Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc.

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jun 28, 2023 17:51:36 GMT -6

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Post by Funkytown on Jun 28, 2023 17:51:36 GMT -6

Purple Insider: How good are the Vikings' offensive weapons?

7. Minnesota Vikings

Key skill players: Justin Jefferson, TJ Hockenson, KJ Osborn, Jordan Addison, Alexander Mattison

Key stat: Hockenson was targeted 92 times in 11 games (including playoffs) and Jefferson had the second most contested catches in the NFL with 22 (per PFF)

The Vikings have a chance to rank with the best of the best on this list but that really depends on how a few unknowns play out. If Jordan Addison competes for Rookie of the Year and the Alexander Mattison and Friends backfield improves the team’s rushing efficiency, they will have an elite group of weapons. If Addison takes some time to develop and the backfield is unremarkable, it’s still going to be a very strong group because of Jefferson/Hockenson/Osborn but not different from a year ago or maybe slightly worse.

Dolphins, 49ers, Bengals, Eagles, Seahawks, and Cowboys were ranked ahead of the Vikes. Falcons, Lions, and Jets finished out the Top 10.

Link: purpleinsider.substack.com/p/ranking-stuff-week-how-good-are-the

Purple Insider: Do the Vikings have the best receiver and running back Mount Rushmores?

Wide Receivers

1. Minnesota Vikings

Mount Rushmore: Randy Moss, Cris Carter, Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen (or Stefon Diggs/Anthony Carter/Jake Reed/Sammy White)

Key stat: Randy Moss and Cris Carter both rank in the top five all-time in touchdowns

If the only two outstanding receivers in Vikings history were Randy Moss and Cris Carter, the Vikings would still rank toward the top of this list but there’s also no other team with the type of depth the Vikings have either. Jefferson may only be three years into his career but his production is so prolific that he’s already deserving of a spot. The debate between Thielen and the rest of the Vikings’ receivers is pretty tough to settle. The Minneapolis Miracle man, Carter’s ‘87 playoff run, Reed’s four straight 1,000-yard seasons and White being the centerpiece of the late 70s and early 80s. It’s an unmatchable group.

...

Running backs

Honorable mention

Minnesota Vikings

Mount Rushmore: Adrian Peterson, Chuck Foreman, Dalvin Cook, Robert Smith

The Vikings are very, very close to belonging on this list. Peterson is fifth all-time in rushing yards and has the 2,000-plus yard season to his name and Foreman was an ahead-of-his-time receiving back who played a massive role in the Vikings’ success in their heyday. But Cook and Smith only rank 99th and 70th all-time in rushing yards and neither player led the NFL any category during their careers in purple, which isn’t quite enough to challenge the accomplishments of the others.

Link: purpleinsider.substack.com/p/ranking-stuff-week-do-the-vikings

Purple Insider: All-time Vikings quarterbacks by category

Best season

1998 Randall Cunningham
2004 Daunte Culpepper
2009 Brett Favre
1975 Fran Tarkenton
1986 Tommy Kramer
2017 Case Keenum
2019 Kirk Cousins
1988 Wade Wilson
1995 Warren Moon
2016 Sam Bradford

Only one per QB here. If we used multiple seasons the list would be filled with Tarkenton and not make enough room for others to be recognized. There’s a great debate between the top four here. Cunningham’s ‘98 offense was the best the NFL had ever seen to that point but Culpepper nearly took home MVP in ‘04, a season in which Randy Moss was slowed somewhat by injury. Kramer led the league in QB rating in ‘86. It’s hard to choose between ‘19 and ‘22 for Kirk Cousins. He was statistically better in ‘19 and won a playoff game, though ‘22 was more fun during the regular season and he threw more passes.

Best moments

Case Keenum, Minneapolis Miracle
Tommy Kramer, Miracle at the Met
Randall Cunningham, MNF vs. Green Bay
Brett Favre, game-winning throw vs. 49ers
Joe Kapp running over Browns in NFL Championship
Daunte Culpepper’s four TDs over GB in ‘04 playoffs
Wade Wilson, Hail Mary in playoff blowout of Saints
Fran Tarkenton’s scramble touchdown vs 49ers
Kirk Cousins walk-off TD vs. Saints
Brad Johnson, throwing himself a touchdown

Once again we went with one per QB here. Vikings historians might be able to pin down another Tarkenton moment that carried more gravity but his scramble vs. the 49ers goes in the all-time NFL Films highlight reel. There’s certainly an argument for Cunningham’s throws to Moss on Thanksgiving Day as being his most memorable, though the Green Bay game was the NFL’s introduction to the ‘98 Vikings. Brad Johnson’s TD to himself could have been on a “most improbable” plays list along with Sean Mannion’s accidental pass to Garrett Bradbury.

