Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

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

Cliff
Site Admin
Posts: 9489
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:51 pm
Location: Kentucky
x 432

Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by Cliff »

On to the next one, I suppose. Hoping for a bounce back. If not a win, at least a better looking team. I wonder how much the Griffen stuff is messing with them.
EAGAN, Minn. — We’re onto Los Angeles.

The Vikings produced one of their worst games in recent memory on Sunday, falling behind early and never recovering in a 27-6 home loss to Buffalo.

Minnesota now has a tall task ahead, as the Vikings get set for a matchup against the Rams on Thursday night on the West Coast.

The Vikings have an odd record of 1-1-1 through the first three weeks of the season, and are one of three teams to hold that record, along with the Packers and Browns. The Steelers are 0-1-1 heading into tonight’s matchup against the Buccaneers.

The Rams are 3-0 after they won the Battle of Los Angeles with a 35-23 victory over the Chargers on Sunday.

Here’s a look at Minnesota’s Week 4 road game against the Rams:

Read more
dead_poet
Commissioner
Posts: 24788
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:30 pm
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
x 108

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by dead_poet »

After Sunday's debacle, how in the world do you have confidence in this game? Peters is out, which helps I guess. But he doesn't play defensive tackle.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
akvikingsfan
All Pro Elite Player
Posts: 1397
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:06 pm
Location: Kathleen, GA
x 15
Contact:

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by akvikingsfan »

Whats the starting O-Line going to look like? My hopes:

Reiff - Jones - Elflein - Remmers - O'Neill

That would place three new position starters on the line, but I think this would be the best possible lineup. We have to do something to keep Kirk upright.
PurpleMustReign
Starting Wide Receiver
Posts: 19150
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:48 pm
Location: Crystal, MN
x 114
Contact:

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by PurpleMustReign »

31-14 Rams. 2010 all.over again.
The Devil whispered in the Viking's ear, "There's a storm coming." The Viking replied, "I am the storm." ‪#‎SKOL2018
mansquatch
Hall of Fame Candidate
Posts: 3836
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:44 pm
Location: Coon Rapids, MN
x 117

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by mansquatch »

This team can't be in a good place emotionally right now. They are the midst of a sea of distractions. Hard to think they'll win on a short week even if all the other crap wasn't going on.

The one positive I see is that as a whole they have to be pretty disgusted with themselves over the Sunday performance. They should have a chip on their shoulder to get things right.

Last season when we played the Rams offense we made Goff look pedestrian. That was mid-season and at home. Our defense isn't in mid-season form and this is on the road and on a short week. Still, I do not think you can completely count the Vikings out of this one. The Rams might be flying high, but they've been feasting lesser NFL teams. The Vikings represent the first competitive opponent they've faced, so it is possible the Rams are riding a wave of false confidence. This is a great game for the Vikings Defense to show up and punch them in the mouth... if they have it in them.
Winning is not a sometime thing it is an all of the time thing - Vince Lombardi
StpViking
Starter
Posts: 139
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2018 11:20 pm
Location: STP, MN
x 39

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by StpViking »

Looking at the bright side. After all these decades, MN Vikings vs LA Rams is relevant again.

I was not old enough to experience the Fearsome Foursome vs The Purple People Eaters. Possible new rivalry for this generation. Both are young teams. This game will be fun to watch that is for sure, unlike other Thursday night games.
White 8DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee! Waz Up!
User avatar
Maelstrom88
All Pro Elite Player
Posts: 1827
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 4:38 am
x 399

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by Maelstrom88 »

The Rams offense is extremely versatile and they give you a lot to worry about. In the run game they make you defend the perimeter with the quick hitting Jet Sweep then smash you up the middle with Gurley off Jet fakes. When passing they protect Goff well and push the ball downfield to Woods and Kupp. Unless the defense looks totally different than they have so far it's going to be rough. Last year Zimmer outsmarted McVay.

