Post by Frosted on Dec 26, 2014 11:29:22 GMT -6
"But my point of this was I wasn't just going to throw my cleats on and my pads on for a team that had no chance [or] are rebuilding in a point in your career where you're laying it on there. I feel like I'm still the best at what I do." - Jared Allen
Viking Stat Box: Offense
Viking Stat Box: Defense
Random thoughts/observations:
* Sorry for the delay this week, Christmas and such, as you know..last one of these for the season. My, how the season flys by.
* What's that smell? It's awful..pungent...ugh, it smells rotten. Oh. It's the defense. That was by far the worst performance this unit has turned in under Mike Zimmer. So many things went wrong, and there was very little that went right.
* I can't watch our run defense be this bad anymore. It's just sickening. And the the pass defense went and crapped out this week too. I think I'm gonna be sick. The Dolphins had 36 first downs..THIRTY SIX! They were 9/13 on third down conversions. It was like watching the 2013 Vikings try to play defense.
* I've been the biggest Gerald Hodges supporter this season, so I have to speak up when he does poorly too - he played badly on Sunday, to put it kindly. The 15 yard penalty he drew was the icing on the cake, but he did not play like he had the prior two weeks in pass coverage and he wasn't around the ball nearly as much in the run game. I still have nothing but high hopes for him, but Sunday's performance was underwhelming.
* Brinkley didn't play well Sunday, either. It probably didn't help that he played the most snaps he has all season, but he was just out of position a lot. I know he draws the ire of a lot of people on a regular basis, most of the time for good reason, but he wasn't even up to his usual standard against Miami.
* Some of the issues with the defense were likely due to a player that hasn't had the communicator in his helmet yet this season (Hodges), trying to make the calls. Greenway or Barr usually handles those duties. I think I read something this week, where Zimmer was criticizing the defensive alignments. Hopefully they get that straightened out for Sunday.
* The defense was on the field for 86 plays. They looked exhausted by the end of the game.
* I didn't think Andrew Sendejo played badly while he was in the game, but I think it's pretty clear that Robert Blanton is a superior player. Sendejo packs more of a punch in run support, but he's a liability against the pass, and despite Blanton's lack of blow up type hits, he's a good wrap up tackler. It's still a position where I could see us bringing someone in to compete, but I think Blanton has been an underrated part of our defense this season.
* Harrison Smith is soooo good. I can't wait to watch him work for the Vikings for (hopefully) the rest of his career.
* Private Munnerlyn has been brutal this season. I was hopeful about the signing, but he needs to perform better or GTFO.
* Set back this week for Xavier Rhodes. He was quite unlucky though, I thought. The touchdown Mike Wallace caught against him was played (almost) perfectly, the ball just happened to deflect into the air and hang there long enough for that flukieness to happen. I suppose he should have just tried to bat it down, rather than go for the pick (if I'm remembering it correctly).
* Shariff Floyd is lucky he didn't get ejected..
* I think we're missing Barr in our pass rush quite a bit these last few weeks. For a while there we were leading the NFL in sack, and while we're still sitting on 39, tied for 7th in the NFL, we only got to Tannehill once, and didn't sack Stafford at all the week before.
* Go, Tom Johnson, go!
* Antone Exum made a nice play on special teams. He made some boneheaded ones earlier in the year, so it's good to see him come up with a takewaway. He's a big boy - kind of in the Kam Chancellor mold. I hope he can become half the player. He's someone I would like to see push Blanton this offseason. Competition breeds excellence.
