A look forward to the Vikings

[VrabelJr]

Agreed, and based off of how open Mike Wallace was frequently against Revis, I'm extremely concerned about his effectiveness at this stage of his career post acl. I know many players come back from those injuries just fine, but maybe this is the exception to the rule because yesterday, that was not New York Jets lockdown corner Revis.

And why was he playing so far off the line? He has always played press man, all of a sudden though, Belichick wants to change up what makes him effective though.

You don't try and jam speedsters at the line. If you miss your jam, Wallace is gone. You play 5 yards off and run with them. Sometimes the WR will get to do a double move or comeback route because of this. It's just part of it all. Thankfully there aren't very many Mike Wallaces in the NFL.

 

[ATippett56]

http://www.patspulpit.com/2014/9/8/6121041/the-patriots-didnt-have-3-4-personnel-but-tried-anyways

 

[VrabelJr]

We are gonna trash the Vikings no questions asked we are a super bowl team their not, their like a low level team compared to us.

I wouldn't go that far. They do some things well and it's a new NFL season. The Vikings were in the playoffs two seasons ago with a worse team, in my opinion. Their DL is pretty deep. Harrison Smith is a nice FS and Rhodes is a pretty good CB. Anthony Barr was a nice addition and the DL up front will make his life easy as the SAM LB, sort of like a Von Miller type of role. They also added Antone Exum, who was a binkie of many draftniks on this board.

Their offensive line speaks for itself. Matt Kalil and Phil Loadholt are two of the best tackles in the game. This isn't going to be as easy of a game as we think it is but I do think we should win.

 

[VrabelJr]

Yes but pats will know this and know some of his tendencies

Mike Zimmer's dependencies: a very simple defense where you try and win 1-on-1s. That Bengals defense didn't do anything sneaky or special against us, they just beat the us up.

 

[VrabelJr]

http://www.patspulpit.com/2014/9/8/6121041/the-patriots-didnt-have-3-4-personnel-but-tried-anyways

Pretty decent article. It's obvious Chandler Jones wasn't two gapping so his 3-4 RDE position was almost exactly the same as his 4-3 RDE.

Wilfork and Mayo were two gapping. LDE was sometimes two gapping. The problem was Mayo played an awful game (despite his tackle stats) in terms of shedding blocks and picking a gap, which is why most of his tackles came 5-10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Wilfork wasn't glamorous either of course. I would say Wilfork, Mayo and Vellano were why we got ran all over. We didn't get beat by off tackle runs, it was almost all up the gut.

If the running plays went how the author says they did, which they didn't, then the LT and LG double teaming Jones would mean that Wilfork and LDE get a 2-on-3 against C, RG and RT. That would mean Mayo should have easy pickings of where to go until the LG disengages Jones. That's a matchup our run defense should love, but that's not what happened and even if it did, we didn't execute.

 

[supafly]

You don't try and jam speedsters at the line. If you miss your jam, Wallace is gone. You play 5 yards off and run with them. Sometimes the WR will get to do a double move or comeback route because of this. It's just part of it all. Thankfully there aren't very many Mike Wallaces in the NFL.

Well, whatever they did in off-man and zone they did poorly, because Mike Wallace only had one game all of last year where he had more catches than yesterday.

That said, the passing game wasn't our biggest problem yesterday anyway. Tackling, effectively running the ball, preventing your QB from being hit (reportedly 22 times) and stopping the run were.

 

[ausbacker]

Mike Zimmer's dependencies: a very simple defense where you try and win 1-on-1s. That Bengals defense didn't do anything sneaky or special against us, they just beat the us up.

Seattle plays straight up. There may be merit to keeping it simple on D and simply going after the opposition. Mentally, it simplifies things for the players.

 

[jmt57]

Week 1 hot reads: Great early returns for new Vikings defense

But there's no question Vikings players are loving life in new coach Mike Zimmer's defense after years in Leslie Frazier's Tampa-2 derivative system, where a player such as (safety Harrison) Smith too often was stuck sitting back in a two-deep zone. His pick Sunday came on a perfect call for the play.

"I don't know if I could say (there is) 'freedom' because you've got a role in every defense," Smith said. "But I think Coach Zimmer just likes to use his safeties up near the line, sometimes like a linebacker. We really get to do it all, and it makes it a lot of fun."


