SB

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Pondering Her Percy
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Re: SB

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

dead_poet wrote:Hoo boy. Hopefully Zimmer can keep these guys focused and not reading their own press.

Why the Vikings are a Super Bowl Favorite
https://www.dailynorseman.com/platform/ ... ssion=true
Man oh man seeing this stuff is getting me so pumped but at the same time, I dont want to get too excited. But this is hands down the most confident I've felt in a Vikings teams since 98
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PacificNorseWest
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Re: SB

Post by PacificNorseWest »

The Vikings were also the first 1-loss team not to make a SB up until that '98 loss to Atlanta in the NFCCG. Those stats just make me more nervous is all.
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Re: SB

Post by J. Kapp 11 »

Well, just to add gas to the fire for those of you who are paranoid about such things, MMQB's 11-person panel of "experts" just picked the Vikings to win the Super Bowl. Well, they tied with the Patriots for the most votes.
MMQB wrote:According to our staff, home-field advantage will play a role in Super Bowl 52. The Vikings are the heavy favorite in the NFC, picked to win the conference by 10 of our 11 prognosticators. (There was little confidence in the NFC’s top seed, the Nick Foles-led Eagles, who were pegged as one-and-done by all but one voter.) As for the AFC champ, it was a near-even split between the top two seeds. Ultimately, Minnesota, with the opportunity to play as a (likely) home underdog on February 4, ended up tied with the Patriots as the leading vote-getter to win it all.

AFC CHAMPION: Steelers (6 votes), Patriots (5)

NFC CHAMPION: Vikings (10), Saints (1)

SUPER BOWL LII CHAMPION: Vikings (4), Patriots (4), Steelers (3)
Read the full article, if you dare.

Could the media finally be tilting to the North?

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cstelter
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Re: SB

Post by cstelter »

PacificNorseWest wrote:The Vikings were also the first 1-loss team not to make a SB up until that '98 loss to Atlanta in the NFCCG. Those stats just make me more nervous is all.
I'm with you-- of the 5 meaningful NFC games in week 17, only 2 out of the 32 potential win/loss combinations ended with the Vikings *not* getting the #2 seed. However, maybe if we had lost our game, Carolina plays with just a bit more determination to jump up and grab that #2 seed. Had we not won and it inspired Carolina, that seeming unlikely 6.25% chance of losing the bye could very well have become reality as the other 2 'unlikely' games *did* go against the favorites.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm very satisfied that our squad went about its business, not caring about anything other than what they could control. The very fact that they won seems to scream out how different this team is. It seems we've endured so many losses in critical games, having to settle for 2nd best. I suppose in some way, our game against Carolina was that game forcing us to lose HFA, despite winning out the rest of the way. But you can hardly point to the one loss (at a 3rd straight road game) in a 12 game sequence and make any sort of a meaningful argument that they let anyone down. This season is so different than these examples...

In 2000, The vikings lost their 3rd game of the season in week 15. They were 11-3, and the NYG were 10-4. With 2 games remaining, if we beat the Packers in the dome, we're 12-4 with just 3 NFC losses. NYG OTOH has to win their final 2 games just to reach 12-4, also then with 3 NFC losses. Common opponents were AZ, CHI, DAL, DET, STL, vikings lost to the Rams, but NYG lost to both the Rams and the Lions. We win that game, we clinch HFA. I'm not saying it would have been important to play that game at home, but.... it certainly couldn't have hurt.

In 2003, we are 8-5 after week 14 and we need to travel to CHI to take on the 5-8 bears. Win this game and we're no worse than 9-7 with 4 NFC losses and a 5-1 Division record. GB already has 2 division losses and are 7-6. If we beat the bears and win just one of the last 2 games, or GB loses any of the final 3 games and we win the division. We manage to lose a crazy low scoring 13-10 game with CHI Moss fails to bring in the game winner at the end of the game. Not to worry, any NFC game will do because GB is tied Head to Head and we are now both 4-2 in the division. GB already has 5 NFC losses while we only have 4. As long as we can keep pace with GB who won that week leaving us both at 8-6. We both win week 16-- our Vikings house the 12-2 KC Chiefs 45-20 at home. Win and you're in-- not only in, but NFC North champions at 10-6 with 4-2 DIV and 8-4 NFC record while even if GB wins they would be 10-6 with 4-2 DIV and 7-5 NFC record. But "NOOOO--- NOOOO--- The (3-12) Arizona Cardinals have knocked the Vikings out of the playoffs!!!". Actually, if SEA lost we'd have been tied with them at 9-7 and we had the Head to Head against them and were down 17-14 around the end of our game iirc, but of course they went on to win, so technically they knocked us out of the playoffs. Still, if we'd only beaten the bears.

