Vikings Defensive Line Becoming Strength of Minnesota Defense

After back-to-back dominant performances in Buffalo and Tampa Bay, the Minnesota Vikings defensive line is emerging as the strength of an ever-improving defense.

A little patience was required for this to happen. Veteran linemen Jared Allen, Kevin Williams and Letroy Guion all departed after the 2013 season, leaving Minnesota with some retooling to do in free agency and through the draft.

This offseason, Minnesota signed two free-agent defensive tackles, Linval Joseph and Tom Johnson. The Vikings front office and Mike Zimmer looked beyond what roles these two players played with their previous teams. Joseph had been a 3-technique tackle for the New York Giants, but the Vikings moved him to nose tackle. Johnson had been a 3-4 defensive end in New Orleans prior to his transition into the 4-3 for the Vikings.

Defensive ends Corey Wootton and rookie Scott Crichton were added for depth. Everson Griffen and Sharrif Floyd were subsequently vaulted into starting jobs on the defensive line.

Learning a new defense—with changes to blitz patterns and a heavier usage of stunts and twists—meant there would be an adjustment period for all of these players.

The defensive line as a whole has found its rhythm in the last two games after and up-and-down start to the season. Against the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it tore apart two poor offensive lines, which is exactly what a strong defensive line should do.

Mike Wobschall of Vikings.com provides some impressive details from the entire defense’s performance in Tampa Bay, focusing in on the defensive line:

"

#Vikings DL dominated today. Had 4 of team 5 sacks, many more pressures, helped hold Bucs to 2.9 yds/carry + 4.0 yds/play.

— Mike Wobschall (@wobby) October 26, 2014"

"

After allowing a 7-yard rushing gain on 1st play of game, #Vikings DEF allowed just 1 more rush of 7+ yds the whole game.

— Mike Wobschall (@wobby) October 27, 2014"

It was an utterly dominant performance that set the stage for second- and third-level defenders to make plays.

Through eight weeks, rushing the passer has proven to be the unit’s specialty. It ranks No. 4 in the NFL in adjusted sack rate, a Football Outsiders statistic that accounts for down and distance and opponent. The Vikings rank No. 2 in sack percentage as well, another credit to how Zimmer has his defense playing.

As previously mentioned, the run defense doesn’t quite measure up. But that may be by design.

This defensive line is crafted to be dynamic and highly athletic. Both ends, Griffen and Brian Robison, have the athletic capabilities to play in space and could even rush from 3-4 outside linebacker positions if they needed to. Both Floyd and Joseph are athletic defensive tackles, with the latter having experience as a 3-technique. Tom Johnson is actually quicker and more explosive than either Floyd and Joseph.

Powerful offensive lines have had success running the football against Minnesota. From 2009 to 2013, Zimmer’s Cincinnati defenses averaged a No. 19 finish in run defense DVOA, another Football Outsiders statistical method that relates play outcomes to averages in comparable game situations.

Compare that to the average finish in pass defense DVOA over the same time interval (No. 11) and things become a bit clearer. Zimmer's scheme sacrifices brute force in the defensive line for more athleticism, for the type of speed and gap-splitting explosiveness that can wreak havoc against the run and pressure opposing passers.

That idea differs from what had been seen under the previous regime in Minnesota. In Zimmer's 4-3 over scheme, the most-used alignment in Minnesota's base defense compares closely to what the Vikings did before he arrived.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

The key point of this alignment is that the 3-technique, Floyd, lines in the B-gap to the strong side. Linebacker Chad Greenway stacks behind him. Joseph shades the center to the A-gap on the weak side. The strong side is determined by the location of the tight end.

Occasionally, Zimmer will shift his defense into a 4-3 under.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

This moves Floyd to the weak side of the formation and slides the strong-side end, Robison in this case, down to a head-up position over the offensive tackle.

Because the defense relies more on versatility, athletic defensive tackles are a must. They give the defensive line the ability to penetrate and disrupt plays in the backfield and provide for a stronger pass rush from the interior.

Zimmer uses the athleticism of his front four, including rotational players, and creative uses of blitzes and line stunts to keep offensive lines guessing as to from where the pressure is coming.

A tackle-end twist wreaked havoc on the Bucs offensive line on the first drive of the game, freeing up Griffen to put a hit on Mike Glennon early.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Because of how quickly Floyd is able to come off the ball—he splits the gap between the guard and tackle—Tampa Bay blockers immediately are toast. As Buc linemen scramble to pick up the looping Griffen, both he and Floyd slide through.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

This play is just one example of how athleticism wins, even in the trenches.

Floyd and Griffen terrorized the Buccaneers all day due their quickness off the ball and their lateral agility to attack different gaps and power through blocks.

Zimmer has continuously evolved his play-calling on defense to maximize the athletic talents he has up front in Griffen, Floyd, Johnson, Robison and even linebacker Anthony Barr. The frequent stunts and blitzes play to the strength of personnel, putting explosive players in positions to beat blocks and disrupt plays.

Even the run defense showed signs of life thanks to the dominant play of the defensive line in Week 8. For a majority of the game, Floyd and Joseph whipped the interior offensive line of the Buccaneers.

One on play in particular, Floyd took a hard lateral step and slipped right by Tampa Bay guard Logan Mankins, disrupting the blocking and rerouting the running back.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Floyd’s improvement has been tangible over the last two games. After a lukewarm rookie season, the 2013 first-round pick was dinged up earlier this year and seemed unready to take a step forward in his development.

But that hoped-for progress has happened of late. He looked explosive, strong and extremely energetic as he beat Mankins multiple times against Tampa Bay.

The rise of the defensive line as a whole has closely followed the steady improvement of Floyd and Griffen. As the two most gifted players in the lineup, their play dictates what the unit is capable of.

When asked what has spurred the recent improvement up front, Floyd’s answer was short and sweet, via VikingUpdate:

"

Sharrif Floyd on the improved play of the defensive line and defense in general: "I think we were just tired of losing." #Vikings

— VikingUpdate.com (@VikingUpdate) October 27, 2014"

The differences between this unit and the one from earlier in the season has much to do with a shift in attitude. As Floyd alludes to in the above tweet, a little anger and the need to prove a point can go a long way.

Zimmer also has the defense playing faster, which comes about when players are more confident in their assignments and the defensive scheme overall. That certainly seems to be the case with Floyd and Griffen, who have led a surge up front for the Vikings.

Moving forward, look for Zimmer and the Vikings defensive coaches to continue varying fronts and utilizing the athleticism of the defensive line. On paper, it seems the quickness of this defensive line will almost always be to Minnesota's advantage going into a game.

Recently, Zimmer has begun unleashing that speed and pressure on the field.