Post by Purple Pain on Dec 1, 2019 22:13:21 GMT -6
Some bye week stuff from The Athletic.
The 2010s: Meet the Minnesota Vikings all-decade team
Link: theathletic.com/1382735/2019/11/26/the-2010s-meet-the-minnesota-vikings-all-decade-team/
The 2010s: The best and worst NFL first-round draft picks of the decade
Link: theathletic.com/1356234/2019/11/26/the-2010s-the-best-and-worst-nfl-first-round-draft-picks-of-the-decade/
The 2010s: NFL scheme trends over the last decade
Link: theathletic.com/1339412/2019/11/26/the-2010s-nfl-scheme-trends-over-the-last-decade/
The 2010s: Meet the Minnesota Vikings all-decade team
Quarterback: Kirk Cousins (2018-present)
Running backs: Adrian Peterson (2010-2016), Jim Kleinsasser (2010-2011)
Wide receivers: Stefon Diggs (2015-present), Percy Harvin (2010-2012), and Adam Thielen (2014-present)
Tight end: Kyle Rudolph (2011-present)
Offensive line: Riley Reiff (2017-present), Steve Hutchinson (2010-2011), John Sullivan (2010-2014), Joe Berger (2011-2017), Phil Loadholt (2010-2014)
Defensive line: Jared Allen (2010-2013), Everson Griffen (2010-present), Linval Joseph (2014-present), Kevin Williams (2010-2012)
Linebackers: Anthony Barr (2014-present), Chad Greenway (2010-2016), Eric Kendricks (2015-present)
Secondary: Xavier Rhodes (2013-present), Trae Waynes (2015-present), Antoine Winfield (2010-2012), Andrew Sendejo (2011-2018), Harrison Smith (2012-present)
Special teams: Marcus Sherels (2010-present), Cordarrelle Patterson (2013-2016), Chris Kluwe (2005-2012), Ryan Longwell (2010-2011)
Running backs: Adrian Peterson (2010-2016), Jim Kleinsasser (2010-2011)
Wide receivers: Stefon Diggs (2015-present), Percy Harvin (2010-2012), and Adam Thielen (2014-present)
Tight end: Kyle Rudolph (2011-present)
Offensive line: Riley Reiff (2017-present), Steve Hutchinson (2010-2011), John Sullivan (2010-2014), Joe Berger (2011-2017), Phil Loadholt (2010-2014)
Defensive line: Jared Allen (2010-2013), Everson Griffen (2010-present), Linval Joseph (2014-present), Kevin Williams (2010-2012)
Linebackers: Anthony Barr (2014-present), Chad Greenway (2010-2016), Eric Kendricks (2015-present)
Secondary: Xavier Rhodes (2013-present), Trae Waynes (2015-present), Antoine Winfield (2010-2012), Andrew Sendejo (2011-2018), Harrison Smith (2012-present)
Special teams: Marcus Sherels (2010-present), Cordarrelle Patterson (2013-2016), Chris Kluwe (2005-2012), Ryan Longwell (2010-2011)
The 2010s: The best and worst NFL first-round draft picks of the decade
Minnesota Vikings
Best first-round pick: SS Harrison Smith (2012, No. 29 overall)
Simply put, Smith has been one of the best players at his position over the last half-decade. He has been named to four straight Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro honors the last two seasons. Not too bad for one of the final picks of the first round in 2012. A strong honorable mention, LB Anthony Barr (2014, No. 9 overall) has also made four straight Pro Bowls and became one of the highest-paid linebackers this past offseason – almost signing with the Jets before deciding to stay with the Vikings. And as good as he has been, Barr is currently playing his best football, which should extend his Pro Bowl streak after the season.
Worst first-round pick: QB Christian Ponder (2011, No. 12 overall)
Aside from EJ Manuel, Ponder (another Florida State alum) might have been the most foreseeable first-round bust in the decade. After a mediocre career with the Seminoles, the Vikings tabbed Ponder as their franchise quarterback, mostly due to his athleticism and intelligence. However, he struggled to find any type of consistency in his three seasons as Minnesota’s starter and the Vikings chose not to pick up his fifth-year option. Ponder didn’t play for another team and finished his pro career with under 60 percent completions and almost as many interceptions (36) as passing touchdowns (38).
Best first-round pick: SS Harrison Smith (2012, No. 29 overall)
Simply put, Smith has been one of the best players at his position over the last half-decade. He has been named to four straight Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro honors the last two seasons. Not too bad for one of the final picks of the first round in 2012. A strong honorable mention, LB Anthony Barr (2014, No. 9 overall) has also made four straight Pro Bowls and became one of the highest-paid linebackers this past offseason – almost signing with the Jets before deciding to stay with the Vikings. And as good as he has been, Barr is currently playing his best football, which should extend his Pro Bowl streak after the season.
