Post by Funkytown on Sept 28, 2020 12:57:47 GMT -6
Just a pair of winless teams trying to get their first W. Who will it be?!
Looking forward with Purple Insider:
Link:
purpleinsider.substack.com/p/what-can-we-take-away-from-the-vikings
Looking forward with Purple Insider:
The big picture view
Will the offense keep rolling?
If the Vikings’ offense performs like they did on Sunday on a regular basis, they still might not be able to get them back into the “In The Hunt” graphics by December but they will make things interesting. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin tweeted that Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson are the first running back/receiver combo to both have 175-plus yards in the same game.
Jefferson’s rise has a chance to A) make them threatening enough to win games against teams with mediocre defenses and B) be the most exciting thing about the Vikings as a whole.
His showing on Sunday is why Vikings fans rooting for a high draft pick next year should feel conflicted. If Jefferson is great and has a dominant season, that probably means they come home with a few W’s. If Sunday was an aberration for Jefferson (which doesn’t seem likely after seeing him run with the ball), then that isn’t a good sign for the future.
Aside from the overall quality play by the offense, there are lots of questions to be addressed in the coming weeks. Will Irv Smith Jr. be more involved at some point? How did Bisi Johnson go from the No. 2 receiver out of camp to benched for Chad Beebe? Will Cook be used creatively in the passing game? Will the Vikings stick with Dru Samia after what appeared to be another tough outing or would they consider making a change at guard to Brett Jones or Aviante Collins?
Next week the Vikings face off with the Texans, who have allowed a 112.2 quarterback rating against on defense, second worst in the NFL.
Will the defense improve?
One sign that they could have better games soon is that the defensive line was able to pressure the quarterback at times, which wasn’t the case often in the first two weeks. Ifeadi Odenigbo registered four QB hits and Yannick Ngakoue had a strip sack against Tannehill. At very least, some edge pressure can give the corners a chance.
But the upcoming games are only against good quarterbacks. DeShaun Watson is next and then Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Stafford.
Sunday’s contest shows exactly why the cornerback position is considered more valuable by PFF’s Wins Above Replacement stats than defensive line: Even in a game where the D-line got some pressure, it was poor coverage that led to big plays.
The health of Cameron Dantzler and Mike Hughes will be interesting to watch. Kris Boyd starting in their place appeared to have a good game. Will he get a legit shot to stay there if he plays well?
Plus: Will Danielle Hunter return? His injury has been a mystery since Day 1 and we have very little indication if he will come back soon or remain out for the foreseeable future.
When will they win?
The Texans and Vikings are basically looking in the mirror. Neither team expected to be this bad and both have played against strong opponents. If the Vikings play a similar game to Sunday against the Titans, they could beat Houston. If Watson beats the Vikings, the next best chance won’t come until October 18 against the Falcons (a game that could have fans in the stands if the Vikings get their way). Atlanta has found incredible ways to lose in the first three weeks, including blowing leads to Dallas and Chicago. They might have a different coach when they come to the Twin Cities.
Will the offense keep rolling?
If the Vikings’ offense performs like they did on Sunday on a regular basis, they still might not be able to get them back into the “In The Hunt” graphics by December but they will make things interesting. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin tweeted that Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson are the first running back/receiver combo to both have 175-plus yards in the same game.
Jefferson’s rise has a chance to A) make them threatening enough to win games against teams with mediocre defenses and B) be the most exciting thing about the Vikings as a whole.
His showing on Sunday is why Vikings fans rooting for a high draft pick next year should feel conflicted. If Jefferson is great and has a dominant season, that probably means they come home with a few W’s. If Sunday was an aberration for Jefferson (which doesn’t seem likely after seeing him run with the ball), then that isn’t a good sign for the future.
Aside from the overall quality play by the offense, there are lots of questions to be addressed in the coming weeks. Will Irv Smith Jr. be more involved at some point? How did Bisi Johnson go from the No. 2 receiver out of camp to benched for Chad Beebe? Will Cook be used creatively in the passing game? Will the Vikings stick with Dru Samia after what appeared to be another tough outing or would they consider making a change at guard to Brett Jones or Aviante Collins?
Next week the Vikings face off with the Texans, who have allowed a 112.2 quarterback rating against on defense, second worst in the NFL.
Will the defense improve?
One sign that they could have better games soon is that the defensive line was able to pressure the quarterback at times, which wasn’t the case often in the first two weeks. Ifeadi Odenigbo registered four QB hits and Yannick Ngakoue had a strip sack against Tannehill. At very least, some edge pressure can give the corners a chance.
But the upcoming games are only against good quarterbacks. DeShaun Watson is next and then Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Stafford.
Sunday’s contest shows exactly why the cornerback position is considered more valuable by PFF’s Wins Above Replacement stats than defensive line: Even in a game where the D-line got some pressure, it was poor coverage that led to big plays.
The health of Cameron Dantzler and Mike Hughes will be interesting to watch. Kris Boyd starting in their place appeared to have a good game. Will he get a legit shot to stay there if he plays well?
Plus: Will Danielle Hunter return? His injury has been a mystery since Day 1 and we have very little indication if he will come back soon or remain out for the foreseeable future.
When will they win?
The Texans and Vikings are basically looking in the mirror. Neither team expected to be this bad and both have played against strong opponents. If the Vikings play a similar game to Sunday against the Titans, they could beat Houston. If Watson beats the Vikings, the next best chance won’t come until October 18 against the Falcons (a game that could have fans in the stands if the Vikings get their way). Atlanta has found incredible ways to lose in the first three weeks, including blowing leads to Dallas and Chicago. They might have a different coach when they come to the Twin Cities.
Link:
purpleinsider.substack.com/p/what-can-we-take-away-from-the-vikings
... and neither is this Chris guy.