Vikings/Ravens Postgame Thoughts

[Texas Vike]

Patterson is a special talent. It would've been so sick if he would've scored on the play when he was tight roping the sideline.

I think you are referring to the one that got called back for a phantom call on Berger. It was an amazing run. The guy can twist his body while still advancing up field. I'm very glad we drafted him. Rhodes has ben a really pleasant young talent to watch too. We aren't nearly as bad as our record indicates.

[mondry]

How crazy was the final 2:30 of our game today? On ESPN they just showed a stat of the most points scored in the final 2:30 minutes of a game in the past 50 years, and the Ravens/Vikings destroyed the record.

36 - 2013 Vikings/Ravens
24 - 2004 Chiefs/Titans
22 - 2000 Jaguars/Giants

Yeah it truly was insane, you won't see that very often heh.

[Hunter Morrow]

The phantom flag on the interception that would have ended the popular Super Bowl champ's game and potential season
that allowed them to have that AMAZING comeback, at home no less, was so entertaining.

We don't watch competitions. We don't watch games. Did you all enjoy the presentation?

[Purple bruise]

I hate when the Vikes lose and they definately got sKrewed by the refs. The Vikes got good QB play out of Cassell, certainly good enough to have won. The Vikings sorely miss Harrison Smith and it really hurt when Rhodes left the game. I watched JA, with the exception of one or two plays, run into his blocker and was negated most of the time (he definately needs to go). I saw Greenway bust his a$$ out there and by in large most of the team never seemed to quit. Patterson, what a great player he is destined to be and Floyd flashed some very good potential.
The team as a whole needs a huge upgrade on defense more than any other aspect of this team. They have given up late leads nearly every game that has cost the team at 5 or 6 wins. Man can you not stop a team with a minute left, 45 seconds left WTF.
So for next year I would like to see a new coaching staff and a revamped defense. New DE, OL, guard, and a drafted QB with a high ceiling to come in and compete.
As far as Spielman I think that he has done a very good job. Yeah I know he reached for Ponder (lets kill him) but Carlson, Floyd, Patterson, Rhodes, Jennings, Simpson to name a few have been very good to excellent decisions. He could not have handled the Harvin deal any better. I think that he will, without a doubt, be retained and I am hopefull for another A type draft.
I am leaning toward wanting the Vikes to draft Jadeveon Clowney, who is young (only a junior) and if he gets it together would be a devastating force to rerplace the over the hill JA or use him as an outside backer.
A good draft, a few key free agent signings and the Vikes will be back in the "hunt".
They have the best punter, kicker combo in the conference, great kick off and punt returners, a solid center, LT, 2 very good tight ends, good wide receivers, solid DE's in Griffin and Robison, the best running back in the NFL, (I hope that they can resign Toby), the best blocking fullback in the conference, Cole and Greenway and maybe Bishop can come back strong. In the wings are Mauti and Hodges (they both have good upside).
And so I see the future being bright with this team

[Reignman]

Yeah it truly was insane, you won't see that very often heh.

Just saw another incredible fact on ESPN. Fastest 5 combined TD's at any point in any game in the past 50 years. We CRUSHED that record as well. It's too bad Patterson couldn't have made it 6 TD's in 2:04.

2:01 - 2013 Vikings/Ravens
5:40 - 1972 Bengals/Oilers
5:46 - 2002 Vikings/Seahawks
5:57 - 2008 Patriots/Raiders

[PurpleHalo]

We blew the lead 3 times in the final 2:05. Is that even possible? As Vikings fans we rarely get to enjoy game winning last minute TD's, and today we got 2 incredibly amazing last minute TD's (Gerhart and Patterson) and we still found a way to LOSE!!!! Choke doesn't even begin to describe this franchise.

Didn't the game vs Balt in the dome in 09 get nutty like that late too? I remember Ray Rice couldn't be stopped, and the Vikings pulled that game out late.

[Reignman]

Just saw another incredible fact on ESPN. Fastest 5 combined TD's at any point in any game in the past 50 years. We CRUSHED that record as well. It's too bad Patterson couldn't have made it 6 TD's in 2:04.

2:01 - 2013 Vikings/Ravens
5:40 - 1972 Bengals/Oilers
5:46 - 2002 Vikings/Seahawks
5:57 - 2008 Patriots/Raiders

And in case anyone is wondering, that game in 2002, the first 4 TD's were scored by Seattle in a 1 minute 54 seconds span of game time, near half time. Yeah, how the F%$# does a team score 4 TD's in 1:54?

