How much did Mack do? Saw the INT on the highlights, that was a nice drop into the lane that Cousins missed, but no sacks? O'Neill must have been pretty solid.
Quote: @greediron said:
How much did Mack do? Saw the INT on the highlights, that was a nice drop into the lane that Cousins missed, but no sacks? O'Neill must have been pretty solid.
It was a good drop by Mack, but that wasn't Cousins' fault. That was a perfectly thrown ball that hit Thielen right in the hands. Thielen couldn't hold on and shoveled it over to Mack who was standing right there. Looked more like a handoff than a pick.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ greediron said:
How much did Mack do? Saw the INT on the highlights, that was a nice drop into the lane that Cousins missed, but no sacks? O'Neill must have been pretty solid.
It was a good drop by Mack, but that wasn't Cousins' fault. That was a perfectly thrown ball that hit Thielen right in the hands. Thielen couldn't hold on and shoveled it over to Mack who was standing right there. Looked more like a handoff than a pick.
Thanks, couldn't quite make it out in the highlights. Seemed like the ball was going to AT and suddenly Mack had it.
But to the topic of the thread, did Mack do much else? Seemed like O'Neill must have handled him.
Quote: @HappyViking said:
@ bigbone62 said:
@ HappyViking said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ HappyViking said:
Ezra held his own against Hicks (no pun). He didn't dominate Hicks, but didn't get blown up either and did great in pass protection. The improvement with Cleveland at RG is exactly what the Vikings needed.
I wouldn't say he held his own, Cook got nothing between the tackles last night until Hicks went out. He literally threw Cleveland aside to make multiple tackles on run plays.
Compared to other RGs the Vikes have thrown out there he more than held his own, IMO. Cook did rush for 96, and Hicks didn't crush Cousins this game (zero sacks).
I don't think too many NFL RGs dominate Hick; maybe none.
If a player is "holding his own" should you really have to quantify it by pointing out it is holding his own in comparison to the terrible players before him?
Hicks in game: Cook had 31 yards on 15 carries for 2.06 YPC
Hicks out of Game: Cook had 65 yards on 15 carries for 4.33 YPC.
Hicks is an All-Pro DT and has dominated the Vikings the past couple seasons. Hicks still is a monster, but he had 0 sacks, 0 TFLs, 1 QB hit, and 3 tackles. I didn't say Ezra dominated Hicks, but he played him about as good as we could hope. Yeah, Hicks beat him on a few running plays, but Hicks wasn't noticed when Kirk was dropping back to pass.
Maybe some of you see it differently, but the rookie Ezra didn't back down and kept at it all game.
In comparison, the Bears D held Henry to 68 yards the previous game and Tannehill only threw for 158.
I dont know, I personally find it hard not to see the correlation between the 2.06 YPC when Hicks was in as an indication Cleveland wasn't entirely effective. This, to me anyways, is even more glaring when Hicks is out and the YPC more than doubles. Not sure what you are getting at with the Henry comparison, considering one faced Hicks the entire game and the other had essentially a Hicks free half. Yes, Henry had fewer yards, however also fewer carries, the same YPC and again Hicks played the entire game. All that said I wasn't saying Cleveland was terrible but think people need to temper the expectations and a lot of people are really geeking out after a two game stretch.
Quote: @greediron said:
@ MaroonBells said:
@ greediron said:
How much did Mack do? Saw the INT on the highlights, that was a nice drop into the lane that Cousins missed, but no sacks? O'Neill must have been pretty solid.
It was a good drop by Mack, but that wasn't Cousins' fault. That was a perfectly thrown ball that hit Thielen right in the hands. Thielen couldn't hold on and shoveled it over to Mack who was standing right there. Looked more like a handoff than a pick.
Thanks, couldn't quite make it out in the highlights. Seemed like the ball was going to AT and suddenly Mack had it.
But to the topic of the thread, did Mack do much else? Seemed like O'Neill must have handled him.
2 tackles, no sacks. Except for the pick, which was a gift, he was pretty invisible.
Quote: @HappyViking said:
@ bigbone62 said:
@ HappyViking said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ HappyViking said:
Ezra held his own against Hicks (no pun). He didn't dominate Hicks, but didn't get blown up either and did great in pass protection. The improvement with Cleveland at RG is exactly what the Vikings needed.
I wouldn't say he held his own, Cook got nothing between the tackles last night until Hicks went out. He literally threw Cleveland aside to make multiple tackles on run plays.
Compared to other RGs the Vikes have thrown out there he more than held his own, IMO. Cook did rush for 96, and Hicks didn't crush Cousins this game (zero sacks).
I don't think too many NFL RGs dominate Hick; maybe none.
If a player is "holding his own" should you really have to quantify it by pointing out it is holding his own in comparison to the terrible players before him?
Hicks in game: Cook had 31 yards on 15 carries for 2.06 YPC
Hicks out of Game: Cook had 65 yards on 15 carries for 4.33 YPC.
