BleedGopher
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With training camp upon us, it's time for the 2018 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread!
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2018 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread
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BleedGopher
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ESPN: Kirk Cousins getting more comfortable on new team
At the end of the Minnesota Vikings spring offseason program, Kirk Cousins equated the amount of concepts had to process in a new offense to "drinking through a firehose." Information overload was expected when the quarterback arrived in the Twin Cities in April, prompting him to devise a plan to go over the elements of the playbook he didn't grasp initially during his time off.
But not everything has taken multiple attempts to get right. One part of Cousins' transition from Washington to his new team came along much sooner than he anticipated.
"My question coming in was, how long do I sit back and watch and listen and learn before I then start to act like a starting quarterback," Cousins said. "That I was trying to communicate in the spring was I was surprised by how much my teammates gave me that license to lead quickly. I thought they were going to want to have me prove myself a little bit longer than maybe I had to. They were very supportive and said, 'No, man. It's your show. Let's go.' When I say I was welcomed by the team, I was accepted, I was given permission to lead, that's where it didn't take as long as maybe I thought it would have. I think that was a pleasant surprise."
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24202463/kirk-cousins-transitions-leadership-role-vikings
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At the end of the Minnesota Vikings spring offseason program, Kirk Cousins equated the amount of concepts had to process in a new offense to "drinking through a firehose." Information overload was expected when the quarterback arrived in the Twin Cities in April, prompting him to devise a plan to go over the elements of the playbook he didn't grasp initially during his time off.
But not everything has taken multiple attempts to get right. One part of Cousins' transition from Washington to his new team came along much sooner than he anticipated.
"My question coming in was, how long do I sit back and watch and listen and learn before I then start to act like a starting quarterback," Cousins said. "That I was trying to communicate in the spring was I was surprised by how much my teammates gave me that license to lead quickly. I thought they were going to want to have me prove myself a little bit longer than maybe I had to. They were very supportive and said, 'No, man. It's your show. Let's go.' When I say I was welcomed by the team, I was accepted, I was given permission to lead, that's where it didn't take as long as maybe I thought it would have. I think that was a pleasant surprise."
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24202463/kirk-cousins-transitions-leadership-role-vikings
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BleedGopher
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STrib: Kirk Cousins, confident and in control, is already taking the lead
As Kirk Cousins prepared to board a plane bound for the Twin Cities on Tuesday afternoon, his phone lit up with a text message from Adam Thielen.
“[He] said, ‘Hey, can you get in early so we can throw?’ ” Cousins recalled. “I said my arrival time is not going to give me any time to do that, but he wants to work. On off days, he’s trying to find ways to get out here. I said, ‘I don’t even know what the rules are about you coming here and catching before [veterans report to training camp] on Friday.’ He said, ‘I think we can. I’ll find a way.’ ”
Such are the reasons Cousins seems so comfortable only 4½ months after he signed with the Vikings. Questions about his future were put to rest with the three-year, $84 million contract he received in March, and his status as the organizational alpha dog is not in doubt after several years of uncertainty with the Redskins. At this point, at least, there’s little for the 29-year-old quarterback to worry about other than bonding with players who seem as invigorated by football minutiae as he is.
“Those guys are just easy to work with,” Cousins said. “They’re easy to lead, too, because they are so excited about football and they love playing this game. There are people in this league who love what football brings them, but they don’t really love football. We’ve got a lot of guys on this team who really love football, regardless of what it brings them and that’s obviously fun to work with and play with.”
http://www.startribune.com/kirk-cou...control-is-already-taking-the-lead/489304151/
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As Kirk Cousins prepared to board a plane bound for the Twin Cities on Tuesday afternoon, his phone lit up with a text message from Adam Thielen.
“[He] said, ‘Hey, can you get in early so we can throw?’ ” Cousins recalled. “I said my arrival time is not going to give me any time to do that, but he wants to work. On off days, he’s trying to find ways to get out here. I said, ‘I don’t even know what the rules are about you coming here and catching before [veterans report to training camp] on Friday.’ He said, ‘I think we can. I’ll find a way.’ ”
Such are the reasons Cousins seems so comfortable only 4½ months after he signed with the Vikings. Questions about his future were put to rest with the three-year, $84 million contract he received in March, and his status as the organizational alpha dog is not in doubt after several years of uncertainty with the Redskins. At this point, at least, there’s little for the 29-year-old quarterback to worry about other than bonding with players who seem as invigorated by football minutiae as he is.
