It'd be sweet if he can truly be elite. We haven't had good safety play in years (Darren Sharper possibly being the exception).
The Vikings believe Harrison Smith can become a top-tier safety in caoch Mike Zimmer's system because he’s smart, aggressive and he makes plays that matter.
Smith is careful not to criticize the Tampa-2 defense or his former coaches, but it’s obvious when he talks about the changes that he’s enjoying a fresh start and different mentality in this scheme.
“I love how we are aggressive with closing space with receivers, not really just dropping into zones and giving them spots to throw the ball,” he said. “That’s just the way, in my mind, that defense is [played]. It’s aggressive, chase down the ball carrier, be physical.”
This has the potential to become an ideal marriage between a coach and his scheme and a player. Zimmer’s system allows Smith to play to his strengths. Namely, he likes to run and hit. And then hit someone again.
Smith views this as a new starting point in his career. He doesn’t like to reflect on last season from an individual standpoint or from a team perspective. Too many bad memories.
“At the same time, I want to almost redeem that,” he said. “I want to have a lot of pride in the Vikings defense. This is the 2014 Vikings. I want this to be a very good defense.”
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
Just Me wrote:I love this kid. He seems to be set to carry on the legacy of #22 in purple.
That would be cool. Krause never came close to having the tackling abilities that Smith brings to the table but he was a great ball hawk. It did not hurt his career having lots of ducks flying his way as a direct result of the pressure that the Purple People Eaters put on opposing qbs..
That being said I love Smith's hard nosed approach to the game. He has Megatron's head on a swivel after that first game that he met Mr. Smith and got laid out more than once.
Do not mistake KINDNESS for WEAKNESS!
Best to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt.
I'm more excited about this guy than any recent defensive back from the past decade, and this is coming from somebody who absolutely LOVED Antoine Winfield. I think Smith has the potential to be the best safety in the game.
Forget "playmaker". He's a damn good PLAYER. Playmakers don't want to tackle. They want to "make plays". He can do both. I'll take that any day. Even if he doesn't "make" as many players. Just do your damn job, and make a play now and then.
Doesn't every player in the NFL want to be mentioned as a playmaker?
I bet everyone on this team views this coaching transition as a new beginning. Quite plainly, there's nothing to be gained in viewing it any other way. Unfortunately, for the guys who've contributed the most over the last few years, but are now older - guys like Greenway, Peterson, Robison and Sullivan - it may be too late in their careers to begin again.
Eli wrote:Doesn't every player in the NFL want to be mentioned as a playmaker?
I bet everyone on this team views this coaching transition as a new beginning. Quite plainly, there's nothing to be gained in viewing it any other way. Unfortunately, for the guys who've contributed the most over the last few years, but are now older - guys like Greenway, Peterson, Robison and Sullivan - it may be too late in their careers to begin again.
That's definitely possible, but Ditka took over the Bears when Walter Payton was 28. AD is 29. Now, I'm not saying Zimmer is Ditka, I'm not saying we're gonna have the 85 bears defens in 3 years, and I'm not saying Peterson is Payton.
I'm just saying you don't get a name like Purple Jesus for no reason.
Yeah, hes a good one. Good attitude too. He will only get better with the pther safety being someone other then Raymnd or Sanford. Maybe Coleman. That would then give the CBs a better chance if they know they have safety help.
Harrison Smith, S, Vikings
What he’s been: As a rookie, he was a revelation. Smith was excellent, especially in coverage, after going 29th in the 2012 draft. He had a legitimate argument for Defensive Rookie of the Year, which is why last year was tough. Smith went on IR recall last year with a turf toe and missed eight games in the middle of the season.
Why he matters: There’s a world in which it’s easy to imagine the Vikings’ defense being very, very good. Their defensive line should play well, they drafted Anthony Barr in the top 10 to play outside linebacker, and their cornerback spots — which have plagued them for a while, outside of Antoine Winfield — look just fine with Xavier Rhodes and Captain Munnerlyn. If Smith can be something closer this year to the player he was in 2012, there’s a real chance Minnesota, under Mike Zimmer, could put together a unit that ends up near the top 10.
National Press, thinking the Vikings defense could be above average. That's a little different than the conventional wisdom.
John_Viveiros wrote:Found this on Grantland: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-n ... reak-team/
National Press, thinking the Vikings defense could be above average. That's a little different than the conventional wisdom.
Indeed, you can see how it could happen but I think it's going to require a lot of things to go right and some players he didn't mention to step up. A defense is only as good as it's weaker links. For example, if Munnerlyn, Smith and Rhodes all play well and stay healthy for 16 games, as an opposing offensive coordinator, what do you do? I'd be trying to force the Vikes into nickel or testing the LBs and the other safety in coverage... and that assumes their run defense is sound.
Zimmer knows what he's doing and his players already seem to be "buying in" to his scheme. If they can execute and avoid big breakdowns, they could be good.
There’s a world in which it’s easy to imagine the Vikings’ defense being very, very good.
For me, the defense's success this year is the single most difficult aspect of this team to predict. So many new parts - from coaches to players to a new defensive system and mindset. So many big question marks. Linval Joseph, Captain Munnerlyn, Greenway, Rhodes, Floyd, the rest of the secondary, the young linebackers, the defensive ends. A major failure in any one unit could keep the defense on its heels for the entire season.
Eli wrote:
For me, the defense's success this year is the single most difficult aspect of this team to predict. So many new parts - from coaches to players to a new defensive system and mindset. So many big question marks. Linval Joseph, Captain Munnerlyn, Greenway, Rhodes, Floyd, the rest of the secondary, the young linebackers, the defensive ends. A major failure in any one unit could keep the defense on its heels for the entire season.
I agree, but my sense is that Zimmer is good enough to at least get the D to play mediocre ball. Even with a dearth of talent at certain positions, his record gives me confidence as does the way that he's handled position groups in the preseason so far. I have faith. I think we're a .500 team this year.