Vikings-Cardinals final play thoughts

[mosscarter]

i have to admit i had the mentality on the last play of "what is going to go wrong." it is almost as if we are conditioned to think this way as viking fans after years of disappointment. we need to develop a killer instinct at the end of games and inside the red zone in general.

[autobon7]

I agree with all this, Jim.

But it's the coaching staff's responsibility to understand the risk-reward of even running that play. They failed. In doing so, they put Teddy in a position to fail, with little to gain in return.

I could see running a play if you're in the red zone. You have a chance to score a TD and win the game. But from the 30? There was little to be gained. Your team is playing great football. Kick the field goal, get to overtime, and trust the way your guys are playing.

THIS..........I understand that with no time outs left there was no time to discuss what the best thing to do is. So.....we put it into Norvs hands and he makes a bad call. Then, TB makes a bad judgment and results in the strip sack. 2 wrongs didn't make a right.....agree with Capp....did not put us into a position to succeed , only to survive and we didn't.

[Mothman]

I'd never consider myself well-adjusted.

Trying to throw an intermediate route is more aggressive than throwing the ball away. #justsaying

Don't make me play the "A.J. Cann" card because I'll do it!

[losperros]

I promised myself this morning I wouldn't get into a big debate over this but the excuse-making drives me crazy. Everybody is looking for a way to absolve Bridgewater of an obviously critical, fundamental mistake. Why? Is it somehow more comforting to blame it on Turner or Zimmer or Kalil? None of them had the ball in their hands with the game on the line.

I agree with everything that you're saying, Jim, but no way will I put the blame on anyone more than Zimmer and Turner. They not only have to know the limitations of the offensive line (which surprisingly they apparently haven't completely figured out yet), but they also need to know Bridgewater's limitations as well.

You're absolutely correct in saying Teddy blew it. No doubt about it. But Teddy isn't Tom Brady. Zimmer/Turner couldn't comprehend that? I'm with Kapp in questioning taking a chance with Teddy making the play over kicking a 3rd down field goal. The play should never have happened. Zimmer/Turner are the ones responsible for putting the ball in Bridgewater's hands.

[dead_poet]

Don't make me play the "A.J. Cann" card because I'll do it!

[mosscarter]

the problem losperros is that we need a qb that we can put the ball into the hands of to get the job done. you can blame whoever you want, but at no point on that drive did i think we are "going to win the game." not for a single second and that is the bigger problem. we play not to lose. and if this is as good as it gets with bridgewater then we need to get someone else in there.

[Cliff]

I agree with you that I expected more but I think a glaring issue for Norv is he runs a vertical game but has no Oline that defend long enough for his plays to develop. How good would Zimmer be if he could rush his Linebackers? I think its important to adjust but Norv needs to balance between adjusting and implementing the offense he was presumably brought in to implement, not to mention his comfort and tendencies.

I don't disagree ... but when that happens you have to adjust. Zimmer's defense also depends on attributes of players that weren't there. The speed at Safety and linebacker. Joseph plugging up the middle and making plays.

It just seems like Norv is inflexible. Patterson doesn't fit the perfect WR mold for his offense so leave him on the bench. His playbook has a lot of long developing plays but he just keeps on trying and getting Teddy put on his back in the process.

Hopefully last night will carry over for the offense. Overall the game planning seemed to work aside from that important bad call at the end. Last night was more individual player failures which isn't great, but I'd rather see that. Three fumbles won't happen every game and without them, the Vikings might have won, even won handily.

[dead_poet]

the problem losperros is that we need a qb that we can put the ball into the hands of to get the job done. you can blame whoever you want, but at no point on that drive did i think we are "going to win the game." not for a single second and that is the bigger problem. we play not to lose. and if this is as good as it gets with bridgewater then we need to get someone else in there.

Any chance you give a second-year guy a chance to become the guy you want (with better protection/receivers)?

[IrishViking]

Any chance you give a second-year guy a chance to become the guy you want (with better protection/receivers)?

Why should we? We go to every practice, we are in the film rooms, meetings, the locker room. We see it everyday. Teddy just doesn't have it. I cant think of anything about Teddy we aren't privy to, we know everything...


...Oh except anything that isn't 60 minutes on the field with 10 other moving pieces around him...

[mansquatch]

My guess is they were going for the win thinking "end zone or nothing" and then kick the filed goal. IMO, it wasn't the worst call ever. The reality is you go to OT and the odds favor an AZ offense which for the most part has been moving the ball vs. your D while your offense is more of a crap shoot. Hindsight is 20/20, but IMO the risk isn't indefensible.

However, the way the play ended is in many ways a microcosm of our season. We've known all year that this OL is bad and have said it will cost us. Yesterday, when it mattered most they played mostly the way they've played all year and it cost us.

I said earlier it feels like with this OL there is 20% chance we take a mulligan on any given passing play. My % might be low, but it isn't hard to see that that is exactly what happened on the play. Teddy stepped up and Kalil got beat.

I'm sure this play is going to get Far more traction in the media and on this forum than it really deserves. There really wasn't anything surprising about it given the context of the season.

[TSonn]

My guess is they were going for the win thinking "end zone or nothing" and then kick the filed goal. IMO, it wasn't the worst call ever.

I'd be on board if that was the call. That clearly wasn't, though. Zimmer said they were trying to gain some yards (not go for a TD) and, if you watch the replay, none of the routes are TD routes unless we're expecting a few broken tackles and 15-20 YAC.

They were trying to get 10 yards closer for Walsh when he had kicked a (albeit ugly) 54 yarder earlier in the game.

[Raptorman]

After watching the play numerous times it appears to me that Teddy is in the process of getting rid of the ball when he gets hits. Watching Kalil getting totally schooled on that play is the worst part in my book. Had he even had more than 1/10 of second contact with his block, (block being nice because it looks like he barely slowed down his assignment) Teddy might have had the chance to get rid of the ball.

You all can blame Teddy all you want for that one, I'm blaming Kalil. That was pathetic.

[Mothman]

I agree with everything that you're saying, Jim, but no way will I put the blame on anyone more than Zimmer and Turner. They not only have to know the limitations of the offensive line (which surprisingly they apparently haven't completely figured out yet), but they also need to know Bridgewater's limitations as well.

You're absolutely correct in saying Teddy blew it. No doubt about it. But Teddy isn't Tom Brady. Zimmer/Turner couldn't comprehend that? I'm with Kapp in questioning taking a chance with Teddy making the play over kicking a 3rd down field goal. The play should never have happened. Zimmer/Turner are the ones responsible for putting the ball in Bridgewater's hands.

They are but why is this a limitation that should prevent them from calling a play in that situation? He's a second year pro QB! I've seen college QBs handle the same situation just fine. It's not that complicated.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

the problem losperros is that we need a qb that we can put the ball into the hands of to get the job done. you can blame whoever you want, but at no point on that drive did i think we are "going to win the game." not for a single second and that is the bigger problem. we play not to lose. and if this is as good as it gets with bridgewater then we need to get someone else in there.

If we played 'not to lose,' we would have kicked the damn ball on third down.

Like it or not, the QB you just love to hate at every opportunity brought us to the door step of tying the game.

[dead_poet]

@DanBarreiroKFAN On last play,Teddy says WRs coming from left side. "Yes, it's true," Zim tells us, "and no, it's not a good play...I did not like that play"

@DanBarreiroKFAN Teddy hinted after game he had to wait to allow WRs to clear towards right sidelines. Zimmer confirming it was wrong play given situation.