Lions @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 6

[fiestavike]

There's no doubt that it was a factor. The line was terrible (again). That doesn't change the fact that Teddy was also terrible.

Ok, but are you willing to acknowledge that using your measure virtually any QB would have been terrible in that game? The conditions for success were not present, so in my opinion its hard to say he had a "terrible game". It could only have been terrible. It was inevitably terrible. So from my vantage point he did ok in terrible circumstances. The result was terrible.

[Mothman]

This seems somewhat relevant to the discussion:

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... aters-rise

The consistent pressure on Bridgewater certainly didn't help. The Vikings' offensive line had allowed quarterbacks to be pressured on 30.9 percent of their dropbacks before Sunday -- the sixth-highest rate in the league -- and the group had few answers for the Lions' relentless front.

"Look, they've got great personnel, but that's no excuse," center John Sullivan said. "We've got to block those guys. That's what it comes down to."

Still, Bridgewater agreed with coach Mike Zimmer's opinion that the quarterback could have gotten the ball out quicker at times; Bridgewater said he needed to be faster at ruling out covered receivers in his progressions and put some of the sacks on himself, saying he needed to play faster.

He also was fooled on his first career interception, when safety Glover Quin stepped in front of Bridgewater's throw to Cordarrelle Patterson in the end zone. Bridgewater said he believed Quin would follow Greg Jennings' inside route, but the safety kept himself in position to jump a post route to Patterson, taking away the Vikings' chance to tie the game early.

"I have to see the safety," Bridgewater said. "I was expecting him to run with Greg, but he ran to the outside receiver and made a great play."

[maembe]

Ok, but are you willing to acknowledge that using your measure virtually any QB would have been terrible in that game?

No. Teddy isn't the first player to ever have his o line struggle. He wasn't decisive and he made a couple really bad throws even when he had time. Quite simply, he looked like Ponder in the pocket at times. The O line certainly didn't put him in position to succeed, but to be a really good quarterback you have to be able to deal with that sometimes. That's not to say he's a bust or anything like that, but he will have to learn from it and get better in the future.

[mmvikes]

No one on the OLine deserved an extension. I Was for Loadholt getting extended but IMO he has done nothing to say it was warranted. Every one of them sucks this year. They look confused, they look lost, and they look like they are so overmatched that it is embarrassing. They should be ashamed. Zimmer has his hands full with them. I have been very pro-Spielman, but this OLine situation he has given us is more than a little concerning.

You can't fix everything at once. We all thought our Oline would be better this year because we had the same starting 5 as last year. Normally an Oline does improve with that consistency. They do not have to all be pro bowlers to be good. Confused and lost tells me they are not being coached very well. Confused and lost is not a result of who the GM picks. Overmatched is a result of poor talent, but again, that can also be a result of poor coaching.

Loadholt- He is what he is. An above avg RT who has not really improved, but has not declined either.
Fusco- definitely has improved in his time here.
Sully- another who has improved.
LG- no one we have tried there has improved.
Khalil- was considered by far the best Olineman in that draft and has not been developed at all. His play has consistently declined.
Not really seeing any improvement on any of our backups either which kills our depth.
Although Davidson has had some success here, IMO he has not done enough to retain his position on this staff.

[mmvikes]

I move that anyone that compares Teddy to Ponder be grounded. No posting for a week. It is just wrong.

[mmvikes]

Really, you are going to be an apologist for this guy after this sorry exhibition. Rickie has had exclusive personal control for 3 seasons, 7 first round picks! He got to hire the coaching staff he wanted! The last thing this man is ever allowed to say, "if only I could build the team my way."

So your belief is that with all this young talent and a first year coaching staff we should be contending for a super bowl in Zims first year or it proves Spielman sucks?

[fiestavike]

No. Teddy isn't the first player to ever have his o line struggle. He wasn't decisive and he made a couple really bad throws even when he had time. Quite simply, he looked like Ponder in the pocket at times. The O line certainly didn't put him in position to succeed, but to be a really good quarterback you have to be able to deal with that sometimes. That's not to say he's a bust or anything like that, but he will have to learn from it and get better in the future.

