Sugaring the A Gap—Zimmer's Pressure Du Jour

[Mothman]

Outside of our (temporary?) love for Zimmer and Norv, when was the last time we honestly felt like if we were facing a slightly more talented team, our coaching staff would make up the difference?

I think that's why we're a bit overboard right now.

I think so too, although I imagine the answer to your question would vary from person to person. I'll probably be scoffed at for this but by the third year of the Tice era, I actually had a great deal of confidence in the Vikings coaching staff. I just lacked faith in the defensive talent, although it was steadily improving.

I remember thinking before the playoff game at Lambeau in 2004 that the Vikes were going well-coached and could pull off an upset... and they did!

Re: Cult of Zimmer.

I think it's understandable, although quite early, to be excited about our new coaches. Our first game gave us a glimpse of some changes. I noticed better tackling, tighter coverage, and more variety and deception in schemes. The D seemed to be functioning well as a unit. I sense that there is a serious buy-in from our players that they are heading in the right direction. On O, I didn't see that many changes until the second half, and even then it felt a bit similar. I think that is fine, though. IMO, there was less to fix on that side of the ball. Most importantly, we have a one game sample, so we need to not get ahead of ourselves.

Bingo! So far, it looks to me like Zimmer has put together a good coaching staff and the team is certainly off to a good start. I sense the same buy-in from players that you do but as you and DKSweets are both pointing out, we have a very small sample size. We'll have a much, much better feel for where this team is, how the coaching staff prepares, game plans and (in all likelihood) handles in-game adversity over the next month or so. As much as I like what I've seen so far, there's been little in the way of adversity. I'm eager to see how they handle the greater challenges that lie ahead.

[Funkytown]

Oh, the cult is in full force. Meetings are on Thursdays. Bring a snack to share and an offering to the football gods.

[DK Sweets]

It's noteworthy: the NFL gods prefer you drink Bud Light with your offering again.

[Mothman]

It's noteworthy: the NFL gods prefer you drink Bud Light with your offering again.

Yuck. The NFL needs gods with better taste in beer!

[mondry]

I think the biggest thing for most of us is that Zimmer is good, sure that's part of it, but the main thing is just how low Frazier's defenses set the bar. Like I can't help but feel good about our D now. When you watch the games and you see Fraziers DB's coached to play 8 yards off on 3rd and 3 and it's a simple 5 yard gain for the offense and picking up the first down?

It's just painful to watch really.

Okay so new team, new D for Frazier and what happens? His D makes Derek Anderson look like a pro bowler while Cam Newton's out. D. Anderson 24/34 230 Yards 2 TD's 0 Int's

Sound familiar? How many times did some backup come in and just torch us and look like a hall of famer? New team, same story for Mr. Frazier. And they gave up 113 yards on the ground so they weren't particularly good at anything it seems. I'm just glad he's coaching for someone else, great guy, happy he has a job, and happy if we ever play the bucs we'll have a huge advantage.

[Mothman]

Okay so new team, new D for Frazier and what happens? His D makes Derek Anderson look like a pro bowler while Cam Newton's out. D. Anderson 24/34 230 Yards 2 TD's 0 Int's

Sound familiar? How many times did some backup come in and just torch us and look like a hall of famer? New team, same story for Mr. Frazier. And they gave up 113 yards on the ground so they weren't particularly good at anything it seems. I'm just glad he's coaching for someone else, great guy, happy he has a job, and happy if we ever play the bucs we'll have a huge advantage.

Seriously? Are you so eager to throw stones that you want to go after him after one game (and not even a particularly bad game for Tampa's defense)? 230 yards and 2 TDs doesn't strike me as a "torching". Christian Ponder had very similar numbers when the Vikes beat Detroit at the Metrodome in 2012. Did anybody think he torched the Lions defense in that game?

Let's look a little closer: there was a 50 yard difference in passing yards allowed and a mere 16 yard difference in overall yards allowed by the two defenses (advantage Vikes in both cases). That's something to crow about? Considering the level of QB competition the Vikes faced, it's not surprising that the Panthers offense had the better day of the two opponents. I watched part of that Bucs/Panthers game and TB's defense, after starting a little rough, played well in the second half. They allowed 10 points in that half, all off turnovers inside their own 40 yard line, and they only gave up about 70 yards passing in that half.

230 yards passing, 2 TDs and 20 total points allowed is not a bad day for an NFL defense. To put it in perspective: 20 teams allowed more yardage on Sunday and 17 allowed as many or more points. Sure, the Bucs defense didn't start the season by holding a team to 6 points but it's not like they had an embarrassing performance, which seems to be what you're implying.

I wouldn't be so quick to throw stones. Our Vikes aren't going to get the Rams every week. I suspect there will be weeks where we (and they) will be happy if they hold an opponent to 20 points and 334 yards.

[dead_poet]

I think Zimmer is more on the cutting edge of what defenses are doing to try to respond to todays NFL offense than Frazier is.

I don't know about that. Zimmer isn't exactly the Chip Kelly of defenses. I might be mistaken, but his schemes and philosophies haven't changed much over the years. He's clearly found something that he believes works (and the data would back that up) and has stuck with it.

[Mothman]

I was a big supporter of Frazier and I really like the guy, but I do think the philosophical difference in our defense is going to lead to a huge improvement.

I think the personnel changes will play a bigger role but I agree that the philosophical difference will help. They should both be beneficial and really, they go hand-in-hand.

Unfortunately, I believe the Cover 2 is predicated on plays which are now illegal in the NFL (keeping everything in front of you and arriving when the ball does, big hits on "defenseless players"), and that has made it ineffectual in this day and age.

I agree but Frazier had already moved away from it quite a bit by the end of last season and Lovie Smith did the same thing in his last season or two with the Bears. I think they'll be running a hybrid mix of man and zone coverage in Tampa, not just relying heavily on the Tampa 2.

The NFL is constantly adapting to what other teams are doing, what the new rules are, etc, and I think Zimmer is more on the cutting edge of what defenses are doing to try to respond to todays NFL offense than Frazier is.

Again, I agree.

[The Breeze]

Speaking of Chip Kelly and Zimmer.....from my understanding neither are doing anything revolutionary from a schematic perspective. Kelly's offense is quite simple but the pace doesn't allow the defense to substitute which creates mismatches that his skill guys can exploit....and they do.
From what I've read, Zimmer's D is very basic in the sense that it relies less on tricky schemes and more on winning 1 on 1 matchups with his atheletic defenders. Simplifying everyones responsibilities frees them up to play more instinctively and aggressive IMO. Obviously, the detail he puts into disguising his attacks is a niche that works to serve him....but it seems his mantra is play hard every down, pressure the QB, and make the 1 on 1 plays. Oldest M.O. in the book.

It will be interesting to see Zimmer vs Kelly in a couple of years.

[Mothman]

Speaking of Chip Kelly and Zimmer.....from my understanding neither are doing anything revolutionary from a schematic perspective. Kelly's offense is quite simple but the pace doesn't allow the defense to substitute which creates mismatches that his skill guys can exploit....and they do.

Aside from the pace of offense, I get the impression that where Kelly is most innovative is in the approach he takes to training, conditioning, etc. He's really embraced current sports science.