Let Me Be First: Can We Play Up To Vikes ? (Really Good Team)

[jjab360]

Playing up to the Vikings implies that they are better than us which simply isn't the case.

 

[Merlin]

Two reasons I don't like the matchup:

1. Vikes front is very creative and will attack our young OL.
2. Home field will magnify reason number 1.

All that aside the Rams are good enough to go in there and get the W. The Cards game was far more scary due to their offense plus a lesser but opportunistic defense. If the Rams staff has them ready for this one I think it's a 50/50 type game.

 

[RamzFanz]

What is 8-23?

That's the current record for all of the teams the Vikings have beat combined. They played the Broncos well and got stomped by the Niners.

I'm not scared of the Vikings. Not saying they couldn't win, not saying the Rams should look past them, but we are the better team.

 

[jrry32]

What is 8-23?

That's the current record for all of the teams the Vikings have beat combined. They played the Broncos well and got stomped by the Niners.

I'm not scared of the Vikings. Not saying they couldn't win, not saying the Rams should look past them, but we are the better team.

You shouldn't be scared of them but you should respect them. They have a top 10 defense, one of the best HBs in football, and a passing game that looks more competent than ours right now. And we're playing in their house. But this is a game we need to win and a game we should win.

 

[jrry32]

Hayes and Barron doing so well covering for Long & Ogletree . Westbrooks playing all 4 positions well and Ayers and Fairley had their best games of the year for us. Did'nt even have Doug Worthington active. Brockers is a must resign as his penetration with Donald's is freakin scary.

We can talk "D" all day but without Foles and Cook doing much more next week we can't win. Tavon Austin won't have the error margin next week. We have to play the same inspired offensive game we played against the cardinals and WE WILL need a TurnOver or two. Glad we have great ST's as the vikes returned a kick to win a tough game today in their division.

I could talk about what our "D" can do all day if we can't get off the spot. The Bears had a very active Jeffrey score for them against the vikes and the bears lost Forte at the very end of the game. I know Gurley is better but I'll just say remember the vikes game from last year at our house. How far is our "O" from that? I'm just not sure WHICH "O" will show up. We should have Long back I would think. PLAYOFFS START NOW!!!:boxing::yess:

Yea, I have to say that Ethan Westbrooks is really impressing this year. He might end up pushing Sims out the door since Sims and Hayes are FAs at the end of the year.(Sims is younger but I love the leadership and attitude that Hayes brings)

 

[RamzFanz]

You shouldn't be scared of them but you should respect them. They have a top 10 defense, one of the best HBs in football, and a passing game that looks more competent than ours right now. And we're playing in their house. But this is a game we need to win and a game we should win.

I'm not saying we don't need to be prepared or that we won't have a fight or that our offense doesn't need to continue to improve.

The Vikings are not as good as their record. The Rams have beaten two of the top 5 defenses. The Vikings have beaten all teams in the bottom half for points allowed and yards allowed except for the Bears in yards allowed only.

The offenses they stopped to get their defensive ranking are all bottom half except the Chargers at 14 for PPG.

The Vikings are scoring less than 2 PPG more than the Rams and we had the far harder schedule thus far.

The Rams are the better team. This is a should win in my mind.

 

[RamzFanz]

If we lose, we aren't even out of the NFCW title race. Rams have emerged from the hardest part of their schedule and Arizona, without a single win against a good team, is heading into it. Seattle is the same. They barely beat the 2 win Cowboys today.

If the Rams staff has them ready for this one I think it's a 50/50 type game.

50/50? Ehh, I give it 75/25 Rams. The Vikings, like the Seahawks and Cardinals, have built their standings on weak teams. If the Rams can make the Steelers and Green Bay look mortal, we can surely beat the Vikings.

 

[jrry32]

I'm not saying we don't need to be prepared or that we won't have a fight or that our offense doesn't need to continue to improve.

The Vikings are not as good as their record. The Rams have beaten two of the top 5 defenses. The Vikings have beaten all teams in the bottom half for points allowed and yards allowed except for the Bears in yards allowed only.

The offenses they stopped to get their defensive ranking are all bottom half except the Chargers at 14 for PPG.

The Vikings are scoring less than 2 PPG more than the Rams and we had the far harder schedule thus far.

The Rams are the better team. This is a should win in my mind.

I think the teams are pretty even in terms of talent. But we're playing outside of the division on the road. Which has not treated us well in the past.

 

[jap]

The Rams gotta get comfortable beating teams on the road. Even if we make the playoffs, with the mistakes this young team makes, they may end up playing on the road. So they have to get used to "circling the wagons" and playing solid team ball in someone else house.

 

[RamzFanz]

I think the teams are pretty even in terms of talent. But we're playing outside of the division on the road. Which has not treated us well in the past.

True, we have had bad games on the road outside of the division in the past. We've also had great games.

I'm not looking at the past because we were never this good at D, ST, and running the ball all at once.

Of course, if the passing game struggles, it's going to be much harder to beat them than it needs to be.

