All Things 2022 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread

Put every QB in the NFL behind the #1 OL, and Kirk is top 2 or 3. He can absolutely make you pay when he has time to throw.

But he is not a guy who is going to be able to make up for a bad OL like we have. (#23 pass block, #27 run block according to ESPN.) He collapses under pressure, he can't extend plays, and he isn't a scrambling threat.

Bottom line is don't invest in Kirk if you haven't first invested in your OL.
Just like in 2018 after Case did such a good job making the OL look better than it was. They brought in Kirk.
 



Kirk is far from perfect and I'd be fine if we moved on but he is so far down the list of reasons we haven't been able to take the next step. If we have even an average defense, we are a pretty good team.
 



Kirk is far from perfect and I'd be fine if we moved on but he is so far down the list of reasons we haven't been able to take the next step. If we have even an average defense, we are a pretty good team.
I would love to have a better QB than Cousins; younger, more athletic and mobile, bigger arm, higher ceiling.... but the likelihood of dumping Cousins and hitting on a scenario like that is almost microscopic. At some point, sooner or later, they'll have to look at other options like that, but right now, as you said, it's MILES from the most glaring problem with this current team/roster.
 


I would love to have a better QB than Cousins; younger, more athletic and mobile, bigger arm, higher ceiling.... but the likelihood of dumping Cousins and hitting on a scenario like that is almost microscopic. At some point, sooner or later, they'll have to look at other options like that, but right now, as you said, it's MILES from the most glaring problem with this current team/roster.
Yeah, our talent lacks any depth in talent. Our biggest need is probably still defensive back and we've dumped a ton of resources into those positions. Our draft classes have major holes. We are just a team with 6-7 good players and the rest are pretty bad.

2021 Draft: Only 3 of 11 players are still on the team.
2020 Draft: Absolute waste of a 1st round pick on Gladney
2019 Draft: It's likely the only players still on the team next year from this draft will be Oli Udoh and maybe Kris Boyd.
 

I can tell. The whole check down/short throw stat has always been made up. He has usually been above average in how far downfield he throws.

This year specifically he averaged more air yards per attempt than Mahomes, Rodgers, Herbert, Lawrence, Goff, and others. In 2021 he finished 3rd in all of the NFL in air yards per attempt.

Not when it mattered, unfortunately. I’ll take your word for it, just commenting on this game and the wierd decisions he made.

Ultimately this team wasn’t going to the super bowl unless something really kooky happened every week in the playoffs. They had some crazy fun games though.
 




I can tell. The whole check down/short throw stat has always been made up. He has usually been above average in how far downfield he throws.

This year specifically he averaged more air yards per attempt than Mahomes, Rodgers, Herbert, Lawrence, Goff, and others. In 2021 he finished 3rd in all of the NFL in air yards per attempt.

I‘m seeing he’s 15th in air yards per completion?


 

Cursed. They’ve had some really good teams too.
I'm not sure what is more remarkable, losing the 4 straight Super Bowls they appeared in (1969 - 1976) or the 6 straight defeats in the subsequent NFC Championships they have gone to since 1977.

Too close to call.
 

Kirk is far from perfect and I'd be fine if we moved on but he is so far down the list of reasons we haven't been able to take the next step. If we have even an average defense, we are a pretty good team.
He was brought in for 2018 to be what Keenum supposedly couldn't be for 2017. The missing piece to get us to the Super Bowl.

That team certainly didn't get it done.


Looking at the list of departures from 2017 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Minnesota_Vikings_season#Transactions ) I'm not sure who we lost that resulted in such a bad swing?
 



Yeah, our talent lacks any depth in talent. Our biggest need is probably still defensive back and we've dumped a ton of resources into those positions. Our draft classes have major holes. We are just a team with 6-7 good players and the rest are pretty bad.

2021 Draft: Only 3 of 11 players are still on the team.
2020 Draft: Absolute waste of a 1st round pick on Gladney
2019 Draft: It's likely the only players still on the team next year from this draft will be Oli Udoh and maybe Kris Boyd.
I thought Dantzler was promising, but now he seems to be going by the wayside as well.


Evans seemed better this year than Booth, but everyone is saying "wait until Booth plays next year!"
 


I'm not sure what is more remarkable, losing the 4 straight Super Bowls they appeared in (1969 - 1976) or the 6 straight defeats in the subsequent NFC Championships they have gone to since 1977.

Too close to call.
We're probably still "ahead" regardless, but if the Bills lose the AFC championship again to the Chiefs this season, they might have an argument.
 

