Post by mngopher35 on Dec 17, 2023 7:48:56 GMT -6
Ya, that is true that it started out hot and has fizzled since but again we came into this season predicted to win less games than we were predicted in 2022 (despite the 13 wins). Looking at the talent on the roster we were expected to be worse/mediocre and despite all of the bad luck and injuries on top of that we are still essentially on track to meet those initial expectations at 8.5 wins. Not amazing but again at least he is actually producing likely a bit more than expected. Unlike ownership and the GM who have talked narratives and put us in this position talent wise where mediocrity is all that can really be expected.
Even with Flores we see progress on the D despite major lack of talent; he has flaws but he's working with a lot less on his side of the ball than KOC who's roster is arguably stacked outside of the current qb. I see a stubborn coach making the same mistakes, making really strange mistakes like the Dobbs experiment which I said was doomed as soon as the New Orleans game ended. Acting like he's outsmarting other teams like today with Powell on the tush push - not once but twice, just mind numbingly stupid stuff. I can't fathom watching a guy be this bad and then being asked to just give him more time... again, how much more, and what is going to be the signal that things are improving? One popup win from time to time in the midst of awful performances? We are 1-3 last 4 and all 3 looked bad and the win was 3-0. This is an embarrassment imho. I don't want my team run like an embarrassment.
I said it in another thread today - if you watched two random teams play the exact game we played today, say Bears/Falcons, and the Bears had the lead and made all the same mistakes we did and blew it just like we did, you'd laugh at them. What an idiot that Eberflus is, and that dope Poles who's running the team. What a clownshow franchise (that beat us at our house two weeks ago ahem). But because it's the Vikings, the fans just start making excuses. They refuse to see what's in front of their own eyes because it's too painful to face the reality. Well, a few of them are dialed in to the reality but most just have the want to believe, the hunger for seed #7 and a Nick Mullens playoff disaster/embarrassment.
Well I think it's tough to judge progress when the team lets go a chunk of vets then deals with the luck and injuries we have this year. I will point out that this offense despite missing it's best player and highly paid QB was 9th in terms of yards per drive this year. We put up over 400 yesterday so that might even improve once they add in games from this week. Our mix of QB's have combined for 27 turnovers though and the rest of the team has 9 fumbles added too. So we actually have improved offensively IMO in terms of keeping drives alive and moving the ball (9th in TOP per drive this year too). So while I do see too many mistakes still and agree we need more than just that there are areas of progression despite a lot of bad luck/injuries and poor execution often from backups costing us points when we get in position (happened twice yesterday due to horrible decisions by a backup QB).
I agree on Flores doing more with less compared to KOC, that's why I mentioned it might be worth keeping him before if KOC can't develop a QBOTF. I think it is pretty great that KOC realized the issue with the defense last year and went out and got a coach as aggressive as him to run the defense. This is another area where I think you can point at KOC recognizing an issue and making a change. I don't think the Dobbs experiment was a mistake, those first 3 games we were averaging more points and yards than with Cousins at the helm. I do agree KOC can be too stubborn on issues though, Chandler is a better example imo.
If I watched another team blow a game like that, I would have far more criticism of the defense than an offense producing like that despite a backup QB making some horrible decisions though too. I am not just making excuses for everyone because it's the vikings though. I am trying to get people to start focusing on the more important problems than just using the coach as a scapegoat. Ownership and GM are a big reason this team is here and as I have pointed out no coach would be able to do much given the direction/talent this team chose to go. That's why expectations were worse heading into this season. Even with horrible luck and injuries we are still at about what was expected given our talent level at full strength. Thinking that the one person between ownership/gm/coach that has at least brought in better than expected results overall should get the chance to do the main thing we hired him for in the first place (developing a QBOTF) for a year isn't about excuses. It's about realizing that he hasn't been nearly the main issue like some are making him out to be. Moving on from him does absolutely nothing to change this has been a clownshow franchise as you say because the problems are much bigger and he is generally producing more than expected given the circumstances/talent (at least given vegas predicitions pre season based on what we have). Who do we think is coming in and taking this roster to a contending level with the same talent?
The biggest aspect holding this franchise back is the continual lack of talent. We have been refusing to acknowledge this since 2020. Ownership pushed a "super competitive" route when we needed to really focus on the future more. The new GM has struggled to bring in top talent early on and has made questionable decisions with how assets have been used. We have over 50 million in dead cap space next year too. So long as the roster issues remain over and over and over no coach is going to have success here. This year especially with the injuries, we were never going to do much more than barely get into the playoffs and then lose right away (which still could happen with KOC).
... and neither is this Chris guy.