Sometimes when you have an edge in talent, you just have to let those players play.
That’s why a pair of Vikings defensive linemen went to coaches, asking them to simplify things after a Week Two loss at Indianapolis.
Defensive tackle Kevin Williams and defensive end Jared Allen said the results are clear, with the Vikings since beating 2011 playoff teams in the 49ers and Lions.
“We just stopped trying to make a call for everything,” Williams said, via Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com. “The defensive front has been successful the last few years. We didn’t do a lot of trick ‘em stuff. We just lined up and went after people, and that’s basically what we were trying to get ‘em to do.
“Just take the reins off and let us go. We can take care of the rush. We don’t need to design stuff for the rush. Just let the guys go. We’ve all pretty much had experience rushing the quarterback and playing this defense. Just basically, let us go and we can handle it. We don’t need plays or schemes to handle what we’re doing up front.”
After the loss to the Colts, Williams and Allen went to defensive coordinator Alan Williams and defensive line coach Brendan Daly with the suggestion. Since then, they had five sacks against the Lions, and three against the 49ers, without much blitzing.
“It’s huge for our players, for the coaches, to be able to generate that type of pressure without having to put the secondary under adverse situations,” head coach Leslie Frazier said.
Coaches, by nature, tend to overcomplicate things sometimes. And sometimes when you have players the caliber of Williams and Allen, the best thing to do is turn them loose.