“Those guys are just easy to work with,” Cousins said. “They’re easy to lead, too, because they are so excited about football and they love playing this game. There are people in this league who love what football brings them, but they don’t really love football. We’ve got a lot of guys on this team who really love football, regardless of what it brings them and that’s obviously fun to work with and play with.”
http://www.startribune.com/kirk-cou...control-is-already-taking-the-lead/489304151/
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BleedGopher
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per Sid:
Battles to watch
Pro Football Focus released their training camp preview of the Vikings and labeled these the key matchups to watch. They also had the Vikings as one of only two Tier 1 teams in the league.
Daniel Carlson vs. Kai Forbath for kicker; Brian O’Neill vs. Rashod Hill at right tackle; Laquon Treadwell vs. Kendall Wright for the No. 3 receiver; Stacy Coley vs. Mike Hughes vs. Marcus Sherels for kick returner; and Terence Newman vs. Hughes vs. Mackensie Alexander for the nickel cornerback.
http://www.startribune.com/tony-spa...sting-impression-on-vikings-rookie/489303901/
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Battles to watch
Pro Football Focus released their training camp preview of the Vikings and labeled these the key matchups to watch. They also had the Vikings as one of only two Tier 1 teams in the league.
Daniel Carlson vs. Kai Forbath for kicker; Brian O’Neill vs. Rashod Hill at right tackle; Laquon Treadwell vs. Kendall Wright for the No. 3 receiver; Stacy Coley vs. Mike Hughes vs. Marcus Sherels for kick returner; and Terence Newman vs. Hughes vs. Mackensie Alexander for the nickel cornerback.
http://www.startribune.com/tony-spa...sting-impression-on-vikings-rookie/489303901/
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BleedGopher
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Pioneer Press: Vikings rookie Brian O’Neill packing on pounds by eating 6,000 calories a day
Nearly every meal for Brian O’Neill lately has been of the all-you-can-eat variety.
O’Neill was listed at 297 pounds when the Vikings picked him out of the University of Pittsburgh in the second round of the NFL draft in April. That’s actually light for an NFL tackle, especially one standing 6-foot-7.
After weighing in between 295 and 298 pounds during June mini-camp, O’Neill said he has gained between six and 10 pounds, depending on when he steps on the scale, in the six weeks before Wednesday’s start of training camp.
“I’m over 300 pounds now,” he said. “That was the goal coming back to camp, to be above 300. For five weeks, I was back at the University of Pittsburgh with our head strength coach and our full-time nutritionist was there. I put down about 6,000 calories a day.”
O’Neill said he had meals at the Pittsburgh football facility, and it was always all you can eat.
“A lot of protein and a lot of carbs,” he said. “A big thing for me is eating right before bed. For a lot of people, they say, ‘Don’t eat past 7 o’clock’ or something. I do 7 o’clock, 10 o’clock and 11:30 or whenever I go to bed. I always have something in me, and I can never be hungry.”
https://www.twincities.com/2018/07/...king-on-pounds-by-eating-6000-calories-a-day/
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Nearly every meal for Brian O’Neill lately has been of the all-you-can-eat variety.
O’Neill was listed at 297 pounds when the Vikings picked him out of the University of Pittsburgh in the second round of the NFL draft in April. That’s actually light for an NFL tackle, especially one standing 6-foot-7.
After weighing in between 295 and 298 pounds during June mini-camp, O’Neill said he has gained between six and 10 pounds, depending on when he steps on the scale, in the six weeks before Wednesday’s start of training camp.
“I’m over 300 pounds now,” he said. “That was the goal coming back to camp, to be above 300. For five weeks, I was back at the University of Pittsburgh with our head strength coach and our full-time nutritionist was there. I put down about 6,000 calories a day.”
O’Neill said he had meals at the Pittsburgh football facility, and it was always all you can eat.
