Film study: Offensive problems and solutions in Miami
The Vikings passing game struggled to handle the Dolphins' rushes but found enough answers to win the game
By Matthew Coller
After a poor offensive performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, the Minnesota Vikings had been on largely an upward trend. Two weeks ago against the Chicago Bears they produced their highest yardage and Expected Points Added* totals of the season. But in Miami they faced more heat than just the high temperatures and only managed 156 net yards passing and had their second negative EPA offensive performance of the year.
*Broadly speaking, EPA compares results vs. down and distance and field position
Why did the offense look out of sync? What did Kevin O’Connell do in order to get things back on track to the point where the Vikings could score 24 points and win the game to advance to 5-1? Let’s have a look…
The problems…
The Vikings’ offensive line has put together some solid games this season but Miami dominated the interior of the O-line. They blitzed 18 times (per PFF), which made up more than half of Kirk Cousins’ dropbacks. The Dolphins were not afraid to load up the box against the Vikings, as teams have often been in recent years because of their deep threats in the passing game. This aggressive approach resulted in 42% of dropbacks being under pressure for Cousins and his clean pocket dropbacks averaging a shocking 3.8 yards per attempt.
We start out on the first drive of the game (with some shaky camera from the All-22 film) in which Cousins overthrows Justin Jefferson on a play that went right to the sticks. At first glance it seems inaccurate but the rollout causes Cousins to walk right into the right guard, who being pushed back into the backfield. Cousins has to slightly adjust his angle and the ball goes high and away.
Notice the Dolphins are loading the box to play the run and put seven men on the line of scrimmage, which naturally draws one-on-ones for everyone. The only player who couldn’t lose his battle ended up losing and the play was DOA. Had the block been solid there’s a good chance it turns into a first down.
Our next play comes on the second drive following back-to-back runs in the shadow of the end zone. This one is a strange choice after the conservative start to the drive. When a backed-up drive starts with two runs, you might think they would run a screen or quick game next in order to play it safe and give themselves a chance at getting yards after catch. Instead all the routes go downfield except the tight end and running back, the two players who could have helped block for Cousins with deep developing routes. With only five down linemen and five rushing, again a one-on-one battle is lost on the interior and Cousins gets pressured before any of the receivers’ routes (note the freeze frame) are even developed.
Below is another example of the Dolphins playing a single high safety, putting him over the top of Jefferson’s deep route and daring anyone else to beat their guy one-on-one. This time Cousins has enough time to hitch and throw but he has to come off what appears to be his first read (Jefferson) and realizes Adam Thielen isn’t open. He fires the ball in Thielen’s direction anyway as the pocket collapses around him.
If you are sensing a theme, you’re going to see more of the same. Cousins took a sack in the second quarter on a play-action in which Jefferson is covered over the top by a single safety and the pocket falls apart. It appears that Thielen beats his man on an out-breaking route and you can see his frustration if you look closely at the end of the play. Cousins might have been able to make the throw if he pulled the trigger to Thielen right away but he seemed to look at the checkdown first (which wasn’t open).
On a third down in the second quarter, Cousins went short to Irv Smith Jr. and the Vikings were forced to punt. The Dolphins switched it up and played everyone deep. There might have been an opportunity to wait on KJ Osborn’s route to fully develop if Cousins stepped up in the pocket. This could be some evidence of how pressure early on can impact the rest of the game.
OK here’s our last clip on the offensive issues. The Dolphins simply dared the Vikings to handle their blitzes and they collapsed on too many occasions, particularly this one where Miami got a free rusher right over the center.
It’s a clever rush with the DT right over Bradbury dropping back but inexcusable to allow the closest man to the QB to go untouched. It’s hard to assign blame because we don’t know how they are taught to handle these types of blitzes but it has to be fixed in the future.
Solutions…
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