Vikings Coach Calls Out Players After Loss to Bears
In the final two minutes of the game, J.J. McCarthy overcame an abysmal day as a passer to lead the Minnesota Vikings on a 10-play, 85-yard touchdown drive to take the lead from the Chicago Bears with 50 seconds remaining.
What followed was what linebacker Blake Cashman called “soul-crushing.”
On the ensuing kickoff, Bears returner Devin Duvernay cut across the field to find a wide-open lane to the right sideline and for a 56-yard return into Vikings territory. The return set up a 48-yard field goal to clinch a 19-17 win for the Bears, who also claimed sole lead of the NFC North division with the Week 11 win.
Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels did not brush off that play lightly.
‘Guys Got Greedy:’ Vikings Coach Matt Daniels Calls Out Players for Botched Kickoff
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported that Daniels, in his weekly news conference on Tuesday, November 18, said that “guys got greedy” trying to make a play on the game’s final kickoff.
Ivan Pace Jr. and rookies Austin Keys and Tai Felton were the players who abandoned their lanes in what was a devastating play to the Vikings’ season.
“I’ve been in the league now eight years, played football a long time in this league,” Daniels said. “I’ve never felt the way I felt after that football game. Never.”
Daniels went on to attest that Duvernay did nothing special to beat the Vikings, who ultimately beat themselves on the pivotal play.
“Because you just look at the play, what happened, and again, you just rather get beat a different way and just rather lose a different way. If they took that ball up the sideline and hit it on us, I would be able to live with that. But it was tough,” Daniels added.
“I mean there was no disrespect or anything, a lot of respect for what the Chicago Bears and their unit, Devin Duvernay, all this and that. But I mean it could have been anybody’s son, If you got a son or anybody. All he did was just catch it and run back to the field, and everybody just kind of got washed inside. It wasn’t anything that they did more so than a lack of us maintaining our leverage and keeping the football inside shoulder.”
Should Matt Daniels Be Fired? Kevin O’Connell Clears the Air on Special Teams Blunder
The Vikings special teams unit has beenas polarizing this season.
While they are Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 special teams unit this season, there has been serious blunders that have swayed the outcome of several games.
Returner Myles Price ranks second in both punt return yards and kickoff return yards — a testament to the entire unit.
However, this is a bit of a byproduct of the Vikings offense ranking 32nd in time of possession. Price’s yards per return hover just above league average.
The Vikings kickers have been a strength of the unit this season with Will Reichard graded as the No. 3 kicker in the league by Pro Football Focus. Punter Ryan Wright also ranks second in punts inside the 20-yard line.
The unit has performed well but, with many developing talents on special teams comes a penchant for playmaking. Price tried to fight for every yard in a Week 10 loss the Baltimore Ravens and fumbled twice, one which the Ravens recovered.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell addressed the sense of urgency to make a play, especially with the Vikings’ back and against the wall this season, and did not fault the special teams players.
“Our coverage unit has been one of the premier units on our team all season long. In those moments, I think you’ve got to trust your guys to to be at their best,” O’Connell said. “I think there’s an element to it too where guys want to win so bad, they want to win that down so bad for the sake of the team that the discipline of what is my job on the play (gets lost).
“I think there’s some of that going on um throughout our team. and and you know, it’s a better problem to have than trying to find the fight and trying to find the guys that will will play physical and hard for 60 minutes. We have that box checked.”
Mike Tomlin Reacts to Possibility Steelers Replace Darius Slay With Ex-Undrafted CB
The Pittsburgh Steelers secondary has undergone quite the transformation to begin November. The team has made several changes to the unit, including at both starting safety spots. Another key factor to the improvement in Week 11 was the strong performance from cornerback James Pierre, who replaced an injured Darius Slay in the starting lineup.
Against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Pierre posted six combined tackles, two pass defenses and a fumble recovery. Pierre returned the fumble for a touchdown.
However, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin dismissed the idea that Pierre is about to take Slay’s job.
“[Slay] steps back in and plays,” Tomlin said Tuesday when asked whether Slay would retain his starting role. “We’re certainly going to continue to play James. He’s deserving of that. But if healthy, Slay is going to play.”
Slay has struggled at times this season. The 34-year-old is two years removed from his last Pro Bowl campaign.
A former 2020 undrafted free agent, Pierre is arguably coming off the best two games of his career. In Week 10, he registered five combined tackles and two pass defenses against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Slay exited that game and didn’t play Sunday because of a concussion. Tomlin, though, sounded optimistic Tuesday that Slay would be available for the Chicago Bears matchup on November 23.
James Pierre Emerging as Quality CB Option for Steelers
Although he was an undrafted free agent during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it very difficult for undrafted players to earn roster spots, Pierre has managed to stay around the Steelers for six seasons. He’s been on and off the team’s roster and practice squad over the years.
Sunday marked the sixth time Pierre has dressed for at least 10 contests in an NFL season. Barring injury, he could be on the Steelers roster for 15 games for a sixth season as well.
In those 10 contests this year, Pierre hasn’t played a high volume of defensive snaps. He has averaged 17.5 defensive snaps per game.
But according to Pro Football Focus, Pierre is Pittsburgh’s top performing defender this season. He’s earned a 90.9 overall grade, which is slightly higher than edge rusher Nick Herbig and defensive lineman Cameron Heyward.
Pierre has shined the most in coverage, which is what the Steelers were sorely lacking from their cornerbacks in October. Pierre has posted a 90.7 PFF coverage grade this season.
Slay has submitted a 57.2 overall grade and 57.9 coverage grade at PFF.
Those grades have to be taken with a grain of salt. However, it’s rather clear that, in his small sample, Pierre has outperformed Slay, who is playing a large amount of snaps as a starter.
Steelers to Stick With Darius Slay in Starting Lineup
Tomlin was clear to reporters Tuesday that Pierre has earned more playing time. But the Steelers head coach also reminded reporters why Pierre is considered a bench player.
“He’s done a nice job, but again, usually when you’re a backup man, you get targets, and so when you get targets, you generally get breakups,” said Tomlin on why Pierre is second on the team in pass deflections.
“We have not been displeased with his efforts. We’ve been quite pleased with his efforts. We’re certainly interested in continuing to use him as we move forward.”
Slay only has three pass deflections this season despite playing 303 more defensive snaps than Pierre. But clearly, Tomlin is opting to stay with the more proven player as one of the team’s starting cornerbacks.
Slay has earned six Pro Bowl nods and one first-team All-Pro nomination in his 13-year NFL career. Last season, Slay started for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Pierre is a career backup on a hot streak. That’s not good enough to replace Slay, according to Tomlin.
