mansquatch wrote: is why I think there is more going on than Ponder. The Defense is the same unit aside from the Cook injury that has played all thsoe games. AJ Jefferson isn't Cook, but he is playing well enough. What changed here? It isn't just time of possession either. They've been getting gashed by RB for the last 2 weeks in the 1st half and the 2nd half. Against TENN they completely stuffed CJ with their DL. What is causing this drop in performance?
Just a guess, but I think it is morale related.
I think it's a combination of elements. They're struggling to shed blocks. They're doing a lot of shifting at the line, sometimes shifting themselves right out of position to stop a particular run. They're missing tackles, getting out of their gaps. Maybe it's morale related or maybe they're just trying too hard to get back on track.
Mothman wrote:
Exactly! That's what makes the passing offense so bad. There's a lack of execution everywhere.
The team is still faced with an awful lot of the problems it had last season: turnovers and execution issues on offense, shaky (or worse) QB play, o-line issues, lack of talent at WR, lack of turnovers created by the defense, breakdowns in coverage or against the run. They need better LBs, better WRs, a nose tackle, better play (or players) on the OL and a lot more out of their QB. That 5-2 start made it easy to look past just how much rebuilding still needs to be done.
I'm sorry, Jim, but I don't totally agree.
Tampa Bay unlocked the strategy against Minnesota. Blitz every play because the Vikings' coaches do not adjust. If you rush more people than the Vikings have blockers, and the Vikings make no adjustments, then you are going to beat the Vikings. You can't out-execute a bad game plan.
Obviously some of it is execution. But I would submit that the lack of execution lies primarily with the quarterback. A good quarterback thrives on blitzes. Defenses are terrified to blitz Peyton Manning because he always makes them pay. Our quarterback just runs the play that's called, probably because that's all he's been coached to do.
J. Kapp 11 wrote:
I'm sorry, Jim, but I don't totally agree.
Tampa Bay unlocked the strategy against Minnesota. Blitz every play because the Vikings' coaches do not adjust. If you rush more people than the Vikings have blockers, and the Vikings make no adjustments, then you are going to beat the Vikings. You can't out-execute a bad game plan.
Obviously some of it is execution. But I would submit that the lack of execution lies primarily with the quarterback. A good quarterback thrives on blitzes. Defenses are terrified to blitz Peyton Manning because he always makes them pay. Our quarterback just runs the play that's called, probably because that's all he's been coached to do.
As a note to this, the Cardinals blitzed Rodgers 10 times on Sunday, he was 7/10 with two TD's. Maybe someday Ponder will be able to do this. Hey, I can dream can't I?
Vikings fan since Nov. 6, 1966. Annoying Packer fans since Nov. 7, 1966
One of my post-game thoughts is that at that last drive of the game they should've put Webb in. It was pretty obvious we were gonna lose and if there is any chance we will play him in future games I think that would have been a good time to play him. Just a thought.
In watching the game back (yes I am a masochist), there was a 2nd quarter play in the Vikings drive after the Rice TD where Ponder slid head first, was hit by a defender in the helmet as he went down, and came up shaking his head, just for a moment, like he had his "bell rung" in days of yore. Now it doesn't explain the poor passes notably to Rudolph and Harvin and Aromashadu in the first quarter, but an undiagnosed concussion might explain the poor play later. Just wishin' and hopin' for a logical explanation, Kirk, I admit. Go Vikes!
Edit: This play happened with about 14:20 remaining in the 2nd quarter and was the play right before Ponder under threw a wide open Harvin badly resulting in a fortuitous pass interference penalty.
J. Kapp 11 wrote:I'm sorry, Jim, but I don't totally agree.
Tampa Bay unlocked the strategy against Minnesota. Blitz every play because the Vikings' coaches do not adjust. If you rush more people than the Vikings have blockers, and the Vikings make no adjustments, then you are going to beat the Vikings. You can't out-execute a bad game plan.
Obviously some of it is execution. But I would submit that the lack of execution lies primarily with the quarterback. A good quarterback thrives on blitzes. Defenses are terrified to blitz Peyton Manning because he always makes them pay. Our quarterback just runs the play that's called, probably because that's all he's been coached to do.
The lack of execution lies primarily with the QB because he touches the ball on every play, but I think that's just the most glaring example of poor execution because it's right in the viewer's face all the time.
You're right that players can't out-execute a bad game plan but far too often, they're just losing individual battles, whiffing on pass rushers, failing to get open, being defeated in one-on-one blocking situations, etc. The Vikings are doing way more wrong in the passing game than failing to deal with the blitz and it started before they played Tampa Bay. They've struggled mightily to pass block defenders effectively for at least 3 or 4 straight games. The Cardinals DL mauled the Vikings OL on pass plays. Heck, the Colts pass rush gave them fits in week 2. As Cliff said, some part of the offense breaks down on a high percentage of pass plays.
