Vikings at Rams

[CharVike]

We are road favorites. The Rams have been banged up all year. Both starting WRs have been out and their OL suffered injuries as well. So far Verse looks like the early DROY. It took the Lions OT to beat them. On our side what worries me the most is our defense just went through a rough game and not much time to heal up. Right now we are a better team than the Rams. They get Kupp back but I think they will have a hard time slowing our pressure. If we don't turn the ball over or commit stupid penalties that kill plays I think we can score. I see it 23-17 us.

[VikingLord]

There have been two worrying trends with the 2024 Vikings since the Packer game. During that stretch we've seen the defense play some lights-out football, but then, in literally the same game, they can't stop anything and give up huge chunk plays one after the other and allow scores. The entire 2nd quarter against the Lions was just nuts how easily the Lions moved and scored, and other teams have done the same to them over this stretch. The defense has managed to create some turnovers and stem the bleeding just enough, but every time I see this happening I start to wonder if the defense is really good or are they just able to scheme enough to hold opposing teams off just long enough. They really haven't inspired a lot of confidence the last several games. Rams are a good team to try to get right against, but if we continue to see the yo-yo effect like we have, I'm just not sure that will be good enough over the course of an entire season to get them anywhere.

On the offensive side, to me the worrying trend is Sam Darnold's overall play and the way he is seeing, or more accurately, not seeing, the field both pre- and post-snap. He's made a lot of worrying decisions with the football on too many plays for my comfort, is missing some wide open guys who could help sustain drives, and his downfield attempts and production have almost disappeared. The offense overall is also committing way to many mental mistakes for the team to keep winning. The fact they've played this way since the 2nd half against the Packers and gotten away with it for the most part is truly amazing, but that good fortune can't hold out forever. At some point this offense is going to need to sustain a drive at a key moment or punch it in for some points and as with the defense and the way they've been playing, I'm not sure they're up to it despite the talent they have.

The Rams don't have a great record, but they're not a bad team. If the Vikings show up and play only a quarter+ of good football like they did against the Lions, the Rams could easily beat them. I don't think that will happen because I think the Vikings are better than they showed against the Lions, but I also think if the season is going to go south, this is the game where it will start.

I'm going to hold off on a prediction this week. I think the Vikings win it on a late field goal from 50+.

[cmoss84]

Nacua and Kupp back for Rams tonight.

I still think we win. 31-24. Big night for JJ.

[JJBreaksRecords]

If KOC has some screen plays, NOW is the time to use them. D needs to hit Bradford a lot, or he will have a huge day throwing to Coop and Nacua, and we will loose.

[Tark]

If KOC has some screen plays, NOW is the time to use them. D needs to hit Bradford a lot, or he will have a huge day throwing to Coop and Nacua, and we will loose.

Yep,you called it except it was stafford not Bradford. The missed face mask call was inexcusable but I don’t think it changed the outcome of the game.

[VikingLord]

I think the bloom is off the rose for the 2024 Vikings. I agree the facemask call was unlikely to change the game but some QBs merely get looked at wrong by the defense and they draw a 15 yard penalty while Darnold gets his head visibly turned and no foul. Refs managed to see an equally obvious facemask call earlier in the game by Pace, but missed that. Called an equally obvious holding call against Murphy earlier in the game, but missed the same on JJ's amazing bobble catch. Refs handed the Rams what, 4 or 5 1st downs via penalty after the Vikings got stops?

[Purple Reign]

If KOC has some screen plays, NOW is the time to use them. D needs to hit Bradford a lot, or he will have a huge day throwing to Coop and Nacua, and we will loose.

Bradford hasn't played for the Rams since 2014. You meant Stafford, and the they didn't sack him once and your prediction came true.

[Tommy TarkenKapp]

but I also think if the season is going to go south, this is the game where it will start.

The season already started going south in the second half of the Packers game. We just got a away with a couple of wins before their deficiencies started to culminate in losses. We're a first quarter team. And then struggle to maintain any kind of consistency for the remainder of games.

There's too many penalties. The offense struggles in the second half of most games. We lack any real playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. It's a defense reliant on opponent's turnovers and breakdowns in pass protections at opportune times. Our secondary is sub par & has been for quite a while. More or less, this is the same defense since 2022. It's not the fault of the defensive coordinators we've had. We need some better defensive players.

