Minnesota Vikings, week 1 coaches film analysis

Originally posted by SoCold:
wtf is wrong with you people?
I'm not comparing Tom Brady to Kap.

I'm saying if Kap learns how to read the entire field like a great QB he could be incredible.

damn you guys lol
this is a thread about breaking down plays, please get off of Tom Brady's nuts.

No issue here buddy, I think you are spot on. Kap showed the first steps towards becoming that guy but with more explosive plays. With his athleticism, his arm and learning to operate well and read from the pocket like the top guys he could be something never seen in this league before.

Originally posted by SoCold:

Originally posted by HearstFan:

This Coaching staff is on the right track with Kap - teach him to be a better pocket passer SLOWLY. Don't call 40 5 - 7 step drops in a game and expect him to have success all at once. That only allows the D to pin their ears back and rush a guy trying to learn how to be better in the pocket - not exactly a way to build confidence.

And I think Kap rose to the challenge. He wasn't Rodgers or Brees - but it would be silly to expect that over night.

WHAT HE DID SHOW ME WAS PROGRESS - Dilfer was right on this time, lol.

1. He kept his eyes downfield despite the rush
2. When he attacked the line of scrimmage - he kept the ball high and his eyes down field forcing the DBs stay back and honor the threat of him throwing. Then most importantly, he did throw successfully. Now that is on film for defenses to honor.
3. When he ran toward the sideline he didn't run full speed and throw at the sideline at the last second (A. Smith did this too, ughh) - he actually throttled down and was more poised to throw.
4. He scanned his progressions with HITCH STEPS - THIS IS KEY. It is a vastly under-appreciated aspect of going through a progression. You can't drop back and stop your feet, scan with your head only, and THEN adjust your feet to throw. Combined with a long throwing motion, having to adjust your feet takes too long. The hitch steps keep your reads and body in sync to throw quick when you see the right throw.

All of these things to me are the little things you see from success QBs - and make us as fans subconsciously see the difference between a good and bad QB - a "real NFL" QB. He won't do it perfectly going forward - there will be breakdowns and regression. But if CK and the Coaches can get him some success with it, CK's confidence in that style of play will grow and become more habitual. THEN he becomes a truly dangerous QB.

outstanding post

Right on

These threads are back

Always appreciate this thread...even when it makes my head hurt! LOL! Thanks JD, thl, and all the other great input!

A few things I noticed that have been addressed and are huge changes in coaching:

• Defense disguising sets presnap and then flying out to different coverages.
• Blitzing getting close enough to the QB to cause bad passes, even when there is no contact.
• Offense setting up plays and making adjustments! So happy to see this and hope it continues! Please!

These, and helping the OL through play selection, will help this team overcome some youthful miscues. So far, I love this coaching staff (and this thread! ).

Originally posted by Dsoto87:
People always trying to minimize the performance of our players. It's not that our players played well, it's that the Vikings played bad...

It's amazing because before that game, the Viking's were the all-world playoff-bound team to beat. I wonder what the excuse will be when we win on Sunday.

Originally posted by BleedsRedNGold:

Originally posted by Dsoto87:

People always trying to minimize the performance of our players. It's not that our players played well, it's that the Vikings played bad...

It's amazing because before that game, the Viking's were the all-world playoff-bound team to beat. I wonder what the excuse will be when we win on Sunday.

Honestly, I think it's easier to dismiss the Steelers than the Vikings. They lost their D leaders, fielding an aging RB, and don't have a tun of receiving targets outside of one; although, he's one of the best in the league. They kinda remind me of those ok Cardinal teams when they only had Fitz.

Originally posted by BleedsRedNGold:

Originally posted by Dsoto87:
People always trying to minimize the performance of our players. It's not that our players played well, it's that the Vikings played bad...

It's amazing because before that game, the Viking's were the all-world playoff-bound team to beat. I wonder what the excuse will be when we win on Sunday.

It's pretty obvious if we win it will be due to Bell and Bryant missing time due to suspension. However, playing an east coast team will get us some more national media attention.

Originally posted by BleedsRedNGold:

Originally posted by Dsoto87:
People always trying to minimize the performance of our players. It's not that our players played well, it's that the Vikings played bad...

It's amazing because before that game, the Viking's were the all-world playoff-bound team to beat. I wonder what the excuse will be when we win on Sunday.

"Steelers overlook inferior west coast team...fall to trick plays and apathy."

Originally posted by ltrain:

Originally posted by BleedsRedNGold:

Originally posted by Dsoto87:

People always trying to minimize the performance of our players. It's not that our players played well, it's that the Vikings played bad...

It's amazing because before that game, the Viking's were the all-world playoff-bound team to beat. I wonder what the excuse will be when we win on Sunday.

It's pretty obvious if we win it will be due to Bell and Bryant missing time due to suspension. However, playing an east coast team will get us some more national media attention.

If the 49ers win the Steelers will be 0-2. The win will be discounted. But who cares, winning quietly is a whole lot better than being an opponent's personal super bowl each week. That s**t gets old.

Originally posted by SoCold:
would you guys rather I said Joe Montana cause he used to read defenses the same way Tom does.

geez

Kap isn't great yet because he doesn't see the entire field. When he does he could be unreal.

rather you just not make unnecessary comparisons at all...as if Tom Brady has never had to throw the ball away.
Maybe Kaep did know where everyone was going to be on that particular play and knew he didn't have time to then adjust his entire body to the right to throw to a flat that only became open after he already let the ball go to the left.

everything you've said was pretty much back-handed.

