09-03-2019, 09:02 PM
Quote: @Wetlander said:While the stats are true about Flip throwing more than running, what they do not tell is that Cook missed 6 of the first 8 weeks. They do not tell that the OL coach sadly passed away.
I'm not sure if the media is 100% correct on this "run-first" philosophy. That could easily be misconstrued as a run/run/pass offense, which I don't see happening. From the quotes I've heard/read from Zimmer, he wants a "balanced" offense that runs the balls, uses play-action (one of Cousin's strengths as a passer), and controls the time of possession. That was a winning formula in 2017 when we were the #2 seed and won 13 games with Case Keenum as our QB.
Under DeFelippo, we were throwing the ball over 65% of the time... that is ridiculously skewed and made our offense pretty predictable. We were right behind Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta as the pass heaviest teams in the NFL last year... and guess what? None of those teams (including the Vikings) made the playoffs last season. On the flip side, with Shurmur as our OC, we passed 54% of the time and were very multiple on offense (we could run or pass out of the same formation/offensive look).
I think there is a happy medium there somewhere. Hopefully Stefanski and Kubiak can have the same success as Shurmur did... except this time, we have a better passer and are loaded with weapons on offense.
Flip actually did a remarkable job the first 8 weeks IMHO. Thielen was on a record setting tear and I believe Flip was substituting the short passes for runs since they did not have Cook and Murray is just OK.
I thought after the first 8 weeks the schedule got a lot tougher and the offensive line got whupped by the Bears and Seahawks.
What the stats don't say is just how awful the line was last year. They could not run or pass block very well.
Yet, it is Flip who was the one who was not doing things right.
Maybe I am a stubborn old goat but this does not make any sense to me.
Flip was doing fine IMO and the only game where he may have abandoned the run a little was vs the Patriots. Yet the offense managed to tie the score only to see the defense give up a 4 play 75 yard TD drive. Then, the offense goes 3 and out and the defense gives up another 6 play 50 some odd yard TD drive that iced the game.
I read some comment from Zimmer or Spielman a week or two ago where they said the defense was on the field 4 minutes longer last year than they had ever been during Zimmer's tenure.
I think he really is trying to protect the overrated defense.
The same defense that got smoked by Nick Foles and then choked vs the Bears last year. They let the Bears run 37 times for 167 yards in a must win game. Yeah the offense struggled but that was expected because the offensive line got whupped again. Anyone who did not think that was going to happen again was frankly, delusional.
The defense however, just got run over by the Bears. The offense had nothing to do with that especially when you consider that two Bears scoring drives occurred on their opening drive and then midway through the 2nd quarter. No way the deense was tired that fast.
