- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #81
Its always funny to me seeing how similar all fans are. Everyone's team is better than people think and other teams fans are delusional.
I call it the Universal Kool-Aid Drinkers Club.
What Vikings Fans Are Saying
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I call it the Universal Kool-Aid Drinkers Club.
Vikings At Rams: Things We're Looking For
By Ted Glover @purplebuckeye on Sep 2 2014
http://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/9/2/6097269/vikings-at-rams-things-were-looking-for
Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
The Mike Zimmer era kicks off for real in St. Louis on Sunday. What can we expect from these new look Vikings?
There's been a lot of build up and anticipation to the 2014 edition of your Minnesota Vikings. It started the Monday after the season ended, with the firing of Leslie Frazier, and it's only built through the off season, training camp, and the pre-season. The Vikings have what appears to be a competent coaching staff, and good, young talent mixed with veteran leadership on both sides of the ball. It still remains to be seen how the season unfolds, but what should we be looking for come Sunday about noon?
Hey, Adrian Peterson is going to play:
For all the things said about pre-season meaning something--and to an extent, it does--the fact that it's ultimately meaningless was crystallized by Adrian Peterson not being on the field for a single play. Obviously, that's going to change on Sunday, and it's going to be interesting to see how the Rams defend the Vikings offense.
Minnesota looks like they have a bona fide passing game, and the Rams are going to have to defend it. Let's face it, they probably won't early, and it's going to allow Greg Jennings and/or Cordarrelle Patterson to make their mark early. Once that happens, and the Rams go into a standard seven man front, it's going to be AP time. Or, if the Rams bring a lot of pressure, expect AP to get some swing and screen passes in the flat, and make the Rams pay that way.
So, tell me about this new defense:
It's going to be a lot different than we're used to. And by 'different' what I mean is they won't sit back on their heels and look like they're trying to give away football games like clowns give away candy from a parade float anymore. In the pre-season, we saw a defense that showed a lot of different looks, brought heat from both sides and at almost every position, and was actually pretty stout against the run. And that was just the tip of iceberg.
They're going up against the ultimate journeyman quarterback in Shaun Hill, so one of two things are going to happen--Hill will be harassed and hammered the entire game, and this new look Vikings defense will produce at least three turnovers, OR...the Vikings defense will fulfill Shaun Hill's adult Make A Wish dream, and let him be Joe Montana for a day, picking apart the Vikings defense like an NFL Hall of Famer.
If this were the Vikings defense of the last several years, I would go with the 'or' scenario here, and I'd feel pretty confident in making that call. When you look at the fact that the Rams have a dearth of playmakers, a questionable offensive line, and a backup quarterback, this game really sets up well for the Vikings to make an opening statement on defense. The only way this could play into their favor more is if it was a home game. I expect a very good game from this revamped defense.
If they don't play well, we'll know that it's still smoke and mirrors, and we'll adjust our expectations accordingly. And I'll hate everything forever just because. And God help this team if they lose the game in the last minute.
God. Help. Them.
Who on defense is going to be a difference maker?
I'm going to single out two players, Linval Joseph and Anthony Barr. To help out a new look secondary, the Vikings are going to need to do two things: make the Rams one dimensional by stopping the run, and then bring some serious heat to pressure Hill. Joseph, who is returning after getting shot in the leg after the Vikings first pre-season game, should help do the former.
Barr will help with the latter, with assistance from Everson Griffen, Brian Robison, and whatever defensive back coach Mike Zimmer dials up. Barr has looked ridiculously fast on the outside so far, and the potential that him and Griffen bring from the right side is tantalizing. Look for Hill to be under pressure early and often Sunday, and for the Vikings defense to create a few turnovers because of it.
Is it gonna be run, run, incomplete pass, punt again? Because if it is, I'm not watching.
This isn't going to be the '98 Vikings or the Greatest Show on Turf, but it isn't going to be the Greatest Shitshow On Turf anymore, either. The Vikings have the best running back in football, and a set of very good receivers that can fill every role effectively. They have a classic possession guy in Greg Jennings, a serious deep threat in Cordarrelle Patterson, and a middle of the field guy in Kyle Rudolph that can get yards in big chunks.
They also have a quarterback that will get them the ball on a consistent basis, and hopefully, once they get a lead, sustain some drives that will eat the clock and put the game away. There's also an offensive coordinator that's calling plays from a playbook that's bigger than a 3X5 card. If the Vikings offense sucks this year, it will never be good again ever and everything will suck for all time. Maybe.
This is all well and good, Mr. Homer McHomerson, but the Vikings do about as well away from their home in the North as the Stark family, remember?
Well, yeah...fair point. That really can't be argued, and if you look at the Vikings recent road record, you'll quickly understand why. Since 2010, the Vikings have gone a putrid 6-25-1 on the road in the regular season. If that's not the worst in the NFL, it's awful close, but one of those wins was in 2012, against the Rams. Does that that record or that game mean anything in particular? For the individual game, no, other than it was the the last time the Vikings won on the road, save for Houston a week later. As for the record itself, probably not, because there's been a huge roster turnover and a new coaching staff hired. That said, if the Vikings are going to go to the playoffs, or at least challenge for a spot, they need to win on the road.
If there is a road game the Vikings can win, though, it should be this one. The Rams have a backup quarterback facing a new look defense, in a venue that has in attendance fans that might tilt 40% towards the Vikings, against a coach that has waited his entire adult life for this moment. In 2009, Vikings fans seemed to own the entire lower bowl, and we made as much noise as our Rams counterparts. This is a tepid fan base that seemingly lost all hope when Sam Bradford went out, and there just isn't a lot of energy about this team amongst the faithful right now. They have a very strong defense, but this is a game the Vikings need to use to set the tone for the rest of the season.
The Vikings are going to be ready, and they should win this game.
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"This is a tepid fan base that seemingly lost all hope when Sam Bradford went out, and there just isn't a lot of energy about this team amongst the faithful right now."
They must be reading over at Rams Talk, certainly not here.
"When you look at the fact that the Rams have a dearth of playmakers" FAIL
Not like this is any revelation but I think the team that controls the LOS will win this game. With Peterson against Rams with Hill in his 1st game starting I can see a lot of running the ball on both sides in this game. I like the Rams to win but I'd bet my $$ on the under 43.5.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #86
Week 1: VIKINGS (0-0) at Rams (0-0)
http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=553001
Shaun Hill ran a 4.70 in the 40 coming out of Maryland. The guy is known for being decently mobile. He still is. I saw him scramble and boot in the preseason. You're mistaken if you think he's a statue.
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Look at the play staring at 1:33 to see one of VD's more routine plays.
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The second overall pick in the draft will start the season on the second string. Rams guard Greg Robinson, a tackle whom the team has moved inside, has moved behind Rodger Saffold on the depth chart at left guard, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Davin Joseph will start at right guard.
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Drafting a GUARD #2 overall and he isn't starting? Not a good sign...
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Didn't draft a guard at #2. They drafted a left tackle that was set to play guard because the Rams already have a top 10 LT. However, the Rams don't need him right now at guard because Davin Joseph, a former Pro Bowler, seems to be returning to form(or close to it) as he distances himself from his major injury in 2012.
And Robinson was never going to start over Saffold.(the comment that he moved behind Saffold is erroneous...he was never in front of Saffold...the expectation was that Saffold would start at RG and Robinson at LG but when Joseph put a strangle-hold on the RG spot...Saffold stuck at LG to get our best 5 in their best positions)
It's actually a good thing for the Rams as a team. They don't have to force a rookie into the lineup and deal with all the rookie mistakes because they have the talent to let him sit and develop him.
Now, nobody knew Davin Joseph would be as good as he's been because he struggled last year coming off that injury. So the expectation was that Robinson would start. However, since Day One in Training Camp, Davin Joseph has started at RG. Robinson didn't lose the starting job...he never had it.
And frankly, nothing wrong with a rookie getting beat out by a former Pro Bowl vet. If anything, I like this move because Robinson still needs development and still needs to master the playbook. Glad the Rams aren't forced into starting a guy that isn't ready like they have had to in the past. It speaks to how much more talented the team is now.
In fact, the Rams are starting ZERO rookies this year.
Still, Robinson is very much in our future plans. He's being developed to take over for Jake Long, who has had major injury issues, in the near future and he gives us much needed depth behind Long, Saffold, and Joseph. All of whom have durability questions.
I think it's a great position to be in.
I'd much rather have Joseph starting because he's playing well than have Robinson thrust in there because Joseph isn't playing well. Don't much care what it says to fans. Greg Robinson is raw(and only 21 years old). Everybody knew that. Now, he'll get time to develop with one of the best OL Coaches in the game.
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That LT, Jake Long, tore his ACL and MCL in late December. As of early August, he reportedly wasn't up to full speed in practice. He only played in one preseason game, 29 snaps in the 3rd week. Gave up a couple of pressures, took 2 penalties, got a -4.8 PFF grade. Is he going to be a top 10 LT on Sunday?
We got to see Adrian Peterson recover from the same injury over the same time frame (Christmas Eve), and even he had trouble getting back to full speed for the first month or so.
Saffold filled in for Long at LT after his knee injury last year. Otherwise he played RG.
Saffold suspiciously "failed" a physical in Oakland after signing there as a free agent, subsequently re-signed in St Louis for less money. The problem was supposedly with his shoulder.
Now he's playing LG. Saffold played only 18 snaps in preseason, missing the first two games with a shoulder problem (the same one from the off season?) and leaving the Browns game early with an ankle injury. Is he back at full speed?
Davin Joseph turns 31 in November. He went to the Pro Bowl as a substitute in 2008 and 2011. In between, he had a horrific 2010, earning a PFF grade of -23.5 before being breaking his foot and finishing the season on IR.
In 2012, he suffered an ACL tear in preseason and missed the entire year. He came back in 2013, finishing as the 2nd-lowest ranked OG by PFF with a score of -32.8 (for comparison, Charlie Johnson was a -5 last year).
Joseph played parts of 3 preseason games this year at RG, finished with a negative PFF grade for run and pass blocking. Given age and injuries, how good are you expecting him to be this year?
If Joseph's 2013 performance was due to the lingering effects of his 2012 injury (i.e., he's not really that bad, he just needed time to recover), what does that suggest might happen with Long's performance this year?
It seems like there would've been a chance for the young, healthy and talented Greg Robinson to fill in for one of those guys, none of whom have shown yet that they're past their most recent injuries.
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Not trying to be aggressive about Robinson, just trying to understand the situation.
The Rams must be worried that Long won't be back in game shape yet. 8 month recovery from an ACL/MCL is an ambitious timeline, for every AP there are many players who struggle at first, coming back from that injury, and several who never get back to their former performance level.
I guess plan B is to move Saffold back to LT if Long looks tentative and put Robinson in at OG. Their 2nd team LT was brutal in preseason if PFF are to be believed.
Making it worse for their OL, the starting OC is Scott Wells, who's 33 and coming off a broken leg (2nd injury shortened season in a row).
The Rams QB last started when Matt Cassel was a Pro Bowler. The RB piled up some yards as a rookie but only at 3.9 YPC. The WRs are young, unproven and/or inconsistent (is Kenny Britt the WR1? He was terrible in Tennessee last year). The offensive coordinator is suspect.
If the Vikings defense has improved as much as we hope, they should be able to limit them to 20 points.
Whether the Vikings O will be able to move the ball or score points is a good question. If Kalil struggles again in pass pro, Quinn will make him pay for it.
The Vikings likely have a better offense, the Rams a (much?) better defense plus home field. Predict a low scoring game that turns on a big play, could go either way. Austin and Patterson would be good bets for a game breaker on either side.
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The Rams in Week 1 are a tough assignment for this Vikings team.
The Rams have some talent on both sides of the ball and one of the league's better coaches in Jeff Fisher.
It should be a good game.
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http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=553001
Shaun Hill ran a 4.70 in the 40 coming out of Maryland. The guy is known for being decently mobile. He still is. I saw him scramble and boot in the preseason. You're mistaken if you think he's a statue.
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Look at the play staring at 1:33 to see one of VD's more routine plays.
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The second overall pick in the draft will start the season on the second string. Rams guard Greg Robinson, a tackle whom the team has moved inside, has moved behind Rodger Saffold on the depth chart at left guard, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Davin Joseph will start at right guard.