​

Vikings' dominant second half demonstrates how team has improved | Star Tribune

The squad didn’t commit a turnover, keeping with the trend that started in the preseason of winning the turnover battle. St. Louis threw two interceptions, including the one that Harrison Smith took back 81 yards for a touchdown.

“Our guys played well, I thought. You know, in the first half I thought we kind of self-destructed a little bit with too many penalties, but I like the way this team works.​

Little things made big difference in Vikings' victory | Star Tribune

2. With the Vikings still ahead 6-0 midway through the second quarter, the Rams killed a promising drive with two penalties — a facemask penalty on a wide receiver and offensive pass interference, two calls that are rarely seen. That drive easily could have resulted in points and a new outlook for St. Louis.

3. Still 6-0, late in the half, the Vikings punted and Andrew Sendejo made what might have been a touchdown-saving open-field tackle on the return by Tavon Austin, who had a head of steam and blockers ahead. Instead, two plays later, Robinson’s huge interception led to a nice TD grab by Greg Jennings to take a 13-0 halftime lead.​

 

[jmt57]

Breaking down Vikings snap counts | Star Tribune

RUNNING BACKS: Adrian Peterson played 74 percent of the snaps (43), while Matt Asiata played 24 percent (14) and rookie Jerick McKinnon played 5 percent (3). Peterson probably could have been rested earlier, but that’s a tough call since once you pull him, you can’t put him back in cold. So 74 percent and 23 touches is pretty good wear-and-tear management. It was a bit of a surprise that McKinnon, the exciting change-of-pace scatback, played only three snaps. We would expect his role to grow since he offers some unique talent.​

Vikings' game plan produces a little pizzaz | Star Tribune

The Vikings no longer appeared predictable on either side of the ball. They didn’t sit back and play conservatively on defense. They showed some imagination on offense. They kept the Rams guessing by constantly changing personnel, formations and play calls.

For once, a Vikings game plan looked aggressive, not monotonous.​

Vikings' defensive line rotation has early success - Rotating players and using multiple looks works for the Vikings' defensive line | Star Tribune

The Vikings racked up five sacks in the blowout, four of them coming from defensive linemen, and they held the Rams to only 3.3 yards per carry with the Rams’ longest gain on the ground being seven yards. The defensive line recorded 20 total quarterback pressures.

During the fourth quarter, the defensive linemen, each with different pass-rushing styles and maneuvers, could have applied for permanent residency in the St. Louis backfield.

Zimmer’s defensive-line rotation helped the Vikings to finish strong.

Six Vikings defensive linemen played at least 29 of the team’s 67 defensive snaps against the Rams.​

Zimmer says Rhodes, Floyd 'day-to-day' with injuries | Star Tribune

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said this afternoon that cornerback Xavier Rhodes and defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, two 2013 first-round picks with starting roles, are day to day with injuries.

Rhodes exited yesterday’s 34-6 win over the St. Louis Rams in the third quarter with a groin injury. He tried to return to the game on the next series, but was shut down for good after three plays.

Floyd injured his shoulder in the fourth quarter but said after the game that he thought he was OK.​

 

[supafly]

Yeah, while we all expect the MIN game to be a victory, I don't necessarily think it will be quite as easy as most initially felt.

Traveling from Foxborough to Miami to Foxborough to Minneapolis isn't going to be anything terribly easy, in and of itself.

All we need is a "W" at the end of the game, and the world will feel like it's right again.

 

[ATippett56]

Yeah, while we all expect the MIN game to be a victory, I don't necessarily think it will be quite as easy as most initially felt.

Traveling from Foxborough to Miami to Foxborough to Minneapolis isn't going to be anything terribly easy, in and of itself.

All we need is a "W" at the end of the game, and the world will feel like it's right again.

The Minnesota Vikings are not going to roll over for the New England Patriots. Furthermore, Major Dad is no longer the head coach.

 

[supafly]

The Minnesota Vikings are not going to roll over for the New England Patriots.

I'm not sure what in the world you're talking about, but no one came remotely close to suggesting anything like your ridiculous comment.

Your reading comprehension has been waaaay off lately, as well as your choice to respond to the most innocuous of comments.

Furthermore, Major Dad is no longer the head coach.

I will assume that you are referring to Brad Childress, who was fired in the 2010 season. That would make you 4 years and 3 coaches behind.

