Pat Shurmur’s genius has transformed the Vikings into one of the NFL’s elite teams
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No Sam Bradford.
No Teddy Bridgewater.
No Dalvin Cook.
An entirely new offensive line.
9-2.
We’ve expected the Vikings to come crashing down after injuries to quarterback and the backfield, but that hasn’t happen.
When Aaron Rodgers went down with a broken collar bone, it was expected that the Vikings would have a chance to sneak into being the NFC North leader solely because of that. That hasn’t been the case.
With games against the Rams and Lions in the last two weeks, it was expected that the Vikings would drop at least one loss. They won against both teams.
This is a team that looks less like a fluke and more of the real deal.
With seven straight wins, the Vikings are in a comfortable position up top the NFC North, putting themselves on a pedestal of great football teams in 2017. You can expect insane quality from the players of Mike Zimmer’s defense, but it’s the offense that is the biggest surprise.
If Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs aren’t the best WR duo in the league, something is wrong. Thielen himself has arguably been the best receiver in the league this year. Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon help bring different styles of running, and have made the Vikings backfield an above average unit. The offensive line is no longer one of the worst in the NFL. In fact, it just might be good. Finally, Case Keenum is actually giving, not taking, away chances for his receivers to make plays.
These all have given the Vikings one of the most explosive offenses in football, but there’s one puppeteer controlling the strings, and that’s offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.
Coming in as the OC in the middle of the 2016 season after the resignation of Norv Turner, it’s become obvious that 2017 was when Shurmur truly begun to mold the Vikings offense into his very own. In the previous season, he ran the same offense Turner did, but with an awful OL, the offense was pretty predictable.
This season, with the increased development of Thielen and Diggs, new back Latavius Murray complimenting Jerick McKinnon, and a completely new, improved unit of blockers, there’s more options to use, and Shurmur has taken complete advantage. Unlike teams like the Cowboys, Shurmur isn’t relying on the pass protection and skill players to carry him, but rather he’s enhanced them.
When Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford played under Turner, they were expected to make vertical passes behind bad pass protection, and they were expected to throw receivers open in tight windows in order to move the chains.
With Shurmur, the quarterback no longer has to rely on throwing his receivers open. Instead, the newfound diversity of this Vikings offense allows the receivers to get open and create easier throws for Keenum.
One of the more crucial and obvious foundations for creating easier throws for any quarterback is of course the quality of the offensive line, but quality alone can’t make a unit play consistently if there’s no diversity in the formation or play calling. Fortunately for the Vikings, Shurmur has been able to provide this and then some.
On this play, no one comes close to the same area code as Keenum. #99 Aaron Donald, the defensive tackle, bites on the play action fake to McKinnon, allowing the left side of Keenum to be wide open. With McKinnon pretending to block and the tight end Kyle Rudolph (#82) selling his block and route, this allows Rudolph go completely uncovered. The pass to him moves the chains.
Shurmur’s play calling has completely elevated the run game as well. In 2016, Minnesota was 28th in total rushing yards. In 2017, they’re 5th. A lot has to do with the offensive line, but like in the passing game, versatility in style must occur in order to give the offense chances.
Any running back will tell you that the best thing to give them is space. Strength and athleticism can only do so much without any gaps. Backs need these gaps to allow their talents in open space to be fully realized, and the Vikings have done that with Shurmur.
On this play, Diggs is motioned outside right. The design suggested Diggs would be blocking the left defensive end. Instead, the right tackle blocks the LDE, while Diggs creates traffic. This helps create a wide gap for Murray to run through, and he guns it for a first down and a lot more.
As well called as previous games were, Shurmur saved some of his best calls for Thanksgiving against Detroit. Sure, some of the designs left a little to be desired, but Shurmur’s best calls negated this issue.
This play call in particular was brilliant not just because of the read option, but the formation of the blocking. The left tackle intentionally lets the right defensive end go by him, where he then picks up another linebacker using a nice move to get to him. The left guard blocks both the right defensive end and the linebacker next to him, and both defenders bite on the read option.
Keenum sees this, takes the ball away from Murray and runs to the end zone. The creativity of the line blocking creates enough space for Keenum to run without being tackled for a touchdown. An excellently designed play to say the least.
Towards the end of the game, Shumur’s play calling also helped close out the game for the Vikings.
This is probably the biggest play of the entire game. Here, the pass protection actually fails the quarterback for a change, but unlike in 2016 where it would completely derail the offense, the route combinations offset the pressure from the right side. The routes of Kyle Rudolph (#82) and Stefan Diggs (#14) are meant to create misdirection and suffocate the coverage. The patience in Diggs’ route allows him to create separation with the snap of a finger.
Keenum takes a hit, but is able to get a perfect throw to Diggs, who is able to stretch the ball just enough to get a first down. A tough effort that came from another great call, this allows the Vikings to continue burning the clock.
On this bubble screen, Shurmur shows his inner Bobb McKittrick and calls for a couple of cut blocks. The left tackle performs a cut block to give Keenum a window to throw the ball. The left guard’s duty is to block downfield, and he joins the cut block party as well.
The center, rookie Pat Elflein, does his job excellently. Diggs messes up a touchdown by running way too fast and not going behind the center. We can likely attest this to Diggs not seeing him, but if he had used his back, he would have gotten blocking against one man to beat, and would have a walk in touchdown. Instead, he goes out of bounds.
Nevertheless, while this is a mistake you don’t expect a receiver of Diggs’ quality to make, the rest of the play is terrifically executed, and a testament to how great Shurmur’s designs have been.
Conclusion
Pat Shurmur has become the anti Jeff Fisher. Where Fisher’s offense with the Rams and Keenum under center ran the exact same few plays without any variation or an ounce of creativity, Shurmur’s offense is of a different breed. Shurmur understands the weapons in Minnesota can succeed in short or vertical passing situations, and also understands the style of play that comes from Murray and McKinnon as backs.
It’s clear that the offensive coordinator has used the athleticism of the new offensive line, backfield, and receivers to create game plans that keep defenses on their toes. That doesn’t mean Shurmur will abandon anything if it isn’t broken. To open the second half on Thanksgiving, he stuck with the run four times on four plays as it led to an impressive touchdown drive.
But more importantly, Pat Shurmur has consistently brought diversity to the play calling. Just when you think you have the Vikings offense figured out, they’ll throw something at you that throws you off your guard. That’s what separates the smartest offensive coordinators from the rest, and it can’t be denied that Shurmur has done great work with the Vikings.
With Pat Shurmur calling the shots, the Vikings finally have an offense that can match the level of quality from Mike Zimmer’s defense, making them one of the NFL’s most dominant teams.