Lions @ Vikings - Pregame Thread

[Dames]

A short week is nice after a loss. Bring on the Lions.

The Lions are a bit in shambles, but they are a division rival none-the-less. This is a game we should win with relative ease on paper, but division games are never, ever, easy. That said, we outmatch them in most categories, and we are facing a 3rd string QB in Blough. He had a good outing last week vs Chicago, so he has some ability though.

We put up 42 points on them last time in Detroit, so I'm hoping for the same success @ home.

Every game from here out feels like a must win. In this case, this is a must win, because this is a team we should beat.

SKOL!

Your cheering guide for the week:
Seattle over Rams
Dallas over Chicago
and of course:
Washington over GB (a guy can dream)

For bye purposes these games are better for us:
SF over NO
Carolina over Atlanta. Not quite sure why, but it helps us very slightly. Didn't take the time to figure it out.

[Maelstrom88]

This is definitely a must win and they should win with ease. It seems like the Lions try to make the Vikings beat them through the air and with Thielen out that could be tough. They need to get the tight ends more involved and of course feed Cook the ball on screens.

On defense they need to step up. This is a team you should be able to dominate and force some turnovers.

[Dames]

DNP:
Thielen and Joseph

Limited:
Cook, Griffen, Wilson, Smith and Stephen

Get healthy guys. We'll need you soon.

[Tark]

Sorry, but this is the type of game we lose. Highly favored at home against an inferior team (see Buffalo 2018), I hope I'm wrong but I've been a fan so long I know to take nothing for granted with these guys.

[VikingLord]

I think one of two things happens

- The Vikings come out and dominate and take their frustrations out on a Lions team that is playing for nothing

or

- The Vikings overlook the Lions and end up losing to a team that has nothing to play for and will take a lot of chances

I will say that this is a key game for the Vikings, as they can't afford a loss at home against a losing team if they hope to make the playoffs IMHO. The Chargers on the road is going to be a tough game for them even if they play well. Rivers has had a habit of shooting himself in the foot this season, but he's more than capable of ripping off a big game too. And then the Vikes face the Packers and Bears to close at home, neither of which will be a pushover and both games could be significant in terms of the playoffs, with the Packers still pushing for HFA and the Bears possibly needing the win to get in.

The Vikings have had a lot of close games recently, winning 2 and losing 2. This is not an opponent or a game to take for granted.

[StumpHunter]

Sorry, but this is the type of game we lose. Highly favored at home against an inferior team (see Buffalo 2018), I hope I'm wrong but I've been a fan so long I know to take nothing for granted with these guys.

Buffalo had a great defense and the Vikings had a huge distraction with Griffen.

We could lose this game, but it won't be because we are heavily favored at home, just like we didn't lose to Buffalo because we were heavily favored at home.

[Dames]

Sorry, but this is the type of game we lose. Highly favored at home against an inferior team (see Buffalo 2018), I hope I'm wrong but I've been a fan so long I know to take nothing for granted with these guys.

Buffalo had a great defense and the Vikings had a huge distraction with Griffen.

We could lose this game, but it won't be because we are heavily favored at home, just like we didn't lose to Buffalo because we were heavily favored at home.

Right, it will be because Sloter comes off the bench and ruins us.

[VikingLord]

Buffalo had a great defense and the Vikings had a huge distraction with Griffen.

We could lose this game, but it won't be because we are heavily favored at home, just like we didn't lose to Buffalo because we were heavily favored at home.

Right, it will be because Sloter comes off the bench and ruins us.

And then, in his post-game press conference, he says this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skC35_y6GPA

[J. Kapp 11]

Buffalo had a great defense and the Vikings had a huge distraction with Griffen.

We could lose this game, but it won't be because we are heavily favored at home, just like we didn't lose to Buffalo because we were heavily favored at home.

Right, it will be because Sloter comes off the bench and ruins us.

I keep having this recurring nightmare.

We're blasting the Lions 31-0 halfway through the third quarter when Zimmer pulls all our starters. Cousins, Cook, Rhodes (two picks, including a pick-6 ... I know, quite a dream), Harry, Griffen ... on the sideline, shoulder pads off, laughing it up, drinking beer, taking selfies with StumpHunter.

