Post by Purple Pain on Oct 9, 2024 15:47:23 GMT -6
Mostly for fun here, as we don't have the draft capital, but...
Chris Schad: The Vikings Are One Piece Away From Being A Dominant Offense (and It's Not T.J. Hockenson)
Chris Schad: The Vikings Are One Piece Away From Being A Dominant Offense (and It's Not T.J. Hockenson)
When Chandler received his first start in a Week 14 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he carried the ball 23 times for 132 yards and a touchdown while catching three passes for 25 yards. However, his numbers dropped in the final three games. Chandler carried the ball 30 times for 126 yards and a touchdown while adding five catches for 44 yards.
A negative game script has something to do with that decline, but so did Chandler’s efficiency.
While Pro Football Reference does not track success rate – the number of times a player gets 40% of yards needed on first down, 60% of yards needed on second down, and 100% of yards needed on third or fourth down – on a game-by-game basis, Chandler’s 45.1% success rate would have ranked just ahead of Mattison’s 45% rate, which was 38th out of 48 qualifying runner’s last season.
That was a big reason the Vikings didn’t make Chandler the starter heading into this year and opted to sign Jones to a one-year, $7 million contract in free agency.
Jones’ 60.6% success rate ranks third among running backs behind Chuba Hubbard (67.6%) and Chase Brown (61%). Still, he has also contributed 8.23 yards per route run on screen concepts, the fourth-highest clip among running backs per Pro Football Focus.
Mix in 3.55 yards after contact – the 10th-highest clip among qualifying running backs this season – and it’s easy to see why Jones is on pace for 255 carries even after missing the final three quarters in Sunday’s win over the Jets. But it was even more glaring when Chandler came into the game.
A Jets defense that had been gashed by Jordan Mason, Javonte Williams, and others this season had no issues against Chandler, holding him to 30 yards on 14 carries. While the offensive line also had a bad day, Chandler made things worse with a fumble on a pitch and 1.93 yards after contact.
Chandler’s season also hasn’t gone as planned despite his solid 4.2 yards per carry. His 39.3% success rate ranks 45th among 51 qualifying runners, and his 1.74 yards after contract is last out of 58 qualifying running backs this season.
O’Connell is a pass-first coach, and getting Hockenson back will open some space underneath that will help Darnold burn the clock in late-game situations. However, having a serviceable running back would have created an even more methodical approach, taking more time off the clock before Aaron Rodgers had the chance to win the game.
Outside of Jones, the Vikings do not have a reliable option in the backfield. Given his age (30) and track record, they need to find an upgrade for Chandler or risk falling into the same trap they almost fell into on Sunday.
A negative game script has something to do with that decline, but so did Chandler’s efficiency.
While Pro Football Reference does not track success rate – the number of times a player gets 40% of yards needed on first down, 60% of yards needed on second down, and 100% of yards needed on third or fourth down – on a game-by-game basis, Chandler’s 45.1% success rate would have ranked just ahead of Mattison’s 45% rate, which was 38th out of 48 qualifying runner’s last season.
That was a big reason the Vikings didn’t make Chandler the starter heading into this year and opted to sign Jones to a one-year, $7 million contract in free agency.
Jones’ 60.6% success rate ranks third among running backs behind Chuba Hubbard (67.6%) and Chase Brown (61%). Still, he has also contributed 8.23 yards per route run on screen concepts, the fourth-highest clip among running backs per Pro Football Focus.
Mix in 3.55 yards after contact – the 10th-highest clip among qualifying running backs this season – and it’s easy to see why Jones is on pace for 255 carries even after missing the final three quarters in Sunday’s win over the Jets. But it was even more glaring when Chandler came into the game.
A Jets defense that had been gashed by Jordan Mason, Javonte Williams, and others this season had no issues against Chandler, holding him to 30 yards on 14 carries. While the offensive line also had a bad day, Chandler made things worse with a fumble on a pitch and 1.93 yards after contact.
Chandler’s season also hasn’t gone as planned despite his solid 4.2 yards per carry. His 39.3% success rate ranks 45th among 51 qualifying runners, and his 1.74 yards after contract is last out of 58 qualifying running backs this season.
O’Connell is a pass-first coach, and getting Hockenson back will open some space underneath that will help Darnold burn the clock in late-game situations. However, having a serviceable running back would have created an even more methodical approach, taking more time off the clock before Aaron Rodgers had the chance to win the game.
Outside of Jones, the Vikings do not have a reliable option in the backfield. Given his age (30) and track record, they need to find an upgrade for Chandler or risk falling into the same trap they almost fell into on Sunday.
... and neither is this Chris guy.