After last season's disappointing 3-13 record, Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said all aspects of the team would be evaluated to begin the rebuilding.
While the offense and special teams surely have been examined, Minnesota assessment of the defense might be the biggest offseason project. Frazier, who came up through the coaching ranks on the defensive side of the ball, said everything would be looked at, even the schemes being used. One of the considerations reportedly was whether the Vikings needed to replace the Tampa 2, 4-3 defensive system they've used for years.
Minnesota finished the season ranked 21st in yards allowed, including 26th against the pass. Even the long-respected run defense slipped to 11th in the league. As concerning as those numbers are, more disturbing was the fact the Vikings were 31st in the NFL in points allowed, giving up 28.1 per game. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (30.9) were worse.
Change was inevitable, and Minnesota started by firing defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and demoting defensive coordinator Fred Pagac to linebackers coach. Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Alan Williams was named coordinator, and Brendan Daly was hired as defensive line coach. Bringing in Williams meant Minnesota was sticking with its Tampa 2 system.
"We are going to keep a lot of the same principles in place," Frazier said after hiring Williams. "There are things that the Colts did that are a little bit different than what we do, when Alan and I were talking about this position, that I would like to incorporate down here and really try to improve on some things that we've done. He will bring some fresh ideas, a new train of thought with him.
"I did think a little bit about some other options that were available, but after evaluating our season and also looking at our history here on defense, I didn't want to get too far away from the things that have helped us be a successful defense over the years."
Reports circulated that there was some support within the Vikings' organization to switch to the trendy 3-4 defense, but would that have been a better option?
Count Williams among the Tampa 2 supporters who believe success is predicated more on execution.
"Sometimes the perception is that when a team does not perform as well as the media should think, they tend to think that it should be blown up, that it should be wholesale changes," Williams said. "But I don't believe that. I think that a lot of times it's a tackle here, an assignment there that allows you to be more successful.
"It's a fine, fine line between being in the lower half and the top half of the NFL in terms of rankings, so with that I think we will pay attention to detail. I think we will start from the ground up, like it was a few years ago. With that I think you will see some dramatic changes in how we play and also how fast that we play."
Minnesota's decision to stick with its long-employed system isn't a surprise. Many of the current defensive players wouldn't seem to be a good fit for a 3-4. All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen, 29 years old and coming off a 22-sack season, in particular doesn't seem to fit the profile of a 3-4 defensive end or outside linebacker and has been outspoken against a change in schemes and positions.
So are 3-4 defenses really more successful? The numbers prove the two styles are a little closer in effectiveness than popular opinion might indicate.
The top four defenses this season in terms of fewest points and fewest yards allowed – Pittsburgh, Houston, Baltimore and San Francisco -- run the 3-4. Add in the Miami Dolphins' sixth-best scoring defense and the New York Jets' fifth-ranked total defense in terms of yards allowed and 3-4 teams take five of the top six spots in fewest points allowed and each of the top five spots in fewest yards allowed. The remainder of the 13 teams that run a predominantly 3-4 defense offer very different results. In fact, only two of those ranked in the top half of the NFL in fewest points allowed.
Perhaps the effectiveness of the Steelers, Texans, Ravens and 49ers skews the perception. Maybe those four teams simply have the right coaching and personnel to play the 3-4 defense at an elite level. Five 3-4 teams made the playoffs this season, with Green Bay joining Pittsburgh, Houston, Baltimore and San Francisco in the postseason. Green Bay gave up the most yards in the league but was 19th in fewest points allowed.
The other seven playoff spots went to 4-3 teams, which means 36.8 percent of the 19 4-3 defenses made the playoffs while 38.5 percent of the 3-4 defenses advanced to the postseason.
Interestingly, while only seven 3-4 teams ranked in the top of half (top 16) of teams in terms of fewest points allowed, 10 of the top 16 teams in total defense (ranked by yards allowed) ran a 3-4. Of the top 10 teams in terms of turnovers generated, six were 4-3 defenses. The Packers and 49ers forced a league-high 38 turnovers from their 3-4 defenses.
Pagac did sway away a bit from the traditional Tampa 2 defense, using a more attacking style. The Vikings were tied with Philadelphia (another 4-3 defense) with a league-high 50 sacks, but Minnesota's overmatched and injury-riddled secondary couldn't handle the responsibility thrown its way by Pagac.
The Vikings surrendered a league-high 34 passing touchdowns and tied a league-low with eight interceptions. Opposing quarterbacks completed 68.2 percent of their passes (second-highest in the NFL) and finished with a 107.6 quarterback rating, the second-worst allowed in NFL history.
Minnesota has decided on its system. Now the search is on for the right players to fit the 4-3, Tampa 2.
"I have to understand what they're trying to run on defense," newly named general manager Rick Spielman said. "I have to understand what type of personnel they're looking for, and it's our responsibility to get them the right players to run the scheme. Leslie Frazier is our leader. He's going to put that football team and lead that team on Sundays, but it's our responsibility to make sure he has the right personnel to do that."
