Vikings Message Board.Com

Here's our first real look at the Vikes since last year's playoff loss. Let's do it!


7:00 pm kickoff.

Predicion: Vikes-23, 49ers-20

I don't consider it anything close to a real look at the team but it's the closest we'll get until the Vikes play Detroit so I'm excited about it. I hope it's a well-played, injury-free game!

Please no injuries.

I'm going to be watching our LBs closely....should be a real good test for them.

On National TV? Whattt??? I'll be watching.

I just want to see the offensive move the ball and get a couple scores. Nothing fancy. Defense just fly to the ball and don't make huge mistakes.

PacificNorseWest wrote:On National TV? Whattt??? I'll be watching.

I just want to see the offensive move the ball and get a couple scores. Nothing fancy. Defense just fly to the ball and don't make huge mistakes.

Exactly.

If AD plays more than 1 quarter, I'll be pissed. I don't think he should play at all

Scoreboard isn't important tonight. Top priorities are staying injury free and getting the offense into some sort of sync heading into week 1. The next preseason game is Thursday, so this is pretty much it for our starters i am thinking. I would feel a lot better if the offense punched in a few TDs and Ponder and the receivers looked decent.

I can't believe 2 weeks from now I will be watching the Vikings in real action again!

yezzir wrote: Exactly.

If AD plays more than 1 quarter, I'll be pissed. I don't think he should play at all

I agree, but since he's playing I hope he busts a 90 yd TD just to say "Howdy" to this season. Then he can sit the rest of the game out and we can evaluate the two backs behind Toby, who seem promising to me.

I'd like to see Ponder get in a rhythm w/ Jennings, Simpson, CP84 and Rudy.

I'd like to see improved run D, some D-line penetration, and solid secondary. Perhaps most of all: gotta have better O-line work all around, but especially in pass protection.

Texas Vike wrote:I agree, but since he's playing I hope he busts a 90 yd TD just to say "Howdy" to this season. Then he can sit the rest of the game out and we can evaluate the two backs behind Toby, who seem promising to me.

I'd like to see Ponder get in a rhythm w/ Jennings, Simpson, CP84 and Rudy.

I'd like to see improved run D, some D-line penetration, and solid secondary. Perhaps most of all: gotta have better O-line work all around, but especially in pass protection.

That's the #1 thing I'll be looking for tonight although far from the only thing. The o-line needs to play much better in just about every phase of their game.

it would be ok with me if AD doesn't play. Look at rex Ryan and say he should play. Nothing to gain. Like to see Patterson get some serious work early against the 49ers starters to guage his progress

Harbaugh plans on playing all 5 QBs I guess. 49ers must feel ready because Kaepernick has hardly played this preseason. DEAR GOD no injuries

Laserman wrote:it would be ok with me if AD doesn't play. Look at rex Ryan and say he should play. Nothing to gain. Like to see Patterson get some serious work early against the 49ers starters to guage his progress

I'd argue that Rex's error was putting Sanchez behind a second string O-line....not playing Sanchez in general.

I can't see any situation where AD would play with the second unit.

I'm not worried about him getting some snaps tonight. He's played in every pre-season til last year, and it's not like he's being forced to play like Sanchez was last night. I think Rex will lose his job over this.

But if AD turns an ankle or something, all hell will break loose in the second guessing department.

risking AD to injury in a preseason game isn't worth anything you may gain doing so. Ponder and Co need to step up without AD

Laserman wrote:risking AD to injury in a preseason game isn't worth anything you may gain doing so. Ponder and Co need to step up without AD

I understand that view but AD's not exactly a china doll. He should hold up fine and it's not a bad idea to get a little playing time for the entire starting offense as a unit. The main thing is to play smart and for players to not recklessly expose themselves to potential injuries.

AD wants to play and he's paid to play so I say let him play.

Mothman wrote: I understand that view but AD's not exactly a china doll. He should hold up fine and it's not a bad idea to get a little playing time for the entire starting offense as a unit. The main thing is to play smart and for players to not recklessly expose themselves to potential injuries.

AD wants to play and he's paid to play so I say let him play.

Can't say I agree. I understand that argument with any other offensive player, but not veteran RB behind a mostly veteran o-line. There is no point in my opinion. Timing, chemistry, "getting the rust off", etc., doesn't apply to AD and the offense in his situation. If he snaps up one of his knees again in a meaningless game, it's a cpmplete waste and there is no excuse.

yezzir wrote:Can't say I agree. I understand that argument with any other offensive player, but not veteran RB behind a mostly veteran o-line. There is no point in my opinion. Timing, chemistry, "getting the rust off", etc., doesn't apply to AD and the offense in his situation. If he snaps up one of his knees again in a meaningless game, it's a cpmplete waste and there is no excuse.

There's that phrase again! At least it's not being applied to Ponder this time.

I get where you're coming from but if a player gets hurt 3 carries into the first game of the season, the net result is the same. It would still be a waste. I'm all for a reasonably cautious approach but at some point, a player will either hold up or he won't. There's no reason to believe AD can't get through a quarter or two of preseason football without an injury so I have no problem with him playing, especially if the coaches see value in it. Plenty of superstars are seeing the field this preseason and they do every year. I understand that the games are meaningless but the coaches obviously don't feel the work is meaningless or half the starters wouldn't see the field at all during the preseason.