Getting Defensive: What's Wrong With The Vikings?

The Minnesota Vikings have reached the halfway mark of the 2008 NFL season, but so far, this season is looking a lot like last season.

Last year, the Vikings finished with the top-ranked run defense and the bottom-ranked pass defense in the league. That’s the path they’re headed down this year, although maybe not quite as good against the run statistically.

So far this season, the pass defense has been horrible, due in part to age and due to a neck injury suffered by Safety Madieu Williams.

Williams will be back after the bye week, which will hopefully bring fresh legs and a little speed to a defense that has looked old and slow.

Against the Chicago Bears, the Vikings gave up 283 yards in the air and two passing touchdowns to the suddenly studly Kyle Orton. On one play in particular, the 51-yard catch and run by Marty Booker, the lack of speed in the secondary was painfully obvious.

Darren Sharper took a bad angle on the tackle, and got burned by Booker. In the past, Sharper’s speed would have made up for his poor angle, but not this time. He is beginning to look like his Pro Bowl days are behind him.

One bright spot on an otherwise shoddy defense, is the front four.

The Vikings currently lead the NFC North with 16 sacks. The addition of Jared Allen has proved to be a good move, but maybe not a great one yet.

Although Allen has yet to produce league-leading sack numbers, his counterpart, Kevin Williams, is currently leading the Vikings in sacks with six. That type of production is only available because teams must chose to either double cover Allen, Williams, or our biggest run stopper, Pat Williams.

The strength of the front four is crucial if the Vikings are going to remain competitive in the NFC North. The division has always been run-heavy, and if the Vikings can shut down the run the way they did against Bears running back Matt Forte, then the future may not be as bleak. 

The Vikes need to realize that without a reliable secondary, every game is within reach for the opposing team. As indicated early on against the Indianapolis Colts, the combination of an offense that can’t find the end zone and a defense that can’t cover, is deadly.

No lead is safe, all it takes to beat the Vikings is a hurry up offense and quick throws. The Bears beat us in the air, the Colts beat us in the air, and the Green Bay Packers beat us in the air. The only team to run with success against the Vikings has been the Tennessee Titans, a team that has run on everybody.

If the Vikes want to be competitive on the defensive side of the ball, they need to shore up the pass defense, and if they want to be competitive in the division, they will need more than just that.

I can’t say that the defense has been the number one reason for the Vikings’ slow start (that would be coaching), but it is safe to say that on a team that doesn’t score a lot of points (Bears game notwithstanding), the defense has to step up.