Quote: @Wetlander said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
it took a career long, team record FG as the clock expired to beat them last time, they are supposedly going to be healthier on the DL, against a weaker OL for us, this matchup is far from comforting if you are looking to make a run in the post season.
I guess that's one way of looking at it... you could say the same thing about them, it took a long scoring drive, a 4th down conversion, and a 2 pt conversion for them to tie the game in the final minute to force us to make a game winning FG.
The Vikings were in the driver's seat in the 4th quarter up until that point. We don't need to act like our team is shit and got lucky in all our wins.
That was my thought during the game. We weren't playing too bad on defense and the offense was moving the ball well. We had gone up 24-16 early in the 4th and my son and I thought this was it. We'll stop them, then drive for another TD, going up 31-16. Our first "significant" win. But of course the drive you're referring to happened. It's been the story of our season.
I keep thinking back to KOC saying early in the season we were (whatever our record was at the time) and we "still haven't played our best football yet." I thought we would see more improvement by now, but we really haven't. We'll need to see it now.
But I agree with you. You don't win 13 games in the NFL and sweep the AFC East without being a good football team.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ Wetlander said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
it took a career long, team record FG as the clock expired to beat them last time, they are supposedly going to be healthier on the DL, against a weaker OL for us, this matchup is far from comforting if you are looking to make a run in the post season.
I guess that's one way of looking at it... you could say the same thing about them, it took a long scoring drive, a 4th down conversion, and a 2 pt conversion for them to tie the game in the final minute to force us to make a game winning FG.
The Vikings were in the driver's seat in the 4th quarter up until that point. We don't need to act like our team is shit and got lucky in all our wins.
That was my thought during the game. We weren't playing too bad on defense and the offense was moving the ball well. We had gone up 24-16 early in the 4th and my son and I thought this was it. We'll stop them, then drive for another TD, going up 31-16. Our first "significant" win. But of course the drive you're referring to happened. It's been the story of our season.
I keep thinking back to KOC saying early in the season we were (whatever our record was at the time) and we "still haven't played our best football yet." I thought we would see more improvement by now, but we really haven't. We'll need to see it now.
But I agree with you. You don't win 13 games in the NFL and sweep the AFC East without being a good football team.
I'll jump on this as well. In the first game the usual foot off the pedal happened and they let the Giants back into the game. After the Vikings went up 10-0 they missed countless opportunities to put away the Giants in the first half. That isn't a good thing and the Giants have the ability to beat us. But feel like it would have to be self inflicted through bad pass protection and turnovers. Barkley is phenomenal and Jones has been much better as distributing the ball, but they lack a lot on offense.
At this point in the season WC round or not, there just aren't many gimme matchups.
Bottom line: you won 13 games....took the division a month early.....playing at home against a wildcard team. Need to win this game Sunday. You already beat the Giants once. Honestly, there's not an excuse. As mentioned, no easy outs now. All big boys playing big boy football.
Quote: @JimmyinSD said:
@ Wetlander said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
it took a career long, team record FG as the clock expired to beat them last time, they are supposedly going to be healthier on the DL, against a weaker OL for us, this matchup is far from comforting if you are looking to make a run in the post season.
I guess that's one way of looking at it... you could say the same thing about them, it took a long scoring drive, a 4th down conversion, and a 2 pt conversion for them to tie the game in the final minute to force us to make a game winning FG.
The Vikings were in the driver's seat in the 4th quarter up until that point. We don't need to act like our team is shit and got lucky in all our wins.
nope, not yesterdays, that was a straight up win. and nobody has said straight up shit, but are you going to say you are comfortable with the growth you have seen from this team this year? that the games havent left you wondering how good ( or bad ) this team really is?
It feels like you're expectations are too high or you're just not going to be satisfied unless we only win big and just have a handful of close losses. Did you expect perfection by the end of O'Connell's first year? It doesn't happen overnight and frankly I think we've improved on offense as the year has gone along, but defensively I just don't think we have the right personnel (yet) to run the 3-4 effectively... and our biggest weakness (the secondary) has also been the unit that has been hit the hardest by injuries.
I would compare this team to the Packers team in LaFleur's first year as HC. He took over and breathed some life into an offense that got kind of stagnant and had Rodgers disinterested under McCarthy. They went 13-3, but won quite a few close games (8 wins by one score or less). They also got stomped by SF and lost handily to the Chargers that season.
They won a close game against Seattle in their first playoff game and then got stomped by SF to end their season. All in all, it was a successful year for the Packers, but kind of highlighted some weaknesses they had on defense.