Ok, That was the worst display from a Vikings offensive line that I can ever recall seeing, and I am convinced that neither Tom Brady nor Aaron Rodgers would have done squat had they been playing for the Vikings yesterday. It was Houston Texans circa David Carr's first year bad...maybe worse.

[Purple bruise]

There is no doubt that the o-line is really bad and it greatly contributed to TBS 30 or so QBR. That same line also was a huge part in the demise of Ponder, who, like TB will take a beating resulting in loss of confidence, scrambling for their lives, and hurrying their throws. It needs to be fixed before anything else on the team.

[PurpleMustReign]

No. Teddy isn't the first player to ever have his o line struggle. He wasn't decisive and he made a couple really bad throws even when he had time. Quite simply, he looked like Ponder in the pocket at times. The O line certainly didn't put him in position to succeed, but to be a really good quarterback you have to be able to deal with that sometimes. That's not to say he's a bust or anything like that, but he will have to learn from it and get better in the future.

Brees an Rodgers have had bad lines for years. They do fine. I hope Teddy can figure out how to cope with a bad OLine becaise he will have one for a while.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[IIsweet]

Partially agree with earlier post...
RT - never been a huge Loadholt fan, but at RT really isn't that bad! I think though we save $ and move Kalil
RG - Fusco is missed sorely now, but he's an Undersized small school kid. Ducasse is terrible.
C - Sullivan gets more hype than the product I see every week ! Never been impressed by him.
LG - Johnson sux
LT - Kalil has regressed. Looking more like a miss than All Pro.

Where is Yankey ? Our interior sucks, cannot be much worse with the rookie in there.
It has to get better in the future with some draft picks and FA signings.

I too see Jennings being cut, too much $ for little production and not much mentoring.
Is Patterson worse as a 2nd year guy ?

Lots of issues on the horizon. Some good talent to build upon, but shaking up the depth chart may be what the DR ordered

[Mothman]

Mark Craig's Five Extra Points

Details of each point are available at the link. I just included #2 below:

1. Locke not cutting it either

2. Asiata: Vikings kicking ‘our own butt’

It’s been a while since some of us have watched the Lions play smarter and more disciplined than their opponent. For this Extra Point, we’ll single out one particular penalty as an example of a perfectly ill-placed momentum killer. At the 6:14 mark of the second quarter, the Vikings trailed only 7-0 when running back Matt Asiata came on in relief of surprise starter Jerick McKinnon. It was first-and-10 at the Vikings 10-yard line when a determined Asiata blasted up the middle for an 11-yard gain. But you won’t find that 11-yard gain in the boxscore because right guard Vladimir Ducasse was flagged for holding. The Vikings went three and out. “We need to stop kicking the Vikings’ butt,” Asiata said. “We’re kicking our own butt every time we get a penalty like that. I was trying to set some momentum, hit the hole and get downfield. But seeing the flag, it just hurt.”

3. Nine flags, nine offenders

4. Johnson’s wild week ends

5. Hello, red zone run defense?

[soflavike]

Looks like our brain-dead Fox play-by-play guy doesn't handle criticism very gracefully. Bad news is he's scheduled to announce the Vikings-Bills game this week.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... n-twitter/

[Purple bruise]

Looks like our brain-dead Fox play-by-play guy doesn't handle criticism very gracefully. Bad news is he's scheduled to announce the Vikings-Bills game this week.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... n-twitter/

Those announcers last Sunday were/are the worst ever. I have heard high school broadcasters on the radio doing ten times better.

[Megatron]

You guys don't need to worry so much. Detroits defense is really, really good, especially the front line. Their defense is tops in the league and top two in basically every statistical category, and #1 in the stats that really matter. You have to go back to 1970 to find a defense, that in its first 6 games, held opponents to such few points.

[Purple bruise]

You guys don't need to worry so much. Detroits defense is really, really good, especially the front line. Their defense is tops in the league and top two in basically every statistical category, and #1 in the stats that really matter. You have to go back to 1970 to find a defense, that in its first 6 games, held opponents to such few points.

Thanks for cheering us all up