Thoughts on Disappointing Seasons & Blair Walsh

[Purple Reign]

Has there been an actual report that they talked about it? I've seen speculation, but no report.

Here is a quote from Locke that was in the Pioneer Press:

Locke acknowledged subzero temperatures affected his ball handling after catching McDermott’s solid snaps.

“A little bit. Every time you spin it, you’re risking the ball spinning like a top all the way down, especially when it’s slick, the ball in the ground,” he said.

Locke not even attempting to spin the ball on at least 2 attempts clearly demonstrates that that was the plan. Or do you think Locke just did that on his own without informing Walsh before hand? If that was the case and Walsh wasn't comfortable with it, don't you think he would have said something to Locke the first time it happened?

[808vikingsfan]

Minnesota first-graders write letters to Blair Walsh

Post of the week IMO.


At least he didn't miss it In a superbowl.

[DK Sweets]

Here is a quote from Locke that was in the Pioneer Press:

Locke acknowledged subzero temperatures affected his ball handling after catching McDermott’s solid snaps.

“A little bit. Every time you spin it, you’re risking the ball spinning like a top all the way down, especially when it’s slick, the ball in the ground,” he said.

Locke not even attempting to spin the ball on at least 2 attempts clearly demonstrates that that was the plan. Or do you think Locke just did that on his own without informing Walsh before hand? If that was the case and Walsh wasn't comfortable with it, don't you think he would have said something to Locke the first time it happened?

Thanks for sharing. I hadn't seen that.

[Muqali]

Right. That was the point I was trying to make with my post, but you stated it more succinctly than I did.

Ok, I read this the other day and now just found the time to comb over it again. 2 Games I missed were actually a game where he kicked a 38 yard fg to get us into overtime and we scored a td against tampa bay in 2014.

There was also one where he missed the go ahead fg at the end of regulation vs the jets but we won in OT with a touchdown.

The stat is just flat out bogus. I was looking for the author on the page and couldn't find it. If you go to the usatoday where it has the name of the author was freaking..... CHRIS CHASE. LOL. That guys belongs at TMZ.

Most of the kicks weren't under 1 min till end of regulation, they were mostly under 3 or in OT. All he says is "under 1 minute". Maybe there is a sin of omission there and just definition bending with what that means.

If you ask the question, "Has there ever been a game we walked away from thinking that Walsh blew it for us?"
Yes, once, and it was an important one. He missed a 27 yarder in the playoffs and it sucked.

He's 7-0 in the regular season in my mind. (I don't count the 63 yarder or the game we won in OT.)

You can check all the stats here.
Took me maybe 15 mins.

[Just Me]

Ok, I read this the other day and now just found the time to comb over it again. 2 Games I missed were actually a game where he kicked a 38 yard fg to get us into overtime and we scored a td against tampa bay in 2014.

There was also one where he missed the go ahead fg at the end of regulation vs the jets but we won in OT with a touchdown.

The stat is just flat out bogus. I was looking for the author on the page and couldn't find it. If you go to the usatoday where it has the name of the author was freaking..... CHRIS CHASE. LOL. That guys belongs at TMZ.

Point taken - Couldn't (and still won't) try to defend the stats used in the article.

Most of the kicks weren't under 1 min till end of regulation, they were mostly under 3 or in OT. All he says is "under 1 minute". Maybe there is a sin of omission there and just definition bending with what that means.

Or it may be he was "cherry-picking" the criteria to make Blair Walsh appear worse than he is. I'm not trying to defend the guy, and if your opinion of him is accurate, maybe he does "belong at TMZ," but it doesn't invalidate his claim.

If you ask the question, "Has there ever been a game we walked away from thinking that Walsh blew it for us?"
Yes, once, and it was an important one. He missed a 27 yarder in the playoffs and it sucked.

Fair enough, but...That wasn't what was asked (or in this case asserted).

He's 7-0 in the regular season in my mind. (I don't count the 63 yarder or the game we won in OT.)

OK

You can check all the stats here.
Took me maybe 15 mins.

Respectfully, I use that site all the time too, and other than the aggregate FG kicking stats on that page, it still doesn't confirm (or refute) the article's claims. The only way to do that would be to inspect the "Box Score" for each of the Viking's games. This is going to take much more than 15 minutes to do, and I'm too lazy to do it (in all honesty) as I don't really care that much about it. If you assert that it's inaccurate, I'll give you at least the same amount of credibility as the article, as you at least explained your methodology (so it could be challenged) whereas the article made 'statistical assertion' without disclosing where the stats came from.

I think we could solve this problem by having the Vikings taking delay of game penalties for both extra points and FGs inside of 35 yards until we get to about a 45 yard FG. Walsh is nearly perfect from that range!

