2018 Minnesota Vikings failed season.

[PacificNorseWest]

Yeah, I don't know that JDF was intentionally undermining Zimmer, he just wasn't very good at adjusting, paring down the playbook and his in-game feel was pretty bad.

[StanM]

Offensive line, quarterback play, and defensive lapses aside there seemed to be something else missing this year. I see it as an intangible, a cohesiveness that seemed to be lost. We had some players that in retrospect were great for morale and keeping everyone lose and focused and that is the intangible that was missing. Teddy and Brian Robison are two examples of players who filled that role and they were gone this year. Call it chemistry, leadership, positive thoughts, whatever it was we seem to have lost that this season.

[V Vette]

Lets simplify this; Vikes only needed to spend 84 million on an offensive line (we could of had 2 starting O.L. for that price)...Thats it. Who ever wanted Cousins should be fired... Cousins is a back up QB at best... Now we will go backwards for 2 more years!

[chicagopurple]

Kirk Cousins = Herschel Walker 2.0

It's a trade that will set us back YEARS

[PsyDanny]

Kirk Cousins = Herschel Walker 2.0

It's a trade that will set us back YEARS

Help me out here, how is the Cousin's deal a trade?

[VikingLord]

Offensive line, quarterback play, and defensive lapses aside there seemed to be something else missing this year. I see it as an intangible, a cohesiveness that seemed to be lost. We had some players that in retrospect were great for morale and keeping everyone lose and focused and that is the intangible that was missing. Teddy and Brian Robison are two examples of players who filled that role and they were gone this year. Call it chemistry, leadership, positive thoughts, whatever it was we seem to have lost that this season.

I agree with this. While individual players showed some fire and leadership, it seemed like the general tenor was more along the lines of individuals playing rather than a cohesive unit playing. Maybe that isn't completely fair, but at least on the defensive side of the ball, it seemed like a lot of guys were just going through the motions at times.

One other thing that stood out in reflection as compared to last year. Last year, I think Diggs and Thielen were among the top WRs in the league in terms of contested catches. That tells me that Keenum (primarily) tossed the ball at them a lot of times when they weren't clearly open and it was a safe throw, and they came down with it despite good coverage. I think this year, we saw that Cousins is less inclined to take risks in general, preferring to throw the ball to receivers he considers clearly open. That might also go to player leadership. Keenum was willing to take chances and let his receivers make the plays, while Cousins is less willing to take chances and more inclined to put the responsibility for errors on his own shoulders.

One thing is certain - Spielman has to fix the offensive line. A guy like Cousins is going to need a much more effective and consistent running game and better overall pass protection to succeed. If Spielman can fix the offensive line and they are effective and consistent, I think Cousins will look a lot better overall, and some of the aforementioned issues, at least on the offensive side of the ball, will resolve themselves.

[PurpleMustReign]

I hope spielman is watching the Colts and Texans game and seeing what a difference a good OL is making. The Colts have pretty much dominated in the trenches on offense and they are going to best the Texans now.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Offensive line, quarterback play, and defensive lapses aside there seemed to be something else missing this year. I see it as an intangible, a cohesiveness that seemed to be lost. We had some players that in retrospect were great for morale and keeping everyone lose and focused and that is the intangible that was missing. Teddy and Brian Robison are two examples of players who filled that role and they were gone this year. Call it chemistry, leadership, positive thoughts, whatever it was we seem to have lost that this season.

I agree with this. While individual players showed some fire and leadership, it seemed like the general tenor was more along the lines of individuals playing rather than a cohesive unit playing. Maybe that isn't completely fair, but at least on the defensive side of the ball, it seemed like a lot of guys were just going through the motions at times.

One other thing that stood out in reflection as compared to last year. Last year, I think Diggs and Thielen were among the top WRs in the league in terms of contested catches. That tells me that Keenum (primarily) tossed the ball at them a lot of times when they weren't clearly open and it was a safe throw, and they came down with it despite good coverage. I think this year, we saw that Cousins is less inclined to take risks in general, preferring to throw the ball to receivers he considers clearly open. That might also go to player leadership. Keenum was willing to take chances and let his receivers make the plays, while Cousins is less willing to take chances and more inclined to put the responsibility for errors on his own shoulders.

One thing is certain - Spielman has to fix the offensive line. A guy like Cousins is going to need a much more effective and consistent running game and better overall pass protection to succeed. If Spielman can fix the offensive line and they are effective and consistent, I think Cousins will look a lot better overall, and some of the aforementioned issues, at least on the offensive side of the ball, will resolve themselves.

Guess what some of us fans were saying last year. "one thing is certain, Spielman has to fix the Oline'. And he didnt do squat. He doesnt know Oline talent, how could he? And Zimmer has little to do with, or little say, in what happens to the Oline. You want the Oline fixed, pray Ricky gets his a$$ fired. Or it will be an almost identical season to this one. Even worse maybe, because we will be dealing with the Cap his thanks to Cousins payday.

[PurpleMustReign]

I agree with this. While individual players showed some fire and leadership, it seemed like the general tenor was more along the lines of individuals playing rather than a cohesive unit playing. Maybe that isn't completely fair, but at least on the defensive side of the ball, it seemed like a lot of guys were just going through the motions at times.