Just then, Kyle Sloter comes in to face our third-stringers ... and brings the Lions back to life. A quick score, a turnover, another score, and suddenly we've got a game. Mannion is out there with no clue. His helmet communicator doesn't work, but he doesn't realize the coaches can talk with him because he's never been in a real game. So instead he draws up plays in the dirt, going, "Trust me guys, we ran this on the scout team with McVay ... it's fool-proof." And he just keep turning the ball over. Zimmer's face turns as red as a fire truck. He's losing his mind ... throwing his headset and ripping up his defensive play sheet that reporters later discover has only two plays on it. Finally one of his bum eyeball pops right out of his head, just like Any Given Sunday.

Suddenly it's 31-28 with 6 seconds left when Detroit recovers an onside kick after putting 10 guys on one side of the ball, clearly cheating. Gary Kubiak, who had to take over for the one-eyed Zimmer, gets the refs to review it, but Pete Morelli comes out from the replay monitor and says, "After further review, screw it ... these are the Vikings we're talking about ... Detroit's ball!" Then with one second left, Sloter drops back to throw a Hail Mary but instead takes off running ... and pulls a Michael Vick. He runs right through the entire Vikings defense, waving at the 5 yard line to Holton Hill (who's firing up a blunt) as he scores the winning touchdown. Joe Buck is calling the game: "Sloter ... sideline ... touchdown ... Lions win it!" It's the Minneapolis Miracle in reverse. The Lions come out for the extra point, and Sloter is there at the two yard line, under center, wearing No. 7, leading the SKOL chant. All the Case Keenum groupies have collected in the south end zone, clapping with Sloter. But Kyle is defiant. "I am greater than he," Sloter screams, meaning Keenum, of course.

Then I wake up.

Dang it! This stupid message board and all its fatalistic Vikings fans ... I'm losing my mind. Therapy needed.

[Tark]

Sorry, but this is the type of game we lose. Highly favored at home against an inferior team (see Buffalo 2018), I hope I'm wrong but I've been a fan so long I know to take nothing for granted with these guys.

Buffalo had a great defense and the Vikings had a huge distraction with Griffen.

We could lose this game, but it won't be because we are heavily favored at home, just like we didn't lose to Buffalo because we were heavily favored at home.

Agreed and that wasn't implied.

[The negotiator]

Right, it will be because Sloter comes off the bench and ruins us.

I keep having this recurring nightmare.

We're blasting the Lions 31-0 halfway through the third quarter when Zimmer pulls all our starters. Cousins, Cook, Rhodes (two picks, including a pick-6 ... I know, quite a dream), Harry, Griffen ... on the sideline, shoulder pads off, laughing it up, drinking beer, taking selfies with StumpHunter.

Just then, Kyle Sloter comes in to face our third-stringers ... and brings the Lions back to life. A quick score, a turnover, another score, and suddenly we've got a game. Mannion is out there with no clue. His helmet communicator doesn't work, but he doesn't realize the coaches can talk with him because he's never been in a real game. So instead he draws up plays in the dirt, going, "Trust me guys, we ran this on the scout team with McVay ... it's fool-proof." And he just keep turning the ball over. Zimmer's face turns as red as a fire truck. He's losing his mind ... throwing his headset and ripping up his defensive play sheet that reporters later discover has only two plays on it. Finally one of his bum eyeball pops right out of his head, just like Any Given Sunday.

Suddenly it's 31-28 with 6 seconds left when Detroit recovers an onside kick after putting 10 guys on one side of the ball, clearly cheating. Gary Kubiak, who had to take over for the one-eyed Zimmer, gets the refs to review it, but Pete Morelli comes out from the replay monitor and says, "After further review, screw it ... these are the Vikings we're talking about ... Detroit's ball!" Then with one second left, Sloter drops back to throw a Hail Mary but instead takes off running ... and pulls a Michael Vick. He runs right through the entire Vikings defense, waving at the 5 yard line to Holton Hill (who's firing up a blunt) as he scores the winning touchdown. Joe Buck is calling the game: "Sloter ... sideline ... touchdown ... Lions win it!" It's the Minneapolis Miracle in reverse. The Lions come out for the extra point, and Sloter is there at the two yard line, under center, wearing No. 7, leading the SKOL chant. All the Case Keenum groupies have collected in the south end zone, clapping with Sloter. But Kyle is defiant. "I am greater than he," Sloter screams, meaning Keenum, of course.

