Good read on Dirty Harry...
EAGAN — It is hard to avoid the spotlight in America’s most popular sport but somehow Harrison Smith has settled into a place where he is one of the least discussed superstars in the NFL. Maybe it’s because his personality is understated or because there are six Pro Bowlers starting on the Minnesota Vikings defense. Or it could be because a huge part of his value exists when nothing pertaining to him happens on a play.
Not that Smith avoids game-changing moments. He has picked off 20 passes and racked up 14 sacks since entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2012. But the subtleties of his weekly performance play a major role in the Vikings success on defense, especially on key third downs.
Since Mike Zimmer took over as head coach in 2014 the Vikings rank No. 1 in yards allowed and first down percentage and rank fourth in sacks on third downs with more than six yards to go. Certainly pure talent and creativity in scheme are at the top of the list of explanations for their success but Smith’s ability to confuse quarterbacks and offensive lines raises him above other safeties.
https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2019/09/harrison-smith-is-playing-mind-games/
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Rookie center Garrett Bradbury spent his summer practicing against Smith on a daily basis during training camp. He talked about the challenge that Smith presents the opposing team’s offensive line:
“Harrison Smith is one of the best football players I’ve been able to play with and watch,” Bradbury said. “He’s a guy that when you are ID’ing everything you have to know where he is at all times. He does a great job of baiting you into think he’s going to and getting you into different positions to where you are like, ‘alright this is a blitz look’ and then he bails out and is in coverage. He’s just a guy that you have to have in the back of your mind because it feels like he’s all over the field.”
Last season Smith lined up 417 times as a free safety, took 380 snaps as a box safety, had 108 plays on the D-line and 29 as an outside corner, according to Pro Football Focus.
So why don’t all teams use their safeties in versatile roles like Smith and use the type of deception that causes even Rodgers to be confused at times?
“I don’t know if everyone has someone as smart as Harrison Smith,” Bradbury said. “He’s played in this league for a long time and he knows the ins and the outs of this defense so I think that allows him to play faster and do the things he does disguise-wise.”
These guys have been in Zimmer's D so long, its so natural for them now.
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