I guess my point is, you think GB fans were upset by that? No, they were thinking we have a HC that can win them another SB with Rodgers if they can fix up the defense and get some luck in the playoffs.
Even though this Vikings team has won 13 games as well, I think we have some warts that will prevent us from making a deep run in the playoffs. But that's different than saying it took a lucky FG for us to beat the Giants last time. I am more optimistic we'll win this week, but I'm not expecting us to make a run into February.
Quote: @Bullazin said:
@ purplefaithful said:
It's not easy winning a playoff game and not easy beating a team 2 times in a season.
USB will be rocking and looking forward to being part of it.
They did a great job containing Barkley last time and will need to do that again to win
I actually thought the Giants contained Barkley that game, had they fed him the ball, the Vikings could have been in trouble. Our pass D just causes opposing OC’s to drool & to want to air it out…
Quote: @Wetlander said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ Wetlander said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
it took a career long, team record FG as the clock expired to beat them last time, they are supposedly going to be healthier on the DL, against a weaker OL for us, this matchup is far from comforting if you are looking to make a run in the post season.
I guess that's one way of looking at it... you could say the same thing about them, it took a long scoring drive, a 4th down conversion, and a 2 pt conversion for them to tie the game in the final minute to force us to make a game winning FG.
The Vikings were in the driver's seat in the 4th quarter up until that point. We don't need to act like our team is shit and got lucky in all our wins.
nope, not yesterdays, that was a straight up win. and nobody has said straight up shit, but are you going to say you are comfortable with the growth you have seen from this team this year? that the games havent left you wondering how good ( or bad ) this team really is?
It feels like you're expectations are too high or you're just not going to be satisfied unless we only win big and just have a handful of close losses. Did you expect perfection by the end of O'Connell's first year? It doesn't happen overnight and frankly I think we've improved on offense as the year has gone along, but defensively I just don't think we have the right personnel (yet) to run the 3-4 effectively... and our biggest weakness (the secondary) has also been the unit that has been hit the hardest by injuries.
I would compare this team to the Packers team in LaFleur's first year as HC. He took over and breathed some life into an offense that got kind of stagnant and had Rodgers disinterested under McCarthy. They went 13-3, but won quite a few close games (8 wins by one score or less). They also got stomped by SF and lost handily to the Chargers that season.
They won a close game against Seattle in their first playoff game and then got stomped by SF to end their season. All in all, it was a successful year for the Packers, but kind of highlighted some weaknesses they had on defense.
I guess my point is, you think GB fans were upset by that? No, they were thinking we have a HC that can win them another SB with Rodgers if they can fix up the defense and get some luck in the playoffs.
Even though this Vikings team has won 13 games as well, I think we have some warts that will prevent us from making a deep run in the playoffs. But that's different than saying it took a lucky FG for us to beat the Giants last time. I am more optimistic we'll win this week, but I'm not expecting us to make a run into February.
I think its about just as likely that we lose ( come out flat and take to long to get going on O ) as it is that we come out firing and make the Giants one dimensional ( which is IMO the key to beating them ) I have seen our O get way to many passes this year as the focus is almost always on the D short comings, but aside from a few instances our O has been late to the party and living for the the 4th Q comebacks is a bad plan in the playoffs where the level of opponent is greater and the intensity is amplified.
I see a coin flip for this week and an embarrassing exit next week if we do get by the giants. not what I am hoping for, but its what I am expecting, and as such, I will be disappointed that we didnt make more of an effort in a year like that to improve for the future. I see this team getting weaker after this year due to cap problems, and this fun run not being sustained into next year. I honestly dont see us making a real run with KC at QB, despite his improved numbers, I still think his lack of pocket awareness and mobility, coupled with his contract eating up FA money to get him better protection, will just make this a bright year in a string of above average short comings.
if the goal is just to have "nice" seasons, then this has been a good year, but for me, the goal should be building for a SB run, and I didnt see that this year, and as I said, I dont see that with the direction we appear to be heading if this is considered a model year. as far as GBay.... well what have they got from their 13-3 start under pepe lapew, just another fantastically disappointing end to their season, followed up by their QB eating to much cap space and them not being able to put together a roster to get over the hump... we've been riding the hump way to long for me to get excited about just making the playoffs, or even a 13-3 record and then getting throttled by one of the leagues power house teams in the 2nd round.
I will cheer until they are officially eliminated, but I still think that we really didnt gain much this year.
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