Viking's staff all-in on 'run first' game plan

until the go 3 and out a few times and then he will be yelling about needing to open the offense up more... 

how about we just go with a balanced attack and make the defense pay for what they leave exposed?  Cousins is bright enough,  let him call some plays at the line based on what he sees for a defensive personnel package and pre snap alignment?

@"JimmyinSD" said: until the go 3 and out a few times and then he will be yelling about needing to open the offense up more... 

how about we just go with a balanced attack and make the defense pay for what they leave exposed?  Cousins is bright enough,  let him call some plays at the line based on what he sees for a defensive personnel package and pre snap alignment?

Yep. Many teams with far better O-lines than ours have stuck with a balanced offense. That's what the Vikings will do too I think. Our passing weapons are arguably better than our run game ones.
Even a 60/40 run-pass split feels like it would be too much. I don't believe he does, but if Zimmer really does want to die on a running game hill then I have a bad feeling he's going to get his wish.

I love the run philosophy - but that D better be stout this season...

@"purplefaithful" said: I love the run philosophy - but that D better be stout this season...

I think that part of the issue we have seen regarding "run first" was the defenses slow start in some games which put increased pressure on opening up the offense more than they planned on.  a slow tempo run offense is great for a defense,  as long as that defense isnt putting the O behind on the score board or leaving them in difficult field position regularly.

it is truly a team game and when 1 aspect falters it affect every other aspect of the game.

I'm not sure if the media is 100% correct on this "run-first" philosophy.  That could easily be misconstrued as a run/run/pass offense, which I don't see happening. From the quotes I've heard/read from Zimmer, he wants a "balanced" offense that runs the balls, uses play-action (one of Cousin's strengths as a passer), and controls the time of possession.  That was a winning formula in 2017 when we were the #2 seed and won 13 games with Case Keenum as our QB.

Under DeFelippo, we were throwing the ball over 65% of the time...  that is ridiculously skewed and made our offense pretty predictable. We were right behind Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta as the pass heaviest teams in the NFL last year...  and guess what?  None of those teams (including the Vikings) made the playoffs last season.  On the flip side, with Shurmur as our OC, we passed 54% of the time and were very multiple on offense (we could run or pass out of the same formation/offensive look).

I think there is a happy medium there somewhere. Hopefully Stefanski and Kubiak can have the same success as Shurmur did...  except this time, we have a better passer and are loaded with weapons on offense.

@"Wetlander" said: I'm not sure if the media is 100% correct on this "run-first" philosophy.  That could easily be misconstrued as a run/run/pass offense, which I don't see happening. From the quotes I've heard/read from Zimmer, he wants a "balanced" offense that runs the balls, uses play-action (one of Cousin's strengths as a passer), and controls the time of possession.  That was a winning formula in 2017 when we were the #2 seed and won 13 games with Case Keenum as our QB.

Under DeFelippo, we were throwing the ball over 65% of the time...  that is ridiculously skewed and made our offense pretty predictable. We were right behind Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta as the pass heaviest teams in the NFL last year...  and guess what?  None of those teams (including the Vikings) made the playoffs last season.  On the flip side, with Shurmur as our OC, we passed 54% of the time and were very multiple on offense (we could run or pass out of the same formation/offensive look).

I think there is a happy medium there somewhere. Hopefully Stefanski and Kubiak can have the same success as Shurmur did...  except this time, we have a better passer and are loaded with weapons on offense.

Iirc Kubiak's history is roughly 55 pass to 45 run.

@"Wetlander" said: I'm not sure if the media is 100% correct on this "run-first" philosophy.  That could easily be misconstrued as a run/run/pass offense, which I don't see happening. From the quotes I've heard/read from Zimmer, he wants a "balanced" offense that runs the balls, uses play-action (one of Cousin's strengths as a passer), and controls the time of possession.  That was a winning formula in 2017 when we were the #2 seed and won 13 games with Case Keenum as our QB.

Under DeFelippo, we were throwing the ball over 65% of the time...  that is ridiculously skewed and made our offense pretty predictable. We were right behind Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta as the pass heaviest teams in the NFL last year...  and guess what?  None of those teams (including the Vikings) made the playoffs last season.  On the flip side, with Shurmur as our OC, we passed 54% of the time and were very multiple on offense (we could run or pass out of the same formation/offensive look).

I think there is a happy medium there somewhere. Hopefully Stefanski and Kubiak can have the same success as Shurmur did...  except this time, we have a better passer and are loaded with weapons on offense.

Well said.  As the other article quoted Zim, against NE we were getting 8 yards a carry yet we threw 65% (?) of the time.  That is ridiculous.  If we have a balance so the other team can't just squat on on aspect of the game and shut us down, I think we will be successful.  If defensive coordinators don't circle our game as a week they can catch up on some sleep, I will be happy.
I think with Kubiak having a guiding hand on the offense, we will do well.  With more teams trying to imitate Zimmer's D, and Kubiak's offense one that Zimmer always had problems with, we have a good recipe.