“A lot of protein and a lot of carbs,” he said. “A big thing for me is eating right before bed. For a lot of people, they say, ‘Don’t eat past 7 o’clock’ or something. I do 7 o’clock, 10 o’clock and 11:30 or whenever I go to bed. I always have something in me, and I can never be hungry.”
https://www.twincities.com/2018/07/...king-on-pounds-by-eating-6000-calories-a-day/
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BleedGopher
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Scoggins: Terence Newman, NFL's oldest defensive player, gives it one more run at a ring
Newman's history with Zimmer — "I've been with Zim forever," he said — presumably makes his roster spot safe, even though he's playing for the veteran's minimum with no guaranteed money.
Newman provides a security blanket in the secondary. He can play outside cornerback, slot/nickel and safety, and he knows Zimmer's system better than anyone on the roster.
He's also a valuable resource for the young cornerbacks, especially rookie first-rounder Mike Hughes, who should attach himself to Newman's hip and soak up as much knowledge as possible.
Newman relishes the mentor role. He is not threatened by youngsters competing for his playing time.
"Whether I make the team or not, I'm going to help the guys that ask me for help," he said.
Father Time hasn't pushed him out of the league yet. Not even the grind of training camp made him consider retirement. Leaving without another crack at a championship just didn't sound appealing.
"That close [last season], why quit right there?" he asked. "It makes no sense."
http://www.startribune.com/terence-...er-gives-it-one-more-run-at-a-ring/489433911/
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Newman's history with Zimmer — "I've been with Zim forever," he said — presumably makes his roster spot safe, even though he's playing for the veteran's minimum with no guaranteed money.
Newman provides a security blanket in the secondary. He can play outside cornerback, slot/nickel and safety, and he knows Zimmer's system better than anyone on the roster.
He's also a valuable resource for the young cornerbacks, especially rookie first-rounder Mike Hughes, who should attach himself to Newman's hip and soak up as much knowledge as possible.
Newman relishes the mentor role. He is not threatened by youngsters competing for his playing time.
"Whether I make the team or not, I'm going to help the guys that ask me for help," he said.
Father Time hasn't pushed him out of the league yet. Not even the grind of training camp made him consider retirement. Leaving without another crack at a championship just didn't sound appealing.
"That close [last season], why quit right there?" he asked. "It makes no sense."
http://www.startribune.com/terence-...er-gives-it-one-more-run-at-a-ring/489433911/
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BleedGopher
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per Sid:
Ready to become a leader
Cousins acknowledged he has landed on an established team. And he knows that becoming a leader can be both natural for a quarterback and something that has to be earned.
“I think there’s different levels of leadership. Naturally as a quarterback, calling the plays, making the checks, getting guys lined up, you’re going to have a leadership role whether you want to or not. You pretty much have to step into that regardless, but there’s another level you can take after that,” Cousins said.
“As a new player you’re kind of growing in that role, and I do see myself as someone who has been that in the past and it’s just a matter of taking the time to know everyone, to learn how things are done here and listen, and a lot of times good leadership involves listening and then from there stepping it up and be vocal and have a presence about you and hopefully be able to be a leader in this locker room for a long time.”
http://www.startribune.com/kirk-cou...to-get-to-this-point-as-vikings-qb/489432341/
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Ready to become a leader
Cousins acknowledged he has landed on an established team. And he knows that becoming a leader can be both natural for a quarterback and something that has to be earned.
“I think there’s different levels of leadership. Naturally as a quarterback, calling the plays, making the checks, getting guys lined up, you’re going to have a leadership role whether you want to or not. You pretty much have to step into that regardless, but there’s another level you can take after that,” Cousins said.
“As a new player you’re kind of growing in that role, and I do see myself as someone who has been that in the past and it’s just a matter of taking the time to know everyone, to learn how things are done here and listen, and a lot of times good leadership involves listening and then from there stepping it up and be vocal and have a presence about you and hopefully be able to be a leader in this locker room for a long time.”
http://www.startribune.com/kirk-cou...to-get-to-this-point-as-vikings-qb/489432341/
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bemidjigopher
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I can't shake the feeling that the Vikings will be bad this year
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Sportsfan24
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How can it not be; we expect an average q.b to be elite.
