Seattle Game Thoughts and Predictions

[VikingLord]

Final point: Yes, you’ve noted the lack of deep ball passing. But you’ve used it to criticize Cousins, not give props to the Vikings offense.

I think it was used more to criticize the apparent improvement of the OL than against Cousins.

I'd like to see Kubiak dial up some early deep attempts against the Browns. In the back of my head I'm hoping he was just saving that for the right situation and will unleash some surprises against what is probably the best overall defense the Vikings have faced thus far.

[J. Kapp 11]

Final point: Yes, you’ve noted the lack of deep ball passing. But you’ve used it to criticize Cousins, not give props to the Vikings offense.

I think it was used more to criticize the apparent improvement of the OL than against Cousins.

I'd like to see Kubiak dial up some early deep attempts against the Browns. In the back of my head I'm hoping he was just saving that for the right situation and will unleash some surprises against what is probably the best overall defense the Vikings have faced thus far.

I want Kubiak to keep dialing up whatever works.

Go back and watch the TD to Thielen. Cousins went to Adam, but JJ was wide open, and he could’ve thrown to Osborn, as well. Three guys open … in the red zone.

Sure, I’d love a deep completion or two. But if the Vikings are going to continue to have long, time-consuming drives that end up in scores, I’ll be just fine.

[StumpHunter]

Final point: Yes, you’ve noted the lack of deep ball passing. But you’ve used it to criticize Cousins, not give props to the Vikings offense.

I think it was used more to criticize the apparent improvement of the OL than against Cousins.

I'd like to see Kubiak dial up some early deep attempts against the Browns. In the back of my head I'm hoping he was just saving that for the right situation and will unleash some surprises against what is probably the best overall defense the Vikings have faced thus far.

Not so much criticize them but point out that this Oline isn't really better than last year as much as it isn't being asked to do as much.

This post makes a great point about how the Oline is actually giving Cousins less time to throw this year than last:
https://purplepainforums.com/thread/506 ... lTo=241224

Looking at Cousins TTT when pressured in 2020, he had in general 3.17 seconds before getting pressured.

2021 that number has fallen to 2.73, the fastest in the NFL. That is a 14% drop in time to throw and does not jive with the narrative around the Oline at all this year. According to that number, Cousins actually has less time to throw this year than last.

So the offensive line isn't really different, but the offensive scheme is almost a complete 180 from previous years:


Again, while these are all QB related stats, we do tend to judge the Oline based on primarily on QB related stats, and I do think the picture on the right has more to do with the play calling attempting to help the Oline than play calling to make things easy on the QB. That has worked in one game where plays like this regularly happened:


But the offense hasn't really been all that good at scoring against the two better defenses they have faced. I have no doubt in my mind that at some point the Vikings will be forced to open up the offense, we will see the QB get pressured more and people will be back to saying nothing has changed.