Why will the Vikings be better in 2015?

[CbusVikesFan]

Having AP back alone should improve the team overall, taking pressure off Teddy and the O-line. Then improvement should be made with the team overall if coaching is taking effect. Then upgrades at much needed positions should improve the team.
All signs point to yes but will that translate into straight up wins and maybe playoffs? Who knows at this point but I am excited for the season to see. Not much longer to wait.

[purplereign1]

Having AP back alone should improve the team overall, taking pressure off Teddy and the O-line. Then improvement should be made with the team overall if coaching is taking effect. Then upgrades at much needed positions should improve the team.
All signs point to yes but will that translate into straight up wins and maybe playoffs? Who knows at this point but I am excited for the season to see. Not much longer to wait.

I absolutely agree that having AP back should help the offense. Where I think a lot of you are mistaken is that you believe this will take automatically take pressure off the O-line and Teddy. This is only true if Teddy can make them pay a high price for stacking the box and blitzing. In the past with AP in the backfield the opposing team ALWAYS had eight or more in the box. This makes it easier to disguise blitzes and causes confusion on who to block and they knew we wouldn't beat them deep leading to chaos most of the time in the running and passing game. This generally lead to a Ponder sack, short scramble, five yard slant, or an int. Granted it is nice when AP breaks through that mess and has a long run, but there are too many times we run the ball with no or little gain against a stacked box killing a drive. With more people in the box it makes it more difficult to know who to pass block as they have more blitz options, affects more of the short passing lanes, and makes you prove you can go over the top of the defense. With AP back I think there will be more pressure on our O-line and Teddy until Teddy is able to prove stacking the box is a mistake. If Teddy cannot make them pay for bringing pressure AP will not help the passing game and may even make it harder for Teddy as he has shown he is most proficient at short or intermediary passes at this point in his career. If we try to dink and dunk down the field against heavy pressure cb's quickly learn to jump routes leading to turnovers. If Teddy can burn teams deep AP's return will make this a VERY explosive offense, if not then it will be more of the same. Time will tell.

[Norv Zimmer]

You neglected to mention how more people in the box also frees up coverage on wide outs. With wallace added to the mix and a healthy Rudolph along with Johnson, wright, a emerging star in Diggs and Patterson hopefully putting in work to be better. I don't see how there will be more pressure on teddy.

[Norv Zimmer]

also I think your blitzing theory with more people in the box is wrong. Those people are in the box to stop the run, sure they could blitz but they also have to respect the run otherwise Peterson will break one for 70 yds.

[IIsweet]

spot on Norv.
Teams will have to respect the speed and ability of this WR group. If they get 8 in the box, it's crucial that Rudolph and/or WRs are able to make teams pay.
Check downs will be crucial also. I really have to admit that I am more excited for this season than any since Favre arrived.
hopefully they can stay healthy and the studs can produce.
I am hoping to see a lot of Wallace, CJ, and Diggs/CP in 3 WR sets. TB just needs to find the mismatch and exploit.

Defensively, how do you not get excited? Speed, length, and continuity with so many. Plus a healthy interior DL. A confident and evolving Griffen, and a talented secondary of veterans and youth.
Not to mention Year 2 in Zimmer's Defense.

Not sure how many wins, but this team will be fun to watch all game. They have the ability and potential to make a big play on every snap, offensively AND defensively.

[CbusVikesFan]

I absolutely agree that having AP back should help the offense. Where I think a lot of you are mistaken is that you believe this will take automatically take pressure off the O-line and Teddy. This is only true if Teddy can make them pay a high price for stacking the box and blitzing. In the past with AP in the backfield the opposing team ALWAYS had eight or more in the box. This makes it easier to disguise blitzes and causes confusion on who to block and they knew we wouldn't beat them deep leading to chaos most of the time in the running and passing game. This generally lead to a Ponder sack, short scramble, five yard slant, or an int. Granted it is nice when AP breaks through that mess and has a long run, but there are too many times we run the ball with no or little gain against a stacked box killing a drive. With more people in the box it makes it more difficult to know who to pass block as they have more blitz options, affects more of the short passing lanes, and makes you prove you can go over the top of the defense. With AP back I think there will be more pressure on our O-line and Teddy until Teddy is able to prove stacking the box is a mistake. If Teddy cannot make them pay for bringing pressure AP will not help the passing game and may even make it harder for Teddy as he has shown he is most proficient at short or intermediary passes at this point in his career. If we try to dink and dunk down the field against heavy pressure cb's quickly learn to jump routes leading to turnovers. If Teddy can burn teams deep AP's return will make this a VERY explosive offense, if not then it will be more of the same. Time will tell.

