Clayton: The Vikings look like a playoff team

[daff]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13163 ... f-team-nfl

I'm not sure how I feel about all of the positive press lately, but I agree with it - assuming of course we can cobble together a decent Offensive line somehow.

[chicagopurple]

I agree. The OL remains a huge question with no real changes from previous season. The secondary MIGHT be upgraded...time will tell.

[Pondering Her Percy]

I agree. The OL remains a huge question with no real changes from previous season. The secondary MIGHT be upgraded...time will tell.

There were plenty of changes since last season and now we actually have our entire line healthy. Fusco moved to LG and we have either Clemmings, Thompson or Berger starting at RG.

As for the secondary, I think it's upgraded no matter what way you look at it. Even if Waynes flops, which I can't see happening, then we have Newman who is better than any other outside CB we had last season outside of Rhodes and Munnerlyn can play his natural slot position. The only way we "downgrade" is if Waynes somehow ends up worse than Robinson and Newman hits a sharp decline from how he played last year. So it's pretty difficult to downgrade from last year IMO.

[Superfreak84]

I'll believe it when I see it. But I am very excited about this upcoming year!

[jackal]

I agree. The OL remains a huge question with no real changes from previous season. The secondary MIGHT be upgraded...time will tell.

I disagree I think our wide outs will be better with Wallace vs Jennings ... an improved Patterson (time will tell)

Peterson should be a huge difference .. In the Rams game our Offense looked at least twice as good as the rest of last season, except the Falcons game

[chicagopurple]

by secondary, I am referencing our D, NOT our receivers.
Moving Fusco around and praying that Berger is somehow better this year is NOT much of an upgrade. I am tired of waiting for Kalil, Fusco, Berger, etc to grow up into Top notch players and "gel". If it happens this year, Great, but do I still believe they have it in them?...not really. For 2 yrs I have been hoping the Vikes would draft and trade for quality OL players....the need is pretty blatant. I think we have better coaches on the OL then players.

[J. Kapp 11]

I didn't mind the positive nature of the article.

Clayton was very measured, as usual, in his analysis, which wasn't over the top by any means. He simply said that playoff teams are typically scoring at least 23.5 PPG ... with AP back in the fold, Rudolph healthy, more speed at receiver, and Teddy Bridgewater poised to take a step forward in year 2, the Vikings should be able to accumulate the extra 1.0-1.5 PPG to get them to that playoff level.

If he had said something like, "Sure-fire lock to win the division" or "Definite Super Bowl contender," I'd have taken issue. But I don't think it's unrealistic to think the Vikings could make the playoffs in 2015, which is what Clayton said.

[Pondering Her Percy]

by secondary, I am referencing our D, NOT our receivers.
Moving Fusco around and praying that Berger is somehow better this year is NOT much of an upgrade. I am tired of waiting for Kalil, Fusco, Berger, etc to grow up into Top notch players and "gel". If it happens this year, Great, but do I still believe they have it in them?...not really. For 2 yrs I have been hoping the Vikes would draft and trade for quality OL players....the need is pretty blatant. I think we have better coaches on the OL then players.

I'm not even sure why Fusco is included in this post. He's hands down our best OL IMO. And I never said Berger would be the clear cut RG. Clemmings and/or Thompson could be way better than him

[DK Sweets]

I brought this up earlier, but Berger graded out as a league average starter last year. He's a great asset on he bench, but if he ends up starting this year it's not like we have some schmuck out there on the field.

[Pondering Her Percy]

I brought this up earlier, but Berger graded out as a league average starter last year. He's a great asset on he bench, but if he ends up starting this year it's not like we have some schmuck out there on the field.

Agreed. I definitely don't mind Berger but I'd rather have Clemmings or Thompson simply because Berger has already hit his ceiling.