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Drafting a GUARD #2 overall and he isn't starting? Not a good sign...
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Didn't draft a guard at #2. They drafted a left tackle that was set to play guard because the Rams already have a top 10 LT. However, the Rams don't need him right now at guard because Davin Joseph, a former Pro Bowler, seems to be returning to form(or close to it) as he distances himself from his major injury in 2012.
And Robinson was never going to start over Saffold.(the comment that he moved behind Saffold is erroneous...he was never in front of Saffold...the expectation was that Saffold would start at RG and Robinson at LG but when Joseph put a strangle-hold on the RG spot...Saffold stuck at LG to get our best 5 in their best positions)
It's actually a good thing for the Rams as a team. They don't have to force a rookie into the lineup and deal with all the rookie mistakes because they have the talent to let him sit and develop him.
Now, nobody knew Davin Joseph would be as good as he's been because he struggled last year coming off that injury. So the expectation was that Robinson would start. However, since Day One in Training Camp, Davin Joseph has started at RG. Robinson didn't lose the starting job...he never had it.
And frankly, nothing wrong with a rookie getting beat out by a former Pro Bowl vet. If anything, I like this move because Robinson still needs development and still needs to master the playbook. Glad the Rams aren't forced into starting a guy that isn't ready like they have had to in the past. It speaks to how much more talented the team is now.
In fact, the Rams are starting ZERO rookies this year.
Still, Robinson is very much in our future plans. He's being developed to take over for Jake Long, who has had major injury issues, in the near future and he gives us much needed depth behind Long, Saffold, and Joseph. All of whom have durability questions.
I think it's a great position to be in.
I'd much rather have Joseph starting because he's playing well than have Robinson thrust in there because Joseph isn't playing well. Don't much care what it says to fans. Greg Robinson is raw(and only 21 years old). Everybody knew that. Now, he'll get time to develop with one of the best OL Coaches in the game.
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That LT, Jake Long, tore his ACL and MCL in late December. As of early August, he reportedly wasn't up to full speed in practice. He only played in one preseason game, 29 snaps in the 3rd week. Gave up a couple of pressures, took 2 penalties, got a -4.8 PFF grade. Is he going to be a top 10 LT on Sunday?
We got to see Adrian Peterson recover from the same injury over the same time frame (Christmas Eve), and even he had trouble getting back to full speed for the first month or so.
Saffold filled in for Long at LT after his knee injury last year. Otherwise he played RG.
Saffold suspiciously "failed" a physical in Oakland after signing there as a free agent, subsequently re-signed in St Louis for less money. The problem was supposedly with his shoulder.
Now he's playing LG. Saffold played only 18 snaps in preseason, missing the first two games with a shoulder problem (the same one from the off season?) and leaving the Browns game early with an ankle injury. Is he back at full speed?
Davin Joseph turns 31 in November. He went to the Pro Bowl as a substitute in 2008 and 2011. In between, he had a horrific 2010, earning a PFF grade of -23.5 before being breaking his foot and finishing the season on IR.
In 2012, he suffered an ACL tear in preseason and missed the entire year. He came back in 2013, finishing as the 2nd-lowest ranked OG by PFF with a score of -32.8 (for comparison, Charlie Johnson was a -5 last year).
Joseph played parts of 3 preseason games this year at RG, finished with a negative PFF grade for run and pass blocking. Given age and injuries, how good are you expecting him to be this year?
If Joseph's 2013 performance was due to the lingering effects of his 2012 injury (i.e., he's not really that bad, he just needed time to recover), what does that suggest might happen with Long's performance this year?
It seems like there would've been a chance for the young, healthy and talented Greg Robinson to fill in for one of those guys, none of whom have shown yet that they're past their most recent injuries.
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Not trying to be aggressive about Robinson, just trying to understand the situation.
The Rams must be worried that Long won't be back in game shape yet. 8 month recovery from an ACL/MCL is an ambitious timeline, for every AP there are many players who struggle at first, coming back from that injury, and several who never get back to their former performance level.
I guess plan B is to move Saffold back to LT if Long looks tentative and put Robinson in at OG. Their 2nd team LT was brutal in preseason if PFF are to be believed.
Making it worse for their OL, the starting OC is Scott Wells, who's 33 and coming off a broken leg (2nd injury shortened season in a row).
The Rams QB last started when Matt Cassel was a Pro Bowler. The RB piled up some yards as a rookie but only at 3.9 YPC. The WRs are young, unproven and/or inconsistent (is Kenny Britt the WR1? He was terrible in Tennessee last year). The offensive coordinator is suspect.
If the Vikings defense has improved as much as we hope, they should be able to limit them to 20 points.
Whether the Vikings O will be able to move the ball or score points is a good question. If Kalil struggles again in pass pro, Quinn will make him pay for it.
The Vikings likely have a better offense, the Rams a (much?) better defense plus home field. Predict a low scoring game that turns on a big play, could go either way. Austin and Patterson would be good bets for a game breaker on either side.
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The Rams in Week 1 are a tough assignment for this Vikings team.
The Rams have some talent on both sides of the ball and one of the league's better coaches in Jeff Fisher.
It should be a good game.
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The Rams were 7-9 with Kellen Clemens including HUGE wins against Indy and New Orleans and with the 3rd toughest schedule in all of the NFL. The Rams, while dealing with tons of injuries, nearly beat the WC Seahawks and probably should have to finish the season 8-8.
Which big wins did the Vikes have last year? ahem? Now, they exchanged Ponder for Cassel who played poorly for a Chiefs team that was fairly stocked in a moderately difficult division. They're in the first year of a new offensive scheme and those transitions NEVER go off without a hitch, meaning that every single time a new OC is brought in, there are breakdowns, blown assignments and "growing pains" as guys get comfortable. That first game will have ugly moments for the Vikes offense. It just...will. Granted, Troy Aikman is a repetition QB, but it took him almost 3 years to feel comfortable in Norv Turner's offense. Why should that bit be minimized.
New offenses take time to learn and one off-season isn't enough time. ANY fan for ANY team who expects Game 1 to go off hitch free under a new OC really is delusional. It just doesn't happen. Add to that a road game? Against a vaunted defense?
I guess they forgot that we're an NFC West team...
Which big wins did the Vikes have last year? ahem? Now, they exchanged Ponder for Cassel who played poorly for a Chiefs team that was fairly stocked in a moderately difficult division. They're in the first year of a new offensive scheme and those transitions NEVER go off without a hitch, meaning that every single time a new OC is brought in, there are breakdowns, blown assignments and "growing pains" as guys get comfortable. That first game will have ugly moments for the Vikes offense. It just...will. Granted, Troy Aikman is a repetition QB, but it took him almost 3 years to feel comfortable in Norv Turner's offense. Why should that bit be minimized.
New offenses take time to learn and one off-season isn't enough time. ANY fan for ANY team who expects Game 1 to go off hitch free under a new OC really is delusional. It just doesn't happen. Add to that a road game? Against a vaunted defense?
I guess they forgot that we're an NFC West team...
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #89
Five Good Questions With Turf Show Times
By Ted Glover and 3k on Sep 3 2014, 9:00a 123
http://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/9/3/6100987/five-good-questions-with-turf-show-times
Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
We look at our week one opponent through the eyes of our sister blog, Turf Show Times
The first week of the season brings a lot of excitement and hope for all 32 teams in the NFL, even Buffalo. Well, maybe not them, but for the other 31 teams, SUPER BOWL BABY!!
The Rams and her fans are no different than us, in many ways. They have a young team (the youngest in the NFL), they've drafted wisely in the last couple seasons, and the have a head coach in Jeff Fisher who commands a lot of respect in the locker room. The team suffered a major blow last week when starting QB Sam Bradford was lost for the season with a torn ACL, but is there enough to still make a run in the always tough NFC West?
We asked 3K over at Turf Show Times about that, and some other things. We hope you enjoy. If you're interested, I answered some questions for them over at TST. You can find that right here, if you're so inclined.
Sam Bradford, ouch. The star crossed quarterback has had a rough start in St. Louis, and his recent season ending ACL injury was a crippling blow. It seems like, from an outsider's point of view that lives in St. Louis, Bradford is entering the Christian Ponder zone with regards to popularity with the fans. His injuries and play on the field hasn't lived up to the expectations fans wanted when he was drafted #1 overall in 2010. Is that an accurate representation the Rams fan base has towards Bradford, and will he be on the roster in 2015?
The Sam Bradford saga will be something Rams fans will point to for decades. It was a collision of factors that made the promise and the potential bigger than the performance itself. You had the college career (Heisman as a RS sophomore, national championship berth and loss to Tebow's Florida, rebuts NFL Draft to stay in school and win a national championship...gets hurt and misses season), the final contract before the CBA was reorganized to get a hold of the insane growth of early 1st round deals, and the offensive Rookie of the Year in 2010.
There was a ton to deal with early, but things looked good. 2011 fell apart. Steve Spagnuolo's three year plan imploded and Bradford suffered from an ankle sprain for much of the year, missing the final three games. The franchise rebooted under Jeff Fisher who let it be known that Bradford's place as the starter was a significant factor in why Fisher opted to take the helm of the Rams with other offers on the table.
Fisher's first year nearly took a nosedive, but he and Bradford pulled out some strong results late in the season narrowly missing out on the postseason. Things were primed for 2013. And the ACL injury against the Panthers, things looked decent enough. He was on pace to have an opportunity for 4,000 passing yards and was working with a TD to INT ratio that was better than 3:1 (for reference, Ponder's best was 1.5:1 in 2012). It was just kind of a freak injury as he scrambled out of bounds. The odd thing is that the team got better in his absence. And now in 2014, this is the best roster overall since the post-Greatest Show era.
Moving forward, it's tough to know how things will play out. You've got a worse-case scenario in which the team falls apart, the Rams fire Fisher and GM Les Snead and prep for a move to LA. In that case, I'd think that taking a QB early (assuming the draft stock of guys like Oregon's Marcus Mariota and FSU's Jameis Winston) would make sense. You've also got the dream scenario where the team turns a corner, makes the playoffs and proves that they don't need much QB exceptionalism to win with this roster, making Bradford an unnecessary risk.
The likely output though is that this team remains stuck in mediocrity, winning enough games to not be horrible and succumbing to the strongest division in the NFL and yet again watch the playoffs and not participate in them. That would leave a decision to be made at team HQ, and if Jeff Fisher and Les Snead have proven anything in their commitment to Sam Bradford from day one, it's that they're stubborn enough to stick with him for as long as they want. I, for one, wouldn't be surprised at all if the Rams go into week one of the 2015 season with Sam Bradford as the starting quarterback.
2. With Bradford out, the Rams turns to Shaun Hill. Hill, a journeyman that started his career in Minnesota, and a guy that actually has pretty respectable numbers when he's played at stops in San Francisco and Detroit. What are the expectations the Rams have with Hill in there, and in what ways will the offense need to be scaled back or adjusted to fit Hill's game, if at all?
I think the main thing Rams fans are looking for is to avoid mistakes. Kellen Clemens took over the QB reins in Bradford's absence over the final nine games. While he exceeded most expectations (which weren't very high, because hello....Kellen Clemens...), the mistakes proved too costly. The Rams went 0-4 in the four divisional games Clemens started in last year, throwing two touchdowns and seven interceptions throughout. That's what Shaun Hill has to avoid. This team is built to run the ball and play defense with the occasional intermediate passing game sprinkled in. Hill's main charge is to avoid mistakes.
As for scaling back the offense, it's already scaled back. Brian Schottenheimer's scheme is built around the shortest of passes, much to the frequent dismay of Rams fans (he's not a very popular OC these days...). We were obviously hoping things would be a bit more aggressive downfield, but at least for the time being it's probably more practical to keep things risk-averse until Hill starts clicking and then open things up.
3. Speaking of offense, the Rams have moved on from long time running back Steven Jackson, and the running game now seems to go through Zac Stacy. Stacy had almost 1,000 yards rushing last year, and seven TD's. What are the expectations for Stacy this year, and how reliant will the Rams be on him early on as they transition to Shaun Hill?