One dimensional offenses tend to be victims to their own inadequacies and it is quickly picked up from week to week from other teams by having game film, etc. This is what we have had over the past few years. A one dimensional team. Since he was drafted, it has basically been AP and that is it, sans Favre. It was clear from the start that defenses were not intimidated by Ponder thus defenses could take more chances and since the ball had basically no threat of being completed downfield or if the run is not an option, it is easy to pin their ears back bringing more pressure.
As far as dinking and dunking down the field, you can look at what we had to work with and what we have to work with now. A lot more promising. I did put some "shoulds" in there because the jury is really still out on Teddy and we are not 100% sure that he can transcend to the level of a SB winning QB.
And dinking and dunking down the field is not a bad thing necessarily. A lot of games have been won late dinking and dunking and kicking gw field goals. The West Coast Offense is predicated on the D and D technique. Most completions are within 10 yards, it is the WR that breaks a tackle or makes someone miss that gains the most yardage. Yes, there are big plays but most offenses do not throw deep every series.

[dkoby]

Don't forget that it's Zimmers second year as the head guy and decision maker. I expect that he will feel a bit more comfortable during the games and maybe call a more aggressive game.
Head coaches can learn too!!

[84BreaksAnkles]

A) Yes

B)
a) Continuity -
Teams that enjoy success start to show major signs in the second year. (Pete's Seahawks, Jim's 49ers, Mike's Steelers, Mike's Packers... etc.) Continuity from the top to bottom is better for everyone involved. The schemes, the coaches, the culture, the players, everyone benefits from having a year under the belt in a familiar setting. This is amplified when a team does not face major offseason adversity like losing major key players, injuries, new scheme etc...

Also, Ted getting every offseason 1st team rep can NOT BE UNDERSTATED...

b) Coaching -
The value of this coaching staff cannot be understated. Improving Almost every team statistic from what your predecessor left you behind? That comes down to coaching.. Tom Johnson, a multiyear vet, shattering his CAREER COMBINED sack record in one year?? That's coaching. Having a rookie lead the NFL in accuracy% vs. pressure, in the midst of backup linemen, no Kyle, no Adrian, no viable #1 receiving target? That's coaching. Developing Drew Brees from a 3rd year, 11TD 15INT - Into a 27TD 7INT guy? That's coaching. 31st in scoring Defense in 2014 ---> 11th in scoring defense in 2015 ?? That's coaching..

From the head coach on down.. We have a great staff. Norv is an offensive genius. George Stewart has survived 3 Vikings coaching changes, that's saying something. Jerry Gray does a great job with the DB's. Adam Zimmer, Scott Turner. George Edwards, Coach Patterson - the list goes on..

The bottom line is, these guys will be able to help get the most out of our players.

c) Front Office -
I strongly believe 2015 may be one of the best drafts we've ever had when it's all said and done. Conservatively you will have 4 starters in a couple of years. liberally you may have 6... Very good starters ... in one draft..

Before Christian ponder, Spielman and our scouts really did not produce a large amount of evidence that they were doing a competent job (Sans Everson, and Phil). But Since Christian, let me rattle of a few of our picks since ; Kyle, Fusco, Kalil, Harrison, Wright, Ellison, Robinson, Blanton, Walsh, Cole, Floyd, Rhodes, CP, Hodges, Locke, Mauti, Barr, Bridgewater, Mckinnon, Waynes, Kendricks, Hunter, Clemmings, Diggs, Pruitt, Exum, Chrichton..

That's an extremely young core of quality players to build around. Sure some are not ideal, but a lot of potential.
This is how successful teams continue to be successful - Build through the draft. And I truly think that after Christian, we have been moving in the right direction on that front.

We also made a no-brainer move to Sign a decent deep threat and TD machine for a conditional 5th-round pick.

d) Getting Adrian Peterson back -
I seriously doubt this needs elaboration.

e) Starting with a clean bill of health -
Now, obviously there's a lot of luck involved, but using probability and statistical mechanics, we can expect a healthier year than last year's extremely anomalous outcome.

(I'm including our former NFL MVP even though he wasn't the one who received the injury); Adrian, Kyle, Phil, Fusco, Harris, Mckinnon.. - And that's only a few of the offensive guys


My bottom line is... 3 of Teddy's 6 losses were by more than one possession.. we lost 5 games by a COMBINED 16 points. 3 of them were 2 pts or fewer...

