Vikings VS Rams Predictions

[PurpleKoolaid]

... and they get excluded because... they're inconvenient?

The Vikes hadn't won in Detroit for two years so the win isn't insignificant. It just doesn't support your assertion that they can't win on the road so you're excluding it.

Not really significant. They have gotten worse this year then many expected. traditionally we beat them up. If you want to hang your hat n 1 road win agaisnt a team like the Lions, you are welcome to it. I would like a little more from a 3 year HC. Even Childress could do that.

[Hunter Morrow]

When you look at these teams they are more similar than different, from the quarterback to the place kicker.

The real difference is one team has the 49 year old Steven Jackson and the other team has Adrian !@#$ing Peterson.

This will be another one of those games where both quarterbacks have an epic struggle to see which one can be slightly less abominable than the other.
For the first time in a while, Ponder "wins."

20-17 Vikings.

Edit:
Of this year's road games, 2 of the losses were to teams indoors on turf, Colts and Seahawks and the one win was against an indoors team with turf.
A close loss, a 10 point loss and a win.
I know this team is rotten on the road and has been for a good decade or more but this isn't like we're closing out the season against a rock star team like the Patriots, Packers or Broncos with a blizzard blasting down. It is indoors, on turf, against a decent team. I'd like to see what this team's record is on turf and versus grass. Maybe we're just a bad grass team? At that Seattle game, the indoors road game, AD had almost 200 all purpose yards and 2 touchdowns. People are poo pooing the possibility of 120+ yards and 2 touchdowns, why not? I'd say it is more likely than under 100 yards no touchdowns.

[Mothman]

Not really significant. They have gotten worse this year then many expected. traditionally we beat them up. If you want to hang your hat n 1 road win agaisnt a team like the Lions, you are welcome to it. I would like a little more from a 3 year HC. Even Childress could do that.

You're simply dismissing the win because it doesn't fit in with your assertion. You just wrote above that the Vikes win in Detroit year after year. However,they hadn't won there in 2 years so reversing that trend is significant.

BTW, Frazier isn't a 3 year head coach, no matter how much you want to slap that designation on him. He was an interim head coach for 6 games in 2010, which meant he was thrust into the job with no time to prepare for it and was working with another coach's staff. 6 games is not a season and since he hasn't finished his second season as the official head coach yet either, that hardly amounts to 3 years on the job. Even if you count the interim games, that's a total of 35 games coached. A 3 year coach would have 48. That's a 13 game difference (or most of a season).

[Just Me]

And you conveniently miss my point.

No, I got your point perfectly. I just believe your logic is flawed

I dont really count beating the Lions year after year, on the road, as much. We have done it for years. As have the Bears and Packers. The Lions have sucked. I will repeat that, the Lions have sucked. Thats my point. Its the only team we have beat on the road this year, and the only team we consistantly beat, on the road, because they stink. We do win games at home. We always have. Thats my Point. We play on the road. Therefore I am somewhat surprised so many think we will win.

I'm not sure you got my point, however. Let's assume the Lions are as bad as you believe. The Rams couldn't beat this same "sucky" team on the road that the Vikings could, ergo the Vikings ostensibly are a better team than the Rams. Now granted, the Rams would have a slight advantage (12th man and all that) since they are playing at home and not at a "neutral field" but the fact remains that no matter how badly the Lions play, the Rams lost to them. So I'm supposed to conclude that a team that is so bad they can't beat the ultimate "sucky team" (Lions) is going to give the Vikings no chance to win?

