Bears Defensive Beatdown: What Went Wrong?
Dec 2, 2023 20:40:21 GMT -6
Funkytown, Oracle Bone Diviner, and 2 more like this
Post by whoskmoon on Dec 2, 2023 20:40:21 GMT -6
Week Six of the NFL season saw the Vikings head to Chicago and put up 12 points and 220 yards on offense. The QB averaged 5.8 YPA, his lowest YPA of the season, put up 181 yards and turned the ball over once. This, despite the Bears' defense being below average to bad in every statistic. Fast forward to week 12, new QB, same bad defense, similar results, only this time with a lot more turnovers.
So what happened? Why are the Bears so good at stopping the Vikings' offense this season? To figure that out, let's take a look at every play that ended a Vikings' drive.
First up, after Addison failed to come down with what is arguably the best throw of Dobbs' career, a play that would have put the Vikings on Chicago's 13 yardline, the Vikings were facing 3rd and 9:
Ingram blows his block (highlighted in blue) and Dobbs is sacked for a loss of 8. Powell (highlighted in red) is the only real option here, because Jaylon Johnson (#33) has Addison locked up, and because there is a clear illegal contact on KJ (highlighted in green). Really bad missed call here, really poor blocking by Ingram and really good coverage by Johnson. Get ready to read a lot about #33 ruining the Vikings' day.
The Vikings punt, and after picking up a first on two runs, losing two on the next run, Dobbs throws what initially looks like a bad pick on 2nd and 12:
Here Dobbs sells the throw to Powell, which usually would have been enough to get the CB (circled in black) to sit on Powell's route, leaving Addison (red) wide open for a big gain. Instead, Johnson reads the play perfectly and drops back in time to pick off Dobbs. Not a bad play, read or throw by Dobbs, Johnson is just really, really good.
The next play is another interception, on an even better throw by Dobbs. On 3rd and 4, Dobbs drops back and fires a dart to a wide open Addison:
This should be a catch 100% of the time, a first down, and likely would have gotten the Vikings into FG range. Instead, Dobbs ends up with his 2nd interception. This is now at least six points Addison has cost the Vikings, and in a game where the Vikings lost by two, six points would have gone a long way. This is also the first play Jaylon Johnson didn't play a role in stopping the offense, but don't worry, we see him play a big part in the next play.
3rd and 6, after two passes for minimal gain Dobbs throws what should have been his third interception:
Ingram is bull-rushed right back into the QB's lap and forces an off-balance throw that is nearly picked by, you guessed it, Jaylon Johnson (top left red). This is a bad decision by Dobbs and is inexcusable. In his first three weeks on the Vikings, Dobbs doesn't attempt to force this pass and instead runs to his left, probably picking up a first with his legs. This is a bit of a theme for the game from Dobbs, and his decision to turn into a pocket passer really hurt the Vikings offense.
Next, the Vikings are facing 4th and 7, needing to get to the 42 to get a first down. By the screenshot, you would think a completion to Hockenson (red) resulted in a first:
Instead Dobbs throws it too far to the inside, Hockenson needs to stop to catch the pass that is behind him, and he is a yard short of picking up the first, turning the ball over on downs. These throws to the right flat to Hockenson seem to consistently be behind him since Dobbs took over at QB and hopefully the Vikings can work that out over the bye.
The Vikings were moving the ball across midfield again on the next drive, and Dobbs ends up throwing his third interception, an interception that ends up being more beneficial than an incompletion:
This is a really well designed play by KOC that should have gotten the Vikings into FG range if not for, wait for it, Jaylon Johnson. Powell runs across the middle of the field drawing the underneath linebacker with him, leaving KJ running one-on-one across the middle behind him. Normally a WR gets separation in that spot, KJ does not, and Johnson either ends up knocking it away or interferes with KJ enough that it bounces off his hands for another interception. The Bears lost 13 yards of field position on this pick, so it didn't hurt the Vikings outside of taking away at least another 3 points.
