As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Today, we are scouting the Minnesota Vikings’ defense for their Week Four game against the Steelers.
Alex’s Scheme Report
Vikings’ Run Defense
The Vikings’ run defense has been below-average. The unit ranks just 22nd in rushing yards per game (130) and 23rd in YPC (4.5) while allowing only a pair of rushing scores in two games. They’ve allowed 12 runs of 10 or more yards, ranking a similar tied for 25th in the NFL.
It’s a 3-4 front but the stand-up linebackers are also capable playing with their hand down, making this front pretty multiple. It most often aligns in a 5-2 for base groupings. There’s a mix of one and two-gapping. Early against the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings came out with some run blitzes to try to be aggressive.
Linebacker Ivan Pace leads the team with 26 tackles. He’s logged 79-percent of the defense’s snaps.
The main reasons why the run defense has struggled is two-fold. One, there’s too many missed tackles. As a unit, the Vikings have missed 25 through three games, tied-25th entering Week Four. Two, the defense plays a lot of two-high that creates lighter boxes against the run. Even against 12 “run” personnel, Minnesota will still play two-high.
They chase and handle perimeter runs well. Hitting it up between the tackles might be the way to go.
Ball security will be crucial. Minnesota’s already forced seven fumbles this year. They created three-straight against Cincinnati last week. The group chases and looks to punch the ball out. Even in moments you may not expect. During a “give up” run at the end of the first half, the Vikings punched this ball out of the Bengals’ hands and recovered.
Some other stats. The team is allowing 18.7 PPG this season, 11th in the NFL. Minnesota is sixth in yards. Situationally, the Vikings have been impressive. The fifth-best third down defense (31.6-percent) and 11th in the red zone (50-percent).
Vikings’ Pass Defense
A stingy unit. They’ve allowed just 141.3 passing yards per game, third-best entering the week. Opposing quarterbacks are completing only 63.9-percent of their passes, 11th-best, with a 5.8 YPA that ranks 10th. The Vikings have as many interceptions (two) as touchdowns (two). The pressure’s gotten home. Their nine sacks are just outside the top-five. Ex-Steeler DT Javon Hargrave has two while DE Jonathan Greenard, one of the NFL’s most underrated EDGE rushers, has five QB hits and is coming off back-to-back 12 sack seasons.
Minnesota’s blitz rate is seventh in the NFL (32.7-percent) but their pressure rate is even higher, second at 33.7-percent. The Vikings have two interceptions, one from S/LB Josh Metellus and one from CB Isaiah Rodgers, who had a game for the ages in last week’s win against Cincinnati. Two defensive touchdowns, a pick and fumble he forced and ran back. All in the first half. He finished with two forced fumbles.
Under DC Brian Flores, the Vikings are as creative as any. It would be too simple to say the pressure looks only come on third downs like most defenses. Flores will ramp things up on second down just as heavily. Here’s a broad example of the pressure/Mug looks Pittsburgh will see throughout the game.
They can drop or rush. Or often, a combination of both. Frankly, it’s hard to know which is coming and it creates stress on the entire offense. The protection, the quarterback, the receivers, the backs. When the defense drops out, they often play Cover 2 behind.
Get a fair amount of Fire Zones too in the definitionally of “five man pressure with Cover 3 behind.”
Lots of pre and post-snap rotations of safeties spinning up and down. It’s as exotic as it looks but the unit plays together well. Being able to decipher and handle all these looks won’t be easy. But will be key.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
The Steelers travel to Dublin, Ireland to face the Minnesota Vikings for Pittsburgh’s first international game since they played the Vikings in London back in 2013. The Steelers will face a 2-1 Vikings squad that found their footing last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, thrashing them 48-3. Minnesota’s defense ranks ninth in the league in points allowed and sixth in total yards allowed. They currently rank third in the league against the pass and 23rd against the run.
Defensive Line
The defensive line for Minnesota is headlined by No. 93 Jonathan Allen and No. 97 Javon Hargrave. Allen is a former first round pick of the Washington Commanders and has quite the career as a stout run defender and power rusher, starting 111 career games and has 414 total tackles, 60 tackles for loss, 42 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and five pass deflections.
