Vikings Message Board.Com

Hunter Morrow wrote:If we don't win by at least a touchdown I am off the dark horse SB winner in their own house purple Kool Aid. The New Orleans Saints went 7-9 in 4 of its last 5 seasons, including the last three in a row, for a pretty simple reason: The team just isn't that good. If we are a real deal team we win by at least seven points.

The Saints defense was terrible last year and a big reason why the team was not that good. I totally could be wrong but I have reason to believe they're defense will be much better (still bottom half of the league but still significantly improved from near last). It's rare you don't see most of the best and worst NFL defenses revert to the mean.
Fleener has his second year with Brees, Michael Thomas in his 2nd year equals a step forward statistically and they add Ted Ginn who can open things up underneath and clear out room and they move Snead to the slot... not to mention additions in Adrian and Alvin Kamara. The Saints offense could set record this year if they've can get good tight end play (which I'm not totally convinced they can) ... even if they don't their offense will still probably be top 5.
[[Edit:I wasn't really thinking at the time I wrote this that Brandin Cooks was traded away, that puts a little more pressure on Michael Thomas and Willie Snead but Ted Ginn still make their transition into bigger pieces of the offense a little easier, so I may have overestimated the Saints strength]]

This Saints team is not last year's Saints team. I believe the Saints will be very good this year.

Then there is the matchup. Even if the Saints aren't very good like I think, it is only because their defense.

It's totally possible that our team is still not built to score TDs in the redzone and only win close, defensive style games of field position. It's totally possible that this strategy will work successfully against 90% of all teams but the overpowered offense and terrible defense teams will be a little tougher as a matchup because our offense still may not be able to score TDs and we are still putting the game on the defense with as good of field position as the offense can muster.

In my opinion:
This Vikings team is unlike last year built to get STRONGER as the year goes on. The depth is incredible including the practice squad. It is important that we get a few wins early, but if we can hang on I think we have a good chance of finishing really strong. We get Teddy back even as a backup that will be a good emotional win for the Vikings. We get Floyd back and that is a personnel gain. I think Treadwell will have some significance at some point this year and he isn't young enough to still be getting better as time goes on. We have rookie OL playing as a totally new unit that just recently figured out where to play with minimal contact allowed during practice and they will take several games to gel and really play together as a group.

Entire OL: set to improve as the year goes on.
TE: Rudolph may stay the same or regress, other TEs should improve... really disappointed we don't have Bucky Hodges this year though.
WR:Every WR position except Floyd is young, but Floyd's suspension and new status without the team means he improves team from week 1 to week 17. Thielen is the only veteran who arguably doesn't have as much room for improvement but given he is only just learning the starting role I can still see some improvement possible.
QB:Bradford probably still has room for improvement having a full offseason for the first time with the team and he should in time start gelling with a lot of young WRs and QBs dont age like other positions. And I get the argument that Teddy coming back could be a distraction and QB controversy and players preferring Teddy but Teddy coming back I think is positive for the team and major moral boost they need after 6 weeks or more even if Bradford remains the starter.
RB: Dalvin Cook is a rookie and should begin improving in the area of run blocking and adapting to NFL speed. Latavius New with the team and hasn't spent much time with #1s in practice because of injury. McKinnon no change.
FB:CJ Ham is new to the position and a 2nd year player who should improve over this season.
So the entire offense really should get stronger as the year goes on if we stay healthy.

Defense:
DL is mostly going to stay the same but they are deep enough to weather some injuries better than most in the NFL. Hunter is an amazing player who I think can still get better. Griffin and Linval Jospeh are fully matured as a talent. Stephen Weatherly is improving and Jaleel Johnson is certainly improving. Shamar Stephen I think is still likely to improve. B-Rob and Tom Johnson are probably in decline at their ages.

Oh, and if somehow Sherrif Floyd can fire his muscle again he can probably get back in playing shape in a few weeks and that will really help our DL.

LBers are all young enough where they should still be improving as the year progresses.
CB:Rhodes is probably at the top of his game or near it already. Wayne's is improving, Mackenzie Alexander is improving. Tremaine Brock new to the team, going to get coached up by Zimmer and improve as he goes. Objectively Newman and Sherrels should* be in decline. Apparently they didn't get the memo as Newman found the fountain of youth and Sherrels is a top special teamer.
Safeties you can probably say Harrison Smith is a tough the top of his game or near it. Sandejo's probably as good as Sandejo can be. Jayron Kearse and Anthony Harris are young and upcoming depth.

We are not immune to injuries but I think we are still in a better position than most teams at a number of positions.

