'Level of consistency' from defensive newcomers was 'impressive' to Pettine

Cheesehead

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Mar 19, 2019
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On being stout up front:


The league has trended so much to spreading the field and getting three wide receivers. Most of the time in the past the response has been to go with a four-man front, two linebackers, and the secondary out there. But I know it can cause problems when they’re so used to going against a four-man front and now we’re giving them five-man looks. It causes some issues, if you’re playing a team with some speed that wants to get to the edge, when we have two big edges in a five-man front.


On the overall performance in Chicago and the celebration afterward:


I just think for the whole unit it was one of those nights everything fell into place. We were prepared. I thought we had a really good training camp, as far as building a foundation of this is what we’re doing fundamentally and this is what we’re doing schematically. As training camp wound down, we were gearing our preparation toward Chicago. They didn’t always know we were working on it but we were, and then when we got to the game week, this is a group that was confident. They were prepared. We talk about the best way to be confident and have that swagger to you is to be prepared. Obviously I enjoyed it to the end. I almost got knocked to the ground, too, and that would have been looped over and over on the internet. We asked them to cement the buy-in, and we knew they were all-in.


On the three free-agent additions:


You look at all three of them, they all made big plays, but their level of consistency throughout the game was more impressive to me.


On what he saw in Za'Darius Smith:


He didn’t have the volume of reps at Baltimore, but when you looked at the plays focused on him, it didn’t take much to figure out he’s a special pass rusher. Not just his size but his strength. It’s rare you have a guy that big with that get-off. That was an easy evaluation watching the film, because we also knew about the guy as well. It was good news when we knew he was coming.


Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett


On installing an offense:


Anytime you ask a player to go out in a high-pressure situation and execute, you always have to keep in mind you’re giving them a brand-new language. That process, as simple as it might sound, it takes time. That’s the biggest challenge because that’s when they’re able to play fast.


On the Vikings defense:


I think the biggest thing about Minnesota is they’re a veteran group who has been together for a long time in the same system. It’s about us being able to execute things we’re comfortable. They’ve seen everything so you try your hardest to throw a couple wrinkles at them.
 
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