Vikings vs Packers

[Rick]

Packer fans are saying they are going to whoop up in the Vikings. Lacy is back all healed and Rodgers is ready for his customary aerial attack. The last three games were a fluke.

 

What do you think

[Bobby Bass]

Getting to be that time of the season that in the colder days of football, defense and the running game are in demand. Two things that Green Bay is lacking this season. I expect a Viking win and for the MN Defense to be coming after Rogers. Lacey is not the back he was, his weight is hindering him. MN Linebackers are now speedy, hard hitting and will take Lacey out of the game making him a non factor. Packers may have had the Vikes number the past several years but this is not the same team on either side of the ball.

[Boar]

its gona be good, I hink its a prety level playing fei;d with MN have been acclimated to an outdoors stadium. Im putting the money on the Vikes by 3 but knucle bitting 3.27-24 Vikes

[Big Dave2]

Packer fans are saying they are going to whoop up in the Vikings. Lacy is back all healed and Rodgers is ready for his customary aerial attack. The last three games were a fluke.

 

What do you think

Looks like they were right.

[Driftless]

love queens linebackers...their o=line sucks

[Bobby Bass]

Packers D line over whelmed MN O line, pretty much the game right there

[Sandmannd]

Vikes O-line was horrid. Kalil is a failure. Patterson needs to be shown the door. 

[reinhard1]

One game doesn't mean a thing except one thing that hasn't changed and that is the offensive line which is truly offensive.  Yes they have had their moments but they are not the consistant offensive line that the champions have.  Teddy needs better protection or he won't last the season. Now it's between the Vikes and the Cheese to see who comes out on top.  good luck.

[Rick]

The Vikes aren't quite there yet. They need to fix that offensive line and stop making so many stupid mistakes on defense. Watching Rodgers, he no longer looks invincible. Something has happened there. Teddy actually looked better than Mr. Rodgers. Now, if Teddy can only get to where Rodgers has already been...not holding my breath on that one but it's nice seeing Rodgers come down so far.  Looking forward to the game at Lambeau.

[gunner55]

The O line stunk, way to many penalties, & they couldn't keep Rodgers in the pocket. That's what the 3 previous teams that beat them did & a lot of their big plays Sunday came from outside the pocket. Worse game since SF.Teddy won't last the season either, if he keeps getting hit like that.

[Bobby Bass]

The O line is what it is, not much you can do with it. Guys do just not improve with the season half gone, injuries start to mount. Penalties can be improved on, MN was the least called team in the league and I hope we can just call it a bad day. Teddy needs to play it a little smarter and get the ball out quicker, More roll out plays to get him away from the pass rush and Peterson was back to dancing instead of running into the line. Season is not lost, no one expects them to win them all so you have to regroup and move on. Packers might be in trouble against Chicago and we may be back all alone in first by late Thursday night

[Big Dave2]

[Big Dave2]

You guys can keep blaming the offensive line all you want but....................

 

Coach: Teddy Bridgewater big part of Vikings' protection issues

9/15/2015

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Teddy Bridgewater held the ball an average of 3.17 seconds Monday -- the NFL's highest total in Week 1. Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports

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  Ben Goessling, ESPN Staff Writer

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MINNEAPOLIS -- The biggest doomsayers among the Minnesota Vikings' fan base were worried about a night like Monday's. Teddy Bridgewater spent much of his first game of the 2015 season throwing under duress, trying to evade defenders or letting the ball go with a man in his face. He was sacked five times, and hit on three other plays, as the Vikings became the only team in the league not to score a touchdown in Week 1.

But whose fault was it? The blame might not rest completely with the Vikings' much-maligned offensive line.

To be sure, the Vikings struggled with blitz pickups early on Monday night. The 49ers sent extra pressure on 14 of Bridgewater's 40 drop-backs, according to ESPN Stats and Information, getting all five of their sacks that way. Their first sack of Bridgewater came on a free shot after Joe Berger got turned around and running back Adrian Peterson couldn't shift off of another blitzer in time. But Bridgewater looked nothing like the assertive, accurate quarterback he was at the end of last season and into the 2015 preseason, and coach Mike Zimmer put more of the onus on his quarterback than the men protecting him.

"I don’t know that it was all about the offensive line. I think some of it was Teddy," Zimmer said. "You know, probably a lot of it was Teddy tonight. Teddy did not play well."

Zimmer might have a point. Bridgewater held the ball for an average of 3.17 seconds on Monday night, according to ESPN Stats and Information. That was the highest total in the league in Week 1, and it was nearly a third of a second higher than Ben Roethlisberger, who has made a career out of holding the ball and letting his receivers get open. Bridgewater lacks the size and the arm strength to play that way, and it's certainly not how he was playing late last season.

"He was just sped up," Zimmer said. "He just looked unsure. He looked, I think he was concerned about all the things that defensively they were doing. And so, it just did not look like him."

Bridgewater hit six of his nine passes against the blitz, for 53 yards, but threw his one interception when he was blitzed. And in theory, there should be some favorable matchups awaiting Bridgewater behind the extra pressure, so a 5.9 yards-per-attempt average in those situations is nothing to marvel at.

