Vikings @ Broncos Gameday Discussion Thread -- Week 4

[VikingLord]

Well, that's fine, but you can't bunch all those teams together and equate to this team. It's a completely different team and it's its own team with its own coaching staff that is not the same as any of those other teams. You have to start from the bottom and grow. They did and they are. It's a positive signal that things are moving in the right direction.

You could make a similar argument about each game being unique as you could each team, and in reality this game has no bearing at all on the future apart from what fans hope to see. This game could just as easily be the first game of a long losing streak as it is any positive progress.

Bottom line for me is the Vikes remain a model of inconsistency on both sides of the ball. Some good, some bad, but you can't bank on either. That is NOT the hallmark of a good team. Good teams are consistent (as are bad teams). The Vikes of 2015 are like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get. That's great for entertainment, but this team remains well below the bar needed to clear the Packers as champs of the NFC North, much less a real threat in the playoffs.

[sneaxsneax]

Newman was pretty bad and I hate how we weren't able to get to Manning this week. He's just so fast at getting rid of the ball. But when he did take more than 2.2 seconds we couldn't get to him. That played a big role today.

Manning pretty much went to the ground when we were going to get to him.

[mosscarter]

who on this board HONESTLY thought we would win in denver? i figured we'd lose by 14 points or more. the team showed guts today and look on the bright side, it wasn't a division loss. you aren't going to beat anyone allowing 6 or 7 sacks that is pathetic. i wasn't aware the game was on television where i live, so i watched from the second quarter on. we took hits, but we hit back. how is that not a positive?

[Hunter Morrow]

Tired of moral "victories". Broncos are just as poor across the offensive line. Can't run the ball (except against the Vikes, of course). And that vaunted secondary looked pretty average to me, yet Bridgewater couldn't take advantage of it.

The Vikings suffered due to that big 72 yarder touchdown. They would have been something like 85 yards allowed on more than 20 rushing attempts with no touchdowns. But without Peterson's "Feast" TD to the house, he would have been something like 15 touches for 30 or 40 yards.

The offensive line was just that: Offensive. 7 freaking sacks to include the game ender. You had to expect Denver's D to do that, but Teddy got crushed out there and there is no two ways about it.

Also, Walsh missing a chip shot, again. It's like, come on. How does he have 75 yard punts in himand then miss 35 yard field goals?

Diggs apart from fumbleitis looked real. Our QB running and passing for 300 yards, what a sight for sore eyes.

But man, we should have won that. It looked like we could have at least got in position to force OT.

[dead_poet]

Manning pretty much went to the ground when we were going to get to him.

That was annoying(ly smart) too. The jerk should've let us pound him a little

[PacificNorseWest]

Model of inconsistency for the youngest roster in the NFL? I mean, c'mon...You don't see this defense getting better? You don't see any growth?

[dead_poet]

Model of inconsistency for the youngest roster in the NFL? I mean, c'mon...You don't see this defense getting better? You don't see any growth?

I think most of us are tired of growth and potential and want to see wins as marks of progress.

[PurpleMustReign]

I am not going to humor every single response directed my way because we will just call it what it is and agree to disagree. Ya'll can keep nagging and armchair your way through your own thoughts, but I take today as a loss, but as a sign that they are a team that is growing and learning. You can learn to win by losing too.

You can, sure... I'm not sure how old you are or how many years you have been a Vikings fan, but I am 36 and have bled purple and gold for all 36 o them. These games wear on you. So close... yet can't get it done. I am sick of it. I have had enough. I don't need to be as good as GB or Aaron Rodgers, but I would like to win an important road game that we are not supposed to win. I don't know the last time that happened, probably Lambeau in 2009.

[PurpleMustReign]

I think most of us are tired of growth and potential and want to see wins as marks of progress.

Word.

[Mothman]

Well, that's fine, but you can't bunch all those teams together and equate to this team. It's a completely different team and it's its own team with its own coaching staff that is not the same as any of those other teams. You have to start from the bottom and grow. They did and they are. It's a positive signal that things are moving in the right direction.

I'm not trying to equate those past teams to this team. I'm just saying we've been watching the Vikes lose games like this for years so I don't take much satisfaction in another close loss. I don't believe this particular team started from the bottom (unless we're going all the way back to 2011) and I'm still not convinced it's moving in the right direction. They're 2-2 going into the bye and they're 5-6 since they had the bye last season.

This was a winnable game. I'll take a close loss like this over a humiliating loss like the one they opened the season with in SF but as I said, they need to get over the hump. They need to actually win games like this and when they start doing so with some regularity, that's when I'll truly feel they're heading in the right direction (ie: becoming a serious contender).

[SP1966]

I think most of us are tired of growth and potential and want to see wins as marks of progress.

Wins come with growth, and today you could see growth and you have to love the teams heart, they were counted out over and over on this board and yet they were in position to win in the final minute. I'm more impressed by this game against a top team, on the road in a difficult stadium than a win against a beat up Chargers team that had even more O-line issues than than the Vikes.

[VikingLord]

But man, we should have won that. It looked like we could have at least got in position to force OT.

Definitely a game they could have won, but I've seen too many of those over the years for that to be great cause for optimism.

[S197]

I'll say this, two guys I was worried about coming into the season were Wallace and Joseph, and both have really stepped up. On defense, I think we have a really good nucleus that will hopefully continue the uptrend we're seeing. On offense, I feel like they need another leader to step up, someone on the O-line. Maybe that would have been big Phil or will be Sullivan when he returns but right now they're really lacking leadership. I'm talking Steve Hutchinson or Matt Birk type leadership. I realize it's hard to get any sort of cohesion when the line is constantly injured but for quite a while now (years) it just seems like they play as individuals rather than as one unit.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

- Yet again, too many big plays and too many critical downs surrendered on defense. Rhodes was flagged at least three times. Defensive line did little to dominate today.

- The offensive line doesn't have even have one single pro-bowl potential starter right now. I am so tired of the offensive line playing like absolute crap every single year. Spielman has been here 5 years now as the guy in charge and has yet to put together a above-avergae offensive line. Teddy was under siege all day.

- Cordarrelle Patterson may as well just be traded away for peanuts as he didn't do a damn thing all day. The coaching staff is clearly never going to get him involved and it appears that he still can't run routes well.

- Kyle Rudolph doesn't deserve his contract.

[PacificNorseWest]

You can, sure... I'm not sure how old you are or how many years you have been a Vikings fan, but I am 36 and have bled purple and gold for all 36 o them. These games wear on you. So close... yet can't get it done. I am sick of it. I have had enough. I don't need to be as good as GB or Aaron Rodgers, but I would like to win an important road game that we are not supposed to win. I don't know the last time that happened, probably Lambeau in 2009.

I am nearing 31. I have worn purple since Elemenary school, where that's not a "cool" thing to do when you do not live in Minnesota, where it was probably normal.

I played football from 8 years old until whatever age I was as a senior in college. I have been a part of horrible teams, mediocre teams and great teams. Like, what is this? We have to post a resume as a prerequisite to interpreting different opinions on this matter?

The NFC Championship losses sucked bad. I'm suffering no less than you are as a fan, but I also hold a perspective that with each rebuild, new expectations need to be set and I can see this team growing and getting better in a positive manner that suggests maybe, just maybe, this is that team that finally gets that SB. We're fans...so it all crosses over and blurs together...You ask these players and Zimmer what those losses mean to them? They don't care. They're working on bringing us what we want and working their way to that goal and I'm seeing the progress made towards that. Ya know?

I guess I'm just fighting a losing battle, but it's my opinion, so yeah...I don't know if I should try defending it anymore.