Minnesota Vikings defense finding success through pressure

The Minnesota Vikings gave the Seattle Seahawks offense fits by bringing some heat from different places during Sunday’s week 2 preseason game.

Being able to rattle a team like the Seahawks takes a lot of effort. Russell Wilson is one of the most composed quarterbacks in the league, and his offensive line knows how to protect him and help accentuate his mobility. Sadly, those things didn’t help too much against the pass rush of the Minnesota Vikings.

The boys in purple were able to sack Wilson four times during the preseason week 2 game. However, it is how those four sacks were accomplished that helps show what makes the Vikings one of the most dangerous defenses in the league.

Here is a quick rundown of the four sacks, who got them, and what happened on the play:

SACK #1

This may have been the most beautiful sack of the bunch. With Wilson dropping back to pass, he started feeling the pressure around him. Robison and Griffen closed in on him from the sides, forcing him to step up in the pocket and right into defensive tackle Linval Joseph for the sack. It was a combination of effective work closing off escape routes and continuing through on assignments. Perfect execution.

SACK #2

Sack number two was opened up by a great bull rush move by Brian Robison. Wilson moves to the opposite side and thinks he can get past Everson Griffen. After a spin move, he tries to go forward but sees Linval Joseph in his path. By then, the speed and athleticism of Griffen allowed him to catch up and bring down the Seahawks quarterback.

SACK #3

This time, the Minnesota Vikings dialed up a bit of extra pressure, rushing Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith. It is just too much for the Seattle offensive line to contain, and they are unable pick up Barr. With a clear path, there was no stopping the speedy Barr from getting to the quarterback and bringing him down.

SACK #4

An absolutely team effort was what caused sack #4. Great coverage down the field allowed the defense to work in what was an obvious passing situation. Showing blitz in one place and pushing it from another, Wilson was left scrambling backwards from the pressure with no place to get rid of the football. 18 yards behind the line of scrimmage, it was Andrew Sendejo who finally brought the cunning quarterback down.

Next: Vikings game-by-game 2016 season preview

The biggest takeaway from this game was the job the defensive line did up front. They set the tone, establishing themselves as threats. Then, Mike Zimmer changed up the looks, even used a couple of decoys to leave the Seahawks offense stunned. Hopefully, this Minnesota Vikings defensive line can continue this type of effort into the 2016 NFL season.