Week 3 Reaction Thread

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FireSpieldope
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by FireSpieldope »

I commented during the game I hadn't seen an OLine play this well since Spieldope took over as GM. It was amazing to see our own QB have all day to throw and nice open holes in the running game as well. Why has it taken Spiledope 10 years to figure out games are won/lost in the trenches? You can't win it all without either a great OLine or Elite QB. So if you don't have one or the other, you better get going!!!
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by Dmizzle0 »

The QB play o-line defense running all was on point today really fun game to watch.
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by PurpleMustReign »

FireSpieldope wrote:I commented during the game I hadn't seen an OLine play this well since Spieldope took over as GM. It was amazing to see our own QB have all day to throw and nice open holes in the running game as well. Why has it taken Spiledope 10 years to figure out games are won/lost in the trenches? You can't win it all without either a great OLine or Elite QB. So if you don't have one or the other, you better get going!!!
Please don't call him Spieldope every time you talk about him.

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J. Kapp 11
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by J. Kapp 11 »

dead_poet wrote: Injured for a few plays then returned.

Detroit looks tough. They're going to be playing angry after how they lost. Stafford has been really good so far this year.
Meh. I'm not impressed. I'm especially not impressed with the whole "Stafford is great when the Lions fall behind" deal. The Lions get behind, then feast when opponents go into prevent mode. And I don't think he's been all that great. In fact, I don't even think he's been that good. A pedestrian 64% at about 6 YPA, less than 220 yards per game. That's early Teddy Bridgewater territory. I've watched a good bit of him this year, and he makes the occasional "wow" throw, but overall I haven't been that impressed.

The only reason they were in that game yesterday against Atlanta was because they scored on a pick-six. They beat the Giants because of their defense (and the Giants' ineptitude on offense). They beat the Cardinals because Carson Palmer couldn't stop throwing picks.

That said, their defense is better than it's been in years. They'll be tougher than Tampa was yesterday, for sure. But honestly, if the Vikings can keep Keenum upright, we should beat these guys at home.
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J. Kapp 11
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by J. Kapp 11 »

I was totally blown away at the Vikings' willingness to throw deep, right from the start. Those who thought the Vikings would be nothing but dink-and-dunk under Pat Shurmur need to re-evaluate. If Shurmur's QBs have time, they're going to take their shots. That is apparent through the first three weeks.

Again, I was impressed with Dalvin Cook. He was having a hard time finding room early in the game, but he stayed involved with the passing game, got tough yards, and started to roll in the running game as time wore on. To finish with nearly 100 yards rushing despite having about 45 yards through 3 quarters shows that he's not only fast but a workhorse. Ended up with 167 yards from scrimmage. Excellent work.

I loved how Linval Joseph played yesterday. Nobody was going to run on that line while he was in there. He also collapsed the pocket a few times and helped cause poor throws from Famous Jameis.

Xavier Rhodes -- what can you say? He just battles. Mike Evans was probably his toughest matchup -- Evans is the first guy this year who can match his physical strength -- but Rhodes held his ground and kept him at bay.

Case Keenum -- the funny thing about this guy is that he has this ability to put up gaudy numbers and make great throws. But he's a smaller QB and you have to give him a clean pocket. The Vikings did that yesterday, and he produced in a big way. He easily could have put up 450-500 yards if the Vikings had not started milking the clock halfway through the third quarter.

Stefon Diggs -- the league needs to take notice. This guy is a legit No. 1 and a star. I didn't like the showboating on the way to the end zone -- save it for after you score, and I'm all over it -- but overall, they couldn't stop him.

Adam Thielen -- those of you who made fun of me earlier this year for comparing Thielen to Jordy Nelson, I simply say, "Told you so." Adam set the tone early with his incredible catch ... another 40+ yard play ... and ended up with 98 yards on 5 grabs. Can you say "Pro Bowl"? Go ahead. I know you can.

The O-line -- excellent game yesterday, especially in protection. Keenum had a clean pocket all day and made the Bucs pay. This was a dominant performance, the likes of which I haven't seen in a long time.

Now we have to get ready for a tougher test. Detroit's defense is playing really well. But this game is at home, and I fully expect to be 3-1 this time next week.
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akvikingsfan
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by akvikingsfan »

Just looking over some stats for the season. It's early, only 3 games in, but thought I'd share:

Offensive yards per game: 400.3 (2nd)
Passing yards per game: 285.3 (3rd)
Rushing yards per game: 115 (11th)
Points per game: 24 (12th)

Again, it is early and we have played two teams that are below average, but these numbers to me show improvement over last year. And just for fun, here's some defensive stats:

Yards allowed per game: 340.3 (19th)
Passing yards allowed per game: 277.7 (27th)
Rushing yards allowed per game: 62.7 (3rd)
Points per game: 20.7 (12th)

The passing yards are skewed due to teams being down big and having to pass to try and catch up. But overall, it appears the offense is doing much better than last year, and the defense looks about average.
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by FireSpieldope »

No doubt about it so far but the OLine has been a huge improvement which was horrific last year and God awful the year before. Teddy worked miracles to score enough points to go 11-5.

