All Things 2024-25 Vikings Regular Season Thread

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kg21 said:
They rushed only 3 guys. You can't get it to the end zone if you don't have the time.

So idiotic.
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Wally said:
Yep
Same thing on the Rodgers Hail Mary a couple weeks ago.

I would rush 5, no way they get a 60-70 yard pass off.
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I think the Lions did it right last week when they put Darnold on his butt before he even threw the ball.

Reusse mentioned that on his Strib Podcast today with Michael Rand.
 




Observation about the new kickoff rules: If a kickoff hits the ground in the landing zone (0-20 yard line), the rule is returners either have to return it or down it in the end zone but the touchback results in the ball at the 20 yard line instead of the 30. Why don't kickers try kicking line drives into the landing zone more often?

I've also seen teams late in the game (under a minute) after taking a small lead still try kicking the ball out of the end zone, giving the other team the ball automatically at the 30 and running no time off the clock. With how good kickers are now days, you're only 25-30 yards away from FG range. I'd rather take a chance of kicking it so they have to return the ball. The average starting spot on returned kicks is not to the 30 yard line. And that will run time off the clock.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Observation about the new kickoff rules: If a kickoff hits the ground in the landing zone (0-20 yard line), the rule is returners either have to return it or down it in the end zone but the touchback results in the ball at the 20 yard line instead of the 30. Why don't kickers try kicking line drives into the landing zone more often?

I've also seen teams late in the game (under a minute) after taking a small lead still try kicking the ball out of the end zone, giving the other team the ball automatically at the 30 and running no time off the clock. With how good kickers are now days, you're only 25-30 yards away from FG range. I'd rather take a chance of kicking it so they have to return the ball. The average starting spot on returned kicks is not to the 30 yard line. And that will run time off the clock.
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I know what you're saying, and I agree to an extent. But most teams have essentially decided to play the odds, statistically deciding that a guarantee of the opponent starting on the 30-yd line is better than the risk of a big return, among other things.

Personally, from my own experience, the KO that is pinned between the numbers and the sideline, around the 5-yd line, is really, really hard to beat. Makes it even better if you kick it from the opposite side of the field, across the field. You tell the coverage team where it's going, exactly, and you've got the advantage in numbers.

Another thing; when there's a return (let's say for the return team), there are 3-4 bad things that can happen and just one good thing. Penalty, injury, turnover, and just plain getting tackled short of the 30-yd line. The only good thing is you could possibly advance it past the 30-yd line.
 

Diggs out for the season with torn ACL. Richardson benched by the Colts. Diontae Johnson traded to the Ravens. Bears DB auditions for "Are you smarter than a 5th Grader?".

The NFL is a media monster that never sleeps.
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
I know what you're saying, and I agree to an extent. But most teams have essentially decided to play the odds, statistically deciding that a guarantee of the opponent starting on the 30-yd line is better than the risk of a big return, among other things.

Personally, from my own experience, the KO that is pinned between the numbers and the sideline, around the 5-yd line, is really, really hard to beat. Makes it even better if you kick it from the opposite side of the field, across the field. You tell the coverage team where it's going, exactly, and you've got the advantage in numbers.

Another thing; when there's a return (let's say for the return team), there are 3-4 bad things that can happen and just one good thing. Penalty, injury, turnover, and just plain getting tackled short of the 30-yd line. The only good thing is you could possibly advance it past the 30-yd line.
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I think with the new rules if you can get good at a line drive right down the middle between the returners that lands inside the 5, that either results in the ball bouncing into the end zone (TB to the 20 instead of 30) or one of the returners catches it but has his momentum going to the side instead of forward which likely means a shorter return.

I'm not a kicker so might be easier said than done.
 



GophersInIowa said:
I think with the new rules if you can get good at a line drive right down the middle between the returners that lands inside the 5, that either results in the ball bouncing into the end zone (TB to the 20 instead of 30) or one of the returners catches it but has his momentum going to the side instead of forward which likely means a shorter return.

