Screen Plays

[StumpHunter]

The nfl.com has a really good replay that shows Rudolph had no shot at blocking the guy. Diggs is lined up outside of Rudolph so the CB was running away from Kyle, making blocking him impossible. Kyle would have had to tackle the CB to stop the pick.

It certainly appears that he could have gotten in front of the DB if he fired out. Honestly, the more I look at it, I think it was a just a good play by Fitzpatrick who recognized what was coming. He broke in towards Rudolph, causing him to set up for a block, and as soon as Cousins was throwing, he bounced back out and made a really nice break on the ball. Rudolph really didn't act like he missed his block, so it's hard to say if it was intentional to let him go, but it almost looks like it. He actually reached his arm around the DB and appeared to try to push him in the back towards the play, but he may have just been trying to throw his timing off.





I've been playing with making gifs It's kinda fun.

Love the gifs, keep them coming.

[J. Kapp 11]

Wow, did Rudolph ever whiff on his block of Fitzpatrick. I mean, if you're not the designated receiver on the screen, why are you throwing a phantom block and running downfield? Only reason I can think of is that you think the completion is automatic, and you're trying to turn it into a big play.

[StumpHunter]

Wow, did Rudolph ever whiff on his block of Fitzpatrick. I mean, if you're not the designated receiver on the screen, why are you throwing a phantom block and running downfield? Only reason I can think of is that you think the completion is automatic, and you're trying to turn it into a big play.

Fitzpatrick was supposed to be blitzing on the play, read the QB perfectly, and jumped the route instead. I believe Rudolph was supposed to just chip Fitzpatrick, let him go and get out in front of Diggs to block. It honestly didn't matter if he had tried to hold his block, as Fitzpatrick ran away from him to make the interception, and the only way he could have stopped it would have been to illegally hold him. Or teleported to the other side of him. That would have worked too, and I don't think there is a rule against it.

It was either a brilliantly called play, catching Miami in a blitz that probably would have gotten 10-20 yards, or a horribly timed one, catching Miami in a blitz that allowed the CB a shot at the ball. If it was the latter, the QB should have checked out of the play when he saw how Miami was lined up, if it was the former, the QB shouldn't have stared down his receiver before throwing the ball, tipping his hand.

Or maybe the CB just made a great play.

Whatever the reason, Rudolph deserves zero blame and did exactly what he was supposed to on that play.

[Sandpounder27]

Wow, did Rudolph ever whiff on his block of Fitzpatrick. I mean, if you're not the designated receiver on the screen, why are you throwing a phantom block and running downfield? Only reason I can think of is that you think the completion is automatic, and you're trying to turn it into a big play.

I agree Kapp. I think Fitzpatrick fools him by coming across the field, Rudolph thinks he can fire straight up the field (he takes 2steps forward) which gives Fitzpatrick the space to plant and shoot the gap towards Diggs. I think Rudolph is supposed to move more lateral to meet Fitzpatrick and Diggs then has the space to catch and cut inside of Rudolph/Fitzpatrick. I think Diggs was a little to close to the line of scrimmage as well. I don’t know what all goes into the pre-play reads, so maybe Cousins mid-read the defense as well.

[Sandpounder27]

Wow, did Rudolph ever whiff on his block of Fitzpatrick. I mean, if you're not the designated receiver on the screen, why are you throwing a phantom block and running downfield? Only reason I can think of is that you think the completion is automatic, and you're trying to turn it into a big play.

Fitzpatrick was supposed to be blitzing on the play, read the QB perfectly, and jumped the route instead. I believe Rudolph was supposed to just chip Fitzpatrick, let him go and get out in front of Diggs to block. It honestly didn't matter if he had tried to hold his block, as Fitzpatrick ran away from him to make the interception, and the only way he could have stopped it would have been to illegally hold him. Or teleported to the other side of him. That would have worked too, and I don't think there is a rule against it.

It was either a brilliantly called play, catching Miami in a blitz that probably would have gotten 10-20 yards, or a horribly timed one, catching Miami in a blitz that allowed the CB a shot at the ball. If it was the latter, the QB should have checked out of the play when he saw how Miami was lined up, if it was the former, the QB shouldn't have stared down his receiver before throwing the ball, tipping his hand.

Or maybe the CB just made a great play.

Whatever the reason, Rudolph deserves zero blame and did exactly what he was supposed to on that play.

