Week 11 - Vikes @ Broncos Support Group
Nov 21, 2023 13:17:43 GMT -6
via mobile
Funkytown, Danchat, and 2 more like this
Post by FSUVike on Nov 21, 2023 13:17:43 GMT -6
OL
LT Darrisaw - 3 pressures, 1 sack allowed
LG Risner - 2 pressures
C Bradbury - 2 pressures, 2 penalties
RG Ingram - 2 pressures, 1 penalty
RT O'Neill - 1 pressure
That's good for a 24% pressure rate (10 pressures on 41 dropbacks), which is a bit more than they usually give up, but certainly not a bad day. The RBs gave up 3 pressures, making it a total of a 31.7% pressure rate. It seemed worse than that because of the blitzes, but it's not on the OL to block more than 5 guys. O'Connell needs to do a better job of giving his QBs a hot route to hit when those kinds of blitzes come, and defenses are absolutely going to do this in the future.
Osborn played 71/74 snaps for a total of 2 targets and 1 catch for 7 yards, plus a bone-headed 10 yard penalty. He was far less productive than the scrappy Powell, who went back to having 44 snaps. Nailor played just 3 snaps and Harry was at 2. Harry is still waiting for his first target.
Hock played 52 snaps and wasn't quite at his full role, while Oliver got 34 and finally showed off what he can do in the passing game. Mundt played 14 and Ham played 11... not sure why they extended Ham for such a small role.
Defensively, Pace Jr. played every snap as expected and was elite in run defense. He's a certified stud in the run game and has solidified his status as one of the best UDFA pickups we've ever seen. He was credited for giving up 7 completions on 7 targets, and his coverage game isn't quite there yet. Dye played in Pace's old role with 22 snaps, only notching 1 tackle and giving up a 19 yard gain in coverage. He is not going to cut it as a starter, which is probably why Barr got 12 snaps mostly at his expense.
Blackmon played almost every down (53/55) and was a liability in coverage (6/6 69 yards), but tackled well. Murphy only got targeted twice for a one yard catch of 17 yards. Metellus gave up 6/7 for 66 yards and missed a couple tackles. Joejuan Williams supplanted Booth Jr, playing 17 snaps to Booth's 0. As we saw in the preseason, the coaching staff thinks more highly of Williams despite being on the practice squad. The handful of decent snaps we've seen from Booth Jr don't mean very much when he's fallen behind a guy who got cut from the Bears CB room a few weeks ago.
Wonnum had a quality game with 2 pressures, 1 sack and 2 run stops. He's finally developing into a good enough rotational edge rusher, though Davenport's presence is still sorely missed. Hunter is still a beast. Jones II got robbed of a sack but did well in 27 snaps. Carter II played zero snaps.
Dean Lowry got his starting job back, but then immediately had a season-ending injury. There has been no drop-off from him to Tonga (8) and Roy (4). Phillips and Bullard continue to stuff the run well but once again combined for 0 pressures. This defense might be able to take the next step with a plus interior rusher (or another stud next to Hunter at edge) and a top CB.
Wright now has 6 times more touchbacks than he does last year. PFF isn't destroying him for this, as part of the problem appears to be the gunners.
A few have commented that the O-Line reverted to their old ways last night but you have provided some important context.
According to the Athletic there were multiple plays were Dobbs was pressured after 5 seconds. That's not on the Offensive Line, that's on the QB. Trying to extend plays with his feet was part of it. But some of those plays you could clearly see him struggle to come off his primary read or take too long going through his progressions.
We are seeing the ceiling for Dobbs and it partially explains his journeyman status. There were plays where he raced through his progressions. Plays where he stayed alive in the pocket and made good decisions. Plays where his scrambling was a boost.
And we saw plays where he was going to throw it to Hock come hell or high water. Plays where he was late getting to Addison in the progression and getting the ball out in time and with accuracy. Multiple plays where he barely kept hold of the ball at the snap.
He's inconsistent. And at age 29 he always will be. Hardly any QBs in the history of the League have gotten better at his age and maintained it.
Still, he wasn't the reason Minnesota lost. Nor would he have been the reason if they had won. Chandler and Mattison & Dobbs combined for 175 yards on the ground and the Vikings scored 20 freaking points.
Kevin O'Connell is costing this Team wins at nearly the same clip as he's helping them win. His Redzone Playcalling is bad. His conservative Playcalling with the lead is Zimmer-esque. His message about ball security seems to have worn thin again.
Other things you noted: it really is time to bench KJ. It's not like his great run blocking has helped the rushing attack. He can't separate. The one thing he does well is YAC but O'Connell refuses to throw him bubble screens or give him sweeps or other plays to get him in space. It's weird that Osborn is even good at that given his measurables but he clearly has a knack for it.
Powell has legit earned WR3 reps. And they need to see if Nailor is viable. Sit KJ and get an extended look at the potential future of WR3 and WR4.
Blackmon was awful. Williams ahead of Booth speaks volumes. Dye is a disappointment. Metellus seems to be regressing in coverage. Pace was always going to be a work in progress in coverage as that was his weakness in college.
And yet the Defense had only given up 18 points on the road before that final drive. Wonnum continued his strong stretch. Phillips and Bullard continue to clog up the middle. It's true that they get zero pressure but that's not what Flores wants them to do. Pace and Hicks get theirs in part because of what Phillips & Co. do in terms of eating up blocks.
My biggest concerns on Defense remain the 2nd OLB to compliment Hunter and the lack of a legit CB1. I think Evans as CB2 and Murphy in the Slot is probably good enough if the Vikings have a legit Top 10ish CB1. The problem is where do you get that guy? Is Snead going to be worth what he'll get on the market given his penchant for drawing flags? Fuller will be in his 30s by the time the Vikings Window opens.
And at OLB2 do you really want to throw 20million at Brian Burns? Extending Hunter becomes an imperative even though it will be an overpay. I'm shockingly not opposed to bringing back Wonnum as OLB3 with Carter incubating behind him.
They need their Draft Capital for QBOTF. But they also need to spend a high pick on Edge and CB. I don't really see how they address all 3 spots in this offseason.
Also, Wright has regressed big time. Damn Aussie!
... and neither is this Chris guy.