Last year the OLine was even worse then under Teddy in 15' and with Bradfords inability to evade the rush forced the Vikes to make short quick passes. Which didn't result in nearly enough points to bring the Vikes back to the playoffs. You can't dink and dunk your way to the playoffs with 1 yard passes.

This year the OLine has been top 10!? Actual open holes for Cook and time to throw for Case or Sam. Throwing the ball deep down the field and converting on the groud as well with a solid avg per. Just goes to show, that winning football includes big plays and Touchdowns. What I think happens too often when you dink and dunk, eventually you get a sack or holding penalty which stalls the drive. With a big play offense, you limit those opportunities for negative drive stalling mistakes.
purplehaze
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by purplehaze »

Case is making a case for himself.
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Nunin
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by Nunin »

purplehaze wrote:Case is making a case for himself.
certainly looks that way
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by petev_sj »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epfjJeI5Dpo

Just watching the highlight video of Diggs above. I notices how key the running back's blocks were to the Vikings success on Sunday.

Great block by Cook @ 0:36 mark.

Great block by CJ Ham @ 1:33 mark.
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by mansquatch »

akvikingsfan wrote:Just looking over some stats for the season. It's early, only 3 games in, but thought I'd share:

Offensive yards per game: 400.3 (2nd)
Passing yards per game: 285.3 (3rd)
Rushing yards per game: 115 (11th)
Points per game: 24 (12th)

Again, it is early and we have played two teams that are below average, but these numbers to me show improvement over last year. And just for fun, here's some defensive stats:

Yards allowed per game: 340.3 (19th)
Passing yards allowed per game: 277.7 (27th)
Rushing yards allowed per game: 62.7 (3rd)
Points per game: 20.7 (12th)

The passing yards are skewed due to teams being down big and having to pass to try and catch up. But overall, it appears the offense is doing much better than last year, and the defense looks about average.
The defensive scoring stats are skewed a bit also. Several of the points allowed have been in garbage time and didn't alter the outcome of the games.

Still we have to be aware that we've beaten up on two bad defenses. When we played a more competent unit on the road the results were a lot different. The team needs to prove it can perform against a well coached defense, until then we are just beating up on the bottom feeders. (Which we should do.)

DET should be a better test.

Look at what happened to Oakland yesterday. They went into Maryland and got manhandled by that Redskins defense. Going into that game they were considered to have one of the three best OL in the NFL. Not any more. IMO, that was a statement game about why quality of coaching matters. The Redskins defense should not be a match for the OAK Offense, but their coaches had them ready to play at the OAK staff had no answers. If I were OAK management, I'd ask why my coaching staff got pummeled that badly. Not a good sign for a post season run.

I bring this up because I think the Vikings have a solid coaching staff in place. They are showing an ability to adapt and adjust. That is good for us. Hopefully they can get the OL where it needs to be and we can navigate Sam's injury with enough wins to make a post season push.
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Nunin
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by Nunin »

petev_sj wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epfjJeI5Dpo

Just watching the highlight video of Diggs above. I notices how key the running back's blocks were to the Vikings success on Sunday.

Great block by Cook @ 0:36 mark.

Great block by CJ Ham @ 1:33 mark.
it's one difference between having bona fide fundamentally sound players vs freak athletes with off the chart measurables but very little clue.
RBs who can't block. DBs who are super fast but couldn't catch water if they fell out of a boat....etc etc.

This is a really good team IMO....if the line stays healthy and gels, Keenum could be a Breeze-like talent. The guy can sling it. And Shurmur looks to be very flexible in his gameplanning, I like that very much.
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by J. Kapp 11 »

petev_sj wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epfjJeI5Dpo

Just watching the highlight video of Diggs above. I notices how key the running back's blocks were to the Vikings success on Sunday.

Great block by Cook @ 0:36 mark.

Great block by CJ Ham @ 1:33 mark.
That's fun to watch. Thanks!
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by PurpleMustReign »

I am worried about the pass defense. There were a lot of open receivers for 10+ gains, something that never happened under Zimmer in his second year and first half of his third year.
Did they blitz Barr and Kendrick much? It seems like they are relying an awful lot on the line, which tells me they may not trust the DBs much?

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Nunin
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Re: Week 3 Reaction Thread

Post by Nunin »

PurpleMustReign wrote:I am worried about the pass defense. There were a lot of open receivers for 10+ gains, something that never happened under Zimmer in his second year and first half of his third year.
Did they blitz Barr and Kendrick much? It seems like they are relying an awful lot on the line, which tells me they may not trust the DBs much?

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is it happening after they build up a lead? cause that's what i'm seeing and it concerns me that they are continually learning to ease up in the later parts of the game because of prevent philosophy.
personally i would like to seem them focus on shutting some team out..... when was the last time a vikings D pitched a shutout.

it's a valid trivia question IMO....it's been a long time

when it comes playoff time, having a group that can nail it down beyond 60 minutes is what separates great from elite defenses, IMO of course
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