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ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

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ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

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ORIGINAL: Richard Neussendorfer

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ORIGINAL: Todd M

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Darnold explained his "I'm seeing ghosts" comment to the coaches. Said he has to see the field better. Says he has to learn from his mistakes.

That was in 2019. Pre-COVID.

He certainly has learned. All the passes into tight windows. The downfield throws. The TDs.

Then the bright lights came on in one of the most important games to the franchise this quarter century. And he channeled his inner Josh Freeman. Workers are still finding footballs in the bleacher seats. Nothing to do with physical ability or seeing the field.

So now we wait.

But as of now, no way does that choke artist belong on the team next year. We just had a big time choker and was able to get rid of him!

That was the biggest game of his life so far......is it a one game choke or not. He doesn't have a history yet...

It’s not just that we lost it’s the 5 and 30 year lows for RZ success rate. One game or not this defines choking.

There's no way to sugar coat it. It was a choking masterpiece. 9 points to one of the leagues worst defenses the last 8 weeks? No TDs? Choking clinic.

This was, by Darnold, KOC, even Bflo. JJ had trouble catching balls.

But it was THIS game. They were NOT chokers for the PREVIOUS 9 weeks.

It was ONE game.

No other game was close in significance.

Can you carry this weight Sam or not?

That could have been answered in any number of ways with gradations and variables and qualifiers … but it is what it is.

On to the next. Everybody has a bad day at the office being panicked and overthrowing superstar WRs against seriously undermanned and hobbled defenses.

I get it, the Lions game may be the outlier … we may get a different Sam. Its our great hope.

But no reason NOT to call it for what it was.

It isn't season over until it is (that is what they called it).

That doesnt even make sense.

Nobody has said that, that the season is over or that the Rams game is less significant than the Lions game.

Really? You haven't read the overreaction the last 10 pages?
One game didn't create an overreaction versus his 13 games over 100 rating?

No but then I dont consider calling something bad thats bad a mortal sin or something not to be named.

If its good, its good; bad, its bad.

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: David Levine

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ORIGINAL: Todd M

What balls did JJ have ‘trouble catching’? Sam was wildly inaccurate. There were no drops like the one against Chicago.

I think he had a drop in the 3rd quarter. But that's the only one I remember.

You could argue that it was possible to catch the TD in the back of the EZ, but with how high that ball was and how far (and fast) it was pulling him OOB, I don't know if even prime Cris Carter would've been able to get his feet down.

I think JJ would be the first one to say he should have caught that clean. Without the bobble, there is no doubt in my mind that's a TD.

Sam was throwing high and hard...

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: David Levine

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ORIGINAL: Todd M

What balls did JJ have ‘trouble catching’? Sam was wildly inaccurate. There were no drops like the one against Chicago.

I think he had a drop in the 3rd quarter. But that's the only one I remember.

You could argue that it was possible to catch the TD in the back of the EZ, but with how high that ball was and how far (and fast) it was pulling him OOB, I don't know if even prime Cris Carter would've been able to get his feet down.

I think JJ would be the first one to say he should have caught that clean. Without the bobble, there is no doubt in my mind that's a TD.

Sam was throwing high and hard...

Yes, he was. I've also seen JJ bring down more difficult catches than that.

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ORIGINAL: David Levine

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

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ORIGINAL: David Levine

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ORIGINAL: Todd M

What balls did JJ have ‘trouble catching’? Sam was wildly inaccurate. There were no drops like the one against Chicago.

I think he had a drop in the 3rd quarter. But that's the only one I remember.

You could argue that it was possible to catch the TD in the back of the EZ, but with how high that ball was and how far (and fast) it was pulling him OOB, I don't know if even prime Cris Carter would've been able to get his feet down.

I think JJ would be the first one to say he should have caught that clean. Without the bobble, there is no doubt in my mind that's a TD.

Sam was throwing high and hard...

Yes, he was. I've also seen JJ bring down more difficult catches than that.

I still say he was worried about his landing and that impacted the catch.

I also think he would've been OOB if he did catch it.

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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Win or lose, an ok performance against a pretty lousy Rams passing defense wouldn't be enough to bring him back as there is no way he could be counted on in the biggest games.

