Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Last season, Minnesota finished just outside the top ten in defensive DVOA at 11th, a vast improvement from their season prior, where they ranked 24th.
One of the reasons why is because of their stout play against the run. The Vikings were one of seven teams that allowed less than 100 yards per game (98.7) and under four yards per attempt (3.8). The last time they were this dominant against the run, they fielded the top defense in the league in 2017.
Minnesota’s ability to stack the box and confuse offensive coordinators and quarterbacks alike pre-snap made it difficult to move the ball consistently against this defense.
The defensive line was led by nose tackle Harrison Phillips and his 42% run-stop win rate(4th-best in the NFL) per ESPN. Outside of Phillips, the interior was a concoction of exotic looks to keep the offense guessing. The primary run-stopper outside of Phillips was Jonathan Bullard. While Bullard was solid, he is a free agent this off-season, leaving a question mark alongside Phillips.
The varied looks that Flores brings were a great way to mask some of the talent deficiencies on the defensive end but Minnesota has a chance to fill in these holes with players like Murphy and Boyd on day three.
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