* Speaking of special teams, Priefer deserves some criticism for the woes in the kicking game the last few weeks. First, the missed/blocked field goals by Walsh and then the blocked punt this last week. I pointed out a few weeks ago how well the special teams unit has played overall (the blocked punts for TDs, outstanding coverage units and great punt returning all season, Walsh - when he's kicking off - the successful fake to Sendejo in the Chicago game, etc.), but admittedly there have been issues with field goals, Locke has been below average outside of the last three games, and the kick return unit predictably took a step back from last year. So, yes, there are some things to fix. If Locke can't get the job done, then we need to move on. On the other hand, Priefer might not be the greatest guy, but he's a very good football coach. The body of work speaks for itself. Sorry, Kluwe. </troll>
* If Teddy keeps this level of play up, I may start crying tears of joy. Please be for real. PLEASE. Some of the throws he made Sunday were dimes. The pass to Jennings for a TD..the pass to Ford for a TD (argh)..the 3rd and 13 to Jennings in the middle of the third quarter. Seriously, he made my jaw drop more than once. Does anyone else see a bit of Phillip Rivers in him? The way he slides around the pocket, and makes throws with all that pressure in his face..so impressive.
* Matt Asiata ran really hard again. He's far from perfect, but he can be useful when we pick the right spots to deploy him. He cost us a good deal when he dropped that pass though (the interception).
* I really don't know what to think about Matt Kalil. He's so up and down. I hope he plays to the 'up' more, going forward. Next year is going to be big for him, from a contract standpoint.
* Jarius Wright is awesome. He's really a good player, and I'm glad we finally have a QB who is able to help these receivers show their talents. Jennings is in that same vein - he's got some decent football left in him. Let's get these guys together for an offseason of work, and see where this thing goes.
* Almost time for the offseason fun to begin..this team can compete for a playoff spot next year. We just need a few more pieces and continued improvement from the guys already on roster. It's not going to be a championship caliber squad, but I would at least like to see us get in the tournament. Let's go!
This Week
Well hello there, Chicago. How's it going? I almost feel bad for Bears fans. The sh*t show they are watching now is similar to what we experienced near the end of last year. Who am I kidding. I don't feel bad at all.
The Bears are 20th in the NFL in total offense (13th passing, 26th rushing) and score 20.7 points/game (21st). Defensively, they are 30th overall (31st passing, 16th rushing) and allow 28.6 points/game (32nd). Good work, Jared. You've now been a member of the 32nd ranked scoring defense, two seasons in a row. I wonder how often it's happened that a guy is a regular defensive starter for a team that ranks dead last in points against one season, then switches teams, continues as a regular defensive starter for a new team the very next season, and that team proceeds to rank dead last in points against. To be fair, the Bears were 2nd last in points against last year, and have actually improved from 29.9 points/game against to 28.6 points/game against. So cheers to you, Jared. You wouldn't wanna throw the pads and cleats on for a team that has no chance, or anything like that..
One week after the Jimmy Clausen experience was, surprisingly, mildly successful, the smokin' Jay show is back on stage.
The Vikings offense should be able to move the ball with ease against this god awful defense. But then, I probably thought/said the same thing before week 11. So, maybe it's time to just shut up and see if Ted can lead us to our first division win of the Mike Zimmer era. I'd like to see Ted throw for at least 290 yards, to get over that 3,000 yard plateau. I suppose I wouldn't mind 3 or 4 touchdowns from him, either.
I'm interested to see how the defense bounces back after last week's debacle. Well, hopefully they bounce back..
I predict the Vikings win, something like 28-21.
Key Players to Contain - Bears Offense
* Matt Forte (RB): He's like a Cadillac. So smooth.
* Alshon Jeffery (WR): The good news is, Brandon Marshall is out. The bad news is, Alshon Jeffery ate us up last time too. Josh Robinson is still having nightmares.
* Martellus Bennett (TE): He's a great tight end who no one ever talks about.
Key Players to Neutralize - Bears Defense
* Jeremiah (Jay) Ratliff (DT): Sorry, but I can't find much to say about this Bears defense. He's solid at times though..
* Tim Jennings (CB): He had 9 interceptions in a season one time...?
* Jared Allen (DE): He's sitting on 5.5 sacks. I sure hope Kalil doesn't give up 4.5 sacks to him on Sunday.
