Mn Vikings musings

[SkunkedAgain]

I would panic too in those situations. Ponder will do fine. He will start to see things better as time goes on, even if the O-line continues to suck.

It's preseason folks.......It will still take them to midseason to see what we really have tho.

It doesn't take that long to spot a stinker...4-5 games tops and you'll know

[PierBridge]

Anybody for for 1-15, 2-14-ish and a shot at getting Barkley next year? Hate to throw in the towel so early but this looks like a 2 or 3 year rebuild here to me.

Over under for division wins is 1 this year...

[soldoncass]

That would be a STINKER....Barkley is no better than Ponder. Expect the Vikes to surprise some teams this year...maybe even the overrated Puckers and Lionesses. Injuries make a BIG difference in how the standings look. I hope it's our turn to go through healthy this year.

[Finlander]

I'me thinking positive just like when I fish I think the Vikeings will go 16-0! Go Vikes!

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Oh boy and a fellow Finlander at that, too much time in the sauna I think

I watched some of the preseason, yawners.... I think they go 0-6 in division play. Squeak out 4 wins total to go 4-12. The thing that could happen for us/fans is the lighter schedule could raise false expectations on how good this team is. They are already reminding us how they lost 6 games (or whatever) by less than 5 points or something last year, well winning teams win those games guys

Keep building it up a few years like others have said

[PurpleFloyd]

The best players in next years draft will be DL and LB's and we need both of them in a big way.

[BuckSutherland]

0-6 in the division. 3-13 overall.

[PierBridge]

The best players in next years draft will be DL and LB's and we need both of them in a big way.

The Giants and Packers have won the last 2 Super Bowls with no defense to speak of. We need an elite QB and receiving core to compete IMO.

Did somebody say Barkley is no better than Ponder....fer real?

[thatoneguy]

Quote:

The Giants and Packers have won the last 2 Super Bowls with no defense to speak of. We need an elite QB and receiving core to compete IMO.

Well, that's not exactly right. Their defenses ranked very low in total yards allowed, but that's a stat that needs some context. They were ahead of their opponents all year long, and tend to be involved in higher scoring games with more possessions, so of course they are giving up more yards.

A much more telling - and important - statistic, IMO, is turnover differential.

Last year, New England was #1 in the AFC in turnover differential; San Fran was #1 in the NFC, Green Bay was #2, and the Giants were #6. That's not a mark of poor defense. In the Pack's Super Bowl year of 2010, they were #2 in the NFC in turnover margin, and their opponents, the Steelers, were #2 in the AFC behind only New England.

So to say that they had no defense to speak of is wildly inaccurate. The Vikings have questions marks on offense to be sure, but the more glaring needs are on defense at this time.

[PierBridge]

The Giants had the 26th ranked defense in the NFL ..... they were 9-7 for petes sake, barley and luckily made the playoffs so no they were not ahead of there opponents all year long.... that's ludicrous to suggest that.

And, although tunover ratio is linked to good defense a lot of it is luck on how the cookie bounces...

So we need to get over the often over used and totally in-accurite old school song and dance of ..... defense wins championships nonsense.

What you/we need is a offense that takes the ball and can score with 2 minutes or less left, which has been evident in the last 7 or 8 years if you have been following it even modestly.

To each is own I guess so go ahead draft linebackers and D-linemen all you want I'll take QB's and wideouts anyday and sunday as it translates into Super Bowl appearances.

[toughguy]

I'm going with 5-6 wins. We need to see some improvement this year.

[thatoneguy]

And, although tunover ratio is linked to good defense a lot of it is luck on how the cookie bounces...

To each is own I guess so go ahead draft linebackers and D-linemen all you want I'll take QB's and wideouts anyday and sunday as it translates into Super Bowl appearances.

You can attribute turnover margin to "luck" if you want, but you're putting your head in the sand. It's too consistently linked to contending teams and champions to just chalk it up to luck.