3:09 - Alexander 80 yard TD reception from Dilfer
2:53 - Davis fumbles the ensuing kickoff
2:00 - Alexander 3 yard TD run 3 plays later
1:57 - Bates fumbles the ensuing kickoff
1:52 - Alexander 14 yard TD run on the next play
1:15 - 2 plays later Culpepper throws a 46 yard pick 6
halftime
12:11 - Moe Williams 3 yard TD run (5th TD in a 5:46 span)

Seattle led 45-10 at half and Shaun Alexander had 5 TD's.

[Reignman]

Didn't the game vs Balt in the dome in 09 get nutty like that late too? I remember Ray Rice couldn't be stopped, and the Vikings pulled that game out late.

Yep we led 27-10 with just under 9 minutes to go but Baltimore eventually took a 31-30 lead on a Rice 33 yard run with 3:44 remaining. Rice had 77 yards rushing and 117 receiving and 2 TD's (most of it coming in the 4th quarter). But Favre drove us down and Longwell kicked a go ahead 31 yard FG with 2:00 to go. The Raven then drove down into FG range but Hauschka (now with Seattle) missed the GW FG at the buzzer.

[majorm]

Refs, refs, refs, refs.

Sorry to be that guy, but let's be honest here...swing plays galore as a result of poor officiating. What a joke.

That call on Greenway on the Ravens' final drive was just horrible! The receiver fell down all by himself!!!

[Tark10]

After watching this team for 42 years they actually found new ways to lose. This game was at least very entertaining. It reminded me of the old Met in the mid-'70's. Cole, Greenway and friends in short sleeves in the snow. If we only had the Tarkenton dink and dunk game with Voigt, Marinaro and Foreman and Eller, Page, and Marshall for that last Raven drive...It will be nice to watch the next two years outside in the weather. The ref's really blew this game. I kept waiting for some short passes with the receivers blocking downfield for short gains. Never happened.

[PotGoblin]

Yep we led 27-10 with just under 9 minutes to go but Baltimore eventually took a 31-30 lead on a Rice 33 yard run with 3:44 remaining. Rice had 77 yards rushing and 117 receiving and 2 TD's (most of it coming in the 4th quarter). But Favre drove us down and Longwell kicked a go ahead 31 yard FG with 2:00 to go. The Raven then drove down into FG range but Hauschka (now with Seattle) missed the GW FG at the buzzer.

I was at that game - upper level behind the uprights where the Ravens missed. Man I was a train wreck that final quarter

[Funkytown]

I was at that game - upper level behind the uprights where the Ravens missed. Man I was a train wreck that final quarter

Me too. Lower level, behind the uprights where the Ravens missed. Good stuff!

The way I see it, we got lucky that year, and they got lucky this year. Both wins going to the home crowd. Oh well.

...movin' on.

[dead_poet]

Offensive formations and film observations

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Offe ... vens121013

5) The Vikings offensive line struggled mightily in opening up lanes for Peterson and Gerhart throughout the game. Peterson averaged 1.9-yards-per-carry on his seven attempts because of bad matchups and poor one-on-one blocking. Left tackle Matt Kalil had issues with linebacker Terrell Suggs throughout the game as he failed to seal Suggs or even stick to him at all in run blocking situations. Consistently left one-on-one, Kalil was put on his back more than once by Suggs as he appeared to struggle with his footing. Right guard Brandon Fusco played just five snaps before he left with a knee injury. Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (6'4", 340lbs) abused Fusco on the play he was injured when he used a swim move to go right by Fusco and engage the lead blocker to get Peterson for a gain of two yards. Ngata did the same to center John Sullivan, guard Charlie Johnson and backup lineman Joe Berger on numerous plays throughout the game, including Gerhart's first-quarter fumble. With linebacker Elvis Dumervil out, right tackle Phil Loadholt had an easier time against the Ravens' 3-4 defense as replacement linebacker Courtney Upshaw accounted for just one tackle.

Cassel was not sacked, but had at least three throwaways as the Vikings failed to account for edge pressure early on. Ravens safety James Ihedigbo led his side with 12 tackles as the eighth-man in the box. Sullivan struggled with blitzing linebackers at times, allowing a critical pressure on Cassel from linebacker Daryl Smith during the team's final drive, which forced Cassel's final throwaway. Cassel also scrambled twice for six yards to avoid would-be sacks.

[Mothman]

Offensive formations and film observations

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Offe ... vens121013

I said during the game that games played weather conditions like that really tell a team what kind of o-line they have and I think we all know what that means for the Vikings. That paragraph makes it pretty clear.

[mondry]

I said during the game that games played weather conditions like that really tell a team what kind of o-line they have and I think we all know what that means for the Vikings. That paragraph makes it pretty clear.

Very true, although Suggs and Ngata are two of the best in the business, if not the very best. That'd be a nightmare for anyone in the snow.