In 2004, we are 8-6 after week 15 having just beaten the DET Lions to stand at 3-2 in the division and 5 NFC losses. GB OTOH has just lost and is also 8-6 and 3-1 in the division but only has 4 NFC losses. If we win, we are 9-6 and the next closest non-division leader is 7-9 with one game to go. We win, we clinch a wildcard. But more than that-- we have a game lead on GB. Forget the division and NFC records, we then control our own destiny. We win the following week at the 5-10 Washington Redskins and we win the division. We just have to beat GB... at home... in a playoff atmosphere. After trailing in the game for the first time midway through the 3rd quarter, we tie it up just as the 4th starts, and then midway through the 4th we get a pick 6. But it was not to be-- Favre connects with Driver with 3:34 left to play and Longwell hits the game winning FG as time expires. Not only that, but we manage to lose to the 5-10 Redskins in the game I think Moss walks away from. We do get to go to Lambeau and stick it to the Packers, but we weren't enough for the Eagles. Would being the 3 seed have mattered that much that year? Probably not. Still, just another game when there was *so* much to play for, but they managed to miss the shot.

This team now faces 3 "Win and you stay in" games. Let's see where *this* takes us...
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Re: SB

Post by Raz »

Geese thanks for the memories blaaaa
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VikingLord
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Re: SB

Post by VikingLord »

What gives me hope for this year's team is the fact that it isn't loaded with stars or, really, even expectations. They have a bunch of non-drafted or late round guys who have played really well on offense, a defense filled with really talented guys who seem to have no egos and play for the team (and, in some cases, were likewise overlooked in the draft or free agency), and a head coach who likewise had to wait a long time to get his shot. This team feels different than the star-studded Vikings teams that failed in the past.
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Re: SB

Post by PurpleMustReign »

VikingLord wrote:What gives me hope for this year's team is the fact that it isn't loaded with stars or, really, even expectations. They have a bunch of non-drafted or late round guys who have played really well on offense, a defense filled with really talented guys who seem to have no egos and play for the team (and, in some cases, were likewise overlooked in the draft or free agency), and a head coach who likewise had to wait a long time to get his shot. This team feels different than the star-studded Vikings teams that failed in the past.
Good points. This team reminds me of the first Patriots team that win the Super Bowl. No one knew who Tom Brady was, or half of their starters. They really came out of no where.

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TSonn
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Re: SB

Post by TSonn »

If everything worked out in a way for a Vikes v. Patriots Super Bowl, it's sounding like it may be the last one of the Patriot's dynasty...

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/ho ... r-struggle
J. Kapp 11
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Re: SB

Post by J. Kapp 11 »

Chinks in the Patriots armor. Huge breaking story today about the allegedly growing rift between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

Read the full explosive article.

All that soap opera stuff is fine. Entertaining reading and all. But here's the part that leads me to believe we'd beat the Patriots. In fact, if this is true, we'd beat them decisively.
The criticism [of Brady by Belichick] has continued this year, as Brady has been hit a lot and battled various injuries. Atypically, he has missed a lot of practices and, in the team's private evaluations, is showing the slippage of a 40-year-old quarterback even as he is contending for MVP and is as deadly as ever with the game on the line. Injuries to his shoulder and Achilles have done more than undermine claims that the TB12 Method can help you play football virtually pain-free. Subtle changes have at times hampered the offense and affected the depth chart. On a fourth-quarter play against the Los Angeles Chargers, for instance, Brady had a clean pocket and a first read open deep, possibly for a touchdown. But Brady got rid of the ball quickly over the middle to receiver Chris Hogan, who had nowhere to run and was hit hard, injuring his shoulder. He missed all but one game of the rest of the season. "Tom was trying to get it out quick," a Patriots staffer says. "As fragility has increased, nervousness has also increased."
No team's defense, especially its pass rush, is feared more than ours. No, we don't have as many sacks as other teams, but we have as many pressures and hits as anyone. Our pass rush is ferocious. There have been plenty of quotes that say quarterbacks such as Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford were actually afraid of the Vikings at times this year. If Brady can't stand the heat, the kitchen will get very uncomfortable for him.

And now that Jimmy Garoppolo is gone, there is virtually nothing behind Tom Brady at quarterback (unless you consider Brian Hoyer something). If we can expose a very average Patriots offensive line, we can beat this team handily.

