Vikes/49ers Post-game thoughts

[Mothman]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ball-well/

As the Vikings prepared to face the 49ers on Sunday, the team that was 3-13 in 2011 noticed something about the team that was 13-3.”Teams that beat the 49ers last year ran the ball well against them,” quarterback Christian Ponder told PFT by phone after Sunday’s unlikely 24-13 win. “We decided to run the ball.”

Helping the offense prepare was former 49ers head coach Mike Singletary. Ponder said Singletary worked with offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave as Musgrave prepared to go against plenty of players Singletary drafted, signed, and/or coached.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

If those are the only two games you have ever attended, and the Vikes play like that when you are there, I think we should have the board chip in and buy season tickets so you can be at every game!

Congrats, glad it was a great game for you...

This was actually my 12th game at the Metrodome and my 'record' now stands at 9-3 when I have been in attendance (the losses coming from New Orleans and Chicago last year and Philly in the 2008 Wild Card).

That being said, if you guys still want to generate a fund for season tickets for me I would gladly accept.

[Hunter Morrow]

I really like how outside of special teams coverage we were fairly dominant in all aspects of professional football and had time of possession, yardage and everything from 30 yard QB scrambles to 50 yarder field goals...

Yet we get no credit. We beat a 7.5 favorite by 11 points and held them under 14 points...

"That was the 49ers game and they gave it away."

Alex Smith's stat line was 200 yards, 1 TD/1 pick/1 lost fumble

What? We held this guy to 200 yards and a -1 touchdown to turnover ratio? We owned him.

We dominated the offensive line of scrimmage. How many times did Ponder get sacked? Oh right, zero.
Here is how many times he got hit: 2. Did I mention that our running back had 80 yards rushing and over 100 yards from scrimmage?

This is being billed as a defensive collapse rather than an offensive performance. Bull.
This was as good as this line and Ponder has played in about 20 games.

7.5 underdogs to the Lions? Take the points.

[Mothman]

This was actually my 12th game at the Metrodome and my 'record' now stands at 9-3 when I have been in attendance (the losses coming from New Orleans and Chicago last year and Philly in the 2008 Wild Card).

That being said, if you guys still want to generate a fund for season tickets for me I would gladly accept.

I'm beginning to think that's actually a good idea!

[losperros]

- Blair Walsh. I'll tell you what, if this season comes down to a long field goal I won't be worried. I don't know how the Vikings found this guy, but he is pretty amazing.

Good scouting. Yes, I'm serious. The Vikings staff were all alone in thinking they did the right thing by drafting The Blair Walsh Project in Round Six.

Ponder made a lot of solid decisions, but he made his 2nd TD pass much harder than it needed to be by going to a covered Rudolph instead of a wide open, hands-waving-in-the-air AD. AD gets a ton of attention from most defenses as a runner, but he often seems to be left wide open by most defenses if he doesn't get the handoff. That's something the Vikings should notice and take advantage of more IMHO unless AD really can't catch.

Ever wonder why AD is taken out on 3rd and long downs?

[Crax]

I thought it was more because of mediocre blocking. AD can catch the short passes just fine and I needed those fantasy points!

[Mothman]

Good scouting. Yes, I'm serious. The Vikings staff were all alone in thinking they did the right thing by drafting The Blair Walsh Project in Round Six.
Ever wonder why AD is taken out on 3rd and long downs?

LOL! That's a good point, although they've started throwing to him a little more the last two weeks and he's coming through for them.

On that TD pass to Rudolph, I think Ponder saw the all-out blitz coming at him and either didn't see AD because of the blitz or just didn't look for him. He clearly has great trust in Rudolph under the circumstances, he probably decided to get the ball out of his hands quickly by throwing to one of his favorite targets. It wasn't necessarily the ideal choice under the circumstances but it resulted in a TD so I'm fine with it. Next time, maybe he'll just toss the easier TD to Peterson. In the end, what really matters is that the play worked.

[Thaumaturgist]

This was actually my 12th game at the Metrodome and my 'record' now stands at 9-3 when I have been in attendance (the losses coming from New Orleans and Chicago last year and Philly in the 2008 Wild Card).

That being said, if you guys still want to generate a fund for season tickets for me I would gladly accept.

Just letting you all know that the Vikings have never lost a game that I've been to. So if you're going to start a fund, I'd accept as well...

You don't have to know that their record for games I've been to is 0-0, do you? I want to go, have for years, but I just can't get it past the finance department.

[The Breeze]

I didn't get to see one snap of this game.....got to hear the second half on the radio.

Interesting that the 2009 season turned on that last second win against the Niners.

I think this type of win shows the nature of the NFL. The talent isn't really all that far apart team by team...it all comes down to execution and adjustments. I've been impressed by the way this team has adjusted qtr by qtr this season. Maybe it's made glaring due to the years of square peg round hole style of Childress. Regardless, this team has already learned much through the first 3 games; a. they are never out of it, b. neither is the other team, and c. they can play and compete with the better teams on any given week.

Rudolph has really helped open up the offense for Harvin and Ponder just by being another target with talent. Really looking forward to seeing Simpson on the field soon, this team has some serious weapons on offernse.

If they can quickly learn to win on the road they will be a factor late in the season. But I think that will be the biggest hurdle for this young team. It's one thing to dominate at home.....but the road mentality is a different thing.

Great win for this team....really made my day

[vikings79]

It's not the same, but after watching Ponder scramble for that touchdown, I couldn't help but remember many many years ago, when Steve Young slithered through the Vikings defense for a touchdown. They must have replayed Young's run a thousand times on ESPN, it was burned into my brain no matter how many times I tried to forget it had happened.

Great all-around win for the Vikings. Ponder is really coming into his own.

[losperros]

On that TD pass to Rudolph, I think Ponder saw the all-out blitz coming at him and either didn't see AD because of the blitz or just didn't look for him. He clearly has great trust in Rudolph under the circumstances, he probably decided to get the ball out of his hands quickly by throwing to one of his favorite targets. It wasn't necessarily the ideal choice under the circumstances but it resulted in a TD so I'm fine with it. Next time, maybe he'll just toss the easier TD to Peterson. In the end, what really matters is that the play worked.

Absolutely correct. Ponder probably got a split second to make a read and he saw a glimpse of Rudolph, so he made the throw. Then again, if Ponder has to deliver a pass right away and his targets are Rudolph or AD, then it's a good bet that it will be Rudolph every time. Not that AD is bad but Rudolph is that good. Rudolph made the one-handed TD catch look as if he didn't break a sweat doing it.

OTOH, I would like to see Peterson used more as a receiver. I imagine that could happen as the season carries on, especially with AD getting better and better after his injury.

[Grashopa]

I just realized something (others may have realized this aswell) but based on our current record it seems as though we can only beat undefeated teams....

[60niners]

Excellent game gents. Well-played in all facets.

[Mothman]

Excellent game gents. Well-played in all facets.

I agree.

I was impressed with the class 49ers fans showed on this board. Thanks for stopping by to talk football and good luck to you and your favorite team!

[losperros]

Excellent game gents. Well-played in all facets.

Thanks for saying that. Also, thank you for your contributions on our board.