Most surprising games

Joe Kapp — Seven touchdowns vs. Baltimore in 1969
Gus Frerotte — 157.2 rating (franchise best) vs. SF in 2003
Todd Bouman — 348 yards, 4 TD vs. Tennessee in 2001
Case Keenum — 369 yards, 3 TD vs. Tampa Bay in 2017
Teddy Bridgewater — 17-for-20 with 4 TDs vs. Chicago in 2015
Tarvaris Jackson — 11-for-17 with 4 TDs vs. Arizona in 2008
Matt Cassel — 123.4 QB rating in 34-27 win over Pittsburgh in 2013
Sam Bradford — 121.2 QB rating in debut win vs. Green Bay in 2016
Christian Ponder — 234 yards and 3 TDs in 37-34 win over Green Bay in 2012
Sean Salisbury — 292 yards and 2 TD in a win over Green Bay in 1992

If you weren’t aware that Gus Frerotte had the best game by QB rating in Vikings history, feel free to use that at your family reunion this summer. Keenum’s breakout game coming after a miserable performance against the Steelers made it all the more stunning. Lots of other QBs on this list had games that made folks believe in QBs whose success was fleeting.

Biggest disappointment

Christian Ponder
2010 Brett Favre
2018 Kirk Cousins
Donovan McNabb
Gary Cuozzo
1999 Randall Cunningham
2005 Daunte Culpepper
Tarvaris Jackson’s playoff game
Josh Freeman
Joe Webb’s playoff game

You could throw Case Keenum’s NFC Championship into the mix here but that was a full team effort rather than just a poor QB showing. Ponder gets the top nod here in part because the Vikings haven’t drafted enough quarterbacks high enough to have a bigger bust. The other trend is lots of run-it-back seasons or desperate attempts to find a QB.

Biggest what-if

Fran Tarkenton wasn’t traded
Daunte Culpepper’s knee isn’t injured
Brett Favre doesn’t throw across his body
The Vikings lost vs. Washington in 2011 and landed Andrew Luck
Teddy Bridgewater’s knee isn’t injured
Sam Bradford is healthy in 2017
The Vikings drafted Lamar Jackson in 2018
They stuck with Rich Gannon and he developed
The Vikings drafted Roman Gabriel
Christian Ponder didn’t get hurt before the 2012 playoffs

Is there a better place to finish our list of lists? The thing about Vikings history is that you can finish this sentence: “The Vikings would have a Super Bowl if _____” like 93 different ways. Certainly they get one if Tarkenton had remained the QB through the late 60s when the Purple People Eaters defense was peaking. They beat the Colts in ‘09, right? The ‘17 season has three in itself. Gannon might be debatable because it took a long time before he became MVP with the Raiders.

Link: purpleinsider.substack.com/p/ranking-stuff-week-all-time-vikings

--

Lots to discuss here. And, a lot of pain - Purple Pain.

Last Edit: Jun 28, 2023 17:51:57 GMT -6 by Funkytown

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jun 28, 2023 17:58:47 GMT -6

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Post by Funkytown on Jun 28, 2023 17:58:47 GMT -6

10 Lists of 10: Vikings’ MVP Candidates, Value Cap Hits, Areas of Concern, & Plenty More by oldbeagle

1 – The Vikings’ MVP Candidates
10) Brian O’Neill
9) Christian Darrisaw
8) Harrison Smith
7) T.J. Hockenson
6) Marcus Davenport
5) Byron Murphy
4) Danielle Hunter
3) Alexander Mattison
2) Justin Jefferson
1) Kirk Cousins

Jefferson, the team’s undisputed greatest player, is a wide receiver. The league’s highest award almost always goes to a QB. Cousins gets the nod for top spot simply due to position. Truthfully, the Vikings really only have a pair of players capable of even entering the realm of possibility for the award: the QB1 and WR1. A miracle would need to occur for any other Viking to enter the conversation.

2 – Positions that Cause the Most Anxiety
10) Receiver
9) Safety
8) Offensive Tackle
7) Tight End
6) Defensive Tackle
5) Linebacker
4) Quarterback
3) Pass Rusher
2) Interior Offensive Line
1) Corner

What happens if Byron Murphy flops? Could be bad times for Brian Flores and Minnesota’s defense. Oh, and some Vikings fans may have grown accustomed to seeing the center and guards regularly allow pressure right up the middle. The Danielle Dilemma hangs over the edge rusher position.

3 – Sophomores Staring Down the Most Pressure in 2023
10) Ryan Wright
9) Vederian Lowe
8) Esezi Otomewo
7) Luiji Vilain
6) Ty Chandler
5) Akayleb Evans
4) Brian Asamoah
3) Ed Ingram
2) Lewis Cine
1) Andrew Booth Jr.

