Vikings @ Rams

[StickierBuns]

And there's that other shoe we feared would be dropping.

[JimmyinSD]

I was pissed at the defense, but really disappointed in the O. They once again have a good game plan early, but fail to adjust to the changes and falter after that. Why no designed QB runs to force the rams D to keep those LBs at an honest depth on passing sets? I think KOCs gameplanning is maybe his strength and his in game work needs to improve. We seem to be hitting walls after hot starts pretty consistently and thats not all on the QB or stupid penalties.

[MaroonBells]

Pressure and protection. That was the story of the game IMO. We got neither, they got both.

[purplefaithful]

Pressure and protection. That was the story of the game IMO. We got neither, they got both.

Yah, Stafford had all day back there and the running game was anemic - even b4 Darrisaw went out. 

Despite what I consider to be > offensive average weapons, this team cannot win a track meet.

[MaroonBells]

I hated everything about this game before it started. On the road, short week. Vikings couldn't get Cashman or TJH back. While the Rams, a much better team than their record, were finally getting healthy.

I did not expect a win. But the part I dreaded most was the possibility of dropping two straight. Losing one game is almost meaningless, even against Detroit. But dropping two straight, even in a 17-game schedule, is a losing streak. And the narrative completely changes.

Now they go into the Colts game with not just a little bit of anxiety. It's not a must-win in playoff terms, but it sure is in terms of team psyche.

[purplefaithful]

“Our front seven, the first five weeks, was lights out,” Metellus said from the visitor’s locker room at SoFi Stadium. “The plan is to mitigate that pressure, whatever they can do to stop that pressure for however long and then throw the ball down the middle of the field in the vacated zones where we’re playing deep, or the underneath defender is playing too short. Very similar game plans; ball out quick.”

“A lot more screens this week than we’d seen against Detroit, so I’d say that’s a different thing,” he added. “For the most part, the stuff on tape we’ve been giving up, that’s going to be on there for the season, so it’s on us to stop that.”

“Tried to mess with the edges a little bit, tried to add extra [blockers],” edge rusher Jonathan Greenard said of the Rams. “Lot of gadget stuff. Seemed like 10 screens from the beginning of the game.”

The Vikings didn’t try to blitz during any of Stafford’s four touchdown passes. He was only pressured during one: a 7-yard toss to Rams receiver Cooper Kupp in the second quarter.

The flurry of screens against the Vikings defense isn’t just to get the ball out fast. Opponents are trying to get an older Vikings secondary to rally and tackle on the perimeter, according to Griffin.

“A lot of people got the game plan from what happened [against Detroit],” he said. “A lot of people are probably going to use that against us. We’re seeing more screens, seeing more run attacks. They’re trying to get us to tackle.”

Penalties became a new problem. The Vikings defense, which had been one of the least penalized units through six games, was called for five flags that led to Rams first downs.

Source: Strib

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I hated everything about this game before it started. On the road, short week. Vikings couldn't get Cashman or TJH back. While the Rams, a much better team than their record, were finally getting healthy.

I did not expect a win. But the part I dreaded most was the possibility of dropping two straight. Losing one game is almost meaningless, even against Detroit. But dropping two straight, even in a 17-game schedule, is a losing streak. And the narrative completely changes.

Now they go into the Colts game with not just a little bit of anxiety. It's not a must-win in playoff terms, but it sure is in terms of team psyche.

Stars might align in terms of timing, at home and getting players back for the Colts. Darrisaw is obviously a huge issue. 

The D is going to be a challenge to figure out the rest of the way. I dont know what Flores is going to be able to do tbh, he's got the cards dealt that he's going to have for the year. 

Getting Cashman back should help some. 

Frankly, getting pressure from the DL w/out Blitzing would be the best thing - and thats on the players. Might the game have swung differently if we had a Simmons or Lawrence on that line last night??

[MaroonBells]

Frankly, getting pressure from the DL w/out Blitzing would be the best thing - and thats on the players. Might the game have swung differently if we had a Simmons or Lawrence on that line last night??

Both losses were close, so you can point to a half dozen things that might've swung two losses into two wins. Refs, penalties, especially penalties on 3rd down, protection, pressure, injuries. Our corners aren't elite, but they'll hold up fine if you can generate a reasonable amount of pressure on the QB. 

If the Vikings hope to be in this at the end, they have a few things to fix. It's going to be a long 10 days before they can wash the stink off. And in order to do that, I think they can't just beat the Colts. They need to dominate them.

[purplefaithful]

Both losses were close, so you can point to a half dozen things that might've swung two losses into two wins. Refs, penalties, especially penalties on 3rd down, protection, pressure, injuries. Our corners aren't elite, but they'll hold up fine if you can generate a reasonable amount of pressure on the QB. 

If the Vikings hope to be in this at the end, they have a few things to fix. It's going to be a long 10 days before they can wash the stink off. And in order to do that, I think they can't just beat the Colts. They need to dominate them.

I'm not sure anymore if we are really an upper echelon NFC team?

Re the Colts, is Richardson back to playing? If so, the key will be to make him throw.

He should be quite a bit simpler to solve than a still savvy and dangerous Stafford. 

I'll take a win, dont care about style pts. anymore.

[pattersaur]

Not sure where to put this but I have one more whine about last night/the team, so I'll drop it here: Nailor stinks

[ArizonaViking]

I knew we were going to lose. When we scored on the opening drive and then the Rams got the ball, 1st down and ten...13 yard run, 1st down and 10...12 yard run and so on and so forth. The defense could not stop the run and during passing downs, no pressure and no decent coverage.