J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 12, 2021 7:33 pm
Again, I try hard not to complain about officiating, but that was a joke. And it cost us a game.
I think two things primarily cost the game:
1a) Vikings offensive line continues to struggle across the board from penalties to just getting flat-out beat both run blocking and pass protecting. The Bengals ate their lunch most of the game.
1b) Vikings defensive line continues to struggle with run defense and contain. Mixon had a field day against them with cutbacks. How many times was Hunter sucked inside to allow an easy cutback? How is this defense going to be better overall if they can't do better stopping the run on early downs than they did last year? It was a poor overall performance by a unit that is supposed to be a LOT better than last year.
The refs missed some calls, sure, but the refs didn't give up a 50 yard bomb late to end the 1st quarter, and the refs weren't the ones holding, false starting and lining up in illegal formations. The Vikings more than made up for any ref deficiencies with their own bumbling incompetence on both lines.
That's why I think this is the 2020 team all over again. Offensively they look almost the same. Defensively I expected a lot better and yet I saw the same types of things again from that unit too. Special teams were better, but that's about it.
There is a really good chance this team will be 0-2 by this time next Sunday. The Cardinals can play D and will move the ball.