Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 11

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yezzir
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Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 11

Post by yezzir »

Good Morning and Skol!


KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis. TV: FOX, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews.

SERIES HISTORY: 25th regular-season meeting. Vikings lead series, 13-11. Vikings are 7-4 at home and will be playing the Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium for the first time. Arizona won the last meeting, beating an injury-riddled Vikings team 23-20 at Arizona in a Thursday night game. The Vikings had won the previous three meetings, all at Minnesota, and are 8-0 at home against the Cardinals since losing to the then-St. Louis Cardinals 27-7 in 1977. The teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Vikings winning divisional matchups at home in 1974 and 1998.

GAMEDATE: 11/20/16

KEYS TO THE GAME:

The Cardinals and Vikings were expected to be among the top teams in the NFC, with Super Bowl aspirations and talented rosters coming off last year's playoff appearances. Minnesota started the year 5-0, with QB Sam Bradford acquired in a trade to replace injured Teddy Bridgewater and RB Adrian Peterson out injured. Arizona was 1-3 a month into the season.

Since their undefeated start, the Vikings have lost four in a row. The Cardinals (4-4-1) used two wins against the San Francisco 49ers to jumpstart the middle of their season.

Both teams were counting on top defenses. Arizona owns the league's second-ranked defense in terms of yardage, one spot ahead of Minnesota. The Cardinals are allowing 295.2 yards per game compared to the Vikings' 308.8. But Minnesota is allowing a league-low 16.9 points per game. Arizona is tied for third, giving up 17.8.

The Vikings keep losing players, and that doesn't count cutting kicker Blair Walsh and signing Kai Forbath.

Jake Long tore an Achilles tendon last Sunday, becoming the fourth Vikings offensive tackle with a season-ending injury this season. Left guard Alex Boone asked to play left tackle. He has the build to play there, and some experience at doing so. But all indications are the Vikings will move right tackle T.J. Clemmings back to left tackle, where he was before Long was signed during the bye week, and put Jeremiah Sirles at right tackle, where he started two games earlier this season.

Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu returned to practice on Wednesday but was limited due to a shoulder injury, and it is unclear whether he will help Sunday.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Vikings WR Stefon Diggs vs. Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said he'll put Peterson, his big shutdown cover corner, on Diggs, the shifty receiver who became the first player in NFL history with back-to-back 13-catch games. Diggs had 26 catches for 244 yards in consecutive losses to Detroit and Washington. Peterson, the 6-1 corner with the long arms and a load of confidence, has made five Pro Bowls and been named first-team All-Pro three times.

--Vikings DE Everson Griffen vs. Cardinals LT John Wetzel. Griffen leads the Vikings with eight sacks; but, like all of his fellow Vikings pass rushers, he has been frustrated as teams have been getting rid of the ball more quickly. When the Vikings were 5-0, they led the league with 19 sacks. They have three during their four-game losing streak. Wetzel will be making his second straight start at left tackle since regular starter Jared Veldheer was placed on injured reserve. Wetzel is a journeyman who bounced from the Raiders to the Cowboys to the Colts to the Cardinals' practice squad a year ago. He had never played a down in the NFL regular season until this season. He also has a start at left guard. Griffen, however, was neutralized last week when Washington was forced to start a backup because of Trent Williams' four-game suspension.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:

Vikings kicker Kai Forbath. Welcome to Minnesota, Kai. No pressure. Just make every single kick you attempt and don't botch any kickoffs, and everything will be just swell. Forbath was signed on Tuesday, the same day the Vikings released Blair Walsh, who missed eight kicks in nine games -- including four PATs, the last in Sunday's loss at Washington. Walsh clearly lost all confidence since his infamous 27-yard miss in the closing seconds of the 10-9 playoff loss to Seattle last season. If Forbath misses so much as one makeable kick, the negativity will shift to him and the questions will begin to flow as to whether he is the guy for the job.

INJURY REPORT:

Arizona -- Doubtful: DT Corey Peters (foot). Questionable: S Deone Bucannon (ankle), S Tyrann Mathieu (shoulder), CB Tharold Simon (ankle).

Minnesota -- Out: DT Sharrif Floyd (knee). Questionable: LB Eric Kendricks (hip), CB Captain Munnerlyn (ankle), CB Marcus Sherels (ankle).

