Vikings return to bottom feeder in the division

[allday1991]

That's the ticket! Now your getting the hang of it!


We will know by the fourth game. Unfortunately for us Viking fans, If Ponder has not taken that step up, I don't really see much on the roster to help out.

I believe our WR core is a night and day difference since last year. I am not saying we have the best offence WR corp but we definitely added enough talents and weapons for Ponder to take the next step. Greg Jennings when healthy was a top 60 player in the nfl, Rudolph is a great red zone presence, Wright has everything to be a good slot receiver and Cordarrelle Patterson is a big, fast, hard to tackle WR. The only thing Ponder is missing is a good 3 third down receiving HB, I believe A.p could fill the roll but I think that requires the OFC including more HB pass plays.

[Raptorman]

I believe our WR core is a night and day difference since last year. I am not saying we have the best offence WR corp but we definitely added enough talents and weapons for Ponder to take the next step. Greg Jennings when healthy was a top 60 player in the nfl, Rudolph is a great red zone presence, Wright has everything to be a good slot receiver and Cordarrelle Patterson is a big, fast, hard to tackle WR. The only thing Ponder is missing is a good 3 third down receiving HB, I believe A.p could fill the roll but I think that requires the OFC including more HB pass plays.

At some point during the year, I fully expect Joe Webb to line up in he backfield. Don't know why, but my gut just tells me so. Not as a QB though.

[dead_poet]

At some point during the year, I fully expect Joe Webb to line up in he backfield. Don't know why, but my gut just tells me so. Not as a QB though.

I'm curious to see if the Blazer Package endures. Webb, Patterson, Peterson....

[allday1991]

I'm curious to see if the Blazer Package endures. Webb, Patterson, Peterson....

I agree, that's a lot of speed to cover.

[Eli]

Losing AD would be huge blow and would put much more pressure on our defense to force tempo. But I'd rather be the Vikings with Gerhart and Asiata behind the run blocking of our O-line than the Packers with Seneca Wallace or the Lions with whoever runing the show.

It's like trading Queens in chess.....if you gave me the option of playing the Packers without AD or Rodgers in the game, I'l take the current Viking team every time.

Wow. I just now saw that he Packers signed Seneca Wallace as the sole backup to Aaron Rodgers and released B.J. [Something]. A solid indication of just how badly they've mishandled the backup QB position in Green Bay.

You're absolutely right. The Packers are INFINITELY more screwed if Aaron Rodgers goes down.

[The Breeze]

Wow. I just now saw that he Packers signed Seneca Wallace as the sole backup to Aaron Rodgers and released B.J. [Something]. A solid indication of just how badly they've mishandled the backup QB position in Green Bay.

You're absolutely right. The Packers are INFINITELY more screwed if Aaron Rodgers goes down.

I was just talking to a Niners fan about what the Packers are doing. I heard or read that the Packers are also looking to sign the other QB that the Niners cut.
It's kinda of weird considering how many hits Rodgers takes and what they've had for backups past.

Wallace was in SF for a week, and my friend said that word was that Wallace told Harbaugh that he didn't want to play. Who knows?....but he has connections with the Packers staff through his time in Seattle and it looks like he's the backup in a scheme he's more familiar with rather than 3rd string in Harbaugh's system.

The Packers put an awful lot of their eggs in Rodger's basket....might have a lot to do with the economics of it all too.

It looks like they whiffed on Graham Harrell......too bad!

[Funkytown]

Wallace was in SF for a week, and my friend said that word was that Wallace told Harbaugh that he didn't want to play. Who knows?

From what I gathered, it seems as if Wallace is upset with how he was treated out there. He says he wasn't brought in for football. He was brought in to pressure Colt McCoy to take a pay cut. Seems as if he wasn't actually in their plans. They sort of just used him to get what they wanted out of McCoy. He realized what was going on and wanted out--not out of football, but out of San Francisco. Can't say I blame him. That's some bogus stuff right there. Either way, I hope the Niners and Pack kill each other out there.

[The Breeze]

From what I gathered, it seems as if Wallace is upset with how he was treated out there. He says he wasn't brought in for football. He was brought in to pressure Colt McCoy to take a pay cut. Seems as if he wasn't actually in their plans. They sort of just used him to get what they wanted out of McCoy. He realized what was going on and wanted out--not out of football, but out of San Francisco. Can't say I blame him. That's some bogus stuff right there. Either way, I hope the Niners and Pack kill each other out there.

That sounds reasonable to me. He surely went to a better scene in GB.

[PurpleKoolaid]

The Vikes don't know how to close the deal. They haven't since Childress came here. Its made me hate the outdated WCO. But right now its more then that. I think its the combo of Musgrave and Ponder. Last night watching the Broncos play, they never let up. They got the lead and just stomped the life out of the Ravens. The Vikings never do that. They are so overly cautious, they almost lose games.