Oh, I think plenty reliant. Stacy did have a plus rookie campaign, though it's worth offering fair criticism that the Rams started Daryl Richardson for roughly the first third of the season. It was a move I criticized at the time, that in retrospect looks even less sensible given how Stacy played. The rookie numbers might have looked even more impressive had he been handed the starting gig earlier. In any case, the expectations are high and with Bradford's injury, as you alluded to, there's even greater reason to think he'll get a ton of work.
I would, though, point out that his performance degraded pretty significantly at the end of the season. Whether that was because teams had a better feel for the Rams' run offense on tape by that point, or if Stacy had just hit a rookie wall or if teams were increasingly less concerned about a Kellen Clemens-led passing attack, I'm not sure. There's still plenty of reason for optimism though, and I think Rams fans are eager to see him on Sunday.
4. Enough about offense--the Rams defense is legit. Chris Long, Kendall Langford, Michael Brockers, and Robert Quinn form one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL, and when you add guys like James Laurinaitis (Ohio State, WOO HOO), and Janoris Jenkins, the Rams have a defense that might be able to carry this team a long way. Other than the guys that have already been mentioned, give us the name of a guy we need to be on the look out for as Vikings fans on Sunday. And will a great defense and a quarterback that will be asked to be a game manager be enough in the NFC West?
Aaron Donald. The Rams second first round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft was spent on Donald, which a lot of people were surprised at. As you mentioned, the Rams already had a strong front four. Picking a DT in the middle of the first round when the D-line is undoubtedly the best unit on your team is a bit strange. But you see why the Rams couldn't pass him up when he plays (and for every fan who goes into the draft whining about drafting the best player available regardless of any mitigating factor that might influence the decision, Donald should be their favorite pick of all time).
He's insanely quick for a DT and is able to get through any blocking scheme he's faced so far in the preseason. I think the concern is that he's a bit undersized at 6'1", 285 lbs. and might struggle in a power contest. I say who cares. He sneaks through just about anything you throw at him. I'm interested to see how Fisher and reunited DC Gregg Williams rotate Brockers, Langford and Donald.
It's worth noting that Brockers has been dealing with an ankle sprain all preseason (supposedly on pace to play week one though) and Langford had his rolled up as well, so Donald might get a bit more work than he would have were those two healthy. Put it like this: in the obvious passing situations, Donald will be on the field. And I'd be willing to bet Vikings fans will notice him at least a couple times throughout the game.
5. Finally, the Rams are going through a new stadium dance that the Vikings just went through. The Vikings, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, were able to get a new stadium, and will move into their new facility in 2016. What's the latest on the stadium front for the Rams, and will they ultimately get a new deal done? If so, when? If not...what happens next?
Oh man, I honestly have no idea what's going to happen. The thing is, Stan Kroenke has all the leverage. He's a sports owner across just about every league there is, he went out and bought a ton of land in LA just to poke St. Louis and he's incredibly media-averse. On the other hand, St. Louis as a city has serious issues it needs to deal with, so dropping a ton of money into a sports franchise that is at best second fiddle to the baseball team doesn't seem likely or pragmatic. The move to St. Louis was always a message to LA to get its act together.
Losing the Rams and the Raiders didn't push the city into immediate action, but they've put the right things in place by now and they're going to get a team. At this point, the city of St. Louis has already gotten the message. I'm just don't think they want to make a decision until the last minute, and I would say it's only third down...but third down and long.
6. Okay, bonus question--Give me a prediction for Sunday, and give any Vikings fans (namely, me) a good place to go tail gate before the game because I GOT TICKETS YO--ahem, I mean in case any Vikings fans are making the trip to St. Louis.
I'll go with 26-17 Rams. And now that I'm at the end, I realized the Rams and Vikings may have the best two players in the league at their position and we didn't even mention them......so forced reference here for Blair Walsh and Greg Zuerlein. Kickers are people too.
As for tailgating, I have no idea. I'm a non-St. Louis Rams fan, but I know we can get some TSTers over here to help you out.
Thanks again to TST and 3K for some great stuff on the Rams. Here's to a good game with no injuries on Sunday.
-------------------------
Rams vs. Vikings: Q&A with Daily Norseman
By 3k @3k_ on Sep 3 2014, 9:00a 44
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2014/9/3/6101137/rams-vikings-preview-questions
Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
Getting the inside info from Ted Glover of Daily Norseman, the SB Nation community for fans of the Minnesota Vikings.
And so...we shall go to war.
To tune me into what's going on with the Vikings, I linked up with Ted Glover from Daily Norseman, SB Nation's community for fans of the Minnesota Vikings.
So we have to start at QB. You've got, and if I'm not being nice enough, I apologize, a failed QB experiment in Christian Ponder, the tried vet in Matt Cassel and the first-rounder in Teddy Bridgewater. Are Vikings fans happy with how the unit was handled in the preseason? Should Bridgewater have been anointed the starter early on or are you comfortable that he didn't, let's say, play his way into the starting role? Is Ponder already one foot out the door? Any bad feelings if so?
Damn it, do we HAVE to? Fine. Overall, I think yes, fans were very satisfied with the way things were handled. Well, at least I was. The new coaching staff, lead by Mike Zimmer, said that there would be a competition for the starting job, and Matt Cassel won it, fair and square. Cassel is the experienced veteran, and played very well in the pre-season, doing nothing to lose the job. Teddy Bridgewater played well, but didn't do anything to elevate his play above Cassel.
So yeah, I'm glad that Cassel is going to start, with Bridgewater ready to go if he falters. For the first time in what feels like a lifetime, the Vikings seem to have two guys that are living, breathing, NFL quarterbacks. As to Christian Ponder, I feel bad that it didn't work out. He's handled the scrutiny and subsequent demotion with a lot of class, and wherever he ends up, whether it's a trade in the next couple of days or signing as a free agent next year, I wish him well.
On to the rest of the offense. You guys ranked 23rd in passing yards per game last year as well as in Football Outsiders' passing offense rating. Everyone knows Adrian Peterson is "elite", as overgeneralized as that term is. What do the Vikings have to do to improve in the passing game in 2014? Is it down to QB play? Are the receiving threats sufficient?
Essentially, yeah it's down to the play of the quarterback. The Vikings have one of the better receiving units in the NFL, as long as there is a competent quarterback that can get them the ball.Greg Jennings is a guy that still has a lot in his tank, and last year, when the Vikings finally went with Cassel to close out the season, he had over half of his 800 receiving yards and all of his TD throws. Cordarelle Patterson is set to be a breakout star in 2014, and...stop me if you've heard this before...once he had competent QB play and the Vikings put him in the lineup, he had more receiving yards the last month of the season than any other receiver in the NFL. At tight end, Kyle Rudolph is one of the better young TE's in the NFL. With the way Norv Turner likes to utilize the tight end in his offense, and if the pre-season is any indication, he's going to have a big season.
Seriously, it's the quarterback play. That's it. Opposing defenses have been putting eight and nine guys in the box for years to stop Adrian Peterson, and it finally feels like the Vikings have a quarterback that will make defenses respect the pass, which hasn't happened since 2009.
On to the defense. Fair to say, you guys were one of the lesser defenses in the league, especially against the pass. Where are you guys resting your hopes for improvement? Is it in the front seven, or are you guys expecting the secondary to step up and grow into a more reliable unit in 2014?
I'll take a yes to both the front seven and the secondary, as they both need to improve. At face value, it seems the Vikings defensive line lost a lot of talent in Kevin Williams and Jared Allen. The truth is both guys had peaked, and are on a downward slide, especially Williams. Adding Linval Joseph and re-signing Everson Griffen arguably makes the Vikings better on the front four, and definitely younger. At linebacker, there's still a concern, but there is a lot of young, if unproven talent. Veteran Chad Greenway seems better suited for this new defense, and rookie Anthony Barr seems to be a legit playmaker. In the secondary, Captain Munnerlyn and Xavier Rhodesmake a pretty good tandem, but depth is still a huge issue at the nickel and dime positions.
Still, all things considered, the Vikings added a lot of talent on paper, and it should help to improve what was a defense that was arguably the worst the Vikings, as a franchise, has ever fielded.
Let's talk about roster changes. Obviously Bridgewater and Anthony Barr, as the first rounders, lead the conversation. Still, you guys were able to bring back MLB Jasper Brinkley and add DT Linval Joseph and CB Captain Munnerlyn. Which new (or in Brinkley's case, returning) Viking helps the most in making this team a success in 2014? Who are Vikings fans most pleased with? Who has disappointed? What late-round picks or UDFAs have surprised into a significant role to start 2014?
Everyone loves Teddy, everyone. We can't wait for the Bridgewater era to get underway, whenever that may be. Munnerlyn and Joseph, like I mentioned above, are the marquee free agent signings that will really go a long way in shoring up the defense. The other first round pick, Anthony Barr, is going to help in that regard as well, and he'll be starting Sam linebacker.
For late round/UDFA guys, CB Jabari Price, a seventh rounder out of North Carolina, made the team and is in the mix for the nickel/dime roles. WR Adam Thielen, who was an undrafted free agent last year and was on the practice squad, earned a roster spot from the first day of camp, and never let up. He's a local kid, from Mankato, and he'll be a guy to look for when the Vikings go three and four wide, especially with Jerome Simpsonsuspended for the first three games.
I've asked this of every team blog in the preaseason. What constitutes a successful 2014 for you guys? Three losing season in the last four led to a new head coach in Mike Zimmer. Has the new car smell worn off at all, or are you as optimistic as ever to see his debut NFL head coaching season? With new coordinators in Norv Turner and George Edwards, is there any hesitation among the fan base? Any concern that Norv Turner will bolt after a year for a head coaching gig elsewhere, whether at the pro level or college?
By Ted Glover and 3k on Sep 3 2014, 9:00a 123
http://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/9/3/6100987/five-good-questions-with-turf-show-times
Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
We look at our week one opponent through the eyes of our sister blog, Turf Show Times
The first week of the season brings a lot of excitement and hope for all 32 teams in the NFL, even Buffalo. Well, maybe not them, but for the other 31 teams, SUPER BOWL BABY!!
The Rams and her fans are no different than us, in many ways. They have a young team (the youngest in the NFL), they've drafted wisely in the last couple seasons, and the have a head coach in Jeff Fisher who commands a lot of respect in the locker room. The team suffered a major blow last week when starting QB Sam Bradford was lost for the season with a torn ACL, but is there enough to still make a run in the always tough NFC West?
We asked 3K over at Turf Show Times about that, and some other things. We hope you enjoy. If you're interested, I answered some questions for them over at TST. You can find that right here, if you're so inclined.
Sam Bradford, ouch. The star crossed quarterback has had a rough start in St. Louis, and his recent season ending ACL injury was a crippling blow. It seems like, from an outsider's point of view that lives in St. Louis, Bradford is entering the Christian Ponder zone with regards to popularity with the fans. His injuries and play on the field hasn't lived up to the expectations fans wanted when he was drafted #1 overall in 2010. Is that an accurate representation the Rams fan base has towards Bradford, and will he be on the roster in 2015?
The Sam Bradford saga will be something Rams fans will point to for decades. It was a collision of factors that made the promise and the potential bigger than the performance itself. You had the college career (Heisman as a RS sophomore, national championship berth and loss to Tebow's Florida, rebuts NFL Draft to stay in school and win a national championship...gets hurt and misses season), the final contract before the CBA was reorganized to get a hold of the insane growth of early 1st round deals, and the offensive Rookie of the Year in 2010.
There was a ton to deal with early, but things looked good. 2011 fell apart. Steve Spagnuolo's three year plan imploded and Bradford suffered from an ankle sprain for much of the year, missing the final three games. The franchise rebooted under Jeff Fisher who let it be known that Bradford's place as the starter was a significant factor in why Fisher opted to take the helm of the Rams with other offers on the table.
Fisher's first year nearly took a nosedive, but he and Bradford pulled out some strong results late in the season narrowly missing out on the postseason. Things were primed for 2013. And the ACL injury against the Panthers, things looked decent enough. He was on pace to have an opportunity for 4,000 passing yards and was working with a TD to INT ratio that was better than 3:1 (for reference, Ponder's best was 1.5:1 in 2012). It was just kind of a freak injury as he scrambled out of bounds. The odd thing is that the team got better in his absence. And now in 2014, this is the best roster overall since the post-Greatest Show era.