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short ornery norwegian
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As it almost always does, it will come down to injuries. Sometimes the team that wins isn't the "best" team, it's the healthiest team - OR the team with the strongest backups. In case you've forgotten, the team that won the Super Bowl last year was playing with a backup QB. And the Vikings spent most of the year playing a guy who was originally intended to be a backup.
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Cousins is certainly better than average. 3 straight years of 4,000 yards and 25+ touchdowns isn’t easy to do. The Vikings have better weapons than Washington as well.
Stats below I found are pretty eye opening. First three years as a starter:
Kirk Cousins13,176 yards passing - 81TDs - 36INTs - 67% completion - 97.5 passer rating
Aaron Rodgers12,394 yards passing - 86TDs - 31INTs - 64.6% completion - 99.4 passer rating
Peyton Manning12,287 yards passing - 85TDs - 58INTs - 60.4% completion - 85.4 passer rating
Cam Newton11,299 yards passing - 64TDs - 42INTs - 59.8% completion - 86.4 passer rating
Tom Brady10,227 yards passing - 69TDs - 38INTs - 61.9% completion - 86.0 passer rating
Drew Brees8,551 yards passing - 55TDs - 38INTs - 61.4% completion - 83.0 passer rating
Ben Roethlisberger8,519 yards passing - 52TDs - 43INTs - 62.4% completion - 87.9 passer rating
Sportsfan24
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W’s, where are they? The qb’s you referenced are elite difference makers who can carry their perspective teams. That ain’t Cousins, never has been. He simply isn’t that type of player.
Remember this response. Kyle Rudolph will have his best season (if he doesn’t get hurt), Davin Cook will catch a ton of balls. Digs and Thielen will have mediocre seasons (Cousins doesn’t throw deep balls.) Folks will take notice the 2nd time in a pressure situation Cousins throws a interception (that his mo.)
Did the Vikings upgrade at QB? Not really but Cousins contract says we got an elite QB......not even close. Can the Vikings go to a Super Bowl with Cousins? Absolutely. Can Cousins carry the Vikings to a super bowl? Hell no.
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GopherWeatherGuy
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Oh so you're now going to use your terrible Rubio take and apply it to Cousins? The only reason the Redskins won the division in 2015 was because of Cousins. It wasn't because of his terrible defense and mediocre WRs.
Now what is he going to do with a great defense and two top WRs?
bemidjigopher
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That division was also a joke, someone had to win it
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bottlebass
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Cousins also had one of the better OLs in the league and we don't...
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CBS: Vikings' Danielle Hunter is the NFL's best pass rusher that nobody's talking about
It is illegal for NFL teams to practice in full pads before summer training camp, but one look at Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter during June's minicamp would have been enough to convince you the reigning NFC North champions had been skirting the rules.
That's not because the Vikings actually gave their fourth-year lineman some game-day gear on the low. It's because Hunter's chiseled frame looked a whole lot like it came pre-padded. And then some.
Practicing just out of the shadow of the towering steel temple that is the team's TCO Performance Center, a 40-acre headquarters in the Vikings' new corporate campus, Hunter still managed to stand out. But it was not just his unmatched and impossible-to-overstate physique that set him apart on a Minnesota team that, in 2017, was one victory away from the Super Bowl and owned the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense.
It was also the fact he's probably the best professional pass rusher whom nobody's talking about.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...-best-pass-rusher-that-nobodys-talking-about/
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It is illegal for NFL teams to practice in full pads before summer training camp, but one look at Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter during June's minicamp would have been enough to convince you the reigning NFC North champions had been skirting the rules.
That's not because the Vikings actually gave their fourth-year lineman some game-day gear on the low. It's because Hunter's chiseled frame looked a whole lot like it came pre-padded. And then some.
Practicing just out of the shadow of the towering steel temple that is the team's TCO Performance Center, a 40-acre headquarters in the Vikings' new corporate campus, Hunter still managed to stand out. But it was not just his unmatched and impossible-to-overstate physique that set him apart on a Minnesota team that, in 2017, was one victory away from the Super Bowl and owned the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense.