Dobbs' fourth and final pick should have just been a sack or a quick short pass to Powell:
Darrisaw (green) is beat badly here, and Dobbs is looking right at this happen with Powell open for a short gain. He needed to throw the ball there, instead he waits, gets hits on a desperation throw to Ham, and is picked. It is first down, the Vikings could have recovered from a sack or a short throw to Powell, instead Dobbs is not safe with the football and the Vikings are intercepted.
The final play will have some fans losing their minds and is a big reason so many are calling for KOC's head. 3rd and 9, and a first down gets the Vikings into FG range and seals the win. This is what KOC calls:
The ball goes to Powell (red) on an attempted screen pass and Edwards (green) is all over it. The Vikings lose a yard, punt for 26 yards, and eventually lose the game. This was an awful play call.
Just like week six, the Vikings had opportunities to put this game away, and there were enough correct plays called to win it.
Just like week six, Jaylon Johnson was a menace, and the Vikings lack of a 3rd good option at WR really made it difficult to do anything when Jaylon was covering Addison.
Just like week six, the Vikings QB struggled for most of the game to make plays, but unlike week six, it was Addison, not Mattison who was the worst player on offense outside of the QB.
Unlike week six, the defense was unable to get a defensive score and win the game.
Watching the tape of this game and week six, even with Johnson, and to a lesser extent Edwards, disrupting a number of plays that normally are successful, the Vikings still had opportunities to put up yards and points in bunches if they had just executed. There were clear opportunities on the tape for the Vikings to take advantage, they just couldn't get it done. Like week six, these issues are easily correctable. Don't tell Dobbs to play like a pocket passer, replace the talented rookie WR with JJ, and this team blows out the Bears and any other team the defenses manages to hold to twelve points. KOC also needs to learn that two minutes to score a field goal is way too much time for all but the worst offenses no matter how many timeouts they have. A first down in that spot is worth the risk of stopping the clock on an incomplete pass. A lot went wrong with the Vikings on Monday night versus the Bears and yes, the Bears matchup really well with a JJ-less Vikings offense too. Yes, the head coach had a bad game and the QB and #1 WR as well. That doesn't mean this team can't turn things around against a soft schedule, and hopefully just like after week six, the Vikings learn from everything bad that happened and destroy a bad Vegas team week 14.
So what happened? Why are the Bears so good at stopping the Vikings' offense this season? To figure that out, let's take a look at every play that ended a Vikings' drive.
First up, after Addison failed to come down with what is arguably the best throw of Dobbs' career, a play that would have put the Vikings on Chicago's 13 yardline, the Vikings were facing 3rd and 9:
Ingram blows his block (highlighted in blue) and Dobbs is sacked for a loss of 8. Powell (highlighted in red) is the only real option here, because Jaylon Johnson (#33) has Addison locked up, and because there is a clear illegal contact on KJ (highlighted in green). Really bad missed call here, really poor blocking by Ingram and really good coverage by Johnson. Get ready to read a lot about #33 ruining the Vikings' day.
The Vikings punt, and after picking up a first on two runs, losing two on the next run, Dobbs throws what initially looks like a bad pick on 2nd and 12:
Here Dobbs sells the throw to Powell, which usually would have been enough to get the CB (circled in black) to sit on Powell's route, leaving Addison (red) wide open for a big gain. Instead, Johnson reads the play perfectly and drops back in time to pick off Dobbs. Not a bad play, read or throw by Dobbs, Johnson is just really, really good.
The next play is another interception, on an even better throw by Dobbs. On 3rd and 4, Dobbs drops back and fires a dart to a wide open Addison:
This should be a catch 100% of the time, a first down, and likely would have gotten the Vikings into FG range. Instead, Dobbs ends up with his 2nd interception. This is now at least six points Addison has cost the Vikings, and in a game where the Vikings lost by two, six points would have gone a long way. This is also the first play Jaylon Johnson didn't play a role in stopping the offense, but don't worry, we see him play a big part in the next play.