This team has to run effectively to be successful. Cousins can't carry the team on his arm and Zimmer is playing to his strength with play action. It's exactly the approach needed to be successful with Cousins as QB.
But as mentioned, the defense will need to be stout to keep the offense from playing from behind.
Hard to come from behind with this kind of offense.
T.O.P. and quick starts will be crucial. And I hate to say it, but the kicker will play a role as the games are likely to be closer in score.
This should give Cousins his best opportunity to win. We shall see!

I envision us as pretty even offensively, with an emphasis on running well to set up play action. If we can get some nice gains on 1st down running, that opens everything up. That is why Flip's offense didn't work. Too pass orientated, and not enough runs to set up play action (as mentioned before, Cousins strength).

@"Wetlander" said: I'm not sure if the media is 100% correct on this "run-first" philosophy.  That could easily be misconstrued as a run/run/pass offense, which I don't see happening. From the quotes I've heard/read from Zimmer, he wants a "balanced" offense that runs the balls, uses play-action (one of Cousin's strengths as a passer), and controls the time of possession.  That was a winning formula in 2017 when we were the #2 seed and won 13 games with Case Keenum as our QB.

Under DeFelippo, we were throwing the ball over 65% of the time...  that is ridiculously skewed and made our offense pretty predictable. We were right behind Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta as the pass heaviest teams in the NFL last year...  and guess what?  None of those teams (including the Vikings) made the playoffs last season.  On the flip side, with Shurmur as our OC, we passed 54% of the time and were very multiple on offense (we could run or pass out of the same formation/offensive look).

I think there is a happy medium there somewhere. Hopefully Stefanski and Kubiak can have the same success as Shurmur did...  except this time, we have a better passer and are loaded with weapons on offense.

While the stats are true about Flip throwing more than running, what they do not tell is that Cook missed 6 of the first 8 weeks.  They do not tell that the OL coach sadly passed away.
Flip actually did a remarkable job the first 8 weeks IMHO.  Thielen was on a record setting tear and I believe Flip was substituting the short passes for runs since they did not have Cook and Murray is just OK.
I thought after the first 8 weeks the schedule got a lot tougher and the offensive line got whupped by the Bears and Seahawks.
What the stats don't say is just how awful the line was last year.  They could not run or pass block very well.
Yet, it is Flip who was the one who was not doing things right.
Maybe I am a stubborn old goat but this does not make any sense to me.
Flip was doing fine IMO and the only game where he may have abandoned the run a little was vs the Patriots.  Yet the offense managed to tie the score only to see the defense give up a 4 play 75 yard TD drive.  Then, the offense goes 3 and out and the defense gives up another 6 play 50 some odd yard TD drive that iced the game.
I read some comment from Zimmer or Spielman a week or two ago where they said the defense was on the field 4 minutes longer last year than they had ever been during Zimmer's tenure.
I think he really is trying to protect the overrated defense.
The same defense that got smoked by Nick Foles and then choked vs the Bears last year.  They let the Bears run 37 times for 167 yards in a must win game.  Yeah the offense struggled but that was expected because the offensive line got whupped again.  Anyone who did not think that was going to happen again was frankly, delusional.
The defense however, just got run over by the Bears.  The offense had nothing to do with that especially when you consider that two Bears scoring drives occurred on their opening drive and then midway through the 2nd quarter.  No way the deense was tired that fast.

@"Wetlander" said: I'm not sure if the media is 100% correct on this "run-first" philosophy.  That could easily be misconstrued as a run/run/pass offense, which I don't see happening. From the quotes I've heard/read from Zimmer, he wants a "balanced" offense that runs the balls, uses play-action (one of Cousin's strengths as a passer), and controls the time of possession.  That was a winning formula in 2017 when we were the #2 seed and won 13 games with Case Keenum as our QB.

Under DeFelippo, we were throwing the ball over 65% of the time...  that is ridiculously skewed and made our offense pretty predictable. We were right behind Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta as the pass heaviest teams in the NFL last year...  and guess what?  None of those teams (including the Vikings) made the playoffs last season.  On the flip side, with Shurmur as our OC, we passed 54% of the time and were very multiple on offense (we could run or pass out of the same formation/offensive look).

I think there is a happy medium there somewhere. Hopefully Stefanski and Kubiak can have the same success as Shurmur did...  except this time, we have a better passer and are loaded with weapons on offense.

This is pretty much where I sit.  I think people saw Zimmers strategy of having
a run first offense back when Bridgewater was a rookie, we had no receivers,
our OLine couldn’t pass block, and we had AD at RB and then try to assume that
Zimmer hates passing or something.  I see
us as coming off a season where we were horribly unbalanced, competent in
passing and completely inept in running. 
I don’t think that Zimmers effort in being better at running the ball
means he prioritizes running over passing, as much as any good coach wants to
be sufficiently capable at both.

I think in this league you need to be good at enough things
to keep teams guessing and to counter when they take away what you are best
at.  If Cousins is having a bad game, but
we can lean on the ground game and still get the win.  If a team shuts down Diggs and Thielen, but then
we gash them in the ground game, and they stop covering our slants well, that’s
a win.

Using the run to set up the pass. It's going to be multidimensional. They have Diggs and Thielen as well as Cook and Rudy. I am really liking Mattison. The success of the OL will dictate the success of the offense. If course Cousins has to be able to get the job done too.