It isn’t a playoff sport, but it surely may as effectively be, and we might by no means go up the chance to get some intel from the opponent’s perspective. We referred to as on Arif Hasan—take a look at and subscribe to his nice work right here—to offer us some perception into the opposite 14-2 workforce within the division, the distinction a few new edge defenders made on this Brian Flores protection, Sam Darnold’s play-action effectiveness, and what his prediction is for this Week 18 matchup.
Two 14-win groups enjoying for the NFC North title, the No. 1 seed within the convention, and an opportunity to earn per week’s price of much-needed relaxation in a grueling 18-week schedule. There actually isn’t a query right here a lot as there’s a likelihood to mirror on what looks like the most important common season sport the NFL has had in current reminiscence—perhaps ever?—and it includes the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
That is excellent. Clearly, the intersection is totally different for the 2 groups; the Lions being within the place is meteoric, an unbelievable repudiation of their previous and affirmation of the affected person method Sheila Hamp Ford took when she first employed, after which caught with, Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes.
For the Vikings it’s refreshing and a terrific turnaround from the place they had been on the finish of the Zimmer period. Lions followers may even see this second as proof that they’ve arrived and aren’t mere one-year wonders, however Vikings followers may see this second as one other illusory brick within the tower of hope the Vikings have been developing. Till the clock strikes 0:00 it could be laborious to imagine that this Vikings workforce is actual.
However I’m unsure I keep in mind as momentous a second for the league held in an NFC North matchup. I like seeing it. Definitely the Vikings have been in end-of-season key matchups however to see the league watching, understanding they’ll change everybody else’s outcomes, is particular.
Sam Darnold’s season is one thing nobody noticed coming from the surface wanting in, however once you hear Kevin O’Connell speak concerning the journeyman quarterback, you may’t even doubt how a lot these contained in the constructing believed in Darnold and his capacity–particularly after the Vikings knocked off the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2.
From taking a look at a few of his numbers, one side of his sport that’s been particularly efficient—and environment friendly—this season has been his capacity working below heart and off play motion (10.6 yards per try, 16 TDs, 9.0% huge time throw price; all first within the NFL out of play motion). Are you able to inform us about how KOC and Co. have utilized these to create one of the best model of Darnold we’ve seen to this point?
It’s definitely an attention-grabbing component of his play as a result of Darnold will not be the play-action maven that Kirk Cousins was. He’s not fairly pretty much as good at it as Cousins was but in addition not reliant on it.
That, I feel, makes the entire course of look higher. Darnold can do lots of various things and that makes deception like play motion actually efficient. The Vikings don’t use play motion as typically as most Shanahan/McVay groups do, however the design is simply as highly effective. And so they spend a big time on mechanical particulars, just like the footwork and ball dealing with on play motion.
They’ve a eager understanding of what defenses try to do in opposition to varied PA appears and seemingly tweak issues each few weeks. It’s a terrific self scouting operation. And I feel that’s a giant a part of the success. And it helps to have a quarterback with a robust arm who takes probabilities.
The 2 gamers on the Vikings protection which have garnered lots of consideration are the brand new additions: Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard. How has Brian Flores introduced these two into the fold and turned this protection into probably the greatest within the NFL?
It may be the case that folks think about the talent of an edge rusher issues much less when one has a heavy blitz scheme, however the emphasis on run protection from inside defensive lineman means they want that rush from the sting. Having the 2 of them has been important.
Each are versatile however of the 2, Greenard is extra of a pure go rusher that extra typically traces up on the sting or as an inside linemen on go rush downs. Andrew Van Ginkel is extra of a Swiss military knife; he can line up as an off-ball linebacker or sometimes at security and overhang. That motion provides him a ton of rush angles and surprisingly good protection.
That’s the important thing to creating these boutique blitzes work. In case you’ve acquired an edge rusher who can drop and canopy or an off-ball linebacker who can rush, you’ve acquired a brand new world of potentialities.
What’s been your favourite a part of this iteration of the Minnesota Vikings this yr–and what are your expectations for them within the playoffs? Does the result of this sport have an effect on these expectations?
I like the workforce dynamic, actually. Most years after I discuss what I like concerning the workforce, I’ll speak concerning the talent of some particular person gamers or the schematic improvements produced by the workforce.
However it’s unimaginable to observe this workforce and never fall in love with the environment, one thing I’m positive Lions followers can relate to. The gamers love one another. The coaches love the gamers. Kevin O’Connell getting choked up about Sam Darnold’s journey or Cam Akers’ resilience or Brian Flores’ perception is otherworldly, one thing I don’t get to expertise typically masking the NFL.
As for expectations, I feel they’re a workforce with the baseline expertise to make it to the divisional spherical, with or with out the bye. I wouldn’t be shocked by a convention spherical look although I feel the Tremendous Bowl could also be out of their grasp.
A win in opposition to the Lions takes the governor off, although. Beat the Lions and so they have respectable Tremendous Bowl aspirations in my thoughts.
The final time these two groups met in Week 7, the Lions acquired the game-winning area aim with little time for the Vikings to mount a rebuttal. Since then, Minnesota has gone 9-1 and put themselves in place to win this division. The road opened at Lions -3.5, however dipped all the way down to Lions -2.5 earlier on Tuesday, and has since evened out round the usual -3.
What’s your rating prediction for this one?
Maaaan. I do not know what to make of this Lions workforce. Absolutely wholesome, I simply take them outright. And what they’ve going is enjoyable; Jameson Williams has come into his personal and the offense is operational in a approach it wasn’t earlier than with that new component. It’s an thrilling offense with one million methods to win.
Defensively, they’re getting it completed but it surely definitely appears rather more unstable and reliant on turnovers greater than down-to-down play. To me this means a shootout with a number of turnovers, maybe a number of turnovers for each groups. In that atmosphere I feel I’ll take the Vikings to cowl and win.
