Several reports suggesting that Puka Nacua will be benched for the 1st series in tonight's game due to showing up "incredibly hungover" three times this week. Not sure how true that is, but he's also in trouble for making some kind of antisemitic gesture in a live stream recently. Not to be outdone, Nacua's brother was just arrested for taking a car belonging to an LA Laker player. Good times all around.

OL:

This OL (that had so much promise on paper) has been injured, countless configurations of starters and consequently has given-up the 5th most sacks in the league. Not exactly a juggernaut running the football. Some improvement, but not what I had hoped for.

Ok, some of that is most certainly on the QB play and KOC isn't known for his running the ball.

But for me? This is a unit that has not lived up to my hopes for a variety of reasons..

Darrisaw - hope has to be he bounces back to pre-injury form
Jackson - arrow up right?
Kelly - biggest ? mark on the OL imo
Fries - seems to be rounding out and settling in
O'Neil - getting longer in the tooth, not his best season

DL:

The edges are set and I expect that to continue to be the strength of the D along with Cashman/Wilson

After that? The DL is a huge question mark heading into 26
Allen & Hargrave could both be gone - which is a really big set of holes to fill!!

Doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it???

Pretty good breakdown by Judd and Thor on if the Vikings should keep Addison or move him this offseason and for what potential trade compensation. I heard this referenced in an earlier podcast, but did I just miss the part about him going MIA over in Europe? I don't remember anybody talking about it here or anywhere else, but certainly a strange deal and would love to hear what the real story was there. 

I think you have to look at trading him, taking likely lower trade compensation then we want, and trying to re-sign Nailor on a lesser extension. It's going to be something to monitor this offseason for sure.

https://youtu.be/FnFWcukwFNY?si=klzBgaUxQr9Pxlks

Vikings get yet another less-than-stellar defense this week. Giants have as much talent on their front as anyone, with Dexter Lawrence in the middle and Burns and Carter outside, but their achilles is stopping the run. They rank bottom five in that category. I look for the Vikings to get back to the ground in this one. 

My fantasy QB Jaxon Dart has had a surprisingly good year and he's going to frustrate the hell out of us when he runs the ball, but this is exactly the kind of QB Flores typically confuses. Giants are a sneaky team. They beat the Chargers, played the Broncos to a 1-point finish and had one-score losses to the Lions, Packers and Bears, so this is no gimme. Weather doesn't look like it will be a factor at 50 degrees and sunny.

Hey minny and Iowa longshippers,  keep a watchful eye on the weather today.  I am out in western SD and this storm front coming is no joke.   Weve had winds near 100mph,  thank fully no measurable precipitation,   but that is supposed to change as this thing heads east,  travel with good visibility is difficult with wind like this,  will be impossible in snow or even moderate rain.   Dont get stranded or worse.

Now I am going to try and get ready by the light of my phone as this whole black bills region has been without power since about 1 am..... praying  I have hot water for my shower.

Update: plenty of hot water!

His arm strength. Honest to God, LMFAO. F-ing Greg Cosell, one of the biggest dipshits out there....and Colin Cowherd's buddy. Not sure any analyst could come to this conclusion unless they never watched 10 minutes of video on McCarthy, but that's the snake oil Cosell was selling. Was 1 MPH behind at the Combine of Joe Milton, who's a complete animal. All we hear now in Eagan is how JJM has to pull something off this fastball because the ball won't be catchable. 

Anyway, I mention it because its one of those crazy false narratives that get out into the universe and people glom on. 

I picked up last minute tickets for face value (plus Seat Geek fees) at 35-yard line, 13th row on Vikings sideline to catch the Cowboys-Vikings game with two of my adult sons.  Had a great time.  I must say that the Cowboys fans were great all round -- talking football and not smack, with appropriate good humor between fans of two teams going through disappointing seasons.  I don't love the stadium -- have been several times since moving to Fort Worth.  The screen is too big, the stadium lay out is odd and it is cavernous and not nearly as loud as US Bank.  I was texting a buddy occasionally during the game and it underscored that the TV and the live game action sometimes can leave different impressions.  I have not gone back to watch the broadcast, but here are a few impressions from the live action:

-- McCarthy looked comfortable all-around.  With a pick to start the game on a batted ball on the first drive, it didn't seem to rattle him at all.
-- McCarthy is improving his accuracy, but there were still some fairly egregious misses -- two throws to Jettas (one in end zone), severe underthrow to Addison, a completion to Hock he put in harms way where a better pass is a safe completion.  On the other hand, he hit others perfectly in stride -- a slant, the seam route to Hock, a pass to Jones...
-- I spent a fair bit of time watching Dallas Turner on defense.  I've got to say I was not impressed with his game.  Several times he was looking for a call or shifting at the snap so there was no ability to use his quickness off the ball.  I saw him loafing on a few plays and many pass rushes where he rushed straight into the tackle and was swallowed up.
-- The middle of the field is the Achilles heel of the Vikings defense.  We have stunning voids in the middle of our zone defense.
-- The run defense looked bad for the most part.  Javonte Williams was grabbing 10 yard chunks up the middle with little resistance.
-- You could see the frustration on Jettas after the dropped touchdown pass.  He was by himself for a lengthy period afterwards, pacing.

Nice moment at the end of the game when Aaron Jones came over and chatted up some of us fans and gave us a rendition of his first down move.

There were a TON of Vikings fans in the stadium.  Our section was about 30% Vikings fans and there was purple everywhere in the stadium.
__PRESENT