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Dallas tight end Jason Witten could cause headaches for Vikings' defense
By Rick Alonzo
ralonzo@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 01/11/2010 11:39:54 PM CST
The Vikings' defense has had issues with tight ends this season. That could be the case again Sunday in the divisional playoffs.
Jason Witten, the six-time Pro Bowler for the Dallas Cowboys, poses a difficult matchup. He could be the best tight end the Vikings have faced this season.
"He's proven," Vikings linebacker Ben Leber said. "He's always effective, kind of a go-to guy for them. So anytime you can get a tight end that can stretch you vertically in the middle, it makes it tough on a defense."
Witten led the Cowboys with 94 catches this season, covering 1,030 yards with two touchdowns. "They'll use him kind of as a slot receiver sometimes. It's going to be huge on us as linebackers, if we're matched up on him, to get hands on him and not let him get too far down the field."
Tight ends have been able to find weaknesses in the Vikings' defense this season. Chicago's Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen combined for eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns during the Bears' 36-30 overtime win on Dec. 28.
Green Bay's Jermichael Finley's 62-yard touchdown was the highlight of his six-catch, 128-yard performance at the Metrodome. San Francisco's Vernon Davis had seven catches for 96 yards and two TDs.
The Vikings will try to make sure Witten isn't the next tight end to have a big day.
"Witten's a good player," defensive end Jared Allen said. "They tend to move him around a little bit to try to get him out on the routes and stuff. It comes back to we've got to be successful on early downs. If you let them get into second-and-5 and third-and-short, he becomes a bigger factor because he runs a lot of the check-down routes — and a lot of the quick hitters go to him."
Allen fighting double teams: Since teams have figured out how to at least impede Allen, the defensive end's numbers have dwindled. But his effectiveness? That's debatable.
If measured in stats, Allen's season is fading: 34 tackles and 10 1/2 sacks in the first eight games, 16 tackles and four sacks in the past eight. But that's deceiving, he said.
"This is a team sport," he said. "If they've got two (players) on me ... somebody's got to be free somewhere. If they keep eight (players) in the blocks, there's only two (receivers) on the routes, and we've got guys covered, especially if we're only rushing four. There are pros and cons to everything."
Allen said he never gets frustrated while fighting double teams.
"There's ways to beat things, there's ways to figure things out," he said. "Once you get frustrated, then your mind's not focused on the task, and you've got to fight against that."
Players supportive of Frazier: Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has the support of his players, who are hoping he gets a chance to become a head coach in the NFL.
"He has had maybe five, six interviews," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said. "Hopefully he lands one, but we're not worried about it right now."
Williams and other players said Frazier didn't address his recent interviews with the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks, who introduced Pete Carroll as their new coach Monday.
"I think he's looking at it (as) he would love to have the head coaching job on somebody's team, but he has a job to do right now," Williams said. "We're trying to win in the playoffs and go to the Super Bowl and win it."
Briefly: Brett Favre has a chance to set the record for the most passing yards in NFL playoff history. He ranks second with 5,311 passing yards in 22 playoff games. Joe Montana is the leader with 5,772 yards in 23 games. Favre would probably need to reach the NFC championship game to set the record.
Favre also has a chance to extend his record of most consecutive playoff games (18) with at least one passing touchdown.
Staff writer John Shipley contributed to this report.
By Rick Alonzo
ralonzo@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 01/11/2010 11:39:54 PM CST
The Vikings' defense has had issues with tight ends this season. That could be the case again Sunday in the divisional playoffs.
Jason Witten, the six-time Pro Bowler for the Dallas Cowboys, poses a difficult matchup. He could be the best tight end the Vikings have faced this season.
"He's proven," Vikings linebacker Ben Leber said. "He's always effective, kind of a go-to guy for them. So anytime you can get a tight end that can stretch you vertically in the middle, it makes it tough on a defense."
Witten led the Cowboys with 94 catches this season, covering 1,030 yards with two touchdowns. "They'll use him kind of as a slot receiver sometimes. It's going to be huge on us as linebackers, if we're matched up on him, to get hands on him and not let him get too far down the field."
Tight ends have been able to find weaknesses in the Vikings' defense this season. Chicago's Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen combined for eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns during the Bears' 36-30 overtime win on Dec. 28.
Green Bay's Jermichael Finley's 62-yard touchdown was the highlight of his six-catch, 128-yard performance at the Metrodome. San Francisco's Vernon Davis had seven catches for 96 yards and two TDs.
The Vikings will try to make sure Witten isn't the next tight end to have a big day.
"Witten's a good player," defensive end Jared Allen said. "They tend to move him around a little bit to try to get him out on the routes and stuff. It comes back to we've got to be successful on early downs. If you let them get into second-and-5 and third-and-short, he becomes a bigger factor because he runs a lot of the check-down routes — and a lot of the quick hitters go to him."
Allen fighting double teams: Since teams have figured out how to at least impede Allen, the defensive end's numbers have dwindled. But his effectiveness? That's debatable.
If measured in stats, Allen's season is fading: 34 tackles and 10 1/2 sacks in the first eight games, 16 tackles and four sacks in the past eight. But that's deceiving, he said.
"This is a team sport," he said. "If they've got two (players) on me ... somebody's got to be free somewhere. If they keep eight (players) in the blocks, there's only two (receivers) on the routes, and we've got guys covered, especially if we're only rushing four. There are pros and cons to everything."
Allen said he never gets frustrated while fighting double teams.
"There's ways to beat things, there's ways to figure things out," he said. "Once you get frustrated, then your mind's not focused on the task, and you've got to fight against that."
Players supportive of Frazier: Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has the support of his players, who are hoping he gets a chance to become a head coach in the NFL.
"He has had maybe five, six interviews," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said. "Hopefully he lands one, but we're not worried about it right now."
Williams and other players said Frazier didn't address his recent interviews with the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks, who introduced Pete Carroll as their new coach Monday.
"I think he's looking at it (as) he would love to have the head coaching job on somebody's team, but he has a job to do right now," Williams said. "We're trying to win in the playoffs and go to the Super Bowl and win it."
Briefly: Brett Favre has a chance to set the record for the most passing yards in NFL playoff history. He ranks second with 5,311 passing yards in 22 playoff games. Joe Montana is the leader with 5,772 yards in 23 games. Favre would probably need to reach the NFC championship game to set the record.
Favre also has a chance to extend his record of most consecutive playoff games (18) with at least one passing touchdown.
Staff writer John Shipley contributed to this report.