On offense they are going up against Donald and Suh so it would be a good idea to keep in extra blockers on anything other than a quick hitting pass. I don't see them running with much success but they have to try. The Rams are banged up in the secondary which should help.
mael·strom

a powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river.

a situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil.
dead_poet
Commissioner
Posts: 24788
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:30 pm
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
x 108

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by dead_poet »

Reiff, Sherels, Griffen out.

Cook limited. Morgan has a brace on his knee.

Line Thursday could be: Hill-Compton/Jones-Elflein-Remmers-O'Neil
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
fiestavike
Hall of Fame Inductee
Posts: 4959
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:03 am
x 395

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by fiestavike »

Gotta say, at this point, I've never cared less.

This franchise is just a damn mess. Maybe they'll bounce back...probably they'll crap the bed. Does it really matter? Cousins is not the guy, Zimmer probably be blind in 5 days, plus the NFL has bout ruined the game completely with stupid penalties and soft rules.
"You like that!"
-- Cap'n Spazz Cousins
PurpleMustReign
Starting Wide Receiver
Posts: 19150
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:48 pm
Location: Crystal, MN
x 114
Contact:

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by PurpleMustReign »

fiestavike wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 5:02 pm Gotta say, at this point, I've never cared less.

This franchise is just a damn mess. Maybe they'll bounce back...probably they'll crap the bed. Does it really matter? Cousins is not the guy, Zimmer probably be blind in 5 days, plus the NFL has bout ruined the game completely with stupid penalties and soft rules.
You know it's bad when viking fans are upset at penalties that clay Matthews is accumulating. Roger Goodell will ruin the NFL. He's probably over 50% there. I am thinking in the next few years, there will be mass retire.ent of really good, popular players.
The Devil whispered in the Viking's ear, "There's a storm coming." The Viking replied, "I am the storm." ‪#‎SKOL2018
User avatar
Thaumaturgist
Pro Bowl Elite Player
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:29 am
x 83
Contact:

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by Thaumaturgist »

PurpleMustReign wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:51 pm You know it's bad when viking fans are upset at penalties that clay Matthews is accumulating. Roger Goodell will ruin the NFL. He's probably over 50% there. I am thinking in the next few years, there will be mass retire.ent of really good, popular players.
While I agree he'll ruin the NFL... Heck, he already has in my opinion. As long as there's money to be made, the players will be there. It's when people stop watching, and the revenues go down the toilets that either changes will be made, or it'll sink.
mansquatch
Hall of Fame Candidate
Posts: 3836
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:44 pm
Location: Coon Rapids, MN
x 117

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by mansquatch »

This is the first "real" team the Rams have faced. That being said, I'm not at all confident in the current state of our Vikings. Our OL is an injury mess. Major Drama with EG. Even with EG, the Defense has not been nearly what it was in either 2016 or 2017. It is hard to think the Vikings will show up for this game, let alone crank out a road win. On top of that is the fact that road teams on Thursday Night have put up a pretty bad record. Home field advantage is real on Thursday.

Still, there are unknowns. The Rams haven't really proved it either. We'd probably be 3-0 if we got to play their schedule. Last time we faced them we made Gurley/Goff look quite pedestrian. McVeigh had no answers. Nothing on that offense has changed to make me think our defensive backfield won't be able to shut them down again.

I think I lack confidence in this game more because of what we've seen from our 2018 Vikings than from anything the Rams have done. The last week has been one of the worst since I've been watching the franchise. That and the fact that this is a Thursday game.
Winning is not a sometime thing it is an all of the time thing - Vince Lombardi
Pondering Her Percy
Hall of Famer
Posts: 9241
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:38 am
Location: Watertown, NY
x 1117

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

PurpleMustReign wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 9:54 am 31-14 Rams. 2010 all.over again.
Disagree. Like I said in the Cook thread, we lose Griffen (which probably had a huge part in Sundays loss due to distractions) and everyone is down in the dumps. Last year we lost our starting QB!! And had to go with Case fricken Keenum. Did anyone think we were going 13-3?? No. This team is still loaded with talent. We can still run with the top teams in the NFL no doubt. And like I've said before (and I know a few others have too), dont be surprised if we go 2-0 in the next two weeks. Or at worst 1-1. We throw up a dud game every year. It's out of the way. We move on
The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices you make will shape your life forever.
-Chazz Palminteri
User avatar
Raptorman
Hall of Fame Candidate
Posts: 3403
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:23 pm
Location: Sebastian, FL
x 67

