ESPN.com - NFL - Take 2: Titans vs. VikingsFriday, October 22, 2004
Tuesday, our scouts filed their advance advance scouting report on this
week's matchup between the Titans and Vikings. Now they're back with a
second look.
If the Vikings' receivers have a weakness, it is their inability to escape
tight man coverage. Randy Moss is the only one who consistently avoids the
jam. The Titans' corners can play press coverage without a lot of safety
help (if Moss is out of the game) -- which can ruin the timing of the
passing game and also allows the Titans' safeties to help out in run
support.
The Titans' defense must stay disciplined versus Daunte Culpepper. He is
always a threat to tuck the ball and run, especially if the Titans'
corners are in turn-and-run situations with the receivers and have their
back to the ball. The struggling Titans' front seven must stay in their
gaps and not allow Culpepper to scramble, especially on designed draw
plays. They may even use a "spy" technique on Culpepper.
A key matchup to look for is WR Derrick Mason vs. CB Antoine
Winfield. Winfield is one of he most physical corners in the league and
the Vikings like to use him in run support because he is such a great
tackler. Mason could try and run him off on some vertical routes to get
him out of run support. It is not the Vikings' style to have one corner
follow a receiver all over the field, but that is why they got Winfield in
the offseason. The Vikings want to take Mason out of the game, especially
with WR Drew Bennett playing at less than 100 percent.
Tennessee DL Kevin Carter is playing more defensive end. The Titans are
young and inexperienced on the edges and offenses are exploiting them with
the run. Carter is solid versus the run and should be able to funnel the
run game inside and stop the Vikings from running wide.
When you ask the Vikings' coaches to describe Culpepper's improved
production, they rave about his decision making. He is reading defenses
well, making good check-offs and doing a great job on audibles. His
coaches are amazed at his ability to get them out of bad plays and into
good ones while at the line of scrimmage.
At the beginning of the season, the Vikings' defense was supposed to be an
attacking group that could play both a 3-4 and a 4-3 defense. With an
offense that scores lot of points, you would think the defense would to
gamble more, but the Vikings are playing fairly conservative, especially
in the secondary. They are showing a lot of cover-2 schemes and soft zones
that suit their personnel, but are not creating big plays or turnovers.
The positive side is they are not giving up many big plays.
Tennessee SS Tank Williams is physical and potentially a great blitzer,
but he is not doing a good job of breaking down and adjusting in the
blitz. As a result, he is missing zone targets, which is not good versus a
guy like Culpepper.
The Vikings are doing a great job of getting the ball to their backs on
check-offs and hot reads. Culpepper sees blitz coming and dumps the ball
off to backs in the zone vacated by the blitz. Rookie RB Mewelde Moore has
had 19 catches in the last two games.
The Titans will try and work Mason and Bennett on the outside, as the
Vikings are playing a lot of cover-2 schemes and outside routes put
pressure on the safeties to get to the perimeter and help out the corners.
The Vikings will try to push the Titans receivers inside where the
safeties can make plays.
You would think that the Titans would like to slow this game down with a
strong run game that keeps the Vikings' offense off the field, but it is
important to remember the Titans have won many games using a spread
offense led by Steve McNair. If RB Chris Brown is not ready to go, it
wouldn't be shocking to see the Titans come out with a wide open offense.
Special Teams
The Titans are not happy with their special teams, which are usually
outstanding. They are not making big plays on cover teams and their return
game is not showing any explosiveness. On a struggling team, Jeff Fisher
needs more production out of his special teams.
The Vikings have a number of good young players who contribute on special
teams. However, their cover teams do not always play with good discipline
and they are not getting any big plays out of their return game. So far
the lack of field position in the kicking game has not hurt them, but it
could just be a matter of time.
Prediction: Vikings 27, Titans 14
Tuesday, our scouts filed their advance advance scouting report on this
week's matchup between the Titans and Vikings. Now they're back with a
second look.
If the Vikings' receivers have a weakness, it is their inability to escape
tight man coverage. Randy Moss is the only one who consistently avoids the
jam. The Titans' corners can play press coverage without a lot of safety
help (if Moss is out of the game) -- which can ruin the timing of the
passing game and also allows the Titans' safeties to help out in run
support.
The Titans' defense must stay disciplined versus Daunte Culpepper. He is
always a threat to tuck the ball and run, especially if the Titans'
corners are in turn-and-run situations with the receivers and have their
back to the ball. The struggling Titans' front seven must stay in their
gaps and not allow Culpepper to scramble, especially on designed draw
plays. They may even use a "spy" technique on Culpepper.
A key matchup to look for is WR Derrick Mason vs. CB Antoine
Winfield. Winfield is one of he most physical corners in the league and
the Vikings like to use him in run support because he is such a great
tackler. Mason could try and run him off on some vertical routes to get
him out of run support. It is not the Vikings' style to have one corner
follow a receiver all over the field, but that is why they got Winfield in
the offseason. The Vikings want to take Mason out of the game, especially
with WR Drew Bennett playing at less than 100 percent.
Tennessee DL Kevin Carter is playing more defensive end. The Titans are
young and inexperienced on the edges and offenses are exploiting them with
the run. Carter is solid versus the run and should be able to funnel the
run game inside and stop the Vikings from running wide.
When you ask the Vikings' coaches to describe Culpepper's improved
production, they rave about his decision making. He is reading defenses
well, making good check-offs and doing a great job on audibles. His
coaches are amazed at his ability to get them out of bad plays and into
good ones while at the line of scrimmage.
At the beginning of the season, the Vikings' defense was supposed to be an
attacking group that could play both a 3-4 and a 4-3 defense. With an
offense that scores lot of points, you would think the defense would to
gamble more, but the Vikings are playing fairly conservative, especially
in the secondary. They are showing a lot of cover-2 schemes and soft zones
that suit their personnel, but are not creating big plays or turnovers.
The positive side is they are not giving up many big plays.
Tennessee SS Tank Williams is physical and potentially a great blitzer,
but he is not doing a good job of breaking down and adjusting in the
blitz. As a result, he is missing zone targets, which is not good versus a
guy like Culpepper.
The Vikings are doing a great job of getting the ball to their backs on
check-offs and hot reads. Culpepper sees blitz coming and dumps the ball
off to backs in the zone vacated by the blitz. Rookie RB Mewelde Moore has
had 19 catches in the last two games.
The Titans will try and work Mason and Bennett on the outside, as the
Vikings are playing a lot of cover-2 schemes and outside routes put
pressure on the safeties to get to the perimeter and help out the corners.
The Vikings will try to push the Titans receivers inside where the
safeties can make plays.
You would think that the Titans would like to slow this game down with a
strong run game that keeps the Vikings' offense off the field, but it is
important to remember the Titans have won many games using a spread
offense led by Steve McNair. If RB Chris Brown is not ready to go, it
wouldn't be shocking to see the Titans come out with a wide open offense.
Special Teams
The Titans are not happy with their special teams, which are usually
outstanding. They are not making big plays on cover teams and their return
game is not showing any explosiveness. On a struggling team, Jeff Fisher
needs more production out of his special teams.
The Vikings have a number of good young players who contribute on special
teams. However, their cover teams do not always play with good discipline
and they are not getting any big plays out of their return game. So far
the lack of field position in the kicking game has not hurt them, but it
could just be a matter of time.
Prediction: Vikings 27, Titans 14
