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Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:29 pm
by 808vikingsfan
I know it's early but I think this could be a turning point of this team. The powers that be are ranking the Lions as high as #4 even though they beat two bad teams and was getting blown out VS the Falcons until ATL almost repeated their superbowl nightmare. Someone on NFLN even picked Stafford over Brady and Rodgers to have as their 4th qtr QB. I'm still not buying.

The Lions have no running game. Now is the time for Zimmer to unleash Barr and his exotic blitz packages. Seems like he's been relying more on his front 4 to apply pressure keeping more in coverage. IMO, he needs to blitz early and often.

Very important for the offense to score early in this one.
Keenum did well against the Lions last year and I think he'll do well again.

Big game this week.

(yeah, I'm a little drunk writing this. Waiting to catch a plane)

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 2:25 am
by Dmizzle0
This will be a huge test for our pass D. I would like to see our line put pressure on Stafford to knock him off his game and also be consistent in the 2nd half. No comeback drives.

As for the offense, I think the run game is getting better and with that we should get some 25+ yards passing plays completed.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 6:15 am
by Grashopa
I just want to see Harrison Smith blow up Golden Tate....

I agree that this is our biggest game of the season so far. This is the game where we have to "prove it". I am looking forward to all the divisional match ups coming up in the next few weeks, in 3 weeks it will be more clear who is at the top of the division and who is at the bottom. C'mon Sunday!

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:20 am
by dead_poet
Reiff vs. Ansah and Diggs vs. Slay are a couple of matchups I'm interested in seeing. Slay is legit.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:53 am
by mansquatch
I agree that this is a prove it game, but to me it is more proving they can beat the teams they should beat. The Lions were one of my two poser teams from last year (the other being Dallas), therefore this is a game we should win. IMO, the biggest thing to watch is whether or not we are able to take charge of this game early and dominate them. If this is a nail biter game then, IMO, we are not playing like a dominant playoff team. The OL in particular needs to show it can make it happen against a non-bottom dweller NFL defense.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:21 am
by PurpleMustReign
I'm worried about the pass defense. Stafford isn't going to throw red zone picks like Wineston did, and like I said, almost every play, Tampa had WRs WIDE M-F'N open. Stafford is overrated, IMO, but he is a good QB and is capable of lighting it up if needed.

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:16 am
by autobon7
Would like to see us abuse Stafford like we did 2 years ago......last year was a weird year (except 1st 5 games). I expect different results this time around.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 2:25 pm
by J. Kapp 11
I just watched the NFLN replay of the Falcons-Lions game.

Really surprised at how easily the Falcons ran the ball against Detroit. I know ATL's offensive line is good, and Davonte Freeman is good, but they were gashing the Lions. Also, the pass defense isn't that great. Darius Slay got a pick, but it was a dropped pass that popped up right to him.

Detroit is a good team, but our roster is better. We're at home. If our O-line can keep Keenum or Bradford upright, we should win this game. Of course, we should have won both games last year.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 2:36 pm
by IrishViking
J. Kapp 11 wrote:I just watched the NFLN replay of the Falcons-Lions game.

Really surprised at how easily the Falcons ran the ball against Detroit. I know ATL's offensive line is good, and Davonte Freeman is good, but they were gashing the Lions. Also, the pass defense isn't that great. Darius Slay got a pick, but it was a dropped pass that popped up right to him.

Detroit is a good team, but our roster is better. We're at home. If our O-line can keep Keenum or Bradford upright, we should win this game. Of course, we should have won both games last year.

Cook will have a good game, I don't think our division has completely adapted to no Peterson yet. I am such a huge fan of our new, more consistent yardage in the run game. For years NFCN teams especially could basically "bake in" Peterson killing at least one drive by getting back to back TFL and putting insane pressure on the QB

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 3:43 pm
by S197
In order to contend for the division, I think the Vikings will have to at least split games with the Lions. The next time they play will be on a short week, on the road, so it would be great if this team could pull off a win with Keenum at the helm.

Honestly, to me this week is more a "nice to have" than a make it or break it type week. This team is more or less in survival mode until Sam or Teddy can come back. I think they can win, the Vikings are tough to beat in that stadium, but I think it's going to be quite a battle.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:12 pm
by Dmizzle0
J. Kapp 11 wrote:I just watched the NFLN replay of the Falcons-Lions game.

Really surprised at how easily the Falcons ran the ball against Detroit. I know ATL's offensive line is good, and Davonte Freeman is good, but they were gashing the Lions.
Yea I see what you mean but having Julio can help with opening the run game for the Falcons. Maybe the Lions D will give Diggs and Thielen that respect and that will lead us to Cooking up some yards for lunch.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:27 pm
by J. Kapp 11
Dmizzle0 wrote: Yea I see what you mean but having Julio can help with opening the run game for the Falcons. Maybe the Lions D will give Diggs and Thielen that respect and that will lead us to Cooking up some yards for lunch.
I actually hope they do like everybody else and FAIL to give Thielen the respect he deserves. At some point, opposing defenses are going to have to wake up to the fact that the undrafted free agent is LEGIT.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 11:48 am
by autobon7
J. Kapp 11 wrote: I actually hope they do like everybody else and FAIL to give Thielen the respect he deserves. At some point, opposing defenses are going to have to wake up to the fact that the undrafted free agent is LEGIT.
I'm with ya there Kapp....I'm thinking just about the time other teams give Thielen the respect he deserves Floyd will be available (and I have a feeling contributing fairly quickly) so there will have to be some interesting decisions made by opposing DCs. I really don't see why this offense cannot keep competing at a higher level as long as the OL continues to perform at or near the level they have thus far.

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 2:19 pm
by mansquatch
J. Kapp 11 wrote: I actually hope they do like everybody else and FAIL to give Thielen the respect he deserves. At some point, opposing defenses are going to have to wake up to the fact that the undrafted free agent is LEGIT.
I think they respect him, they just have an issue in that if they over commit to Thielen they'll get burned by Diggs. Both WR have yet to face upper echelon NFL cover CB though. Slay will provide some of that this week.

This offense has some very potent skill position players. Cook has shown he can get results and Rudolph is an upper tier TE. The weakness has always been the pass protection, if that can hold up, then they should be able to continue to get results.

Aside from the QB injury, I think the offense producing is huge boon. It is giving the defense some "cushion" so younger guys like Waynes and Alexander can learn without blowing games. Of course, that assumes they eventually learn...

Re: Week 4: Detroit Lions VS Minnesota Vikings discussion

Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 3:01 pm
by CbusVikesFan
1st divisional game of the season. As tight as it is so far we have to win tbis one. ALL games are important but we all know within the division are a little more so.