Worst first-round pick: QB Christian Ponder (2011, No. 12 overall)
Aside from EJ Manuel, Ponder (another Florida State alum) might have been the most foreseeable first-round bust in the decade. After a mediocre career with the Seminoles, the Vikings tabbed Ponder as their franchise quarterback, mostly due to his athleticism and intelligence. However, he struggled to find any type of consistency in his three seasons as Minnesota’s starter and the Vikings chose not to pick up his fifth-year option. Ponder didn’t play for another team and finished his pro career with under 60 percent completions and almost as many interceptions (36) as passing touchdowns (38).
The 2010s: NFL scheme trends over the last decade
Football games look much different than they did 10 years ago. From 2010 to 2019, we’ve seen a 21.2% increase in the usage of 11 personnel (1 back, 1 tight end, 2 wide receivers) and a 17.7% increase of shotgun usage in the NFL. As a result, defenses have moved away from their base personnel and are playing more nickel (5 defensive backs) than ever. There isn’t much true innovation that happens in the NFL. Instead, what we see are schemes that trickle upwards from the lower levels and other tactics that get tinkered with to fit in with the modern era. To celebrate another decade of the NFL’s existence, let’s look back at some of those schematic trends that shaped the NFL into what it is today.
Double A-gap Pressures
The double A-gap mug is a pressure scheme that could cause a lot of problems for common protection schemes. Though Mike Zimmer certainly didn’t invent it — Chris Brown, editor of Smart Football, noted that the Dolphins used similar strategies in the 70’s under Bill Arnsparger, and Jim Johnson used it a lot with the Eagles in the 90’s — many coaches credit Zimmer with taking it to the next level during his time with the Bengals (2008-2013) and as the head coach of the Vikings (2014-present).
In its most simplistic form, the double a-gap mug consists of an even front (four down linemen) with both defensive tackles in three-techniques (outside shade of the guard) and two inside linebackers lined up in both A-gaps at the line of scrimmage. When the ball is snapped, the linebackers read the movement of the center. If the center slides to the right A-gap, the linebacker to that side will drop while the other one will blitz and vice versa.
Current Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther was a Zimmer disciple from his time with the Bengals. In the clip above, the Raiders are running one of Zimmer’s pressure schemes. Two linebackers mug both A-gaps but both linebackers back out into coverage and cover both seams — taking away the quarterback’s hot read and giving time for the blitz to get home.
As mentioned earlier, Zimmer didn’t invent this scheme but many teams started copying is blitzes after his success with the Bengals and the Vikings. It happened so much that he had to start adjusting his scheme because offenses were seeing Zimmer’s schemes so often from week to week that they got good at countering them.
“They’ve been stealing our blitzes for a long time,” Zimmer said. “They’re stealing our coverages now. … It’s like the old (saying) — everybody copies you if you’ve been good, so then you’ve got to change it up and do other things.”
Double A-gap Pressures
The double A-gap mug is a pressure scheme that could cause a lot of problems for common protection schemes. Though Mike Zimmer certainly didn’t invent it — Chris Brown, editor of Smart Football, noted that the Dolphins used similar strategies in the 70’s under Bill Arnsparger, and Jim Johnson used it a lot with the Eagles in the 90’s — many coaches credit Zimmer with taking it to the next level during his time with the Bengals (2008-2013) and as the head coach of the Vikings (2014-present).
In its most simplistic form, the double a-gap mug consists of an even front (four down linemen) with both defensive tackles in three-techniques (outside shade of the guard) and two inside linebackers lined up in both A-gaps at the line of scrimmage. When the ball is snapped, the linebackers read the movement of the center. If the center slides to the right A-gap, the linebacker to that side will drop while the other one will blitz and vice versa.
Current Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther was a Zimmer disciple from his time with the Bengals. In the clip above, the Raiders are running one of Zimmer’s pressure schemes. Two linebackers mug both A-gaps but both linebackers back out into coverage and cover both seams — taking away the quarterback’s hot read and giving time for the blitz to get home.
As mentioned earlier, Zimmer didn’t invent this scheme but many teams started copying is blitzes after his success with the Bengals and the Vikings. It happened so much that he had to start adjusting his scheme because offenses were seeing Zimmer’s schemes so often from week to week that they got good at countering them.
“They’ve been stealing our blitzes for a long time,” Zimmer said. “They’re stealing our coverages now. … It’s like the old (saying) — everybody copies you if you’ve been good, so then you’ve got to change it up and do other things.”
... and neither is this Chris guy.