****Official Minnesota Vikings Thread****

[Berts]

Would sure hope you beat a team that just lost to the Jaguars this week

Every line I have seen has the Colts favored, most have Colts -3. I think you underestimate having rookies for CB's in a league that focuses very heavy on rules for helping the offense in the passing game. I expect a brutal learning curve the first 1/4 of the season if not most of the season. I'm just being realistic. If these guys pan out we will set at CB for a long time so thats the gamble Zimmer is playing.

[Madvillainy]

wonder if there's some way they'll be bad enough to get one of those top QBs or sewell in the draft. don't want to be too reactionary, but this team looks awful

[GiveHerBills]

That trevor lawrence guy aint looking bad

[AMeyer9]

That trevor lawrence guy aint looking bad

That dead cap on Cousins in 2021 is though

[GiveHerBills]

That dead cap on Cousins in 2021 is though

Money schmoney. Who needs it anyways

[Berts]

That dead cap on Cousins in 2021 is though

Meh, totally worth it. Kirk can be the $30mil bench warmer. Sad part is we wouldn’t even have the best backup in the NFL

[Charlie Murphy]

Should have stuck with Keenum. What we had worked and that's what matters

[Madvillainy]

well vikings definitely have something in jefferson. he's done more in this half than treadwell did in his vikings career

[Madvillainy]

rudolph goalline TD catches might be my favorite thing to watch in the league. definitely has an argument for best hands in the league

[FOSteven]

do you think the o lineman just feel like absolute **** every week for how terrible they protect Kirk?

[Madvillainy]

last 2 weeks have been promising for the offense, they're definitely among the best teams in the league for skill position players with cook, thielen and now jefferson. i don't have any hope for this season though with seahawks and packers 2 of the next 3 games, so you're probably looking at 2-5.

[Berts]

last 2 weeks have been promising for the offense, they're definitely among the best teams in the league for skill position players with cook, thielen and now jefferson. i don't have any hope for this season though with seahawks and packers 2 of the next 3 games, so you're probably looking at 2-5.

Agreed, 2-5 is very likely. I don't want to give up on the season so soon but this season was stacked against it. Being very young on D, no preseason really set us back from the start. Give these guys a year and come back next year strong. I really hope we can draft a QB that can sit behind Kirk for a couple years and be our guy. We have to hit on one QB in the draft eventually right ha ha.

Kirk and company should look very good this week. Seattle is the worst passing D in the league. I fully expect Kirk to get 350 yards and 3 tds Sunday. I just hope Zimmer isn't going to be stubborn and think he has to run run run. Get Cook out in space, no running up the middle for the sake of establishing a run. Its not going to work. Seattles run D is good, pass D horrible. You know Belichick would come in passing every down with this matchup. I'm very curious what Zimmer and Kubs game plan is. Wilson is tear our D apart and we will still lose but should be a very entertaining game at least.

[Madvillainy]

the team is certainly coming around. all things considered that was a really solid showing. i still think it's a blessing in disguise though, i think it's better for the team to get a higher pick this year, there's a lot to build around now.

[Berts]

the team is certainly coming around. all things considered that was a really solid showing. i still think it's a blessing in disguise though, i think it's better for the team to get a higher pick this year, there's a lot to build around now.

Agreed, I think our D will fine in the long haul. Lots to build around. Same with the offense but we need a new QB in training for when Kirk is done in 2 years. I also don't blame Zimmer for last night other than the play call. I like him going for it but even before that play I told my buddies whatever you do here, you do not run up the middle. Seattles D up front is good. We were running on them at will but not in a goal line stance situation. I was calling for a misdirection like the play before the Adam or a boot leg. Zimmer is like 0-6 against Seattle, we were 1-3, fuk it, take a gamble but not that play call.

[Madvillainy]

i don't really understand what the plan was this year, did they think they were going to be good? i liked the decision to gut the secondary in theory (i never saw this rhodes rebound coming, he looked completely dead) but you're going to have a big learning curve when you're relying on rookies with no proper camp. i get if they wanted to treat this as a transition year, but going out and getting a guy like ngakoue to add to the defense and re-signing cousins a year before they had to make a decision on him suggests that they did indeed think they were going to be competitive in the short-term. also complicates things that they just extended both zimmer and spielman. i can maybe see them canning zimmer, but spielman seems safe which i don't agree with at all.

even after coming off a draft where they drafted the most players in history and are now one of the youngest teams in the league, really the only reason to be excited for this team going forward is jefferson and cook, and RBs don't move the needle for a team.

hunter would be exciting but that injury is sketchy as fuk, no one really knows what's going on.

theielen and smith are great but they're old enough now that their talents are going to be wasted with this team before they fall off.

on D kendricks, harris and ngakoue are fine pieces but nothing special IMO. i'm not a fan of barr. who knows with these corners, it looks awful but i guess you just have to give it time with dantzler and gladney. i loved those picks at the time anyways.