This Week's TV Maps
506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2014&wk=17
Lots of good football on this weekend. Go Lions. Go Rams. Dick Stockton and Brady Quinn are calling the Vikings game. Pittsburgh v. Cincy on Sunday Night Football. No Monday Night game this week. Playoffs are just around the corner!
Here are the enemy fan forums for this week:
Chi City Sports
www.chicitysports.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/5-Chicago-Bears-Forum
Da Bears
www.dabears.com/forums/chicago-bears.9/
Football's Future
www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=11
Bears Fans Online
www.bearsfansonline.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=2409fb662f0b85a6ee92528e237e320a
What they're saying:
Go Vikes!
Viking Stat Box: Offense
315.8 Total Yards/Game (26th in NFL)
203.6 Passing Yards/Game (27th in NFL)
112.2 Rushing Yards/Game (15th in NFL)
20.8 Points/Game (20th in NFL)Viking Stat Box: Defense
350.1 Total Yards/Game (15th in NFL)
227.1 Passing Yards/Game (8th in NFL)
122.9 Rushing Yards/Game (25th in NFL)
22.3 Points/Game (14th in NFL)Random thoughts/observations:
* Sorry for the delay this week, Christmas and such, as you know..last one of these for the season. My, how the season flys by.
* What's that smell? It's awful..pungent...ugh, it smells rotten. Oh. It's the defense. That was by far the worst performance this unit has turned in under Mike Zimmer. So many things went wrong, and there was very little that went right.
* I can't watch our run defense be this bad anymore. It's just sickening. And the the pass defense went and crapped out this week too. I think I'm gonna be sick. The Dolphins had 36 first downs..THIRTY SIX! They were 9/13 on third down conversions. It was like watching the 2013 Vikings try to play defense.
* I've been the biggest Gerald Hodges supporter this season, so I have to speak up when he does poorly too - he played badly on Sunday, to put it kindly. The 15 yard penalty he drew was the icing on the cake, but he did not play like he had the prior two weeks in pass coverage and he wasn't around the ball nearly as much in the run game. I still have nothing but high hopes for him, but Sunday's performance was underwhelming.
* Brinkley didn't play well Sunday, either. It probably didn't help that he played the most snaps he has all season, but he was just out of position a lot. I know he draws the ire of a lot of people on a regular basis, most of the time for good reason, but he wasn't even up to his usual standard against Miami.
* Some of the issues with the defense were likely due to a player that hasn't had the communicator in his helmet yet this season (Hodges), trying to make the calls. Greenway or Barr usually handles those duties. I think I read something this week, where Zimmer was criticizing the defensive alignments. Hopefully they get that straightened out for Sunday.
* The defense was on the field for 86 plays. They looked exhausted by the end of the game.
* I didn't think Andrew Sendejo played badly while he was in the game, but I think it's pretty clear that Robert Blanton is a superior player. Sendejo packs more of a punch in run support, but he's a liability against the pass, and despite Blanton's lack of blow up type hits, he's a good wrap up tackler. It's still a position where I could see us bringing someone in to compete, but I think Blanton has been an underrated part of our defense this season.
* Harrison Smith is soooo good. I can't wait to watch him work for the Vikings for (hopefully) the rest of his career.
* Private Munnerlyn has been brutal this season. I was hopeful about the signing, but he needs to perform better or GTFO.
* Set back this week for Xavier Rhodes. He was quite unlucky though, I thought. The touchdown Mike Wallace caught against him was played (almost) perfectly, the ball just happened to deflect into the air and hang there long enough for that flukieness to happen. I suppose he should have just tried to bat it down, rather than go for the pick (if I'm remembering it correctly).
* Shariff Floyd is lucky he didn't get ejected..
* I think we're missing Barr in our pass rush quite a bit these last few weeks. For a while there we were leading the NFL in sack, and while we're still sitting on 39, tied for 7th in the NFL, we only got to Tannehill once, and didn't sack Stafford at all the week before.
* Go, Tom Johnson, go!