That's fine, it is my bad that I didn't know that or forgot it.


Is there any other sports league that "re-seeds" its championship bracket, like that?? You can certainly argue that football is somewhat unique in having single games instead of series, but that's also true in the World Cup that we just witnessed. And the College Football Playoff likely will not do that after each round.

I think it's kinda silly that the NFL does this. But, of course, it's all for TV ratings and money.
The MIAC! At least for basketball. Good enough for them it's good enough for the NFL! ;)


Probably not a significant impact on the MIAC TV ratings. Could be a bigger gate in 2023 if it somehow produces a St Olaf at Carleton matchup. A Townie can dream.
 

I'm waiting for the Cyber Ninjas to weigh in...

 

I stand by my assertion that Detroit is the favorite to win the NFC North in 2023. Not overwhelming, but I think they are on the right path.
Nailed it.

I got lots of pushback on pumping up the Lions as actually being a competent squad going back to mid-December last year.

Amazing this is their first Division crown going back to 1993, especially since the NFC North has only had 4 teams since created in 2002. Before that there were only 5 in the NFC Central.

Sucks to be right though.
 

Nailed it.

I got lots of pushback on pumping up the Lions as actually being a competent squad going back to mid-December last year.

Amazing this is their first Division crown going back to 1993, especially since the NFC North has only had 4 teams since created in 2002. Before that there were only 5 in the NFC Central.

Sucks to be right though.

Nobody likes you, and your mama dresses you funny!

And I fart in your general direction!
 

Nailed it.

I got lots of pushback on pumping up the Lions as actually being a competent squad going back to mid-December last year.

Amazing this is their first Division crown going back to 1993, especially since the NFC North has only had 4 teams since created in 2002. Before that there were only 5 in the NFC Central.

Sucks to be right though.
Don’t break your back congratulating 🥳 yourself too much😉

Does this mean we can look forward to the same zeal when you whiff on a prediction too?
 


Don’t break your back congratulating 🥳 yourself too much😉

Does this mean we can look forward to the same zeal when you whiff on a prediction too?
This one was too tempting to not risk spraining my arm, at least. I got tons of pushback and don't recall any co-signers on my behalf in this or the Off-season Thread.

I did call myself out on indicating with "5 games to go that it would be hard for the Packers to miss the post-season". They promptly pratfalled against the now benched DeVito led Giants and Bucs at Lambeau. Kinda a "no lose" prediction there. Either I"m right or GB loses.
 

This one was too tempting to not risk spraining my arm, at least.
Well earned🎉🎤
I got tons of pushback and don't recall any co-signers on my behalf in this or the Off-season Thread.
As one of your detractors regarding the kitties, I couldn’t resist 🤣. Someday, maybe?, I’ll grow up.
I did call myself out on indicating with "5 games to go that it would be hard for the Packers to miss the post-season".
👍
They promptly pratfalled against the now benched DeVito led Giants and Bucs at Lambeau. Kinda a "no lose" prediction there. Either I"m right or GB loses.
 

Nailed it.
If you were posting about college realignment, then being right on this one wild guess would allow you to gain tens of thousands of followers and quit your day job.
 

If you were posting about college realignment, then being right on this one wild guess would allow you to gain tens of thousands of followers and quit your day job.
I prefer to think of it as more of an "educated guess" than a "wild guess". :cool:

Lions played pretty well starting November 2022 in which randomly I had seen 3 of the games, so thought they could sustain it somewhat. I knew they would have a slightly easier schedule, didn't think Minnesota couldn't sustain the good fortune of winning 1 score games, with or without Rodgers Green Bay appeared diminished and Detroit had a good stock of draft capital from the Stafford-Goff trade.

True there was some good fortune, Rodgers was shipped out, they played the Chiefs without Kelce in the season opener, and Cousins for the first time suffered a season ending injury.
 

At the beginning of this year, the Vikings looked really good, and the Packers looked really bad.

I know the Vikings have had a bunch of injuries, but now the Packers appear to have a better, younger team roster than the Vikings.
 

My eval of our defensive talent. Flores is a wizard as this group is 11th in pts allowed. However not fair to ask Flores to pull off another smoke and mirrors next season. Serious talent upgrade is needed.

Our cap situation isn't helpful. If we don't go QB, could we get a defensive pro bowler and a defensive above avg with our first two picks? That would really help.

Average:
Pace, Hicks, Phillips, Bynum, Murphy

Above average:
Wonnum

Pro bowl:
Hunter

All pro:
none
 
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