Bradford and Minnesota, back to Earth

[Elmgrovegnome]

So, teams finally decided to turn back the clock and look for Sam's weak points and they found it. We saw it for years. Get in his face and hit him. He can't run and has zero sense of pressure coming. I don't know why it took this long to figure it out, but Minnesota has a so so offensive line and a weak running game. So pressure Sam and the Vikings offense will crumble.

I don't hate the guy or anything. I do hate the Vikings and their itchy little pussified coach Mike Zimmer. It warms my heart to see that team getting beat by a bad Bears team and to know that coaches have suddenly remembered to give Sam a lot of pressure to keep him from carving you up.

 

[-X-]

So does he have to give back the mid-point MVP trophy?
That seems kinda harsh.

 

[LesBaker]

I can't root for the guy. He was asked to rework his deal after collecting about 25MIL for not playing very much over two seasons. That was the final straw for me. He could have really helped himself and the Rams and he turned his back. He wouldn't even listen to what they had to say. That was it for me. I never thought he was much of a QB to begin with so when he didn't bother to even talk to the Rams and essentially said "FU pay me" I was happy to see him go.

 

[-X-]

I can't root for the guy. He was asked to rework his deal after collecting about 25MIL for not playing very much over two seasons. That was the final straw for me. He could have really helped himself and the Rams and he turned his back. He wouldn't even listen to what they had to say. That was it for me. I never thought he was much of a QB to begin with so when he didn't bother to even talk to the Rams and essentially said "FU pay me" I was happy to see him go.

Meh. That doesn't even bother me. Dude had two knee injuries and they provided him with exactly shit to work with early in his career. He, like just about every other player, decided to bet on himself, and it paid off. The Eagles traded a Pro-Bowl QB and a 2nd for him, and then the Vikings traded a first. If he wants to game the system and make as much money as he can, then go ahead. I would too. But that doesn't mean he's great. He showed me last night exactly what I thought he'd show. If his team plays with a lead, or keeps the score close, he can nickel and dime you to death. Get behind, and his game doesn't change at all. Nickel and dime, nickel and dime, nickel and dime. The one criticism I had of him (lack of aggressiveness) is what will keep him a lower-middle-tier QB for the rest of his career.

I wish Keenum had Bradford's arm. He'd be freaking lethal.

 

[dieterbrock]

I wish Keenum had Bradford's arm. He'd be freaking lethal.

This

 

[blackbart]

What I saw last night was the Vikings are desperate for help at tackle, how else is Long playing. It had little to do with Bradford's game and ability to throw the ball, see the 4th Q TD pass for evidence. Not too many guys are going to put up numbers when they are on their backs in 2 seconds. Its a team sport not a "the best individual at QB" wins every time game.

 

[Selassie I]

The viqueens deserve to have Bradford and Long staring in their offense. It warms my heart watching those 2 perform for that team.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

What I saw last night was the Vikings are desperate for help at tackle, how else is Long playing. It had little to do with Bradford's game and ability to throw the ball, see the 4th Q TD pass for evidence. Not too many guys are going to put up numbers when they are on their backs in 2 seconds. Its a team sport not a "the best individual at QB" wins every time game.

The right side of the offensive line was the biggest problem, plus Bradford's inability to sense pressure or avoid it.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

So does he have to give back the mid-point MVP trophy?
That seems kinda harsh.

Not harsh at all. Just realistic. Maybe personal too, since I have some Vikings fans laughing about how the Rams gave up the best QB in the league. Now they have seen his weak side, and it can be glaring.

 

[-X-]

Not harsh at all. Just realistic. Maybe personal too, since I have some Vikings fans laughing about how the Rams gave up the best QB in the league. Now they have seen his weak side, and it can be glaring.

Yeah, I was joking about the fact that the media had awarded him the distinction of League MVP just a couple weeks ago.

 

[Merlin]

Rams need more players with grit, which is something Sam just doesn't have. He's a nice dude, uber talented, can probably win consistently with a great team around him, etc. But he is not ever going to be a great QB, i.e. a guy who can elevate those around him. Oh and like Les I do feel like he turned his back on an org that had been very good to him, trying to extract every penny and now he's going to suffer by being a guy who bounces around the league as coaches hope he figures it out. Someday he'll look back and wish he'd done it differently, I am sure of that.

