Vikings @ Lions Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 1

[allday1991]

TBH, I was more disappointed with our defense than our offense though. Our LBs and DTs played poorly, and really, outside of Harrison Smith, nobody on defense played well.

The defence was tired and over worked, they where on the field for 37 minutes, and would of held the lions to 6 points (in the first half) if Ponder didn't turn it over before the end of the half.

[mosscarter]

truth is we have the worst starting qb and offensive coordinator in football, and i'm sick and tired of ponder i'm not going out of my way to watch the bum at all this year its a waste of time. this team will go nowhere until he is gone. and yes, frazier just stands there with that smug look on his face at least pretend you enjoy what you are doing.

[Texas Vike]

LOL Baboons...but bamboos would suffice as well.

I was visualizing a bamboo tree in a remote Chinese forest and then you got to the scratch and sniff part and it just didn't make sense! Then again, the Vikings performance didn't make much sense today either! Frustrating game today.

Time for most posters to hit the bam-booze.

[Eli]

Agreed, Cordarrelle Patterson almost breaks a return, then makes a few people miss a picks up a first down on a screen, and then is never looked to again the whole game. Ridiculous!

Patterson didn't come close to breaking a return. He had a mile wide opening that he ran through, then was taken down in the open field by one guy.

[yezzir]

Patterson didn't come close to breaking a return. He had a mile wide opening that he ran through, then was taken down in the open field by one guy.

Exactly why he almost broke a return.

[Funkytown]

My quick thoughts on the game (that I'm sure were covered in the previous 45 pages):

Biggest Problems:

Musgrave-I hate his face. He REALLY needs to learn to turn past page 1 of the playbook BEFORE mid-third quarter. He needs to work with what he has, and choose plays that gets the offense to settle down, establish a rhythm, and build confidence. Run, run, pass on third and forever, and punt for short isn't going to work. Oh my God.

Ponder-Yeah. Don't even need to say anything. With that said, there is no reason we can't establish a little rhythm with short to medium passes. I know he is capable. Jennings, Rudolph, Wright, Patterson, and Simpson can catch short passes. Y'all should try it to open things up for yourselves AND Peterson. Thank you.

O-Line-Really? Peterson had Lions eating him all day. Not cool.

Offense as a whole-Knock it off. You had us believing you would be better. Ya know, improved from all that sucky sucky that we saw last season. Try making us believers all over again, because we don't believe in you anymore.

Defense-They had their foolish moments, but overall played okay. I know they gave up like 500+ yards or something ridiculous, but that is to be expected when they are playing THE WHOLE TIME. A tired defense is never going to be able to keep up with C. Johnson and Bush. Never. All those turnovers, 3 and outs, and short punts added to the mess. I think if the offense could have done more, the D would have held up just fine. Again, same story--different year. Stupid penalties there though towards the end. Stupid, stupid, stupid. But, overall, can't fault these guys too terribly much.

Positives:

Peterson
Smith
Simpson
Our heart and passion. We keep fighting, especially our D.
(Looks like the Steelers and Browns aren't so hot, either. )

Basically, this game was embarrassing. They tried to give us this game, and we couldn't even step up and take it. It's sad. Really, really sad.

Once again, the Vikings channeled their inner Bonnie Tyler-"Every now and then I fall apart."

[allday1991]

Exactly why he almost broke a return.

I don't think some people read there post before the write them, "he was tackled in the open by one guy" If that guy misses he is gone, that's called almost breaking it....

[King James]

I brought up earlier this offseason that all Musgrave does his run-run-pass every play until the other team starts kicking our ## like today and we force Ponder to throw long downs. Lets face it, our offense is two predictable. Even with play action passes, the defense still read our offense no matter what we did. But then again, only a fool would throw play action on 3rd downs knowing that you're going to have to pass.

[allday1991]

I brought up earlier this offseason that all Musgrave does his run-run-pass every play until the other team starts kicking our ## like today and we force Ponder to throw long downs. Lets face it, our offense is two predictable. Even with play action passes, the defense still read our offense no matter what we did. But then again, only a fool would throw play action on 3rd downs knowing that you're going to have to pass.

Not always. One play I liked from the Vikings last year they used on 3 and 1 quite a few times was rolling ponder to the RIGHT on PA and getting Rudolph to run cross to the right. Seemed to work pretty well seeing how the defences thought a.p would be getting the ball for sure.

