There are a lot of similarities between the Vikings and Bucs and so it’s no surprise the two sides ended up cancelling each other out. There has never been a question about the capacity for Mike Zimmer or Lovie Smith to run a defense, but in order to succeed they will also need to show they can develop their young quarterbacks. This game suggested that there’s still a long way to go in that regard with both Teddy Bridgewater and Mike Glennon finishing with negative grades.
Let’s take a look at some other individual performances.
Minnesota Vikings – Three Performances of Note
Matt Kalil, LT: -3.4
Breakdown: The slide continues for Kalil despite the fact he didn’t have the toughest of matchups. Overall he gave up a hit and four hurries in 49 drop-backs culminating in a -2.0 grade. Michael Johnson is a pretty solid defensive end, but it was the speed with which Kalil was getting beat that will be concerning. To top it off, his run blocking was poor as he failed to grade positively on a single snap and was convincingly beaten on one play leading to a tackle well behind the line of scrimmage.
Signature Play: No play more sums up Kalil’s day than the pressure he allowed with 12.16 to go in the third quarter to Jacquies Smith who beat him with ease and hit Bridgewater as he was throwing forcing an incompletion.
Shariff Floyd, DRT: +5.5
Breakdown: Floyd has enjoyed a resurgent sophomore season after an average start to his NFL career, but this was his best game yet. The former Gator was disruptive from the first whistle, consistently finding ways to contribute in all three phases of the game. In run defense he recorded four stops on just 15 snaps. As a pass rusher he recorded a sack and hurry (30 snaps) but also drew two holding penalties (one of which negated a pressure) and beat a block only to be denied a hurry by Glennon’s quick release. The shoestring tackle he made on Bobby Rainey on a screen pass to bring up fourth down was also a thing of beauty and prevented a long gain.
Signature Stat: Floyd is now tenth in Pass Rushing Productivity amongst defensive tackles.
Chad Greenway, WLB: -2.6
Breakdown: Last week was Greenway's best performance in two and a half years but consistency is required and he was back to struggling against the Bucs. In 21 run-defending plays he made just the solitary stop. In coverage he allowed all three targets to be complete for 19 yards (all first downs) and missed a tackle.
Signature Stat: Greenway is currently 18th of 20 4-3 outside linebackers in Run Stop Percentage.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Three Performances of Note
Patrick Omameh, RG: -0.2 & Garrett Gilkey, RG: -2.9
Breakdown: The Bucs sought to rotate their right guards initially in this one but the performance of Gilkey on just four snaps scuppered that plan immediately. Gilkey conceded two holding penalties (one after being beaten in pass protection and another at the second level as a run blocker) and graded negatively in his other run-blocking snap. Omameh meanwhile allowed just one hurry in 39 drop-backs and graded only slightly negatively as a run blocker (-0.8).
Signature Stat: Omameh has allowed fewer combined quarterbacks knockdowns in 234 snaps (two) than Gilkey has in 75 (three).
Gerald McCoy, DRT: +4.0
Breakdown; McCoy is simply unblockable as a pass rusher at the moment and it showed again against the Vikings. In 42 rushing snaps he recorded a sack, two hits, three hurries and a batted pass. Joe Berger had no answer to McCoy's quickness and power as all but a couple of pressures were recorded against him. It was a mixed game for the defensive tackle in the run game where he graded negatively as many times as he did positively.
Signature Stat: McCoy is currently third in Pass Rush Productivity.
Mark Barron, SS: -2.6
Breakdown: Barron is yet to live up to his status as the seventh overall pick and he’ll want to forget this game in a hurry. The majority of his poor work came in run defense where he missed three tackles and made only one. Jerrick McKinnon had his number at the second level, evading him with ease on a number of occasions. In coverage he was targeted twice and gave up one catch for 28 yards.
Signature Play: Pick any of the run plays from 10.18 to 9.09 in the third quarter as Barron missed the tackle on three straight plays.
PFF Game Ball
No single player stood out as being especially deserving so while he didn’t have the best overall game, Anthony Barr’s strip, scoop and score to win the game in overtime gets him the accolade.
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