Mike Zimmer (former CIN DC) is the new coach, who has given us challenges in the past. The fact that they are home again, coming off of a 5 sack game, and we're experiencing some issues may make the game closer that many think--which was the point of the comment that you responded to.

 

[ATippett56]

I'm not sure what in the world you're talking about, but no one came remotely close to suggesting anything like your ridiculous comment.

Your reading comprehension has been waaaay off lately, as well as your choice to respond to the most innocuous of comments.

Aren't we sensitive tonight.

I will assume that you are referring to Brad Childress, who was fired in the 2010 season. That would make you 4 years and 3 coaches behind.

Mike Zimmer (former CIN DC) is the new coach, who has given us challenges in the past. The fact that they are home again, coming off of a 5 sack game, and we're experiencing some issues may make the game closer that many think--which was the point of the comment that you responded to.

I know who is the current coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Yes, Brad Childress was an idiot.

 

[supafly]

Aren't we sensitive tonight.

It isn't being sensitive as it is setting the record straight about what I was suggesting.

I just meant that the game had the potential to be closer, not that we'd lose.

EDIT: I see that you changed the comment, and maybe you simply mistyped and went back and changed it. If so, that makes more sense, and I apologize to you. If not....well, whatever, but what you initially wrote was way off-base.

I think it would have shown up in my response that was quoted, so it was likely me that looked past the word "for." I thought you stated that "the minnesota vikings aren't going to roll over the NEP." If that is the case, I do apologize and won't make the same mistake again.

Either way, I've got my eye on you

 

[ATippett56]

No--it's not being sensitive. It's you attempting to put words in my mouth because I stated that Sunday's game on the road (back to back wks) has the challenges there to keep the game a bit closer than many expect; particularly with Zimmer's defensive game plan and some of our challenges.

That's not even close to insinuating that "New England would get steam rolled" or whatever you tried to say.

Not even close. The insinuation was that the New England Patriots would steam roll the Minnesota Vikings, which I seriously doubt will be case.

 

[supafly]

Not even close. The insinuation was that the New England Patriots would steam roll the Minnesota Vikings, which I seriously doubt will be case.

I gotcha.

I think I owe you an apology, and that a misunderstanding was made.

I seriously thought that you were screwing with me, based on some of the comments that you've made recently.

I do apologize, and fixed my comments to reflect such. My bad, @ATippett56. Sorry about that.

 

[ATippett56]

I gotcha.

I think I owe you an apology, and that a misunderstanding was made.

I seriously thought that you were screwing with me, based on some of the comments that you've made recently.

I do apologize, and fixed my comments to reflect such. My bad, @ATippett56. Sorry about that.

I am concerned about the personnel as well as performance of the New England Patriots offensive line going forward to not make any bold predictions in the future. Ditto, the New England Patriots rush defense.

 

[supafly]

I am concerned about the personnel as well as performance of the New England Patriots offensive line going forward to not make any bold predictions in the future. Ditto, the New England Patriots rush defense.

Yes, that is pretty much what I was stating as well. There are some issues that need to be fixed, and I think that the travel schedule with back to back games may add something of an obstacle as well.

Then there's the fact that Zimmer has been known to devise some decent game plans in his career, although I wouldn't think that they'd have the same kind of talented personnel at this point, to pull off the same success as they did in CIN.

At any rate, I think NE will win, and possibly even by 13-14 pts. I just think that many automatically assumed a blowout a week or so ago, as the talk was about our "easy" first 3 games.

 

[ausbacker]

Yeah, while we all expect the MIN game to be a victory, I don't necessarily think it will be quite as easy as most initially felt.

Traveling from Foxborough to Miami to Foxborough to Minneapolis isn't going to be anything terribly easy, in and of itself.

All we need is a "W" at the end of the game, and the world will feel like it's right again.

Given the coaching performance on the weekend, no game should be viewed as a W. I'll be reassessing my position on the Patriots until they show me they should be favorites. The lack of physicality in the trenches was especially concerning.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Given the coaching performance on the weekend, no game should be viewed as a W. I'll be reassessing my position on the Patriots until they show me they should be favorites. The lack of physicality in the trenches was especially concerning.

They were switching Oline combs all game. Dont expect that all year It can only get better.