One other thing that stood out in reflection as compared to last year. Last year, I think Diggs and Thielen were among the top WRs in the league in terms of contested catches. That tells me that Keenum (primarily) tossed the ball at them a lot of times when they weren't clearly open and it was a safe throw, and they came down with it despite good coverage. I think this year, we saw that Cousins is less inclined to take risks in general, preferring to throw the ball to receivers he considers clearly open. That might also go to player leadership. Keenum was willing to take chances and let his receivers make the plays, while Cousins is less willing to take chances and more inclined to put the responsibility for errors on his own shoulders.

One thing is certain - Spielman has to fix the offensive line. A guy like Cousins is going to need a much more effective and consistent running game and better overall pass protection to succeed. If Spielman can fix the offensive line and they are effective and consistent, I think Cousins will look a lot better overall, and some of the aforementioned issues, at least on the offensive side of the ball, will resolve themselves.

Guess what some of us fans were saying last year. "one thing is certain, Spielman has to fix the Oline'. And he didnt do squat. He doesnt know Oline talent, how could he? And Zimmer has little to do with, or little say, in what happens to the Oline. You want the Oline fixed, pray Ricky gets his a$$ fired. Or it will be an almost identical season to this one. Even worse maybe, because we will be dealing with the Cap his thanks to Cousins payday.

We've been saying it for 10+ years.

[PurpleMustReign]

I was thinking... When was the last time both the Vikings and Packers missed the playoffs?

[Bowhunting Viking]

I hope spielman is watching the Colts and Texans game and seeing what a difference a good OL is making. The Colts have pretty much dominated in the trenches on offense and they are going to best the Texans now.

Buddy we were thinking the exact same thing. I sat there watching the game, watching the way the Colts line were just mauling out there and dominating.
It was also hard to listen to Witten and crew keep showing the Colts line , and showing and explaining all the great things they do. I felt like a jealous kid watching the girl you want so bad going to the prom with someone else because you didn't make the effort to ask her!!

[Mothman]

I was thinking... When was the last time both the Vikings and Packers missed the playoffs?

2006. It's been a while!

[Mothman]

Ben Goessling has written a new article for the Star Tribune in which he notes that some key Vikings players are hitting their 30s (or turning 29) this year and suggests the team needs to strike now to win it all:

Vikings' window to win is open ... for now

This part stood out to me:

In each of the past three years, the Vikings have suffered from late-season defensive lapses that came either at the cost of their postseason prospects or a potential trip to the Super Bowl. In 2016, even after falling from 5-0 to 7-6, their playoff chances were still good enough that Adrian Peterson returned from injured reserve for a Week 15 home game. The Vikings gave up 759 yards and 72 points in back-to-back losses to the Colts and Packers, who won the division at 10-6 as the Vikings slipped to 8-8.

The 2017 season saw the Vikings defense allow 55 points in its last six playoff quarters, and last Sunday, after they had pulled within three points of the Bears late in the third quarter, the Vikings defense allowed Chicago to convert five third downs on a 16-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed 9:05 and effectively ended their season.

Though it’s difficult to know precisely what role fatigue played in the late-season lapses, it doesn’t figure to play a smaller role as the defense ages.

[Raptorman]

Who to blame? Well really both sides of the ball are.
PPG

Code: Select all

                     Def            Off
	2018	     21.3	    22.5
	2017	     15.8	    23.9
	Difference    5.5	    -1.4

Defense gave up 5.5 more ppg than last year while the offense scored 1.4 points less. for a difference of 6.9 ppg. A Touchdown per game in scoring difference. While it doesn't seem like a lot, that would mean at least an 11-5 season at worst. Another thing to think of, in Vikings wins this year they won by an average of 27 -15.4 And in loses 15-27.

No one person is responsible for the wins or losses. The team as a whole is.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Ben Goessling has written a new article for the Star Tribune in which he notes that some key Vikings players are hitting their 30s (or turning 29) this year and suggests the team needs to strike now to win it all:

Vikings' window to win is open ... for now

This part stood out to me:

In each of the past three years, the Vikings have suffered from late-season defensive lapses that came either at the cost of their postseason prospects or a potential trip to the Super Bowl. In 2016, even after falling from 5-0 to 7-6, their playoff chances were still good enough that Adrian Peterson returned from injured reserve for a Week 15 home game. The Vikings gave up 759 yards and 72 points in back-to-back losses to the Colts and Packers, who won the division at 10-6 as the Vikings slipped to 8-8.

The 2017 season saw the Vikings defense allow 55 points in its last six playoff quarters, and last Sunday, after they had pulled within three points of the Bears late in the third quarter, the Vikings defense allowed Chicago to convert five third downs on a 16-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed 9:05 and effectively ended their season.

Though it’s difficult to know precisely what role fatigue played in the late-season lapses, it doesn’t figure to play a smaller role as the defense ages.

This doesnt say a lot about Zimmer's defense does it. Nor does his record in Cinci. The Vikings are full of men that just cant get the job done when it counts, or against tough teams.