It was also the fact he's probably the best professional pass rusher whom nobody's talking about.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...-best-pass-rusher-that-nobodys-talking-about/
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march madness
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If this season is a failure that is on the GM, the coach, and everyone else who didn't prioritize the weakest postition on the team--offensive line. If they don't pass protect better, we will be asking if Siemian can get us to the playoffs very quickly.
Pro Football Focus had us as the 28th best pass blocking offensive line, entering this year.
Pro Football Focus had us as the 28th best pass blocking offensive line, entering this year.
GophersInIowa
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If you're comparing Cousins to what the QB's listed have done over their entire career, I get your point. But he's comparing what they did over their first three years as a starter. Cousins is right there or better than many of those players at this point when it comes to production. Isn't producing the best way to carry your team?
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Exactly. And this is why if they wanted Cousins that bad, they needed to improve their offensive line.
Keenum made that OL look adequate last year. I leaned Keenum unless the OL was improved.
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I think Diggs is good, but not elite
Sportsfan24
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My point is Cousins is not different than Case. Case would have been a hell of a lot cheaper and we could have fixed the oline.
I’m a patient man and I feel strongly about what I said so I will allow the season to unfold as I have predicted.
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GophersInIowa
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I would have been okay with Keenum too. The difference between the two though is that Cousins has been pretty good for three years, Keenum had just one good year.
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Just what exactly is your "prediction"? That Cousins isn't a combination of Brady, Montana and Marino? So if they don't win the Super Bowl by 3 scores you will call yourself Nostradamus?
Yes, they overpaid for Cousins; don't know a single person that would dispute that. Is he an upgrade over Case K? I think he is, how much so is the question. Bottom line, their window is NOW and they elected to roll the dice on overpaying for Cousins rather than overpaying for Keenum. As Vikings fans we should be happy that they didn't go the cheap route and did the best they could to put the team in a position to win now.
Not really sure what you're saying here or the point you're trying to make, other than the completely obvious?
die hard gopher
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Cousins, Thielen, Harrison Smith, Rhodes, Griffen, Linval, Kendricks, Hunter, Diggs and Cook all signed for at least the next 3 years plus Reiff, Remmers, Elflein and Gedeon. Rudolph, Sendejo and Waynes for the next two years as well.
No reason to believe we won't have sustained success for the forseeable future.
No reason to believe we won't have sustained success for the forseeable future.
Section2
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i.e. 2 years?
Philly showed what an elite OL can do for an offense and team. Their QBs and skill position players are average at best. Oline was the best in the NFL by far.
Sportsfan24
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My point is Cousins is not an elite QB and they over paid for a QB not much different (not better IMO) than the one we had and the difference in money would have been better spent on the oline.
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ESPN: The six NFL teams most likely to decline in 2018
Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
Point differential in 2017: +130
Pythagorean expectation: 11.7 wins
Record in games decided by seven points or fewer: 3-2 (.600)
2017 strength of schedule: 0.514 (seventh toughest in NFL)
There might not be a more talented team in football, top to bottom, than the Vikings. Defensive coordinators would beg their general managers to get the sort of high-end talent and depth Mike Zimmer has on his preferred side of the football. The Vikings also return the best one-two wideout duo in football from a year ago and a running back who looked like a star before tearing his ACL, and they had enough cap space to pay Kirk Cousins $28 million per year, which should lock in both a higher floor and higher ceiling at quarterback versus Case Keenum.
So why are they likely to decline in 2018? Start with the schedule. Last year, the Vikings went up against Aaron Rodgers for a total of two possessions before Anthony Barr essentially ended the Packers' season by breaking their star quarterback's collarbone. They picked off replacement Brett Hundley five times over two games while holding the Packers to a total of 10 points. Rodgers will be back in 2018, and the Bears should be fielding an improved roster after investing heavily this offseason. The NFC North could be the toughest division in the league -- the Vikings probably won't go 5-1 within it again.
It's no surprise the Vikings' defense was great last season, but it was able to pull off one of the most remarkable outlier seasons in recent memory by allowing opposing offenses to convert on only 25.3 percent of third-down attempts. Pro-football-reference.com has play-by-play data going back through 1994, and no team over that time frame was stingier on third down than last year's Vikings.