I think we need to reduce the number of times players workout a week and possibly change the philosophy altogether if injuries keep stacking up. Even if it is more effective at building muscle mass, what good is additional strength if the players have to play at less than 100% because of injury anyways?

J. Kapp 11 wrote:I get what you're saying, DP. But while Dallas has expended a lot of draft capital on offensive linemen, it has come at the expense of their defense. Let's not forget, they've only won two playoff games THIS CENTURY. They also had the luxury of having the undrafted Tony Romo as their quarterback for the better part of a decade, allowing them to stockpile early-round talent at other positions.

The Vikings, on the other hand, have used most of their recent draft capital on defense. Whether that strategy will ever pay off is up for debate, but it's the choice they've made.

Any time I question our recent drafts, I only have to think back to the dark days of the Red McCombs era to put it in perspective. I swear, the Vikings missed on virtually every draft pick for the better part of 10 years (Adrian Peterson and Chad Greenway being a couple of notable exceptions). Even guys like Sidney Rice (one good season) and Percy Harvin (flake extraordinaire) didn't turn out the way we thought they would. I especially remember 2004 and 2005, when literally the only serviceable player taken was Mewelde Moore.

At least the Wilfs are making an effort.

Then this is where I Disagree with the Philosophy of the front offense. It's nice to have a great defense, but we don't. We have a average defense that gives up more points than our offense scores. It does no good to have a defense when Your offense can't score points. I'd rather score more points and play from a lead than continue down this road of Defense First which is costing us getting into the Playoffs. all our offense is the same old west coast dink and dunk crap that every team knows how to stop.

... because the Purple People Eaters are going to eat All Day.

.....because every game is important!
Plain and simple

Every game is important, but its silly to call the first game a must win. The Vikings need to finish strong, something they rarely do.

PurpleKoolaid wrote:Every game is important, but its silly to call the first game a must win. The Vikings need to finish strong, something they rarely do.

Completely disagree.....because if we lose tonight then go on the road against Pit (who will look better than they did yesterday) then another tough game against an up and coming team (Tampa) there is a strong potential to go 0-3. We all seen what happened last year when the skid started.

So many teams came out flat-footed yesterday, you can definitely tell it's week 1. Please don't let that happen tonight Vikes.

autobon7 wrote: Completely disagree.....because if we lose tonight then go on the road against Pit (who will look better than they did yesterday) then another tough game against an up and coming team (Tampa) there is a strong potential to go 0-3. We all seen what happened last year when the skid started.

Conversely, we have seen that a hot start doesn't mean jack.

imo there are 10-11 must win games depending on how the division and NFC plays. I don't care which they are (except for the packers)

IrishViking wrote:
Conversely, we have seen that a hot start doesn't mean jack.

imo there are 10-11 must win games depending on how the division and NFC plays. I don't care which they are (expect for the packers)

This is true......agree with the Packers statement as well.

mike2mike wrote: The Saints defense was terrible last year and a big reason why the team was not that good. I totally could be wrong but I have reason to believe they're defense will be much better (still bottom half of the league but still significantly improved from near last). It's rare you don't see most of the best and worst NFL defenses revert to the mean.
Fleener has his second year with Brees, Michael Thomas in his 2nd year equals a step forward statistically and they add Ted Ginn who can open things up underneath and clear out room and they move Snead to the slot... not to mention additions in Adrian and Alvin Kamara. The Saints offense could set record this year if they've can get good tight end play (which I'm not totally convinced they can) ... even if they don't their offense will still probably be top 5.
[[Edit:I wasn't really thinking at the time I wrote this that Brandin Cooks was traded away, that puts a little more pressure on Michael Thomas and Willie Snead but Ted Ginn still make their transition into bigger pieces of the offense a little easier, so I may have overestimated the Saints strength]]

This Saints team is not last year's Saints team. I believe the Saints will be very good this year.

Then there is the matchup. Even if the Saints aren't very good like I think, it is only because their defense.

It's totally possible that our team is still not built to score TDs in the redzone and only win close, defensive style games of field position. It's totally possible that this strategy will work successfully against 90% of all teams but the overpowered offense and terrible defense teams will be a little tougher as a matchup because our offense still may not be able to score TDs and we are still putting the game on the defense with as good of field position as the offense can muster.

You are track here. Another receiver to keep an eye on for the Saints is third year Brandon Coleman. At 6'6" and with an added ten pounds Coleman was the camp beast. He couldn't be stopped. He is what the Saints have been missing since the trade of Jimmy Graham, a huge red zone presence that Brees can throw the pass that a defender cannot reach. I must also point out that Snead will not be playing due to suspension, but I expect to see Kamara lining up in the slot on several occasions in Snead's role.

Looks like the Saints are still the Saints. Brown bags inc in 3...2...1...