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If new Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz is going to have more success than injured quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Wentz will need more help than what McCarthy was given in Sunday night’s loss to the Falcons.
That means better blocking from offensive linemen, tight ends and receivers.
That means quicker developing pass plays if that blocking is not reliable.
Coordinator Wes Phillips told reporters on Tuesday that too often somebody wasn’t doing their job within the relatively few plays — just 46 — generated on offense. He pointed to a couple examples like the 19-yard throw to receiver Adam Thielen and the 17-yard throw to receiver Jalen Nailor when everyone, including McCarthy, was on point.
“The more of that we can get,” Phillips said, “I think you’ll start to see our offense grow more and more. There is an aspect as well of us learning not only J.J.’s strengths, Carson Wentz coming in, our offensive line — what schemes they are really taking to.”
Ready, set, go? Coaches haven’t had long to learn about Wentz, the 10th-year veteran on his sixth NFL team. He’s been with the Vikings for three weeks. But what’s clear is he isn’t walking into a finely-tuned machine. Film from the Falcons loss shows mistakes made by everyone from the rookie left guard to the team captain right tackle.
The Atlanta Falcons can’t produce a 53.3% pressure rate, the franchise’s best pass-rushing game in seven years, without unforced errors by the Vikings.
Coaches didn’t point fingers at who, exactly, was at fault for the strip sack in the fourth quarter. But right tackle Brian O’Neill appears to leave an unblocked edge rusher off his side, leading to the sack. Phillips alluded to not everyone having the protection call that is supposed to be communicated before the snap by the center, who at the time was backup Michael Jurgens, and McCarthy.
“That’s a play where we should have that defensive end blocked,” Phillips said, “and we just have to be on the same page across the board.”
The Falcons sacked McCarthy six times. Two came via unblocked defenders.
The Vikings’ O-line also struggled to pick up the Falcons’ defensive line movement. Atlanta wasn’t simply rushing straight ahead. They ran many twists, also called “stunts” or “games,” that Vikings’ interior blockers didn’t always pass off to each other.
On the opening third-and-7, when McCarthy scrambled for 6 yards, a Falcons twist generated quick pressure past center Ryan Kelly and Fries — a duo that has played many games together going back to Indianapolis.
“They showed the twists up front that we were prepared for,” said Jurgens, who played 24 snaps (51%) after Kelly exited with a concussion.
“We’ve seen twists a million times from every defense, so we have to be ready for that.”
Plenty of issues surrounded McCarthy, but the 22-year-old quarterback’s decision making and timing left plays on the field. Coaches are likely hoping Wentz can better play on schedule and find the one-on-one opportunities as he goes from options No. 1 to No. 2 to No. 3 in the progression.
Among the six sacks on McCarthy, there was at least one — on third-and-14 in the red zone after Skule was beaten for a different sack — that was solely on the quarterback.
McCarthy wasn’t quick enough with his decision making or throws. In the third quarter, McCarthy nearly threw another pick to Falcons cornerback Billy Bowman Jr. when he was a tick late on a pass to Hockenson.
McCarthy’s average time to throw of 3.15 seconds is the second-longest in the league through two weeks, according NFL Next Gen Stats.
This is affected not only by slower decision making, but also longer-developing pass plays.
McCarthy is averaging the second-most air yardage per attempt while getting very little from receivers after the catch. So, where are the quick passes? The screens that we saw during training camp?
Phillips, the offensive coordinator, said coaches have talked about implementing more quick throws. But those plays are not as easy to execute as they sound.
“The one thing about quick game ... the defense has to cover for this long,” said Phillips, who snapped his fingers. “It doesn’t mean you don’t like quick game, but the throws have to be — footwork and timing are essential in the quick game world. Being able to take the right footwork, seeing the defense quickly. You have to start your arm almost before you see it.”
Does the precision of quick passes mean that’s more difficult on inexperienced quarterbacks like McCarthy?
“It’s based on the individual quarterback,” Phillips said. “Some guys love quick game and some guys don’t. ... J.J. is up for any plays scheme-wise. ... There’s some guys that have always run a lot of quick game, liked quick game. ... Fast-release guys that just want to get the ball out of their hand quickly. We got to find ways to put the ball in the hands of our playmakers, first and foremost, no matter how that is done.”
O’Connell called at least two screens vs. Atlanta. Both went nowhere.
“We don’t throw and catch one with a pretty significant chance for a gain on that play,” O’Connell said, “and then just have a mental error on another screen that ends up being a two-yard gain, when we should clearly have everybody kind of accounted for with a chance to have Jordan Mason in space with a lot of grass.”
Running back Aaron Jones dropped a screen that would’ve been a huge gain in the third quarter. Earlier in the game, a missed block by receiver Tim Jones (14) — the “mental error” that O’Connell referenced — undercut a screen attempt to Mason.
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), but it seems like there is now also some thought that it could have been to an illegal tackle. 
