MINNEAPOLIS -- Watching the film of the Minnesota Vikings' defensive performance on Sunday in New Orleans, it's clear just how much the unit is a work in progress under coach Mike Zimmer. There are enough encouraging signs, and enough examples of the Vikings executing Zimmer's defense correctly, to think this can be a solid defensive unit in a year or two. But the Vikings broke just enough to let the Saints pull away on Sunday.
New Orleans gained 162 yards on its first two drives of the game, taking advantage of a Vikings defense that was mostly playing in a nickel package and couldn't keep Saints running backs from finding cutback lanes on several zone running plays. And while the Vikings held tight end Jimmy Graham to six catches for 54 yards, they also paid just enough attention to him to get beat over the middle on the first of Drew Brees' two touchdown passes.
But where last year's Vikings defense would have crumbled, this unit made enough plays to keep the team in the game. Second-year linebacker Gerald Hodges was a force in run support, both in the nickel package and when he replaced Chad Greenway later in the game, and it's not hard to see him as the Vikings' weakside linebacker of the future.
Rookie linebacker Anthony Barr also stood out, blowing up Saints fullback Austin Johnson before making a third-quarter tackle and blitzing Brees for his first NFL sack in the second quarter. But the Saints again targeted Barr effectively in pass coverage, beating him on crossing routes to Pierre Thomas and Brandin Cooks.
Zimmer will likely need another offseason cycle to get all the pieces he needs for his defense, and the Vikings' young players will have to keep developing. For now, there are signs of progress and incomplete results, especially against an offense as diverse and dangerous as the Saints' scheme.
Here are some other observations from a film review of Sunday's game:
The Vikings used everyone from cornerback Xavier Rhodes to defensive end Brian Robison to cover Graham, and he might have affected the Vikings most when others caught the ball. Safety Robert Blanton drifted over to help Rhodes on Graham in the second quarter, leaving a crossing route open for Cooks after Barr and Greenway reacted to a run fake. And on Brees' first TD to Josh Hill, Blanton was doubling Graham with Captain Munnerlyn, leaving Hill to run behind him down the middle of the field. Graham also drilled Blanton with a nasty stiff-arm on an 8-yard catch earlier in the game.
Harrison Smith might be the Vikings' best player right now, with Adrian Peterson off the field. His breakup of a deep throw to Cooks in the second quarter came after Cooks beat Josh Robinson down the sideline on the backside of the play, with Brees waiting just long enough to throw the ball that Smith could range over and knock the ball away. Smith nearly had an interception when he was lined up on Graham and made a third-and-1 tackle to force a punt in the first half after Munnerlyn (who had a good day in run support) forced Pierre Thomas wide.
Zimmer blitzed Brees on 13 of his 36 dropbacks, sending six- and seven-man pressures on several occasions. Brees mostly worked short against the blitz, going 7-for-12 for 90 yards and a score against pressure, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
After he'd given up just one completion all season, Robinson was back to being a target for Brees on Sunday before he left with a hamstring injury. Robinson got turned around in coverage on a 3rd-and-16 completion to Cooks and allowed three completions for 40 yards on three targets, according to Pro Football Focus.