Then I wake up.

Dang it! This stupid message board and all its fatalistic Vikings fans ... I'm losing my mind. Therapy needed.

Kapp, that was hilarious! Couldn’t stop laughing and went into a coughing spell. Made my day!

[Thaumaturgist]

I keep having this recurring nightmare.

We're blasting the Lions 31-0 halfway through the third quarter when Zimmer pulls all our starters. Cousins, Cook, Rhodes (two picks, including a pick-6 ... I know, quite a dream), Harry, Griffen ... on the sideline, shoulder pads off, laughing it up, drinking beer, taking selfies with StumpHunter.

Just then, Kyle Sloter comes in to face our third-stringers ... and brings the Lions back to life. A quick score, a turnover, another score, and suddenly we've got a game. Mannion is out there with no clue. His helmet communicator doesn't work, but he doesn't realize the coaches can talk with him because he's never been in a real game. So instead he draws up plays in the dirt, going, "Trust me guys, we ran this on the scout team with McVay ... it's fool-proof." And he just keep turning the ball over. Zimmer's face turns as red as a fire truck. He's losing his mind ... throwing his headset and ripping up his defensive play sheet that reporters later discover has only two plays on it. Finally one of his bum eyeball pops right out of his head, just like Any Given Sunday.

Suddenly it's 31-28 with 6 seconds left when Detroit recovers an onside kick after putting 10 guys on one side of the ball, clearly cheating. Gary Kubiak, who had to take over for the one-eyed Zimmer, gets the refs to review it, but Pete Morelli comes out from the replay monitor and says, "After further review, screw it ... these are the Vikings we're talking about ... Detroit's ball!" Then with one second left, Sloter drops back to throw a Hail Mary but instead takes off running ... and pulls a Michael Vick. He runs right through the entire Vikings defense, waving at the 5 yard line to Holton Hill (who's firing up a blunt) as he scores the winning touchdown. Joe Buck is calling the game: "Sloter ... sideline ... touchdown ... Lions win it!" It's the Minneapolis Miracle in reverse. The Lions come out for the extra point, and Sloter is there at the two yard line, under center, wearing No. 7, leading the SKOL chant. All the Case Keenum groupies have collected in the south end zone, clapping with Sloter. But Kyle is defiant. "I am greater than he," Sloter screams, meaning Keenum, of course.

Then I wake up.

Dang it! This stupid message board and all its fatalistic Vikings fans ... I'm losing my mind. Therapy needed.

Dang it, I hate it when people give away the ending of movie before I even get to see it.

Thanks, found that funny!

[Pondering Her Percy]

Right, it will be because Sloter comes off the bench and ruins us.

I keep having this recurring nightmare.

We're blasting the Lions 31-0 halfway through the third quarter when Zimmer pulls all our starters. Cousins, Cook, Rhodes (two picks, including a pick-6 ... I know, quite a dream), Harry, Griffen ... on the sideline, shoulder pads off, laughing it up, drinking beer, taking selfies with StumpHunter.

Just then, Kyle Sloter comes in to face our third-stringers ... and brings the Lions back to life. A quick score, a turnover, another score, and suddenly we've got a game. Mannion is out there with no clue. His helmet communicator doesn't work, but he doesn't realize the coaches can talk with him because he's never been in a real game. So instead he draws up plays in the dirt, going, "Trust me guys, we ran this on the scout team with McVay ... it's fool-proof." And he just keep turning the ball over. Zimmer's face turns as red as a fire truck. He's losing his mind ... throwing his headset and ripping up his defensive play sheet that reporters later discover has only two plays on it. Finally one of his bum eyeball pops right out of his head, just like Any Given Sunday.

