Lions @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 9

[TSonn]

How many points didthe offense leave on the field? More than walsh. Extra points an field goals are not gimmes this year.

We probably kick a FG in the redzone when we turned it over on downs if Walsh could be counted on to make a 20 yard FG.

[TriceStyle]

Not for Walsh considering hes missed the most.

[Norv Zimmer]

The thing that pisses me off the most is the prevent defense at the end of regulation.

I can see prevent if you are up by 4 or more, not 3. Especially when they have one of the strongest kickers in the league.

I for real put a lot of.this loss on Zimmer.

Walsh gets 2nd most blame for obvious reasons.

Rhodes, nice fricken hit on tate there, all you have to do is use your hands and push him out of bounds. Seriously WTF WAS THAT?

[S197]

Pittsburgh trying to challenge us for worst kicker in the league

https://twitter.com/nfl/status/795376353650483201

[VikingLord]

He hasn't been right but a blocked FG isn't necessarily on the kicker. I only saw one replay of that kick but it didn't look like he hit the ball extremely low or anything. I think the Lions just made a play on that one. The missed extra point was far more egregious, especially because he's done that too many times this season.

Sorry, should have added "kick extra points" to that statement, which he has also really struggled to do as you note.

Practice fundamental football, game plan for the Redskins and keep trying to right this ship.

I assume that is what they've been doing since the loss to the Eagles.

[Mothman]

Like I said, he cost us that game. If he makes the damn extra point, something that 99.5% of kickers do in this league, the game is over.

No, it's just different. It's not like he attempted as time expired.

Why do fans insist on singling out one player to blame for a loss? There were dozens of plays in this game that could have made a difference between winning and losing. Heck, Rhodes and Smith blew tackling attempts on the game-winning play and allowed Tate to score but somehow it's Walsh alone who is responsible for the loss because he missed an extra point in the 3rd quarter? Who allowed the Lions to score 22 points? Did Walsh manage to drive the offense backwards and force a punt after Greenway set them up in great field position with an interception? Why does the missed extra point matter more than that missed opportunity?

Give me a break.

[Mothman]

Sorry, should have added "kick extra points" to that statement, which he has also really struggled to do as you note.
I assume that is what they've been doing since the loss to the Eagles.

I assume so but what else can they do?

[TSonn]

No, it's just different. It's not like he attempted as time expired.

Why do fans insist on singling out one player to blame for a loss? There were dozens of plays in this game that could have made a difference between winning and losing.

Sure, but those plays have multiple facets to them and it's difficult to single out players. On the Walsh XP the block was good, the hold was good, the kick was not. That's all on Walsh. The rest of the 10 guys out there did their job to get the point on the board.

Also - it's an XP. It's a gimme for all other kickers. Not hitting the XP is like a mechanic not knowing how to do an oil change. That person would get fired immediately.

[halfgiz]

Lions Red Zone Efficiency 1/1 - 100% Vikings Red Zone Efficiency 2/5 - 40%

[me4get]

This team has lots of players injured, more the 4 weeks ago. 3 out on OL ALONE. That makes it harder to win. Quit blaming one or 2 players, its a team game.

[SP1966]

No, it's just different. It's not like he attempted as time expired.

Why do fans insist on singling out one player to blame for a loss? There were dozens of plays in this game that could have made a difference between winning and losing. Heck, Rhodes and Smith blew tackling attempts on the game-winning play and allowed but somehow it's Walsh alone who is responsible for the loss because he missed an extra point in the 3rd quarter? Who allowed the Lions to score 22 points? Did Walsh manage to drive the offense backwards and force a punt after Greenway set them up in great field position with an interception? why does the missed extra point matter more than that missed opportunity?

Give me a break.

Most of your points are spot on, and Rhodes and Smith deserve heat for their crappy tackling on the final play, but if not for a missed extra point they'd have been in the winning locker room by that point. Walsh deserves extra heat because his terrible kicking has been the norm for a year and a half or more.

Edit: I think it's time to say goodbye to Walsh, his problem is between the ears and that will never be solved while still a member of the Vikings. He needs a fresh start in order to put it behind him IMO, and the Vikings cannot afford to wait him out anymore.

[Boon]

why does the missed extra point matter more than that missed opportunity?

Give me a break.

Because it's a dead ball goofup. Had no effect whatsoever on the kickoff or the ensuing plays. Just the missed point, a point that would have required Detroit to need a td vs a fg. That's why

[me4get]

Sure, but those plays have multiple facets to them and it's difficult to single out players. On the Walsh XP the block was good, the hold was good, the kick was not. That's all on Walsh. The rest of the 10 guys out there did their job to get the point on the board.

Also - it's an XP. It's a gimme for all other kickers. Not hitting the XP is like a mechanic not knowing how to do an oil change. That person would get fired immediately.

Where have you been? PATS AREN'T gimmes this year!

[Mothman]

Looked like a shank to me. It wasn't going in unless it had a nasty right hook on it. The shank gave the Lions a better opportunity to block a kick that wasn't going in anyway.

It looks to me like he hit it fine:

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/201611060 ... tab=videos

Let's just say it was Norv Turner's fault.

[VikingLord]

Why do fans insist on singling out one player to blame for a loss? There were dozens of plays in this game that could have made a difference between winning and losing. Heck, Rhodes and Smith blew tackling attempts on the game-winning play and allowed but somehow it's Walsh alone who is responsible for the loss because he missed an extra point in the 3rd quarter? Who allowed the Lions to score 22 points? Did Walsh manage to drive the offense backwards and force a punt after Greenway set them up in great field position with an interception? why does the missed extra point matter more than that missed opportunity?

If it was a single event I'd agree with you but it hasn't been. Walsh has consistently missed extra points and has been shaky on field goals. It is that trend of data and not this single event that is provoking the justified criticism of him. As I stated, I don't think he's recovered from what happened last year against the Seahawks, and if he can't shake that off and continues to choke when he's out there the Vikings would be better served by bringing in someone else who might have less raw talent but is more consistent (if such a kicker is available and I don't know if one is).

I agree with you that Walsh alone didn't cost the Vikings this game, or any other game, for that matter. It's a team sport and a lot of players, coaches and even refs contribute to the final result. But saying that doesn't mean those individuals get passes for their performances, either, especially if they have consistently produced questionable results over a period of time. In Walsh's case I think he's crossed the rubicon of evidence. I'm less inclined to indict Harrison Smith or Rhodes as neither has played consistently poorly over a fairly substantial number of games. In this particular game, both blew it in a crucial moment, and if both continue to blow it, then they should expect to start getting the same type of criticism that Walsh is now getting.