Fran Tarkenton: Three ways the Vikings can help their QB

There is no play in any playbook that is called "checkdown".  By definition, a checkdown is a receiver at the tail end of the progression.  A receiver may be in the same position on the field on a checkdown as he is as a primary receiver, but it would not be a checkdown, as the player is the designed recipient of the ball.  This can happen with clearing routes, screens, and other misdirection plays - especially in the Walsh style West Coast Offense.

So what you are asking here is if Turner is designing plays to go to the back as the primary or if Bridgewater either cannot or will not pass to receivers downfield and then consistently goes to the checkdown.  I have to believe it is the latter, as Norv Turner uses "multiple layers of depth" when designing pass plays.  It would be hard to believe that he would use his receivers in such an inefficient way.

I do believe Turner has a design flaw in his playbook that allows this problem to be exacerbated.  As I have observed in game chat, Turner designs plays to have as many receivers as possible flood coverage.  This means the receivers are at layered depths, and the back either moves to the flat or the short middle zone on a stop route.  If the Vikings were a veteran team with skilled playmakers, that would be potentially deadly, but the Vikings are a team with a rookie quarterback, a porous line, and receivers that have difficulty getting open.  Because of this, this playbook is a potential disaster.

If it is third down and seven yards to go, having a checkdown that will get three to five yards on average does little good at all.  If that receiver has a low percentage of making the first down, it is better to keep that back in and use him to block and buy time for the depth receivers.  It also forces the rookie quarterback to change his progressions and keep his eyes downfield at the deep or mid level.

Defensive coordinators have enough game film on Turner to know where the back will be. The linebacker can set the zone and stop most YAC from providing a first down. The defensive effort is made to keep the ball in front of the linebackers, and Turner's offense makes that easier by design.

What the Vikings do is the opposite of what the Packers do.  The Packers will often max protect, send two receivers on complex patterns used to break the deep zone, and then outlet one of the blockers, either the tight end or a back, only after the play has developed.  Even if the checkdown or outlet receiver is not open, Rodgers can throw the ball away to that side without fear of a grounding penalty.  This gives time for Rodgers in the pocket to actually hit the deep receiver.