Preseason Wk#4 Vikings at Titans Game Thread

[Funkytown]

Where has this coaching staff been all my life? I liked what Smith was saying about having that winning mentality. I've wanted that for so long. Yes, even in preseason. I hated how we basically just used to just go, "Bleh, it's preseason. We don't need to try that hard to win." I never liked that loser attitude, and I never will, especially considering all the young guys trying to make an NFL roster. Why not open things up and let them play a little? What is there to lose? For the first time in a long time, when I look at our guys, I sense a real team. Team. Everyone is cheering each other on and helping each other out. It just feels different, and it looks a heck of a lot different. Throughout the preseason the passion was obvious, from the top on down. I love how everyone seems engaged and excited. It all goes back to establishing a winning attitude and a real sense of team. Preseason doesn't mean anything in the standings, but heck, this was a good start. I think a different level of confidence (and with that comes expectations) has been established, and I'm ready for the season to start.

[Raptorman]

Previous preseason records (regular season).

Code: Select all

2006 Childress  2-1-1 (6-10)
2007 Childress  2-2   (8-8)
2008 Childress  1-3   (10-6) won the division
2009 Childress  3-1   (12-4) won the division
2010 Childress  3-1   (6-10)
2011 Frazier    2-2   (3-13)
2012 Frazier    1-3   (10-6) wildcard
2013 Frazier    1-3   (5-10-1)
2014 Zimmer     4-0

Run those with points scored vs points given up and see if there is a correlation.

[Reignman]

Banyard, IMO. And the Vikings went 4-0 in the preseason in '98 and in '01. Two dramatically different seasons. But as has been mentioned, it's still nice to win.

Your forgot the greatest preseason a team has ever had. The 1992 Minnesota Vikings who went 4-0 and outscored their opponents 140-6. Dennis Greens 1st season. Coincidence? We went 11-5 and won the division.

Code: Select all

   BUF  24-3
   K.C  30-0
at CLE  56-3
at WAS  30-0

[Funkytown]

Your forgot the greatest preseason a team has ever had. The 1992 Minnesota Vikings who went 4-0 and outscored their opponents 140-6. Dennis Greens 1st season. Coincidence? We went 11-5 and won the division.

Code: Select all

   BUF  24-3
   K.C  30-0
at CLE  56-3
at WAS  30-0

Holy crap. Nice!

[Reignman]

Where has this coaching staff been all my life? I liked what Smith was saying about having that winning mentality. I've wanted that for so long. Yes, even in preseason. I hated how we basically just used to just go, "Bleh, it's preseason. We don't need to try that hard to win." I never liked that loser attitude, and I never will, especially considering all the young guys trying to make an NFL roster. Why not open things up and let them play a little? What is there to lose? For the first time in a long time, when I look at our guys, I sense a real team. Team. Everyone is cheering each other on and helping each other out. It just feels different, and it looks a heck of a lot different. Throughout the preseason the passion was obvious, from the top on down. I love how everyone seems engaged and excited. It all goes back to establishing a winning attitude and a real sense of team. Preseason doesn't mean anything in the standings, but heck, this was a good start. I think a different level of confidence (and with that comes expectations) has been established, and I'm ready for the season to start.

Exactly!

I remember Smith saying during his sideline interview that Zim really wanted to win these games. I thought that was a good attitude to instill into your team this early. Frazier treating preseason like it was no big deal, or like his starters were all returning pro bowlers, and it just drove me nuts. Orly? Ponder only needs 2 pass attempts and he's good to go? Childress, and Frazier more so, were lackadaisical about everything and their teams played that way.

And I don't know if this was the kiss of death or not, but Spielman said Zim was going to be our coach for many years to come during the 3rd quarter lol.

[PurpleMustReign]

Your forgot the greatest preseason a team has ever had. The 1992 Minnesota Vikings who went 4-0 and outscored their opponents 140-6. Dennis Greens 1st season. Coincidence? We went 11-5 and won the division.

Code: Select all

   BUF  24-3
   K.C  30-0
at CLE  56-3
at WAS  30-0

I remember that. That was unreal. Washington had 1st and Goal inside the 5 twice in that game and eventually went for it on 4th and Goal both times, and of course failed.

[Reignman]

Run those with points scored vs points given up and see if there is a correlation.

Is that a dare?

Code: Select all

2006 Childress  2-1-1 70-43  (6-10  282-327)
2007 Childress  2-2   83-77  (8-8  365-311)
2008 Childress  1-3   60-77  (10-6  379-333) won the division
2009 Childress  3-1   78-61  (12-4  470-312) won the division
2010 Childress  3-1   93-59  (6-10  281-348)
2011 Frazier    2-2   68-44  (3-13  340-449)
2012 Frazier    1-3   76-71  (10-6  379-348) wildcard
2013 Frazier    1-3   67-104 (5-10-1  391-480)
2014 Zimmer     4-0   89-49

[Reignman]

I remember that. That was unreal. Washington had 1st and Goal inside the 5 twice in that game and eventually went for it on 4th and Goal both times, and of course failed.

I remember it well too. I thought Denny was the 2nd coming, and that we were easily going to go undefeated and win the bowl. . Then we played Washington at the dome in the wildcard game and it was ugly. It wasn't 2000 NFCCG ugly, but Washington had the ball like 41 minutes to our 19, had 24 first downs to our 9, and out gained us 358-148. The 1st of many 1 and dones under Green.

[Funkytown]

How Vikings got to 4-0 is most important

Nice little read. Thank you!

A lot of good stuff there. Hopefully all things we can build on.

[Mothman]

didn't the Lions go 4-0 in the preseason the year they went 0-16...

Yes, they did, which illustrates just how little a preseason record can correlate with how a team will do in the regular season. The '85 Bears, one of the most dominant teams in NFL history, were 1-3 in the preseason.

Let's hope this is one of those 4-0 preseasons that actually leads to a very successful regular season (and postseason).

[Raptorman]

So here's the deal. The Vikings total defense 1st, 2nd 3rd string gave up 49 points in 4 preseason games. 12.25 ppg. the first string defense vs 1st string offense in preseason gave up 17 points in 5 quarters of play, or roughly 13 ppg.. compared to last years 104 points 26 ppg given up in preseason, I view it as a step forward. Lets see if it translates to the regular season.

[Mothman]

So here's the deal. The Vikings total defense 1st, 2nd 3rd string gave up 49 points in 4 preseason games. 12.25 ppg. the first string defense vs 1st string offense in preseason gave up 17 points in 5 quarters of play, or roughly 13 ppg.. compared to last years 104 points 26 ppg given up in preseason, I view it as a step forward. Lets see if it translates to the regular season.

It's certainly a step forward compared to what they did last preseason. Now they'll face teams that will actually be game-planning to attack what they do, they will be playing starters against starters for entire games, etc. It's literally a whole new ballgame.

I can't wait for the games to start!

[jackal]

I think it will be a few more years, before we are a top defense;However, I think they won't bleed, as many games
as last year, in the fourth quarter.

[mondry]

Oh yeah, just not historically bad will be an improvement!

[nfcnorthchamps25]

Our defense will most likely be pretty awful again this year. It is what will hold us back from being a playoff team. We just have too many weak spots. Hopefully next off-season we can fill a few of those holes by finding another lb and cb and we can finally start to compete with the test of our division