The road record (in and of itself) is an incredibly simplistic analysis and (IMHO) has less credibility for a prediction just due to the enormous number of variables it ignores. I thought Kapp's analysis made a stronger case. YMMV

[Purple bruise]

Talking about upcoming game versus Rams.
Nice source for interviews http://www.kfan.com/player/?station=KFX ... d=22713180

[PurpleKoolaid]

No, I got your point perfectly. I just believe your logic is flawed
I'm not sure you got my point, however. Let's assume the Lions are as bad as you believe. The Rams couldn't beat this same "sucky" team on the road that the Vikings could, ergo the Vikings ostensibly are a better team than the Rams. Now granted, the Rams would have a slight advantage (12th man and all that) since they are playing at home and not at a "neutral field" but the fact remains that no matter how badly the Lions play, the Rams lost to them. So I'm supposed to conclude that a team that is so bad they can't beat the ultimate "sucky team" (Lions) is going to give the Vikings no chance to win?

The road record (in and of itself) is an incredibly simplistic analysis and (IMHO) has less credibility for a prediction just due to the enormous number of variables it ignores. I thought Kapp's analysis made a stronger case. YMMV

Nope. My logic is based soley on the fack we suck on the road. Maybe the Rams dont, i dunno. I know i sound like a broken record with pessimisom, but when Fraizer took over this team, around the time I first found this great web site, I named myself purplekoolaid in hopes I could drink it. With the new owners, Childress gone, Tjoke gone, etc. But reality hit me hard. No QB. No offense, other then the best players ive seen in my lifetime running the ball. But so much is just the same crap as when Childress was here, minus, im afraid being one int away from a SB. I hope im wrong. I hope we dont lose out, or lose to the Rams and then win to the texans and Packers when its meaningless.

[Just Me]

My logic is based soley on the fack we suck on the road. Maybe the Rams dont, i dunno. I know i sound like a broken record with pessimisom, but when Fraizer took over this team, around the time I first found this great web site, I named myself purplekoolaid in hopes I could drink it. With the new owners, Childress gone, Tjoke gone, etc. But reality hit me hard. No QB. No offense, other then the best players ive seen in my lifetime running the ball. But so much is just the same crap as when Childress was here, minus, im afraid being one int away from a SB. I hope im wrong. I hope we dont lose out, or lose to the Rams and then win to the texans and Packers when its meaningless.

It's certainly possible we lose out, but it's also possible we win out. Before the Bears game last week, my thoughts were the vikes were finishing 8-8 but that factored in a Chicago loss at home (which obviously didn't happen) I now think we're headed for a 9-7 season (I just don't see us beating Houston on the road) but hope we do win out. Here is an interesting thought though:

Frazier inherited a mess from Childress. 3-13 followed by a 9-7 (even if we lose out at 7-9) season is as pretty dramatic improvement. A 9-7 season would be better than Childress's second season as HC and Childress inherited a 9-7 team when he took over. Frazier is on track to be (or already is) a better coach than Childress. Granted, the comparison is against Childress so it's not exactly a "ringing endorsement."

Lastly, the INT was our last play on offense, but I still prefer to term it: a 12-man-on-the-field penalty (after a time out, I might add) away from the Super Bowl. We were in scoring range (FG) when that occured and that was what set up Favre having to overcome the ineptness of our coach, and Favre's luck finally ran out. It's sort of like blaming the pinch hitter for losing the basball game for "swinging for the fences" and striking out to end the game after the pitcher walked 3 runs in during the previous half of the inning.

[Just Me]

Talking about upcoming game versus Rams.
Nice source for interviews http://www.kfan.com/player/?station=KFX ... d=22713180

Thanks for the link - Interesting comments dealing directly with the "road games issue"

[Mothman]

I have a feeling the Rams will win this one. I'll predict a 17-13 Vikings loss.

That said, I think this is a winnable game for the Vikes. To me, the biggest keys are:

— Win the turnover battle. If I'm not mistaken, the Vikes are undefeated this year when they've done that. i'm not sure if they've even lost a game where the turnover differential was even.

— Good o-line play. The Rams have a good front 4 so the o-line has to protect Ponder well and they have to block well enough to get Peterson to the next level.