Coming out of the draft, Andrew Booth Jr. received criticism for being injury prone. His rookie season reaffirmed rather than refuted those concerns. Seeing as how the team traded up to go get him (details here and here), Booth faces some serious pressure to perform. He’s likely feeling the heat, especially since Evans played better last season.

4 – Youngsters (25 or Younger) Set Up for More Snaps
10) Christian Darrisaw (due to past injury)
9) Patrick Jones
8) Josh Metellus
7) Jalen Nailor
6) Ty Chandler
5) Akayleb Evans
4) Andrew Booth Jr.
3) Brian Asamoah
2) Lewis Cine
1) Alexander Mattison

Somehow, Mr. Mattison has just hit the quarter-century mark. Pretty wild considering he’s entering his 5th season in the NFL. With the departure of Dalvin Cook, Mattison stands to benefit the most. He’ll very easily set a career high in snaps as long as his health cooperates.

5 – Sensational Justin Jefferson Facts
10) He’s only 24.
9) His 4,825 receiving yards is the most ever for a player before his 24th birthday.
8) No receiver has ever hit 1,400 yards or more in his first trio of seasons in the NFL. Until Jefferson, that is.
7) Eclipsing 1,500 yards in 2023 will make Jefferson the first receiver to ever accomplish the feat in three consecutive seasons.
6) He has been an All Pro in every season of his career.
5) Jefferson is already in the top 10 for receiving yards in Vikings history.
4) Piling up 1,609 yards in 2023 will catapult Jefferson into the franchise’s top 5.
3) He owns the single-season Vikings record for receptions and receiving yards.
2) Henry Ruggs III, Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, and Jalen Reagor were all selected before Jefferson. How did Jefferson become the 5th WR taken? Wild.
1) His cap hit in 2023 is a paltry $4,175,438.

Less hierarchical and more of a hodgepodge of wondrous statistical facts and details. What more can we say? Great player and leader.

Link:

purpleptsd.com/2023/vikings/opinion/10-vikings-mvp-candidates/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jun 29, 2023 10:43:30 GMT -6 Danchat likes this

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Post by Funkytown on Jun 29, 2023 10:43:30 GMT -6

Purple Insider: Coaches, QBs and teams by tier

Coaches

Legends tier

Andy Reid, John Harbaugh, Pete Carroll, Mike Tomlin, Sean Payton, Bill Belichick

This group needs no introduction. They have rings and their teams are going to be well coached and competitive every year almost regardless of circumstances. Even if some of these fellas are past their prime, they are probably all ending up in the Hall of Fame and are deserving of their own tier. It’s safe to say that any team that had an opening would instantly sign up to have any of them in charge.

This coach gives you a tangible advantage

Sean McVay, Nick Sirianni, Kyle Shanahan, Zac Taylor, Sean McDermott, Matt LaFleur, Mike Vrabel

These coaches are either McVay, act like McVay, know McVay or look like McVay. In seriousness, with each member of this group we can look at their performances by the numbers and show definitely where their coaching is impacting winning chances. Whether it’s McVay’s boost to his quarterbacks, Sirianni’s in-game decision making, Shanahan’s ability to have any QB play above their weight class, the way Taylor adjusted his offense last season to fit Burrow, McDermott’s defense or LaFleur’s jump in performance from Aaron Rodgers in the post-McCarthy era. Vrabel might not seem like a fit with the innovators but he has a .585 career winning percentage, which isn’t far behind Pete Carroll and Sean McVay.

These are the coaches that every team wants. They are ahead of the curve and have enough toughness in their bones to command a franchise.

Trust them to win with a good roster

Doug Pederson, Frank Reich, Ron Rivera, Kevin Stefanski

Each of this group has both won and lost enough to be somewhat questionable. Pederson is the most difficult one to put in this list but the end of his tenure in Philly was pretty rough, similar to Reich in Indy or Rivera in Carolina. Stefanski is going to get somewhat of a pass for last year but if he has three straight disappointing seasons he could be out in Cleveland. Still, each of these coaches has proven that with a beastly 2017 Eagles team or Andrew Luck or Cam Newton etc. that they can get a team into the dance.

Probably good but we need to see more

Dan Campbell, Robert Salah, Mike McDaniel, Kevin O’Connell, Brian Daboll

Every one of these fan bases is pretty excited about their coach. The Lions believe that Campbell’s rallying cries (combined with his very good offensive coordinator) can take them to the top of the division for the first time in forever. Salah’s defense nearly dragged the Jets into the playoffs. McDaniel took Tua to a way different level than he’d been in the past. O’Connell debuted with 13 wins and Daboll got the most out of Daniel Jones and won a playoff game.

