FLIP HAS BEEN FIRED!!!

[dead_poet]

You can't do that anymore ... unless your name is Bobby Wagner and you play for the Seahawks in Seattle.

Ouch. True, but too soon.

[J. Kapp 11]

You can't do that anymore ... unless your name is Bobby Wagner and you play for the Seahawks in Seattle.

Ouch. True, but too soon.

Why?

As poorly as we played, that play may have actually cost us the game.

Think about it. We had the ball on the 29 when we lined up for the field goal. Wagner blocked the kick, but the flag was thrown. The replay showed clearly that he used not one, but two players to gain leverage. That's a 15-yard penalty, half the distance to the goal in this case, which would have put us on the 14.5 yard line with a first down, trailing only 6-0. A touchdown there puts us ahead, and the way our defense was playing, we could have eeked out an ugly win.

But no ... the refs picked up the flag, inexplicably, inexcusably. Nobody understood it. The announcers didn't understand it. Dean Blandino didn't understand it. But that's what the refs do in Seattle.

The 12th Man is real.

[dead_poet]

Ouch. True, but too soon.

Why?

As poorly as we played, that play may have actually cost us the game.

Think about it. We had the ball on the 29 when we lined up for the field goal. Wagner blocked the kick, but the flag was thrown. The replay showed clearly that he used not one, but two players to gain leverage. That's a 15-yard penalty, half the distance to the goal in this case, which would have put us on the 14.5 yard line with a first down, trailing only 6-0. A touchdown there puts us ahead, and the way our defense was playing, we could have eeked out an ugly win.

But no ... the refs picked up the flag, inexplicably, inexcusably. Nobody understood it. The announcers didn't understand it. Dean Blandino didn't understand it. But that's what the refs do in Seattle.

The 12th Man is real.

Just kidding to keep from weeping.

It's conceivable that call cost us a win and Flip his job.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Speaking of Bobby the Cheat Wagner, has Zimmer talked about the should have been penalty? I mean a flag was thrown, and then overturned? Did the officials call Zimmer and apologize? That 15 yards penalty would have put us right back in the ball game.

[PurpleMustReign]

The officials have had a lot of problems this season. I've never heard of an official of any sport losing his job mid season, but that's what happened earlier. They've had legit issues for a few years now (who was the referee recently that they demoted?) and they aren't getting better. They call ticky tack fouls for the entire game and then when a receiver gets mauled a second before the ball gets to him on a potential game tying or game winning drive, no one throws a flag. It's beginning to remind me of the NBA.
I will never blame officials for a loss, but the quality of their jobs lately has certainly been a factor in some games, something that wasn't always the case. I still think that as the game evolves and players get faster and stronger, they need to add an official to the field. There is just too much going on for everyone to see everything, and if isn't fair to the players or the fans.

[cmoss84]

There needs to be replays on FG attempts, if needed. You always hear that there are "scoring reviews on all touchdowns." Why not FGs? Many games throughout the season (and post-season) come down to a FG...make sure you get it right!

Another call...or no-call...that drives me crazy is offensive pass interference. Cornerbacks might have the hardest job on the field. If they touch a WR, they are likely to get flagged. If a QB throws a poor pass and a WR stops a CB from picking it off, it is usually referred to as "a great defensive job," even if they absolutely maul the CB before the ball gets to them. Or they say "they were both going after the ball." Not buying it-they need to call it more.

[TSonn]

Anyone else not know that Flip was the OC for the Browns in 2015!? I had no idea until I listened to the Thomahawk Show podcast today. Seems like everywhere I look people only talk about how Flip was just the QB coach in Philly and that he was "in over his head" as the OC for us... but he's been an OC before! Never knew that. Makes his performance WAY worse to me.

[Cliff]

Anyone else not know that Flip was the OC for the Browns in 2015!? I had no idea until I listened to the Thomahawk Show podcast today. Seems like everywhere I look people only talk about how Flip was just the QB coach in Philly and that he was "in over his head" as the OC for us... but he's been an OC before! Never knew that. Makes his performance WAY worse to me.

Yeah, I saw that too. He's only been in the NFL for 6 years. He's trying to make the jump to OC but I still don't think he's ready. He should land at a QB coach somewhere else though.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Anyone else not know that Flip was the OC for the Browns in 2015!? I had no idea until I listened to the Thomahawk Show podcast today. Seems like everywhere I look people only talk about how Flip was just the QB coach in Philly and that he was "in over his head" as the OC for us... but he's been an OC before! Never knew that. Makes his performance WAY worse to me.

Deflipp still had a lot more experience the Stef at OC. Zimmer actually said he gave the job to Stef because "hes been around forever'. That certainly doesnt sound like a reason to hire someone. I much prefer getting someone outside the Vikings Organization that has some experience calling plays. I sure hope this doesnt turn into the OC job being a roller coaster.