offensively, the line is still a mess. bradbury and o'neill are the only ones worth keeping around. the guard play is beyond awful, everything they've tried has whiffed. at this point i'd rather put cleveland in at reiff's spot at LT. let him play his natural position instead of slotting him in on the interior that caves every play anyways. just to see what they really have with him.

there is zero upside with the rest of that roster. TE play is solid but unspectacular and there is nothing to speak of for any other pass catchers. rudolph is always going to be a redzone threat with those insane hands but he can't be relied on to move the chains in any real capacity. irv i'm still not sure on, but he's kind of meh. that's fine though, jefferson was such a massive home run, hopefully they can hit on someone else in the mid-rounds.

draft will be exciting though. lawrence, fields, maybe lance as QB options (i know kirk is fully guaranteed the next couple seasons, but you just can't pass those top 2 up), sewell at T, parsons and rousseau (if hunter is still in question) as front 7 options. really hoping chase and surtain go early, i can't see any way vikings go with a WR or CB once again in the 1st.

[GiveHerBills]

i don't really understand what the plan was this year, did they think they were going to be good? i liked the decision to gut the secondary in theory (i never saw this rhodes rebound coming, he looked completely dead) but you're going to have a big learning curve when you're relying on rookies with no proper camp. i get if they wanted to treat this as a transition year, but going out and getting a guy like ngakoue to add to the defense and re-signing cousins a year before they had to make a decision on him suggests that they did indeed think they were going to be competitive in the short-term. also complicates things that they just extended both zimmer and spielman. i can maybe see them canning zimmer, but spielman seems safe which i don't agree with at all.

even after coming off a draft where they drafted the most players in history and are now one of the youngest teams in the league, really the only reason to be excited for this team going forward is jefferson and cook, and RBs don't move the needle for a team.

hunter would be exciting but that injury is sketchy as fuk, no one really knows what's going on.

theielen and smith are great but they're old enough now that their talents are going to be wasted with this team before they fall off.

on D kendricks, harris and ngakoue are fine pieces but nothing special IMO. i'm not a fan of barr. who knows with these corners, it looks awful but i guess you just have to give it time with dantzler and gladney. i loved those picks at the time anyways.

offensively, the line is still a mess. bradbury and o'neill are the only ones worth keeping around. the guard play is beyond awful, everything they've tried has whiffed. at this point i'd rather put cleveland in at reiff's spot at LT. let him play his natural position instead of slotting him in on the interior that caves every play anyways. just to see what they really have with him.

there is zero upside with the rest of that roster. TE play is solid but unspectacular and there is nothing to speak of for any other pass catchers. rudolph is always going to be a redzone threat with those insane hands but he can't be relied on to move the chains in any real capacity. irv i'm still not sure on, but he's kind of meh. that's fine though, jefferson was such a massive home run, hopefully they can hit on someone else in the mid-rounds.

draft will be exciting though. lawrence, fields, maybe lance as QB options (i know kirk is fully guaranteed the next couple seasons, but you just can't pass those top 2 up), sewell at T, parsons and rousseau (if hunter is still in question) as front 7 options. really hoping chase and surtain go early, i can't see any way vikings go with a WR or CB once again in the 1st.

They’re not as talented top to bottom as a few years ago but there’s still a lot of good players. 3T and basically the entire OL are massive weaknesses, as well as QB. Ol Kurt has fallen off a cliff this season and I’m done defending him as a Top 10-15 QB.

They’re a couple drives away from 4-2 this year, so I’m not really onboard with this “The sky if falling” idea that a lot of Vikings fans have right now.

[Berts]

We traded what would have been a 35th-40th pick in next years draft for about the 80th-90th pick to have Yannick for 6 games.

Moving in the right direction LOL

We are in full dumpster fire mode

[AMeyer9]

So this has absolutely got to finally get slick Rick out of there no? Or are they just going to ebb & flow it because Zimmer is due to make the playoffs next year since this is his off year

[Berts]

So this has absolutely got to finally get slick Rick out of there no? Or are they just going to ebb & flow it because Zimmer is due to make the playoffs next year since this is his off year

I don't think Rick and Zimmer go anywhere. They have done some retarded things but for the most part have drafted and signed some really good players. Biggest flops are resigning Kirk and missing on the Oline, or you could say completely ignoring that position. Kubiak better be gone. His play calling is horrible.

[AMeyer9]

I don't think Rick and Zimmer go anywhere. They have done some retarded things but for the most part have drafted and signed some really good players. Biggest flops are resigning Kirk and missing on the Oline, or you could say completely ignoring that position. Kubiak better be gone. His play calling is horrible.

They're literally your problem. Can't just blame the OC every year. Your defense sucks too

[Madvillainy]

it's gonna be kind of hilarious if spielman is kept on into next season and they cut kirk. imagine trading for ngakoue and signing cousins and then letting that same GM handle the "we fukked up" moves to trade ngakoue for less and cut kirk. that's not how it's supposed to work.