What’s next, however, will determine their standing in the league. If the Lions fall short or Jets fail with Rodgers or Dolphins/Vikings/Giants don't carry over their offensive success, then we could be talking about them in the same vein as someone like Stefanski pretty quickly.

Quarterbacks

Your team enters every season with Super Bowl expectations because of this guy

Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers

Three of these guys are this generation’s Elway, Marino, Kelly or Brady, Manning, Rodgers and the other guy is the last of that dying breed. Yes, Rodgers had a down year last season. No, I won’t be taking him out of this category until he’s retired.

Definitely a franchise QB who can lead an elite offense

Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford

These are the quarterbacks that everybody likes to argue about while every team struggling to find a quarterback would take any of them in a heartbeat. They are not absolutely flawless Hall of Famers but if the team around them is good then their teams will rank in the top five offensively and they will have a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl. Lawrence being in this group is indeed a projection based on his trajectory but it seems like a safe bet considering his pedigree and how he played in Year 1 under Doug Pederson.

They can execute what’s asked of them and compete under the right circumstances

Jared Goff, Jimmy Garoppolo, Kirk Cousins, Tua Tagovailoa, Derek Carr, Ryan Tannehill, Daniel Jones, Geno Smith

These are also quarterbacks everybody likes to fight about but their teams really aren’t sure if they want them or not either. Goff, Garoppolo, Cousins, Carr and Tannehill’s original teams all let them go and Tagovailoa’s tried to woo Tom Brady and there’s still a lack of total commitment with each. The Giants didn’t pick up Jones’s fifth-year option and Smith’s contract extension was as non-committal as they could make it. Yet each one of these QBs has had their moments. They will win double-digit games or lead great offenses occasionally but when the circumstances change they aren’t going to carry their clubs. These fellas have had their moments and about once per decade one of their tier takes home a trophy (see: Flacco, Joe or Johnson, Brad).

Link:

purpleinsider.substack.com/p/ranking-stuff-week-coaches-qbs-and

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jun 30, 2023 18:34:41 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by Funkytown on Jun 30, 2023 18:34:41 GMT -6

Biggest disappointment

Christian Ponder
2010 Brett Favre
2018 Kirk Cousins
Donovan McNabb
Gary Cuozzo
1999 Randall Cunningham
2005 Daunte Culpepper
Tarvaris Jackson’s playoff game
Josh Freeman
Joe Webb’s playoff game

You could throw Case Keenum’s NFC Championship into the mix here but that was a full team effort rather than just a poor QB showing. Ponder gets the top nod here in part because the Vikings haven’t drafted enough quarterbacks high enough to have a bigger bust. The other trend is lots of run-it-back seasons or desperate attempts to find a QB.

Biggest what-if

Fran Tarkenton wasn’t traded
Daunte Culpepper’s knee isn’t injured
Brett Favre doesn’t throw across his body
The Vikings lost vs. Washington in 2011 and landed Andrew Luck
Teddy Bridgewater’s knee isn’t injured
Sam Bradford is healthy in 2017
The Vikings drafted Lamar Jackson in 2018
They stuck with Rich Gannon and he developed
The Vikings drafted Roman Gabriel
Christian Ponder didn’t get hurt before the 2012 playoffs

Is there a better place to finish our list of lists? The thing about Vikings history is that you can finish this sentence: “The Vikings would have a Super Bowl if _____” like 93 different ways. Certainly they get one if Tarkenton had remained the QB through the late 60s when the Purple People Eaters defense was peaking. They beat the Colts in ‘09, right? The ‘17 season has three in itself. Gannon might be debatable because it took a long time before he became MVP with the Raiders.

Some definite trauma here:

- Ahhh, the Ponder debates. Some of us go back that far together. T-Jack, Rosenfels, Cassel, etc. Yeeeeeah, these Cousins debates seem even more silly now.
- McNabb? LOL
- Freeman? LOL
- Webb? lil lol (sorry Oracle Bone Diviner)
- YUP! I love Cousins more now that I'm reliving some of this trauma.
- Bridgewater's and Bradford's knees both break. More trauma. Ugh... More reason to appreciate KC!

Other things:

- 2010? Don't remember it. I choose to block that out. Wish I could forget 2011, too. lol.
- 2012, with a healthy Ponder, we win in Green Bay. But beyond that? Looking back, I'm now more upset with AP not breaking the record. At the time, I was disappointed, but also happy to beat Green Bay and head to the playoffs. Then, stupidness and disappointment followed. Now I want the record! Keep the disappointing outing in Green Bay! Boo!
- Who else remembers how bad Chris Cook was? I'll add that as a minor disappointment. Watching him was like watching Williamson. Zero ball skills. He could have perfect position, and somehow still do nothing to defend a freaking pass. Not even Zimmer could fix him. He was out of the league already after the 2014 season. Yikes.