FAST FACTS:

Cardinals QB Carson Palmer has fumbled a league-high 10 times this season, losing three; it is the most fumbles for Palmer since 2006, when he had 15 as a Bengal. In four starts against the Vikings, Palmer has a 105.2 rating, with seven TD passes, one interception and a 3-1 record. The 105.2 rating is his fourth-highest against any opponent.

Vikings QB Sam Bradford has posted a passer rating of 100 or better in five of eight starts with the Vikings this season. That's a career high, surpassing the four 100-plus games he had with the Rams in 2012 and the Eagles in 2015.

Vikings WR Cordarrelle Patterson has at least three catches in a career-high six straight games. A year ago, the former first-round draft pick had only two catches for 10 yards. This year, he is one of four Vikings with at least 30 catches. He has 30 for 256 yards and two touchdowns.

PREDICTION:

When the schedule came out, this was a game many circled as a big NFC interdivision duel. Now it is a game between two well-coached teams having rough seasons. Hard to pick between them, so we will go with the home team.

OUR PICK: Vikings, 24-18.

--Frank Cooney
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Mothman
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by Mothman »

Good morning, Yezzir!

The Vikings and Cardinals will be honoring Dennis Green today:

Image
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Texas Vike
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by Texas Vike »

Mothman wrote:Good morning, Yezzir!

The Vikings and Cardinals will be honoring Dennis Green today:

Image

Very cool!

Denny Bob Green, RIP.
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by halfgiz »

Today's game: put up....or shutup. We need this one. :govikes:
Last edited by halfgiz on Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by PacificNorseWest »

Texas Vike wrote:
Very cool!

Denny Bob Green, RIP.
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by PacificNorseWest »

What's the latest with Sharrif Floyd? I see he's inactive yet again today. He hasn't played a down this season. This guy drives me crazy because when he's on the field, he's pretty damn good, yet he's rarely on the field. smh...
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by Boon »

Throughout the dumpster fire after the bye one thing has stood out to me. The lack of blitzes. when they were winning and dominating opponents they were generating a ton of pressure up the middle using the linebackers, and then magically it stopped. wonder why
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by PacificNorseWest »

Boon wrote:Throughout the dumpster fire after the bye one thing has stood out to me. The lack of blitzes. when they were winning and dominating opponents they were generating a ton of pressure up the middle using the linebackers, and then magically it stopped. wonder why
Not sure. I'd have to look into this more with film tape. Maybe someone who re-watches the game film after Sunday can offer input, but I never thought they blitzed a lot in the first place. They blitzed and it was timely, but the effectiveness of that is what has diminished, in my opinion. The front four was usually able to generate a pass rush that caused sacks, hurries and QB hits, with a Harrison or Barr sack mixed in here and there. They're not generating that same type of pressure and I'll take it one step further in that it might not just be the Dline suddenly disappearing, but that their opponents offense (and staff) has a great read on their defense. QB's are getting the ball out quick and not allowing for the chance to be pressured. The Vikings secondary needs to tighten up coverage, perhaps.
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by Nunin »

it's only week 11, but they should be having somewhat of a playoff mentality going into this.
wanting them to catch fire and reeal off a few wins
-

RIP Denny
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by allday1991 »

Don't even know why I am watching this one, ill eat crow but I think this one gets justs as ugly as the last.

cards:24 Vikings: 16
“I remember my mistakes more than my success.” - Adrian Peterson
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by purplehaze »

Yeah me thinks the downward spiral continues. :(
“He's like a piece of gristle. He's got a great squirt in the hole"-- Brad Childress.
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by allday1991 »

I like so far :0
“I remember my mistakes more than my success.” - Adrian Peterson
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by allday1991 »

where is everyone>???
“I remember my mistakes more than my success.” - Adrian Peterson
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by purplehaze »

Penalties in crucial times like always. Here come field goal.
“He's like a piece of gristle. He's got a great squirt in the hole"-- Brad Childress.
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Re: Cardinals @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

Post by allday1991 »

TOUCHDOWN RUDOLPH
“I remember my mistakes more than my success.” - Adrian Peterson
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