This loss was totally predictable. Thursday night road games don't usually end well for us. Come to think of it, I'm actually curious as to what our record is when playing out west the last 5 years or so. Maybe I'll look that up tomorrow.

[CharVike]

Not a very good showing. Too many penalties again and our D has been bad the last 3 out of the last 4 weeks. A big concern is Turner. Only 3 snaps. His snap counts keep getting less as the weeks go by. The opposite of what should happen. The Rams have a banged up OL so pressure and some sacks should have been there. Our O comes out hot but the 2nd half has been bad. Nailor dropping that short pass by the goal line hurt. They need to get a win against the Colts otherwise this could slide to a 500 record quickly. Verse was the guy to stop and we failed. 1st sack looped inside. Our IOL needs help.
Dallas Turner defensive snap counts
Week 1 at N.Y. Giants 35
Week 2 vs. San Francisco 49ers 18
Week 4 at Green Bay Packers 11
Week 5 vs. New York Jets 13
Week 7 vs. Detroit Lions 5
Week 8 at Los Angeles Rams 3

[Tommy TarkenKapp]

They need to get a win against the Colts otherwise this could slide to a 500 record quickly.

Yep, three straight road games after playing the Colts at home. At Jacksonville, at Tennessee & at Chicago. I'll go on record and say right now we lose at Chicago. The games at Jacksonville & Tennessee are winnable but could very well end up as losses if we don't start cleaning things up. We are are not a dominant team by any stretch of the imagination. But, there's just enough talent to hang with the big boys on any given Sunday. This team is capable of beating anyone but is also capable of losing to anyone. It's frustrating to see that this team has been stuck in neutral since 2018. We just seem to be running in place. Maybe a baby step forward or backward. Just stuck in the middle. We're in NFL purgatory.

[psjordan]

What a frustrating mess all around. Both lines got absolutely manhandled - even Darrisaw got blasted back on the play he got hurt - if he holds his ground, no injury. We had little to zero pressure on Stafford, again our DL just got manhandled by two rookies on their OL. Rams were well coached and scouted our D looks very well I thought - they seemed to have answers for all we tried on D.

I started thinking late third quarter, who are our truly dominant players on this roster? I can’t think of one on the D side of the ball. All I could come up with was JJ and our two kickers (if Wright is on his game). Maybe Jones when things are going well. That’s it. Those are the ONLY guys we seem to able to count on to outplay our opponents on any given play, any given game.

Turner is quickly earning the bust label. If you can’t figure your job out after several months at work, well you probably are not going to make it. What a wasted pick so far. Seems like he’s stuck in the Lewis Cine vortex, maybe never to be seen again. And he cost this team a crapload of draft capital. So so so frustrating.

The refs last night were flag-happy (until they weren’t) but still, 80% of the flags thrown seemed legit. We just can’t be doing those stupid things 6-7 games into the season. That’s on everyone.

The missed facemask was just awful for us and the league. What a ridiculous non-call from a multi-billion dollar league. Not only on the wins/losses for teams, but now that the league has embraced the betting community I bet there are a few rumblings this week about what is reviewable on a scoring play. Again we were not doing squat offensively at that point, so marching for a TD+2 seemed improbable, but we deserved that chance. An attempted “full field” drive would have affected dozens of prop bets if nothing else. That ref crew should be downgraded right out of the playoffs, right now.

I’ve coached quite a bit and it’s always a conscious line you want to draw with the refs during a game - when to put them on blast and when to say “hey dude at least make it fair for both sides”. IMO KOC does not have enough fire with the refs. I’ve mentioned it in prior years as well. I don’t know, maybe they get fined if they get fired up. If that is the case then KOC has the best self-control I’ve ever seen.

[makila]

Not a very good showing. Too many penalties again and our D has been bad the last 3 out of the last 4 weeks. A big concern is Turner. Only 3 snaps. His snap counts keep getting less as the weeks go by. The opposite of what should happen. The Rams have a banged up OL so pressure and some sacks should have been there. Our O comes out hot but the 2nd half has been bad. Nailor dropping that short pass by the goal line hurt. They need to get a win against the Colts otherwise this could slide to a 500 record quickly. Verse was the guy to stop and we failed. 1st sack looped inside. Our IOL needs help.
Dallas Turner defensive snap counts
Week 1 at N.Y. Giants 35
Week 2 vs. San Francisco 49ers 18
Week 4 at Green Bay Packers 11
Week 5 vs. New York Jets 13
Week 7 vs. Detroit Lions 5
Week 8 at Los Angeles Rams 3

Turner wouldn't be playing IOL fwiw.