Hicks is an All-Pro DT and has dominated the Vikings the past couple seasons. Hicks still is a monster, but he had 0 sacks, 0 TFLs, 1 QB hit, and 3 tackles. I didn't say Ezra dominated Hicks, but he played him about as good as we could hope. Yeah, Hicks beat him on a few running plays, but Hicks wasn't noticed when Kirk was dropping back to pass.
Maybe some of you see it differently, but the rookie Ezra didn't back down and kept at it all game.
In comparison, the Bears D held Henry to 68 yards the previous game and Tannehill only threw for 158.
The bears D had Hicks the whole game against the titans, Cook likely wouldn't have done much different than Henry had Hicks played the whole game, and Cousins would have been under a lot more pressure as the game went on if they had Hicks controlling the interior and forcing the Vikes to chase the score through the air.
Vikings fans better than any should recognize just how much a dominant NT is in terms of how much 1 player can change a defense.
Defenses wear down when they play
the entire game like the Bears did. Hicks or no Hicks, the Vikes were
going to keep pounding at the Bears D with Cook. I wouldn't necessarily
rule out Cook getting free for a long run against any team; especially in the
4th.
Ezra is rookie and I think he's only
going to get better. I have a feeling he's going to be better the next
time he faces Hicks too.
I'm no OLine expert, but the Vikings
offense racked up quite a bit yards, and controlled the clock and the
game. I do think Ezra at RG had quite a bit to do with that. Maybe
you guys think Samia would've done just as well? 
Quote: @HappyViking said:
Defenses wear down when they play
the entire game like the Bears did. Hicks or no Hicks, the Vikes were
going to keep pounding at the Bears D with Cook. I wouldn't necessarily
rule out Cook getting free for a long run against any team; especially in the
4th.
Ezra is rookie and I think he's only
going to get better. I have a feeling he's going to be better the next
time he faces Hicks too.
I'm no OLine expert, but the Vikings
offense racked up quite a bit yards, and controlled the clock and the
game. I do think Ezra at RG had quite a bit to do with that. Maybe
you guys think Samia would've done just as well?
Nobody is taking away from EC, its just that he was handled by Hicks much the same as Hicks manhandles most other OGs in the league, but make no mistake, EC got handled quite often, its just what Hicks does, he plays like a man among boys, its not a technique thing with him, he is just a brute with speed that easily defeats most OGs, especially the lighter inexperienced ones that rely on technique.
If it seems like I have DT envy, its because I do. Zimmer needs a Hicks in the worst way.
Quote: @bigbone62 said:
@ HappyViking said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ HappyViking said:
Ezra held his own against Hicks (no pun). He didn't dominate Hicks, but didn't get blown up either and did great in pass protection. The improvement with Cleveland at RG is exactly what the Vikings needed.
I wouldn't say he held his own, Cook got nothing between the tackles last night until Hicks went out. He literally threw Cleveland aside to make multiple tackles on run plays.
Compared to other RGs the Vikes have thrown out there he more than held his own, IMO. Cook did rush for 96, and Hicks didn't crush Cousins this game (zero sacks).
I don't think too many NFL RGs dominate Hick; maybe none.
If a player is "holding his own" should you really have to quantify it by pointing out it is holding his own in comparison to the terrible players before him?
Hicks in game: Cook had 31 yards on 15 carries for 2.06 YPC
Hicks out of Game: Cook had 65 yards on 15 carries for 4.33 YPC.
For argument sake....
Or maybe Hicks got hurt because he was over worked by EC and tried to do too much.
I bet you a coach would prefer a player that stays on the field not on the sideline injured.
Also, we don't know if Hicks and the Bears D would have played at the same level all game. Don't they say you keep wearing down the D and then the runs come late in the game?
Quote: @mblack said:
@ bigbone62 said:
@ HappyViking said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ HappyViking said:
Ezra held his own against Hicks (no pun). He didn't dominate Hicks, but didn't get blown up either and did great in pass protection. The improvement with Cleveland at RG is exactly what the Vikings needed.
I wouldn't say he held his own, Cook got nothing between the tackles last night until Hicks went out. He literally threw Cleveland aside to make multiple tackles on run plays.
Compared to other RGs the Vikes have thrown out there he more than held his own, IMO. Cook did rush for 96, and Hicks didn't crush Cousins this game (zero sacks).
I don't think too many NFL RGs dominate Hick; maybe none.
If a player is "holding his own" should you really have to quantify it by pointing out it is holding his own in comparison to the terrible players before him?
Hicks in game: Cook had 31 yards on 15 carries for 2.06 YPC
Hicks out of Game: Cook had 65 yards on 15 carries for 4.33 YPC.
For argument sake....
Or maybe Hicks got hurt because he was over worked by EC and tried to do too much.
I bet you a coach would prefer a player that stays on the field not on the sideline injured.
Also, we don't know if Hicks and the Bears D would have played at the same level all game. Don't they say you keep wearing down the D and then the runs come late in the game?
He hurt himself chasing a scrambling Cousins, Cleveland wasn't within 10 yards of Hicks when he got hurt. He was irrelevant to the injury. Over worked? I guess that's possible if you mean he was over worked from pushing Cleveland around and preventing any worthwhile inside run game.
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