OT: Saints vs. Vikings

[pherein]

Pherein....have the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation give that kicker a lie detector....

Now you know how they covered, Wolfpack

LOL, ROFL.. very nice

 

[pherein]

I think the important thing is our offense struggled, a couple of times, but made the plays to win the game. They should have been blown out, with all respect. So why didnt that happen? and im sure if I look stupid, but its almost like we allowed them to be in the game, with Breeses play.

Defense shut the Vikings down, that was interesting, and might be very important. Bret couldn't pass and hes pretty good.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm so glad football is back, but this was a snoozer of a game. Both teams have issues, but I expect both teams to be able to correct them throughout the season. Kicking issues are a big deal for the Saints. All that said, though, I'm not sure there is a team in the NFC right now (outside of the Vikings) that can dethrone the Saints. I would say the Packers, but I think the Saints would torch that defense.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I think the important thing is our offense struggled, a couple of times, but made the plays to win the game.

Defense shut the Vikings down, that was interesting, ad might be very important.

Agreed; the offense doesn't worry me, it'll work its issues out. The Saints' D performance is a lot more intriguing to me. It'll be interesting to see if their D is really that god or if the Vikings' O is just that bad. A fair amount of both, if I had to guess.

 

[Wolfpack]

Why would you do that when you know Favre missed all of training camp? They are paying the price for that now. It will take Favre a while to click with his receivers.

I expected a close hard fought game much like last year's NFCCG (in which I chose the Saints, so that one hurt) and I loved the 6 point spread - 6 points is a lot in the NFL. But the game didn't play out anything like what I expected. If you told me the Vikes would only score 9 points, I would have sold everything I own, gone to Vegas, and bet it all on the Saints.

 

[Wolfpack]

I think the important thing is our offense struggled, a couple of times, but made the plays to win the game. They should have been blown out, with all respect. So why didnt that happen?

Defense shut the Vikings down, that was interesting, and might be very important. Bret couldn't pass and hes pretty good.

I don't consider tonight an example of the offense making the plays to win the game. They had something like 4 chances to put the Vikings away and failed each and every time until that final drive where they got the necessary 1st down to kill the clock.

NO's defense won the game, pure and simple. If I was a Saints fan I wouldn't be too worried because the offense will certainly get on track. But I also wouldn't be deluding myself into thinking they played well tonight.

 

[Patspsycho]

I expected a close hard fought game much like last year's NFCCG (in which I chose the Saints, so that one hurt) and I loved the 6 point spread - 6 points is a lot in the NFL. But the game didn't play out anything like what I expected. If you told me the Vikes would only score 9 points, I would have sold everything I own, gone to Vegas, and bet it all on the Saints.

If it had been any other QB, I would have agreed with you, but so much of Favre's game is shooting from the hip. He just feels the coverage instead of diagnosing it. The upside to that is the defense doesn't know what he is going to do only because he himself, doesn't even know; that's the luxury he has in the west coast offense which has many short and long options he can simply choose (another reason why he flourished in Minn and not in NY). The downside to that is you have to get the feel of the game back, and he can't get that just playing two series in preseason. Tonight he was spray 'n pray out there because he is a one trick pony. He can't audible to save his life.

 

[Wolfpack]

If it had been any other QB, I would have agreed with you, but so much of Favre's game is shooting from the hip. He just feels the coverage instead of diagnosing it. The upside to that is the defense doesn't know what he is going to do only because he himself, doesn't even know; that's the luxury he has in the west coast offense which has many short and long options he can simply choose (another reason why he flourished in Minn and not in NY). The downside to that is you have to get the feel of the game back, and he can't get that just playing two series in preseason. Tonight he was spray 'n pray out there because he is a one trick pony. He can't audible to save his life.

Well I'd rather make a lousy pick and still somehow finagle a fluke win than make a great pick and find myself on the short end of a fluke loss.

 

[pherein]

Agreed; the offense doesn't worry me, it'll work its issues out. The Saints' D performance is a lot more intriguing to me. It'll be interesting to see if their D is really that god or if the Vikings' O is just that bad. A fair amount of both, if I had to guess.

Yea good point, the vikes could have had a bad day, happens to all teams. Not bad for a defense to allow only 9 pts to a offense as good as the Vikes tho. As you said interesting to watch, did our defense face a bad team or have they actually improved against one of the better. Or did Farve just choke again.

I think we dont know that yet,because we should have wasted them, not to be rude, but our offense is pretty good and we also had to many 3 and outs.

 

[Patspsycho]

Yea good point, the vikes could have had a bad day, happens to all teams. Not bad for a defense to allow only 9 pts to a offense as good as the Vikes tho. As you said interesting to watch, did our defense face a bad team or have they actually improved against one of the better. Or did Farve just choke again.

