Captain Munnerlyn’s eyebrows rose when a TV reporter stuck a probing microphone in his face and asked how much pride he took in the Vikings being ranked fourth in the NFL in pass defense.
“Oh, we’re No. 4? Wow,” the cornerback said Tuesday. “I didn’t know that one.”
Yes, it’s true. These Vikings — not to be confused with those Vikings, the ones who finished next to last in pass defense a season ago — have quietly climbed into the top five through the first eight games of new coach Mike Zimmer’s tenure. So quietly, it seems, that some Vikings defenders weren’t even aware of just how well they have defended the pass of late.
But after holding two of their past three opponents to fewer than 200 yards passing, the Vikings find themselves looking down at traditionally stingy units such as the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, the focused Detroit Lions defense that everyone is raving about, and even the Seattle Seahawks’ brash and boisterous Legion of Boom.
“I like the way they’ve played the last three weeks,” Zimmer said when asked about the ranking. “Again, talk to me at the end of the season and I’ll tell you what I think. There’s a long way to go.”
It's a good article. What I appreciate is the fact that the Vikings themselves, led by Mike Zimmer, are saying what truly matters is where they are at the end of the year. They want to continue to improve, and that's a great attitude to have.
PacificNorseWest wrote: @ Munnerlynn's response. Of course, he wouldn't know. He's the only one that constantly gets beat by receivers.
lol! Well in his defense, playing slot CB in this version of the NFL rules is probably the hardest position to play in the game outside of QB. That doesn't excuse him though, he has been the one FA signing so far that I feel hasn't lived up to expectations. Still, you gotta put some value in the fact that it allows josh robinson to play outside and we've seen a lot of improvement from him in that regard so the net value to the defense is still a pretty big plus having the captain.
PacificNorseWest wrote: @ Munnerlynn's response. Of course, he wouldn't know. He's the only one that constantly gets beat by receivers.
And misses tackles.
Man, I just love the fact the we are going to be know as a tough D. That's where it starts. Then just an average, smart QB, can lead us to victories. But you start with the D, and then the Oline. The rest falls into place.
I think the 4th in passing yards allowed has more to do with how the defensive line has played rather than the secondary. We are ranked 2nd in sacks which has caused qbs to throw bad passes and go to the running game. I think if we get a new safety opposite of Smith, replace Robinson with crichton, draft a new mike lb and get Rhodes to make better plays on the ball we will have a top 10 defense for several years and if we can get AD back and the offensive rolling we will have a legitimate shot at winning the Lombardi trophy in 2 years.
Even with the defensive line play, the secondary has been much better in coverage. Rhodes is usually right on his guy, even if that doesn't always result in a pass breakup. Robinson is playing much better. And while Blanton may get run over regularly, he seems to hold his own when asked to cover. Amazing how much better this defense looks when it has competent coaching. heck we let a couple veteran defensive linemen walk, plugged in some young guys, and didn't miss a beat!
Imagine this defense with another play making linebacker!
(All these good stats make me wonder just where our strength of schedule is in some areas though. can't help myself....)
Demi wrote:Even with the defensive line play, the secondary has been much better in coverage. Rhodes is usually right on his guy, even if that doesn't always result in a pass breakup. Robinson is playing much better. And while Blanton may get run over regularly, he seems to hold his own when asked to cover.
Absolutely. Guys just seem to be in position to make plays more often than I've seen over the last 6+ seasons in Minnesota. They're not a ball-hawking defense (which I think is a risky way to run a defense with an underperforming offense), so they don't get a ton of picks, but more often than not, they corners (and even LBs) tend to be in the right spot to make a play.
I love it.
"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it." ~Thucydides
I think the improvement we're seeing this year is the result of a whole bunch of factors, all of which are helping:
— They added Munnerlyn and Robinson and Rhodes are both maturing. Their athleticism enables the Vikes to run more man-to man coverage and I thought all along that was probably why they were drafted. We saw more of toward the end of last year and it helped.
— Having Smith healthy. he made a big difference in the secondary i as a rookie and I thought his absence was really felt last season. He fits into what Zimmer's doing very well.
— Blanton stepping up and developing as a safety. It takes time to make a position switch like that and he's been a pretty solid presence in the secondary this year.
— Changes at linebacker: I think this has been big. Brinkley has provided a steady presence in the middle but Barr has been an impact player and the Vikes have needed an impact player at LB for a long time. It's a "game-changer" because Barr has range in coverage and pursuit but can also be extremely disruptive as a pass rusher. It's hard to overstate his impact.
— Perhaps the biggest difference: a deep, talented defensive line. The Vikes needed to get younger and better up front and they now have a deep rotation of defensive lineman who can really collapse the pocket and get after the QB. Winning at the line of scrimmage makes everyone behind these guys look better and they're winning at the line a lot lately.
— Last, but far from least: Zimmer and his defensive staff. Zimmer's known as a good teacher with a proven system and he's particularly known as a coach who can help defensive backs. The scheme, coverage, and pass-rushing techniques they're teaching these players are paying dividends. It's been fun to watch. It's particularly impressive to see how Floyd is becoming an impact player as he adjusts to the new scheme and what he's learning. Again, it takes time to learn in the NFL and some of these guys are still learning but it's clear that most of them are making progress as they gain experience. It's scary to think how good Barr might be when he has more of the latter.
Mothman wrote:— Last, but far from least: Zimmer and his defensive staff. Zimmer's known as a good teacher with a proven system and he's particularly known as a coach who can help defensive backs. The scheme, coverage, and pass-rushing techniques they're teaching these players are paying dividends. It's been fun to watch. It's particularly impressive to see how Floyd is becoming an impact player as he adjusts to the new scheme and what he's learning. Again, it takes time to learn in the NFL and some of these guys are still learning but it's clear that most of them are making progress as they gain experience. It's scary to think how good Barr might be when he has more of the latter.
I agree. This also means that Zimmer and his staff are good communicators. They don't talk at the team. Would the system work if they couldn't or wouldn't listen and relate to the players?
Both the defense and offense are learning this year. While there are still some talent gaps on both sides of the ball, I trust Zimmer and his staff in teaching these guys how to be a better team.
@ Munnerlynn's response. Of course, he wouldn't know. He's the only one that constantly gets beat by receivers.
