Post by Danchat on Jul 17, 2018 21:14:49 GMT -6
Walter Cherepinsky of Walterfootball.com did a preview on the Vikings 2018 season today, and you can see it here. I like a lot of his opinions and he's not afraid to be bold (he has the Rams going 9-7, the Jags and Seahawks finishing 6-10!). Here's a few highlights from what he said today:
While I obviously don't agree with a lot he said, it's definitely interesting to think about. As one who liked Case Keenum, I do think he's overrating his ability. I'd also like to mention that he had the Vikings finishing 8-8 season... yup, he was a bit off.
Any thoughts?
Nothing can be done about injuries, but Cousins' projected effectiveness could be questioned. He's not an elite quarterback, by any means, and there is a ton of pressure on him to perform up to expectations. Cousins never made the playoffs as a starter in Washington, and it's unclear if he's a good fit for the Vikings. He's not as mobile as Case Keenum happens to be, so Cousins won't be able to buy as much time as Keenum was able to last year. Cousins could struggle as a result, and this could remind some older football fans of when the Ravens replaced Trent Dilfer with the supposedly superior Elvis Grbac, only to have it blow up in their face.
The Vikings will sorely miss Keenum's mobility because the offensive line is looking quite dubious. Left tackle Riley Reiff struggled at the blind side last year, which was hardly a surprise because he was just an average right tackle in Detroit before he departed.
The Vikings will sorely miss Keenum's mobility because the offensive line is looking quite dubious. Left tackle Riley Reiff struggled at the blind side last year, which was hardly a surprise because he was just an average right tackle in Detroit before he departed.
Minnesota's defense being able to battle a backup quarterback in the NFC Championship is the reason why the Vikings were favored in Philadelphia. However, the supposedly prolific stop unit, which surrendered just 17.4 points per game throughout the 2017 campaign, gave up 38 to Nick Foles.
The secondary was to blame, as Foles torched the Vikings mercilessly. That would help explain why Minnesota used its first-round pick on cornerback Mike Hughes. The Central Florida product may have been selected in the top 15, or at least the top 20 had he not been guilty of an off-the-field incident in college. He's very talented, and he should be able to instantly take over in the slot over the declining Terence Newman. If Hughes can live up to his talents, the Vikings will have two prolific cornerbacks, with the other being Xavier Rhodes. There are issues with the starter across from Rhodes, former first-round pick Trae Waynes, who hasn't performed up to expectations thus far.
The secondary was to blame, as Foles torched the Vikings mercilessly. That would help explain why Minnesota used its first-round pick on cornerback Mike Hughes. The Central Florida product may have been selected in the top 15, or at least the top 20 had he not been guilty of an off-the-field incident in college. He's very talented, and he should be able to instantly take over in the slot over the declining Terence Newman. If Hughes can live up to his talents, the Vikings will have two prolific cornerbacks, with the other being Xavier Rhodes. There are issues with the starter across from Rhodes, former first-round pick Trae Waynes, who hasn't performed up to expectations thus far.
2018 Minnesota Vikings Analysis: The Vikings have a great defense that will allow them to contend for the NFC North crown again. However, there are three concerns. The first is how well Kirk Cousins will transition into the offense without a complete offseason to gel with his new teammates. The second is the offensive line, which looks pretty pedestrian. The third is the expected resurgence of the Packers, who didn't have Aaron Rodgers for more than half of the 2017 season. With all of these factors, it could be possible that the Vikings will miss the playoffs in 2018.
Projection: 9-7 (TBA in NFC North)
Projection: 9-7 (TBA in NFC North)
While I obviously don't agree with a lot he said, it's definitely interesting to think about. As one who liked Case Keenum, I do think he's overrating his ability. I'd also like to mention that he had the Vikings finishing 8-8 season... yup, he was a bit off.
Any thoughts?
He definitely isn't elite. He definitely has never won a playoff game, despite "carrying the Redskins to the playoffs in 2015" where he did what hmmmm? He promptly lost to.....wait for it....hmm, lets see, who do we least want to lose to in the playoffs.....yeah, that's right, the Pukers.
... and neither is this Chris guy.