Last Edit: Jun 30, 2023 18:35:46 GMT -6 by Funkytown

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jun 30, 2023 19:14:29 GMT -6 Oracle Bone Diviner likes this

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Post by Danchat on Jun 30, 2023 19:14:29 GMT -6

Jun 30, 2023 18:34:41 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

2012, with a healthy Ponder, we win in Green Bay. But beyond that? Looking back, I'm now more upset with AP not breaking the record. At the time, I was disappointed, but also happy to beat Green Bay and head to the playoffs. Then, stupidness and disappointment followed. Now I want the record! Keep the disappointing outing in Green Bay! Boo!

Maybe, they beat the Packers in a close game the week before, and that was at home. With Ponder it would have probably been closer, but I still think we lose. And even if they did beat the Packers, they certainly weren't going any further than that.

Jun 30, 2023 18:34:41 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

Who else remembers how bad Chris Cook was? I'll add that as a minor disappointment. Watching him was like watching Williamson. Zero ball skills. He could have perfect position, and somehow still do nothing to defend a freaking pass. Not even Zimmer could fix him. He was out of the league already after the 2014 season. Yikes.

We've had so many bad CBs here it can be difficult to remember them all... Cook and Josh Robinson were a crappy duo, that's for sure.

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 1, 2023 7:39:55 GMT -6 Reignman likes this

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Post by Oracle Bone Diviner on Jul 1, 2023 7:39:55 GMT -6

Jun 30, 2023 19:14:29 GMT -6 Danchat said:

Jun 30, 2023 18:34:41 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

2012, with a healthy Ponder, we win in Green Bay. But beyond that? Looking back, I'm now more upset with AP not breaking the record. At the time, I was disappointed, but also happy to beat Green Bay and head to the playoffs. Then, stupidness and disappointment followed. Now I want the record! Keep the disappointing outing in Green Bay! Boo!

Maybe, they beat the Packers in a close game the week before, and that was at home. With Ponder it would have probably been closer, but I still think we lose. And even if they did beat the Packers, they certainly weren't going any further than that.

Jun 30, 2023 18:34:41 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

We definitely lose with Ponder. That's the reality the Webb haters all want to deny.

There's a ringing in my ear and I think it's the Call of the Wild

itinerant, noun; a person who works and wanders.

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 1, 2023 8:51:10 GMT -6 via mobile mngopher35 likes this

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Post by whoskmoon on Jul 1, 2023 8:51:10 GMT -6

The delusions around Sam Bradford continue to this day. Of the 3 QBs on the roster in 2017, he was statistically worse in pretty much every category including winning%.

His 2016 season was arguably worse than Ponders 2012 one. He lead an offense with Adam Thielen and Stephon Diggs in their primes to be bottom 10 in scoring. Awful.

I am sure a career of ineptitude was all going to change in 2017 though.

Last Edit: Jul 1, 2023 8:51:37 GMT -6 by whoskmoon

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 1, 2023 10:00:27 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by Funkytown on Jul 1, 2023 10:00:27 GMT -6

Jul 1, 2023 8:51:10 GMT -6 whoskmoon said:

The delusions around Sam Bradford continue to this day. Of the 3 QBs on the roster in 2017, he was statistically worse in pretty much every category including winning%.

His 2016 season was arguably worse than Ponders 2012 one. He lead an offense with Adam Thielen and Stephon Diggs in their primes to be bottom 10 in scoring. Awful.

I am sure a career of ineptitude was all going to change in 2017 though.

Okay, but that one game against Green Bay was fire! lol.

In all seriousness, didn't Rudolph say that they win it all with a healthy Bradford? Or something along those lines? Zimmer loved him too, so there must've been something there. Too bad his body couldn't hold up.

Anyway, about 2017:

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 1, 2023 10:35:54 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by Funkytown on Jul 1, 2023 10:35:54 GMT -6

Jul 1, 2023 8:51:10 GMT -6 whoskmoon said:

The delusions around Sam Bradford continue to this day. Of the 3 QBs on the roster in 2017, he was statistically worse in pretty much every category including winning%.

His 2016 season was arguably worse than Ponders 2012 one. He lead an offense with Adam Thielen and Stephon Diggs in their primes to be bottom 10 in scoring. Awful.

I am sure a career of ineptitude was all going to change in 2017 though.

I'll also add, it's probably less about Bradford and more about the team. The locker room. The system.

Did anyone think Keenum would do as well? The team would win as many games? What was Keenum before and after? Heck, what was the team after? Some years things just click. That was the case in 2017. Pun intended. But I found Rudy's comments:

The Vikings on Tuesday released Kyle Rudolph, making the former Pro Bowl tight end a free agent after spending 10 seasons in Minnesota.