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by Raptorman »

mansquatch wrote: Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:42 am This is the first "real" team the Rams have faced. That being said, I'm not at all confident in the current state of our Vikings. Our OL is an injury mess. Major Drama with EG. Even with EG, the Defense has not been nearly what it was in either 2016 or 2017. It is hard to think the Vikings will show up for this game, let alone crank out a road win. On top of that is the fact that road teams on Thursday Night have put up a pretty bad record. Home field advantage is real on Thursday.

Still, there are unknowns. The Rams haven't really proved it either. We'd probably be 3-0 if we got to play their schedule. Last time we faced them we made Gurley/Goff look quite pedestrian. McVeigh had no answers. Nothing on that offense has changed to make me think our defensive backfield won't be able to shut them down again.

I think I lack confidence in this game more because of what we've seen from our 2018 Vikings than from anything the Rams have done. The last week has been one of the worst since I've been watching the franchise. That and the fact that this is a Thursday game.
Well that just tells us you weren't around when the Herschel Walker trade happened.


And in general

Every team has ups and downs. They can lose to 0-3 team and have no problem beating a 3-0 team. It's not who you play as much as when you play them. I find it funny that over the years every time the Vikings end up on the negative side of wins that the organization is a "train wreck" . For some of you younger folks, you have no idea what a train wreck looks like when it comes to teams. I don't expect my team to win every game. I know they will lose games to teams they should beat, and beat teams they should lose too. But here's the thing. If your concern goes up and down with the team on a weekly basis you might want to consider another sport. Teams have bad weeks, injuries, problems. That's why they play the game.
Vikings fan since Nov. 6, 1966. Annoying Packer fans since Nov. 7, 1966
Pondering Her Percy
Hall of Famer
Posts: 9241
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:38 am
Location: Watertown, NY
x 1117

Re: Vikings @ Rams Pregame Thread

Post by Pondering Her Percy »

mansquatch wrote: Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:42 am the Defense has not been nearly what it was in either 2016 or 2017.
Sorry mansquatch but I disagree. Is it a little worse than last year? Yeah. You cant expect to match last years numbers. No less, we're now playing a first place schedule. Given last year we were playing a 3rd place schedule (minus Aaron Rodgers in the division). I feel like every fan out there right now is driven one thing with this defense: points given up. If you look at each game and the situations we were in, the D has looked pretty darn good if you ask me.

SF- Didnt score a TD until the 3rd quarter. Turned Jimmy G over 3 times and forced 1 fumble on a goal line stand.

GB- Got 29 points put up on us yet we held Aaron Rodgers to 1 TD. No less he didnt throw for over 200 until halfway through the 4th. One TD was also scored off a blocked punt (nothing to do with our D). Also, on a few of their drives where they kicked FGs, penalties walked them down the field. Yes, that's on the defense but not from a playing point of view.

BUF- got 27 put up on us. First drive of the game we force a 3 and out and Linval goes helmet to helmet with Allen on the sack. So there is 15 yards. Barr gets a face mask, there is 15 more yards. 30 yards in penalties and 44 yards that Buffalo ACTUALLY gained. Next possession, we fumble inside our own 20. Buffalo gains FOUR yards on that possession and kick a FG. Possession after that, fumble inside our own 25 again. Buffalo loses a yard and then throws a 26 yard TD. So all in all, Buffalo was up 17-0 and gained 74 TOTAL YARDS of offense. Sorry but that is not on the defense. That is good D if you ask me (minus the penalties)

Just my two cents but I just think we need to look into the actual numbers before saying our defense "isnt near" 2016 or 2017. We are currently 10 in total yards given up, 9th in passing yards, 14th in rushing and 8th in 3rd down %. Those arent bad numbers by any means. Especially given the situations they have been put in
The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices you make will shape your life forever.
-Chazz Palminteri
Post Reply