Originally posted by MannySoopa49ersnMD:

Originally posted by SoCold:

would you guys rather I said Joe Montana cause he used to read defenses the same way Tom does.

geez

Kap isn't great yet because he doesn't see the entire field. When he does he could be unreal.

rather you just not make unnecessary comparisons at all...as if Tom Brady has never had to throw the ball away.
Maybe Kaep did know where everyone was going to be on that particular play and knew he didn't have time to then adjust his entire body to the right to throw to a flat that only became open after he already let the ball go to the left.

everything you've said was pretty much back-handed.

The best part is this poster is equating their football intelligence to Brady and stating they know more than Kaep. Oh, an the play used to platform the point; look up and you would see the fourth read wasn't open. The LB had over the top and didn't give it up until the play was committed.

This poster has yet to address this in his Brady celebrations.

Originally posted by Niners816:

Originally posted by thl408:
2nd & 13
This is still the first drive of the game. Another three level, High-Low read. This is a zone busting concept, but the yellow Corner route can win versus man coverage.
Versus Cover1


Incomplete to VD, the intermediate route. The defender on VD has outside leverage and defeats VD's Corner route, making it a very tough throw. The point of this play is more high-low, flooding of one side of the field.

To me this looks like a sail concepts. As you mentioned that usually a high-low read.

This is from the 1985 Bill Walsh playbook. Of course the formations doesn't match, but the concepts appears to be the same. It has the sail route (TE/Y route in the diagram) as the primary. I just think kap likes his chances against the single defender with VD.

The biggest difference between a "sail" concept and a "flood" concept is, the mid level route is running a deep/mid square out on the flood and on the "sail" the mid route is running a corner route. Sorta splitting hairs, but, I do believe it's supposed to be more of a "flood" concept. I saw a lot of "flood" concepts during the game.

Originally posted by BodhiPaddlesOut:
These threads are back

+1

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
Nice write up. Looking forward to this thread every week.

Terrific write-up and can't wait for you (JD) and thl408 to break this down!

As to execution, I agree...but paramount to execution, we've had huge changes in both offensive and defensive philosophies from last year and it showed in the formations. The 'identity' of the team remains the same as does the formula for winning: top 5 defense, excellent ST's, controlling the TOP, winning the TO battle and all coupled with a strong, smart, conservative yet, efficient passing game (with a few splash plays thrown in there).

These changes in philosophy and scheme made the execution soooo much easier esp. for CK.

Philosophy/Scheme Changes:
Defense: Still use pattern-match coverages building off Mangini's experiences in NE but also Fangio's success here. In addition, Mangini is huge on personnel matchups...best DB's to match the oppositions strengths (hence Acker starting, using 4-saftey looks, Johnson coming into the games, Brock sliding over into the slot at times, etc.). In addition, there is now a monster shift in pre and post-snap confusion on both disguising the blitzer(s) and coverages. Bowman was quoted as noting the biggest difference between Fangio and Mangini is that we now dictate the offense vs. reacting to them trying to dictate us. 180-degree philosophical change in mentality and scheme.
Offense: Huge focus on first down production. FINALLY. I can't stress that enough...and I have...for over 5 years now in NT! QB-friendly schemes. WCO is back, clearly. There was a nice piece written yesterday about how every time CK comes off the field, Logan and a hoard of others (including the OL) are reviewing film and making adjustments and communicating with each other (that didn't happen under HaRoman as Harbaugh controlled the huddle). CK is also, for the first time ever, now given full autonomy in the huddle and up at the LOS to audible. The other changes have resulted in working hard to correct the grocery-long list of issues we had under HaRoman. Another huge shift is the move to the ZBS and getting rid of the power OL for smaller, smarter and more athletic OL.
Special Teams: Make teams start at the 20 every time. With Pinion's leg and hang time, McCray and Ward are ready to force one fair catch after another or risk being decapitated if you are the returner. The return game is now looked upon as a weapon vs. the conservative fair catch with nobody within 15 yards of the returner.
Coaching: The "team" is now central as is the "family" theme. Bethea's quote yesterday pretty much summed it up for every player. Big shift here!

While execution (or non-execution) is typically the end-result, we shouldn't ignore the HUGE philosophical/scheme changes that are now putting our players in the best places to succeed.

With that...bring on the end results!

There definitely is a change in the "strategy" involved. In that, we're definitely more "horizontally" moving and less vertically moving. We had a lot of throws that were both horizontal and vertical(our flood concepts off PA), and a lot of horizontal stretch drop back throws.

One thing I noticed though - not to seem contrary, is that we didn't use pattern matching like we did under Fangio - I'll highlight it on one or Tramaine Brock's greatest plays of the game, it was so impressive because we weren't pattern matching in man-coverage.

I just want to quickly add in the biggest improvements I think I saw on offense from last year.

The entire offense seemed smoother. I know of no other way to describe it. From getting into the huddle, getting out of the huddle, lining up, and even the execution. Under most of Harbaugh's tenure the offense seemed blocky and stilted, like things were being forced. After this first game, it seems the offense was able to vary its tempo from play to play, and get off snaps in a comfortable amount of time. The play clock rarely became an issue, which is a bigger deal than some may think.

To further this, Kap seemed like he was very relaxed and at ease. He looked in control of the offense. There was one play I think in the 3rd quarter where players seemed a little unsure of where to line up. Kap directed about 3 players to their spots calmly and smoothly. There was no panic. He had time to do that and still take his time to read the defense.

I really liked what I saw from the offense. Kap wasn't exactly explosive, but he was in control and at no point did the game seem bigger than him. It has me excited for this season and I hope to see small improvements each week!