I'm not a kicker so might be easier said than done.
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You're making an assumption that the returners aren't going to catch the ball. Even on a line drive, one of those guys is going to catch it if it's going to fly as far as inside the 20. I guess you might catch them sleeping once, but that would be it. Remember, if you're kicking the ball and it HAS to get to the 20, you're probably kicking it to at least the 15 yd line; not hard for one of the returners to come up and field it.
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
You're making an assumption that the returners aren't going to catch the ball. Even on a line drive, one of those guys is going to catch it if it's going to fly as far as inside the 20. I guess you might catch them sleeping once, but that would be it. Remember, if you're kicking the ball and it HAS to get to the 20, you're probably kicking it to at least the 15 yd line; not hard for one of the returners to come up and field it.
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I guess it depends on how low you kick it but then you're risking a mishit of a little bit and it falls short of the 20. You're probably right.
 




Gopher_In_NYC said:
Decent replacement?

No clue , so any of your insights would be appreciated😃
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For the minimal draft capital we gave up for him, it's a solid move assuming he can stay healthy himself. He was also benched last week, though.

At least it shows the players and fans that the team is all in this season.
 

Slim Tubby said:
For the minimal draft capital we gave up for him, it's a solid move assuming he can stay healthy himself. He was also benched last week, though.
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Do you know what we specifically gave up?
Slim Tubby said:
At least it shows the players and fans that the team is all in this season.
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I think it’s important not to throw the towel in and get done playoff experience and maybe be something silly happens 🤷‍♂️
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Do you know what we specifically gave up?

I think it’s important not to throw the towel in and get done playoff experience and maybe be something silly happens 🤷‍♂️
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If I read it correctly, depending on Robinson's playing time, MIN gets a 2025 7th that can be a 6th. JAX gets a 2026 5th that could turn into a 4th.
 


Gopher_In_NYC said:
Decent replacement?

No clue , so any of your insights would be appreciated😃
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I'll steal from The Athletic, why not. Basically, far from elite, but serviceable:

"By no means is Robinson an elite player. Among 62 qualified tackles, he ranks in the back-half in pressures allowed. Pro Football Focus has dinged him for allowing four sacks on the season, but the Jaguars’ disjointed offense is important context to note in these metrics.

Robinson is also classified as a solid — but not exceptional — run-blocker."

The one caveat I would add (with tremendous optimism!), I'm guessing he was not a random signing; they saw something in what Robinson is capable of as it relates to the KOC offense and what they want to do.

They're going to get a player who is hungry to play in the postseason and is hungry to earn himself a big payday next spring based on what he does in the next 2-3 months. I can live with that kind of motivation in a big OT on a contending squad.

I'm going to take an optimistic approach and say this will help them out, maybe even more than some of the "experts" think.
 

howeda7 said:
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It does not make it any better, but Tyrique Stevenson in his apology yesterday explained that he was not taunting/engaging Washington fans, but instead celebrating with Chicago fans.

Some of the Bears faithful seem to be trying to let him know that the play was going on.
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
By the way, back on 4/28, I got Kevin O'Connell at 30-1 for AP Coach of the Year. He would have to be one of the clear front runners right now, wouldn't he? There's a long ways to go but it could still happen.

Full disclosure, I also took the following, just as flyers really:

Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals) 22-1
Sean Payton (Broncos) 20-1
Shane Steichen (Colts) 15-1
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Slim Tubby said:
You'd have to think KOC, Payton and Dan Quinn are all at the top of the list currently.
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I would add Mike Tomlin.
 





Not Viking related.
The NY Jets just lost a TD when their WR running a reverse and going into the end zone, dropped the ball to start his celebration. Review overturned the TD call and Houston now has it first and 10.

Great play design but a stupid play by the WR. Run through the back of the end zone, then start your celebration.
 

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