[Funkytown]

I brought up earlier this offseason that all Musgrave does his run-run-pass every play until the other team starts kicking our ## like today and we force Ponder to throw long downs. Lets face it, our offense is too predictable.

True story. No reason we can't be more aggressive. He is reactive instead of proactive. "Too little, too late Musgrave" is my new nickname for him.

[Hunter Morrow]

There was that nice little series in the third where we got that touchdown. Why can't we playcall in the first and second like we do in the third?
We have to be forced to "open up" an already limited playbook. But if we opened it up to begin with, maybe we don't even fall behind?

[Eli]

I don't think some people read there post before the write them, "he was tackled in the open by one guy" If that guy misses he is gone, that's called almost breaking it....

Not the only guy. Patterson only returned that ball to the 22 yard line. It's not like he had one guy to beat at the 50.

[BGM]

That was simply put... ugly. One great play followed by a majority of really terrible ones.

Thank you Adrian Peterson for doing your part in starting the season out right. If only the OL could block for you throughout the game, or the OC switch up formations to actually give you even an inch of room to move. Good grief, what does it take to get some imaginative playcalling out of this team? It's like pulling teeth - deeply rooted concrete teeth.

I'm sorry to say it, but Ponder is out of chances. He is STILL staring down receivers, and although the two long passes to Simpson were a welcome development, I just don't see anything there that points to success. Not one thing. I have tried to keep a positive spin on his development, and hope I am wrong, but the data set is big enough now for me to say that this is his last season as starter. I know there is no option now and the Vikings have him through the season, but he's done.

The defense was pourous. Having Kevin Williams out proves once again what a real force an elite player is to a team, even if you don't always hear his number called. He really is one of the best and I hope the Vikings have a real plan to replace him once he retires. Greenway tries to do it all, but asking him to actually do it all in the second half is absurd. Harrison Smith is a certified beast of a safety, and I was not nearly as annoyed with the secondary as others seemed to be.

Blair Walsh, thank you for your leg. I hope you make it all through this season as accurately as last season. Seems like the Vikings will need you.

If Detroit doesn't self-destruct in the first half, this would have been legendarily bad. As it was, it was merely embarrassingly bad.

[Lash Man]

My quick thoughts on the game (that I'm sure were covered in the previous 45 pages):

Biggest Problems:

Musgrave-I hate his face. He REALLY needs to learn to turn past page 1 of the playbook BEFORE mid-third quarter. He needs to work with what he has, and choose plays that gets the offense to settle down, establish a rhythm, and build confidence. Run, run, pass on third and forever, and punt for short isn't going to work. Oh my God.

Ponder-Yeah. Don't even need to say anything. With that said, there is no reason we can't establish a little rhythm with short to medium passes. I know he is capable. Jennings, Rudolph, Wright, Patterson, and Simpson can catch short passes. Y'all should try it to open things up for yourselves AND Peterson. Thank you.

O-Line-Really? Peterson had Lions eating him all day. Not cool.

Offense as a whole-Knock it off. You had us believing you would be better. Ya know, improved from all that sucky sucky that we saw last season. Try making us believers all over again, because we don't believe in you anymore.

Defense-They had their foolish moments, but overall played okay. I know they gave up like 500+ yards or something ridiculous, but that is to be expected when they are playing THE WHOLE TIME. A tired defense is never going to be able to keep up with C. Johnson and Bush. Never. All those turnovers, 3 and outs, and short punts added to the mess. I think if the offense could have done more, the D would have held up just fine. Again, same story--different year. Stupid penalties there though towards the end. Stupid, stupid, stupid. But, overall, can't fault these guys too terribly much.

Positives:

Peterson
Smith
Simpson
Our heart and passion. We keep fighting, especially our D.
(Looks like the Steelers and Browns aren't so hot, either. )

Basically, this game was embarrassing. They tried to give us this game, and we couldn't even step up and take it. It's sad. Really, really sad.

Once again, the Vikings channeled their inner Bonnie Tyler-"Every now and then I fall apart."

But the defense needs to make stops then they wouldnt be on the field all game it goes both ways , at some point they had to play better but they were terrible against the run and the pass today .

[BGM]

Patterson has a really awkward looking running style.