PFF with one pass-rush pressure on 18 snaps, which appeared to come during a one-on-one rush with Thuney.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
I thought it would take a bit with Banks. Even with being a big believer of him. He really has shown that he seems to want it. I mean he came back to a bad Gator team when he could have just sat out. That shows a lot of heart.
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