Vikings should focus on defense next year?

A forum for the hard core Minnesota Vikings fan. Discuss upcoming games, opponents, trades, draft or what ever is on the minds of Viking fans!

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
PurpleKoolaid
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8641
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:52 pm
x 28

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by PurpleKoolaid »

One player I am kind of surprised whose name hasn't come up is Cobb, RB for the Gophers. I love what kill has done with this team, so I watch pretty much every game.

Cobb is like Asiata, only faster, leaner, and a great blocker. And yes, I admit, Im a homer and I would love to see him on the Vikings. We could get him in the 3-4th round. He can also catch. He is tough, and the more he is feed, the more he will produce. I am so big on this guy, I think we get him even if AD stays. Even if that meant Asiata and Tate had to leave. Go back and watch the highlights of the ohio st game this year if you haven't seen much of him.
Pondering Her Percy
Hall of Famer
Posts: 9241
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:38 am
Location: Watertown, NY
x 1117

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

PurpleKoolaid wrote: This is what scares me. If AD doesn't come back, and we go RB before WR. Big mistake IMO.
Hmmm, that's a toss up. I agree but disagree. I guess it depends more on who is there at the time we pick. For one, Gurley probably won't get drafted until day 2 for sure now because of the injury. Anywhere between the 2nd and 4th. So that could be a great mid round pick for us. However, I think Gordon is one of the best, if not the best offensive player in this draft. Having a great running game takes a tremendous amount of pressure off a QB. We're winning some games now with pretty much zero running game. I feel like we need more balance on this offense. Gordon and Gurley are the best two RB prospects to come out in a VERY long time IMO.

On the other hand, WR is definitely a need. If Cooper is there, I think it's a must pick because I don't think Gordon will go that early anyways. If Cooper is gone and Parker is there, I would probably take Gordon before Parker. It's hard to say. My top 4 in order would be:

1.) Cooper
2.) Gordon
3.) Parker
4.) Gurley

The thing is, even though our WRs aren't the best on paper, they are doing a pretty decent job now that Teddy is playing much better but by no means are they stellar. Johnson looks promising, Greg is as reliable as they come, Wright is a solid #3/4 and Patterson has all the potential in the world but we don't really know whats going on behind the scenes with Norv. We literally have NO running game right now. I like McKinnon but nobody has a clue if he can be a lead back or not. Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley are both legitimate lead backs that are day 1 starters.

The MOST important thing we have to remember: Having a good running game is going to make your WRs and passing game in general look and play a lot better. WRs will see more 1 on 1 coverage due to stacked boxes. Who the hell is going to stack a box against us right now?? The more days that pass, the more I want AP gone because I want Gordon or Gurley. If this happened to AP in any of the previous 7 years, I would be begging for him back but both of these RBs are too good to pass up. Especially Gordon.
The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices you make will shape your life forever.
-Chazz Palminteri
frosted
Career Elite Player
Posts: 2157
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:30 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by frosted »

PurpleKoolaid wrote:One player I am kind of surprised whose name hasn't come up is Cobb, RB for the Gophers. I love what kill has done with this team, so I watch pretty much every game.

Cobb is like Asiata, only faster, leaner, and a great blocker. And yes, I admit, Im a homer and I would love to see him on the Vikings. We could get him in the 3-4th round. He can also catch. He is tough, and the more he is feed, the more he will produce. I am so big on this guy, I think we get him even if AD stays. Even if that meant Asiata and Tate had to leave. Go back and watch the highlights of the ohio st game this year if you haven't seen much of him.
Yeah, David is a good player. I think his game will translate well to the NFL.
Demi
Commissioner
Posts: 23785
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 4:24 pm
x 8

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by Demi »

The MOST important thing we have to remember: Having a good running game is going to make your WRs and passing game in general look and play a lot better.
Like it did with Peterson all these years? Having a good QB will make your WRs and passing game look better. Even when you have little to no talent at HB, like the Broncos, Patriots, etc. Teddy has done pretty well with Asiata starting. Peterson would have helped the running game, but I really doubt he would have translated into all that better numbers for Teddy. Just look at some games he was injured and missed since he was drafted. Including Ponder's rookie year.

A star WR will do more for a passing offense than a star HB, if the Vikings history hasn't made that clear, I don't know what will...
User avatar
CbusVikesFan
All Pro Elite Player
Posts: 1395
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:07 pm
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by CbusVikesFan »

if the Vikings history hasn't made that clear, I don't know what will...