Still, even in talent? I disagree. They are pumped up on weak offenses and weak defenses. They haven't played a team with a D like the Rams or run game like the Rams and won.

 

[fearsomefour]

Minnesota can make plays on offense and can stop the run.
To win this game on the road we will need to get something consistent out of the passing game, so, I have this one down as a loss.
But, they have surprised me before. Should be a good physical game.

 

[junkman]

What is 8-23?

That's the current record for all of the teams the Vikings have beat combined. They played the Broncos well and got stomped by the Niners.

I'm not scared of the Vikings. Not saying they couldn't win, not saying the Rams should look past them, but we are the better team.

+1.

Min beat Detroit twice. Add another 1-7 on and now the cumulative records are 9-30 for their 5 wins. Plus one loss to San Fran.

Beating bad teams is what good teams do, so give MIN credit for that. But they only played 1 good team all year. That 5-2 record, 3 game win streak, and all stats are misleading because of their quality of opponent.

Of course we could say the same about the Rams last two wins. Sure, we can talk about the Rams D hitting on all cylinders and that this is a different team with Gurley. But the 2 wins is why we're all pounding our chests right now.

This game will be a good reality test for both teams.

Beating pretender teams with overinflated records on the road is what REALLY good teams do.

 

[Orchid]

Still, even in talent? I disagree. They are pumped up on weak offenses and weak defenses. They haven't played a team with a D like the Rams or run game like the Rams and won.

Except for the Broncos who have possibly the top defense, who they lost to 23-20 in Denver.

 

[Warner4Prez]

The defense is what makes the Vikes relevant. The offense can be exposed. For as much love and hype as Bridgewater has received, he's mired in a sophomore slump and simply hasn't built a rapport with his receivers. He's locked in on Diggs and dumps to Rudolph when pressed. Wallace has been invisible and Charles Johnson has been M.I.A as well, he's just getting back to full health to be fair though.

If the defense can keep the clamps on AP, we know where Teddy wants to go with the ball.

Offensively for the Rams it's tough sledding though. Minny is going to play aggressive press coverage and beat on the receivers at the line. Those guys have no problem getting their noses dirty in the run game either. Plus Barr and Kendricks will be working to get up field all game long. The Rams simply have to complete some passes early to keep the defense honest. Zimmer isn't going to be fooled, he knows we're a run first team. The Vikes are giving up 104 a game on the ground. Take away that week one game where they gave up 168 to Hyde (which is a huge outlier) and it's frightening. We'll see what Gurley is made of Sunday.

Their record may be inflated, but at the end of the year it won't matter. I do see the Vikes as direct competition for a Wildcard spot, and if we can't bump them off, we probably don't belong in the big show.

 

[FrantikRam]

I don't feel good about this game...Vikes have had Fisher's number since he's gotten here.

Having said that, it should be a good game.

And for me, it's almost like house money...I think that if we win, we're a slam dunk to make the playoffs....if we lose....well, after us (and we're no slouch), they have Green Bay twice, Arizona, Seattle, Oakland, and Atlanta....that's 6 of 8 games remaining against good teams. GB once, Arizona, Oakland and Atlanta are all road games.

I can easily see the Vikes beating us and still finishing 9-7....but 10-6 would be more likely.

Atlanta should be coming back down to reality, so I don't think we're out of any race with a loss to the Vikes.

We'd have to get the passing game going, and I just have a hard time seeing that happen.

 

[nfl monster 666]

wow, all I am reading is the teams the vikes played. Hey, they play
who is on the schedule, two great road wins in division and almost beat Denver in denver,
they outplayed them big time. You really cant gauge a team like that.
That defense is unreal. Not only a great line like yours , but their young
linebackers are animals and they have the best safety in the league
in Harrison Smith. Foles better hand off a lot because they are going
to knock him down and cripple the guy. Every qb they go against gets
hurt..

 

[ChrisW]

wow, all I am reading is the teams the vikes played. Hey, they play
who is on the schedule, two great road wins in division and almost beat Denver in denver,
they outplayed them big time. You really cant gauge a team like that.
That defense is unreal. Not only a great line like yours , but their young
linebackers are animals and they have the best safety in the league
in Harrison Smith. Foles better hand off a lot because they are going
to knock him down and cripple the guy. Every qb they go against gets
hurt..

The Cardinals were a really good team too. They played lesser competition leading up to our game, and we went to their house and beat them. If you aren't used to playing a defense like the Rams, the team is going to lose all will. We fly around and lay the wood.


With that said, the Vikes have a good defense, and I expect a low scoring game. something along the lines of 14-10.

 

[Big Willie]

Our defense will be out to prove that they can stop AP. Our offense will be out to prove that Gurley is a better player than AP. I believe the game will hinge on our ability to score points as I believe our defense will give up a couple of touchdowns. Should be a good game.

 

[Big Willie]

In general, Don't home teams get 3 points? If so, that means the current line already kinda favors the Rams,