Vikings Message Board.Com

Laserman wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 12:09 am offensively, give the ball to cook, roll out on play action, and use the screen game. Defensively Zimmer needs to double team thomas all day plus line up in the face of each receiver and distrupt their timing with as much violence as they can without a flag. No reciever should get a free release and should be hit before they start their route. If Zimmer doesn't so this we are meat. Brees will destroy out defense

I feel the same way. Jam these WRs. He looks for one guy. Keep Harris on the hunt for an interception over the top. With that Rhodes will be 20 yards off and Harris will be on the opposite side of the field. We all have seen that BS scheme before. One guy Zim.

Can we bring in Bradford just for this one game? Nothing against Cousins, just remembering when Bradford LIT UP the Saints the first game of the 2017 season. That was a thing of beauty and gave me high hopes for our offense for the future and then he got ancient over night apparently.

TSonn wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 9:55 am Can we bring in Bradford just for this one game? Nothing against Cousins, just remembering when Bradford LIT UP the Saints the first game of the 2017 season. That was a thing of beauty and gave me high hopes for our offense for the future and then he got ancient over night apparently.

Since 2014, the Saints have made it a tradition of giving up a ton of yards and TDs in the first game of the season.

Watson: 268 yards, 3 TDs
Fitzpatrick: 400+ yards, 4 TDs
Bradford: 300+ yards, 3 TDs
Carr: 300+ yards, 1 TD (they scored 35 in that game and had 3 rushing TDs)
Palmer 300+ yards, 3 TDs
Ryan 400+ yards, 3 TDs

17 TDs, and about 2000 yards of passing in 6 games. 333 yards and 3 TDs on average, regardless of the caliber of QB.

What we really need is for that first game of the season Saints defense to show up.

StumpHunter wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:38 am

TSonn wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 9:55 am Can we bring in Bradford just for this one game? Nothing against Cousins, just remembering when Bradford LIT UP the Saints the first game of the 2017 season. That was a thing of beauty and gave me high hopes for our offense for the future and then he got ancient over night apparently.

Since 2014, the Saints have made it a tradition of giving up a ton of yards and TDs in the first game of the season.

Watson: 268 yards, 3 TDs
Fitzpatrick: 400+ yards, 4 TDs
Bradford: 300+ yards, 3 TDs
Carr: 300+ yards, 1 TD (they scored 35 in that game and had 3 rushing TDs)
Palmer 300+ yards, 3 TDs
Ryan 400+ yards, 3 TDs

17 TDs, and about 2000 yards of passing in 6 games. 333 yards and 3 TDs on average, regardless of the caliber of QB.

What we really need is for that first game of the season Saints defense to show up.

I'd be OK with that!

I've not dug too deep into this yet, but my 10,000 foot take is this:

Saints DL is banged up and missing some of it's better complimentary players. they still have Jordan, but they are not what they were earlier this season. Secondary also has a lot of players banged up. My hope is that with their RB allegedly back to full health we'll see them get back to what has worked so well this season vs the drop back passing we saw vs. Green Bay.

On Defense is where there are bigger questions. Can we shut down Thomas? We've done well vs. Kamara in the past. And Jared Cook is good, but he isn't the most talented TE we've faced this year. Also, the Saints OL is rather banged up and hodge podged together. There are areas where we match up well. Biggest issue not letting Thomas wreck the game for us IMO.

If we win this game, the playoffs will be wide open IMO. We match up very well against SF, which is where we would play next, then we travel to one of GB, SEA, or PHI. I think I'd prefer GB of those three, very hard to beat a team three times in a year in the NFL...

Between moving into a new house and traveling for Christmas I haven't had any time to post in the last few weeks. Probably for the best. The GB debacle was extremely deflating.

After that GB game, I'm not at all confident about Sunday, and not very optimistic either. BUT, what the hell, it's the playoffs, and anything can happen. Maybe we'll catch lightning in a bottle. We have the talent to make a run, that's for damn sure. I don't have a lot of faith in our coaches getting us prepared, but we do seem to play better as underdogs. I think Zimmer loves that, and I think the players feed off it. It's very unlikely we'll be a favorite the rest of the year, so maybe we can use that to our advantage, and keep on rolling. Nobody gives us a chance, and so I hope the team will respond.