* Antone Exum made a nice play on special teams. He made some boneheaded ones earlier in the year, so it's good to see him come up with a takewaway. He's a big boy - kind of in the Kam Chancellor mold. I hope he can become half the player. He's someone I would like to see push Blanton this offseason. Competition breeds excellence.
* Speaking of special teams, Priefer deserves some criticism for the woes in the kicking game the last few weeks. First, the missed/blocked field goals by Walsh and then the blocked punt this last week. I pointed out a few weeks ago how well the special teams unit has played overall (the blocked punts for TDs, outstanding coverage units and great punt returning all season, Walsh - when he's kicking off - the successful fake to Sendejo in the Chicago game, etc.), but admittedly there have been issues with field goals, Locke has been below average outside of the last three games, and the kick return unit predictably took a step back from last year. So, yes, there are some things to fix. If Locke can't get the job done, then we need to move on. On the other hand, Priefer might not be the greatest guy, but he's a very good football coach. The body of work speaks for itself. Sorry, Kluwe. </troll>
* If Teddy keeps this level of play up, I may start crying tears of joy. Please be for real. PLEASE. Some of the throws he made Sunday were dimes. The pass to Jennings for a TD..the pass to Ford for a TD (argh)..the 3rd and 13 to Jennings in the middle of the third quarter. Seriously, he made my jaw drop more than once. Does anyone else see a bit of Phillip Rivers in him? The way he slides around the pocket, and makes throws with all that pressure in his face..so impressive.
* Matt Asiata ran really hard again. He's far from perfect, but he can be useful when we pick the right spots to deploy him. He cost us a good deal when he dropped that pass though (the interception).
* I really don't know what to think about Matt Kalil. He's so up and down. I hope he plays to the 'up' more, going forward. Next year is going to be big for him, from a contract standpoint.
* Jarius Wright is awesome. He's really a good player, and I'm glad we finally have a QB who is able to help these receivers show their talents. Jennings is in that same vein - he's got some decent football left in him. Let's get these guys together for an offseason of work, and see where this thing goes.
* Almost time for the offseason fun to begin..this team can compete for a playoff spot next year. We just need a few more pieces and continued improvement from the guys already on roster. It's not going to be a championship caliber squad, but I would at least like to see us get in the tournament. Let's go!
This Week
Well hello there, Chicago. How's it going? I almost feel bad for Bears fans. The sh*t show they are watching now is similar to what we experienced near the end of last year. Who am I kidding. I don't feel bad at all.
The Bears are 20th in the NFL in total offense (13th passing, 26th rushing) and score 20.7 points/game (21st). Defensively, they are 30th overall (31st passing, 16th rushing) and allow 28.6 points/game (32nd). Good work, Jared. You've now been a member of the 32nd ranked scoring defense, two seasons in a row. I wonder how often it's happened that a guy is a regular defensive starter for a team that ranks dead last in points against one season, then switches teams, continues as a regular defensive starter for a new team the very next season, and that team proceeds to rank dead last in points against. To be fair, the Bears were 2nd last in points against last year, and have actually improved from 29.9 points/game against to 28.6 points/game against. So cheers to you, Jared. You wouldn't wanna throw the pads and cleats on for a team that has no chance, or anything like that..
One week after the Jimmy Clausen experience was, surprisingly, mildly successful, the smokin' Jay show is back on stage.
The Vikings offense should be able to move the ball with ease against this god awful defense. But then, I probably thought/said the same thing before week 11. So, maybe it's time to just shut up and see if Ted can lead us to our first division win of the Mike Zimmer era. I'd like to see Ted throw for at least 290 yards, to get over that 3,000 yard plateau. I suppose I wouldn't mind 3 or 4 touchdowns from him, either.
I'm interested to see how the defense bounces back after last week's debacle. Well, hopefully they bounce back..
I predict the Vikings win, something like 28-21.
Key Players to Contain - Bears Offense
* Matt Forte (RB): He's like a Cadillac. So smooth.