Suddenly it's 31-28 with 6 seconds left when Detroit recovers an onside kick after putting 10 guys on one side of the ball, clearly cheating. Gary Kubiak, who had to take over for the one-eyed Zimmer, gets the refs to review it, but Pete Morelli comes out from the replay monitor and says, "After further review, screw it ... these are the Vikings we're talking about ... Detroit's ball!" Then with one second left, Sloter drops back to throw a Hail Mary but instead takes off running ... and pulls a Michael Vick. He runs right through the entire Vikings defense, waving at the 5 yard line to Holton Hill (who's firing up a blunt) as he scores the winning touchdown. Joe Buck is calling the game: "Sloter ... sideline ... touchdown ... Lions win it!" It's the Minneapolis Miracle in reverse. The Lions come out for the extra point, and Sloter is there at the two yard line, under center, wearing No. 7, leading the SKOL chant. All the Case Keenum groupies have collected in the south end zone, clapping with Sloter. But Kyle is defiant. "I am greater than he," Sloter screams, meaning Keenum, of course.

Then I wake up.

Dang it! This stupid message board and all its fatalistic Vikings fans ... I'm losing my mind. Therapy needed.

if there was a voting on here for post of the year, this would win by a mile

[Bowhunting Viking]

Right, it will be because Sloter comes off the bench and ruins us.

I keep having this recurring nightmare.

We're blasting the Lions 31-0 halfway through the third quarter when Zimmer pulls all our starters. Cousins, Cook, Rhodes (two picks, including a pick-6 ... I know, quite a dream), Harry, Griffen ... on the sideline, shoulder pads off, laughing it up, drinking beer, taking selfies with StumpHunter.

Just then, Kyle Sloter comes in to face our third-stringers ... and brings the Lions back to life. A quick score, a turnover, another score, and suddenly we've got a game. Mannion is out there with no clue. His helmet communicator doesn't work, but he doesn't realize the coaches can talk with him because he's never been in a real game. So instead he draws up plays in the dirt, going, "Trust me guys, we ran this on the scout team with McVay ... it's fool-proof." And he just keep turning the ball over. Zimmer's face turns as red as a fire truck. He's losing his mind ... throwing his headset and ripping up his defensive play sheet that reporters later discover has only two plays on it. Finally one of his bum eyeball pops right out of his head, just like Any Given Sunday.

Suddenly it's 31-28 with 6 seconds left when Detroit recovers an onside kick after putting 10 guys on one side of the ball, clearly cheating. Gary Kubiak, who had to take over for the one-eyed Zimmer, gets the refs to review it, but Pete Morelli comes out from the replay monitor and says, "After further review, screw it ... these are the Vikings we're talking about ... Detroit's ball!" Then with one second left, Sloter drops back to throw a Hail Mary but instead takes off running ... and pulls a Michael Vick. He runs right through the entire Vikings defense, waving at the 5 yard line to Holton Hill (who's firing up a blunt) as he scores the winning touchdown. Joe Buck is calling the game: "Sloter ... sideline ... touchdown ... Lions win it!" It's the Minneapolis Miracle in reverse. The Lions come out for the extra point, and Sloter is there at the two yard line, under center, wearing No. 7, leading the SKOL chant. All the Case Keenum groupies have collected in the south end zone, clapping with Sloter. But Kyle is defiant. "I am greater than he," Sloter screams, meaning Keenum, of course.

Then I wake up.

Dang it! This stupid message board and all its fatalistic Vikings fans ... I'm losing my mind. Therapy needed.

At down earlier to just chill, watch this weeks episode of NFL 100 All Time Team on NFL Network and for the first time in about s month crack open and enjoy a couple good craft brews , and check VMB.
Dang you Kapp, I just wasted a big swig of an excellent brew, Ballast Point Victory at Sea Porter, cuz I blew it out of my nose laughing at your dream. A terrible waste of an awesome brew. I woulda drank a Coors if i woulda known what I was gonna read . Wait, that's not true cuz I don't have Coors watered down beer.
Excellent post. I needed that. Thank you sir.

[CharVike]

DNP:
Thielen and Joseph

Limited:
Cook, Griffen, Wilson, Smith and Stephen

Get healthy guys. We'll need you soon.

Reiff won't play. That's not good. It might be a good idea to sit Smith. If he messes that hammy up more that will be a major problem. Is it worth it to have Cook play. He's the main skill guy for our O.