Moving forward, it's tough to know how things will play out. You've got a worse-case scenario in which the team falls apart, the Rams fire Fisher and GM Les Snead and prep for a move to LA. In that case, I'd think that taking a QB early (assuming the draft stock of guys like Oregon's Marcus Mariota and FSU's Jameis Winston) would make sense. You've also got the dream scenario where the team turns a corner, makes the playoffs and proves that they don't need much QB exceptionalism to win with this roster, making Bradford an unnecessary risk.
The likely output though is that this team remains stuck in mediocrity, winning enough games to not be horrible and succumbing to the strongest division in the NFL and yet again watch the playoffs and not participate in them. That would leave a decision to be made at team HQ, and if Jeff Fisher and Les Snead have proven anything in their commitment to Sam Bradford from day one, it's that they're stubborn enough to stick with him for as long as they want. I, for one, wouldn't be surprised at all if the Rams go into week one of the 2015 season with Sam Bradford as the starting quarterback.
2. With Bradford out, the Rams turns to Shaun Hill. Hill, a journeyman that started his career in Minnesota, and a guy that actually has pretty respectable numbers when he's played at stops in San Francisco and Detroit. What are the expectations the Rams have with Hill in there, and in what ways will the offense need to be scaled back or adjusted to fit Hill's game, if at all?
I think the main thing Rams fans are looking for is to avoid mistakes. Kellen Clemens took over the QB reins in Bradford's absence over the final nine games. While he exceeded most expectations (which weren't very high, because hello....Kellen Clemens...), the mistakes proved too costly. The Rams went 0-4 in the four divisional games Clemens started in last year, throwing two touchdowns and seven interceptions throughout. That's what Shaun Hill has to avoid. This team is built to run the ball and play defense with the occasional intermediate passing game sprinkled in. Hill's main charge is to avoid mistakes.
As for scaling back the offense, it's already scaled back. Brian Schottenheimer's scheme is built around the shortest of passes, much to the frequent dismay of Rams fans (he's not a very popular OC these days...). We were obviously hoping things would be a bit more aggressive downfield, but at least for the time being it's probably more practical to keep things risk-averse until Hill starts clicking and then open things up.
3. Speaking of offense, the Rams have moved on from long time running back Steven Jackson, and the running game now seems to go through Zac Stacy. Stacy had almost 1,000 yards rushing last year, and seven TD's. What are the expectations for Stacy this year, and how reliant will the Rams be on him early on as they transition to Shaun Hill?
Oh, I think plenty reliant. Stacy did have a plus rookie campaign, though it's worth offering fair criticism that the Rams started Daryl Richardson for roughly the first third of the season. It was a move I criticized at the time, that in retrospect looks even less sensible given how Stacy played. The rookie numbers might have looked even more impressive had he been handed the starting gig earlier. In any case, the expectations are high and with Bradford's injury, as you alluded to, there's even greater reason to think he'll get a ton of work.
I would, though, point out that his performance degraded pretty significantly at the end of the season. Whether that was because teams had a better feel for the Rams' run offense on tape by that point, or if Stacy had just hit a rookie wall or if teams were increasingly less concerned about a Kellen Clemens-led passing attack, I'm not sure. There's still plenty of reason for optimism though, and I think Rams fans are eager to see him on Sunday.
4. Enough about offense--the Rams defense is legit. Chris Long, Kendall Langford, Michael Brockers, and Robert Quinn form one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL, and when you add guys like James Laurinaitis (Ohio State, WOO HOO), and Janoris Jenkins, the Rams have a defense that might be able to carry this team a long way. Other than the guys that have already been mentioned, give us the name of a guy we need to be on the look out for as Vikings fans on Sunday. And will a great defense and a quarterback that will be asked to be a game manager be enough in the NFC West?
Aaron Donald. The Rams second first round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft was spent on Donald, which a lot of people were surprised at. As you mentioned, the Rams already had a strong front four. Picking a DT in the middle of the first round when the D-line is undoubtedly the best unit on your team is a bit strange. But you see why the Rams couldn't pass him up when he plays (and for every fan who goes into the draft whining about drafting the best player available regardless of any mitigating factor that might influence the decision, Donald should be their favorite pick of all time).
He's insanely quick for a DT and is able to get through any blocking scheme he's faced so far in the preseason. I think the concern is that he's a bit undersized at 6'1", 285 lbs. and might struggle in a power contest. I say who cares. He sneaks through just about anything you throw at him. I'm interested to see how Fisher and reunited DC Gregg Williams rotate Brockers, Langford and Donald.
It's worth noting that Brockers has been dealing with an ankle sprain all preseason (supposedly on pace to play week one though) and Langford had his rolled up as well, so Donald might get a bit more work than he would have were those two healthy. Put it like this: in the obvious passing situations, Donald will be on the field. And I'd be willing to bet Vikings fans will notice him at least a couple times throughout the game.
5. Finally, the Rams are going through a new stadium dance that the Vikings just went through. The Vikings, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, were able to get a new stadium, and will move into their new facility in 2016. What's the latest on the stadium front for the Rams, and will they ultimately get a new deal done? If so, when? If not...what happens next?
Oh man, I honestly have no idea what's going to happen. The thing is, Stan Kroenke has all the leverage. He's a sports owner across just about every league there is, he went out and bought a ton of land in LA just to poke St. Louis and he's incredibly media-averse. On the other hand, St. Louis as a city has serious issues it needs to deal with, so dropping a ton of money into a sports franchise that is at best second fiddle to the baseball team doesn't seem likely or pragmatic. The move to St. Louis was always a message to LA to get its act together.
Losing the Rams and the Raiders didn't push the city into immediate action, but they've put the right things in place by now and they're going to get a team. At this point, the city of St. Louis has already gotten the message. I'm just don't think they want to make a decision until the last minute, and I would say it's only third down...but third down and long.
6. Okay, bonus question--Give me a prediction for Sunday, and give any Vikings fans (namely, me) a good place to go tail gate before the game because I GOT TICKETS YO--ahem, I mean in case any Vikings fans are making the trip to St. Louis.
I'll go with 26-17 Rams. And now that I'm at the end, I realized the Rams and Vikings may have the best two players in the league at their position and we didn't even mention them......so forced reference here for Blair Walsh and Greg Zuerlein. Kickers are people too.
As for tailgating, I have no idea. I'm a non-St. Louis Rams fan, but I know we can get some TSTers over here to help you out.
Thanks again to TST and 3K for some great stuff on the Rams. Here's to a good game with no injuries on Sunday.
-------------------------
Rams vs. Vikings: Q&A with Daily Norseman
By 3k @3k_ on Sep 3 2014, 9:00a 44
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2014/9/3/6101137/rams-vikings-preview-questions
Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
Getting the inside info from Ted Glover of Daily Norseman, the SB Nation community for fans of the Minnesota Vikings.
And so...we shall go to war.
To tune me into what's going on with the Vikings, I linked up with Ted Glover from Daily Norseman, SB Nation's community for fans of the Minnesota Vikings.
So we have to start at QB. You've got, and if I'm not being nice enough, I apologize, a failed QB experiment in Christian Ponder, the tried vet in Matt Cassel and the first-rounder in Teddy Bridgewater. Are Vikings fans happy with how the unit was handled in the preseason? Should Bridgewater have been anointed the starter early on or are you comfortable that he didn't, let's say, play his way into the starting role? Is Ponder already one foot out the door? Any bad feelings if so?
Damn it, do we HAVE to? Fine. Overall, I think yes, fans were very satisfied with the way things were handled. Well, at least I was. The new coaching staff, lead by Mike Zimmer, said that there would be a competition for the starting job, and Matt Cassel won it, fair and square. Cassel is the experienced veteran, and played very well in the pre-season, doing nothing to lose the job. Teddy Bridgewater played well, but didn't do anything to elevate his play above Cassel.
So yeah, I'm glad that Cassel is going to start, with Bridgewater ready to go if he falters. For the first time in what feels like a lifetime, the Vikings seem to have two guys that are living, breathing, NFL quarterbacks. As to Christian Ponder, I feel bad that it didn't work out. He's handled the scrutiny and subsequent demotion with a lot of class, and wherever he ends up, whether it's a trade in the next couple of days or signing as a free agent next year, I wish him well.
On to the rest of the offense. You guys ranked 23rd in passing yards per game last year as well as in Football Outsiders' passing offense rating. Everyone knows Adrian Peterson is "elite", as overgeneralized as that term is. What do the Vikings have to do to improve in the passing game in 2014? Is it down to QB play? Are the receiving threats sufficient?
Essentially, yeah it's down to the play of the quarterback. The Vikings have one of the better receiving units in the NFL, as long as there is a competent quarterback that can get them the ball.Greg Jennings is a guy that still has a lot in his tank, and last year, when the Vikings finally went with Cassel to close out the season, he had over half of his 800 receiving yards and all of his TD throws. Cordarelle Patterson is set to be a breakout star in 2014, and...stop me if you've heard this before...once he had competent QB play and the Vikings put him in the lineup, he had more receiving yards the last month of the season than any other receiver in the NFL. At tight end, Kyle Rudolph is one of the better young TE's in the NFL. With the way Norv Turner likes to utilize the tight end in his offense, and if the pre-season is any indication, he's going to have a big season.
Seriously, it's the quarterback play. That's it. Opposing defenses have been putting eight and nine guys in the box for years to stop Adrian Peterson, and it finally feels like the Vikings have a quarterback that will make defenses respect the pass, which hasn't happened since 2009.
On to the defense. Fair to say, you guys were one of the lesser defenses in the league, especially against the pass. Where are you guys resting your hopes for improvement? Is it in the front seven, or are you guys expecting the secondary to step up and grow into a more reliable unit in 2014?
I'll take a yes to both the front seven and the secondary, as they both need to improve. At face value, it seems the Vikings defensive line lost a lot of talent in Kevin Williams and Jared Allen. The truth is both guys had peaked, and are on a downward slide, especially Williams. Adding Linval Joseph and re-signing Everson Griffen arguably makes the Vikings better on the front four, and definitely younger. At linebacker, there's still a concern, but there is a lot of young, if unproven talent. Veteran Chad Greenway seems better suited for this new defense, and rookie Anthony Barr seems to be a legit playmaker. In the secondary, Captain Munnerlyn and Xavier Rhodesmake a pretty good tandem, but depth is still a huge issue at the nickel and dime positions.
Still, all things considered, the Vikings added a lot of talent on paper, and it should help to improve what was a defense that was arguably the worst the Vikings, as a franchise, has ever fielded.
Let's talk about roster changes. Obviously Bridgewater and Anthony Barr, as the first rounders, lead the conversation. Still, you guys were able to bring back MLB Jasper Brinkley and add DT Linval Joseph and CB Captain Munnerlyn. Which new (or in Brinkley's case, returning) Viking helps the most in making this team a success in 2014? Who are Vikings fans most pleased with? Who has disappointed? What late-round picks or UDFAs have surprised into a significant role to start 2014?
Everyone loves Teddy, everyone. We can't wait for the Bridgewater era to get underway, whenever that may be. Munnerlyn and Joseph, like I mentioned above, are the marquee free agent signings that will really go a long way in shoring up the defense. The other first round pick, Anthony Barr, is going to help in that regard as well, and he'll be starting Sam linebacker.
For late round/UDFA guys, CB Jabari Price, a seventh rounder out of North Carolina, made the team and is in the mix for the nickel/dime roles. WR Adam Thielen, who was an undrafted free agent last year and was on the practice squad, earned a roster spot from the first day of camp, and never let up. He's a local kid, from Mankato, and he'll be a guy to look for when the Vikings go three and four wide, especially with Jerome Simpsonsuspended for the first three games.
I've asked this of every team blog in the preaseason. What constitutes a successful 2014 for you guys? Three losing season in the last four led to a new head coach in Mike Zimmer. Has the new car smell worn off at all, or are you as optimistic as ever to see his debut NFL head coaching season? With new coordinators in Norv Turner and George Edwards, is there any hesitation among the fan base? Any concern that Norv Turner will bolt after a year for a head coaching gig elsewhere, whether at the pro level or college?