* Alshon Jeffery (WR): The good news is, Brandon Marshall is out. The bad news is, Alshon Jeffery ate us up last time too. Josh Robinson is still having nightmares.
* Martellus Bennett (TE): He's a great tight end who no one ever talks about.
Key Players to Neutralize - Bears Defense
* Jeremiah (Jay) Ratliff (DT): Sorry, but I can't find much to say about this Bears defense. He's solid at times though..
* Tim Jennings (CB): He had 9 interceptions in a season one time...?
* Jared Allen (DE): He's sitting on 5.5 sacks. I sure hope Kalil doesn't give up 4.5 sacks to him on Sunday.
This Week's TV Maps
506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2014&wk=17
Lots of good football on this weekend. Go Lions. Go Rams. Dick Stockton and Brady Quinn are calling the Vikings game. Pittsburgh v. Cincy on Sunday Night Football. No Monday Night game this week. Playoffs are just around the corner!
Here are the enemy fan forums for this week:
Chi City Sports
www.chicitysports.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/5-Chicago-Bears-Forum
Da Bears
www.dabears.com/forums/chicago-bears.9/
Football's Future
www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=11
Bears Fans Online
www.bearsfansonline.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=2409fb662f0b85a6ee92528e237e320a
What they're saying:
I'm hoping they finish right and secure a top 8 draft pick.
Bears 23-20.
Part of me really wants to see Jay give the entire organiation the middle finger by coming out and putting up 40 on Minny, after they tried to make him the scape goat, for this awful season. For me I want to see everybody fired, I want to see a president of Football Ops brought in (sounds like I'm going to get my wish) and let them evaluate the whole situation and see what they want to do.
It’s pathetic that it’s week 17 and your hoping your own team loses just so you can get a better draft pick
More than anything else I am just hoping we get out of this game without another major injury that might impact our 2015 season.
To my understanding, if we lose, we get the #7 overall pick. If we win, our first pick is between 8-11, depending on other results. I dont care where we pick, I care that we get an impact player whatever position we get.
As for the game, its hard to say. Both teams are bad, I'll give Minny the edge since they're at home. Minny 24-20
As for the game, its hard to say. Both teams are bad, I'll give Minny the edge since they're at home. Minny 24-20
This game is going to be a good tool to see if we have any good young players that can help us next season. Christian Jones is really strong and has potential to play the run and take on blocks as he develops. Vereen has made some plays. Can Ratliff, Ego, Sutton be given a starting role. I would like to see Carey get a few series. Anyone on the worth keeping.
I'm more concerned with concreting Marc being fired. I don't want Emery to have any second guesses. None.
As AZ mentioned, I dont like to see any injuries for the Bears. It was tough to see Willie Young getting hurt last week. Lets hope it is a good game and that Emery would be the first person to get axed. Really no ill wishes for Cutler but Emery has been clueless with his draft picks. Kyle long pick was an obvious pick so anyone would have picked him.
could this be the debut of David Fales?
Bridgewater has been playing well lately. If the defense balls out we might have a shot. If they play the way they have the majority this year, we're in trouble.
Neither team has anything to play for so it should be a pretty boring game.
Don't care who QBs, I see it as a loss. Minny has played better last half of year. I think Bears D played out of their minds yesterday and they do not have it in them to play 2 good games in a row.
Offensively, not consistent enough all year, no reason for it to change now. Bears will stick with the common score of 14-17 points and Minny will score 24.
Offensively, not consistent enough all year, no reason for it to change now. Bears will stick with the common score of 14-17 points and Minny will score 24.
The Bears just aren't a competent franchise, and we're all fools for thinking they'll be able to fix this. This organization is a corpse.
I wonder if Cutler comes out looking sharp or not. Lets see how he handles a benching. If he comes out good then maybe it helps trade him. Maybe it helps his career. Who knows. Lots of what ifs.
Go Vikes!
... and neither is this Chris guy.