[OC] Vikings Defensive Player of Game 3
Before the season kicks off, I'll be taking a look at the Vikings' best offensive and defensive player each game and highlighting exactly why and how they had such a good game. For simplicity sake, I'll be choosing whoever PFF rated as the best player on each side of the ball that week. Right now that's the easiest way to do it, but I'm open to other suggestions like possibly a vote for the upcoming season.
Week 3 was another excellent performance by our defense - with them recording 3 picks, 8 sacks, and a safety. The Panthers O loves attacking downfield, and this matched up perfectly with the strengths of the defensive player of the game: the much maligned, Trae Waynes.
Trae Waynes was coming off of a rough game vs the Packers from the previous week. Although he did make the game-sealing pick, he also gave up seven catches, a TD, and was flagged 3 times. This week he was looking to bounce back vs a Panthers O that had led the NFL in scoring the previous year and had the reigning MVP. While rotating with Terence Newman and Xavier Rhodes, he only allowed 2 catches for 30 yards while adding a pick and a couple of tackles on WR screens. Overall, he played well in coverage and was only beaten 2 other times when not targeted.
The first catch Waynes allowed came in the second quarter. The Vikings are in a Cover 6 which means Waynes will take the #1 WR on any vertical route in man. His man runs a deep in breaking route, and Waynes is unable to stay connected with the WR. As the WR makes his break, Waynes performs his speed turn and expects the WR to run a post route upfield. However, the WR breaks more towards the MOF and Waynes doesn’t stay attached and can’t recover before the catch was made. Coming out he struggled with short area COD and that’s remained a problem. He does make the tackle though without giving up any additional yardage.
The next play of note comes on a WR screen on 2nd-and-long where Waynes comes up and makes a great play in space to limit the WR to only a 3-yard gain.
His INT comes with about 15 seconds left in the first half. It’s 3rd-and-14 and the Vikings are running a cover 2 sink. This means if Waynes doesn’t get any threat to the flats he keeps traveling with the #1 WR going deep. He does this here - knowing Andrew Sendejo is responsible for any deep ball. Unfortunately, Sendejo completely blows his assignment cheating towards the seam by the #2 WR, basically giving up a 48-yard TD going into the half. Waynes, however, shows great long speed and is able to track the underthrown ball, high-pointing it for a pick with 7 seconds left in the half. This massive play saved the Vikings from going into the half down 17-8 with an anemic offense.
The next time Waynes is targeted is all the way in the 4th quarter. He has the TE Greg Olsen in man coverage and gives up a 7-yard curl, although, again, he doesn’t give up any additional yards after the reception. Here you’d like to see Waynes make a play on the ball instead of just going for the tackle. Heading into 2017, if Waynes wants to take the next step he’s going to need to start making better plays at the catch point.
Later on in the drive facing another 2nd-and-long, the Panthers run another screen and once again Waynes comes and this time limits the WR to only a 2-yard gain.
The last play I’ll highlight comes at the end of the game when the Vikings are in a prevent defense. This play really highlights his elite speed. The RB makes the reception 4 yards behind the LOS and is only able to get out of bounds for a gain of 1 yard because of how quickly Waynes was able to close the distance.
Surprisingly, 2 of our first 3 defensive players were players who had disappointing 2016 seasons. This game does show the ability Waynes has when he's dialed in and puts it all together. He does look much better here than he ever did in his rookie season and hopefully he’s able to take another leap as he slides into a starting role for the 2017 season. I doubt he’ll ever be elite in coverage vs shiftier WRs due to his COD struggles, but if he works on making more plays at the catch point he can fill in the #2 CB spot across from Rhodes.
Week 3 was another excellent performance by our defense - with them recording 3 picks, 8 sacks, and a safety. The Panthers O loves attacking downfield, and this matched up perfectly with the strengths of the defensive player of the game: the much maligned, Trae Waynes.
Trae Waynes was coming off of a rough game vs the Packers from the previous week. Although he did make the game-sealing pick, he also gave up seven catches, a TD, and was flagged 3 times. This week he was looking to bounce back vs a Panthers O that had led the NFL in scoring the previous year and had the reigning MVP. While rotating with Terence Newman and Xavier Rhodes, he only allowed 2 catches for 30 yards while adding a pick and a couple of tackles on WR screens. Overall, he played well in coverage and was only beaten 2 other times when not targeted.
The first catch Waynes allowed came in the second quarter. The Vikings are in a Cover 6 which means Waynes will take the #1 WR on any vertical route in man. His man runs a deep in breaking route, and Waynes is unable to stay connected with the WR. As the WR makes his break, Waynes performs his speed turn and expects the WR to run a post route upfield. However, the WR breaks more towards the MOF and Waynes doesn’t stay attached and can’t recover before the catch was made. Coming out he struggled with short area COD and that’s remained a problem. He does make the tackle though without giving up any additional yardage.
The next play of note comes on a WR screen on 2nd-and-long where Waynes comes up and makes a great play in space to limit the WR to only a 3-yard gain.
His INT comes with about 15 seconds left in the first half. It’s 3rd-and-14 and the Vikings are running a cover 2 sink. This means if Waynes doesn’t get any threat to the flats he keeps traveling with the #1 WR going deep. He does this here - knowing Andrew Sendejo is responsible for any deep ball. Unfortunately, Sendejo completely blows his assignment cheating towards the seam by the #2 WR, basically giving up a 48-yard TD going into the half. Waynes, however, shows great long speed and is able to track the underthrown ball, high-pointing it for a pick with 7 seconds left in the half. This massive play saved the Vikings from going into the half down 17-8 with an anemic offense.
The next time Waynes is targeted is all the way in the 4th quarter. He has the TE Greg Olsen in man coverage and gives up a 7-yard curl, although, again, he doesn’t give up any additional yards after the reception. Here you’d like to see Waynes make a play on the ball instead of just going for the tackle. Heading into 2017, if Waynes wants to take the next step he’s going to need to start making better plays at the catch point.
Later on in the drive facing another 2nd-and-long, the Panthers run another screen and once again Waynes comes and this time limits the WR to only a 2-yard gain.
The last play I’ll highlight comes at the end of the game when the Vikings are in a prevent defense. This play really highlights his elite speed. The RB makes the reception 4 yards behind the LOS and is only able to get out of bounds for a gain of 1 yard because of how quickly Waynes was able to close the distance.
Surprisingly, 2 of our first 3 defensive players were players who had disappointing 2016 seasons. This game does show the ability Waynes has when he's dialed in and puts it all together. He does look much better here than he ever did in his rookie season and hopefully he’s able to take another leap as he slides into a starting role for the 2017 season. I doubt he’ll ever be elite in coverage vs shiftier WRs due to his COD struggles, but if he works on making more plays at the catch point he can fill in the #2 CB spot across from Rhodes.
