All Things 2020 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread

[short ornery norwegian]

Dalvin Cook will not play against Detroit. his father died.

dad was 46 yrs old - but apparently had severe issues with diabetes.

this game is meaningless. sit Cousins, play the backup QB, and go for the better draft pick.

Update - now Riley Rieff is on the covid list and will not play vs Detroit.

The Draft Pick Derby is shaping up as a whale of a game!

 

[MplsGopher]

Rieff isn't going to start at LT, either. Putting him on the covid list. Seems almost too convenient, as a way to get Cleveland his first start at LT, where he is projected to play.

The game is meaningless for Detroit as well. However, in terms of draft position we might have more to lose by winning?

 

[howeda7]

Rieff isn't going to start at LT, either. Putting him on the covid list. Seems almost too convenient, as a way to get Cleveland his first start at LT, where he is projected to play.

The game is meaningless for Detroit as well. However, in terms of draft position we might have more to lose by winning?

If they want to start Cleveland they could easily do so. And may have. No reason to fake COVID for Reiff. He either has it or had a close contact. Either way, I hope he is fine and Cleveland shows them something.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Update - now Riley Rieff is on the covid list and will not play vs Detroit.

The Draft Pick Derby is shaping up as a whale of a game!

This game has all the feel of Mark Madsen chucking up 3-pointers for the Timberpups. It will be interesting to see if Darrell Bevell feels like he's coaching for anything as the lame duck interim HC for Detroit.

This could get really really ugly. I wonder if there are any players on either side that are close to achieving incentives for season statistics like yards, TD's, tackles, sacks, etc

 

[MplsGopher]

If they want to start Cleveland they could easily do so. And may have. No reason to fake COVID for Reiff. He either has it or had a close contact. Either way, I hope he is fine and Cleveland shows them something.

It could be related to Reiff’s contract, who knows. I think he has started every snap at LT this year, I believe a career year for him. Just old and so no future here. Maybe the covid thing is genuine, just feels too convenient. I’ll continue to think that.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

I would absolutely not dump Zimmer, or Spielman. The grass is not always greener, I think Zimmer is one of the better coaches in the league. Spielman has had his share of swings and misses like anyone else, far from perfect, but like anything else, where/who would you go?

Scary stat; Cousins just moved into FIFTH on the all-time Vikings list for QB games started. If that doesn't speak to the instability of the position, I don't know what does. I couldn't believe that, it seems like he just got to MSP. FIFTH most starts!!! Holy shit.

Fans can bitch about not addressing the QB position but when you reach for a QB, even out of the top 10, that's when you get selections like Christian Ponder and Dwayne Haskins. At least Spielman hasn't done that.

I don't get nearly as bent out of shape about the Vikings anymore, it's just not worth it. To top it off, I have season tickets for both the AZ Cardinals and LV Raiders now so I'm not nearly as emotionally invested in the Vikings anymore. Still a big fan, but it doesn't ruin my afternoon when they lose, not even close.

The games next weekend are going to be huge for determining the Vikings 2021 draft fate. They could be drafting as high as 7-9 if they lose, as low as 16-17 if they win. That top 10 range could certainly be a prime candidate to pick a franchise QB if they love one of the guys left for them.

Nice post.

It is amazing how many more Ponder/Haskins there than the Josh Allen's in the first round of the draft - it such a crapshoot. I was only a young kid with the end of his exploits, but make me think Sir Francis never even played here - like a mirage.

Makes sense to roll with Zimmer/Spielman for another couple of years. Maybe this is the year, lol, we can find someone.

Hope you got a refund on your tickets for any games you weren't able to attend this year. Some other sports have been jerky about the process.

I bet those Raiders game will be a blast - Enjoy and Happy New Year!

 

[Ope3]

With the NFC Final standings, I know the Vikes weren't great but quite a missed opportunity to qualify for the post-season tournament. 1 more measly win would have got them into a tie with Arizona & Chicago, and 2 and they would have been clear completely.

A healthy Hunter, Kendricks and just a competent kicker, who knows what could have happened in this crazy year.

 

[MplsGopher]

As. Soon. As. they lost to Chicago - at home -- a team they'd already beaten - it was all but guaranteed that every other circumstance that needed to happen to get them in the playoffs, would of course happen. Cards lost two, Packers beat Bears.

So pathetic. Granted, massive losses on defense. Oh well, on to next year.