Were upgraded at every offensive position vs. the end of last year [OL healthy, WR core, Adrian, Kyle back]
Our Defense shows every sign it will continue on its meteoric rise from 31st in the league in scoring in 2013, all the way to 11th in 2014. Our players are still young. We have good leadership, and a good culture in our lockerroom.

I not only think it is guaranteed that we improve upon last year's .500 win rate under Teddy, I also think this team may be the best team we've fielded since ...... after the seventies (>1998?? , >2009??)

[John_Viveiros]

I not only think it is guaranteed that we improve upon last year's .500 win rate under Teddy, I also think this team may be the best team we've fielded since ...... after the seventies (>1998?? , >2009??)

I want some of what you are drinking! I'm pretty optimistic, but not that far. Still, it's a really young roster. I'm thinking it looks a lot like the way I saw the 1990 Cowboys - they were also 7-9, followed it up with an 11-5 season, and then were celebrating over champagne after that. In other words, this is the 1997 Vikings coming up, not your 1998 version - make the playoffs, lose on the road, come back the next year better.

As always, they could get hit with bad luck and injuries and drop to 5-11 (imagine if Teddy goes down) or could figure it all out and go 15-1.

[S197]

(A) Yes
(B) Because AD

[84BreaksAnkles]

I strongly believe 2015 may be one of the best drafts we've ever had when it's all said and done.

I stand by this, even now.

[dead_poet]

I stand by this, even now.

We need to see what happens with Waynes but we're getting positive contributions from multiple players. If only Clemmings was as proficient at his position as Hunter seems to be already at his. Diggs is obviously a pleasant surprise. Pruitt will be interesting to watch develop. He's been decent from what's been asked of him. Thompson was a miss (even if he ends up OK, he'll still be on another team so the decision to let him go would be a poor one). Dubose is on the practice squad and Austin Shepherd was pretty bad in the preaseason. Who knows if they'll contribute at all.

Kendricks has disappointed me the last few weeks. His pass coverage hasn't been very good and he's been largely invisible (at least to me). I like his skillset, though, but I'm not sure about his fit in the middle long-term. He may be more suited to the outside when Greenway retires as Zimmer foreshadowed during one of his early press conferences.

Like it or not, how Waynes turns out will likely headline (or majorly influence) how this draft class is perceived but Diggs, Hunter and Kendricks already look like they'll be stalwarts on the team for years to come.

[mansquatch]

Clemmings was a late round pick thrust into a role probably 2-3 years too soon. As awful as he has been to watch, I don't pass judgement on the kid, he was set up to fail. Hopefully he can take positives from this experience and in the long run it will accelerate his development.

For Waynes I really think if he gets any grade this year it is an Incomplete. He has rarely been on the field and for my knowledge the coaches have not had anything negative to say about him. I think they brought in Newman because Zimmer knew he could rely on him and it would give Waynes a chance to ease into the transition vs. getting thrown to the wolves. For those who think otherwise, consider Josh Robinson's first season at CB where Frasier all but said they were throwing him to the wolves and he would have to take his lumps. My view is that Waynes shouldn't get a grade without hearing the coaches way in on him, the sample size is TINY.

Even if Waynes ends up being a bust it is hard to not say the draft was a success given they found 3 solid contributors for the long haul.

[84BreaksAnkles]

I would argue this....

Trae Waynes (dunno yet)

Anthony Harris (impressed with his two starts)

T.J. Clemmings (Sure he struggled early, but watch his Bears and Cardinals film, He's playing good)

Mycole Pruitt (Potential stud)

Stefon Diggs (stud, enough said)

Eric Kendricks (stud, has displayed phenomenal instincts and pursuit/recognition this year. I think he gets juiced up when him and Barr are together onfield, they play great)

Danielle Hunter (stud, this kid could be incredible also. He is taking snaps from a healthy Everson, and a healthy B Rob)


If you're doubtful about the top 3, then understand that these guys have years to grow and learn. I feel like you potentially have 6-7 Quality starters. And Potentially 3-4 Pro Bowlers, in the next 3 years.

[John_Viveiros]

I was thinking that, in the end, as a contrarian and devil's advocate, the main difference between last year and this year is that we didn't have to play a good Lions team. We are two games better because we beat the Lions twice this year, and lost to them twice last year.

Okay, I don't necessarily believe that, but it comes to mind annoyingly often.