Now if he puts the offense on his back to the end (win or lose), its worth taking notice. String two of those games together and the conversation reverts to what it was before the Lions game. Which included setting up a sneaky-pete trade tied to franchising him. A 2nd round pick sounds like incredible value right about now.

You know as well as I, if Sam has an ok game - not even a good game just not a disaster - the edward g robinsons in here will continue to stoke their Sam-for-five-year-contract orgies right here, under the sniffer of Mt. Sinaiwinterpark.

Who has said anything other than franchise tag? Maybe one or 2 posters. At most a Baker contract was talked about.....but most thought it was the playoffs that would decide $$$ not regular season week 18....

Replying without reading? The two posts are literally talking about his contract being tied to playoff games.

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: Tom Sykes

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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Win or lose, an ok performance against a pretty lousy Rams passing defense wouldn't be enough to bring him back as there is no way he could be counted on in the biggest games.

Now if he puts the offense on his back to the end (win or lose), its worth taking notice. String two of those games together and the conversation reverts to what it was before the Lions game. Which included setting up a sneaky-pete trade tied to franchising him. A 2nd round pick sounds like incredible value right about now.

You know as well as I, if Sam has an ok game - not even a good game just not a disaster - the edward g robinsons in here will continue to stoke their Sam-for-five-year-contract orgies right here, under the sniffer of Mt. Sinaiwinterpark.

Who has said anything other than franchise tag? Maybe one or 2 posters. At most a Baker contract was talked about.....but most thought it was the playoffs that would decide $$$ not regular season week 18....

Replying without reading? The two posts are literally talking about his contract being tied to playoff games.

Ok game is what I was replying to…..it will take more than that. An ok game would be a one and done.

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ORIGINAL: Richard Neussendorfer

Phil,

I don't think anyone is saying Sam can't right the ship. I have my doubts after what I just witnessed but so what? He can go out there and shut me up right? He had a bunch of very good regular season games. I would love to see that in the playoffs. I think you take things WAY too personally. I don't come at you like that so I'm not sure what the deal is. No worries. We definitely have the talent to down the Rams. I just can't get over how panicked Sam was.

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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

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ORIGINAL: Richard Neussendorfer

Phil,

I don't think anyone is saying Sam can't right the ship. I have my doubts after what I just witnessed but so what? He can go out there and shut me up right? He had a bunch of very good regular season games. I would love to see that in the playoffs. I think you take things WAY too personally. I don't come at you like that so I'm not sure what the deal is. No worries. We definitely have the talent to down the Rams. I just can't get over how panicked Sam was.

Richard,

He has a thing about living vicariously through management, specifically Spielman and Kwesi. As such, ANY criticism of their acquisitions, draft picks, game results, head coach selections, etc. will be met with an array of posts from (literally) stop it cause I've moved on, to injuries, to obscure excuses... to terrible grammar. Ya just gotta roll with it!

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ORIGINAL: Richard Neussendorfer

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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

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ORIGINAL: Richard Neussendorfer

Phil,

I don't think anyone is saying Sam can't right the ship. I have my doubts after what I just witnessed but so what? He can go out there and shut me up right? He had a bunch of very good regular season games. I would love to see that in the playoffs. I think you take things WAY too personally. I don't come at you like that so I'm not sure what the deal is. No worries. We definitely have the talent to down the Rams. I just can't get over how panicked Sam was.

Richard,

He has a thing about living vicariously through management, specifically Spielman and Kwesi. As such, ANY criticism of their acquisitions, draft picks, game results, head coach selections, etc. will be met with an array of posts from (literally) stop it cause I've moved on, to injuries, to obscure excuses... to terrible grammar. Ya just gotta roll with it!

Speaking of the head coach i was watching some of the plays back and I don't understand what he was doing. They brought cover 0 quite a bit. Even I know you better have a few quick options in that case. Often times we had NONE! NONE! What the heck kind of planning is that??

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ORIGINAL: Jeff Jesser

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ORIGINAL: Richard Neussendorfer

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ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

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ORIGINAL: Richard Neussendorfer

Phil,

I don't think anyone is saying Sam can't right the ship. I have my doubts after what I just witnessed but so what? He can go out there and shut me up right? He had a bunch of very good regular season games. I would love to see that in the playoffs. I think you take things WAY too personally. I don't come at you like that so I'm not sure what the deal is. No worries. We definitely have the talent to down the Rams. I just can't get over how panicked Sam was.

