2018 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread

I'm taking the position that this team is so emotionally defeated that they will have given up. I haven't felt this level of despondency emanating from a team since the Gopher Volleyball team lost their second match against Oregon.

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Or the Gopher football game against Illinois. But sometimes things change.
 

Or the Gopher football game against Illinois. But sometimes things change.
There's no magic Turkey award for the bulletin board in Eagan.

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I'm a Broncos fan too. Keenum regressed as expected. I think they would have largely the same record if they'd kept him, though it depends on what they would have spent the extra $10 million on. The reality is there was no right answer. Our best chance to solve our QB problem was Bridgewater before he shredded his knee. Our choices last off-season we're all flawed. (Bradford anyone?) Now we have no choice but to hope Cousins can play better.

I still believe I hit the nail on the head when I said the Vikes should have kept Teddy and Bradford and upgraded the o-line.


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Cousins can be good enough to win big here. They need to invest at least 3 picks and a FA in the offensive line. I don't think Tom Brady would do well behind what we have. You get hit every time you drop back and that is going to take its toll on your play. Now if we could go back in time and invest in the line instead of Cousins- I'd do it. But he's here for the long haul and we need to get him support as well as start opening holes for Cook who hasn't gotten an ounce of help either.

The announcers stunk by the way.

Cousins is holding the ball too long (trying to figure out what the defense is in) and missing open receivers. Brady would know where the ball needs to go before it was ever hiked.


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They'll have to use you...
If that is my lot in life so be it. I can console myself with knowing that I made a contribution to the betterment of the team.

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When spielman was GM for Miami wasn’t their major problem oline play? He didn’t learn a thing and still hasn’t. He needs to be the first to go.


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Yeah he is stubborn on spending on the o line like Terry Ryan was on spending.
What happened the past few weeks though with the offensive scheme. Cousins had time often but it looked like Diggs and Thielen are no longer getting open.
It made me appreciate Kirk Ciarrocca even more.
 
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Who told Zimmer that we needed to run more to set up the pass? They should have their copy of Madden 2010 taken away.

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I still don’t have a problem with the Cousins deal. Keenum wasn’t the answer, and either you overpay for a FA or you draft one.

He should be held accountable for everything else this offseason, however. Drafting a kicker only to cut him, not addressing the worst position group (o-line), and hiring an OC that doesn’t jive at all with your head coach.

My money is on Flip and Priefer getting canned at the end of the season, but Spielman keeps his job.

If Keenum wasn’t the answer then neither is Cousins because there is not much difference between them. Case strong point was he very effective rolling out (away from the pass rush.)

Cousins is slightly better because of arm strength but Case would have allowed the Vikes to improve the o-line and running game. As a result the vikes would be better with Case (Teddy or Bradford.)


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Not sure what some of you expect. Sure....Cousins hasn't been worth his contract.....but he's running for his life behind one of, if not the worst lines in the NFL. That's on Spielman and Zimmer. Our line sucked last year too and he's still way to focused on the defense.

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The best case scenario is backing into the 2nd wild card and losing the opening playoff game.

Might as well axe DeFilippo to see if you can get some sort of Joe Rossi/Gophers defense spark going.

Still lots of talent on the roster and the defense can consistently hold teams under 21 points.
 

Chip: On a big night under the lights, Vikings flunked the test at Seattle

On the biggest and most important night of their maddening season, the Vikings offense displayed great balance.

They were bad at everything.

Totally and utterly incompetent.

They came within one garbage-time touchdown of being shut out and limped off the field in need of serious soul searching after laying a prime-time egg in a 21-7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field.

The game was billed as a quasi-playoff test, a chance for the Vikings to alter their season narrative and prove that they can win against a quality opponent. And maybe create momentum that makes the next few weeks feel like more than a slow march to a predictable ending.

They flunked their test.

http://www.startribune.com/on-a-big...ikings-flunked-the-test-at-seattle/502427491/

SKol Vikes!!
 



STrib: Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen again left out of major action

A week after Vikings receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs combined for just 10 catches in a loss at New England, the star duo had even fewer grabs during Monday night’s 21-7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Thielen’s first target — and catch — didn’t come until the middle of the third quarter. He finished with a flurry of five catches for 70 yards, including a 35-yard grab in garbage time. He was caught by a sideline microphone being angry on at least two occasions, but afterward Thielen was diplomatic about why he wasn’t targeted sooner.

“I have no idea,” Thielen said. “I’ll have to go look at the film. I don’t know what it was.”

Quarterback Kirk Cousins targeted either Diggs or Thielen on 13 of his 33 passes, finding them for nine catches for 146 yards. The reason for their recent slump, according to Cousins, has been the way defenses are consistently clamping down on both Thielen and Diggs.

Thielen started the season with eight straight 100-yard receiving games, but he’s topped the century mark just once in the five games since. Cousins pointed to a couple of first-half third downs where he said the Seahawks coverage led him not to throw to either receiver.

