It was more fun to scour agate type in the StarTribune for each team the day the NFL Schedule was released then reading Sid's column for a breakdown.Time for the NFL schedule release. This is meatspace’s favorite day of the year and he usually breaks down the possibilities. He is the NFL schedule TC expert
Ouch, a 6:30 AM local start for the Rams fans on 10/19.
Kegs and eggs.Ouch, a 6:30 AM local start for the Rams fans on 10/19.
As a Vikings and Broncos fan...3 straight 8:30 AM games. Ugh.Ouch, a 6:30 AM local start for the Rams fans on 10/19.
More and more, I am thinking the logical ploy for Rodgers is to wait it out into Training Camp or into the Regular Season (maybe even well into the the rigors of a 17 game schedule) for a starting QB to go down with injury on a team with Playoff/Super Bowl hopes.
He could swoop right into any number of plug and play situations, skipping OTAs and Training Camp.
I don't see a loss.Vikings schedule is tough...
Starting at Game 6 stretch: Home to the Eagles
Away Chargers
Away Lions
Home Ravens
Home Bears
Away Green Bay
Away Seattle
Home to Washington Commanders
Away Dallas
Away Giants
Home Lions
Home Green Bay
Gotta start 5 and 0
At Bears, Atlanta Home, Bengals Home, Steelers in Dublin
and Browns in London
sheeesh
I don't see a loss.
After an up-and-down final season at USC, Caleb Williams was unsure of what he wanted to do as he prepared for the 2024 draft. At the NFL combine that year, he met with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. The two hit it off, and Caleb Williams began to dream of what it would be like to play for Minnesota.
"I need to go to the Vikings," he told his father.
"Let's do it," his father replied. But both Caleb and Carl knew that a trade to a divisional rival was extremely unlikely.
My sarcasm was flowing but our Divisional crossover games with the NFC East and AFC North maps out as well as possible when factoring in the strength of each team and where we play them.You have to put a lot of blind faith in JJM to say this but this is a very, very good roster, from top to bottom. One of the best purple lineups I've seen in my time being a Vikings fan. And I think it's telling the amount of faith that KOC has put in JJM.
I'm bullish on the Vikings this year. And it's hard not to expect SOME kind of drop from Detroit after losing both OC and DC.
A little pizza money on the Vikings to win the division is in order
I think McCarthy is perfectly healthy and he's been making all the throws and saying all the right things on the practice field and in meeting room. Hence why the Vikings turned AR down.ARodg knows something about the vikes that the general population does not know.
I think the trouble for sf is they’re in this purgatory of never being bad enough to where you’re getting that high draft pick to select a new qb and the league is relatively devoid of qb talent (the dollar amounts some middling guys are getting are insane).5/$265M for Purdy seems like a deal that could go bad quickly considering how much cap space is being used. He's a QB that's been surrounded by great talent, excellent coaching and a competent FO.
He's just not a difference maker at his position IMO but SF probably had no choice.
None of those guys would start in MNThe Packers do understand they can only play 3-4 Wrs at one time, right?
That too. But for all the "bargains" they have from that group, that's a lot of draft picks invested in guys who will sit on the bench or possibly get cut.None of those guys would start in MN
Golden: 1st round, 2025That too. But for all the "bargains" they have from that group, that's a lot of draft picks invested in guys who will sit on the bench or possibly get cut.
They probably have the top #6 WR in the NFL so they got that going for them.Golden: 1st round, 2025
Watson: 2nd round, 2022
Musgrave: 2nd round, 2023
Reed: 2nd round, 2023
Hardman: FA
Kraft: 3rd round, 2023
Doubs: 4th round, 2022
Wicks: 5th round, 2023
That amount of draft capital on pass catchers in that span of time is crazy. Obviously, Golden is yet to be determined, but even with all those resources devoted to this group, they have to rank at best mid-league if you're ranking position groups. Better yet, because they've managed to draft all their pass catchers at the same time, they're all up for second contracts at the same time. If I had to guess, they'll probably resign Reed and Kraft, let Watson walk, and only keep the others if they can get team friendly deals.
Very true...but it also doesn't tell the whole story about cap resources being spent compared to the Vikings.None of those guys would start in MN
Excellent news! Detroit pulled its proposal to change the NFL playoff seeding protocol.
I'm in the minority and hate that division winners guarantee a top 4 seed. Teams can't control how good or bad their division is. And winning a division of 4 teams is not much of an accomplishment IMO. The Vikings accomplished more last year during the regular season than Tampa or the Rams did. The Vikings went 10-1 outside their division while Tampa and the Rams went 6-5.My hunch is Goodell told Detroit to "propose" the NFL playoff seeding protocol. He then told the Lions to pull it when it was clear not enough owners wanted the change or perhaps the TV/Streaming partners.
I like it the way it is, so I'm good with it. Win the Division. Get to Host.
Ideally if it was my call, I would stick with Round 1 As Is. Division Winners get a Home Playoff game. It makes the Regular Season more meaningful and schedules are imbalanced. Nothing's perfect.I'm in the minority and hate that division winners guarantee a top 4 seed. Teams can't control how good or bad their division is. And winning a division of 4 teams is not much of an accomplishment IMO. The Vikings accomplished more last year during the regular season than Tampa or the Rams did. The Vikings went 10-1 outside their division while Tampa and the Rams went 6-5.
You're not alone, GII. The current format greatly devalues the importance of a team's performance outside their Division. Replace CHI with LAR in the NFC North and the Rams finish last in our Division IMO.I'm in the minority and hate that division winners guarantee a top 4 seed. Teams can't control how good or bad their division is. And winning a division of 4 teams is not much of an accomplishment IMO. The Vikings accomplished more last year during the regular season than Tampa or the Rams did. The Vikings went 10-1 outside their division while Tampa and the Rams went 6-5.
I disagree with this. The Vikings, Lions & Packers in 2024 it can be argued bolstered their overall record because their Cross Over Divisions (AFCYou're not alone, GII. The current format greatly devalues the importance of a team's performance outside their Division. Replace CHI with LAR in the NFC North and the Rams finish last in our Division IMO.
I understand the need to acknowledge a Division winner. I get it...but it also undermines the relevancy of performing well throughout the entire regular season while completely disregarding the strength of each Division.