I get more fired up for the season every time I hear Zimmer talk, and watch this team play. I know it seems pie-in-the-sky, but this team can make the playoffs. Consider: Last season, with a defense and quarterback play that was historically bad, the Vikings still blew five games, literally in the last 30 seconds. Win those games, and they're division champions.
Yeah, I know, I know--and if my aunt had a pair of testicles, she'd be my uncle. I bring those blown wins up to point out that the Vikings will have a much improved defense, and at minimum, QB play that is around league average. If they can navigate a tough early schedule and come out of it 3-3, they're going to surprise a lot of people. If you mock me for my playoffs prediction, I'd love to see a balanced offense, an improved defense, and at least be in the playoff hunt until the end of the season.
As to Norv leaving, I'm not concerned, to be honest. I mean, he had to take a gig in Cleveland last year, so I don't think any NFL teams are beating down his door to be the coach. And I'm fine with that, because I think he's going to be a great OC for the Vikings.
Extra Credit #1: Perhaps you've heard of Steven Jackson. The Ramslargely wasted what should be a sure Hall of Fame career in the kind of running back who isn't coming out of the college ranks anymore. Is there any concern setting in that after Jackson's brief claim to the throne, you guys have enjoyed the talents of the best running back in the NFL without seeing much materialize from it? With the recent AD-Jerry Jones brouhaha, is there more worry that Peterson has a chapter of his career left elsewhere or more a sentiment that he deserves more team success than he's found to this point in his career?
Yeah, I know, I know--and if my aunt had a pair of testicles, she'd be my uncle. I bring those blown wins up to point out that the Vikings will have a much improved defense, and at minimum, QB play that is around league average. If they can navigate a tough early schedule and come out of it 3-3, they're going to surprise a lot of people. If you mock me for my playoffs prediction, I'd love to see a balanced offense, an improved defense, and at least be in the playoff hunt until the end of the season.
As to Norv leaving, I'm not concerned, to be honest. I mean, he had to take a gig in Cleveland last year, so I don't think any NFL teams are beating down his door to be the coach. And I'm fine with that, because I think he's going to be a great OC for the Vikings.
Extra Credit #1: Perhaps you've heard of Steven Jackson. The Ramslargely wasted what should be a sure Hall of Fame career in the kind of running back who isn't coming out of the college ranks anymore. Is there any concern setting in that after Jackson's brief claim to the throne, you guys have enjoyed the talents of the best running back in the NFL without seeing much materialize from it? With the recent AD-Jerry Jones brouhaha, is there more worry that Peterson has a chapter of his career left elsewhere or more a sentiment that he deserves more team success than he's found to this point in his career?
Yeah, it bothers me that Peterson might be this generation's Barry Sanders. It took awhile, but the Vikings finally have a lot of good, young talent on the team on both sides of the ball, and there seems to be competent coaching in place, so I'm hopeful that this thing can turn around.
With the running back being devalued in the NFL, as soon as AP becomes just another very good running back, yeah, I can see a scenario where declining play and an onerous contract cause him and the Vikings to part ways. I don't think there was anything to the AP-Jerry Jones thing other than ESPN trying to make news out of nothing, but professional sports franchises in Minnesota have a way of letting their superstar players go elsewhere to win championships.
But the cynical Vikings fan in me also can say that maybe if AP hadn't fumbled on the 10 yard line at the close of the first half in the NFC Championship game in New Orleans, he would've played in a Super Bowl. So whatever.
EC #2: You tagged me, so, uh, returnsies? Is that a thing a 33-year-old man can say without question things? (Answer: No. No it is not.) Prediction for the game and tell me something about being a fan of another NFL team in St. Louis..........................................................................................with the knowledge the TST hordes are watching this answer.
With the running back being devalued in the NFL, as soon as AP becomes just another very good running back, yeah, I can see a scenario where declining play and an onerous contract cause him and the Vikings to part ways. I don't think there was anything to the AP-Jerry Jones thing other than ESPN trying to make news out of nothing, but professional sports franchises in Minnesota have a way of letting their superstar players go elsewhere to win championships.
But the cynical Vikings fan in me also can say that maybe if AP hadn't fumbled on the 10 yard line at the close of the first half in the NFC Championship game in New Orleans, he would've played in a Super Bowl. So whatever.
EC #2: You tagged me, so, uh, returnsies? Is that a thing a 33-year-old man can say without question things? (Answer: No. No it is not.) Prediction for the game and tell me something about being a fan of another NFL team in St. Louis..........................................................................................with the knowledge the TST hordes are watching this answer.
With Sam Bradford out, I think the Vikings come out of St. Louis with a close win, something along the lines of 23-16, 23-20. As to living in St. Louis and being a fan of another team, it's not bad, because it's the Midwest, and St. Louis is one of the most polite fan bases in pro sports. I've lived here a decade, and I love this town. I chose to move here as I was getting ready to retire from the military, and it's a great place to live.
To me, it seems the Rams have been the third team in town since I moved here in 2004, behind the Cardinals and, to a lesser extent, the Blues. This is always going to be a Cardinals town, always. Heck, I've become a huge Cardinals fan; it's almost impossible not to when you live here. And I even overcame my childhood HATRED of the Blues (North Stars fan, yo) to root for them. In Minnesota, even when the Vikings stink, they're always the 600 pound sports gorilla in the room. They always have been, and they always will be, much like the Cardinals are here.
St. Louis looks at the Rams a lot more dispassionately than a lot of NFL cities. Maybe it's because they haven't had a lot of success in recent years and the Blues and Cardinals are among the best teams in their sport, maybe it's because of the unsettled stadium situation, maybe it's because they've only been here since the mid 90's. The Rams fans I've met here are great folks, very Midwestern, very knowledgeable, and I hope to meet some more on Sunday at the game.
I went to the Vikings game here in 2009 with my Dad, and it was a great experience. It's just that for every St. Louis sports fan I meet, the Rams seem to be a lower priority than the Cardinals or Blues. I didn't live here during the Greatest Show on Turf, and all my St. Louis friends tell me the Rams owned this town back then.
When Jeff Fisher starts winning a lot of games here and a new stadium deal gets done, I'm hoping that turns around, because this is as great a sports town as I've ever lived in, and the Rams deserve some of the love the Cardinals and Blues get.
Thanks to Ted for the time.
To me, it seems the Rams have been the third team in town since I moved here in 2004, behind the Cardinals and, to a lesser extent, the Blues. This is always going to be a Cardinals town, always. Heck, I've become a huge Cardinals fan; it's almost impossible not to when you live here. And I even overcame my childhood HATRED of the Blues (North Stars fan, yo) to root for them. In Minnesota, even when the Vikings stink, they're always the 600 pound sports gorilla in the room. They always have been, and they always will be, much like the Cardinals are here.
St. Louis looks at the Rams a lot more dispassionately than a lot of NFL cities. Maybe it's because they haven't had a lot of success in recent years and the Blues and Cardinals are among the best teams in their sport, maybe it's because of the unsettled stadium situation, maybe it's because they've only been here since the mid 90's. The Rams fans I've met here are great folks, very Midwestern, very knowledgeable, and I hope to meet some more on Sunday at the game.
I went to the Vikings game here in 2009 with my Dad, and it was a great experience. It's just that for every St. Louis sports fan I meet, the Rams seem to be a lower priority than the Cardinals or Blues. I didn't live here during the Greatest Show on Turf, and all my St. Louis friends tell me the Rams owned this town back then.
When Jeff Fisher starts winning a lot of games here and a new stadium deal gets done, I'm hoping that turns around, because this is as great a sports town as I've ever lived in, and the Rams deserve some of the love the Cardinals and Blues get.
Thanks to Ted for the time.
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http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=minnesota-vikings&id=8694&wjb=
Vikings open Power Rankings in 26th place(Worst team in the NFC)
SEPTEMBER 2, 2014
By Ben Goessling
MINNEAPOLIS -- Coming off a 5-10-1 season, with a new coach, a well-traveled quarterback and a revamped defense, the Minnesota Vikings weren't likely to generate much preseason buzz. They've largely been picked to finish last in the NFC North in national preseason publications, ranked in the bottom third of the league in most power polls and given an over-under of six wins by the Las Vegas Hotel.
The first edition of ESPN's NFL Power Rankings isn't much kinder to the Vikings. They open the season ranked 26th in our poll, behind every other team in the NFC and eight spots behind the next team in the NFC North (the Detroit Lions).
I've heard from a number of Vikings fans who feel the team isn't getting enough attention for its efforts to upgrade the defense under new coach Mike Zimmer, its weapons on offense and its 4-0 preseason. Those are valid reasons for optimism, and the Vikings might provide more of them if they can weather a tough early schedule (for the record, I've got them going 7-9).
In a national sense, though, the burden of proof is still on the Vikings to show they're deserving of more attention. Until then, gloomy preseason predictions are unfortunately part of the business -- and if the Vikings become a surprise playoff team, like they did two years ago, you'll all have plenty of fodder for I-told-you so speeches.
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PETERSON REMEMBERS THE RAMS’ TRASH TALK
John HollerVikingUpdate.com
http://min.scout.com/story/1441787-peterson-remembers-the-rams-trash-talk?s=63
Adrian Peterson was being stuffed in the first quarter against the Rams in 2012, then went for 212. He said he has never been angrier on the football field hearing the Rams defense trash talk his initial efforts.
NFL history will remember Adrian Peterson’s last work-related road trip to St. Louis.
Nearing the pace needed to set the all-time single-season rushing record, when the Vikings went to St. Louis Dec. 16, 2012, Peterson was nuts. He ran 24 times for 212 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown and another long run in which he was brought down on the 1-yard line.
It didn’t start that way. The Rams were coming off a 2-14 season so heinous they were scheduled to pick second in the 2013 draft, but they traded the pick to Washington so the Redskins could draft Robert Griffin III and the Rams could harvest an embarrassment of riches.
When the two teams met, the Rams were at 6-6-1 and the Vikings were at 7-6. The odds of St. Louis making the playoffs wasn’t good, but there was a heartbeat and a mathematical chance. They were on life support, but they were alive … and talking some pretty significant smack.
On his first seven carries, Peterson had no yards, and the Rams were letting him know it. Of his seven carries, he had positive rushes of 4 and 6 yards. The other five carries were for a loss of 1 yard, three carries for a 2-yard loss and one for a 3-yard loss. A.P. was getting dominated.
As the game went to the second quarter, Peterson was having one of the worst games of his career and the Rams were getting in his head.
“What I remember about that game is that it was the first time in eight years I’ve ever talked off to players,” Peterson said. “Those guys had me so hot. I haven’t ever been that mad playing football, but those guys were just running to the ball. I love it, too, but they were just yapping at the mouth. I’m talking about from the defensive front to the second level to the secondary.”
The upstart Rams were disrespecting a legend and future Hall of Famer. That didn’t sit well with Peterson. The Rams were telling him he was done after one quarter, not realizing they were going to have to stop him “All Day.”
On his first carry of the second quarter, Peterson snapped off an 82-yard run and the mood changed. You don’t like A.P. when he’s angry and he still has a grudge for those guys who was smack-talking early on.
“Those guys were just yapping and they were doing pretty good initially – getting a couple tackles for loss, a couple of three-and-outs,” Peterson said. “Then when I gunned at them one time, it got real quiet. I’m not going to give you my hint. I hope they come in talking a lot of noise this time, too. I’m excited to play these guys. I love playing against a good defense.
I love playing against guys that are aggressive, and know how to play defense. I grew up watching Pittsburgh and the Cowboys when those guys had good defense, guys come in and hit you and run up to the ball. That’s what I’m used to. Every time I play a team like that I’m ever more excited and ramped up to play against them.”
Rams coach Jeff Fisher is equally concerned about what Peterson can do. He witnessed first-hand how Peterson effectively ended the Rams’ 2012 season and, just as that day is tattooed on Peterson’s memory, Fisher hasn’t forgotten it either.
“We went into the game knowing that he has the potential to put the ball in the end zone from anywhere on the field,” Fisher said. “You can’t let your guard down and we started off fast, well against the run. Then we put our defense in a couple bad situations and before you know it he’s racking the yards up.
