Vikings @ Bears Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 2

[S197]

Aside from the pick 6, did Ponder really have a bad first half?
I don't ask in support of Ponder, I ask because (before the INT) I kept saying to myself that he was looking pretty decent out there.

To me he looked skittish in the pocket and if you believe BB, he missed some open reads that could have been big gains.

[yezzir]

To me he looked skittish in the pocket and if you believe BB, he missed some open reads that could have been big gains.

Yep. Within the past 3 years, I have yet to see Ponder put solid drives together where he makes multiple pocket throws that don't involve him scrambling to his right throwing to TE's. He doesn't have "it".

[Crax]

I know a lot of people are down on the defense this game, but they actually did ok IMO. They forced 4 turnovers and scored as many TD's as the offense did. The defense gave up 24pts total, scored a TD of their own, and had to deal with bad field position multiple times. When was the last time the Vikings got 4 to's in a game?

[yezzir]

I know a lot of people are down on the defense this game, but they actually did ok IMO. They forced 4 turnovers and scored as many TD's as the offense did. The defense gave up 24pts total, scored a TD of their own, and had to deal with bad field position multiple times. When was the last time the Vikings got 4 to's in a game?

Agreed, good point.

[mondry]

I know a lot of people are down on the defense this game, but they actually did ok IMO. They forced 4 turnovers and scored as many TD's as the offense did. The defense gave up 24pts total, scored a TD of their own, and had to deal with bad field position multiple times. When was the last time the Vikings got 4 to's in a game?

I agree, the defense gave up some points but honestly, with the gaping holes at LB and S if they can score a TD and get some turn overs they're doing their job imo. Vice Versa we put up 16 points with the offense? With those extra opportunities / turn overs?

[BGM]

I know a lot of people are down on the defense this game, but they actually did ok IMO. They forced 4 turnovers and scored as many TD's as the offense did. The defense gave up 24pts total, scored a TD of their own, and had to deal with bad field position multiple times. When was the last time the Vikings got 4 to's in a game?

I love opportunistic play, but they did not clamp down when it mattered, and they let Bennett do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. 4 turnovers mean nothing if you turn around and let them run wild the rest of the time.

[mondry]

I love opportunistic play, but they did not clamp down when it mattered, and they let Bennett do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. 4 turnovers mean nothing if you turn around and let them run wild the rest of the time.

It's the best of a bad situation though. I mean which one of our LB's is going to be athletic enough to cover these 6-4 235lb TE's? We just don't have anyone that matches up with guys like that. Haven't in a long long while either so I dunno what they can do. Throw double coverage that way? Good luck with brandon marshal and forte. That's the reason you get players like that, to cause match up problems hehe.

[Reignman]

Well that final drive is why the defense is getting blamed. Heck the rest of the game they played quite well. The special teams put them in a bad spot all day long. Plus there was that pick 6 and fumble, so the defense wasn't as bad as it seemed. It was awesome seeing them get all aggressive in the 2nd half. I bag on the defense a lot because I never see them stripping or punching at the ball carrier, but they did plenty of it today for whatever reason. The Guion strip was a thing of beauty.

The offense also got more aggressive in the 2nd half. I want to know what was said in the locker room at half. Did Frazier finally say something inspiring, or did Priefer give the halftime pep talk? But then the final 2 drives happened. We went back to being ultra conservative on both sides of the ball and we #### the bed.

[PurpleKoolaid]

It's felton, he's the difference between clearing out the hole compared to line who's mostly just clogging it up.

AD was doing good years ago without ANY FB. In fact, he said that's how he wanted to run.

[PurpleKoolaid]

To me he looked skittish in the pocket and if you believe BB, he missed some open reads that could have been big gains.

He missed open read, starred down his receivers, and didn't progress in his reads at ALL once again. Oh, and his pick 6 cost us the game. (so did other things I know, no pick 6 and we win though)

[PurpleKoolaid]

I know a lot of people are down on the defense this game, but they actually did ok IMO. They forced 4 turnovers and scored as many TD's as the offense did. The defense gave up 24pts total, scored a TD of their own, and had to deal with bad field position multiple times. When was the last time the Vikings got 4 to's in a game?

One day, they will have to stop the run and pass. And not just be given a pass on TO's. Our D is so bad, they let the Bears just go down the field and win the game. With no one covering Cook or Bennett have the game. We do NOT have a good D. Don't kid yourself.

