Preseason Week Three Game Thread - Vikings/Chiefs

[Purple bruise]

I think a lot of what we're seeing with McKinnon is a QB transitioning into a RB. I think if he gets a little bit of time to feel out the position and watch AD do his thing, he has all the ability in the world to be a good one.

I agree and with time I think that he will turn out to be a great asset on this team.

[Crax]

I feel like Asiata gives this team nothing more than consistency. If for some reason we're taking Peterson off the field for pass protection or a short power run, I'm pretty sure Felton could take handle that just as well as Asiata.

You did see the 30 yard gain on the pass Asiata did this last game(Not sure if it was designed play or a check down)? I don't think Felton could do that and I'm not sure that McKinnion would have been able to handle the blocking with the transition to pass catching. I'm afraid McKinnion is going to get blown up if he had to block and then be available for the check down. You're right that Asiata may not have the big play threat as some of the other guys, but he's also less 1 dimensional which I think Norv likes. Asiata can run/catch/block and do all of them good where as the other guys seem to do 1 thing great and below average at the others.

[S197]

I think a lot of what we're seeing with McKinnon is a QB transitioning into a RB. I think if he gets a little bit of time to feel out the position and watch AD do his thing, he has all the ability in the world to be a good one.

The one thing that I do like from what I've seen so far is he seems to be pretty patient, he waits for his blocks to get set before he hits the hole.

[DK Sweets]

You did see the 30 yard gain on the pass Asiata did this last game(Not sure if it was designed play or a check down)? I don't think Felton could do that

Well, there's obviously no way to know for sure...but if you look at their combine results, the two guys are very similar athletically.

Matt Asiata
40 yard dash: 4.77
20 yard shuttle: 4.37
3 cone drill: 7.09

Jerome Felton
40 yard dash: 4.68 (-0.09)
20 yard shuttle: 4.46 (+0.09)
3 cone drill: 7.20 (+0.11)

So Felton is actually faster in a straight line than Asiata but less nimble with his feet. They're both listed on nfl.com as the same height, but Felton is also about 14 pounds heavier. So again...I think if you're wanting somebody who can block, pick up tough yards, and catch check down passes....Felton can fill that role and still be a dynamite run blocker. I think he can disguise his responsibilities in the play better and therefore serves as a more valuable player.

[Reignman]

The one thing that I do like from what I've seen so far is he seems to be pretty patient, he waits for his blocks to get set before he hits the hole.

Nah, it just takes him that long to get there. By the time he does, the hole is open and waiting for him.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

Am I the only one who thinks McKinnon, Banyard, AND Williams all look better than Asiata?

Nope.

I like Asiata's work ethic, and he runs hard, but, Banyard and McKinnon have way more upside and big-play ability. To be honest, Joe Banyard should have made this football team last season. Banyard and McKinnon won't both make it, and we know they are not cutting McKinnon, so Banyard will lose by default.

[720pete]

Who is our #2 RB right now, Asiata?

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[dead_poet]

@Andrew_Krammer -- Asked about Kalil, Norv Turner seems to ref @PFF unprompted: "Trying to evaluate our tape and not know what we’re doing doesn’t make sense"

@Andrew_Krammer More Turner on Kalil: "We didn't give him any help on purpose. One of the plays we got pressure was not a good play call." #Vikings

#lrt in PFF's defense, it's hard to believe Kalil getting consistently beat in pass pro and giving up hits is what the Vikings want, so...

[Mothman]

Who is our #2 RB right now, Asiata?

Yes.

[Mothman]

Of course getting beat and giving up hits isn't what they want but I think Turner's point (and Zimmer's) is that the analysts at PFF don't know the assignments and responsibilities of the players. All they can do is look at outcomes. In their defense, they acknowledge that. I think they provide a good service and they certainly seem to put a lot of effort into compiling their stats but some of them are more useful than others and a lot of their grading and assessment of players needs to be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism. It's interesting not definitive and I think the big problem now is an increasing number of media members are leaning on PFF's data and using it as if it is definitive.

I think that second Turner quote is interesting and serves as another example of why preseason results are not necessarily indicative of what's to come in the regular season.