We didn’t go back and look at this with the players, but as a staff this summer we looked at it. We’ve got a lot of the same guys here, but we’ve got a different approach and a different game plan to this. Realistically speaking, you can’t shut him down. It’s hard to find a game where he’s (shut down), unless the team got real behind fast where you’ve taken him out and neutralized him. He’s a very talented player.”
Entering into the picture as the Vikings return to the scene of the crime is going to be new Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, making his NFL head coaching debut as wins and losses will be forever emblazoned next to his name. He wants his first game to be a success and he may very well have a well-rested ace up his sleeve.
Asked to assess Peterson heading into the regular season opener, the sentiment was that Zimmer would rather be him than Fisher on Sunday.
“He’s got great power, great acceleration and great vision,” Zimmer said. “Those three things make him really unique and really special. Some of the runs I’ve seen him do out here in practice are like, ‘Wow!’ It’s exciting to watch. Finally for once, I’m glad that he’s on my team and not trying to defend him.”
Vikings open Power Rankings in 26th place(Worst team in the NFC)
SEPTEMBER 2, 2014
By Ben Goessling
MINNEAPOLIS -- Coming off a 5-10-1 season, with a new coach, a well-traveled quarterback and a revamped defense, the Minnesota Vikings weren't likely to generate much preseason buzz. They've largely been picked to finish last in the NFC North in national preseason publications, ranked in the bottom third of the league in most power polls and given an over-under of six wins by the Las Vegas Hotel.
The first edition of ESPN's NFL Power Rankings isn't much kinder to the Vikings. They open the season ranked 26th in our poll, behind every other team in the NFC and eight spots behind the next team in the NFC North (the Detroit Lions).
I've heard from a number of Vikings fans who feel the team isn't getting enough attention for its efforts to upgrade the defense under new coach Mike Zimmer, its weapons on offense and its 4-0 preseason. Those are valid reasons for optimism, and the Vikings might provide more of them if they can weather a tough early schedule (for the record, I've got them going 7-9).
In a national sense, though, the burden of proof is still on the Vikings to show they're deserving of more attention. Until then, gloomy preseason predictions are unfortunately part of the business -- and if the Vikings become a surprise playoff team, like they did two years ago, you'll all have plenty of fodder for I-told-you so speeches.
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PETERSON REMEMBERS THE RAMS’ TRASH TALK
John HollerVikingUpdate.com
http://min.scout.com/story/1441787-peterson-remembers-the-rams-trash-talk?s=63
Adrian Peterson was being stuffed in the first quarter against the Rams in 2012, then went for 212. He said he has never been angrier on the football field hearing the Rams defense trash talk his initial efforts.
NFL history will remember Adrian Peterson’s last work-related road trip to St. Louis.
Nearing the pace needed to set the all-time single-season rushing record, when the Vikings went to St. Louis Dec. 16, 2012, Peterson was nuts. He ran 24 times for 212 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown and another long run in which he was brought down on the 1-yard line.
It didn’t start that way. The Rams were coming off a 2-14 season so heinous they were scheduled to pick second in the 2013 draft, but they traded the pick to Washington so the Redskins could draft Robert Griffin III and the Rams could harvest an embarrassment of riches.
When the two teams met, the Rams were at 6-6-1 and the Vikings were at 7-6. The odds of St. Louis making the playoffs wasn’t good, but there was a heartbeat and a mathematical chance. They were on life support, but they were alive … and talking some pretty significant smack.
On his first seven carries, Peterson had no yards, and the Rams were letting him know it. Of his seven carries, he had positive rushes of 4 and 6 yards. The other five carries were for a loss of 1 yard, three carries for a 2-yard loss and one for a 3-yard loss. A.P. was getting dominated.
As the game went to the second quarter, Peterson was having one of the worst games of his career and the Rams were getting in his head.
“What I remember about that game is that it was the first time in eight years I’ve ever talked off to players,” Peterson said. “Those guys had me so hot. I haven’t ever been that mad playing football, but those guys were just running to the ball. I love it, too, but they were just yapping at the mouth. I’m talking about from the defensive front to the second level to the secondary.”
The upstart Rams were disrespecting a legend and future Hall of Famer. That didn’t sit well with Peterson. The Rams were telling him he was done after one quarter, not realizing they were going to have to stop him “All Day.”
On his first carry of the second quarter, Peterson snapped off an 82-yard run and the mood changed. You don’t like A.P. when he’s angry and he still has a grudge for those guys who was smack-talking early on.
“Those guys were just yapping and they were doing pretty good initially – getting a couple tackles for loss, a couple of three-and-outs,” Peterson said. “Then when I gunned at them one time, it got real quiet. I’m not going to give you my hint. I hope they come in talking a lot of noise this time, too. I’m excited to play these guys. I love playing against a good defense.
I love playing against guys that are aggressive, and know how to play defense. I grew up watching Pittsburgh and the Cowboys when those guys had good defense, guys come in and hit you and run up to the ball. That’s what I’m used to. Every time I play a team like that I’m ever more excited and ramped up to play against them.”
Rams coach Jeff Fisher is equally concerned about what Peterson can do. He witnessed first-hand how Peterson effectively ended the Rams’ 2012 season and, just as that day is tattooed on Peterson’s memory, Fisher hasn’t forgotten it either.
“We went into the game knowing that he has the potential to put the ball in the end zone from anywhere on the field,” Fisher said. “You can’t let your guard down and we started off fast, well against the run. Then we put our defense in a couple bad situations and before you know it he’s racking the yards up.
We didn’t go back and look at this with the players, but as a staff this summer we looked at it. We’ve got a lot of the same guys here, but we’ve got a different approach and a different game plan to this. Realistically speaking, you can’t shut him down. It’s hard to find a game where he’s (shut down), unless the team got real behind fast where you’ve taken him out and neutralized him. He’s a very talented player.”
Entering into the picture as the Vikings return to the scene of the crime is going to be new Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, making his NFL head coaching debut as wins and losses will be forever emblazoned next to his name. He wants his first game to be a success and he may very well have a well-rested ace up his sleeve.
Asked to assess Peterson heading into the regular season opener, the sentiment was that Zimmer would rather be him than Fisher on Sunday.
“He’s got great power, great acceleration and great vision,” Zimmer said. “Those three things make him really unique and really special. Some of the runs I’ve seen him do out here in practice are like, ‘Wow!’ It’s exciting to watch. Finally for once, I’m glad that he’s on my team and not trying to defend him.”
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #91
This Week's Enemy Fan Forums: The St. Louis Rams
http://vikingsmessageboard.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27589
Well, fans are fans. there's an equal amount of Viking fans predicting a blowout in our direction. I think we will win, but by less than 4 points. I do agree with your point about other teams expecting "the same old Vikings" I really am looking forward to seeing what Zimmer has in store for the back up QB. I expect him to blitz off the corner or out of the slot with the Captain.
Also I expect AD to have more yards catching the ball out of the backfield that rushing between the tackles (at least in this game). look for him to hit a screen or two and to catch some angle routes in front of the deep linebackers.
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I think we control this game for the most part and win by a touchdown minimum. Id love to see some screens to AD however I see him having a good between the tackles game like last time against the rams
, best guess would say he gets shutdown early till the Rams realized Cassel and other parts of the offence deserve respect, excepting a big second half for AD when the rams adjust.
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Hello all.
I've been browsing your forum for some time now (can't wait for this season to start), and I decided to chime in.
I want to be respectful, but also blatantly honest. I hope that is received well here. BTW, I'm the one that said "33-14".
The one comment that caught my eye was that Rams fans that are predicting a blowout are delusional. Think about it: we've had the same coach for 3 years now, and along the way we have amassed some serious talent via the RG3 trade. We've been impatiently waiting for that talent to develop, and have seen flashes of brilliance. We destroyed the Colts and Bears last year, and also thoroughly defeated the Saints. Two of those teams made the playoffs and won a playoff game. Those are the flashes we saw. We won those three games without Bradford, and with a QB worse than Shaun Hill. Anyway, analyze the few things below:
The Rams went 7-9 while playing in the best division in football. The Vikings went 5-10-1 while playing in what was probably the worst division in the NFC (8 win division champ).
3rd year with same coach, 3 years of drafting players and several first round picks - talented team that has had time to develop.
Flashes of brilliance last year without Sam Bradford.
The Rams are at home, where only 1 non division rival beat us last year (the Titans, with us coming off a short week), whereas the Vikings didn't win a single road game last year.
The Viking defense was atrocious last year. While bringing in a new coach and a few new players is nice, you also lost quite a few. I realize Jared Allen's best football was behind him, but the fact remains that the Vikes lost their best pass rusher. Along with a few other players on D. I don't want to discount what a new coach/scheme can do for current players, and Linval was a good pick up, but first game in a new system? Odds stacked against you.
The Rams just have more talent. Vikings Oline is solid (although I was surprised to read some of your comments about how it's a question mark), Peterson is Peterson, Jennings is solid and all I've heard this offseason is how Patterson will break out this year. But top to bottom, we are just a better team right now. Even starting Shaun Hill....there are several people out there that, when polled, would say Hill and Cassel are on the same level.
Anyway - that is why the Rams should win this game handily. We might not. But should. This team is ready to explode.
Also, the Falcons are your easiest game in the first 5.
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Couldnt disagree more. NFC north is one of the hardest division year in and out.
Falcons beat you guys last year, along with the Cardinals almost both times, Cardinals havnt beat us in years. IMO your 'flashes' are just teams caught on an off day or just underprepaired. For example Bears D took a huge hit last year no surprise they gave up high scoring games, when you beat the colts they where in there worse slump of the season, and no idea about the NO game.
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Welcome to the board.
I think there's a good chance the Rams win this game, for some of the reasons you listed, but "handily"? I think that's only going to happen if the Vikings play turnover-prone, mistake-riddled football and I don't expect them to do that. Both teams have a lot of talent and either could be poised for a breakthrough and a winning season but I doubt either has such a distinct advantage over the other that we should expect a blowout.
To me, the big question is how well the Vikings o-line and blocking hold up against the Rams defense. If the Rams can harass Cassel into making mistakes and contain Peterson, I think they have an excellent chance to win. If they can't handle the Vikings offense, it could the other way, as it did last time these two teams met.
It should be a good opener!
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I respect the Rams greatly, and I believe this game could easily go very badly for the Vikings. That said, your post REALLY makes me hope we win. #### the Rams.
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I truly hope the rams come in underestimating the Vikings like you are.
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Irrelevant. Many teams have the same coach but still finish with losing records and miss the playoffs.
True. But it's not like the rest of the league hasn't done the same, including the Vikings (who also, through trades, have had multiple first-round picks in recent drafts). Something to note, though, it has to be a bit of a disappointment that Robinson isn't starting yet. Don't get me wrong, he has all the tools and I probably would've drafted him over Barr, but that can't feel great. He'll crack the starting lineup sooner than later, though.
You also got obliterated by the Cowboys (who had a defense as bad or worse than the Vikings last year, which is saying something) and managed to put up only 7 points and lost by 10+ points in six games. In offensive yards/game, you finished 30th, while the Vikings finished 13th. We were less than a point from being in the top-10 in points/game compared to your 21st ranking. This offense can score points and should do so at a pace greater than yours.
Of course, your defense is equally imposing, though. Though for as good as your reputation is on defense, you were middle-of-the-pack in yards allowed/game and allowed teams to score more than 23 points 11 times. Granted, the Vikings were among the worst (if not the worst) in both categories last season.
While stability is usually a good thing, 3 years with the same coach is largely irrelevant. And wasn't Fisher hired in January of 2012? So he's completed two years of coaching with the Rams. This is his third year. And in that time he's amassed a 14-17-1 record, which is not necessarily a bad thing and it can take a few years to turn a squad around, but he's not Jim Harbaugh here. 2013 was Fisher's fourth straight season without a winning record.
And just "drafting players and several first-round picks" doesn't always translate into net success, especially if those draft picks are lousy. How's Tavon Austin doing these days?
I'm sure his production and role thus far isn't exactly going as planned. Same for Robinson thus far. Again, it's early. They could be studs in a few years. But so could each of our high-round picks too. I know I'm glad that we have Patterson at this point instead of Austin.