But anyway, Case has grit in spades btw, but his lack of accuracy trumps it.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yeah, I was joking about the fact that the media had awarded him the distinction of League MVP just a couple weeks ago.

I wasn't sure without the blue font. I thought maybe you believed that crap.

 

[DaveFan'51]

All I have to say is, The Vikings, the last two games are looking like I thought they would without AP! TERRIBLE!

 

[-X-]

I wasn't sure without the blue font. I thought maybe you believed that crap.

One should assume that I'm always sarcastic. It's safer that way.

 

[Akrasian]

One should assume that I'm always sarcastic. It's safer that way.

I assume you are being sarcastic here.

Very meta of you.

 

[Ram65]

All I have to say is, The Vikings, the last two games are looking like I thought they would without AP! TERRIBLE!

They have no running game and Jake Long @ OT. Come on Sam elevate these guys!

http://www.vikings.com/news/article...Football/5489d595-2e72-4f5c-826a-35c8839f2114
........
Eliminate the negative plays

The Vikings suffered four run plays that didn’t gain yards and two run plays that lost yardage last week in Philadelphia. The six combined runs for minus-10 yards (not counting a kneel-down by Sam Bradfordbefore the half) sandbagged a 29-yard run by Matt Asiata and his season-high of 4.6 yards per carry against the Eagles.

For the season, the Vikings have had 23 run plays that have lost a combined 54 yards (not counting kneel-downs in the Victory formation), and Zimmer would like to eliminate the zero- or minus-yardage plays.

The Vikings, already without Adrian Peterson since Week 2, will be without leading rusher Jerick McKinnon (68 carries, 217 yards) on Monday

Ronnie Hillman, who was tackled for a loss of 6 on his only rush attempt against the Eagles last week, Asiata and fullback Zach Line are the Vikings other options in the backfield. They will try to improve on a rush average of 2.6 yards per carry.

“We’ll just keep trying to do better,” Zimmer said.

The Vikings have remained committed to the run game, attempting 171 rushes, which is 40 more than opponents have attempted against Minnesota this season..........................

 

[Fatbot]

I was actually more interested in Cutler than Bradford, and what his return did for the running game and even the Bears' defense, when a QB shouldn't have anything to do with those things but in football sometimes does. Also a reminder how luck is fickle with turnovers, it was the Vikings first game not getting one. They looked like Super Bowl champs when getting +2 a game.

 

[biggame1190]

I saw him getting walloped by the defense like in the Eagles game. I saw the Vikings down to backups OF the backups of more then half the Oline. Jake Long, case and point. Sam is back to a crappy situation**** That is more like it....

 

[RaminExile]

So, teams finally decided to turn back the clock and look for Sam's weak points and they found it. We saw it for years. Get in his face and hit him. He can't run and has zero sense of pressure coming. I don't know why it took this long to figure it out, but Minnesota has a so so offensive line and a weak running game. So pressure Sam and the Vikings offense will crumble.

I don't hate the guy or anything. I do hate the Vikings and their itchy little pussified coach Mike Zimmer. It warms my heart to see that team getting beat by a bad Bears team and to know that coaches have suddenly remembered to give Sam a lot of pressure to keep him from carving you up.

Zero sense of pressure? I disagree here. No quarterback in the game can play under the kind of pressure hes under. He's historically one of the better QB's in the game versus pressure and against the blitz statistically. But when there is that much quick pressure its going to be a long day.

What I feel he does have a legitimate weakness with is his decision making when it does get tight in the pocket. It's like he doesn't trust his feet or his body enough. When he does decide to make some room for himself he still looks like a better athlete then most give him credit for - he can roll out and throw on the run for example. He just doesn't do it enough. And he doesn't climb the pocket often enough. When he did it last night he was just stepping up into interior pressure too though.

That Vikings offense will collapse. There I agree with you - they are just so soft up front.

 

[BonifayRam]

I was actually more interested in Cutler than Bradford, and what his return did for the running game and even the Bears' defense, when a QB shouldn't have anything to do with those things but in football sometimes does. Also a reminder how luck is fickle with turnovers, it was the Vikings first game not getting one. They looked like Super Bowl champs when getting +2 a game.

Did anyone see that alleged ex Ram poor run blocking OG Erik Kush who started his 2nd game for the Bears blowing open massive grand canyon sized holes for that rookie RB Jordan Howard who just happen to rushed 26 times for 153 yards and one touchdown?