6 biggest takeaways from the Vikings loss vs. Lions in Week 14
By Adam Carlson
Where did the pass rush go?
The offensive line for the Detroit Lions is a pretty solid unit. Despite that, it is kind of disgusting that the Minnesota Vikings were unable to register a single sack in Week 14 and have been bad in that department for several weeks now.
Part of the issues with the defense discussed in the last takeaway could be that opposing quarterbacks aren’t being forced into uncomfortable throws. Instead, clean pockets allow them to patiently find the seams in the scheme.
A pass rush combination like Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter should be able to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks at a fairly high rate. Hunter’s last sack was against the Patriots while Smith’s most recent one was against the Bills.
Scheming for pressure isn’t a bad thing, especially if you have some talented players to execute the plays. Sadly, the Vikings seem happy to settle into a base defense and stay there all game without changing the looks all game.