Look at it this way: it couldn't possibly be any worse. Even if they're marginally better, that should still be enough to put up a good fight. Just remember that the Vikings lost a lot of close games last year against opponents on par or tougher than this year's Rams. Increased weaponry on both sides of the ball and allegedly better coaching/playcalling could make them more of a challenge than many realize. I fully expect the Vikings to improve on defense.
With an offense that could push for top-10 and a defense that could and should rank in the top-20...they won't be pushovers to marginal teams like the Bradford-less Rams. I don't mean that as a slight, but the Rams minus Bradford (and the Vikings) aren't on par with the Pats, Broncos, Seahawks of the league.
OL: Push/Advantage Vikings
QB: Push/Advantage Vikings
WR: Advantage Vikings
TEs: Advantage Vikings
RB: Advantage Vikings (by a lot)
K: Push/Advantage Vikings
Special Teams: Advantage Vikings
DL: Push/Advantage Rams
LBs: Advantage Rams (by a lot)
CBs: Push/Advantage Vikings with Trumaine Johnson on the shelf
S: Push/Advantage Vikings (Harrison Smith + Blanton > Rodney McLeod & T.J. McDonald
P: Who cares/Advantage Rams?
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I respect FrantikRam's position, but I would like to point out that we have added just as many quality young players to this team. Our team won the last time they were in St. Louis, too, so I'm not sure your home field advantage is as stout as you might think. Neither team should expect a lopsided victory here.
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Cassel was up and down last year, but with a better OC and better situation this year, I'm sure he'll be fine. I don't remember anyone on the Vikings being all that sad when they cut Hill.
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The Rams dline is the best in the NFL. Certainly a huge advantage of the Vikings Dline.
Our Special Teams were around the best in the NFL last year. I think we even set a record for fewest punt return yards allowed, and I can't remember allowing a big kick return. Punter is the best in the league, and while Blair Walsh was better than GZ as a rook, GZ was very good last year.
I'd look at it like this:
QB - push/advantage Vikings
RB - Vikings big
WR - push - Patterson hasn't done it YET. Everyone just thinks he will. If you look at his stats, they are virtually identical to Tavon Austin's stats....and while I'm sure stuff like this happened to CP, Tavon had two big TDs called back. So CP and TA are a push. Simpson is out, which means we're comparing Greg Jennings to Kenny Britt and Brian Quick - who have looked phenomenal thus far. Jennings is better but Rams have more depth, which is why I call this a push.
OL - advantage Rams. Go look at various sites for Oline rankings, most have Rams ranked ahead of Vikes
DL - Rams big
LB - Rams
CB - Push, even with TruJo on the shelf. Vikes secondary was putrid last year, Rams wasn't great either
S - Vikes
ST - Rams - again go look up non biased rankings, and the Rams are ahead. Also as I said above, we had the best ST units last year.
So the Vikings have a big advantage at RB....and that's about it.
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Unit-to-unit comparisons like that are fun but with the exception of special teams, those units don't match up against each other so in the end, it doesn't really matter how the Rams DL compares to the Vikings DL. What matters is how those d-lines match up against the opposing o-lines, how receivers match up against DBs, and so on.
Bottom line; the Vikes and Rams are pretty evenly matched. The Rams are are favored in this one because they're playing at home but there are some potential mismatches for both teams and that's where the outcome of this one will likely be determined, especially with two journeymen at QB.
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Yeah and I'm sick of always hearing about how "good our o-line is" with all of the continuity. Our o-line is a total joke. The guards are both bad, Kalil and Loadhoalt give up way too many sacks and god forbid someone blitzes us. I hear about Sully being a top 5 center but I think he's pretty average. This is gonna be a rough game offensively!
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QB - push/advantage Vikings - This is also the most important position on the field. Cassel has spent entires seasons as a started and has also spent more time with his receivers, not to mention taking starter snaps all offseason. Even if we want to argue who is the better talent, Cassel is far better prepared for this game.
RB - Vikings - Yup
WR - push/advantage Vikings - Patterson has a marginal edge, because he had the same speed/agility for big play potential but has more height. Greg Jennings to Kenny Britt or Brian Quick is still advantage Vikings, because Jennings is a proven commodity. I'd argue our other backups have equal potential
TE - advantage Vikings - Kyle Rudolph is in a TE friendly offense and is ready to explode. This is one if our team's strongest positions.
OL - push - both teams have blue chip starters at multiple positions
DL - advantage Rams - The Rams have proven commodities on their squad. The Vikings are underrated and very talented, but they have to prove their potential as a unit
LB - advantage Rams - Our LBs are incredibly pedestrian.
CB - push - this secondary is going to fit Xavier Rhodes well and Captain Munnerlyn seems to always be a forgotten man because of his height. You'll remember the name Monday morning, though
S - advantage Vikings - Harrison Smith is going to make whoever starts next to him serviceable because he is just that good.
ST - push - These are two of the best units in the NFL
These teams actually matchup really well
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Their defense "WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM CONTAINING AD", that seems quite laughable to me anyway
What defense has contained him? He pretty much has the same o-line that nearly got him the NFL rushing record, doesn't he? AD will go well over 100 yds. this game. He is fresh, well healed and egar to to prove to everyone that he is the best back in the NFL (which he of course is). My biggest worry is how Cassel will do under pressure. Vikes win 24-14.
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The Vikings were in the top-8 in kick return and punt return averages and racked up the most yards and TDs in each category. Last season Patterson returned 43 kickoffs for 1,393 yards and two touchdowns, posting a league-leading 32.4-yard average en route to a Pro Bowl nomination. Your punter was the best in the league? His average was 10th, two yards more than ours. He had a long of 64. Ours had a long of 65. Yours did have a longer Net. You are correct with your coverage units, though ours were solid. I'd say it's pretty even, all things considered.
Kenny Britt has potential, but he's been injured, benched and cut in his short career. As you mentioned, Jennings is the better player. And you'd have to compare Quick to Jarius Wright. I might give the nod to Quick, but that's based purely on size/speed/potential as last year he caught a whopping 18 passes for 302 yards and 2 TDs.
Wright was contending with being the #4 WR on a run-first team with Christian Ponder and Josh freaking Freeman starting games in addition to Cassel and he still managed to post a 26-434-3 stat line. The Vikings also have promising young talent in Adam Thielen who is probably better than Austin Pettis. I disagree you have more depth at the position. I'd still call this one advantage Vikings.
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frantik ram: be sure and stop back in here sunday evening. sean hill at qb? yes, you have recently had a ton of picks so the question is why is your team so bad? the point is, they were bad even with bradford as qb. he had to have been the most overpaid qb in the nfl over the past several seasons he essentially did nothing his entire career. and as far as tavon austin goes you have to be kidding me. how tall is he, 5 ft 9? he is a slot receiver at BEST and someone on here compared him to patterson? my last girlfriend was taller than tavon austin.
i simply can't stop laughing because aside from the rams probably the browns are the only franchise with more picks and are equally abysmal. good luck sunday you will need it. i suppose stranger things have happened, but i don't see minnesota losing.
http://vikingsmessageboard.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27589
Well, fans are fans. there's an equal amount of Viking fans predicting a blowout in our direction. I think we will win, but by less than 4 points. I do agree with your point about other teams expecting "the same old Vikings" I really am looking forward to seeing what Zimmer has in store for the back up QB. I expect him to blitz off the corner or out of the slot with the Captain.
Also I expect AD to have more yards catching the ball out of the backfield that rushing between the tackles (at least in this game). look for him to hit a screen or two and to catch some angle routes in front of the deep linebackers.
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I think we control this game for the most part and win by a touchdown minimum. Id love to see some screens to AD however I see him having a good between the tackles game like last time against the rams
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Hello all.
I've been browsing your forum for some time now (can't wait for this season to start), and I decided to chime in.
I want to be respectful, but also blatantly honest. I hope that is received well here. BTW, I'm the one that said "33-14".
The one comment that caught my eye was that Rams fans that are predicting a blowout are delusional. Think about it: we've had the same coach for 3 years now, and along the way we have amassed some serious talent via the RG3 trade. We've been impatiently waiting for that talent to develop, and have seen flashes of brilliance. We destroyed the Colts and Bears last year, and also thoroughly defeated the Saints. Two of those teams made the playoffs and won a playoff game. Those are the flashes we saw. We won those three games without Bradford, and with a QB worse than Shaun Hill. Anyway, analyze the few things below:
The Rams went 7-9 while playing in the best division in football. The Vikings went 5-10-1 while playing in what was probably the worst division in the NFC (8 win division champ).
3rd year with same coach, 3 years of drafting players and several first round picks - talented team that has had time to develop.
Flashes of brilliance last year without Sam Bradford.
The Rams are at home, where only 1 non division rival beat us last year (the Titans, with us coming off a short week), whereas the Vikings didn't win a single road game last year.
The Viking defense was atrocious last year. While bringing in a new coach and a few new players is nice, you also lost quite a few. I realize Jared Allen's best football was behind him, but the fact remains that the Vikes lost their best pass rusher. Along with a few other players on D. I don't want to discount what a new coach/scheme can do for current players, and Linval was a good pick up, but first game in a new system? Odds stacked against you.
The Rams just have more talent. Vikings Oline is solid (although I was surprised to read some of your comments about how it's a question mark), Peterson is Peterson, Jennings is solid and all I've heard this offseason is how Patterson will break out this year. But top to bottom, we are just a better team right now. Even starting Shaun Hill....there are several people out there that, when polled, would say Hill and Cassel are on the same level.
Anyway - that is why the Rams should win this game handily. We might not. But should. This team is ready to explode.
Also, the Falcons are your easiest game in the first 5.
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Couldnt disagree more. NFC north is one of the hardest division year in and out.
Falcons beat you guys last year, along with the Cardinals almost both times, Cardinals havnt beat us in years. IMO your 'flashes' are just teams caught on an off day or just underprepaired. For example Bears D took a huge hit last year no surprise they gave up high scoring games, when you beat the colts they where in there worse slump of the season, and no idea about the NO game.
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Welcome to the board.
I think there's a good chance the Rams win this game, for some of the reasons you listed, but "handily"? I think that's only going to happen if the Vikings play turnover-prone, mistake-riddled football and I don't expect them to do that. Both teams have a lot of talent and either could be poised for a breakthrough and a winning season but I doubt either has such a distinct advantage over the other that we should expect a blowout.
To me, the big question is how well the Vikings o-line and blocking hold up against the Rams defense. If the Rams can harass Cassel into making mistakes and contain Peterson, I think they have an excellent chance to win. If they can't handle the Vikings offense, it could the other way, as it did last time these two teams met.
It should be a good opener!
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I respect the Rams greatly, and I believe this game could easily go very badly for the Vikings. That said, your post REALLY makes me hope we win. #### the Rams.
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I truly hope the rams come in underestimating the Vikings like you are.
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Irrelevant. Many teams have the same coach but still finish with losing records and miss the playoffs.
True. But it's not like the rest of the league hasn't done the same, including the Vikings (who also, through trades, have had multiple first-round picks in recent drafts). Something to note, though, it has to be a bit of a disappointment that Robinson isn't starting yet. Don't get me wrong, he has all the tools and I probably would've drafted him over Barr, but that can't feel great. He'll crack the starting lineup sooner than later, though.
You also got obliterated by the Cowboys (who had a defense as bad or worse than the Vikings last year, which is saying something) and managed to put up only 7 points and lost by 10+ points in six games. In offensive yards/game, you finished 30th, while the Vikings finished 13th. We were less than a point from being in the top-10 in points/game compared to your 21st ranking. This offense can score points and should do so at a pace greater than yours.
Of course, your defense is equally imposing, though. Though for as good as your reputation is on defense, you were middle-of-the-pack in yards allowed/game and allowed teams to score more than 23 points 11 times. Granted, the Vikings were among the worst (if not the worst) in both categories last season.
While stability is usually a good thing, 3 years with the same coach is largely irrelevant. And wasn't Fisher hired in January of 2012? So he's completed two years of coaching with the Rams. This is his third year. And in that time he's amassed a 14-17-1 record, which is not necessarily a bad thing and it can take a few years to turn a squad around, but he's not Jim Harbaugh here. 2013 was Fisher's fourth straight season without a winning record.
And just "drafting players and several first-round picks" doesn't always translate into net success, especially if those draft picks are lousy. How's Tavon Austin doing these days?
