Darnold’s aggressiveness might be backfiring a smidge, but he’s successfully hitting his safety nets.
That chemistry, likely coupled with Jacksonville’s commitment to crossing off explosives courtesy Jefferson by playing a split-safety coverage, caused Minnesota to deploy less 11 personnel (formations with one running back, one tight end and three receivers), which they rolled out on a season-low 48.8% of snaps, and more 12 (29.3%) and 21 (15.9%) groupings as an avenue for higher-percentage completions.
As a result, a season-high 39.5 percent of Darnold’s targets went to tight ends. On 15 throws to tight ends, Darnold averaged 0.65 EPA per play with a 60 percent success rate. With the heavier personnel, the Jaguars matched with base (defense) on 51.2 percent of snaps, easily their highest rate on the season.
In theory, that strategy – forcing defenses to match bigger bodies – will create space for players such as Jefferson and Jordan Addison to thrive on the outside. Keep in mind that Darnold and the Vikings are adjusting to moving parts: new left tackle Cam Robinson and, finally, a full-fledged cast of pass-catchers.
Pizzuta is encouraged, writing “the answers remain there, even when Darnold is turning the ball over.”