DETROIT — Fingers were pointed after the Vikings defense surrendered more than 400 yards to the fifth straight opponent in Sunday's 34-23 loss to the Lions — the longest such streak in franchise history.
Fingers pointed as Vikings defense cooks up recipe for defeat in Detroit
Kevin O'Connell and an assortment of players looked at what needs to improve after the Vikings continued a streak of defensive lapses that couldn't be ignored Sunday.
December 12, 2022 at 1:05PM
They pointed inward after Lions quarterback Jared Goff became the latest to go airborne against the Vikings defense with 330 yards and three touchdowns. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said coaches have to do better on coordinator Ed Donatell's staff. Defenders, which didn't include safety Harrison Smith because he was held out with a neck injury, said they have to execute better for a defense that ranked 31st in yards allowed entering the game.
"We have to take a look at what we can do to potentially help our guys be in position to make more plays," O'Connell said from the basement of Ford Field. "Be a little bit more aggressive possibly. Ultimately, I think we have to generate more rush, however we do it, and limit the explosives."
O'Connell focused on the pass rush, which was almost nonexistent as Goff wasn't sacked and took only three hits on 41 dropbacks. Edge rushers Za'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter each failed to get to the quarterback. The Vikings defense has been without a sack in each of the past two losses.
Getting beat in coverage also has been a problem. On Sunday, the Vikings allowed two bombs — a 41-yard touchdown to rookie Lions receiver Jameson Williams and a 48-yard score to Lions receiver D.J. Chark — to fall behind 14-7 in the first half.
Williams was left alone on a deep post route when safety Camryn Bynum and cornerback Patrick Peterson latched onto a crossing pattern over the middle. Chark beat cornerback Cameron Dantzler, who returned from an ankle injury and four-game absence, on a go route.
The last month has been particularly rough on the Vikings secondary with the Cowboys, Jets and Patriots also getting players open downfield. The Vikings have now surrendered 12 catches of at least 30 yards the past four games; they'd given up 11 such throws in the first nine games this season, according to Pro Football Reference.
"When we lapse on that mentally, we give up big plays," Bynum said. "We just have to scratch that off our résumé."
Donatell, the Vikings' defensive play caller, doesn't send extra rushers very often. But Goff had success even when he was blitzed.
During the Lions' field goal drive that extended their lead to 31-16, Goff beat a five-man rush with an 11-yard strike to Chark. The throw got past cornerback Duke Shelley, who rotated playing time with Dantzler after the Chark touchdown.
"If we can make their offense go the whole field, nine times out of 10 we're getting the stop," said safety Josh Metellus, who started for Smith. "We just have to execute better, especially on the back end."
Linebacker Eric Kendricks pointed to a goose egg on the stat sheet: zero takeaways.
The Vikings defense has thrived this year with game-changing interceptions and fumble recoveries, but for the third time in 13 games their opponent had perfect ball security.
"We have to get the ball out," Kendricks said. "We have to steal possessions from them when we can. We didn't do it."
"If we're not doing that," linebacker Jordan Hicks added, "then we can't give up the yards."
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