Rudolph, 31, penned a nice goodbye letter to Minnesota in The Players’ Tribune. It’s a nice gesture. Rudolph thanks the team, his teammates, fans. It’s thoughtful but not out of the ordinary.

But there is one part in particular that will stand out for Eagles fans … when Rudolph mentions Sam Bradford:

“Guys like Sam Bradford, who never got the credit he deserved, but battled through injury for two years to try to get us over the hump. (I sincerely believe that we win a Super Bowl in 2017 if Sam is healthy. Such an incredibly talented dude, an unreal passer when his body was right.)”

...

Hey, who knows, maybe Rudolph is right. But I was at the Linc for that championship game and it’s hard to imagine that Bradford would have made a difference. The Eagles were the better team and it just seemed like they were destined to head to the Super Bowl that year.

And something you might not remember is that Bradford dressed for the NFC Championship Game. He was Keenum’s backup that day after getting activated off IR for the divisional round.

In 2017, Bradford ultimately played just in two games and was good. He completed 74% of his passes for 382 yards and 3 touchdowns. But the Vikings were good without him too. They went on to have a 13-3 record, win the NFC North and were even favored in that NFC Championship Game.

After that 2017 season, Bradford played in three games for the Cardinals the following season — those were the final three games of his NFL career.

In his only full season in Minnesota, in 2016, Bradford had the best year of his career. He completed 71.6% of his passes for 3,877 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and a passer rating of 99.3. He might have been even better in 2017 had his knee injuries not piled up but we’ll never know.

Link:

www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/kyle-rudolph-thinks-vikings-win-super-bowl-in-2017-with-sam-bradford/178901/

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 1, 2023 14:10:54 GMT -6 kmillard likes this

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Post by Danchat on Jul 1, 2023 14:10:54 GMT -6

You can make an argument for the Vikings still going 13-3 with Bradford, but they most certainly don't win against the Eagles in the championship game. That would have required an MVP-level QB performance a la Mahomes/Rodgers/Brady, and even then the OL was so bad it probably required that kind of QB to be able to evade pressure the whole game.

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 1, 2023 20:23:25 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by whoskmoon on Jul 1, 2023 20:23:25 GMT -6

Jul 1, 2023 10:35:54 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

Jul 1, 2023 8:51:10 GMT -6 whoskmoon said:

The delusions around Sam Bradford continue to this day. Of the 3 QBs on the roster in 2017, he was statistically worse in pretty much every category including winning%.

His 2016 season was arguably worse than Ponders 2012 one. He lead an offense with Adam Thielen and Stephon Diggs in their primes to be bottom 10 in scoring. Awful.

I am sure a career of ineptitude was all going to change in 2017 though.

I'll also add, it's probably less about Bradford and more about the team. The locker room. The system.

Did anyone think Keenum would do as well? The team would win as many games? What was Keenum before and after? Heck, what was the team after? Some years things just click. That was the case in 2017. Pun intended. But I found Rudy's comments:

The Vikings on Tuesday released Kyle Rudolph, making the former Pro Bowl tight end a free agent after spending 10 seasons in Minnesota.

Rudolph, 31, penned a nice goodbye letter to Minnesota in The Players’ Tribune. It’s a nice gesture. Rudolph thanks the team, his teammates, fans. It’s thoughtful but not out of the ordinary.

But there is one part in particular that will stand out for Eagles fans … when Rudolph mentions Sam Bradford:

“Guys like Sam Bradford, who never got the credit he deserved, but battled through injury for two years to try to get us over the hump. (I sincerely believe that we win a Super Bowl in 2017 if Sam is healthy. Such an incredibly talented dude, an unreal passer when his body was right.)”

...

Hey, who knows, maybe Rudolph is right. But I was at the Linc for that championship game and it’s hard to imagine that Bradford would have made a difference. The Eagles were the better team and it just seemed like they were destined to head to the Super Bowl that year.

And something you might not remember is that Bradford dressed for the NFC Championship Game. He was Keenum’s backup that day after getting activated off IR for the divisional round.

In 2017, Bradford ultimately played just in two games and was good. He completed 74% of his passes for 382 yards and 3 touchdowns. But the Vikings were good without him too. They went on to have a 13-3 record, win the NFC North and were even favored in that NFC Championship Game.

After that 2017 season, Bradford played in three games for the Cardinals the following season — those were the final three games of his NFL career.

In his only full season in Minnesota, in 2016, Bradford had the best year of his career. He completed 71.6% of his passes for 3,877 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and a passer rating of 99.3. He might have been even better in 2017 had his knee injuries not piled up but we’ll never know.

