The Vikings seem to have finally gotten their signature win, but there is a critical part of Mike Zimmer’s defense that needs to improve.
The Minnesota Vikings are coming off of their biggest win in the last two seasons, after beating the Dallas Cowboys 28-24 on Sunday Night Football. The Vikings seem to have finally gotten their signature win, but there is a critical part of Mike Zimmer’s defense that needs to improve.
When Zimmer took over the coaching duties for the Vikings in 2014, the expectations for the defense were high. Since he took over, his defense has delivered and consistently been a top 10 unit in both points allowed per game and rushing yards allowed. Although the Vikings defense is on pace for both categories to be top 10 once again in 2019, there is still plenty of room for improvement.
The Vikings secondary is a unit with a ton of draft capital invested into it. Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mike Hughes and Harrison Smith were all drafted in the first round.
Smith has been the rock to the Vikings defense since he was drafted in 2012, and is still the key piece in Zimmer’s defense. However, the argument can be made that the best play in the secondary thus far has come from an undrafted free agent in Anthony Harris.
The safety position has been fairly solid all around in 2019, including some strong performances from seventh rounder in Jayron Kearse.
The position with the most draft investment on the Vikings roster has instead been one of its biggest issues. When Zimmer arrived in Minnesota, he was of course known for his great defensive mind. But he was also known for being a whisperer of the cornerback position.
If the Vikings want to have a chance at making the playoffs and making a legitimate run, the play of the cornerbacks is going to have to improve.
Against the Dak Prescott and the Cowboys, the defense allowed nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns through the air. The defense was without Waynes, but with their depth in the secondary, there is no room for excuses.
Hughes had his hands full with Amari Cooper, who had 11 catches for nearly 150 yards and a touchdown. Granted a lot of Cooper’s catches were miraculous with some elite toe drags, it doesn’t change the fact that he was the second receiver in two weeks to scorch the Vikings corners.
With so much draft stock invested in the cornerbacks room and a head coach who prides himself on grooming cornerbacks, the Vikings secondary has to be better. Rhodes has regressed drastically since his stellar season in 2017, and if it continues the Vikings have to begin to utilize Hughes and Holton Hill more frequently.
In the final six games the secondary will get their chance to turn things around. The Vikings still have to face names like Davante Adams, Keenen Allen, Tyler Lockett, Kenny Golladay and more within the next two months.
With so much talent at the wide receiver position today in the NFL, the Vikings secondary needs to get back on track.
This upcoming Sunday the secondary gets their chance to do exactly that. This coming Sunday, the Vikings are back at U.S. Bank Stadium where they take on a Broncos team that ranks 28th in pass yards per game.