 

[Ope3]

As. Soon. As. they lost to Chicago - at home -- a team they'd already beaten - it was all but guaranteed that every other circumstance that needed to happen to get them in the playoffs, would of course happen. Cards lost two, Packers beat Bears.

So pathetic. Granted, massive losses on defense. Oh well, on to next year.

Yeah, if they only could have "held" Kamara to less than 4 TDs and forced a Saints punt or two, they had have been IN.

 

[howeda7]

Apparently Gary Kubiak is leaning toward retirement again. This will make 6 OC's in 6 years for Zim. Sigh.

I think they have little choice but to promote Klint Kubiak and convince Gary to hang around as advisor like he was last year. Another completely new system when we might blow the whole thing up in a year makes no sense. Unless Pat Shurmer wants out of Denver or gets fired.

 

[Ope3]

Let's hope there is a full season!

Skol Vikes!!

Somehow, some way it was done, all 256 scheduled NFL games. Teams played on Tuesdays/Wednesdays, byes were cancelled/moved, teams relocated, a team played without a QB, but they got there.

Kudos for that.

 

[MplsGopher]

Yeah, if they only could have "held" Kamara to less than 4 TDs and forced a Saints punt or two, they had have been IN.

No. If only they had beat the Bears, they'd be in, instead of the Bears. That's the correct way to look at it.

 

[Ope3]

No. If only they had beat the Bears, they'd be in, instead of the Bears. That's the correct way to look at it.

That would have put them in a 2 way tie with Arizona, 8-8 and with the same NFC record. For some reason, I think the Vikes would have been on the outside looking in on whatever the next tie-breaker was. Common opponents?

I just remember for the tie-breakers to go their way they needed a 3 way tie to include both the Cards & Bears. With 2 game left they needed the Bears to Win a game and Lose a game (either order), which they did.

Moot point.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Auspicious head coaching debut for nuke-the-gays guy. Maybe now he'll end up known for this rather than that.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Auspicious head coaching debut for nuke-the-gays guy. Maybe now he'll end up known for this rather than that.

We should all be so fortunate to be reminded repeatedly of a joke we told to a position group in a locker room or at a weekday football practice 5 years ago.

Moving on....

Actually kind of happy for Priefer, with how unbelievably AWFUL the Vikings ST were this year, it's hard to imagine they wouldn't have been a little better with Priefer. Arguably cost them a game or two this season which would have put them in the playoffs instead of Chicago. Not surprising to see Zimmer and the Vikings move on from Maalouf so quickly. Just a terrible performance literally across the board.

Makes you wonder what Wenger has on Fleck to keep him on staff? The Vikings rivaled the Gophers in ST ineptitude this year, but in the Gophers case, it's been several years now

 

[TruthSeeker]

We should all be so fortunate to be reminded repeatedly of a joke we told to a position group in a locker room or at a weekday football practice 5 years ago.

Moving on....

Actually kind of happy for Priefer, with how unbelievably AWFUL the Vikings ST were this year, it's hard to imagine they wouldn't have been a little better with Priefer. Arguably cost them a game or two this season which would have put them in the playoffs instead of Chicago. Not surprising to see Zimmer and the Vikings move on from Maalouf so quickly. Just a terrible performance literally across the board.

Makes you wonder what Wenger has on Fleck to keep him on staff? The Vikings rivaled the Gophers in ST ineptitude this year, but in the Gophers case, it's been several years now

Joke...right.

 

[Bad Gopher]

We should all be so fortunate to be reminded repeatedly of a joke we told to a position group in a locker room or at a weekday football practice 5 years ago.

Moving on....

Actually kind of happy for Priefer, with how unbelievably AWFUL the Vikings ST were this year, it's hard to imagine they wouldn't have been a little better with Priefer. Arguably cost them a game or two this season which would have put them in the playoffs instead of Chicago. Not surprising to see Zimmer and the Vikings move on from Maalouf so quickly. Just a terrible performance literally across the board.

Makes you wonder what Wenger has on Fleck to keep him on staff? The Vikings rivaled the Gophers in ST ineptitude this year, but in the Gophers case, it's been several years now

It's on Zimmer that he didn't hire a better replacement. Is that what you seem to be saying?

 

[howeda7]

Sure wish they'd given Jalen Hurts a look in round 2 last year...

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Outside of the obvious fact that the Vikings picked after Philly in the 2nd round in 2020, it's incredibly unlikely that the Vikings, with Kubiak at OC, would have scrapped their offense and changed it across the board to accommodate the Eagles' 6-back offense that they run with Hurts. I just don't think they would have ever done that.