Even great defenses can't keep that up. The 25 best third-down defenses before the 2017 Vikings allowed teams to convert on 30.0 percent of their third downs. Each of those teams gave up conversions 36.8 percent of the time the following year, which was far closer to the league average of 38.5 percent. As you might suspect, their defenses were worse. They allowed an average of 43.8 more points the following season, which would bump the Vikings from their top-ranked finish in points allowed to fifth.
Kirk Cousins and the Vikings have an electric offense and sturdy defense, but the NFC North will be tough as long as Aaron Rodgers is healthy. Brad Rempel/USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota's defense also ranked as the league's healthiest by adjusted games lost last season. While that number doesn't include Sharrif Floyd, who would have started at defensive tackle if he hadn't been ruled out with what appears to be career-ending nerve damage in his knee, the remaining Vikings defenders were remarkably healthy. Minnesota's 11 defensive starters missed a total of four games: three from Andrew Sendejo and one from Everson Griffen. That's not going to recur, and if you remember how the Vikings' defense declined once Harrison Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in 2016, you'll know that even the most talented defenses need only one missing star to run the risk of falling apart.
The Vikings might be able to make up for a modest defensive decline with an improvement on offense, but what are the chances Cousins is an upgrade on the version of Keenum we saw last year? It would have been easy to suggest that the former third-stringer would have regressed toward his previous career averages had he stayed in Minnesota, and Cousins' track record certainly suggests a higher floor than Keenum's level of play before last season, but Keenum was great last season. Between the two, Keenum topped Cousins in Total QBR, passer rating, completion percentage and interception rate.
You would still pick Cousins if you were deciding between the two passers, but Cousins' ceiling in 2018 is likely the sort of season Keenum had in 2017. He'll also be working with a new offensive coordinator in John DeFilippo, who drew rave reviews as the quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia but ranked 32nd in points scored during his lone season as a coordinator with the Browns in 2015. There will likely be some growing pains for the Vikings early during the 2018 season, which has to be disconcerting given that they start with games against the 49ers, Packers, Bills, Rams and Eagles. The Vikings should still be a very good team, but 13 wins would be an enormous ask.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...ine-win-fewer-games-2018-projections-schedule
Skol Vikes!!
Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
Point differential in 2017: +130
Pythagorean expectation: 11.7 wins
Record in games decided by seven points or fewer: 3-2 (.600)
2017 strength of schedule: 0.514 (seventh toughest in NFL)
There might not be a more talented team in football, top to bottom, than the Vikings. Defensive coordinators would beg their general managers to get the sort of high-end talent and depth Mike Zimmer has on his preferred side of the football. The Vikings also return the best one-two wideout duo in football from a year ago and a running back who looked like a star before tearing his ACL, and they had enough cap space to pay Kirk Cousins $28 million per year, which should lock in both a higher floor and higher ceiling at quarterback versus Case Keenum.
So why are they likely to decline in 2018? Start with the schedule. Last year, the Vikings went up against Aaron Rodgers for a total of two possessions before Anthony Barr essentially ended the Packers' season by breaking their star quarterback's collarbone. They picked off replacement Brett Hundley five times over two games while holding the Packers to a total of 10 points. Rodgers will be back in 2018, and the Bears should be fielding an improved roster after investing heavily this offseason. The NFC North could be the toughest division in the league -- the Vikings probably won't go 5-1 within it again.
It's no surprise the Vikings' defense was great last season, but it was able to pull off one of the most remarkable outlier seasons in recent memory by allowing opposing offenses to convert on only 25.3 percent of third-down attempts. Pro-football-reference.com has play-by-play data going back through 1994, and no team over that time frame was stingier on third down than last year's Vikings.
Even great defenses can't keep that up. The 25 best third-down defenses before the 2017 Vikings allowed teams to convert on 30.0 percent of their third downs. Each of those teams gave up conversions 36.8 percent of the time the following year, which was far closer to the league average of 38.5 percent. As you might suspect, their defenses were worse. They allowed an average of 43.8 more points the following season, which would bump the Vikings from their top-ranked finish in points allowed to fifth.
