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News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

After Further Review: Multiple Factors Lead to 6 Sacks

After Further Review is a deeper look at plays or stats after Vikings games…

The Vikings entered Sunday's game at Soldier Field having allowed just two sacks in the first three games of the 2019 season.

Minnesota suffered six at the hands of Chicago in a 16-6 loss.

Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer said multiple factors played into the sacks.

"They overpowered us a few times," Zimmer said. "Some of them were max protection things, and some were [other things]. We need to do a better job. We didn't do a good enough job on our sets. They had some real wide 12-techniques out there, and we kind of turned and went out to them, turned too soon, so we need to just clean up some techniques there."

Here's a recap:

1

Q2, 10:36 remaining — Second-and-6 at the Minnesota 21

The Vikings have 12 personnel in the game with Dalvin Cook at running back, Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith, Jr., in at tight end and receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen on the outside.

The Bears rush with their three-man defensive line and outside linebackers.

The Vikings keep Rudolph in to block at the line and Cook in to help on the right side of the formation.

Roy Robertson-Harris, however, is able to use a quick swim move to get past left guard Pat Elflein and through the A gap between the third-year pro and rookie center Garrett Bradbury.

Cook doesn't see Robertson-Harris spring through as Cousins pump fakes while looking at Thielen, who runs an out and then turns up field. The double move by Thielen, however, is mitigated by soft coverage by Kyle Fuller as well as a lack of time to let the double move develop.

2

Q3, 15:00 remaining — First-and-10 at the Minnesota 25

The Vikings again have the same personnel to open the second half and have Diggs on the left and a bunch formation on the right.

Chicago rushes four players and drops the other seven defenders into coverage.

Khalil Mack is able to bend under a block by Riley Reiff and cut quickly toward Cousins to record one of the fastest sacks of Week 4. Mack hits Cousins' arm and jars the ball loose. Chicago recovers at the 16.

3

Q3, 8:34 remaining — Third-and-8 at the Minnesota 36

The Vikings go with 11 personnel, bringing in rookie receiver Bisi Johnson for Smith, and line up in the shotgun formation.

Minnesota keeps Cook and Rudolph in to block as Chicago rushes just four players.

The Bears go with a wide alignment on their defensive line, with Robertson-Harris on the outside of Elflein and Mack on the outside of Reiff. Mack is able to disrupt Reiff's footwork, which allows him to maximize his power despite a double team from Elflein. Mack and Robertson-Harris converge on Cousins.

4

Q3, 2:39 remaining — Second-and-10 at the Minnesota 25

The Vikings are again in 11 personnel out of the shotgun. Johnson and Rudolph stay at the line of scrimmage to help block before releasing to the outside left and right, respectively. Cook runs a route for a checkdown.

Outside linebacker Aaron Lynch does a good job of making it a tough window for Cousins to get the ball to Cook, and Nick Williams wins a 1-on-1 against right guard Dakota Dozier with a power move.

5

Q3, 0:40 remaining — Second-and-16 at the Chicago 36

Again in 11 personnel, the Vikings have moved right tackle Brian O'Neill wide to counter the alignment of outside linebacker Leonard Floyd.

This creates a large opening in the B gap between O'Neill and Dozier, allowing inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski to accelerate on a blitz.

Kwiatkoski executes a nice jab step that gets Cook going to the outside and keeps the running back from engaging to pick up the blitz.

Cousins doesn't have enough time to tuck the football, and Kwiatkoski forces a fumble that is eventually recovered by O'Neill.

6

Q4, 12:33 remaining — Second-and-12

The Vikings are in the shotgun again and have Smith back in for Johnson and lined up in the slot.

At the snap, Dozier goes to the left to help with Bradbury on Williams, but the defensive lineman goes to Bradbury's left, creating another opening for Kwiatkoski on a blitz and occupying the attention of Elflein, Bradbury and Dozier.

The linebacker is able to use power to beat Cook, driving the running back toward Cousins. The offensive line has now turned and left Williams, who is free to finish the play.

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