— Avoid giving up big plays and long drives. I think the Rams will struggle to methodically drive the ball downfield and score so if the Vikes can keep players like Amendola and Jackson from making big plays, they should be able to keep the score manageable. They've had a tendency to allow long, time-consuming scoring drives, especially on the road, and that can't happen today.

[Reignman]

— Win the turnover battle. If I'm not mistaken, the Vikes are undefeated this year when they've done that. i'm not sure if they've even lost a game where the turnover differential was even.

You are correct ...

4-0 when we win the turnover battle (Det x2, SF, Chi)
3-0 when the turnover battle is even (Jax, Ten, Arz)
0-6 when we lose the turnover battle (Ind, Was, TB, Sea, Chi, GB).

That being said, the Vikings are having their worst season in terms of takeaways. We currently only have 17 takeaways. The team low is 18 which was set in 2000 and 2001, but we have 3 more games to avoid that dubious mark. The good news is the Rams only have 16 takeaways.

[Mothman]

You are correct ...

4-0 when we win the turnover battle (Det x2, SF, Chi)
3-0 when the turnover battle is even (Jax, Ten, Arz)
0-6 when we lose the turnover battle (Ind, Was, TB, Sea, Chi, GB).

That being said, the Vikings are having their worst season in terms of takeaways. We currently only have 17 takeaways. The team low is 18 which was set in 2000 and 2001, but we have 3 more games to avoid that dubious mark. The good news is the Rams only have 16 takeaways.

Thanks for the info.

I wish I knew why this team struggled to take the ball away. Usually, they at least excel at forcing fumbles. I imagine some of it has to do with talent and game situations. When you can get a good lead on an opponent, it can make them one-dimensional and then sacks/forced fumbles/ints tend to come a little easier.

[Purple bruise]

Koolaid's take "Nope. My logic is based soley on the fack we suck on the road. Maybe the Rams dont, i dunno. I know i sound like a broken record with pessimisom, but when Fraizer took over this team, around the time I first found this great web site, I named myself purplekoolaid in hopes I could drink it. With the new owners, Childress gone, Tjoke gone, etc. But reality hit me hard. No QB. No offense, other then the best players ive seen in my lifetime running the ball. But so much is just the same crap as when Childress was here, minus, im afraid being one int away from a SB. I hope im wrong. I hope we dont lose out, or lose to the Rams and then win to the texans and Packers when its meaningless".[/quote]

Interesting take and really I do struggle at times to understand why someone that obviously likes the team and is a fan is always posting negative comments about the team, or as you put it "sounds like a broken record". Obviosly you hated Childress and your reference to "Tjoke" is quite explanatory but there is not a new owner, he was in place when the Vikes hired Childress and drafted Tjoke. As far a Frazier and the newly assigned GM Spielmen goes, it is puzzling that you can not see that this team is building through the draft and has vastly improved over last year and this year's expectations (did anyone believe that this team would be fighting for a play-off spot in the middle of December?).
Anyone would/should be down on Ponder and I really do get why he has really sucked at times. I however have seen something that apparently only Frazier, Spielmen and a few other people are seeing and that is his potential which may or may not come to fruition and he will develop into a decent QB. I like his intelligence, mobility and his over all athleticism. So I do realize that you can not stand him but to constantly bash him, the coach, owner and the rest of the team (less AD) is to me quite strange.
Anyway, we are all fans and entitled to our own opinions, so if those are your beliefs, with the pessimism, then so be it

[mossbutt]

Ponder is due. Every dog has its day.
Ad is not of this earth.
Defense gets nasty and jacked up and Da Vikes pull away early and get some breaks.
Vikes 33 Rams 14

[hibbingviking]

Prediction is another bad day by ponder

[PurpleMustReign]

Ponder is due. Every dog has its day.
Ad is not of this earth.
Defense gets nasty and jacked up and Da Vikes pull away early and get some breaks.
Vikes 33 Rams 14

Wow, nice.. you almost had it!