Amid calls for wholesale changes to the Minnesota Vikings defense, coordinator Ed Donatell has shown a change of heart.
While Donatell has stood by his scheme, attributing the defense’s recent skid to a matter of execution, he’s entertained calls for tighter coverage.
“We’d like to take some of the air out of the coverage,” Donatell said in a December 14 press conference. “You want to be tighter. Whether you’re in man or zone, we’ve got to be tighter on our matches and tighter on people. That makes it harder for people to run their passing game.”
Donatell’s statement comes after weeks of watching the secondary allow receivers to pick up short gains underneath soft zone coverage — and it’s not the first mention of the idea in the organization.
Vikings CB Patrick Peterson Called for Tight Coverage After Week 2 Loss to Philadelphia Eagles
As early as Week 2, Patrick Peterson said as early that he thought the secondary needed to play “closer in coverage” after allowing the Philadelphia Eagles to score 24 first-half points in an eventual loss.
However, the 12-year veteran’s insight did not translate into any strategic changes in the following weeks. A seven-game winning streak that followed the Eagles loss overshadowed the defense’s struggles to defend the pass.
But those woes are more present than ever.
The defense has allowed 30.4 points and 460.6 yards per game in their last five games, the highest marks in the league. That’s come as a byproduct of being one of the most predictable defenses in the league.
“[The Vikings] are in their nickel personnel group on 81.4% of snaps with split safeties 55.8% of the time, both the second-highest rates in the NFL, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. They use zone coverage at a rate of 83.2%, also the second-highest in the league, and they blitz at the NFL’s sixth-lowest rate (19.9%),” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote.
The premise behind Donatell’s defense was to make defending intuitive to players with layers of disguise through zone coverage. However, opposing quarterbacks have seen through the smoke and made plays with ease by getting the ball out quickly to take advantage of the soft coverage.
“The most galling examples have come when the Vikings have played what NFL Next Gen Stats considers “off coverage.” (The closest defender is more than five yards away.) They have employed it on an NFL-high 261 snaps this season and allowed a league-worst 9.2 yards per pass attempt in those circumstances,” Seifert added.
Tighter Coverage Could Come at a Cost for Vikings
Selling tighter coverage is easier said than done. The Vikings played soft zone coverage to avoid getting beaten over the top — and the cover unit may struggle without as much cushion.
Minnesota ranks as the league’s worst team in defending outside receivers, per Pro Football Focus.
Vikings defense vs. wide receivers aligned on the outside (PFF)
Passing yards allowed: 32nd
Explosive pass-play rate: 32nd
Yards per attempt: 32nd
Passer rating: 32nd
What will tighter coverage look like? It could still be primarily in zone looks but could also come with more press or man coverage. If that’s the case, the Vikings will have to offer safety or linebacker help to bracket elite wide receivers.
That could lead to less help in the run game, where the Vikings rank 16th in rushing yards allowed.
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Vikings’ Ed Donatell Heeds 8-Time Pro Bowler’s Advice on Fixing Defense