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Minnesota Vikings Team Thread (2 Viewers)

Didn't mind the call.. and I was thinking the same thing at the time.. They were running it down their throat, perfect time to call a play action pass..

Unfortunately, Cousins threw that up like it was 4th and goal with 5 seconds left, rather than 1st and goal with 4 minutes left.
Stupid, stupid Rookie play for a "veteran" QB. 

If he doesn't pull his head out and start playing like the veteran QB he is paid to be this will be another talented team that goes nowhere. 

To give up 21 points in essentially the 1st quarter, and then hold Rodgers and company to zero points for almost 3 quarters was impressive. Not sure why it took to the 2nd quarter to change the Defensive game plan, but at least they changed.

Hopefully they take care of the Raiders at home as they should to get to 2-1. :popcorn:

 
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Feeling sort of debbie downer today. It's disappointing when you know the talent is there and low football IQ moments (Cousins throws, Diggs helmet removal) stand in the way of winning. Agreed with Snogger there was no issue at all with the play call, but a vet QB has to understand his situation is not do or die on that play. Oh well, it is maddening to know the Vikings almost need losses like this to get grounded. I was shaking my head last week when Everson saw a need to caution team mates that the Atlanta win was just one win in a long season... and then they fall behind 21-0 15 mere minutes of game play later. It says a lot about the "self-congratulatory over small accomplishments" culture this team always seems to experience. Something you would not expect from a team who has never accomplished anything remarkable.  

 
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Andy Dufresne said:
I hated the play call. You run it three, even four, times of necessary and run down the clock.
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:shrug:  After running it down their throat, at some point you assume they are going to go "All in" on stopping the run.
So a Play action pass call, IMO, is a good call there.
Then again, you are counting on your QB to realize it is 1st Down and throw it away if the play isn't there and move on to 2nd down.

 
snogger said:
:shrug:  After running it down their throat, at some point you assume they are going to go "All in" on stopping the run.
So a Play action pass call, IMO, is a good call there.
Then again, you are counting on your QB to realize it is 1st Down and throw it away if the play isn't there and move on to 2nd down.
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They were already all in and gassed. 

 
I'd love to see statistics of the last time a Patriot player was flagged for removing his helmet after a good play.

 
snogger said:
:shrug:  After running it down their throat, at some point you assume they are going to go "All in" on stopping the run.
So a Play action pass call, IMO, is a good call there.
Then again, you are counting on your QB to realize it is 1st Down and throw it away if the play isn't there and move on to 2nd down.
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Cousins served up at least two other interceptions n that game that the Packers failed to hang on to.  He is pushing it right now, struggling, yet just last year did he not complete over 70% of his throws.  With Diggs, Theilen, Rudolph, and those backfield options he needs to let his horses do the work.

 
sports_fan said:
The INT in the endzone was inexcusable. No reason to throw that on 1st down with the run game working so well. Throw it away and hand it off next play. The offensive line is no longer an excuse. With elite WRs and elite running game he has to be better. This loss is on him.
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Agreed. That is bad even for high school. I haven't listened to him or Zimmer or anyone try to put lipstick on this pig yet. I don't want to hear it. There is just no excuse for that throw.

 
As the game got close, I was hoping Cousins wouldn't lose the game and yep, that INT throw was the nail.

In his 2nd year, Cousins is so un-clutch, things are are parody level now.

 
Ditkaless Wonders said:
Cousins served up at least two other interceptions n that game that the Packers failed to hang on to.  He is pushing it right now, struggling, yet just last year did he not complete over 70% of his throws.  With Diggs, Theilen, Rudolph, and those backfield options he needs to let his horses do the work.
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In the same "chuck and duck" way that Bradford completed his 70%.

The line is a better run blocking unit but is still being manhandled in pass pro.

Bradbury looks like the typical undersized center the Vikes have employed since forever. He's getting worked.

 
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Andy Dufresne said:
In the same "chuck and duck" way that Bradford completed his 70%.

The line is a better run blocking unit but is still being manhandled in pass pro.

Bradbury looks like the typical undersized center the Vikes have employed since forever. He's getting worked.
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Too early to make any judgments this season.  As for his stats last season I saw our two games, and maybe another one or two Vikings games.  Not enough of a sample size to really know how he did.  I know the completion stat jumped off of the page to me, but perhaps it is misleading. perhaps I should have looked at yards per attempt and other indicators.

I do know this, any game we get out with a win is a good game.  We did great against you guys for a time, but the last three years has not been good to us against you.  I feel if Harrison Smith, Linville Joseph and Everson Griffen leave us standing that is a good outcome.  

 
Good to see them take care of business at home. Off to Chicago next week...

One thing that has bothered me for years is ..... Not sure what the actual percentage is, but you have to think it is around 90%... 

if they throw on 1st down and it is incomplete, the next play will be a Run up the middle..and the defense's know it. :wall:  

 
snogger said:
Good to see them take care of business at home. Off to Chicago next week...