And as far as drafting QBs and WRs...your Super Bowl Champion Giants had one 1st round pick at WR, sure, and a top pick at QB (though he took years to develop). Their other two WR were a 3rd round pick and an undrafted free agent. New England won Super Bowls with a motley crew of castoffs at WR, and a QB who was drafted in the 6th round.

Obviously, focusing high draft picks on QB and WR isn't the only way to build a championship team.

Your use of total yards allowed to rank a defense isn't terribly useful as a measuring stick. After all, the only place you get points for racking up yards is in fantasy football

[PierBridge]

Quote:

Obviously, focusing high draft picks on QB and WR isn't the only way to build a championship team.

I agree ... but last I checked we didn't have a Pro bowl QB like Manning and an elite receiving core with Pro Bowl wideouts like the Giants and the last 7 or more Super Bowl champs have.

So yes we could get lucky or find a needle in a hay stack and draft or develop players other than the 1st round pics but I'd just as soon take the opportunity if its there and select a potential game breaking/changing QB or receiver because thats what the NFL is all about right now.

It probably doesn't matter any way with all the parity in the NFL. As bad as we are on paper we still will probably win between 3 and 8 games and have little chance to draft a potential top tier QB .... it's just brutal we missed out on Luck and Griffin this year.

[james_walleye]

Didn't the packers have a top 5 defense 2 years ago? The giants were 9-7 in the regular season riding a shaky defense. They made their playoff run riding a defense that stepped it up and played lights out, particularly against GB and NE. The difference between the packers playoff run 2 years ago vs last year? Defense, or lack thereof. You don't make a playoff run with a defense that is playing like garbage. And just remember, we were a Lee Evans catch and 2 muffed punts from Alex Smith vs Flaccid last year.

[james_walleye]

Oh....and take a look at where the giants recievers were drafted. And then take a look at the recieving cores from the superbowl winners from the seasons before. See the pattern? These upper class teams didn't draft WRs early. In fact many if not most were 3rd rounders or later. Drafting recievers early in the first round is NOT a recipe for trophys. If the vikings want to be relevant again they HAVE to start hitting on these later round picks.

[LMITOUT]

So we need to get over the often over used and totally in-accurite old school song and dance of ..... defense wins championships nonsense..

Exactly.

Viking fan likes to use that line because their team has no offense, mostly due to wasting a draft pick on a QB that might be average, at best, and dumping all their cash into a worthless RB that now has a bad wheel from playing in a meaningless end of season game that cost them a better pick in the 2012 draft.

Do you see that blur Viking fan? It's the league passing you by...literally.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

The giants D has one of the best defensive lines in all of football. I wouldnt suggest their d is a bunch of chumps Pier.

Coaching has alot to do with the whole thing too. Something the vikings are sorely lacking.

James I agree with you somewhat on the drafting a wideout high thing... but if you look at those teams QB's, that has quite a bit to do with it too. The last SB winning qb's are ALL top 7 or so in the league. Pretty easy to make a 3rd rd pick look good with Brees, Rodgers, Brady, Manning ect. throwing you the ball.

[LMITOUT]

Wow, RG3 is looking good today.

Aren't you rubes glad you won that pivotal game at Washington last year? That momentum looks like it has carried over into this year, alright.

Some day you guys will figure it out...some day.

[Scott K]

Troll

[james_walleye]

Lol, dude Ur pathetic. I would think it would get old.....

[flipper]

They got their problems but I have to say they looked better than I thought they would. Congrats to them on their win.

[RawHog]

O-line looked solid today Ponder should roll out to the right less often and give the ball to Percy ANYWHERE on the field more often tho

[LMITOUT]

Lol, dude Ur pathetic. I would think it would get old.....

The multitude of ways that the Vikings can continue to illustrate just how inept of a franchise they are never gets old.

[james_walleye]

Ya....ok....anyway.....I was at the game. The first 28 minutes I was wondering why I spent the money on the tickets. But beyond that I though it was solid. AP looked great. The rookies showed up. And I have no voice left because the game down the stretch was fabulous.

[PurpleFloyd]

Not sure if defense wins championships but the niners defense certainly did a number on the Packers today.