Nailor needs to be better. I know he's #3 option, and really it should be Hock there. But he's had multiple balls recently we needed him to actually catch.

The freaking penalties have to stop. Holy crap guys.

Defense isn't adjusting. Good OCs have it figured out. It was a lot of window dressing apparently.

Darrisaw injury could be huge. Both lines played very poor imho.

Really not a lot of positives other than first two drives on offense. They are great early and falter fast.

Edit, after a few more min of thoughts.... this is a good reality check for everyone of where this team really is at. Fans, to players, to coaches, to front office, to ownership. This team isn't a contender. They need to step back.

[Tark]

Agreed. I think I said this in the chat room last night: we are who they thought we were.....last place in the NFC North.

[CharVike]

Agreed. I think I said this in the chat room last night: we are who they thought we were.....last place in the NFC North.

We were 5-0 and I don't think anyone expected undefeated. The Rams aren't a joke team. They have talent. They got their WRs back and they are probably the best duo. They have the best defensive rookie. Verse is a force. Their OL is weaker from injuries but we didn't take advantage of that. Plus there HC has proven his ability. If we let the Colts beat us then it's game up. They have nothing on O and their QB is not accurate. That's a must win. If Darisaw is out that could make the game even. The Colts can play D at times.

[VikingLord]

The refs last night were flag-happy (until they weren’t) but still, 80% of the flags thrown seemed legit. We just can’t be doing those stupid things 6-7 games into the season. That’s on everyone.

Agree on this - many of the calls were legit, but the refs seemed to ignore equally obvious fouls committed by the Rams on the two plays I mentioned. Just call it even, that's all I ask and that is their job, and they failed to do that last night.

The missed facemask was just awful for us and the league. What a ridiculous non-call from a multi-billion dollar league.

I don't know what ref was wearing #3, but he should be fired outright today. Replays show he was mere yards from Darnold when the penalty was committed, and contrary to the claim made by Tra Blake, that particular ref had no player blocking his view. Yes, Darnold was not facing him, but if that ref can't see a facemask happen right in front of him regardless of the direction the QB is facing when it occurs, he has no business being a ref at any level of the sport.

The league needs to fire him. He either saw it and didn't call it which is unethical and obvious ref interference with the outcome or he missed a call he should not have missed. Either way, he should not be employed by the league after last night.

Not only on the wins/losses for teams, but now that the league has embraced the betting community I bet there are a few rumblings this week about what is reviewable on a scoring play. Again we were not doing squat offensively at that point, so marching for a TD+2 seemed improbable, but we deserved that chance. An attempted “full field” drive would have affected dozens of prop bets if nothing else. That ref crew should be downgraded right out of the playoffs, right now.

I don't know about the crew, but the specter of ref interference that now hangs over every NFL game with all the legal online betting should concern the league. The Vikings did commit many of the penalties assessed against them, yes, but it does seem like the Rams were consistently not flagged for equally obvious fouls.

To some degree the curse of online betting infecting the outcome of all pro sports could become a real problem. It is absolutely essential to the longterm viability of all pro sports that they ensure the right decisions are made. To that degree, almost any play and call or non-call should be reviewable, and it should be reviewable by a non-league controlled entity.

I’ve coached quite a bit and it’s always a conscious line you want to draw with the refs during a game - when to put them on blast and when to say “hey dude at least make it fair for both sides”. IMO KOC does not have enough fire with the refs. I’ve mentioned it in prior years as well. I don’t know, maybe they get fined if they get fired up. If that is the case then KOC has the best self-control I’ve ever seen.

Maybe more fire would help but if the refs are in someone's pocket that won't matter and could easily backfire on him.

The real problem with refs in the NFL is there is no accountability. They miss something blatant and they're back at work the next Sunday. Maybe the fans boo them or something, but there are no teeth behind any penalty and all they have to do is say "whoops". I mean, at no other job would that suffice for a major screw up.

Granted, I agree with you that doesn't affect the outcome of the game, and I agree with others that the 2024 Vikings are total frauds who are very likely to finish with a .500 record when all is said and done, but that doesn't change the fact that the reffing against the Vikings this year has been nothing short of lopsided and atrocious.