Vikings' defense is suddenly vulnerable after losses to savvy, strong-armed QBs
The defense that fueled Minnesota's 5-0 start with a disruptive pass rush and a swarm of tacklers to stop the run has had a rough week, humbled by a couple of code-cracking quarterbacks and their savvy play-callers.
Four days after the Vikings took their first loss of the season at the hands of Detroit's high-octane offense, they were beaten again at Los Angeles by another potent group following a similar blueprint.
Just like Jared Goff did for the Lions in their 31-29 victory on Sunday, the Vikings had their zone pass coverage picked apart by the Rams' Matthew Stafford in LA's 30-20 win on Thursday night. Goff and Stafford combined to go 47 for 59 for 559 yards and six touchdowns, and the one turnover the Vikings forced in each game wasn't enough to slow down the opposition.
There's no shame in giving up throws to players like Goff and Stafford. The Lions are thriving behind the direction of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson with one of the most balanced lineups in the game, ranking second in the NFL in yards per game and third in points. The Rams, inconveniently for the Vikings, welcomed standout wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back from injuries and quickly hit their stride in a commanding fashion reminiscent of their Super Bowl champion team of three years ago.
Against the Lions, the Vikings sacked Goff four times with some effective pressure early and late, but he was largely untouched and in rhythm in the middle quarters. They simply never got to Stafford, turning in their first sack-less performance while only registering two hits. One of the most wince-inducing plays came in the second quarter, when Jonathan Greenard used a spin move to get into the backfield and force Stafford to slide up in the pocket. As Harrison Phillips approached in prime position to finish the sack, Stafford ducked under his arms and fired a touchdown pass to Kupp.
With linebacker Blake Cashman sidelined for the second straight game with a turf toe injury, the Vikings were far less effective against the run. The variety of blitzes and disguises designed to make offenses think pressure is coming that defensive coordinator Brian Flores has successfully employed this year didn't create much trouble for Goff. There was even less disruption for Stafford. Rams coach Sean McVay also called several screen passes to bank on the speed of his receivers and get the ball out of Stafford's hand as quickly as possible.
"We've been dealing with teams that kind of hit us in those same areas, take advantage of that. We're seeing more screens. We're seeing more run attacks. They're trying to get us to tackle, setting up plays so they can ditch-and-dump here and there," Vikings cornerback Shaquill Griffin said. "I don't think this will be the last time we're going to see this, so there's a lot we've got to fix."
Alignment and communication were also persistent problems on Thursday. Cashman's absence surely didn't help.
"I think everybody's still in high spirits," Griffin said, "but no one likes this feeling."
Even worse than the experience of consecutive defeats: Losing star left tackle Christian Darrisaw for the rest of the season. Darrisaw suffered torn ligaments in his left knee, coach Kevin O'Connell said Friday.
The Vikings could hardly have envisioned a better start to the season by quarterback Sam Darnold. He posted a season-best 128.7 passer rating against the Rams and ranks fifth in the league in that category.
The Vikings have been sabotaging their offense with wholly preventable penalties before the snap. They were flagged for two false starts and two illegal formations against the Rams after being whistled for one false start, two illegal formations and the rare offensive offside penalty against the Lions.
Ryan Wright averaged 50.3 yards on three punts, landing each one inside the 20-yard line, with a long of 61 yards.
Jalen Nailor dropped a short pass early in the fourth quarter that would've given the Vikings a first down. He had the angle to get in the end zone for what would've been the go-ahead touchdown, but the Vikings had to settle for a field goal. Nailor scored in each of the first three games but has been quiet since.
The loss of Darrisaw will be awfully difficult to overcome, but the Vikings will have TE T.J. Hockenson back from injury next week. Cashman is on track to return, too.
The Vikings have lost nine consecutive night games against teams from the West divisions, a streak of time-zone trouble that has developed since their last such win at Oakland in 1996. The prime-time skid includes four losses to Seattle, two to Arizona, two to the Rams and one to San Francisco.
The Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 3, a game that NBC grabbed for the prime-time slot under the league's flexible scheduling policy. After that, the Vikings have three straight games on the road: at Jacksonville, Tennessee and Chicago.
