All Things 2020 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread

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Our DL guys are gap pluggers. I think that's what Zim wants, to be tough against the run. Holmes is playing a traditional 4-3 DE at 280 lbs! That's kinda slow, I bet, to get to the QB on a speed move.

Wonnum has had some nice sacks, but isn't getting most of the reps.
 

I still think we have a decent chance. Really need the next two. If we lose either of those, then I think it's pretty much done. Then see what happens @Tampa.

Also always worried about the division rematches. Chicago was close, and I feel like there is no such thing as home field, at least for us, this year. Seem to play worse at home??
 

MplsGopher said:
I still think we have a decent chance. Really need the next two. If we lose either of those, then I think it's pretty much done. Then see what happens @Tampa.

Also always worried about the division rematches. Chicago was close, and I feel like there is no such thing as home field, at least for us, this year. Seem to play worse at home??
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It is crazy, the Vikes go into Lambeau & Soldier field and win. Tell me that pretty much any year and I would think they are then fighting it out for a bye in the playoffs. Instead they are 1-4 at the Zygi Dome turning their playoff chances to pretty slim.
 

MplsGopher said:
I still think we have a decent chance. Really need the next two. If we lose either of those, then I think it's pretty much done. Then see what happens @Tampa.

Also always worried about the division rematches. Chicago was close, and I feel like there is no such thing as home field, at least for us, this year. Seem to play worse at home??
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They have to win at either Tampa or NO now. It's that simple. Neither is impossible. The next two games are must-wins.
 

KSTP 5 just announced that Thielen has been put on the COVID list.
 


The Rams beating Tampa might have been good for the Vikings. Tampa is now 7-4 and they play the Chiefs next week followed by a bye. If the Vikings and Chiefs take care of business, the Vikings will be 6-6 playing the 7-5 Bucs in 3 weeks. Winner moves into a play-off spot.
 

Why was/is Chris Jones playing so much?? I know Hughes and Hill are on IR, and Dantzler just came back from that concussion injury.

Undrafted 2018 from trash Nebraska. Explains a lot.

Cut him already. I'll take my chances with Harrison Hand.
 

I am guessing the Special Teams Coach when they were working on that fake punt play didn't tell Boyd to wave his arms frantically and jump up and down to draw an illegal motion penalty. To add insult to injury he was called for a block in the back on the subsequent punt giving the Cowboys prime field position.

Uff da.
 




per Shooter:

It’s been 16 years since Zygi Wilf, who turns 71 next spring, bought the Vikings. You’ve got to wonder how long before Zygi’s patience wears out. He’s got to be wondering whether it’s worth blowing up the roster or sticking with the people he has.

If the three-year extension that Vikings coach Mike Zimmer received just before the season is fully guaranteed, he won’t be fired.

www.twincities.com

Charley Walters: Ex-Woodbury standout Louis Ayeni thriving as Northwestern assistant

It seems like just yesterday that we were watching Louis Ayeni romp through defenses while scoring 34 touchdowns in leading Woodbury to the 1998 state football championship. Today, Ayeni is 39, mar…
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Skol Vikes!!
 






Difference between a pro’s pro and a rookie. Teddy’s shoulder looks dislocated or separated yet he runs up and grounds the ball to give his team a chance to win. Gladney gets the wind knocked out of him or an injury that doesn’t disable him from running off the field- and allows the refs to stop the clock. Another 6-10 seconds easily runs off if he thinks about time and situation.
 

Vikings played like they didn't want to win.

This may be one of the few -- only?? -- games where Kirk Cousins played better than every other player on the team. He actually, for once, put the team on his back doo. Earned his salary.


STILL ALIVE!! GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!


SUCK IT VOTARY! Suck it long. And suck it hard. @GopherVotary
 

I don't think the Vikes win if they had allowed fans in the Dome. They would have gotten booed off the field after the scoop & scores or Beebe's dropped punt return.

Anyhoo, well done to survive and live to fight another day.
 

This was the only Carolina game I’ve seen this year, but on the small sample size, Bridgewater should not be a starting QB in the NFL. Maybe I’m in the minority, but he never “wowed” me when he was a Viking, either. He seems like a nice, middle of the road QB on a team that doesn’t make the playoffs.
 

forever a gopher said:
This was the only Carolina game I’ve seen this year, but on the small sample size, Bridgewater should not be a starting QB in the NFL. Maybe I’m in the minority, but he never “wowed” me when he was a Viking, either. He seems like a nice, middle of the road QB on a team that doesn’t make the playoffs.
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Your statements "should not be a starting QB in the NFL" and "nice middle of the road QB on a team that doesn't make the playoffs" are contradictory. There's 32 starting QBs, they are tough to find.

At minimum in the NFC he would make the Bears and any East team better right now. His only year as a full time starter, he did take the Vikings to the playoffs in 2015. If not for a Blair Walsh pull hook, they would have advanced to the Divisional Round. Also he went 5-0 for the Saints last year.
 

Ope3 said:
I don't think the Vikes win if they had allowed fans in the Dome. They would have gotten booed off the field after the scoop & scores or Beebe's dropped punt return.

Anyhoo, well done to survive and live to fight another day.
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Perhaps not, but they also might have won the Tennessee game. Home field means almost nothing this year.
 

Ope3 said:
Your statements "should not be a starting QB in the NFL" and "nice middle of the road QB on a team that doesn't make the playoffs" are contradictory. There's 32 starting QBs, they are tough to find.

