Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

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yezzir
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Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by yezzir »

Good day and Skol! Figured I'd get the game thread going tonight rather than early morning.

My prediction: Vikes 40, Browns 10


KICKOFF: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, Twickenham Stadium (London). TV: NFLN, Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl (field reporter).

SERIES HISTORY: 15th regular-season meeting. Vikings lead series, 10-4. The teams have never played at a neutral site. The Vikings are 2-4 against the Browns on the road. In their last meeting, Week 3 of the 2013 season, the Vikings were winless but still heavy favorites against the Browns at the Metrodome. The Browns won 31-27, sending the Vikings off to London to play the Steelers in a matchup of 0-3 teams.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Vikings want to keep it simple. Protect Case Keenum's blind side from rookie phenom Myles Garrett (if he plays), run the ball, stop the run, don't turn the ball over and head into the bye with a 6-2 record and first place in the NFC North.

The quarterback the Browns throw at the Vikings won't have a chance as long as the Vikings' third-ranked run defense plays the way it did in slamming the door on the Baltimore Ravens last week. Once the Browns' 25th-ranked running game is snuffed out, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer can turn his playmakers loose with his creative third-and-long packages.

For the Browns, the best way to cut down on turnovers is by using a dink-and-dunk passing game. Running back Duke Johnson is a key component to making that strategy work. He can float out of the backfield, catch a short pass over the middle and add another 15 or 20 yards with elusive running.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

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Vikings RB Jerick McKinnon vs. Browns MLB Joe Schobert. The Vikings split the running back duties between McKinnon and Latavius Murray with Dalvin Cook (knee) on injured reserve. Schobert, second on the Browns with 56 tackles, will have his hands full.

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Browns TE David Njoku vs. Vikings SS Jayron Kearse. Njoku, a rookie first-round draft pick, continues to improve. He has learned to use his big body to screen out defenders. Once he gets his hands on the ball, he usually hauls it in. Vikings starting safety Andrew Sendejo is suspended. Njoku could have an edge on Kearse.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Vikings FS Harrison Smith. Smith has three interceptions in the past four games. Two weeks ago, he had 1 1/2 sacks and an interception in the win over the Green Bay Packers. He had a quieter game against the Ravens last week, but that's more because of how much pressure the Vikings were able to apply with the front four. Facing a bad team with inexperience at quarterback is a recipe for Smith to do some of his best work when it comes to disguising coverages and blitz packages.

FAST FACTS: Vikings QB Case Keenum has eight TD passes and two interceptions for a 94 passer rating in his past seven games on the road. ... RB Latavius Murray rushed for 113 yards and a TD in Week 7. He also had 139 rushing yards and a TD in his last meeting against the Browns on Sept. 27, 2015 with Oakland. ... DE Everson Griffen had two sacks and a forced fumble in Week 7. He has a sack in all seven games this season and is the sixth player since 1982 with sacks in each of his team's first seven games. He also has five sacks and a forced fumble in the past four games on the road. He's aiming for his third game in a row on the road against an AFC opponent with two-plus sacks. ... Browns rookie QB DeShone Kizer is one of five QBs with 125-plus rushing yards (126) and two-plus rushing TDs (2). ... RB Isaiah Crowell has 562 scrimmage yards (93.7 per game) and four rushing TDs in his past six games against NFC opponents. ... LB Christian Kirksey had a career-high 17 tackles and a forced fumble in Week 7. He has 27 tackles (13.5 per game) in the past two games. He's tied for fourth in the NFL with 59 tackles.

PREDICTION: The Browns probably should have won last week but made as many mistakes as they had to for the Titans to pull it out in OT. The Vikings' rush line turns it loose against an opponent missing its best O-lineman in Joe Thomas and leads them to a 6-2 record at midseason.

OUR PICK: Vikings, 23-13.

--Bucky Dent
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by S197 »

Kearse is starting over Harris?
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by dead_poet »

S197 wrote:Kearse is starting over Harris?
That'd be surprising since Harris reportedly got the first team reps this week.
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by dead_poet »

Tashawn Bower is active. Danny Isadora starting at LG.

Inactives: Easton, Sirles, Adams, Edison, Weatherly, J. Johnson
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by Texas Vike »

I think this NFLN pregame show is the worst I’ve ever seen.

SKOL Vikings, honor your name! :v):
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by dead_poet »

Harris starting for Sendejo.

McCourty out for Cleveland.
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by soflavike »

A David Morgan sighting. :shock:
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by Texas Vike »

Nice to see Diggs out there being productive already.
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by soflavike »

Ay ay ay... we're gonna make this interesting, aren't we?
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by Texas Vike »

Holy bad start Batman.
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by soflavike »

Was that Kearse whiffing on that tackle. Sheesh. :wallbang:
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by PurpleMustReign »

soflavike wrote:Was that Kearse whiffing on that tackle. Sheesh. :wallbang:
I think it was Harris.

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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by dead_poet »

I freaking knew it. Never be confident.
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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by PurpleMustReign »

Is Teddy active?

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Re: Vikings @ Browns Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 8

Post by ERIK the PURPLE »

They don't know it's a damn show. They think it's a damn game. Wake up Vikes!
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