One thing that has bothered me for years is ..... Not sure what the actual percentage is, but you have to think it is around 90%... 

if they throw on 1st down and it is incomplete, the next play will be a Run up the middle..and the defense's know it. :wall:  
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I don't have enough likes for this. They NEVER throw on 2nd and long.

 
encaitar said:
Andy Dufresne said:
I don't have enough likes for this. They NEVER throw on 2nd and long.
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And when teams stop the inevitable run for less than 2 yards, 3rd and long is a screen pass 75% of the time.  It's crazy that this has been true for 3 OCs now.
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It's the Zimmer old school mentality that is going to sink this team.  Same thing with a little over a minute left in the first half, Cook breaks off a 16 yard run to get them to about the 35ish and they just let the clock run out.  And playing soft at the end letting them score a garbage TD.  I want them to put a foot on the neck and stomp sometimes and they just wont' do it.

 
I know the Bears D is good but what a crapfest of a game for the Offense.

Everyone wants to blame Cousins, and he did have a few brain farts ( missed theilen on a deep pass, two fumbles because he hangs onto the ball way to long).. But why the F did the OC stick to the game plan?
Midway through the 2nd quarter it was obvious to all but he and Zimmer that the running game was going nowhere.
Mix in some sweeps, screen plays, etc.. instead.. We have a plan and we are sticking to it.. Up the middle, 2 yards.. up the middle 1 yard.. up the middle ohhh wow 4 yards!!!
Not to mention the OL sucked and yet the play call was ..
Cousins stand in the pocket.. get sacked.. Cousin stand in the pocket, fumble.. Cousins, stand in the pocket and get hammered..
Very few Rollouts and again, where were the screen passes vs. a Defense that was pinning their helmets backs and winning the fight vs. the OL...    :wall:  

 
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Zimmer has to totally divorce himself from the offense.  He should have no say in what they do.  Everyone knows his philosophy what he wants and they are ready for it.  Against a good team like the Bears this just isn't going to work.  He is a dinosaur and either he changes or he needs to go.

 
mr roboto said:
Scheme sucks. Go to shotgun/quick passes. Kirk under center w/this line is a disaster. 
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Honestly, the offense wasn't the problem last year. Injuries, and some bad luck were. This has been a gross overreaction, and fixing something that really wasn't broken. 

 
snogger said:
I know the Bears D is good but what a crapfest of a game for the Offense.

Everyone wants to blame Cousins, and he did have a few brain farts ( missed theilen on a deep pass, two fumbles because he hangs onto the ball way to long).. But why the F did the OC stick to the game plan?
Midway through the 2nd quarter it was obvious to all but he and Zimmer that the running game was going nowhere.
Mix in some sweeps, screen plays, etc.. instead.. We have a plan and we are sticking to it.. Up the middle, 2 yards.. up the middle 1 yard.. up the middle ohhh wow 4 yards!!!
Not to mention the OL sucked and yet the play call was ..
Cousins stand in the pocket.. get sacked.. Cousin stand in the pocket, fumble.. Cousins, stand in the pocket and get hammered..
Very few Rollouts and again, where were the screen passes vs. a Defense that was pinning their helmets backs and winning the fight vs. the OL...    :wall:  
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agree.  their offensive scheme is predictable.   sometimes you have to open up the run game with the pass.  vikes are unwilling to do this.  if NE goes up against a team that is 1st in the league against the run you can bet their first 10 plays will be passes.  it's just the way they do it & the Vikes better start doing it.  pathetic really.  IMO

 
travdogg said:
Honestly, the offense wasn't the problem last year. Injuries, and some bad luck were. This has been a gross overreaction, and fixing something that really wasn't broken. 
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Offense wasn't the issue last year but it is this year.  It is far too predictable and has no creativity.  Good teams will shut it down and the Vikes won't win any key games.  They will blow out any weak teams that can't stop the run but will finish 7-9 or 8-8 if they don't get more creative on offense. 

 
It just seems like they're possibly hiding something health wise with Cousins.

I know he's Kirk Cousins, but he looks like a small of tha guy he was even last year.

 
Gally said:
Offense wasn't the issue last year but it is this year.  It is far too predictable and has no creativity.  Good teams will shut it down and the Vikes won't win any key games.  They will blow out any weak teams that can't stop the run but will finish 7-9 or 8-8 if they don't get more creative on offense. 
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That is what I said.

ETA: I think I may have misunderstood why you were quoting me. I think we are in agreement. 

 
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Statorama said:
The only time the offense was clicking was when they had a sense of urgency
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That's because they became less predictable.  I think it would be great to throw in some no huddle periodically throughout the game to change it up.  That would show some creativity and help open up the run game against good defenses.

 
travdogg said:
That is what I said.