At minimum in the NFC he would make the Bears and any East team better right now. His only year as a full time starter, he did take the Vikings to the playoffs in 2015. If not for a Blair Walsh pull hook, they would have advanced to the Divisional Round. Also he went 5-0 for the Saints last year.
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This. And Carolina is not a middle of the road team, especially without McCaffery. They were supposed to be one of the worst teams in the conference but they're better than the Bears, Lions and every team in the NFC East.
 

howeda7 said:
Perhaps not, but they also might have won the Tennessee game. Home field means almost nothing this year.
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It means nothing in terms of noise advantage, correct.

But G-D .... shouldn't there be some kind of greater than zero advantage for not having to travel???? Sheesh :(
 

howeda7 said:
This. And Carolina is not a middle of the road team, especially without McCaffery. They were supposed to be one of the worst teams in the conference but they're better than the Bears, Lions and every team in the NFC East.
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Well, Carolina and Dallas certainly decided to play like playoff teams against us, in our dome.

When that keeps happening, over and over .... maybe it's not just bad luck. Maybe we're making it happen, because we're just plain not good in certain areas.

Man our DL just cannot buy pressure.
 

https://www.startribune.com/it-was-...s-once-and-for-all-until-it-wasn-t/573230071/

Are the Vikings a good team digging out of a hole, or a bad team that’s in too deep?
...
The Vikings are disappointing contenders, or overachieving underachievers, ...


https://www.startribune.com/cousins...d-and-bad-in-victory-over-panthers/573230671/

But that would change in the fourth quarter. For whatever reason, Carolina chose to beat Cousins with extra coverage and three-man rushes.

Asked what was different in the fourth quarter — when he completed 11 in a row and 12 of his last 13 passes for 136 yards, six first downs and two touchdowns — Cousins seemed to shrug and say, “I think some of it was just the rush they brought.

“Much of the two-minute drive was a three-man rush, so they’re bringing two less guys, and so that allows for some double teams and some chance to hold up in protection.”

The protection held up nicely for a change. And, yes, more defenders in coverage means smaller windows to throw through. But with time to throw, Cousins can exercise his greatest strength: accuracy to every part of the field.

In NFL history, only Drew Brees (67.8%) and Deshaun Watson (67.3%) can top Cousins (66.9%) in career completion percentage.

“The protection was really clean,” Cousins said. “A couple of those plays, I probably took longer than I should have, but I just didn’t feel the rush collapsing on me.”

And therein lies the root of the argument between people who love Kirk and people who love to hate Kirk.

Left to create plays on his own, he struggles. But give him time and, well, his accuracy is, as Beebe noted, “off the charts."
 

howeda7 said:
Perhaps not, but they also might have won the Tennessee game. Home field means almost nothing this year.
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True, it can work both ways. Dallas might also have been a win with a real home field advantage.

It's also part of what I was referring to earlier with "anything can happen" this year in the playoffs. Any team that just gets in the the Tournament can do serious damage. 3 road games in a row? So what. Though in nasty January weather a dome/southern climate team could be disadvantaged.
 

Ope3 said:
True, it can work both ways. Dallas might also have been a win with a real home field advantage.

It's also part of what I was referring to earlier with "anything can happen" this year in the playoffs. Any team that just gets in the the Tournament can do serious damage. 3 road games in a row? So what. Though in nasty January weather a dome/southern climate team could be disadvantaged.
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As fate would have it, the #2-#4 seeds right now are all outdoor stadiums. And no way the Giants (or Washington for that matter) rise about #4. We're probably the #7 seed if we make it, so that means going to Green Bay or Seattle right now. LA Rams still a possibility though.
 

MplsGopher said:
As fate would have it, the #2-#4 seeds right now are all outdoor stadiums. And no way the Giants (or Washington for that matter) rise about #4. We're probably the #7 seed if we make it, so that means going to Green Bay or Seattle right now. LA Rams still a possibility though.
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With regards to the Vikings specifically and a strong run game, poor weather could actually be a benefit.
 

Ope3 said:
With regards to the Vikings specifically and a strong run game, poor weather could actually be a benefit.
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Yes ... but the losing Cowboys and Carolina seemed to have figured something out, in this regard??
 

MplsGopher said:
Yes ... but the losing Cowboys and Carolina seemed to have figured something out, in this regard??
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Perhaps, though I suspect Carolina keyed more on stopping the run due to Thielen's absence.
 

forever a gopher said:
This was the only Carolina game I’ve seen this year, but on the small sample size, Bridgewater should not be a starting QB in the NFL. Maybe I’m in the minority, but he never “wowed” me when he was a Viking, either. He seems like a nice, middle of the road QB on a team that doesn’t make the playoffs.
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It's impossible to NOT cheer for Bridgewater, he's clearly a great guy, great teammate, and an inspirational story really. But as a starting QB, he clearly has limitations. It will be interesting to see how the Panthers treat their QB position moving forward. That will tell you all you need to know. The Panthers are clearly pretty locked into rolling with him for next year due to his 3-yr deal and the dead money owed next year.

There are two major things going against mid-lower tier QB's like Bridgewater; in just the last couple years, the caliber of QB's coming out of college has been SUPER high and doesn't look to be going the other way anytime soon. Secondly, veteran contracts vs rookie contracts. Teams in the future are going to be much more likely to roll the dice on a promising young QB on a rookie contract than a known "average" caliber QB on a $25-$35M/year deal. It's probably one of the main reasons the Cowboys have never signed Prescott to the deal he wants.
 

Ope3 said:
Perhaps, though I suspect Carolina keyed more on stopping the run due to Thielen's absence.
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Bisi and Beebe some huge catches to save the game.

And we STILL almost allowed them to drive down and kick the game-winning field goal. Granted they basically threw up a hail mary, and came down with it (Harrison jacked our own guy in the process), and they have some great receivers.
 

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