quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

My guess is Cousins was a Spielman favorite or choice.

Zimmer seems to really dislike turnover prone qbs. Cousins is prolific in this area. Zim is biting his tongue real hard in pressers and the fact that he wants Cousins throwing as few passes as possible per game speaks volumes.

I don't think Zim is a very good HC. Spielman can't pick a qb or build an oline to save his life.

Cousins is well on his way to getting both of them fired.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/28985/apologies-podcasts-and-trade-rumors-its-been-a-dramatic-week-for-the-vikings%3fplatform=amp

This article has nothing new ... its just a rehash, but from my perspective, it doesn’t hammer anybody or slant towards anybody. It just gives a matter of fact overview of the team’s escalating frustration (this week).

A few things that struck me: I think Thielen does a great job of articulating the need for offensive balance without demonizing a run first mentality to get there ... all the talk about Zimmer’s ‘dinosaur’ run first mandate being completely out of touch - IMO overstates what Zimmer is about.

As Thielen points out, all DCs want to make the opposing offenses one dimensional - IMO by extension - I would say that a DCs worst fear is not being able to stop BOTH the run and pass. I believe Zimmer wanting to run first and control the game is not exclusive of a very good passing attack. Again as Thielen points out, even a great rushing attack is going to get stuffed at some point, so you have to be multi-dimensional to counteract that ... but really ... (reading into Thielen’s words) the objective is being multi-dimensional even if you are run-first, not ONLY having the passing game in your back pocket to yank out when the run game falters.

I’m not defending Zimmer. I wish we had a creative wide-open attack that used the run at most evenly with the pass, prioritized only by what was working better (not simply based on a defensive HCs preference for controlling the game, eating up the clock, minimizing mistakes, owning field position, etc.).

One other note from the article: I hear a lot of posters in here complaining about Zimmer’s terse non-informative responses to the media. Some are the same people that complain when he opens his mouth and says some dumbass thing. I prefer the Belichick-give nothing of competitive value to the Parcells-work the media to competitive advantage (including making veiled public comments to players).

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pager

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001062073/article/stefon-diggs-expected-to-play-today-wont-be-traded


As for the root of Diggs' frustrations, Rapoport said it's myriad reasons such as the offense as a whole, his role in it and the perceived "favorite son" position of Adam Thielen.




I can understand being frustrated with the offense to a degree (catch the damn ball and don't fumble), but I hope the bolded is overblown.

quote:

ORIGINAL: geoffrey greitzer

Crush Giants...move forward
Loss and wheels come off

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/28985/apologies-podcasts-and-trade-rumors-its-been-a-dramatic-week-for-the-vikings%3fplatform=amp

This article has nothing new ... its just a rehash, but from my perspective, it doesn’t hammer anybody or slant towards anybody. It just gives a matter of fact overview of the team’s escalating frustration (this week).

A few things that struck me: I think Thielen does a great job of articulating the need for offensive balance without demonizing a run first mentality to get there ... all the talk about Zimmer’s ‘dinosaur’ run first mandate being completely out of touch - IMO overstates what Zimmer is about.

As Thielen points out, all DCs want to make the opposing offenses one dimensional - IMO by extension - I would say that a DCs worst fear is not being able to stop BOTH the run and pass. I believe Zimmer wanting to run first and control the game is not exclusive of a very good passing attack. Again as Thielen points out, even a great rushing attack is going to get stuffed at some point, so you have to be multi-dimensional to counteract that ... but really ... (reading into Thielen’s words) the objective is being multi-dimensional even if you are run-first, not ONLY having the passing game in your back pocket to yank out when the run game falters.

I’m not defending Zimmer. I wish we had a creative wide-open attack that used the run at most evenly with the pass, prioritized only by what was working better (not simply based on a defensive HCs preference for controlling the game, eating up the clock, minimizing mistakes, owning field position, etc.).

One other note from the article: I hear a lot of posters in here complaining about Zimmer’s terse non-informative responses to the media. Some are the same people that complain when he opens his mouth and says some dumbass thing. I prefer the Belichick-give nothing of competitive value to the Parcells-work the media to competitive advantage (including making veiled public comments to players).

This pass/run thing seems to be overly complicated and Theilen is being portrayed as some sort of guru.

You have to be serviceable in both, on offense and defense. Duh!

Chances are, a team is better in one than the other and if they are really good at it then it becomes their identity.

A basic tenant of football for decades. And you can't use 'after the fact' stats to show otherwise.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ragnarök

Nice game Kirk Cousins...

Way not to go off the rails Mr Diggs!

Adam Theilen, I think we understand you may be the team leader on offense.

