Vikings Message Board.Com

Purplemania wrote:Boy, it seems like I'm the only one excited around here

I think our Dline is going to rank top 5 in sacks, #1 in QB hurries, and #1 against the run

I don't think they're untested, aside from Floyd, but more like they haven't played together as a unit so we don't know how they will jell. But the talent is there.

Hey I am right there with you. This line will be much better with KW gone (love the guy but he was a mirror image of himself in his prime) JA gone and replaced by a younger and stronger Griffin. Floyd, with a huge ceiling and untapped potential. Watch out for Corey Wooten, he quietly could turn out to be the best of them all.
Zimmer and that in it self will be a marked improvement not only with the DL but the entire defense.

Mothman wrote: I'm eager for it to start, as always, but nervous too. In the past, fate hasn't been kind to NFL teams temporarily playing in college stadiums and there's often an adjustment period as a team makes a transition to the schemes and ways of a new coaching staff. Add in uncertainty at QB and in a few other key areas and I don't know whether to expect a satisfying season under a new head coach or another rough year for the Vikes.

Hopefully, we're in for the former.

Yes, the former for sure. I am not too worried about playing outside. Many of the new players played outdoors. Cassel, Joseph, Wootten, Munnerlyn all played outdoors so I am not too worried.

Article is a stretch...but I can see the parallels.

But I will add to what I think the article missed. If the Vikes draft 1-3 defensive players in '14 draft, with one being their top 10 pick at #8, and others high in rounds 2 and 3...that HUGE infusion of talent at LB and/or DB, could also help make a young and yet to prove themselves D-Line better. Making it just a little easier to make the LEAP from what they are now to what the article suggests they could be.

Best/worst/competitive...it takes 6 games to find out the players from the fakers! I'm hoping for the best. Go VIKES!

...wisdom

80 PurplePride 84 wrote:We don't know how Floyd is going to pan out, we don't know if Griffen will work as an every down player and Robison is on the wrong side of the 30.

If everyone maximizes potential maybe they'll become almost as good as the Allen, Williams, Williams, Edwards days, but not the leagues best like that group was.

We don't know whether Floyd Griffen Joseph and Robison will all have pro nowl years either

Purplemania wrote:That is true, but Floyd showed huge potential last year.

Did he, though? I know he got off to a very slow start.

Floyd showed "huge" potential? Wow, he had some flashes, but he disappeared at others. Griffen has the same issue even in his limited role. He gets completely dominated at times. Along with a couple solid, above average, consistent vets, it's way too early to even think about asking a silly question like that.

Yeah right, Griffen disappears more than a magician, and PLEASE show me when he gets dominated WTF

I love this guy's 4.46 speed, awesome strength, and a motor that never seems to stop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2IynSifboY

Funny how there are never any "low lights" to show when he gets manhandled on the inside by a guard and completely removed from the plays. How many snaps has the guy taken on running downs? Anyone? At defensive tackle on non-passing downs? None? One? Two? I love him, love that they resigned him (should have made him a realistic offer earlier, like could have got him for less), and think he has a ton of potential. But he ran hot and cold. Hot more often, and made plays. But when he's in on the majority of snaps? When teams have tape on him? How can he hold up against the run? Also, how does he play in this new defense? There are a ton of questions about him.

In my opinion it's more likely he's a top 10-20 end than not. But there's still the chance he was being used in the role he was for a reason. We'll see this year. It will be even more interesting to see how he plays in Zimmer's defense where they're being asked to defend the run more and rush the passer second. It probably helped the dline in Cincinatti to have four veteran first round picks in the secondary as well. Including three at corner. Not quite unproven Rhodes, World's Greatest Slot Midget Munnerlyn, and whoever manages to get that third spot.

EVERYONE gets "dominated" on certain plays, on both sides of the line. The mark of a great player is not letting it happen often. It shouldn't come as any surprise that a 270 lb DE lining up at DT and going up against 320 lb guards gets manhandled when working in tight quarters. DEs aren't designed to play inside. The Vikings hope of using Griffen inside to get a better pass rush was predicated on his quickness and getting a jump on the guard. If he doesn't get past him off the line, he'll be smothered.

Eli wrote:EVERYONE gets "dominated" on certain plays, on both sides of the line. The mark of a great player is not letting it happen often. It shouldn't come as any surprise that a 270 lb DE lining up at DT and going up against 320 lb guards gets manhandled when working in tight quarters. DEs aren't designed to play inside. The Vikings hope of using Griffen inside to get a better pass rush was predicated on his quickness and getting a jump on the guard. If he doesn't get past him off the line, he'll be smothered.

That's my question. Once teams start game planning against him as a full time starter. Can he even have the success he's had as a part time pass rusher? The talking heads like to bring up how Zimmer's defense is "stop the run" first for ends, is this going to be an issue? And once he's full time on the outside, is he going to be smothered regularly? Especially on rushing downs when he can't just focus solely on his quickness and explosiveness at the snap? We'll see but seems a pretty big question considering his contract and how he'll likely get a majority of the snaps, even with the signings.

It'll be nice to get a DC in here with a proven non-scheme based defense that can and will adjust game to game, much less season to season. Along with a OC who's called plays for decades, as opposed to NEVER, lots of reasons to have some faith that it'll only be getting better.

Demi wrote: That's my question. Once teams start game planning against him as a full time starter. Can he even have the success he's had as a part time pass rusher?

I don't see how my response has anything to do with your question. Griffen will have more success as a pass rusher playing full time at the DE position than part time at DE mixed with snaps playing DT. That should be self-evident. The only reason that they lined him up at DT on passing downs was because they had no better pass rushing DTs last year.

Eli wrote: I don't see how my response has anything to do with your question. Griffen will have more success as a pass rusher playing full time at the DE position than part time at DE mixed with snaps playing DT. That should be self-evident. The only reason that they lined him up at DT on passing downs was because they had no better pass rushing DTs last year.

My point is he's not a "pass rusher" anymore. How's he going to play against those tackles as a full time PLAYER? Forget pass or rush, is he even going to have the success he's had once he's in there on the majority of snaps? Is he even going to play that often. With the signings he still might be a non-full time player.

Going to be interesting to see how he's used, much less how much success he has...

Demi wrote:My point is he's not a "pass rusher" anymore. How's he going to play against those tackles as a full time PLAYER? Forget pass or rush, is he even going to have the success he's had once he's in there on the majority of snaps?

I don't see the issue. He's played well at DE. Will he make the Pro Bowl at the position? Time will tell...

Is he even going to play that often. With the signings he still might be a non-full time player.

What defensive ends have the Vikings signed this offseason? Corey Wootton??

Well several people, including coaches and the GM, in the know must believe in him to shell out 42 million dollars. People, I would wager, who know a whole lot more than some message board naysayer that questions every player and move the team makes.
He has all the size, speed and strength to be a higly succeesful, full time defensive end. We will all have to wait and see.