Link:

www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/kyle-rudolph-thinks-vikings-win-super-bowl-in-2017-with-sam-bradford/178901/

Rudolph had 200+ more receiving yards than any other season with Bradford as his QB and it was his only season with over 90 targets (120 total). Not doing anything meaningful mind you, like I mentioned, that offense had the worst ppd scoring rank since 2010, but he got a lot of meaningless targets and yards. So is it any wonder he was pretty high on Bradford? Should we as fans feel the same way though? Does Kyle Rudolph having success mean nearly as much as the team having success does?

The fact remains 2016 was a really, really bad year for the offense and every other QB on that list, and many others not on it, lead significantly better offenses. Seems like an open and shut case against Bradford actually having a good year.

Funkytown Owner Purple Pain Big Dog Posts: 67,289 Likes: 31,221 Fan Since: 1998	Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 2, 2023 12:44:33 GMT -6 via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Funkytown on Jul 2, 2023 12:44:33 GMT -6 27? Yikes. Compare that to Green Bay. Some fun (and not so fun) trips down memory lane in that list. Cousins was #2. Culpepper #1. ...Spergon Wynn at #27. lol.
	Last Edit: Jul 2, 2023 12:49:12 GMT -6 by Funkytown

VikingsBoss
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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 2, 2023 20:03:10 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by VikingsBoss on Jul 2, 2023 20:03:10 GMT -6

Jul 2, 2023 12:44:33 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

27? Yikes. Compare that to Green Bay.

Some fun (and not so fun) trips down memory lane in that list. Cousins was #2. Culpepper #1.

...Spergon Wynn at #27. lol.

27 Guys, and two of them in separate stints. Johnson from 94-98 and again in 05-06, Frerotte in 03-04 and again in '08. Has any team ever, had not one, but two guys play for them, start some games, leave, come back and start again?

With that in mind,is he rating Johnson and Frerotte on ALL their starts? Because 1994-98 Johnson was good...and he was actually okay in 2005 before going in the tank in 2006.
2003 Frerotte actually had one of the greatest games in Vikings history...and even though 2008 Frerotte just couldn't stop throwing picks, the Vikings won the division because he went 8-3 as the starter after Jackson started 0-2 (went 2-1 the last 3).

The Cardinals have knocked the Vikings out of the playoffs! NO!-Paul Allen, December 28th, 2003

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 2, 2023 20:39:23 GMT -6

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Post by vikingpwr on Jul 2, 2023 20:39:23 GMT -6

Jun 30, 2023 18:34:41 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

You could throw Case Keenum’s NFC Championship into the mix here but that was a full team effort rather than just a poor QB showing.

We got lucky with Case Keenum in 2017 and it was just a matter of time before he turned into a pumpkin. The clock struck 12 in Philly. I personnally wished Bradford was healthy that year because he was so much better.

In that NFC Championship game Keenum was 3 for 3 on the 1st drive which ended with a 25-yard TD to Rudolph...7-0.

Pick 6 on the second drive.....7-7

3 and out on the 3rd drive.

3 and out on the 4th drive.

11 plays lost fumble on the 5th drive.

Punt on 6th drive. Game over!

Punted on the 6th drive.

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Offseason Fun - Rankings, Lists, etc. Jul 3, 2023 10:42:48 GMT -6

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Post by Purple Pain on Jul 3, 2023 10:42:48 GMT -6

Purple Insider Mailbag:

@sladetrade Would love to see a ranking of Vikings WRs drafted over the last 10 years including route running and high pointing skill sets along with separation ability. And throw in top end speed in mph just for fun.

The answer to all those skills except speed is Jefferson and Diggs at the top so how about we do it this way: I’ll rank all the receivers in order by how good they are/were and then the top three fastest.

Here’s the overall order: Jefferson, Diggs, KJ Osborn, Cordarrelle Patterson, Bisi Johnson, Laquon Treadwell, Jalen Nailor, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Rodney Adams, Dillon Mitchell, Moritz Boehringer.

Fastest by 40 time is Moritz, Patterson, JJ, Mitchell. But I’d say Nailor is the fastest to my eye than Mitchell.

Jordan Addison could get to No. 3 on this list by October.

@aweste1 Best football names in Vikings history

My 10 favorite in no particular order and with no particular line of reasoning…

Jeff Overbaugh, Carlester Crumpler, Wasswa Serwanga, Buster Rhymes, Gabe Northern, Ciatrick Fason, Devin Aromashodu, Fuad Reveiz, Al Noga, Mick Tinglehoff

Honorable mention: Holton Hill only because Everson Griffen called him “Hilton Holton.”

@kaaaaahn_tk421 How about the best/strangest boneheaded plays either by a Vikings player or an opponent

Is being the 12th man in the huddle a play?

If we’re including opponents in all of team history that’s going to be a pretty hard list to make. How about since I started covering the team in 2016?