Obviously we have to take care of business in the first two rounds. This is simply in response to the original question: Can we beat the Cheatriots?
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Re: SB

Post by S197 »

I very much think the theory that Belichick wanted to trade Brady but was overruled by Kraft is plausible. And as a FU to Kraft, Belichick traded away Garoppolo leaving the Patriots with no heir apparent. Lets not forget he also traded Jacoby Brissett. Who the heck does that with a 40+ year old QB? I mean look at what Garoppolo is doing in SF, I find it hard to believe BB didn't know what he had in this kid.
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Re: SB

Post by VikingLord »

One thing is for sure - if the Patriots are starting to experience dysfunction, the effects of that will show up in the AFC playoffs well before they sniff the Superbowl. If the Pats make it to the Superbowl, I'd say whatever dysfunction exists is not enough to materially impact their chances of taking home another Lombardi trophy regardless of their opponent.
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Re: SB

Post by bauce »

You beat up on Tom Brady. Knock him down, make him hurry before he is set. Forget dropping eight because someone will always get open and if given enough time, Brady will usually find him. Best way is to make him nervous early, during, and late in the game. This will cause errant throws. Brady is not as sharp as before and is dinged up as well.

The Giants had the defense and personnel to do that to Brady - both times. I suggest the formula be followed.

But, first things first - taking care of who is in front of you at the moment.
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Re: SB

Post by J. Kapp 11 »

S197 wrote:I very much think the theory that Belichick wanted to trade Brady but was overruled by Kraft is plausible. And as a FU to Kraft, Belichick traded away Garoppolo leaving the Patriots with no heir apparent. Lets not forget he also traded Jacoby Brissett. Who the heck does that with a 40+ year old QB? I mean look at what Garoppolo is doing in SF, I find it hard to believe BB didn't know what he had in this kid.
Where did you hear about this desire of Belichick to trade Brady? I've not heard this.

I can completely believe what's written in the ESPN piece. Brady has been a different cat recently. This thing with his fitness brand is strange in some ways, but understandable in others. What is Tom Brady going to do when he retires? My guess ... TB12. He's gonna be a brand, and fitness is what he's peddling. What better way to promote and legitimize the TB12 program than by playing until you're 45?

According to the article, BB loved Garappolo and saw him as the heir apparent to TB. Supposedly Kraft ordered him to trade JG, and it really ticked Belichick off. You guys know how Belichick is ... he doesn't care if you're Tom Brady or Tom Thumb, if he thinks you're past your prime, he'll get rid of you. TB probably saw the writing on the wall.

It begs an interesting question. If Robert Kraft were forced to dump either Brady or Belichick, who would he choose?
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Re: SB

Post by bauce »

J. Kapp 11 wrote: Where did you hear about this desire of Belichick to trade Brady? I've not heard this.

I can completely believe what's written in the ESPN piece. Brady has been a different cat recently. This thing with his fitness brand is strange in some ways, but understandable in others. What is Tom Brady going to do when he retires? My guess ... TB12. He's gonna be a brand, and fitness is what he's peddling. What better way to promote and legitimize the TB12 program than by playing until you're 45?

According to the article, BB loved Garappolo and saw him as the heir apparent to TB. Supposedly Kraft ordered him to trade JG, and it really ticked Belichick off. You guys know how Belichick is ... he doesn't care if you're Tom Brady or Tom Thumb, if he thinks you're past your prime, he'll get rid of you. TB probably saw the writing on the wall.

It begs an interesting question. If Robert Kraft were forced to dump either Brady or Belichick, who would he choose?
It was an option that Belichick created when he drafted Jimmy Garappolo. Belichick was going to make him Tom's successor. But Kraft and Brady were buddies and Brady saw Garappolo as a threat. So Kraft forced Belichick to trade Brady. Belichick did what he thought was best for Garappolo because he really liked the kid - he called his buddy Shanahan and believed that Garappolo would flourish under his system.

Considering all the under-the-table bickering and chest-beating, they are able to put aside their differences come gametime and pull off a win.
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Re: SB

Post by indianation65 »

There is something else the Vikings need to beat that has defeated them since '70, and it's "mystical."

I don't even want to think SB yet.

It's one game at a time, and the next opponent hasn't been forecast yet.

As a lifelong fan who has felt so much pain with the Vikes, I'm only looking to the "next game and opponent."

SB? It can wait...for now. Go Vikes, bring on the next team, and let's focus on that win first!

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