[Madvillainy]

oh lawd they may actually have something here. the teams ahead of them in the wildcard race are:

tampa: 6-3
arizona: 5-3
LA: 5-3
chicago: 5-4
san fran: 4-5

3 teams make it this year, and the next 4 weeks are very favorable:

@ chicago
vs. cowboys
vs. panthers
vs. jaguars

could definitely be talking about them in a different light after that.

[Berts]

oh lawd they may actually have something here. the teams ahead of them in the wildcard race are:

tampa: 6-3
arizona: 5-3
LA: 5-3
chicago: 5-4
san fran: 4-5

3 teams make it this year, and the next 4 weeks are very favorable:

@ chicago
vs. cowboys
vs. panthers
vs. jaguars

could definitely be talking about them in a different light after that.

We are the Vikings, we will do just enough to keep the hope but not enough to get in. Also just enough so we get like the 13th pick so we can't get a top tier QB. If Cook can stay healthy we might be able to do enough to make the dance. The OL has been doing much better with Cleveland in there.

[GiveHerBills]

We are the Vikings, we will do just enough to keep the hope but not enough to get in. Also just enough so we get like the 13th pick so we can't get a top tier QB. If Cook can stay healthy we might be able to do enough to make the dance. The OL has been doing much better with Cleveland in there.

Gotta respect the difference having Cleveland in there has made. Maybe we shouldn’t tie ourselves to below-average veteran starters on the OL all the time, eh?

Defense has really been struggling with everybody out. They wouldn’t look half bad with Barr, Hunter, Pierce, and our CBs back.

[ajdahlheimer]

Gotta respect the difference having Cleveland in there has made.

Cleveland has collectively brought up our interior OL play. Bradbury looking good and Dozier actually functional (as a run blocker).

The Bears always sellout to stop Cook though--forcing Kirk to make plays. So I think this mini-run of wins comes to halt at Soldier next week.

Defense has really been struggling with everybody out. They wouldn’t look half bad with Barr, Hunter, Pierce, and our CBs back.

One silver lining to all these injuries is we are getting to see some of the younger DB talent who were otherwise buried on the depth chart. My hope would be to get one starter out of the two higher picks in Gladney/Dantzler. And then another starter out of Boyd/Fields/Hand. Boyd has looked like our best CB since being in there and Fields looked good before puncturing a lung (lol).

[Berts]

Seems like we have a endless supply of rookie CBs LOL. Just keep sending them in there.

I also think we lose to Chi this week. MNF, Kirk sucks in prime time. Chi has had out number for awhile. They have the D to stop out run and shut Kirk down.

[ajdahlheimer]

I also think we lose to Chi this week. MNF, Kirk sucks in prime time. Chi has had out number for awhile. They have the D to stop out run and shut Kirk down.

Right. And notice how our OL is magically better at pass blocking the last couple weeks when the opposing D's are biting hard on the play action stuff. That isn't gonna happen at Soldier Field if Dalvin is getting limited to 1 yard runs to start out...

[M0nkeyPrick]

Seems like we have a endless supply of rookie CBs LOL. Just keep sending them in there.

I also think we lose to Chi this week. MNF, Kirk sucks in prime time. Chi has had out number for awhile. They have the D to stop out run and shut Kirk down.

You guys still definitley have a shot. Whatever your defenses best performance was this year you can expect them to replicate that if not even better. They had 3 points after 3 quarters against a really bad titans and had 2 turnovers one that was ran back for a TD. Bears D held Henry in check Tannheill had 150 yards passing allowed 17 points(7 was from bears turning thr ball over) and they were still down 17-0 end of the third. Yes this offense is that BAD and they make every defense look elite.

[Madvillainy]

what an ugly season. defense is just historically bad, there really isn't much you can do if you can't put any pressure on the other QB. wonnum showed flashes, hopefully with hunter back he can get more going. dantzler was hit or miss, but he showed a ton of improvement towards the end of the year, i like what i see there. really worried about gladney though, i don't see much there. it may not be too fair to blame harris too much considering how inexperienced the corners were, but i'm comfortable with letting him go and looking at someone else. don't want barr back either, wilson is fine. smith/kendricks/hunter/pierce are all good to build a defense around.

jefferson was just a massive influx of talent, you can't ask for anything else, just an absurd season. cook is excellent of course, as is thielen. cousins is who he is, i just can't see any situation where they don't have him as the QB for the next couple years. line is better but still an issue. cleveland looks good, but bradbury is becoming an issue, he started off well enough, but has been ugly lately. obviously need another guard as well. o'neill and cleveland are really the only ones i'd like to build around though.

[Madvillainy]

draft is shaping up well considering positional need. all these players will likely be off the board by pick #14, and the vikings aren't going to be in the QB/WR/CB market in the draft anyways:

QB lawrence
QB wilson
QB fields
QB lance
WR chase
WR smith
WR waddle
CB horn
CB surtain
CB farley
T sewell
LB parsons
TE pitts

probably most likely looking at one of:

DE paye
DE rousseau
DT barmore