It's like an old girlfriend who was once so...well, awesome...and then wasn't.  I am so glad we cut him loose.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21761...eck-injury

Here is the latest edition.  I'm still on my borrowed system and don't have access to all my clips.  "Holiday time" is not the time to be on the road working and trying to find an different system.  I'm just too picky, i guess... 

Warning... the sound isn't normalized so start out on low and go from there.  If you want to appreciate just how far tech has come... go back and use a nine year old less powerful system.  =)

Well enjoy!

&feature=youtu.be

http://www.startribune.com/case-keenum-h...463899853/

Case Keenum has been NFL's best QB outside the pocket this season

As the Vikings work on their offensive line problems, they know that quarterback Case Keenum has been effective on the run.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Case Keenum has the NFL’s highest passer rating on throws outside the pocket this season, checking in with a rating of 120.6. He’s ahead of Carson Wentz — who might have been a NFL MVP favorite before tearing his ACL on Sunday — as well as past MVPs Matt Ryan and Tom Brady.

Awesome. 

Be honest. The team is currently the #2 seed in the NFC and winnable games in front of them, 2 at home. Still solid? How are you going to feel if, God forbid, they lose to Cincy at home? 

Not looking for fan bravado. Just wondering what your gut is telling you. I think personally, things are fine.....but I get that peeps might be privately a tad nervous. I can admit that there's a very small seed of concern down there for me, however. 

https://www.peta.org/features/tax-meat/


If you tax meat then you better start taxing sugar too.

link...

The Vikings are ready to start another win streak. Minnesota’s
eight-game streak was snapped Sunday in Carolina, but the Vikings are
still 10-3 with three games remaining in the regular season.
Minnesota
holds a three-game lead atop the NFC North and can clinch the division
with a win this weekend at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings are also
currently the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff picture. 
The
Bengals are 5-8 after falling to the Bears on Sunday. Cincinnati is
still mathematically alive for the playoffs but has lost four of six
games.
Here’s a look at 10 numbers of note headed into the matchup:
13 — Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen
has 13 sacks this season, which is a career high for the former
fourth-round pick. Griffen has 61 career sacks, good for seventh
all-time in franchise history.
19 — The Vikings have won
19 division titles in their 57-year history. Minnesota can make it No.
20 with a victory Sunday against the Bengals.
9 — Vikings safety Harrison Smith
has 9 career sacks, the second-most by a defensive back in team
history. Former Vikings safety Joey Browner tops the list with 9.5
sacks.
118 — Eric Kendricks
leads the Vikings with 118 total tackles this season (according to
coaches’ tally). The former second-round pick has led Minnesota in
tackles the past two seasons and is on pace to do so again this season.
4 —
The Bengals have four rushing touchdowns this season, all by rookie
running back Joe Mixon. The Vikings have 12 total rushing touchdowns,
including five by running back Latavius Murray.
171 — Vikings defensive end Brian Robison is set to play his 171st
career game with the Vikings on Sunday. That would tie him with former
safety Paul Krause and former defensive tackle Kevin Williams for the
sixth-most in team history.
17 — Minnesota’s rushing
defense has allowed 17 runs of 10-plus yards this season, the fewest in
the NFL. The Vikings allowed two runs of 60 yards or more Sunday against
the Panthers.
2 — Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph
now has two seasons in his career with at least 50 catches, 500
receiving yards and five touchdowns. He is tied with Steve Jordan for
the most such seasons by a Vikings tight end.
79.4 — The Bengals offense ranks 31st
in the NFL with 79.4 rushing yards per game. Minnesota will counter
with a rushing defense that has allowed just 88.3 yards per game, the
second-fewest in the league.
6 — Vikings Head Coach Mike
Zimmer spent six seasons (2008-2013) as the Bengals defensive
coordinator before being named Minnesota’s head coach in January of
2014. This will be Zimmer’s first regular-season meeting against
Cincinnati.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/12/12/aaron-rodgers-cleared-return-football-packers

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he's been cleared to return to football in the caption of a picture he posted to Instagram on Tuesday night. 
"It's been a long road from that day to this, but I'm happy to say I've been medically cleared to return," the two-time league MVP wrote. "Thanks for all the love, supoprt, prayers and well wishes over the past 8 weeks." 

Objects in the Vikings' mirror are closer than they appearMinnesota is still in great shape, obviously, holding a three-game division lead with three to play. But the loss to Carolina kept alive the hopes of both teams that trail the Vikings. The 7-6 Lions have the Bears and Bengals the next two weeks before finishing with the Packers.
And the 7-6 Packers? Maaaannn ... Brett Hundley brought them back against the Browns and might well be able to hand the keys to no less significant a December pickup than Aaron Rodgers this week. Even with Rodgers back, it's not going to be easy for Green Bay. The Packers are in Carolina this week, then home against the Vikings before finishing up in Detroit. The three teams left on Green Bay's schedule have a combined record of 26-13, and it appears they'll need to win all three to extend their playoff streak to nine seasons.
Again, the Vikings are still in very good shape. But you know they won't be comfortable until that little "x-" is in front of them on the standings page. Rodgers has that effect.


http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21743...nfl-season

Zimmer told his players Monday they were fortunate Sunday’s shaky performance didn’t happen during a playoff game.“In the playoffs, we don’t want to be talking about losing or the reasons why we lost,’’ said running back Latavius Murray. “We don’t want to be having that discussion at that point, so I think that’s what he meant by that.’’
Zimmer said the Vikings (10-3) “made a lot of mistakes’’ in having their eight-game winning streak broken. They had three turnovers. They dropped passes. They had two faskmask penalties. They were ineffective in the red zone while Carolina was effective.
The defense gave up a 60-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Stewart in the first quarter and a 62-yard run by quarterback Cam Newton that led to Stewart’s winning 1-yard run with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter.
“We just didn’t play like ourselves,’’ said defensive end Everson Griffen. “It was a lot of uncharacteristic things. … We beat ourselves.’’
Griffen said the mistakes were “little things we can fix.’’ Zimmer agreed, saying, “It is a good time to refocus.’’
http://www.twincities.com/2017/12/11/vik...messed-up/