Vikings’ Matt Kalil: Healthy and Hopeful Heading into 2015
Austin Belisle
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Who is this Matt Kalil, and where has he been? I’ve watched the Vikings’ three preseason games, and the No. 75 stepping onto the field isn’t the same player I watched in 2014. We all know the story — Kalil allowed a league-high 12 sacks last season while playing every offensive snap through chronic knee pain. More often than not, Kalil looked slow, unsure of himself, and passive in pass protection, giving some of the league’s best edge rushers free shots on first-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
It wasn’t all his fault, though. Kalil’s knees became such an issue last season that he required arthroscopic surgery from Dr. James Andrews — the same doctor who repaired Adrian Peterson’s ACL — and has been taking precautionary steps to improve his health since January. Midway through training camp, Kalil reflected on his injuries and the mental toll they took on him this offseason, per Andrew Krammer:
[quote_box_center]”You get to a point where everything hurts so much, you’re like, ‘OK, one more year and then there’s no way,'” Kalil said. “There’s a lot of things, too, besides football. Obviously I love football and I’m healthy, obviously I’m going to do everything I can like I am now.”
“But if you’re not [healthy], it wears on you. If you had to go to practice and feel excruciating pain every day, it wouldn’t be really fun to work with. You feel like you have to survive at practice instead of get better and work on your skills. You know what I mean? That’s what it was like last year. It’s all good now, I’m healthy.”[/quote_box_center]
Given his newfound health and confidence, Kalil can finally focus on perfecting his technique. That extra practice time, from working individually on his kickstep to battling Everson Griffen in one-on-ones, means Kalil is beginning to look more and more like his 2012 self. That Matt Kalil, the fourth-overall selection in the NFL Draft, earned a trip to the Pro Bowl and lived up to the college hype, routinely shutting down elite rushers like Aldon Smith, Robert Mathis, and Clay Matthews.
However, his road to recovery hasn’t been without bumps and bruises. As Adam wrote earlier this month, Kalil started camp as the team’s revolving door, losing one-on-one battles with Anthony Barr, Everson Griffen, and even rookie Danielle Hunter. The same issues that cropped up in 2014 — lazy footwork, high pad level, a late first punch — resurfaced throughout practices, and the worries of an ever-fearful Vikings fan base grew with every poor camp report.
But then, the Vikings traveled to Canton for the Hall of Fame Game and Kalil played…great? He did, are you sure? Yes, Kalil was solid, and surprisingly, that’s been the case in every one of the Vikings’ three exhibition games. Even Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, which ranked Kalil the third-worst tackle in 2014, has been surprised by Kalil’s performances:
Don't look now, but Matt Kalil has a positive grade this preseason. Has been perfect in pass pro. 0 pressures.
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) August 25, 2015
Where did this turnaround come from, and how has Kalil been so efficient? Granted, it’s only the preseason, and we’re dealing with a small sample size, but the film never lies — Kalil looks healthy, motivated, and engaged thus far in 2015.
Hall of Fame Game
Image courtesy of NFL Game Pass
When I visited training camp, the first thing I saw was Matt Kalil surrounded by three coaches, working tirelessly to perfect his first step and speed in pass protection. Knee injuries will slow that process down, and it’s one of the more important aspects of protecting a quarterback’s blind side. In 2014, Kalil compensated for a slow first by jumping outside too often, letting rushers cross his face and make plays inside.
On the particular play above, Kalil avoids those same mistakes. At the snap, he kicks back quickly, meeting the rusher at the top of his drop before sinking his 34½” arms in No. 49’s chest. While his pad level is a bit too high, and his initial punch isn’t explosive — a problem last season — Kalil makes up for those deficiencies with superior upper body strength.
Defensive ends are taught to “bend the corner” on a pass rush, but No. 49 has no chance, even when he tries to lower his inside shoulder. In addition to his reach, Kalil’s hand placement inside ensures the defensive end can’t win the corner. As he tries to bend, Kalil brings his feet upfield, driving No. 49 backwards and effectively stonewalling the rush. It’s a win for Kalil, and a mostly clean piece of technique. From the footwork to the hand placement, it’s an improvement over 2014.
My favorite part of this play, however, comes near the end of the clip. Kalil shoves the rusher back, and stalks him with the slightest hint of “swag.” I like the aggressiveness he shows, and hopefully, it’s a sign that Kalil’s regained some of his 2012 confidence.
Preseason: Week One
Image courtesy of NFL Game Pass
Unlike the regular season, All-22 coach’s film isn’t available to fans during the preseason. Though we don’t have the best angle to analyze tape, the broadcast view can provide a few valuable insights.
In his first preseason game, Kalil showed off an improved first step and excellent hand placement, with a hint of confidence. Here, his footwork and athleticism are on full display. The defensive end gets a jump on Kalil to start, nearly beating him to the corner. Kalil prevents the play, delivering a solid punch that knocks the rusher off of his path. He then reestablishes his base, mirroring the defender as he tries to continue his rush.
What’s important to focus on is Kalil’s consistency here. He builds on the traits we saw in the Hall of Fame Game, while showcasing his first punch and the athleticism to stay with the defender from snap to throw. It’s encouraging, and becomes even more encouraging after watching the Vikings’ third game against the Raiders.
Preseason: Week Two
Image courtesy of NFL Game Pass
The Raiders’ Khalil Mack is one of the league’s best linebackers, and established himself as the team’s elite pass rusher in his rookie season. Though he’s not a quick-twitch athlete like Robert Quinn, he’s got a nasty bag of tricks when taking on offensive tackles. With his compact frame and muscular lower half, he’s deadly with a bull rush and almost impossible to stop when he gets his hands inside.
However, in the battle of “Kalil vs. Khalil,” the elder statesman emerged victorious. At the snap, Mack gives a head fake inside before exploding out, hoping to get Kalil to jump to the B-Gap. It doesn’t work, and Kalil meets Mack with outstretched arms. His length gives him an advantage, and Kalil does an excellent job lowering his hips to take on the start of Mack’s bull rush.
Thanks to some help from the left guard, Kalil manages to get Mack on the ground, but most of the dirty work came before the ball was out of Teddy Bridgewater’s hands. He combines everything that made him so successful int he first two games, and neutralizes the threat of Mack on the outside. It’s impressive, and though he lost on a few other occasions, a feat for a player who would’ve had no chance last season.
I’m not sold on Kalil returning to his Pro Bowl form in 2015, but I’m encouraged by his preseason play, which is an indicator of his improvement thus far. He’s showing signs of life on the blind side, and a healthy Matt Kalil may be enough to protect Teddy Bridgewater and better the chances of the Vikings’ vault into the playoffs.
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