One More Weak Link

Before I preview this Sunday's Vikings-Bears matchup this Sunday, there is one more area of the Vikings I would like to discuss...their pass defense.

For a short history lesson, the Vikings have had a porous pass defense for a good many years.  Even in the 1998-2000 years, when the offense was racking up the points and wins, the defense would almost certainly give up 250 yards through the air and a few scores.  Things only got worse during the Mike Tice era, when the "McCombs Administration" would not spend a time on the defense.  As Brad Childress put together such talent as Pat Williams, Antoine Winfield, Darren Sharper, and Dwight Smith (until the whole sex-in-the-stairwell thing), the overall defense seemed to improve, but teams (starting with the New England Patriots on a fateful Monday night in 2006) began to realizing that all you had to do to beat the Vikings was pass, pass, and then pass a little more.

That is pretty much how the situation currently stands as well.  While teams may try to grind out a few yards on the ground, that plan is usually scrapped in favor of an aerial assault.  The Packers did it earlier this year, the Saints should have beaten us with it, and the Bears are likely to employ a similar strategy on Sunday.  What I can't understand is why nothing ever seems to change?  Much like Childress's offense which hasn't improved over the past three years, the pass defense has also stagnated, never improving even to the point of competence.  The biggest problem with the Vikings secondary is the ability of opposing wide receivers that find themselves wide open and able to make easy catches, whereas the Vikings' WRs need to struggle for every reception.

What I would like to see is a little bit more aggressive of a defensive secondary from the Vikings, much like the Green Bay Packers play.  Currently, the Vikings must be dropping back into many zone defenses, as how else can the opposition get THAT open?  Instead, I would much more respect man coverage on the outside, like Al Harris does so well.  Sure, you may get burned every once in awhile, but there WILL NOT be guys running around the field uncovered while the defender is only protecting a swathe of turf (as so often happens in zone coverage).  Perhaps we don't have the sort of players that make that type of system successful right now, but if we start making a change NOW we can actually change something, instead of the typical Chilly strategy of trying to do things his way at all costs with no respect to the opposition.  Just something to think about...

Tomorrow I will be back with a preview of Sunday's contest.