[Muqali]

Respectfully, I use that site all the time too, and other than the aggregate FG kicking stats on that page, it still doesn't confirm (or refute) the article's claims. The only way to do that would be to inspect the "Box Score" for each of the Viking's games. This is going to take much more than 15 minutes to do, and I'm too lazy to do it (in all honesty) as I don't really care that much about it. If you assert that it's inaccurate, I'll give you at least the same amount of credibility as the article, as you at least explained your methodology (so it could be challenged) whereas the article made 'statistical assertion' without disclosing where the stats came from.

I think we could solve this problem by having the Vikings taking delay of game penalties for both extra points and FGs inside of 35 yards until we get to about a 45 yard FG. Walsh is nearly perfect from that range!

I did do a ctrl+f "Walsh" scroll down on every boxscore and look at the 4th qtr wherever Walsh's name is highlighted. Takes 10-20 seconds per game, only 64 games. It's all good tho.

[Raptorman]

Blair heads to 1st grade.

http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/vide ... 0238c850ba

[Pondering Her Percy]

Blair heads to 1st grade.

http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/vide ... 0238c850ba

I'm mad at him but I do feel for him in a way. He's been a pretty solid kicker for us. Ranks 10th all time in FG% right now.

[soflavike]

Just think what the headlines would have been if he made that 27 yarder to win the game...

"Blair Walsh 12 - Seattle 10"

"Blair Walsh kicks the Vikings into the next round of the playoffs"

"Blair Walsh 4/4 as Vikings advance"

"Blair Walsh scores all the points and Vikings advance"


But you miss one kick, and everyone wants to blame you for the whole enchilada.

[IrishViking]

Just think what the headlines would have been if he made that 27 yarder to win the game...

"Blair Walsh 12 - Seattle 10"

"Blair Walsh kicks the Vikings into the next round of the playoffs"

"Blair Walsh 4/4 as Vikings advance"

"Blair Walsh scores all the points and Vikings advance"


But you miss one kick, and everyone wants to blame you for the whole enchilada.

BUT MY FEELS ARE SO FEEL-Y

[Mothman]

Just think what the headlines would have been if he made that 27 yarder to win the game...

"Blair Walsh 12 - Seattle 10"

"Blair Walsh kicks the Vikings into the next round of the playoffs"

"Blair Walsh 4/4 as Vikings advance"

"Blair Walsh scores all the points and Vikings advance"


But you miss one kick, and everyone wants to blame you for the whole enchilada.

Instead, there are headlines like this:

Reusse: Walsh's feel-good story is putting lipstick on a goat

[Just Me]

Instead, there are headlines like this:

Reusse: Walsh's feel-good story is putting lipstick on a goat

From the article:

The fact he had made three field goals earlier and thus accounted for the Vikings’ nine points mattered not. The fact Peterson had fumbled, the Captain had overrun Wilson, or Sendejo had failed to intercept a pass no longer would impact the outcome.

This was the game. This was the moment. Period.

I have long disagreed with Reusse on a lot of what he writes - This is no exception. He tries to give the "team" a pass on their mistakes and pin it all on Walsh. In a sense of irony, had Walsh failed to connect on an earlier FG, the Vikings would have needed a TD to win and it would be Bridgewater's fault for the loss (apparently) since "the last man on offense with the ball is holding the bag." I thought Zimmer said it best (words to the effect) that Walsh needed to make that kick. But he then pointed out the gaffes by others during the game. When it comes to subscribing to Reusse's take or Zimmer's take, I'm going to have to fall on the side of Zimmer.

[Mothman]

From the article:
I have long disagreed with Reusse on a lot of what he writes - This is no exception. He tries to give the "team" a pass on their mistakes and pin it all on Walsh. In a sense of irony, had Walsh failed to connect on an earlier FG, the Vikings would have needed a TD to win and it would be Bridgewater's fault for the loss (apparently) since "the last man on offense with the ball is holding the bag." I thought Zimmer said it best (words to the effect) that Walsh needed to make that kick. But he then pointed out the gaffes by others during the game. When it comes to subscribing to Reusse's take or Zimmer's take, I'm going to have to fall on the side of Zimmer.

Same here. I've long said that games are won and lost over the course of the entire game, not on one play. I understand Reusse's point but Zimmer said it best: Walsh needed to make that kick.

There are a LOT of ways to look at this sort of thing. Personally, I wish they'd been more aggressive near the end of the game and tried to put it away with a TD instead of playing for the FG. That's against conventional wisdom, I know but a FG is never a sure thing, especially in that kind of pressure situation.

[Just Me]

There are a LOT of ways to look at this sort of thing. Personally, I wish they'd been more aggressive near the end of the game and tried to put it away with a TD instead of playing for the FG. That's against conventional wisdom, I know but a FG is never a sure thing, especially in that kind of pressure situation.

Especially with a kicker that has missed more than 1 (IIRC it was 3-4) extra point during the regular season.

[Mothman]

Especially with a kicker that has missed more than 1 (IIRC it was 3-4) extra point during the regular season.

Exactly. I was nervous about that upcoming kick before they even got to third down!