A plethora of them is pretty exciting to watch as well. Can you name a WR corps better than the Vikings had with Carter, Reed, and Moss?
Image
Don't hate on my Buckeyes. Some of the best Vikings went to Ohio State.
Including now, HOF WR #80 Cris Carter
Pondering Her Percy
Hall of Famer
Posts: 9241
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:38 am
Location: Watertown, NY
x 1117

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

Demi wrote: Like it did with Peterson all these years? Having a good QB will make your WRs and passing game look better. Even when you have little to no talent at HB, like the Broncos, Patriots, etc. Teddy has done pretty well with Asiata starting. Peterson would have helped the running game, but I really doubt he would have translated into all that better numbers for Teddy. Just look at some games he was injured and missed since he was drafted. Including Ponder's rookie year.

A star WR will do more for a passing offense than a star HB, if the Vikings history hasn't made that clear, I don't know what will...
We've never had a viable QB outside of Favre. In 09 we had a great pass game and run game. Favre made nobody WRs into somebody's. You could have gave Ponder Denvers WRs and AP behind him and he would still suck. Guys like Manning and Brady could succeed with a pop warner team in front of them. Teddy isn't comparable to those guys and being a young guy, we have to take some pressure off of him. Nobody is scared of Matt Asiata. These RBs aren't producing for us and it makes this offense one dimensional. So what makes you think it's ok going forward with them?? Using Manning and Brady brings nothing to the conversation.
The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices you make will shape your life forever.
-Chazz Palminteri
John_Viveiros
Career Elite Player
Posts: 2450
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2003 8:55 pm
Location: Olympia, Washington

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by John_Viveiros »

As stated before - you always want to go BPA. But I´d love for the BPA´s to be offensive linemen for a couple of the early rounds. If Teddy can throw for 300 against the Detroit D with our current receiving corps, who am I to say they aren´t good enough. Look at what Seattle won with last year as far as WR´s go.
purplereign1
Rookie
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat May 17, 2014 10:31 pm

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by purplereign1 »

AllDay wrote:I think we should, we can net a G in FA and take a WR in the mid rounds.

LB and S are big needs and this class has good depth at each spots.

Guys like Shaq Thompson, Eric Kendricks, Bernadnick McKinney and Denzel Perryman are all guys to consider.

S isn't quite as deep but Landon Collins, Cody Prewitt, Derron Smith and Anthony Harris are guys I like.

I like how this draft falls for us: http://walterfootball.com/draft2015.php

Shaq and Barr would be legendary and we can get Anthony Harris in the 2nd. Thoughts?
I feel we should take BPA that fits a need for us. I do like Shaq as a player, but am beginning to like what I see in Hodges, who I believe is only 23.
dead_poet
Commissioner
Posts: 24788
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:30 pm
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
x 108

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by dead_poet »

John_Viveiros wrote:As stated before - you always want to go BPA. But I´d love for the BPA´s to be offensive linemen for a couple of the early rounds. If Teddy can throw for 300 against the Detroit D with our current receiving corps, who am I to say they aren´t good enough. Look at what Seattle won with last year as far as WR´s go.
To play devil's advocate here, I believe a considerable chunk of Teddy's 300-yard performance against Dallas was YAC.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
losperros
Commissioner
Posts: 10041
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 9:47 am
Location: Burbank, California

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by losperros »

CbusVikesFan wrote:A plethora of them is pretty exciting to watch as well. Can you name a WR corps better than the Vikings had with Carter, Reed, and Moss?
No. Best trio I've ever seen.
dead_poet wrote:To play devil's advocate here, I believe a considerable chunk of Teddy's 300-yard performance against Dallas was YAC.
Which is cool. I love WRs that can do that. All four WRs the Vikings have are capable of good YAC.
User avatar
Mothman
Defensive Tackle
Posts: 38292
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2003 11:48 am
Location: Chicago, IL
x 409

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by Mothman »

losperros wrote: No. Best trio I've ever seen.
I agree... I'm trying to think of other trios that might be comparable and I'm having trouble. The closest I can think of would be Harrison, Wayne and Stokely for the Colts.

After I typed the above, I did a search to try and confirm that Harrison, Wayne and Stokely were all actually on the Colts at once (just to make sure my memory wasn't playing tricks on me) and came across this, which some of you might enjoy:

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_24 ... ewrite-nfl
As an 11-year-old growing up in Minnesota, Eric Decker got caught up in the scoring machine that was the 1998 Minnesota Vikings. "Jake Reed, Cris Carter, Randy Moss," Decker said as if it were yesterday and not 15 years ago. Randall Cunningham was the quarterback of those Vikings, and not then, nor ever, was he considered among the NFL's elite passers. What that team featured foremost was arguably the most talented receiver trio in league history.

Carter was a Hall of Fame possession receiver. Moss justified coach Dennis Green's controversial first-round draft decision by putting together arguably the most dominant rookie receiving season ever. Reed played through injuries but had No. 1 receiver talent and was the third option on those Vikings.