3rd and 6, after two passes for minimal gain Dobbs throws what should have been his third interception:
Ingram is bull-rushed right back into the QB's lap and forces an off-balance throw that is nearly picked by, you guessed it, Jaylon Johnson (top left red). This is a bad decision by Dobbs and is inexcusable. In his first three weeks on the Vikings, Dobbs doesn't attempt to force this pass and instead runs to his left, probably picking up a first with his legs. This is a bit of a theme for the game from Dobbs, and his decision to turn into a pocket passer really hurt the Vikings offense.
Next, the Vikings are facing 4th and 7, needing to get to the 42 to get a first down. By the screenshot, you would think a completion to Hockenson (red) resulted in a first:
Instead Dobbs throws it too far to the inside, Hockenson needs to stop to catch the pass that is behind him, and he is a yard short of picking up the first, turning the ball over on downs. These throws to the right flat to Hockenson seem to consistently be behind him since Dobbs took over at QB and hopefully the Vikings can work that out over the bye.
The Vikings were moving the ball across midfield again on the next drive, and Dobbs ends up throwing his third interception, an interception that ends up being more beneficial than an incompletion:
This is a really well designed play by KOC that should have gotten the Vikings into FG range if not for, wait for it, Jaylon Johnson. Powell runs across the middle of the field drawing the underneath linebacker with him, leaving KJ running one-on-one across the middle behind him. Normally a WR gets separation in that spot, KJ does not, and Johnson either ends up knocking it away or interferes with KJ enough that it bounces off his hands for another interception. The Bears lost 13 yards of field position on this pick, so it didn't hurt the Vikings outside of taking away at least another 3 points.
Dobbs' fourth and final pick should have just been a sack or a quick short pass to Powell:
Darrisaw (green) is beat badly here, and Dobbs is looking right at this happen with Powell open for a short gain. He needed to throw the ball there, instead he waits, gets hits on a desperation throw to Ham, and is picked. It is first down, the Vikings could have recovered from a sack or a short throw to Powell, instead Dobbs is not safe with the football and the Vikings are intercepted.
The final play will have some fans losing their minds and is a big reason so many are calling for KOC's head. 3rd and 9, and a first down gets the Vikings into FG range and seals the win. This is what KOC calls:
The ball goes to Powell (red) on an attempted screen pass and Edwards (green) is all over it. The Vikings lose a yard, punt for 26 yards, and eventually lose the game. This was an awful play call.
Just like week six, the Vikings had opportunities to put this game away, and there were enough correct plays called to win it.
Just like week six, Jaylon Johnson was a menace, and the Vikings lack of a 3rd good option at WR really made it difficult to do anything when Jaylon was covering Addison.
Just like week six, the Vikings QB struggled for most of the game to make plays, but unlike week six, it was Addison, not Mattison who was the worst player on offense outside of the QB.
Unlike week six, the defense was unable to get a defensive score and win the game.
Watching the tape of this game and week six, even with Johnson, and to a lesser extent Edwards, disrupting a number of plays that normally are successful, the Vikings still had opportunities to put up yards and points in bunches if they had just executed. There were clear opportunities on the tape for the Vikings to take advantage, they just couldn't get it done. Like week six, these issues are easily correctable. Don't tell Dobbs to play like a pocket passer, replace the talented rookie WR with JJ, and this team blows out the Bears and any other team the defenses manages to hold to twelve points. KOC also needs to learn that two minutes to score a field goal is way too much time for all but the worst offenses no matter how many timeouts they have. A first down in that spot is worth the risk of stopping the clock on an incomplete pass. A lot went wrong with the Vikings on Monday night versus the Bears and yes, the Bears matchup really well with a JJ-less Vikings offense too. Yes, the head coach had a bad game and the QB and #1 WR as well. That doesn't mean this team can't turn things around against a soft schedule, and hopefully just like after week six, the Vikings learn from everything bad that happened and destroy a bad Vegas team week 14.
... and neither is this Chris guy.