[J. Kapp 11]

Anyone else not know that Flip was the OC for the Browns in 2015!? I had no idea until I listened to the Thomahawk Show podcast today. Seems like everywhere I look people only talk about how Flip was just the QB coach in Philly and that he was "in over his head" as the OC for us... but he's been an OC before! Never knew that. Makes his performance WAY worse to me.

Yeah, I saw that too. He's only been in the NFL for 6 years. He's trying to make the jump to OC but I still don't think he's ready. He should land at a QB coach somewhere else though.

Wow y'all. I'll bet I posted that 10 times on this board between the time he was hired and the season started.

As OC, the man coaxed 4,000+ yards passing out of Johnny Manziel and Josh McCown, and more than 1,500 yards rushing. With the freaking Browns. I thought he'd shine in Minnesota, given the weapons we have.

That said, I totally agree ... those facts make his performance in Minnesota utterly pathetic. There's no excuse for this offense to have fewer than 300 yards in 4 of its past 5 games and dwindling point totals. The telling thing, to me, is that the offense started great and tailed off. That tells me that the league was figuring DeFilippo out, and he wasn't able to adjust. Perhaps that's overly simplistic, but it sure seems like we've gotten progressively worse since the Saints game in Week 8.

[Cliff]

Wow y'all. I'll bet I posted that 10 times on this board between the time he was hired and the season started.

As OC, the man coaxed 4,000+ yards passing out of Johnny Manziel and Josh McCown, and more than 1,500 yards rushing. With the freaking Browns. I thought he'd shine in Minnesota, given the weapons we have.

I think this is another case where the stats are misleading though. That Browns team was 3-13 and was outscored 278-432 on the season. That tells me two things. First, that Browns team was in a lot of "garbage time" situations for nearly all of the 4th quarter. Second, despite all of those yards it only translated to 278 points so he has a problem getting it into the end zone. The inability to to get into the end zone was a problem for him here too.

[J. Kapp 11]

Wow y'all. I'll bet I posted that 10 times on this board between the time he was hired and the season started.

As OC, the man coaxed 4,000+ yards passing out of Johnny Manziel and Josh McCown, and more than 1,500 yards rushing. With the freaking Browns. I thought he'd shine in Minnesota, given the weapons we have.

I think this is another case where the stats are misleading though. That Browns team was 3-13 and was outscored 278-432 on the season. That tells me two things. First, that Browns team was in a lot of "garbage time" situations for nearly all of the 4th quarter. Second, despite all of those yards it only translated to 278 points so he has a problem getting it into the end zone. The inability to to get into the end zone was a problem for him here too.

Oh trust me, I'm in total agreement. There is no measure to how disappointed I am in how this hire worked out. He simply didn't get the job done. Spectacularly.

[S197]

Wow y'all. I'll bet I posted that 10 times on this board between the time he was hired and the season started.

As OC, the man coaxed 4,000+ yards passing out of Johnny Manziel and Josh McCown, and more than 1,500 yards rushing. With the freaking Browns. I thought he'd shine in Minnesota, given the weapons we have.

I think this is another case where the stats are misleading though. That Browns team was 3-13 and was outscored 278-432 on the season. That tells me two things. First, that Browns team was in a lot of "garbage time" situations for nearly all of the 4th quarter. Second, despite all of those yards it only translated to 278 points so he has a problem getting it into the end zone. The inability to to get into the end zone was a problem for him here too.

What's worse is redzone work was a major emphasis during camp. These days you don't get a lot of live contact practice so where you dedicate your time is very important. The fact that we got very little out of that investment speaks volumes.

[PurpleMustReign]

I think this is another case where the stats are misleading though. That Browns team was 3-13 and was outscored 278-432 on the season. That tells me two things. First, that Browns team was in a lot of "garbage time" situations for nearly all of the 4th quarter. Second, despite all of those yards it only translated to 278 points so he has a problem getting it into the end zone. The inability to to get into the end zone was a problem for him here too.

What's worse is redzone work was a major emphasis during camp. These days you don't get a lot of live contact practice so where you dedicate your time is very important. The fact that we got very little out of that investment speaks volumes.

That's another area Keenum seemed to excel for whatever the reason. Cousins hasn't quite gotten the production in there.

[S197]

What's worse is redzone work was a major emphasis during camp. These days you don't get a lot of live contact practice so where you dedicate your time is very important. The fact that we got very little out of that investment speaks volumes.

That's another area Keenum seemed to excel for whatever the reason. Cousins hasn't quite gotten the production in there.

A big part is they simply can't run. 4th and inches is a problem for this line let alone getting tough goalline yards.