Kirk Cousins and the Vikings have an electric offense and sturdy defense, but the NFC North will be tough as long as Aaron Rodgers is healthy. Brad Rempel/USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota's defense also ranked as the league's healthiest by adjusted games lost last season. While that number doesn't include Sharrif Floyd, who would have started at defensive tackle if he hadn't been ruled out with what appears to be career-ending nerve damage in his knee, the remaining Vikings defenders were remarkably healthy. Minnesota's 11 defensive starters missed a total of four games: three from Andrew Sendejo and one from Everson Griffen. That's not going to recur, and if you remember how the Vikings' defense declined once Harrison Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in 2016, you'll know that even the most talented defenses need only one missing star to run the risk of falling apart.
The Vikings might be able to make up for a modest defensive decline with an improvement on offense, but what are the chances Cousins is an upgrade on the version of Keenum we saw last year? It would have been easy to suggest that the former third-stringer would have regressed toward his previous career averages had he stayed in Minnesota, and Cousins' track record certainly suggests a higher floor than Keenum's level of play before last season, but Keenum was great last season. Between the two, Keenum topped Cousins in Total QBR, passer rating, completion percentage and interception rate.
You would still pick Cousins if you were deciding between the two passers, but Cousins' ceiling in 2018 is likely the sort of season Keenum had in 2017. He'll also be working with a new offensive coordinator in John DeFilippo, who drew rave reviews as the quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia but ranked 32nd in points scored during his lone season as a coordinator with the Browns in 2015. There will likely be some growing pains for the Vikings early during the 2018 season, which has to be disconcerting given that they start with games against the 49ers, Packers, Bills, Rams and Eagles. The Vikings should still be a very good team, but 13 wins would be an enormous ask.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...ine-win-fewer-games-2018-projections-schedule
Skol Vikes!!
die hard gopher
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Well since the majority of our core is signed for the next 3 years, I was thinking at least 3 years of course. Also Wentz was excellent last year. They also have the best and deepest D-line in football as well.
BleedGopher
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STrib: Vikings guard Nick Easton battling neck, back issues as offensive line injuries accumulate
Vikings guard Nick Easton, who hasn’t practiced since last week, remained out on Monday because of what league sources said were neck and back issues.
Easton, who played 12 games for the Vikings last year before fracturing his ankle, has been projected as the team’s starting left guard again after the team placed a second-round tender on him as a restricted free agent last spring. Easton had been playing center with Pat Elflein on the physically-unable-to-perform list.
The last time Easton practiced was Thursday, when he misfired on two snaps to Kirk Cousins, including one that ended practice. The only time Easton has been seen on the practice field since then was when he walked out with the Vikings’ other injured linemen to take in the team’s Saturday night practice.
With Easton, Elflein and right guard Mike Remmers — who is battling an ankle injury — out again Monday, the Vikings put Tom Compton at left guard, second-year man Cornelius Edison at center and Danny Isidora at right guard.
“Edison’s a fighter. He’s powerful,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “Compton is playing like a veteran. Isidora, I thought he was better today. Last week wasn’t his best week but we talked about some things, so I think he’ll be better.”
http://www.startribune.com/vikings-...-daniel-carlson-s-big-powerful-leg/490179021/
Skol Vikes!!
Vikings guard Nick Easton, who hasn’t practiced since last week, remained out on Monday because of what league sources said were neck and back issues.
Easton, who played 12 games for the Vikings last year before fracturing his ankle, has been projected as the team’s starting left guard again after the team placed a second-round tender on him as a restricted free agent last spring. Easton had been playing center with Pat Elflein on the physically-unable-to-perform list.
The last time Easton practiced was Thursday, when he misfired on two snaps to Kirk Cousins, including one that ended practice. The only time Easton has been seen on the practice field since then was when he walked out with the Vikings’ other injured linemen to take in the team’s Saturday night practice.
With Easton, Elflein and right guard Mike Remmers — who is battling an ankle injury — out again Monday, the Vikings put Tom Compton at left guard, second-year man Cornelius Edison at center and Danny Isidora at right guard.
“Edison’s a fighter. He’s powerful,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “Compton is playing like a veteran. Isidora, I thought he was better today. Last week wasn’t his best week but we talked about some things, so I think he’ll be better.”
http://www.startribune.com/vikings-...-daniel-carlson-s-big-powerful-leg/490179021/
Skol Vikes!!