Again, no particular order…

— Thielen punt return fumble vs. Dallas (2016)

— Sean Payton running at Linval Joseph right before the Minneapolis Miracle (2017)

— Stacy Coley setting the ball down on a kickoff vs. Green Bay (2018)

— Xavier Rhodes kicking a flag vs. Rams (2018)

— Kirk throwing backward to Latavius Murray vs. Seattle (2018)

— Matt Patricia pretty much every game (2019-2021)

— The Eagles attempting a pass with their kicker (2019)

— The Dan Bailey Game vs. Bucs (2020)

— The time the guy on the sideline got a 15-yard penalty for touching the Ravens player (2021)

— That special teams coach kicking to Cordarrelle Patterson, giving up a touchdown and then trying to fight Mike Zimmer on the sideline (2021)

— KJ Osborn through the legs on a punt return (2021)

— The Jefferson pass to Kirk in the playoff game (2022)

@singlepayer1978 Rank our best kickers, and make everyone cry.

We have to do this relative to era and Viking career only….

Fred Cox

Ryan Longwell

Gary Anderson

Fuad Reveiz

Kai Forbath

Blair Walsh

Rich Karlis

Dan Bailey

Morten Andersen

Scott Sisson

Skol_Doc Rank team jerseys Rank press box amenities/view Top 5 favorite players to interview Top 5 awk media experiences (I’m thinking of Patricia respect the process type things) Top 5 influential people on your career Rank top 10 game day snacks/food

— San Francisco was the best press box I’ve been in for food but my home seat in US Bank Stadium is the best for view.

— Latavius Murray, Terence Newman, Patrick Peterson, Sean Mannion, Bisi Johnson

— Life as a reporter is constant awkward experiences but two of my favorites were when Dane Mizutani asked Patrick Peterson about leadership and Peterson said, “I’m a natural born leader” and then stared down Dane for like 5 seconds without speaking. One time I asked Bill Belichick about why his QB sneaks work and he said one word, “Execution,” and just left it there.

— I’m not sure I can make a list of influential people in my career, there’s been so many over the years. I’m learning from talented people around me every day. I can say the person in media who I’ve tried to imitate the most is Zach Lowe.

@dantaylor26 Heartbreaking losses is too obvious, so maybe stupidest losses? Games where we found the most improbable ways to lose, like starting Josh Freeman on MNF

Again, in Vikings history there’s probably two dozen of these but the most improbable losses since I’ve covered the team:

— Chicago 2016

— Detroit 2016 when Prater kicked the 59-yarder

— Buffalo 2018

— Wilson game-winning drive in Seattle 2020

— The Cooper Rush Game

— The Winless Lions game

@burnretina Most memorable plays by most average players. I'll put Ponder absolutely trucking Lance Briggs as no. 1
Same deal, since 2016…

— David Morgan long snapping after Kevin McDermott got hurt

— Obvious Case Keenum throwing the Minneapolis Miracle pass (2017)

— Aldrick Robinson catching touchdowns vs. the Rams (2018)

— Anthony Harris picking off Drew Brees in the playoffs (2019)

— Mike Boone going off against the Chargers (2019)

— Jordan Brailford sacking Mike Glennon (2020)

— CJ Ham go route vs. Ravens (2021)

— Duke Shelley PBU vs. Bills (2022)

@skolstahl Can you answer me how @keyjayandmax can leave @jjettas2 off their Top 5 list? How are we as @vikings fans supposed to react to such craziness?

They probably just made the list without any effort at all and forgot to put him on it by mistake. The only way to react is by going to Keyshawn Johnson’s house and holding up a TV with Jefferson highlights until he comes out and personally apologizes. Or never consuming football content again, selling all of your worldly possessions and moving to the middle of the woods in Montana. Or baking food that looks like Keyshawn, Jay and Max and then angrily eating it. Or by only ever listening to the Purple Insider podcast!

@oldbreedwriter As long as you are ranking things, how do you rank the various NFL play-by-play and color announcers? The same question for the pregame shows. Thanks.

Let me first say that I’m not much of an expert on announcers these days because I’m covering games and don’t get to hear many of them.

PXP: Dick Enberg, Pat Summerall and Al Michaels

Color: John Madden, Dan Dierdorf, Joe Theismann

@warleyowl A very general sports question. What’s your three greatest sporting moments across all sports? The ones with those visceral, feel it in your soul moments that you’ll never forget?

Geez, that’s super hard. I’ve watched a lot of sports, man. What comes to mind first for all-time great moments that had the most emotional reaction from me were Michael Jordan hitting the game-winner against Utah, The Mr. November home run in the ‘01 World Series by Jeter and Dirk finally winning an NBA title.

Last Edit: Jul 3, 2023 10:45:19 GMT -6 by Purple Pain