By dint of their defensive coordinator switch from Vic Fangio to Eric Mangini -- and the loss of premier pass-rushers like Aldon and Justin Smith -- the 49ers were going to be a more blitz-heavy team than they had been in the past. Still, it's worth noting that a team which only posted nine sacks on blitzes all of last season got five on Monday night, according to ESPN Stats and Information. And until the Vikings prove they can handle it -- or perhaps until Peterson makes a defense pay with a 50-yard run on a delayed handoff -- they are likely to see more heat from opposing teams.

Center John Sullivan's ability to coordinate pass protections is one of the things the Vikings will miss the most while he recovers from back surgery. They are also working with a remade right side of the line, and Brandon Fusco struggled in pass protection on his first night at left guard. But even on some easy throws, Bridgewater seemed to hesitate for a beat, rather than throwing on rhythm and giving his receivers a chance to run after the catch. For all of Bridgewater's promise, Monday served as a sobering reminder that the 22-year-old quarterback -- who was playing his first prime-time NFL game and still making just his 13th career start -- still has some developing to do.

ESPN reports that the Vikings’ porous offensive line is not to blame for all their woes, however. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Bridgewater held onto the ball on longer than any other quarterback, on average.

From ESPN:

Bridgewater held the ball for an average of 3.17 seconds on Monday night, according to ESPN Stats and Information. That was the highest total in the league in Week 1, and it was nearly a third of a second higher than Ben Roethlisberger, who has made a career out of holding the ball and letting his receivers get open. Bridgewater lacks the size and the arm strength to play that way, and it’s certainly not how he was playing late last season.

[rundrave]

Bridgewater faced pressure on 59.6% of drop backs against the packers, the highest percentage of any QB this week.

Bridgewater was 25 of 37 for 296 yards, a TD and ZERO turnovers while running for his life.

Edited November 25, 2015 by rundrave

[Big Dave2]

Bridgewater faced pressure on 59.6% of drop backs against the packers, the highest percentage of any QB this week.

Bridgewater was 25 of 37 for 296 yards, a TD and ZERO turnovers while running for his life.

Bridgewater faced pressure on 59.6% of drop backs because he holds the ball too long on 90% of drop backs. That's also why he is always running for his life. I'm not saying the Viking offensive line is good but watch how other NFL quarterbacks do it sometime. There is a difference.

[reinhard1]

Dave, I don't think anyone would argue that Teddy has a way's to go in this league but digging up a story from the first week? That week there was not one positive thing anyone could point out.  Total disaster.  I think he has improved but still does hold on to the ball too long at times and I've seen a lot of QB's do it as well,  The main problem is the offensive line in my opinion.  Peterson has to still learn better blocking as well as he admit's.  There are games that the O line does a good job but they are not at the consistent level yet.  I like the teams attitude this year  to past years.  Coaching staff is much better as well.  good luck.

[Big Dave2]

Dave, I don't think anyone would argue that Teddy has a way's to go in this league but digging up a story from the first week? That week there was not one positive thing anyone could point out.  Total disaster.  I think he has improved but still does hold on to the ball too long at times and I've seen a lot of QB's do it as well,  The main problem is the offensive line in my opinion.  Peterson has to still learn better blocking as well as he admit's.  There are games that the O line does a good job but they are not at the consistent level yet.  I like the teams attitude this year  to past years.  Coaching staff is much better as well.  good luck.

I posted that article because it's the only one I could find written on the subject. Do you really think he is any better now than he was that first week? You said yourself that he hold the ball too long. What do you think the best quarterbacks in the league have in common? Yes that's right, quick release. The only quarterbacks that hold the ball on average as long as Bridgewater are running QBs like Cam Newton.

[ANYFISH2]

What do you think the best quarterbacks in the league have in common? 

EXPERIENCE! !

Most were not elite,  in Thier first 24 months in the league.

[Bobby Bass]

Young OB's hold on to the ball to long because they are waiting on receivers to come open. With experience the ball is thrown before the receiver even makes his break. Is Teddy better then he was in the first week? Geeze he has won 7 games since then, I would say that is an easy yes...

[Big Dave2]

Young OB's hold on to the ball to long because they are waiting on receivers to come open. With experience the ball is thrown before the receiver even makes his break. Is Teddy better then he was in the first week? Geeze he has won 7 games since then, I would say that is an easy yes...

Teddy Bridgewater won those games? I think Adrian Peterson and the entire defensive unit may disagree.

EXPERIENCE! !

Most were not elite,  in Thier first 24 months in the league.

And most don't ever become elite, that's the point. Chances are Bridgewater will not be either.

[Bobby Bass]

Teddy Bridgewater won those games? I think Adrian Peterson and the entire defensive unit may disagree.

 

absolutely !!! now go ahead and prove me wrong... I'll wait

[ANYFISH2]

Your right Big Dave, chances are Bridgewater won't be elite.  He doesn't have to be, he needs develop into a good NFL quarterback.  

[Big Dave2]

Yes, because most super bowl champions have mediocre quarterbacks.

[ANYFISH2]

Jim McMahon, Doug Williams, Jeff Hostetler, Mark Rypien, Brad Johnson, Eli Manning  (twice), Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson.... just to name a few!

[Big Dave2]

How much money are willing to bet that Bridgewater gets added to that list?