Richard,

He has a thing about living vicariously through management, specifically Spielman and Kwesi. As such, ANY criticism of their acquisitions, draft picks, game results, head coach selections, etc. will be met with an array of posts from (literally) stop it cause I've moved on, to injuries, to obscure excuses... to terrible grammar. Ya just gotta roll with it!

Speaking of the head coach i was watching some of the plays back and I don't understand what he was doing. They brought cover 0 quite a bit. Even I know you better have a few quick options in that case. Often times we had NONE! NONE! What the heck kind of planning is that??

It's why some of us have been "standing up for SD" a little bit. He was crap. No doubt. That said, KOC did him very little favors with his playcalling. Especially later in the game when SD was clearly rattled. Does that fix the first half 5-7 overthrows? Nope but we in that game until late and we never really adjusted on O.

2 things can be true. Both had a stinker;

SD
KOC

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ORIGINAL: Jeff Jesser

LOL. Now, the right side of my brain wants to chime in.


IF... SD isn't so God awful in the first half, and we get a few TD's when we should have, that's a totally different game.

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ORIGINAL: Todd M

To all those that feel the Vikings exceeded expectations so it’s all gravy anyway here’s an analogy for you.


You meet the prettiest girl. She’s a knockout both in looks and personality. You hit it off so well you end up having the most mind blowing sex. You are love. But instead of fostering this amazing new relationship you blow it. For whatever reason. When she dumps you do you just quietly fold your hands together and smile, thinking ah she was too good for me anyway?

We had it all right in front of us and we blew it. There’s no silver lining in that. I’m pretty sure most of us in our hearts know we’ll be lucky not to be one and done.

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ORIGINAL: Brad H

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ORIGINAL: Jeff Jesser

LOL. Now, the right side of my brain wants to chime in.


IF... SD isn't so God awful in the first half, and we get a few TD's when we should have, that's a totally different game.

You guys make it sound like scoring a TD was an easy task. The fourth down pass missed to Jefferson in the corner of the end zone was a rushed throw because he had someone (safety, I think) bearing down on him. It was a timing pattern that was all messed up because Jefferson stumbled when making his break to the corner. The one in the back of the end zone he had to throw against his body running left, with guys bearing down on him. Neither of those are easy throws or simple plays. In fact, I hated the call in the corner of the end zone. The never even attempted to get Darnold out in space with a bootleg where he can be dangerous with his legs.

The two bad throws were the two misses to Hockenson, one on third-and-18 and the other on an out pattern on third and long. Those two throws were chains movers and would have kept the Detroit defense on the field. The second was a timing play and the timing was off (again, because he was being rushed).

One thing Detroit did well was take away running lanes for Darnold. He's been very good at escaping rushes and picking up first downs with his legs. Those lanes were not there on Sunday. They were disciplined and kept him contained, forcing our woeful offensive line to try and protect. Given our offensive coordinator never made any adjustments and continued to run 25-30-yard patterns, we had little success.

It was a terrible job from O'Connell. Darnold was not put in a position to succeed. The Vikings were gashing the Lions with the run. O'Connell would get across midfield and go away from it. Winning in the playoffs (or big games) has to be ugly at times. Not everything is a beauty contest.

I remember watching Belichick and the Patriots run the ball close to 15 straight times in one game because the defense wasn't stopping it. That was with Tom Brady and Randy Moss on the field. Sometimes you have to take what the defense gives you and be happy with it. You think the Chiefs were disappointed in winning with Isaiah Pacheco last season? The goal should be the silver trophy, not vanity.

If your offensive line can't protect and you are averaging 4-5 yards-per-carry, why would you put your offense in a position to get your quarterback sacked and put yourself in third and long every possession? And then, even worse, continue to do it over and over with no recognition that it isn't working.

O'Connell showed his youth on Sunday. Hopefully he grows up before Monday, because if not, McVay will make him and the Vikings look bad for a second straight game. They saw the script. And please, somebody cover Puka Nacua.