Here are the Vikings offensive personnel groupings from the game:
Personnel (Grouping #)
2 tight ends / 2 receivers (12): 21 plays
Shotgun 3 receivers: 1 tight end (11): 19 plays
2 tight ends / 1 receiver / 1 fullback (22): 8 plays
2 tight ends / 1 receiver / 1 OL: 6 plays
Shotgun 5 receivers (00): 5 plays
1 tight end / 2 receivers / 1 fullback (21): 5 plays
2 tight ends / 1 fullback / 1 OL: 4 plays
Shotgun 4 receivers (10): 4 plays
3 tight ends / 1 receiver (13): 1 play
Total: 73 plays
1) Even with their top two RBs and top two TEs out, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave ran the '12' package a game-high 21 times as he mixed in fullback Jerome Felton as a H-back along with tight ends Rhett Ellison and Chase Ford. Playing in a game they never trailed, the Vikings ran 33 rushes to 37 pass plays without Peterson and Gerhart.
Musgrave ran out of the shotgun on 28 of 73 plays [38%], with eight of their 19 fourth-quarter calls coming in that set. Quarterback Matt Cassel was particularly efficient from those looks as he completed 18-of-25 throws for 234 yards and two touchdowns from out under center. Cassel also ran twice for 18 yards from the shotgun and added a rushing touchdown, which came off quarterback draw from the Eagles' 6 in the third quarter.
With minimal tight end support, Musgrave added reserve linemen J'Marcus Webb and Jeff Baca to the formation 10 times. Baca was active due to Fusco's injury and saw three snaps that just so happened to amount to Asiata's three touchdowns. On the first of the three, Baca watched from his backside as Asiata crossed the goal line. But in the fourth quarter, Asiata ran for two more scores along the left side as Baca, left tackle Matt Kalil and Felton opened running lanes near the goal line. Receiver Joe Webb (17) saw just six fewer snaps than receiver Jarius Wright (23) as they used their fifth option as a run blocker in heavy formations on the last drive that used more than three minutes of game clock.
Goat(s): Joe Berger, Charlie Johnson. Both guards were the only linemen to allow more than one quarterback pressure on Cassel's 40 dropbacks. The quarterback took three sacks, one from poor pass protection by Asiata, and saw pressure on 17 plays. The Eagles blitzed 15 times and consistently put adequate pressure on Cassel, who played his best game of the season in the nutshell of accuracy and pocket presence. After struggling with Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs a week ago, Kalil didn't do much better against the Eagles' Trent Cole, who finished with seven tackles - three for a loss.
The silver lining here is that Berger/Johnson are essentially one position. If Fusco can manage to hold down the other guard spot, the Vikings may only need to bring in one guard to help solidify the line. It's disappointing to hear about Kalil and Sullivan still struggling but it's clear they're not the weakest links here. Good to hear Baca had a good game in albeit very limited action.
Here are the Vikings offensive personnel groupings from the game:
There's much, much more at the link.
very interesting....bro on another thread pointed out that Joe W. is a free-agent after this season. If anyone has a more than a glimpse about how much coverage he was able to suck up, whether we had plenty of success when he was on the field or if were we more ineffective for it: say on. I'd hate to lose him only to watch him get picked up and start whoopin' em elsewhere.
Jarius Wright, Cpatt, Simpson, Jennings make quite the tandem: clutch plays by all these guys.
Webb has flattened people on several critical occasions this year, but I'm generally watching where the ball is going and it hasn't been going his direction often. But I'm sure that's for the best because I have complete confidence that our coaching staff knows what it is doing.
Webbfann wrote:Webb has flattened people on several critical occasions this year, but I'm generally watching where the ball is going and it hasn't been going his direction often. But I'm sure that's for the best because I have complete confidence that our coaching staff knows what it is doing.
with Jennings, Patterson, Simpson and Wright you think the coaching staff should be designing more plays to Webb?
