Zulgad: Kevin O’Connell needs to consider significant change with Vikings’ defense
The identity of the Vikings’ defense this season had been as a bend but don’t break unit that gave up a concerning amount of yards but still managed to make enough plays to earn victories. The problem is that the bend but don’t break approach is a dangerous way to live because when the defense does break it’s a long fall.
That fall occurred Sunday in the Vikings’ 34-23 loss to the Lions at Ford Field.
A victory would have given the Vikings their first NFC North title since 2017. Instead, the improving Lions, led by quarterback Jared Goff, moved the ball with ease against a defense that was missing veteran safety Harrison Smith. Minnesota surrendered 464 yards, saw Detroit convert on 7-of-15 third-down opportunities and go 2-for-2 in the red zone. Goff completed 27-of-39 passes for 330 yards and touchdowns of 41, 48 and 5 yards.
This came a week after the New York Jets accumulated 486 total yards in a 27-22 loss at U.S. Bank Stadium. The difference was the Vikings’ held the Jets to 3-of-16 on third down and 1-of-6 in the red zone. That success covered the odor of an overall troubling performance. But there was no deodorant that could eliminate Sunday’s stench.
Smith’s absence didn’t help, but the Vikings have now given up 400-plus total yards in five consecutive games. That is the longest single-season streak in franchise history, according to a graphic FOX showed on its telecast.
This is a long-term problem and left Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell contemplating what can be done with four regular-season games remaining.
“It’s a combination of some things, but I think we’ve got to take a look at what we can do to potentially help our guys be in a position to make more plays, be a little bit more aggressive, possibly. Ultimately I think we’ve got to generate some more rush, how do we do it? Just try to limit explosive (plays) and what that looks like. I think it’s a variety of things. But if we’re doing our jobs effectively we’ve got to take a look at it to try to improve our football team.”
On Sunday, the Vikings sent an extra pass rusher on 9-of-41 Goff dropbacks, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Only two of them created pressure. This isn’t going to cut it against any quarterback.
O’Connell’s words made it clear that he will be taking a look at the job being done by defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. There are some, like Donatell, who will dismiss how many yards a team gives up, but the fact the Vikings are now last in the league in that statistic is troubling. Minnesota is surrendering 403.7 yards per game; the Lions are at 403.2. Those are the only two defenses that are at 400 yards.
The Vikings also are last in the NFL in passing yards allowed (287.2), they are 16th in rushing yards (116.5) and have fallen to 24th in points given up (24.1). This wasn’t one bad day for the defense, it was a continuation of a problem that began in a 24-7 loss in Week 2 at Philadelphia. The Eagles had 486 yards in that Monday Night game. Dallas, which destroyed the Vikings 40-3 in Week 11, had 458 yards.
Donatell was hired because O’Connell wanted someone who was familiar with running the same 3-4 scheme that veteran coach Vic Fangio had employed with the Chicago Bears from 2015-18 as a coordinator and then took to Broncos as head coach in 2019. Fangio was fired after last season and Donatell, who had been his defensive coordinator with the Broncos, was scooped up by O’Connell after he was hired by the Vikings in February.
But just because Donatell knows Fangio, doesn’t mean that he’s going to have the same type of success. Fangio ran the show in Denver, so Donatell could take occasional bows without having the spotlight on him. O’Connell tipped his hand on Sunday when he talked about putting players in a position to make more plays.
Do the Vikings have the perfect personnel to pull off the scheme that Donatell wants? No. But that can’t matter. The Vikings have put themselves in a position to get at least one home playoff game and be the second seed in the NFC. The Eagles, Cowboys and Lions have presented the blueprint for how to make the Vikings look like the frauds that many national experts feel they are this season.
The Vikings can’t overhaul their scheme at this late date, but they also can’t stubbornly believe that what they are doing will magically start to work. O’Connell is right, they need to put players in better position, even if that means tweaking some of the principles of Fangio and Donatell’s beliefs.
A perfect example of this is Danielle Hunter, who before missing most of the past two seasons because of injuries, was one of the NFL’s best defensive ends. Unless you believe the 28-year-old Hunter has gone off the cliff, something isn’t right with how he’s being used. He was mostly a non-factor Sunday, finishing with two tackles, and has only one sack in his past four games.
O’Connell has made it clear he’s an offensive coach first, but his examination of the defense has to include potential options that would lessen Donatell’s role. Bringing in Fangio as a consultant would be ideal, but he’s already serving in that capacity with the 12-1 Eagles.
Mike Pettine, the assistant head coach to O’Connell, has plenty of experience as a defensive coordinator in the league. He has run 3-4 and 4-3 looks and while he isn’t a Fangio disciple, he has been around the Vikings all season and certainly could make some adjustments to the current defensive play calling.
Would O’Connell consider firing Donatell, or just lesson his involvement and quietly give Pettine more responsibility? O’Connell has done nothing in his first season that indicated he would make a rash move, but he also has to consider what happens if he allows his defense to continue to flounder.
O’Connell is paid the big bucks now to make tough decisions and winning games is the most important thing. If O’Connell sticks with the status quo this much is certain: His defense will prevent the Vikings from getting anywhere near where he wants them to go.
Judd Zulgad is co-host of the Purple Daily Podcast and Mackey & Judd podcast at www.skornorth.com