[PurpleKoolaid]

To that I will agree, however it is more difficult to blow out your opponent if you're a running team. Especially if you're a running team with a below average passing attack. Even if the Vikings are up big, all they can do is continue to run.

I gotta say I just love how Manning plays the game. I think he literally can do without an OC because he calls his own shots anyways. Broncos were up 42-21 or something, with 5 minutes to go and you could tell Manning felt like the Ravens could still make a comeback and he went to work. I love that attitude. It's the same with Brady, Rodgers, and Brees...probably has something to do with why they're the best in the game.

Yeah, Its the same with any good team, with a good HC and good QB. And the better QB, the less reliant on a OC. We saw that when Farve was here. And right now, we have the opposite. If the exact play that was called (usually an AD run or a 2 yard pass) isn't there, Mr. happy feet panics. Hopefully that will change this year, and the HC and OC can have more faith in him and call a few, just a few, more complex plays. Maybe even some read options.

[vikeinmontana]

Yeah, Its the same with any good team, with a good HC and good QB. And the better QB, the less reliant on a OC. We saw that when Farve was here. And right now, we have the opposite. If the exact play that was called (usually an AD run or a 2 yard pass) isn't there, Mr. happy feet panics. Hopefully that will change this year, and the HC and OC can have more faith in him and call a few, just a few, more complex plays. Maybe even some read options.

it's all about perspective though. the broncos were pretty much the best team all season last year and will likely be right up there again this year. but they have a ton of fans that HATE fox and think he's an idiot. they were furious at how he handled that playoff loss last year. many wanted him fired this year. other bashed manning for a critical interception at the end of that game in the same ways members here bashed favre after an incredible season. people bash Elway and their front office in the exact same way people here bash ours.

I mention this every year but many times people compare the vikes to other teams without having the same knowledge of both. we follow the vikes so extremely that we "know" everything there is to know about every player, coach, scheme, etc. but all many of us know about the other teams is what we watch one game a week or see on sportscenter. every team, even those that we think are perfect have their flaws.

the bottom line is we all wish we had a manning or a brees. i'd love a harbaugh coaching. i'd take a welker in the slot and a megatron outside every day. i'd love a defense that looked like the seahawks or niners. but that's not how the game works. this isn't madden. you assemble a team with the best guys you can find and do what you can with them to win games. but the game is far more difficult than simply suggesting we should do what they do with manning in Denver or play defense like they do in seattle.

[Funkytown]

it's all about perspective though. the broncos were pretty much the best team all season last year and will likely be right up there again this year. but they have a ton of fans that HATE fox and think he's an idiot. they were furious at how he handled that playoff loss last year. many wanted him fired this year. other bashed manning for a critical interception at the end of that game in the same ways members here bashed favre after an incredible season. people bash Elway and their front office in the exact same way people here bash ours.

I mention this every year but many times people compare the vikes to other teams without having the same knowledge of both. we follow the vikes so extremely that we "know" everything there is to know about every player, coach, scheme, etc. but all many of us know about the other teams is what we watch one game a week or see on sportscenter. every team, even those that we think are perfect have their flaws.

the bottom line is we all wish we had a manning or a brees. i'd love a harbaugh coaching. i'd take a welker in the slot and a megatron outside every day. i'd love a defense that looked like the seahawks or niners. but that's not how the game works. this isn't madden. you assemble a team with the best guys you can find and do what you can with them to win games. but the game is far more difficult than simply suggesting we should do what they do with manning in Denver or play defense like they do in seattle.

And...yeah! What he said!

Good post.

[mondry]

And...yeah! What he said!

Good post.

Yeah I'll second that. I mean how many years have Giants fans wanted to get rid of BOTH eli and coughlin? Right up until they won the super bowl, then they wanted them gone again! And they won another superbowl....

Seems like some fans take a "this sucks, no way is this going to work" mentality right up until their team wins the super bowl!

[PurpleKoolaid]

Unlike the Giants. we haven't won squat recently, and only came close once. And guess what. We had a QB who told Childress to go sit down. Favre knew how to read D's and call audibles. Even Eli can and does. His brother is the master of it. Whens the last time Ponder called an audible?What we have in MN is the polar opposite.

And I picked Manning and the Bronco's because a lot of the Ponder 'apologists' here love digging up some stat from a HOF or future HoF QB and comparing it to Ponder. There Is NOTHING to compare Ponder to the great QBs out there. Nothing. Doesn't matter if a stat looked the same at some point. Until Ponder can use the weapons around him on a consistent basis, and sell a play action with the bext RB in the NFL, he will be riding pine sooner then later.

[Eli]

Re-reading the reactions in this thread is good for some laughs.