Look at it this way: it couldn't possibly be any worse. Even if they're marginally better, that should still be enough to put up a good fight. Just remember that the Vikings lost a lot of close games last year against opponents on par or tougher than this year's Rams. Increased weaponry on both sides of the ball and allegedly better coaching/playcalling could make them more of a challenge than many realize. I fully expect the Vikings to improve on defense.
With an offense that could push for top-10 and a defense that could and should rank in the top-20...they won't be pushovers to marginal teams like the Bradford-less Rams. I don't mean that as a slight, but the Rams minus Bradford (and the Vikings) aren't on par with the Pats, Broncos, Seahawks of the league.
OL: Push/Advantage Vikings
QB: Push/Advantage Vikings
WR: Advantage Vikings
TEs: Advantage Vikings
RB: Advantage Vikings (by a lot)
K: Push/Advantage Vikings
Special Teams: Advantage Vikings
DL: Push/Advantage Rams
LBs: Advantage Rams (by a lot)
CBs: Push/Advantage Vikings with Trumaine Johnson on the shelf
S: Push/Advantage Vikings (Harrison Smith + Blanton > Rodney McLeod & T.J. McDonald
P: Who cares/Advantage Rams?
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I respect FrantikRam's position, but I would like to point out that we have added just as many quality young players to this team. Our team won the last time they were in St. Louis, too, so I'm not sure your home field advantage is as stout as you might think. Neither team should expect a lopsided victory here.
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Cassel was up and down last year, but with a better OC and better situation this year, I'm sure he'll be fine. I don't remember anyone on the Vikings being all that sad when they cut Hill.
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The Rams dline is the best in the NFL. Certainly a huge advantage of the Vikings Dline.
Our Special Teams were around the best in the NFL last year. I think we even set a record for fewest punt return yards allowed, and I can't remember allowing a big kick return. Punter is the best in the league, and while Blair Walsh was better than GZ as a rook, GZ was very good last year.
I'd look at it like this:
QB - push/advantage Vikings
RB - Vikings big
WR - push - Patterson hasn't done it YET. Everyone just thinks he will. If you look at his stats, they are virtually identical to Tavon Austin's stats....and while I'm sure stuff like this happened to CP, Tavon had two big TDs called back. So CP and TA are a push. Simpson is out, which means we're comparing Greg Jennings to Kenny Britt and Brian Quick - who have looked phenomenal thus far. Jennings is better but Rams have more depth, which is why I call this a push.
OL - advantage Rams. Go look at various sites for Oline rankings, most have Rams ranked ahead of Vikes
DL - Rams big
LB - Rams
CB - Push, even with TruJo on the shelf. Vikes secondary was putrid last year, Rams wasn't great either
S - Vikes
ST - Rams - again go look up non biased rankings, and the Rams are ahead. Also as I said above, we had the best ST units last year.
So the Vikings have a big advantage at RB....and that's about it.
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Unit-to-unit comparisons like that are fun but with the exception of special teams, those units don't match up against each other so in the end, it doesn't really matter how the Rams DL compares to the Vikings DL. What matters is how those d-lines match up against the opposing o-lines, how receivers match up against DBs, and so on.
Bottom line; the Vikes and Rams are pretty evenly matched. The Rams are are favored in this one because they're playing at home but there are some potential mismatches for both teams and that's where the outcome of this one will likely be determined, especially with two journeymen at QB.
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Yeah and I'm sick of always hearing about how "good our o-line is" with all of the continuity. Our o-line is a total joke. The guards are both bad, Kalil and Loadhoalt give up way too many sacks and god forbid someone blitzes us. I hear about Sully being a top 5 center but I think he's pretty average. This is gonna be a rough game offensively!
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QB - push/advantage Vikings - This is also the most important position on the field. Cassel has spent entires seasons as a started and has also spent more time with his receivers, not to mention taking starter snaps all offseason. Even if we want to argue who is the better talent, Cassel is far better prepared for this game.
RB - Vikings - Yup
WR - push/advantage Vikings - Patterson has a marginal edge, because he had the same speed/agility for big play potential but has more height. Greg Jennings to Kenny Britt or Brian Quick is still advantage Vikings, because Jennings is a proven commodity. I'd argue our other backups have equal potential
TE - advantage Vikings - Kyle Rudolph is in a TE friendly offense and is ready to explode. This is one if our team's strongest positions.
OL - push - both teams have blue chip starters at multiple positions
DL - advantage Rams - The Rams have proven commodities on their squad. The Vikings are underrated and very talented, but they have to prove their potential as a unit
LB - advantage Rams - Our LBs are incredibly pedestrian.
CB - push - this secondary is going to fit Xavier Rhodes well and Captain Munnerlyn seems to always be a forgotten man because of his height. You'll remember the name Monday morning, though
S - advantage Vikings - Harrison Smith is going to make whoever starts next to him serviceable because he is just that good.
ST - push - These are two of the best units in the NFL
These teams actually matchup really well
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Their defense "WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM CONTAINING AD", that seems quite laughable to me anyway
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The Vikings were in the top-8 in kick return and punt return averages and racked up the most yards and TDs in each category. Last season Patterson returned 43 kickoffs for 1,393 yards and two touchdowns, posting a league-leading 32.4-yard average en route to a Pro Bowl nomination. Your punter was the best in the league? His average was 10th, two yards more than ours. He had a long of 64. Ours had a long of 65. Yours did have a longer Net. You are correct with your coverage units, though ours were solid. I'd say it's pretty even, all things considered.
Kenny Britt has potential, but he's been injured, benched and cut in his short career. As you mentioned, Jennings is the better player. And you'd have to compare Quick to Jarius Wright. I might give the nod to Quick, but that's based purely on size/speed/potential as last year he caught a whopping 18 passes for 302 yards and 2 TDs.
Wright was contending with being the #4 WR on a run-first team with Christian Ponder and Josh freaking Freeman starting games in addition to Cassel and he still managed to post a 26-434-3 stat line. The Vikings also have promising young talent in Adam Thielen who is probably better than Austin Pettis. I disagree you have more depth at the position. I'd still call this one advantage Vikings.
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frantik ram: be sure and stop back in here sunday evening. sean hill at qb? yes, you have recently had a ton of picks so the question is why is your team so bad? the point is, they were bad even with bradford as qb. he had to have been the most overpaid qb in the nfl over the past several seasons he essentially did nothing his entire career. and as far as tavon austin goes you have to be kidding me. how tall is he, 5 ft 9? he is a slot receiver at BEST and someone on here compared him to patterson? my last girlfriend was taller than tavon austin.
i simply can't stop laughing because aside from the rams probably the browns are the only franchise with more picks and are equally abysmal. good luck sunday you will need it. i suppose stranger things have happened, but i don't see minnesota losing.
HE WITH HORNS
Hall of Fame
Optimism is optimism. Everyone gets to believe in their team before the season starts. Everyone gets to look on the bright side. Everyone gets to expect the young questionable players will start to play to potential. Well...everyone except a chunk of the Rams fan-base. But that's what happens every year. Can't judge them too harshly for that.
I will say, though, that the guy that claimed the Vikings were a push with the Rams in terms of their DL is a fool. A laughable fool. There's being optimistic and then there's being delusional. I like to try to be optimistic but I'm not going to try and tell you that Brian Quick is the next Randy Moss.
I will say, though, that the guy that claimed the Vikings were a push with the Rams in terms of their DL is a fool. A laughable fool. There's being optimistic and then there's being delusional. I like to try to be optimistic but I'm not going to try and tell you that Brian Quick is the next Randy Moss.
Yep. Vikings are breaking in new schemes on both sides of the ball. Matt Cassel was atrocious last time he was the full time starter and is known for his inability to deal with pressure. Not to mention that Norv Turner, as great of an offensive mind as he is, is known for his stubbornness. He loves long developing routes and deep drops. That's not something that works well against a front like the Rams. Especially with Matt Cassel at QB.
I agree with everything you said, Mack. There's potential for the Rams to lose this one. We're not the Seahawks. The Vikings have some very talented guys. But, imo, we're the better team and we have the match-up advantages where they count.
Plus, I just don't think highly of Matt Cassel. Shaun Hill is a better QB.
And this one:
For a team that went 5-11 in a division that was won by an 8-8 team they sure like to think they are in the best division and beasts. Thatd be like us talking major shit the season after the Seahawks won the division at 7-9. Have the Vikings improved? Probably, not hard after last year. Have the Rams? Yes.
And yea, Matt Cassel is soooo good. If he was why did KC get rid of him? Yes Hill is a career backup, just like Cassell should be,and will be in the near future. Bridgewater will take over at some point this season after Cassel sucks and he will never be a #1 again.
They say Kyle Rudolph is so much better than any of our TE's.....8 games, 313 yards and 3 td's doesnt sound to amazing to me.
O-line a push? Besides Matt Kalil sucking who did good on their line?
Jennings had 800 yards and 4 td's...patterson can be good and might/might not break out. Besides that who do they have besides a suspended Simpson?
They gave $40mil+ to a guy who has started one game in his career. Thatd be like giving Hayes $40mil+.
Do i expect this game to be a gimme? Not at all. We could lose this game as anything can happen on any given sunday, but for the majority to think they are better overall and many to blow us out. Smdh...
A new coaching staff and new journeyman QB does not make you beasts among the masses. Without AP they would be nothing. And bring up a game in 2012 as why you might win.....should we bring up the many shitty games your team had the past few years?
My prediction: 27-20 Rams.
It will be a good game but I give the edge to the Rams. We could lose but I think they overestimate themselves.
We dont have the best TE group and Cook was over paid. They have a great ST unit but ours is great as well. Both have great kickers. Both have "ok" qb's. Our rb's are good, AP is amazing. WR is a push till proven otherwise. Rams D-line better. Rams O-line better if can stay healthy and shake the rust.
Right now i see the Lions, Bears and Packers better than the Vikes till proven otherwise.
And yea, Matt Cassel is soooo good. If he was why did KC get rid of him? Yes Hill is a career backup, just like Cassell should be,and will be in the near future. Bridgewater will take over at some point this season after Cassel sucks and he will never be a #1 again.
They say Kyle Rudolph is so much better than any of our TE's.....8 games, 313 yards and 3 td's doesnt sound to amazing to me.
O-line a push? Besides Matt Kalil sucking who did good on their line?
Jennings had 800 yards and 4 td's...patterson can be good and might/might not break out. Besides that who do they have besides a suspended Simpson?
They gave $40mil+ to a guy who has started one game in his career. Thatd be like giving Hayes $40mil+.
Do i expect this game to be a gimme? Not at all. We could lose this game as anything can happen on any given sunday, but for the majority to think they are better overall and many to blow us out. Smdh...
A new coaching staff and new journeyman QB does not make you beasts among the masses. Without AP they would be nothing. And bring up a game in 2012 as why you might win.....should we bring up the many shitty games your team had the past few years?
My prediction: 27-20 Rams.
It will be a good game but I give the edge to the Rams. We could lose but I think they overestimate themselves.
We dont have the best TE group and Cook was over paid. They have a great ST unit but ours is great as well. Both have great kickers. Both have "ok" qb's. Our rb's are good, AP is amazing. WR is a push till proven otherwise. Rams D-line better. Rams O-line better if can stay healthy and shake the rust.
Right now i see the Lions, Bears and Packers better than the Vikes till proven otherwise.
I've seen multiple Vikings fans bring this up. Think it's also worth pointing out that they went 4-4-1 in 1 score games. So arguing that you would have won the division if you went 9-0 in one score games is kind of pointless. You actually outperformed expectations in one score games considering your team was 5-10-1 overall and you went .500 in one score games. So I think the close games argument isn't a strong one. Good teams find a way to win, bad teams find a way to lose. Us Rams fans know that well.
And for reference, the Rams were 1-3 last year in one score games. Which means they under-performed relative to their record.
Yeah. As we know all too well... new offenses TAKE TIME to install. And one off-season ain't enough.
Oh, and that TJ McDonald hit was perfectly legal. Just because he lifted that cat off the ground didn't make it illegal. He hit him on the top of the numbers and JACKED him. With his shoulders through the guy's sternum. Never even hit the guy's helmet. Love that hit.