Do you Think ? ( USA Today)

[Coach Mark]

Hopkins has rarely strayed from his spot out wide on the left, which makes it far easier for defenses to defend him. Mostly because they know exactly where he’s going to be and don’t have to adjust the structure of their defense or coverage to account for the different alignments. It’s a very collegiate approach to structuring the passing game. At the NFL level, taking advantage of matchups is the name of the game, and you create mismatches by moving your best players around. Kingsbury just isn’t doing a good enough job of using Hopkins right now, and it’s hurting the team on third down.

Hopkins should be getting a lion’s share of the targets in those “gotta have it” situations, but his target rate barely increases on third downs, jumping only 2.2% from early downs. Compare that to how the Packers force-feed Davante Adams the ball on third downs. Adams’ target rate jumps from 26.1% on early downs to 33.6% on third down.

Different defenses have different points of weakness. So it makes little sense to keep your best player in the same spot regardless of opponent, which is how the Cardinals have operated this season. Instead of having Christian Kirk attack that weak nickel, how about putting Hopkins in the slot and letting him do it? If the defense adjusts to help out that weak link, it creates issues elsewhere.

 

[WisconsinCard]

Creating mismatches is what running an NFL offense is all about. They don't have to do that in college because there is mismatches all over the field. How KK doesn't understand that by now is astounding. He needs to pull out all the stops and adjust his thinking because this isn't working. If you get beat, well at least you tried something different, and I for one would respect the effort.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Creating mismatches is what running an NFL offense is all about. They don't have to do that in college because there is mismatches all over the field. How KK doesn't understand that by now is astounding. He needs to pull out all the stops and adjust his thinking because this isn't working. If you get beat, well at least you tried something different, and I for one would respect the effort.

I hope & pray we come out in 12 & 21 personnel against the Giants with quite a bit of 11 mixed in? The "Shehawks" gashed them for 274 yards even in the loss Sunday. 12 & 21 personnel will be big boy football & not just short passes designed to get just past the sticks. Put Kylers butt under Center & pound their asses. Mix it up, run some stuff for the TE's. Use some rollouts & misdirection plays. Being under Center allows the OL to get a solid push on the DL as to where on pass plays they're already backpedaling giving the DL the advantage. Move Hopkins all over the field to create mismatches. Do I think KK will do all of this? Of course he won't & I have no idea why other than being stubborn. It worked last season when he saw he couldn't just run 10 personnel.