ETA: I think I may have misunderstood why you were quoting me. I think we are in agreement. 
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I was agreeing with you about last year but stating the offense (lack of creativity) is the problem this year.  We are definitely on the same page.

 
It’s frustrating. The first play of the 2nd half - Cousins under center strip sack. 

Kirk is an above average QB with below average pocket awareness. Put him in shotgun. He’s much better there.  Roll him out more.

I swear this feels like ‘7 step drop’ Norv all over again.  Yet the Bears got the ball out quickly.

I haven’t seen many slant routes all year. You have Theilen and Diggs. Great route runners and YAC guys. 

I don’t love Cousins.  But the scheme ####### sucks.  You have to design around your team’s strengths  

 
Andy Dufresne said:
It just seems like they're possibly hiding something health wise with Cousins.

I know he's Kirk Cousins, but he looks like a small of tha guy he was even last year.
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I agree with what most are saying about the scheme being too predictable.

In the Green Bay game every time they ran a bootleg Cousins had a unblocked defender in his face. Why? They know the offense too well even though they haven't played against this version yet.

Same thing with the Bears who were short handed on defense yet still blew up the middle of the offensive line and Mack beating Reiff a few times.

To your point  about  Kirk Cousins he seems even worse than last year. He has no confidence in himself now. Always hanging his head and when you listen to his comments to the press it is the opposite of confident. After the Green Bay game he was saying he wont be the starter long playing like that.

I would rather see Cousins tell a bold faced lie about his confidence than what he has been providing as an example of leadership.

As for Zimmer he is divorced from what the offense is doing for the most part. That is why Kubiak is the assistant head coach. Same thing with Norv before and last year infighting between ZImmer and DeFlippo over the direction of the offense.

Last week I heard some folks talking about how the Vikings needed to come out passing and to use 3 and 4 WR sets to get the Bears out of their base defensive packages. They made moves to add WR which to me seemed to suggest they may have been thinking about this similarly.

They didn't do this at all. Same 3 TE offense early on in the game and it did not work. The defense couldnt get off the field so it was a long time before they got to show it wouldn't work again. They didn't come out with more than 2 WR until the 4th quarter when it was too late.

I was a bit amazed to see the Vikings move the ball by passing as well as they did once they did try that. 

Now imagine if the Vikings had switched things up a bit and spread the Bears out earlier in the game. Even if only for a play or two mixed in with the rest of the offense. I think even a little bit of creativity and different looks would have went a long way.

I wasn't expecting the Vikings to win against the Bears on the road. I just wanted them to be more competitive than they were. They seemed outmatched in all phases across the board in this game against the Bears, and they shouldn't be. The Vikings are just as talented as the Bears are if not moreso. I don't think very highly of the Bears coaches but they did a much better job than Zimmer and his coaching staff.

The offensive line is still the biggest problem. Bradbury looks like he needs a year in the strength program. He keeps getting blown up as does Elflien. It is hard to scheme for that type of failure.

 
Any chance we try to get Sloter back off of Arizona's practice squad or did they put him on the 53 man roster?

 
Biabreakable said:
The offensive line is still the biggest problem. Bradbury looks like he needs a year in the strength program. He keeps getting blown up as does Elflien. It is hard to scheme for that type of failure.
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This has been shocking for me. I can't believe how obviously undersized he is out there.

 
Offensive line hasn't been great but Cousins is killing the team for all the reasons mentioned above.  Makes me long to have Bridgewater back as QB.

 
brianj74 said:
Offensive line hasn't been great but Cousins is killing the team for all the reasons mentioned above.  Makes me long to have Bridgewater back as QB.
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He wouldn't be any better if they are running the same offense they are running with Cousins.  Cousins is an adequate QB but the scheme and O-Line play are killing any chances he has of looking competent at the moment. 

 
I hadn't thought about it until now but Hercules Mata'afa has been a healthy scratch the last two weeks after playing 32% of the snaps against Oakland and 11% against Green Bay he had one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery. He didn't make any plays vs Oakland despite playing more.

It does seem that Ifeadi Odenigbo has taken over the pass rushing under tackle spot when they are not playing Stephen there.

 
Hoping the coaching staff learned to take advantage of bad pass defenses and keep it up this week VS the Eagles..

Unfortunately, knowing this group, they'll think.. We got them guessing and run it the majority and leave Cousins as a sitting duck in the pocket.. :kicksrock:

 
:thumbup:

Nice cover today, thought their demise at 2-2 losing to the Packers and Bears was a little overblown and they've righted the ship quickly. Giants were on an uptick before the Vikes faced them, then they dispose of the Eagles, good wins. 

4-2, going to be the top wildcard if they don't catch the Packers for the division...I think the Pack will fade 2nd half of season but we'll see. 

 
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