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Now that A.P. looks like he's out for the rest of the season, what are your predictions for the Vikings overall record?

10-6 on the positive thinking side...the coaches will adjust!

...wisdom ?

I'll go 6-10. In comparison to last year, that's up. Compared to what I felt 10 days ago, that's down.

Unless the Vikings can get a good ground game going, it's going to be a long season. With no respect for the running game, the opposition can just key on Cassel and the passing game. Matt is not built to carry a team. Looking forward to see what Mckinnon can bring to the table. Looks bleak right now but I think the defense is still the strength of this team which should keep the team in most games. I still think 9-7 and a wildcard birth is possible. With the loss of Peterson, I think it's going to take at least till mid season to really see what this team can do. If they can get to 4-4, I think they'll be in good shape.

5 wins, maybe. The only thing we have was a good rebuilding D. But I am pretty sure we will see Teddy before Turkey Day.

808vikingsfan wrote:Unless the Vikings can get a good ground game going, it's going to be a long season. With no respect for the running game, the opposition can just key on Cassel and the passing game. Matt is not built to carry a team. Looking forward to see what Mckinnon can bring to the table. Looks bleak right now but I think the defense is still the strength of this team which should keep the team in most games. I still think 9-7 and a wildcard birth is possible. With the loss of Peterson, I think it's going to take at least till mid season to really see what this team can do. If they can get to 4-4, I think they'll be in good shape.

Good post. At this point, I'll be pretty surprised if they manage 9 wins and a wildcard berth but it's still a possibility. I wholeheartedly agree that if they can't get a good ground game going, they're in trouble, maybe big trouble.

If I have to make a prediction right now, I'll say they only 5 win or 6 games this year. However, I want to see how they respond to adversity and their first loss. I think we'll learn a lot about this team not just on Sunday but over the next three weeks. A win or two in that stretch would be very encouraging.

Mothman wrote:
Good post. At this point, I'll be pretty surprised if they manage 9 wins and a wildcard berth but it's still a possibility. I wholeheartedly agree that if they can't get a good ground game going, they're in trouble, maybe big trouble.

If I have to make a prediction right now, I'll say they only 5 win or 6 games this year. However, I want to see how they respond to adversity and their first loss. I think we'll learn a lot about this team not just on Sunday but over the next three weeks. A win or two in that stretch would be very encouraging.

I have revised my initially optimistic pick downward as well. Probably only 5 or 6 wins.

Not only the lack of AP, but I wonder, at least for the short term, what effect this will have on players. I have seen comments from some that appear to question the administration's handling of this thing. Might there be some sour grapes? A lot will depend on how the coaches can influence these young men.

Our defense is the team strength. I think one or two bad games and Teddy gets a shot.
With Peterson gone, maybe for good the team might consider this a rebuilding year and
let Teddy take his lumps. Im hoping we rebuild our offensive line completly by next season.
Sulivan and Fusco might be the only two keepers out of are starters.

Loadholt is definitely a keeper as well.

I'm far from convinced that Kalil isn't a keeper too. He's only at the beginning of his third season so it's a bit early to write him off, especially when he's had some good games. I certainly don't think the Vikes have reached a point where they need to replace 3/5 of their starting line but that line does need to play better and they may have to make some moves there next offseason.

I'm thinking 8-8.

We were 5-10-1 last year with leads going into the 4th quarter in several of those losses, and our defense is significantly improved over last year. Peterson's value is heavily weighted towards his big-play ability from the second level ... getting Asiata and McKinnon to that level is more a function of our OLine rather than the dropoff in ability from AP to Asiata. The OLine is the real issue for the Vikings this season.

The OLine was clearly the strength of this team headed in to the season, a consensus top 10 unit (pro football focus had them Top 5). They looked very good against the Rams, and very mediocre against the Pats with Kalil looking actually very poor in that game. Now, OLines typically take time to get their acts together in terms of blocking schemes and consistency at the beginning of a season, even lines that have played together for a couple years, so I'm not surprised at the disparate appearance of their play weeks 1-2. But this will be the key.

The OLine is definitely good enough to get Asiata/McKinnon to the second level and to give Cassel adequate time to find a nice mix of weapons in Rudolph/Patterson/Jennings, but sustaining drives depends on consistent play from the OLine. So that is the key to their record this year, because the defense will definitely give them enough chances to win 9-10 games.

LEAFMAN THE PURPLE FAN

Yep, A running game is the key. RB by Committee, give everybody shots. Look for RB not on team right now with Exp

I'm surprised people are still putting them at even 5 wins. Defense is improved, but far from top-notch. I'd say they're probably about a 10-20 ranked D this year when all is said-and-done. Better than what we've seen in recent memory, but not nearly good enough to win games by itself. Offense without AD is pathetic. Cassel doesn't scare anyone (save perhaps, Vikings fans and his coaches). Bridgewater might make it interesting, but he's unlikely to radically change the offensive dynamic in his rookie season if he finds his way onto the field. Ponder's greatest contribution this year would be if Spielman could find a way to trade him somewhere for a 6th rounder.

This is a team that will be lucky to win 3 games and could win as few as the 1 they got against the Rams. That might be hard to stomach, but the entire offense was constructed around AD, and without him back there they are going to struggle mightily to move the ball. The strategy was nip-and-tuck *with* AD's assumed contributions on offense. Without that, forget it. I'm afraid it's going to be a loooonnnggg season of slogging on offense.

On the bright side, hopefully this finally ends the "Chilly Ball" era for good and over-investing at RB.

VikingLord wrote:Cassel doesn't scare anyone (save perhaps, Vikings fans and his coaches).

I don't think he's that bad, but it was funny. (And I really can't guarantee he isn't that bad )

i have to agree with viking lord, wins will be extremely hard to come by this entire season. i thought was going to be a rough ride even with peterson, but without him i can't see much success. think about how just having peterson on the field effects the opposing defense. he had to be accounted for on every play, but now what will happen to our play action game?