"That was the best three-receiver group I had ever witnessed," former Broncos safety John Lynch said.

Which is saying something, because Lynch's Broncos were torched by the 2004 Indianapolis Colts' Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley.
Also, if you scroll down past the end of the article, there's this:
All-time NFL trios
NFL reporter Mike Klis picks his best NFL receiver trios of all time:

1. 1998 Vikings
Randy Moss, Cris Carter, Jake Reed
181 rec., 2,798 yards, 33 TDs
Moss caught 17 touchdown passes and averaged 19.0 yards per catch in his rookie season. Carter had one of his Hall of Fame seasons. Reed averaged 13.9 yards per catch in 11 games. The Vikings set a single-season scoring record with Randall Cunningham as the quarterback.

2. 1989 Redskins
Art Monk, Gary Clark, Ricky Sanders
245 rec., 3,553 yards, 21 TDs
Check out this balance: Monk (86, 1,186, eight TDs), Sanders (80, 1,138, four) and Clark (79, 1,229, nine). Imagine if they had a better quarterback than Mark Rypien.

3. 1995 Lions
Herman Moore, Brett Perriman, Johnnie Morton
275 rec., 3,764 yards, 31 TDs
Scott Mitchell's big year. Moore had 123 catches, 1,686 yards, 14 TDs; Perriman had 108 catches for 1,488 yards. The offensive coordinator was Tom Moore, who later hooked up with Peyton Manning in Indy.
He lists 9 trios so there are more at the link.
dead_poet
Commissioner
Posts: 24788
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:30 pm
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
x 108

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by dead_poet »

losperros wrote:Which is cool. I love WRs that can do that.
Me too. It puts less pressure on the QB when the offensive coordinator can call short pass plays (essentially replacing running plays) and still consistently pick up 4+ yards.
All four WRs the Vikings have are capable of good YAC.
Just splitting hairs here but I'd disagree with Jennings able to do that effectively at this stage of his career. I also haven't seen Charles Johnson do much with the ball in his hands. His forte' seems to be size/speed & route-running ability. I don't know if I've seen him out-run a defender or make them miss with his agility yet. I have seen Wright and C-Patt do one or the other (or both).

I'm glad Teddy can hit the short stuff, but I'm sure I'm not the only one here that has seen a lot of that type of play-calling over the last four years with Ponder & Cassel (to Harvin and C-Pat). It's a bit of a departure from Norv's traditional vertical play-calling, but I suppose I should be thankful he's not a Mike Martz type that calls five-step drops religiously, no matter how poor of an offensive line he has to work with. Just more of a credit to Norv for adapting his game plan to his personnel (kind of like what Musgrave did but got crucified for it, sometimes justified but sometimes not IMO).
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
User avatar
Texas Vike
Hall of Fame Inductee
Posts: 4672
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 9:52 am
x 405

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by Texas Vike »

dead_poet wrote:
Just splitting hairs here but I'd disagree with Jennings able to do that effectively at this stage of his career. I also haven't seen Charles Johnson do much with the ball in his hands. His forte' seems to be size/speed & route-running ability. I don't know if I've seen him out-run a defender or make them miss with his agility yet. I have seen Wright and C-Patt do one or the other (or both).
.
Am I remembering correctly? I thought Johnson had a really nice catch and run against Detroit. He's very fast.

Yes, here it is from the 2nd quarter play by play on ESPN: 2nd and 6 at MIN 29 (13:20) (Shotgun) T.Bridgewater pass short middle to Ch.Johnson pushed ob at DET 31 for 40 yards (G.Quin).
User avatar
Mothman
Defensive Tackle
Posts: 38292
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2003 11:48 am
Location: Chicago, IL
x 409

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by Mothman »

dead_poet wrote:Just splitting hairs here but I'd disagree with Jennings able to do that effectively at this stage of his career.


I'm a little surprised to see you say that. He had a terrific RAC touchdown against Pittsburgh last year and even though it's a shorter play, I thought he showed the same kind of moves and open field running ability a few weeks ago when he scored against Carolina.

I don't know if he could take a pass 87 yards for the win like Wright did against the Jets but I still view him as a pretty effective runner after the catch.
dead_poet
Commissioner
Posts: 24788
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:30 pm
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
x 108

Re: Vikings should focus on defense next year?

Post by dead_poet »

Texas Vike wrote:Am I remembering correctly? I thought Johnson had a really nice catch and run against Detroit. He's very fast.
I think it was a screen. You're right. I know he's fast. I guess I'm comparing him to what I've seen Harvin and Patterson do to this point. I just haven't seen a lot of highlights with the ball in his hands (yet).
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
Post Reply