If he was blitzing, he sure seems late to the party. The ball was snapped before he even got to Rudolph, he still had a long way to go. I think he read the play and jumped the route, but I think Rudolph could have taken a better angle off the snap, but maybe the play call doesn’t call for that? Hopefully, they figure out how to avoid that next time.

[Dames]

If he was blitzing, he sure seems late to the party. The ball was snapped before he even got to Rudolph, he still had a long way to go. I think he read the play and jumped the route, but I think Rudolph could have taken a better angle off the snap, but maybe the play call doesn’t call for that? Hopefully, they figure out how to avoid that next time.

I still think this is just a good play by the DB. If you look at when Cousins is starting his throw, Fitzpatrick appears to be coming in on a blitz, and may not be in Cousins view. I think Rudolph may be blocking his view, so as far as Cousins is concerned he's taken care of. But, the sneaky bounce-out changed everything. We may never know how Rudolph was supposed to play it, or if Diggs is too close to the line, or maybe Cousins was a little late on the throw.

[StumpHunter]

Fitzpatrick was supposed to be blitzing on the play, read the QB perfectly, and jumped the route instead. I believe Rudolph was supposed to just chip Fitzpatrick, let him go and get out in front of Diggs to block. It honestly didn't matter if he had tried to hold his block, as Fitzpatrick ran away from him to make the interception, and the only way he could have stopped it would have been to illegally hold him. Or teleported to the other side of him. That would have worked too, and I don't think there is a rule against it.

It was either a brilliantly called play, catching Miami in a blitz that probably would have gotten 10-20 yards, or a horribly timed one, catching Miami in a blitz that allowed the CB a shot at the ball. If it was the latter, the QB should have checked out of the play when he saw how Miami was lined up, if it was the former, the QB shouldn't have stared down his receiver before throwing the ball, tipping his hand.

Or maybe the CB just made a great play.

Whatever the reason, Rudolph deserves zero blame and did exactly what he was supposed to on that play.

If he was blitzing, he sure seems late to the party. The ball was snapped before he even got to Rudolph, he still had a long way to go. I think he read the play and jumped the route, but I think Rudolph could have taken a better angle off the snap, but maybe the play call doesn’t call for that? Hopefully, they figure out how to avoid that next time.

I believe he said he and Kiko were blitzing on that play after the game.

There aren't any plays that have a TE blocking a CB so they don't intercept the ball. That isn't a thing. There are rub routes and legal and illegal pick plays, but that isn't what this was.

[Sandpounder27]

If he was blitzing, he sure seems late to the party. The ball was snapped before he even got to Rudolph, he still had a long way to go. I think he read the play and jumped the route, but I think Rudolph could have taken a better angle off the snap, but maybe the play call doesn’t call for that? Hopefully, they figure out how to avoid that next time.

I believe he said he and Kiko were blitzing on that play after the game.

There aren't any plays that have a TE blocking a CB so they don't intercept the ball. That isn't a thing. There are rub routes and legal and illegal pick plays, but that isn't what this was.

If he said Kiko was blitzing he was wrong. Look at the bottom of the clip, Kiko #47 never takes a step towards the line of scrimmage. It seems like they totally read this play. I’m not a play call expert, so I’m asking, if Fitzpatrick doesn’t come laterally to blitz, and stays in front of Diggs, isn’t Rudolph supposed to go block him on a WR screen? Or is Diggs supposed to beat him one on one?

[fiestavike]

In my almost 30 years of watching the Vikings, they have never been really good at any type of screen play. Or gimic play. But they sure have been taken advantage by them.

The 1998 team was. But, that team was good at everything.

except defense.

[Cliff]

The 1998 team was. But, that team was good at everything.

except defense.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... team_stats

[fiestavike]

except defense.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... team_stats

I knew this sort of bunkum would be brought up. It was a weak defense, small and quick, and played the whole season with a lead. That went a long way toward covering their deficiencies. We do recall watching that season, right?

[PurpleMustReign]

except defense.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... team_stats

The defense wasn't a shut down defense. They couldn't really be trusted to STOP the other offense, only contain them.

[fiestavike]

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... team_stats

The defense wasn't a shut down defense. They couldn't really be trusted to STOP the other offense, only contain them.

And only to contain after the offense had made the other teams offense one dimensional. The 98 Vikings best defense was their offense.

[VikingLord]

The 98 defense wasn't great. It didn't need to be, largely because they were able to play with a lead most of the time.

But, it wasn't a bad defense by any means. They had some very good players on that defense as well, and made some plays of their own.

[fiestavike]

The 98 defense wasn't great. It didn't need to be

It needed to be a bit greater, evidently.