I'm actually glad we play the Saints, since we are generally a better team on turf, indoors.

The fact is, GB may just simply have our number. Their D line kicked our Oline's #### twice now, so maybe it's just as simple as a matchup problem. I don't see the Saints doing the same. Yes, Jordan is very solid, but I don't think he's nearly a matchup problem as Smith is. Kirk will perform if given the time... especially if he's successful early. Hopefully our Defense can hold up.

Anyway, for me, I'm going to just try to enjoy the moment. I don't know that we'll win, but I highly doubt it will be a blowout. If it is, it could be an interesting off-season for our coaching staff. Never know.

SKOL!

Dames wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:11 am I'm actually glad we play the Saints, since we are generally a better team on turf, indoors.

I'm glad the Vikings are underdogs. I'm glad nobody is giving them a chance.

Finally, they can just go out and play.

This team has the potential to be the next 1987 squad. That squad kicked booty until they ended up favored against the Redskins. I hope this year's squad remains the underdogs right through their eventual Superbowl victory.

VikingLord wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 1:26 pm

Dames wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:11 am I'm actually glad we play the Saints, since we are generally a better team on turf, indoors.

I'm glad the Vikings are underdogs. I'm glad nobody is giving them a chance.

Finally, they can just go out and play.

This team has the potential to be the next 1987 squad. That squad kicked booty until they ended up favored against the Redskins. I hope this year's squad remains the underdogs right through their eventual Superbowl victory.

Definitely!

To get anywhere, we have to face the 2 best NFC opponents in the next 2 weeks. If we get past them, the confidence will be through the roof. We're not a typical 6 seed. We've had some stinkers this year, but for the most part we've played well. Hopefully we get on a nice run like the last time we had a horrible game.

I'm not predicting anything, but it would be blast wouldn't it?

VikingLord wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 1:26 pm

Dames wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:11 am I'm actually glad we play the Saints, since we are generally a better team on turf, indoors.

I'm glad the Vikings are underdogs. I'm glad nobody is giving them a chance.

Finally, they can just go out and play.

This team has the potential to be the next 1987 squad. That squad kicked booty until they ended up favored against the Redskins. I hope this year's squad remains the underdogs right through their eventual Superbowl victory.

Here’s what would be amazing.

We beat the Saints, then shock the world further by beating the Niners (although I think we’d give SF fits ... more on that when we get there).

Meanwhile, Seattle beats Philly (highly possible) and hands Erin his a$$.

That would put the two Wild Card teams in the NFCC Game.

Now THAT would be sweet. Shut up all the stupid talking heads.

Good news. Eric Kendricks back on the practice field today.

Bad news. Mack Alexander is likely out for the Saints game.

Let’s win this one! Playoff football! The Saints don’t want to be here and think they are deserving of a first round bye. Our defense has proven the last two years that they can hold the Saints offense in check. Meanwhile, our offense is much improved from 2017 and 2018. If Kirk plays like his normal 12:00 self, I like our chances. LFG!!!

J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:07 pm Good news. Eric Kendricks back on the practice field today.

Bad news. Mack Alexander is likely out for the Saints game.

I do not understand why he played Sunday and Rhodes and Waynes sat. Why do you play your best CB in a meaningless game?

StumpHunter wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:15 am

J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:07 pm Good news. Eric Kendricks back on the practice field today.

Bad news. Mack Alexander is likely out for the Saints game.

I do not understand why he played Sunday and Rhodes and Waynes sat. Why do you play your best CB in a meaningless game?

Probably because Mike Zimmer doesn't consider him the Vikings' best corner. Rhodes just needs to "clean up a few things."

StumpHunter wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:15 am I do not understand why he played Sunday and Rhodes and Waynes sat. Why do you play your best CB in a meaningless game?

Debateable that Mack is our best CB.

StumpHunter wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:15 am

J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:07 pm Good news. Eric Kendricks back on the practice field today.

Bad news. Mack Alexander is likely out for the Saints game.

I do not understand why he played Sunday and Rhodes and Waynes sat. Why do you play your best CB in a meaningless game?

The CBs did look pretty good in that game. I also feel like Everson Griffen should maybe be coming on situationally rather than starting. I think Stephen Weatherly is a better all around DE at this point.