I think we dont know that yet,because we should have wasted them, not to be rude.

Favre didn't choke. He just didn't have his sea legs under him. It shows in all the 3rd down trouble they had.

You guys had a bit of the opening season jitters is all.

 

[pherein]

I don't consider tonight an example of the offense making the plays to win the game. They had something like 4 chances to put the Vikings away and failed each and every time until that final drive where they got the necessary 1st down to kill the clock.

NO's defense won the game, pure and simple. If I was a Saints fan I wouldn't be too worried because the offense will certainly get on track. But I also wouldn't be deluding myself into thinking they played well tonight.

I completely agree. I think we saw something on defense and a lack of offense on the Saints to just end this game.

I think that might show 2 things.

#1 even tho most think we are the end all beat all, and the #1 offense , we are not. We struggle, and there is a problem not defined, because we had them 3 times in the game. The Pats and Saints don't shrug from those moments, it becomes fact. The knife is put in your heart and twisted. But we could not do it. That bothers me.

#2 Defense won this game again, and they look better.

 

[pherein]

Favre didn't choke. He just didn't have his sea legs under him. It shows in all the 3rd down trouble they had.

You guys had a bit of the opening season jitters is all.

Yea I saw that also, good points

 

[ALP]

i think theres a couple of things to draw from the game...

in order of importance

#1 Minny offense going to suck this year

#2 NO defense hasnt been tested yet

#3 NO's team is at a similar level as that of last yr (which is obviously a good thing, lol)

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

This game felt like it was in slow motion, pretty typical for an opener. It lacked big plays and late game drama.

Hard to figure out either team because the strength of the other is unknown. But you can wager to say that the Saints are a damn good team and balanced on both sides of the ball. Brees could have had a monster game if it weren't for several key drops by WRs.

The Vikings appear to be, as suspected, extremely rusty on offense. Late injuries, Favre's failure to show up to training camp, that was pretty obvious, but I thought they'd be able to put together more consistency. The game turned in the second half when they abandoned Adrian Peterson and decided to throw the ball against a suspecting defense. Clearly the Rice injury is going to take their offense down a notch.

The Saints have a decent chance to repeat by the fact that, as usual, most of the elite teams are in the AFC. Instead of needing to get by Indy, NE, SD, Balt, and several other teams with the talent to win it all, it appears (this early) that the NFC offers little competition. The media is desperately trying to hype teams like Dallas, Atlanta, and Green Bay, but I just don't see it.

The roller coaster ride that is the NFL season has begun. So early, yet always so entertaining to watch.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Yea good point, the vikes could have had a bad day, happens to all teams. Not bad for a defense to allow only 9 pts to a offense as good as the Vikes tho. As you said interesting to watch, did our defense face a bad team or have they actually improved against one of the better. Or did Farve just choke again.

I think we dont know that yet,because we should have wasted them, not to be rude, but our offense is pretty good and we also had to many 3 and outs.

Oh yeah, definitely. The offense played below its talent level today and they still won, so you have to be happy coming out of that. The defense played well, which no matter how you break that down, it's a significant positive. Jenkins in particular really impressed me.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Like one of the guys on NFLN said last night, knowing they opened against NO the Viqueens QB should have either come to camp early or stayed away until week 2... Favre is old, it's caught up with him every season over the last couple, usually down the stretch. This year it will again, only it will also show early because he's not conditioned to maintain the kind of pace he faced tonight for long. He's also got some issues to deal with on offense that will make the early going even tougher...

Saints looked like they were going to roll early and should have put up at least 20-23 if not for a missed TD catch and 2 missed can't be missed FG's.

They should still be the team to beat in the NFC. Reggie Bush remains an expensive conundrum...

 

[BradyFTW!]

Childress is wishing he could be back at home, brooding in his windowless van.

 

[Joker]

Childress is wishing he could be back at home, brooding in his windowless van.

perhaps....I like to believe "breeding in his windowless chicken coop" myself...

 

[pherein]

Oh yeah, definitely. The offense played below its talent level today and they still won, so you have to be happy coming out of that. The defense played well, which no matter how you break that down, it's a significant positive. Jenkins in particular really impressed me.

Glade you noticed that BradyFTW, but you seem to do. Jenkins was outstanding considering the shoes he has to fill. As a whole, it doesn't, seem epic, but we kept the Vikes to 9 pts, no bad.

 

[Gwedd]

perhaps....I like to believe "breeding in his windowless chicken coop" myself...

I kept watching him and thinking he reminds me of Mr. Peabody, and that his head was ready to explode at any given time.