[mondry]

Well that final drive is why the defense is getting blamed. Heck the rest of the game they played quite well. The special teams put them in a bad spot all day long. Plus there was that pick 6 and fumble, so the defense wasn't as bad as it seemed. It was awesome seeing them get all aggressive in the 2nd half. I bag on the defense a lot because I never see them stripping or punching at the ball carrier, but they did plenty of it today for whatever reason. The Guion strip was a thing of beauty.

The offense also got more aggressive in the 2nd half. I want to know what was said in the locker room at half. Did Frazier finally say something inspiring, or did Priefer give the halftime pep talk? But then the final 2 drives happened. We went back to being ultra conservative on both sides of the ball and we #### the bed.

I think that's a sign that they did make some kind of change / adjustment / some kind of speech / peptalk but then the whole lack of talent issue ultimately made them come up short. It's nice to cause some problems and get the turn overs but then the bears were pretty much like "oh yeah we can just abuse henderson and feed Bennett" so they did heh.

[yezzir]

On a positive note I can say the game turned out better than I thought it would. I bet Bishop takes over Henderson next week, I guess Henderson really ain't all that angry. I wish Ponder would just suck period, these small periods of head scratching cus he makes a few good plays now and then just stinks, makes me wonder now a lot about the play calling.

Yea. Can't believe that many points were scored. I was thinking 45 combined at max.

You're right. The play calling sucked at the most crucial times. Same as last week.

[LA Viking]

Regarding the 3rd and goal run, it was the wrong call, but not as terrible as everyone is making it seem. The wrong call IMO is throwing on 2nd down. You make the decision to run, run and run or run, run and pass. But not run, pass, run. Musgrave is starting to piss me off. At times he is making smart play calls and putting Ponder in situations he can succeed, and then he does stuff like this.

Carlson, jeez - what can I say. This guy should just be cut.

Our LBs (even Greenway is not having that good of a year so far) are bad, and Sanford is regressing. The sad thing is we don't have any better options, except for Bishop at LB.

Our O-Line was better, but still subpar.

Ponder is just so inconsistent. He made some real nice throws, and then a play or two later makes a complete boneheaded play. I think the game is just too fast for him; mentally, he just can't process everything (which is ironic, since that what he was lauded for coming out). He locks in on one receiver and has already decided who to throw to before the snap. He continues to miss wide open receivers and makes his WRs make unnecessarily tough catches. I felt his pocket presence was better, but we'll see - he just has never shown consistent progress.

Oh, and our KO coverage was absolutely atrocious. UNACCEPTABLE.

To be fair though, I think most here didn't think we would win; I know I didn't. Not that I'm calling this a moral victory - I don't believe in those, but with our LBs and Ponder, we're a middling team. Middling teams do not win on the road against a solid team.

[yezzir]

Regarding the 3rd and goal run, it was the wrong call, but not as terrible as everyone is making it seem. The wrong call IMO is throwing on 2nd down. You make the decision to run, run and run or run, run and pass. But not run, pass, run. Musgrave is starting to piss me off. At times he is making smart play calls and putting Ponder in situations he can succeed, and then he does stuff like this.

Carlson, jeez - what can I say. This guy should just be cut.

Our LBs (even Greenway is not having that good of a year so far) are bad, and Sanford is regressing. The sad thing is we don't have any better options, except for Bishop at LB.

Our O-Line was better, but still subpar.

Ponder is just so inconsistent. He made some real nice throws, and then a play or two later makes a complete boneheaded play. I think the game is just too fast for him; mentally, he just can't process everything (which is ironic, since that what he was lauded for coming out). He locks in on one receiver and has already decided who to throw to before the snap. He continues to miss wide open receivers and makes his WRs make unnecessarily tough catches. I felt his pocket presence was better, but we'll see - he just has never shown consistent progress.

Oh, and our KO coverage was absolutely atrocious. UNACCEPTABLE.

To be fair though, I think most here didn't think we would win; I know I didn't. Not that I'm calling this a moral victory - I don't believe in those, but with our LBs and Ponder, we're a middling team. Middling teams do not win on the road against a solid team.

Good post. I don't think Musgrave has ever done much to warrant his continued employment in the NFL.