Keep it up boys!

Winning breaks the stench... Some big games in following weeks before we find out what this team really is come November...

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ragnarök

Nice game Kirk Cousins...

Way not to go off the rails Mr Diggs!

Adam Theilen, I think we understand you may be the team leader on offense.

Keep it up boys!

Winning breaks the stench... Some big games in following weeks before we find out what this team really is come November...

Cousins just looked confident. Even under pressure. It was like they finally told him he isn't just a caretaker. Go for it.

But, it was an undermanned Giant defense so let's see if he can string some good performances together.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ragnarök

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ragnarök

Nice game Kirk Cousins...

Way not to go off the rails Mr Diggs!

Adam Theilen, I think we understand you may be the team leader on offense.

Keep it up boys!

Winning breaks the stench... Some big games in following weeks before we find out what this team really is come November...

Cousins just looked confident. Even under pressure. It was like they finally told him he isn't just a caretaker. Go for it.

But, it was an undermanned Giant defense so let's see if he can string some good performances together.

Not quite ready to take back everything Ive said about Kirk...

BUT, I can acknowledge a decent showing and credit him for contributing to a much needed road win!

I hope to see more of same from Kirk and coaches putting him in a position of strengths for him to execute and string some more wins together, giving this team the confidence and team chemistry necessary for a mid season run against some tough road teams and prime time games culminating in HUGE end of season conference match ups.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/28985/apologies-podcasts-and-trade-rumors-its-been-a-dramatic-week-for-the-vikings%3fplatform=amp

This article has nothing new ... its just a rehash, but from my perspective, it doesn’t hammer anybody or slant towards anybody. It just gives a matter of fact overview of the team’s escalating frustration (this week).

A few things that struck me: I think Thielen does a great job of articulating the need for offensive balance without demonizing a run first mentality to get there ... all the talk about Zimmer’s ‘dinosaur’ run first mandate being completely out of touch - IMO overstates what Zimmer is about.

As Thielen points out, all DCs want to make the opposing offenses one dimensional - IMO by extension - I would say that a DCs worst fear is not being able to stop BOTH the run and pass. I believe Zimmer wanting to run first and control the game is not exclusive of a very good passing attack. Again as Thielen points out, even a great rushing attack is going to get stuffed at some point, so you have to be multi-dimensional to counteract that ... but really ... (reading into Thielen’s words) the objective is being multi-dimensional even if you are run-first, not ONLY having the passing game in your back pocket to yank out when the run game falters.

I’m not defending Zimmer. I wish we had a creative wide-open attack that used the run at most evenly with the pass, prioritized only by what was working better (not simply based on a defensive HCs preference for controlling the game, eating up the clock, minimizing mistakes, owning field position, etc.).

One other note from the article: I hear a lot of posters in here complaining about Zimmer’s terse non-informative responses to the media. Some are the same people that complain when he opens his mouth and says some dumbass thing. I prefer the Belichick-give nothing of competitive value to the Parcells-work the media to competitive advantage (including making veiled public comments to players).

This pass/run thing seems to be overly complicated and Theilen is being portrayed as some sort of guru.

You have to be serviceable in both, on offense and defense. Duh!

Chances are, a team is better in one than the other and if they are really good at it then it becomes their identity.

A basic tenant of football for decades. And you can't use 'after the fact' stats to show otherwise.

Yes. I stated the obvious. IMO some posters disregard that in favor of a toxic, one-sided view of what emphasizing the run means.

Nobody has portrayed Thielen as a Guru. He is still one of the very few voices on the team though that isn't pretzled in here into something derogatory. So I used it.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave Odle

Cousins needed a kick in the rear. Now, we just have to see if it translates against good teams. We just beat a team on par w/ the Falcons. Plenty of weapons, but can't put it together. Let's remember that Saquan Barkley was sidelined.

Overall, I'm proud of their ability to ignore outside distractions and beat a team on the road that was susceptible. It just needs to appear vs. GB and Chicago.

quote:

ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

.
.
cousins looked more confident throwing the football, but i still saw a lot of the same kirk cousins from last week...holding the ball too long - a strip sack waiting to happen....

he took several sacks where he should have thrown the ball away earlier...if he had lost even one of them, i think the jubilation would be muted - and he very easily could have....

for whatever reason, it seems that coaches just can't teach that to some qb's and cousins is one of them....

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

+ Cook
+ Mattison
+ Bisi

- Rudolph
- Rhodes are Open

At least we have Smith and Hughes to replace the negatives. Signing Waynes is the wild card.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Cooper bobbles a pass for a pick. Prescott stares into coverage for another.