Viking Stat Box: Offense
Code: Select all
312.9 Total Yards/Game (28th in NFL)
201.1 Passing Yards/Game (27th in NFL)
111.7 Rushing Yards/Game (15th in NFL)
19.8 Points/Game (24th in NFL)Code: Select all
339.9 Total Yards/Game (11th in NFL)
216 Passing Yards/Game (6th in NFL)
123.9 Rushing Yards/Game (23rd in NFL)
21.2 Points/Game (12th in NFL)* I can't say I expected us to be in a position to win that game in the fourth quarter, but it's still disappointing that the Vikes surprised us in how competitive they were, only to come up..just short.
* Let's all give a round of applause for the way the defense played. They did a really great job holding the Lions offense down, even when put in a bad spot by Teddy's interceptions. The run defense was much better than it has been in a while. The pass defense, as always, was terrific. These young bucks are really coming along.
* The offense is still very much a work in progress, but it's been much improved the last few weeks, which is encouraging. Bridgewater has to eliminate those interceptions, though. If he does, we win that game. It's hard for me to contextualize his performances, at least lately. I have to remind myself that he's a rookie, and expecting him to excel consistently is a fool's errand. At the same time, I find myself raising my standards for him, and when he comes up short, it's disappointing.
* Andrew Sendejo did a nice job filling in this week, I thought. I didn't notice him at all in pass coverage, and I saw him stick his nose in there on run defense a few times. Considering Barr, Floyd, and Blanton were all out on defense, I think it says a lot about the depth we have at their positions that we were able to turn in one of our very best defensive efforts of the season on Sunday.
* Matt Kalil seemed to hold up much better this week and the past few weeks. Hopefully he's working some of his problems out.
* Let's mention a player who rarely gets mentioned - Joe Berger. He's quietly always a steady player, filling in seemingly every season, and providing the Vikings with a serviceable piece on the offensive line.
* Keep voting for Everson Griffen, Harrison Smith, and Xavier Rhodes for the Pro Bowl. They deserve to go to Hawaii.
* No sacks last week. Still, I felt there was generally good pressure on Stafford. We held him to 5.46 YPA, which is a season low for him. That was, IMO, a joint effort from the front seven and the defensive backfield.
* I thought Zim had a great gameplan schemed up defensively, especially in taking Calvin Johnson away. Rhodes followed him all over the field, but even still, Harrison was heavily involved in taking him away as well. Good work, Iron Mike.
* I actually think Norv had a good game plan in place as well, getting the ball out of Teddy's hands quickly, and letting the receivers make plays after the catch. He really negated the Lions excellent defensive line in a lot of ways.
* Tip of the cap to Matt Asiata. Man he likes contact.
* Rhett Ellison too.
* Gerald Hodges with another solid week, he was all over the place Sunday. 9 tackles and 2 more passes deflected. He's good at playing professional football.
* Shamar Stephen is really starting to look like a steal of a seventh round draft pick. It's always nice to get something out of those late round picks, and it looks like Shamar could eventually give us quite a bit more than just something.
This Week
We're going to Miami...We're going to Miami...A few weeks ago, I thought this would be a game that we'd have a tough time being competitive in, and would have pegged as a sure loss. While I still have my doubts that we'll be able to win this one, especially being on the road in dat heat, the Dolphins have looked more vulnerable lately. Just based on the eyeball test, Miami is a good football team, with a top notch defense, and a very efficient offense.
I'm afraid that Teddy is going to have a very tough time throwing the ball this week - Miami is ranked 4th in passing yards allowed/game (209.2). They rank 13th in sacks (34 of them), and their passer rating against of 84.2 is 10th in the NFL. All told their defense is allowing the 7th fewest yards/game and give up 21.5 point/game (15th). They can be had on the ground, as they allow 122.4 rushing yards/game (22nd).
Offensively, the Dolphins are 19th in total yards/game, 20th in passing yards/game, 14th in rushing yards/game, and 12th in scoring (23.4 points/game). We'll need to play tight coverage, and get pressure on Tannehill to disrupt their short passing game.
I'm thinking the Dolphins win this game 20-17. Oy.
Key Players to Contain - Dolphins Offense
* Jarvis Landry (WR): Mike Wallace makes a lot of money, but Jarvis Landry is the Dolphins most reliable WR. The rookie from LSU caught 9 passes for 99 yards against a formidable Patriot secondary last week. He operates on underneath patterns extremely efficiently. He's the safety valve for Ryan Tannehill.
