Vikings: Key Ingredients to a Winning Recipe in 2015

Dec 7, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Jets running back Chris Ivory (33) fumbles the ball as Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway (52) watches it and safety Andrew Sendejo (34) tackles him in the second quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014 season saw the Vikings finish 25th in the NFL in rush defense and 24th in yards per carry allowed. Both of these statistics will need to be improved in 2015 for the Vikings to sustain success.

When looking at the rankings, it’s clear that stopping the run is a key to success not only to the Vikings but to every team in the league. The top four teams in rush defense all made the playoffs, as well as six of the top nine. Additionally, no team lower in ranking than the Vikings was a playoff team.

My general rule of thumb regarding defense is that stopping the run is first priority because it makes teams one-dimensional. A team that can’t pass can still have success in the air with screens and dump-offs if need be (a la Christian Ponder in 2012). Stopping the run means putting a lot more pressure on the opposing quarterback and making things easier on the secondary.

If the Vikings are going to turn around this run defense, the play of Sharrif Floyd will be huge. Often times last season, Floyd was easily maneuvered by an opposing guard to open up a big hole. As one of the starting defensive tackles for the Vikings, Floyd is counted on to consistently plug up the middle.

Not to be left out of this conversation is the linebacker corps. Overall, 2014 was a pretty poor season for the Vikings linebackers. Chad Greenway is just a shell of his former self. Anthony Barr missed basically the second half of the season with an injury. Jasper Brinkley showed flashes, but still found himself lost on many occasions.

Head coach Mike Zimmer is a defensive genius, so it was somewhat surprising to see the linebackers play that poorly last season. With his knowledge and the possibility of a draft pick like Shaq Thompson on the way, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a revamped linebacking group in 2015.

If we do see the Vikings run defense improve, this defense as a whole can be elite with all the talent the team has in the secondary.

Next: Wrap-up