Viktor
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
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Patterson on defensive students of the game:
During their session with media members, Patterson and Zimmer spoke about the way that Eric Kendricks and Shamar Stephen study the game and are able to diagnose and anticipate offensive plays.
"They're looking at it from our eyes as coaches," Patterson said.
He explained that the Vikings coaches look to bring in players with those types of qualities.
"[When] we meet with them at the [NFL Scouting Combine], or they come in here for the Top 30 [visits], we really try to drill them on, 'OK, explain to me your defense. Draw up your defense, show me how you play,' " Patterson said. "So if it's a defensive lineman – if all he can do is draw one circle and where he lines up and what he does, then I know what I'm dealing with, OK? If he lines up the whole defense or can tell me what the whole front does, then I know that's a guy that puts in the time and effort to study the game. Those are the guys that I get excited about."
Zimmer on young CBs tackling:
Minnesota's defense has relied all season on young cornerbacks, including 2020 draft picks Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler.
Zimmer emphasized the importance of cornerbacks being efficient tacklers in the run game, especially when opposing offenses are "really trying to get the ball to the perimeter."
"We are stout inside against the run with Shamar [Stephen] and Eric [Kendricks] and Eric [Wilson]. They do a great job with the interior run, and teams have started to try and hit us to the outside," Zimmer explained. "Jeff and Cam, really, have done a nice job of perimeter run support for us, and then especially since Jeff is playing so much nickel, he's really involved in the run front a lot of the time. For him to go in there and not shy away and have a lot of courage in there to stick his nose in there and make tackles is huge for us. It helps in every way.
"If you're going to play nickel in this league, you're going to have to tackle, and that's been a really strong point of his game since he's been here," Zimmer added.