“There were two third downs early where they truly were doubling Adam and Stefon in a way that they’re not going to get the ball, shouldn’t get the ball,” Cousins said. “That was where I threw the ball to Aldrick [Robinson], trying to get him down the middle one-on-one. The safeties are so enamored of Diggsy and Adam that it’s literally cover-0 for Aldrick.”

http://www.startribune.com/stefon-diggs-adam-thielen-again-left-out-of-major-action/502427641/

Skol Vikes!!
 

CC chimes in:

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Skol Vikes!!
 

I knew offense would stuggle.

I am more upset that Zimmer's defense is blowing contain! At least 3 huge plays where the DE went inside on a play going away from him, only for him to get beat back at him. Griffin twice I think. This is like giving up baseline in basketball. Something taught to 8 year olds.
 

I'm a Broncos fan too. Keenum regressed as expected. I think they would have largely the same record if they'd kept him, though it depends on what they would have spent the extra $10 million on. The reality is there was no right answer. Our best chance to solve our QB problem was Bridgewater before he shredded his knee. Our choices last off-season we're all flawed. (Bradford anyone?) Now we have no choice but to hope Cousins can play better.

I feel like they needed to take a flyer on Cousins and hope that his historical record against the better teams was more a function of those teams than of him. Unfortunately, it seems to be him. They haven't beaten a winning team this year.

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Not saying he's the problem, but he's being paid to be much of the solution rather than not not the problem.
 

I knew offense would stuggle.

I am more upset that Zimmer's defense is blowing contain! At least 3 huge plays where the DE went inside on a play going away from him, only for him to get beat back at him. Griffin twice I think. This is like giving up baseline in basketball. Something taught to 8 year olds.

Really? You're worried about the defense?
 


Not sure what some of you expect. Sure....Cousins hasn't been worth his contract.....but he's running for his life behind one of, if not the worst lines in the NFL. That's on Spielman and Zimmer. Our line sucked last year too and he's still way to focused on the defense.

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I was okay with the Cousins signing if they beefed up offensive line. Instead, they signed no meaningful Olineman in FA and neglected it in draft.
 

The best case scenario is backing into the 2nd wild card and losing the opening playoff game.

Might as well axe DeFilippo to see if you can get some sort of Joe Rossi/Gophers defense spark going.

Still lots of talent on the roster and the defense can consistently hold teams under 21 points.

Their QB's coach could easily step in. Stafenaski? They give him big bucks to stick around and not per sue OC jobs
 



Not shocking. I always had the feeling that Spielman pretty much hoisted him on Zim because he was such a "steal" and they didn't mesh.

Not a bad theory. Hence why Zimmer wanted to keep Stefanski............insurance
 

Vikings blew it by ignoring the OL. Incredibly predictable.
 


He gone.

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He has not been the only problem but he has certainly been one of them. I rarely watch ESPN outside of games but after the game last night there were multiple people ripping the play calling. They broke down the play calling when we turned it over on downs at the goal line in the 2nd half. First play we run it up the middle for about a yard and a half. Then a pass, run out of shotgun and pass. There were no rub or crossing routes. On the 3rd down run, both Thielen and Rudolph went out into the flats as if they were running a route. That didn't fool anyone. I just didn't see the creativity that I thought we would out of DeFilippo.
 

He has not been the only problem but he has certainly been one of them. I rarely watch ESPN outside of games but after the game last night there were multiple people ripping the play calling. They broke down the play calling when we turned it over on downs at the goal line in the 2nd half. First play we run it up the middle for about a yard and a half. Then a pass, run out of shotgun and pass. There were no rub or crossing routes. On the 3rd down run, both Thielen and Rudolph went out into the flats as if they were running a route. That didn't fool anyone. I just didn't see the creativity that I thought we would out of DeFilippo.

As there always is, I'm sure there's plenty of blame to go around, and DeFilippo certainly has some culpability here. That said, four OCs in three years definitely reflects on the head coach and the organization, especially considering the manner in which Turner departed.
 

As there always is, I'm sure there's plenty of blame to go around, and DeFilippo certainly has some culpability here. That said, four OCs in three years definitely reflects on the head coach and the organization, especially considering the manner in which Turner departed.

NFL team is hiring an OC. 1st question - "What is your offensive philosophy?" 2nd question - to the head coach - "Does his offensive philosophy mesh with your offensive philosophy?" if the head coach says "no," you don't hire the guy.

The Vikings hired a guy who was never going to mesh with the head coach. their philosophies are diametrically opposed. And people are surprised that there was conflict.

It's like Freshman dorm - you get one guy who studies and goes to bed early, and one guy who parties and stays up all night. sooner or later, they're going to get into a fight.

This is on the people who interviewed and hired DeFlip. I assume that includes Spielman, Zimmer and maybe Zygi. (don't know if Zygi had any input or signed off on the hire....)
 

Well, half my prediction has already transpired. There’s enough blame to go around as to why this didn’t work. I have to imagine working with Zimmer is difficult, and they may have a hard time attracting another qualified OC with their recent history (although it did seem Zim and Shurmer got along).

I am in the belief none of this would have been an issue if Spielman had addressed the o-line.
 




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