Hargrave is a familiar name to Pittsburgh, having been drafted by the Steelers in 2016 in the third round. Hargrave signed a big-money deal with the Eagles after his rookie contract and has played for Philadelphia and San Francisco before coming to Minnesota this season, being a quick, athletic pass rusher for his size while also possessing impressive play strength to stop the run.
Starting alongside Hargrave and Allen is No. 61 Jalen Redmond. The former undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma has become a full-time starter in his second season in Minnesota and has provided extra bulk and juice along the interior, having 10 total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble so far this year. Also providing depth upfront for Minnesota is No. 90 Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and No. 50 Levi Drake Rodriquez.
EDGE
Manning the edge for Minnesota is the dynamic duo of No. 58 Jonathan Greenard and No. 43 Andrew Van Ginkel. Greenard came over from Houston last season and has played at a Pro Bowl level, being a dynamic pass rusher with the strength and power to give tackles fits as a run defender. Greenard had 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks last season and will be a name to watch against Broderick Jones.
Van Ginkel is my former high school teammate and has developed into quite the pro in the league. A true athlete that can play on the edge, in the box, and even split out in coverage, Van Ginkel has that unique skill set DC Brian Flores loves in his exotic defenses. Gink had two sacks last week against the Bengals and is a threat as a pass rusher and run defender thanks to his relentless effort, but also can drop into coverage, having picked off Aaron Rodgers last season for return touchdown.
Minnesota has a wealth of depth that they can have former first round pick No. 15 Dallas Turner as a rotational pass rusher, but the second-year pro is seeing more playing time this season and is a speed rusher that limits any drop off when Greenard or Van Ginkel are off the field. He is explosive off the snap and is a name Pittsburgh’s tackles are going to have to account for. Also providing depth on the edge and special teams value are No. 98 Bo Richter and No. 57 Chazz Chambliss.
Linebackers
No. 51 Blake Cashman was placed on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury after Week 1, meaning that No. 0 Ivan Pace Jr. will lead the charge at inside linebacker. Pace was highly touted coming out of college, but his size (5-10, 231lb) hurt his draft stock, causing him to go undrafted. He ended up becoming a steal, starting each of the last two seasons as a heat-seeking missile that flies to the football with a reckless abandonment, being a quality blitzer as well as a run stopper.
Starting next to pace is No. 55 Eric Wilson who started his career with the Vikings as more of a special teams ace before making multiple stops around the league before coming back to Minnesota this offseason. He’s still contributing a big role on special teams, but has started the last two games and has 17 total stops and two forced fumbles in that span. No. 41 Kobe King and No. 56 Austin Keys also provide depth and special teams usage at inside linebacker for Minnesota.
Cornerbacks
The top corner in Minnesota’s defensive backfield is No. 7 Byron Murphy Jr. Murphy enjoyed the best season of his career for his first year in Minnesota, picking off six passes while deflecting 14 others with 81 tackles. He likes to line up in the slot as a quick, twitchy coverage defender that can move inside-outside depending on who the Vikings want to focus on in coverage.
No. 2 Isaiah Rodgers is off to a great start of the season, having a pick six last week against the Bengals as well as a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Having been mostly a reserve throughout his career, the 5-10, 176-pound Rodgers has been reliable in coverage thus far for Minnesota, and may see a bit of DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III.
No. 8 Jeff Okudah also sees playing time on the outside in sub packages as a former top 10 pick of the Detroit Lions who has become a bit of a journeyman in the NFL. No. 6 Dwight McGlothern also provides depth on the outside.
Safeties
Starting at safety for Minnesota is No. 22 Harrison Smith and No. 44 Josh Metellus. Smith is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who has had a lustrous career in the league, all with the Vikings. The six-time Pro Bowler and former First-Team All Pro has great instincts and plays with an aggressive tenacity at the position, having racked up 1,126 total tackles, 48 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, 97 pass deflections, and 37 interceptions in his career.
Metellus earned a contract extension this offseason from Minnesota after becoming a do-it-all type of player for the Vikings defense. He can play deep in the secondary, in the box, in the slot, or even out on the edge as an aggressive run defender that also has the smarts you want in coverage. Expect Metellus to match up a lot with Pittsburgh’s tight ends in this one.
No. 24 Jay Ward also provides depth at safety for Minnesota as well as No. 26 Theo Jackson and No. 37 Tavierre Thomas.