* Ryan Tannehill (QB): Everytime I have watched him play this year, I've come away pretty impressed. He's doing a great job getting the ball out of his hands quickly and accurately. He seems to be very comfortable throwing short and intermediate passes. Also a threat to run the football.
* Lamar Miller (RB): He's a solid back - averaging 4.7 YPC and is currently closing in on his first career 1,000 yard season. He'll also catch a few balls out of the backfield.
Key Players to Neutralize - Dolphins Defense
* Cameron Wake (DE): He's a beast! If we're not careful with him, he'll ruin Teddy's day.
* Brent Grimes (CB): Such a good athlete. I saw him make an interception earlier this year where he jumped 63 feet off the ground. True story.
* Reshad Jones (S): A solid safety, rangy in pass coverage and able to come up to support the run.
This Week's TV Maps
http://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2014&wk=16
We get Kenny, Moose, and Goose this week! How about that!? I love that crew, personally. The Twin Cities also gets Kansas City - Pittsburgh early on CBS, and then Indy - Dallas late on CBS. Excited for that game. Jags - Titans is tomorrow night (ish). 49ers - Chargers and Redskins - Eagles play Saturday night. Just like old times, Saturday night NFL, late in the season. Do you guys remember the year the Vikes played the Chiefs on Saturday night, in Week 16, I believe (had to have been 2003), where Moss let the afro out, and we kicked their ####? Seattle - Arizona is the Sunday night tilt, and the weeks closes out with Cincy - Denver on MNF.
Here are the enemy fan forums for this week:
Fin Heaven
http://www.finheaven.com/forumdisplay.p ... hins-Forum
Football's Future
http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/v ... m.php?f=23
The Phins
http://www.thephins.com/forums/forumdis ... hins-Forum
Phins.com
http://www.phins.com/phorum/list.php?3
What they're saying:
Trade rumors are picking up for Harbaugh to Miami. In my opinion, this would be HUGE for us and would be worth a draft pick (as long as its not a 1st or 2nd). He turned the niners around and made them relevant again.
What are your thoughts on this? Is he worth a draft pick (if so, how much would you be willing to give)?
Well, we have another problem on the horizon as well. If the Phins are unable to land a top tier coach early in the off-season, our free agents might not want to resign with the Phins. Pouncey has made allot of noise that he is tired of being on a loosing team. He may not resign. So the Phins could possibly loose the best free agents they have due to this.
I like how Joe backed off the players Tuesday. Smart move. Break up the standard approach. Maybe there is more energy Sunday.
Hope the LB's are back as well.
I hope Jamar Taylor plays. Still don't know what we have in that kid.
Vikings are 6-8 and Teddy Bridgewater (R) is there QB. I haven't seen them play much so I don't know much about their team (of late).
With our rag-tag walking wounded, do we have enough offensive firepower available to out score the mediocre Vikings?
The beating by the Patriots is yesterday's embarrassment. Putting aside all of our disappointment for a moment, can we out play, out coach Zimmer and Spielman's troupe of players? What do you think?
I would not even compare the Phins against the Vikes. If we lose against the Vikes who don't have their best offensive player and a rookie qb then its more get rid of Philbin postings.
odds are we want it less and they win going away...
At this point i wouldn't say we're any better...if it weren't Bridgewater we'll be facing I'd say we were the lesser team. Between the injuries, the TOTAL defensive COLLAPSE over the last few games and the regression in our red zone offense over the same period...i really don't see how we think we're 'better'
For the next two games, Miami's record is better, but that's about it.
Minny is playing pretty good ball, right now. That doesn't mean they have a great team, but they are not bottom dwellers, either.
Miami and the Jets always battle it out. No matter the records, it's always a toss up. Remember this...Miami beat the Jets in the last meeting. Geno is playing better.
I'm worried that Philbin and the boys are looking past Minny at the jest game and, will take the Vikings too lightly.
I think we'll win both games.
We do so much better when the pressure's off. Under Satan, didn't we reel off like 6 wins in a row to close the season when we had lost so much early in the season that we never really had a chance at the playoffs. Heck, even in 2008 it took a late-season run through some of the worst teams in the league to get us to 11-5 even after NE gift-wrapped the division when Brady went down.
The last 2 games of last year and the last 2 games we played this year have told me what I need to know about Philbin. We should have won last year's games and we should have AT LEAST competed in this year's.
Season records aside - right now it looks like the Vikes are playing better football then the Dolphins. It's anybody's game vs. either of them IMO.
Go Vikes!Vikings are playing well. Bridgewater is a decent QB. He will throw Int's but he also plays well. They are certainly playing better with him at QB.
