Week 9 Predictions: Rams @ Vikings

[84BreaksAnkles]

Precisely Boon- This was easily one of if not THE best job our O-line has done in pass pro all year.

People see and believe what they want, regardless of what the film says.. I guess..

[fiestavike]

Precisely Boon- This was easily one of if not THE best job our O-line has done in pass pro all year.

People see and believe what they want no matter what they see on film I guess..

Also the least challenging front they have played all year. I'm not putting much stock in the "improvement" of the OL at this point.

[84BreaksAnkles]

Also the least challenging front they have played all year. I'm not putting much stock in the "improvement" of the OL at this point.

Dude, no one alluded to improvement. We were directly opposing the view that the Bears "Knocked him around". Don't attach your own meaning. Be aware of context..

Precisely Boon- This was easily one of if not THE best job our O-line has done in pass pro all year.

Just let that be a stand-alone fact. Without needing to degrade it immediately with...

Also the least challenging front they have played all year..

No one was sitting here pounding the drum about.. "OH, OUR OFFENSIVE LINE IS DOING WAY BETTER THAN EARLIER IN THE YEAR, GUYS!" or "OH WOW... HOW MUCH IMPROVEMENT OUR O-LINE HAS MADE FROM THE ENTIRE REST OF THE YEAR.."

[DK Sweets]

I do not know of any top notch teams that rely on trick plays to win games. In fact, it is just the opposite, good teams line up and play hard nosed, disciplined systems and get the great results that happen when they do.
As far as this game with the Rams, if the Vikes can't beat them at home, with the momentum that they currently have, then I do not even want to entertain the idea of them going to the play-offs. So that being said, I see a 10 point margin and win by the Purple Guys.

I don't think any team relies on trick plays, but the Super Bowl has been influenced heavily by trick plays in recent years with the Saints' onside kick and Antwaan Randle El's TD pass for the Steelers. I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting. Good teams definitely utilize them.

[Mothman]

Dude, no one alluded to improvement. We were directly opposing the view that the Bears "Knocked him around". Don't attach your own meaning. Be aware of context..

Just let that be a stand-alone fact. Without needing to degrade it immediately with...
No one was sitting here pounding the drum about.. "OH, OUR OFFENSIVE LINE IS DOING WAY BETTER THAN EARLIER IN THE YEAR, GUYS!" or "OH WOW... HOW MUCH IMPROVEMENT OUR O-LINE HAS MADE FROM THE ENTIRE REST OF THE YEAR.."

Relax... there's no need to "shout".

[fiestavike]

No one was sitting here pounding the drum about.. "OH, OUR OFFENSIVE LINE IS DOING WAY BETTER THAN EARLIER IN THE YEAR, GUYS!" or "OH WOW... HOW MUCH IMPROVEMENT OUR O-LINE HAS MADE FROM THE ENTIRE REST OF THE YEAR.."

no, just...

This was easily one of if not THE best job our O-line has done in pass pro all year

which is all I was responding to.

It wasn't meant to be taken as some sort of personal affront.

[Boon]

Been said a few times already but direct competetor, similar stats on all 3 phases, records are close. This is as close to a playoff game as you can get in november. At home, they.need to show up and kick the rams in the teeth for two reasons.

1.) Secure that head to head in case it comes down to it.
2.) To cut off all that bs about our schedule.

And the funniest thing about all this is people have been talking about their defense for about 3 years now. How dominant their line is etc. What happened the last two games?

This game comes down to who can run better

[Purple bruise]

I don't think any team relies on trick plays, but the Super Bowl has been influenced heavily by trick plays in recent years with the Saints' onside kick and Antwaan Randle El's TD pass for the Steelers. I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting. Good teams definitely utilize them.

Okay thanks for the "exceptions" that you thought up but I will stick with my statement that good teams do not rely on trick play to win games. As always, thanks for your 2 cents.

[DK Sweets]

Okay thanks for the "exceptions" that you thought up but I will stick with my statement that good teams do not rely on trick play to win games. As always, thanks for your 2 cents.

No need to thank me, in retrospect it was a pleasure pointing out that you were wrong.

[PacificNorseWest]

Foles has concrete blocks for feet. Vikings should get after and get after him early. 8 in the box and stop Gurley! Rams are tough on defense, but their inability to score is what loses them this game. If the Vikings offense shows up, they should beat the Rams pretty good. If not, it'll be close, but Vikings will win.

It's good to be home.

[J. Kapp 11]

Excellent post, Kapp.

Thank you!

[Mothman]

Foles has concrete blocks for feet. Vikings should get after and get after him early. 8 in the box and stop Gurley! Rams are tough on defense, but their inability to score is what loses them this game. If the Vikings offense shows up, they should beat the Rams pretty good. If not, it'll be close, but Vikings will win.

That's just it: will the Vikings offense show up? Their inability to score could easily lose the game for them too. This one looks like a complete toss up to me.

[808vikingsfan]

Teddy didn't get hit hardly at all, I don't know what game you were watching. He was banged up cause of one play where he went down funny. He had literally all day to throw the ball all afternoon and was missing his targets

I remember teddy getting hit and pressured a lot against the Bears. I think I read a Stat where Teddy was the 2nd most pressured QB in week 8.

Whatever the case, I find it pretty incredible he has not appeared on the injured list yet.

[dead_poet]

According to PFF, when the Bears blitzed Bridgewater, he had a +1.3 grade, compered to a -2.4 when not blitzed.

I couldn't find the stat vs. Bridgewater in this one but perhaps you were thinking about this one?

The Vikings’ defense was able to pressure Cutler on 56 percent of his dropbacks (highest in the league for Week . The Vikings hit/sacked Cutler seven times, and only one defensive lineman recorded a negative grade as a pass rusher. The Vikings’ best pass rusher was linebacker Anthony Barr (+1.6 overall, +2.1 pass rusher), who recorded four total pressures.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... inute-win/

And then there's this disgusting stat:

So far this season, he is one of only two quarterbacks in the league to be pressured on at least 45 percent of his dropbacks. The third-highest pressure rate is more than 3 percent lower, while only four quarterbacks have been pressured on more than 40 percent of their dropbacks.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2585 ... ridgewater

[Mothman]

According to PFF, when the Bears blitzed Bridgewater, he had a +1.3 grade, compered to a -2.4 when not blitzed.

Other than the obvious (+1.3 is better than -2.4), do we know what that means? Does it mean he completed passes against the blitz? Ran for positive yardage? Threw for first downs? I'm curious. For example, hypothetically, if a QB is blitzed on 3rd and 9, avoids pressure and dumps the ball off for a 4 yard gain, is that a plus play, a neutral play or a minus play?