mansquatch wrote: ↑Wed Oct 02, 2019 2:16 pm
At this point in this season the only thing that matters is how Cousins plays. This is a terrible defensive unit. Cousins need to show up and prove it. Everything else is window dressing.
Even if Cousins puts up 400 yards passing and 4 TDs it won't matter. Giants are a bad defensive team. Until he beats a team with a winning record, he will have a cloud over his head.
They really need to just let cousins play and throw the ball. Especially in our next two games. The giants and eagles have very weak pass defenses. And the eagles are good vs the run. These coordinators have to find what fits cousins best and run with it. And that’s not constant under center and 7 step drops. Cousins shredded the eagles last year.
What I don’t get is how our passing game was so much better last year compared to this year. Cousins obviously trusts Thielen and Diggs, they both had career years last year. I think a lot of this is more on the coordinators than anyone. Cousins showed us he could pass last year. And practically his whole career. He doesn’t just turn into a dud passing the ball given what he’s shown in the past. Stefanski and Kubiak need to be more creative with this pass offense.
I’m starting to think this offense was just as bad of a fit for cousins as flips was. Cousins needs shurmurs offense. Where defenses are on their toes because they have no idea if we will run or pass. With flip it was non-stop passing. To the point where NE and Seattle were doubling and tripling Diggs and thielen because they knew we wouldn’t run it. With Stefanski it’s non stop running. Where teams are now loading the box on cook. Is it really that hard to balance an offense? We have a QB that can throw the ball, we have a RB that can run the ball, we have weapons on the outside, granted our OL is weak but still, this shouldn’t be a hard thing to figure out. Does Zim have more control of the offense than we think and is stressing the run non stop to save his defenses legs? I’m starting to wonder because there is no reason we should have at worst an average passing offense with cousins throwing the ball
Maybe it has something to do with 3rd WR usage. The ability to spread the field and use speed to open up zones. We lack a player with the ability to take the top off a defense and no Irv Smith is not that guy. Everything is compacted. All the zones are smaller. But what does a former collegiate WR know about offense
When we move Rudolph or Smith out wide and put one of our WRs in the slot, teams are simply bumping their LB outside or rotating a Safety to run with these guys, while dropping the LB into a deep zone. That's not the same thing as a team lining their 3rd best CB on Diggs or Theilen. We don't win an advantage by formation design. I tried to explain this to you about why you cannot simply exchange WRs for TEs. The way defenses adjust to them is different.
I agree with Kapp. This is an incredibly important game. It's one we "should" win. You think fans and ownership is upset now, imagine how it'll be if we lose this one. Heads might roll.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
Like someone else said this isn't an opportunity for a statement win and playing well against this bad team isn't going to mean a lot. However, if the Vikings do blow out the Giants, Shurmur is one step closer to being fired, and one step closer to coming back to MN as the OC.
I feel bad rooting for the guy to fail, but it is for the greater good.
mansquatch wrote: ↑Wed Oct 02, 2019 2:16 pm
At this point in this season the only thing that matters is how Cousins plays. This is a terrible defensive unit. Cousins need to show up and prove it. Everything else is window dressing.
Even if Cousins puts up 400 yards passing and 4 TDs it won't matter. Giants are a bad defensive team. Until he beats a team with a winning record, he will have a cloud over his head.
With our coaches, unfortunately I don't think there's a game where they'll let Kirk air it out. If we're winning by 2 scores we'll go conservative. If we're down by 2 scores, sure, then we'll air it out but that's a bit different.
Tark wrote: ↑Wed Oct 02, 2019 6:27 pmAnd before anyone gives me crap about being a first time poster, I've been following this Board for years and have been a Vikings fan since the early 70's. How about you?
We're due for another blow out and Vikings W this week. That will only to get our hopes up again and will be followed by another loss against a quality opponent.
dead_poet wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:02 am
I agree with Kapp. This is an incredibly important game. It's one we "should" win. You think fans and ownership is upset now, imagine how it'll be if we lose this one. Heads might roll.
I think we are getting a break not having to try and contain Barkley.
Let's see if Zimmer gets after the rookie QB.
Purple Domination wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 9:47 am
We're due for another blow out and Vikings W this week. That will only to get our hopes up again and will be followed by another loss against a quality opponent.
I expect them to win this week. I also expect that it will do nothing for our overall confidence level. I mean, it will feel good still at least.
Purple Domination wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 9:47 am
We're due for another blow out and Vikings W this week. That will only to get our hopes up again and will be followed by another loss against a quality opponent.
I expect them to win this week. I also expect that it will do nothing for our overall confidence level. I mean, it will feel good still at least.
Winning games in the NFL is hard. Very hard. If the Vikes win Sunday I promise the team will feel good and will look to build on that.
That said, from a "fans" perspective this game is basically a lose-lose. If they win we'll all nit-pick it and disregard the victory because of the opponent. We won a game we "should" win. And if they lose? Well we know how that'd go over. Very, very badly.
They should win this game. Like others have pointed out already, it kind of worries me Shurmur knows this defensive scheme very well. He’s getting quite a bit out his offense given the personal he has available to him. I still feel the vikes D is too much for a rookie QB even with Shurmurs guidance. The offense should rebound this week even if they cans get the passing game going they will be able to run the ball. Unless they don’t show up they should win this game. If they don’t.......I see $$$$ hitting the fan
Alaskan wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 2:15 pm
They should win this game. Like others have pointed out already, it kind of worries me Shurmur knows this defensive scheme very well. He’s getting quite a bit out his offense given the personal he has available to him. I still feel the vikes D is too much for a rookie QB even with Shurmurs guidance. The offense should rebound this week even if they cans get the passing game going they will be able to run the ball. Unless they don’t show up they should win this game. If they don’t.......I see $$$$ hitting the fan
They will run the ball well and pass well.
I predict Cousins throws for 400 and 3 TDs and Cook has another 100 yard game. 45-20 will be the final score.
And before anyone gives me crap about being a first time poster, I've been following this Board for years and have been a Vikings fan since the early 70's. How about you?
