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Game reactions after sleeping on it
#1
I was really looking forward to this game, as I'm sure you all were.

Darnold holds onto the ball waaay tooo long.  Yeah, he had one of the longest timing of average throws, and we thought it was just fine because it takes time to lead the league in long plays.  He could not adapt.  I remember last year, the first game against Tampa Bay, thinking we would steamroller them and Baker Mayfield tore us apart with quick throws.  He almost looked like he did against Jacksonville (both of the last two games).

How many of Darnold's passes were off the mark, too low, too high...he did not have the touch both of the last two games.  It was noticeable that he was off the mark last night, last week.

Comparing Darnold to Stafford last night, you can see what a base salary of $23.5mm gets you vs. $10mm.  Stafford is a bargain.  Note his quick releases.

Recalling how long Darnold held on to the ball last night, I thought that there must be something better.  So this morning I started watching last season's JJM highlights at Michigan.  Yes, he has a quicker release from what I can see, and a much nicer downfield touch delivering the ball than what I've seen from Darnold the last two games.  Now I need to look at Jones' release.  I thought it was heresy that we would consider keeping all three next year.  I don't know what they will do, but the status quo won't cut it.

What happened to our OLine?  The first sack was on O'Neill.  Talk about a rarity.  Gonna have to look at Free Agency to upgrade the interior of the OL.  But nine sacks?  Tied for the most in NFL history in a single playoff game.  That's how historically awful it was. 

Aaron Jones was mostly solid all season.  But without run blocking you get a 3.7 per rush average, like last night.  Comparing his season's full body of work, the franchise has had 24 seasons with a 1,000 yard rusher.   This season put Aaron Jones in 18th place all-time.  Seven of those 1,000+ yard seasons belonged to AP.  Four to Dalvin Cook and to Robert Smith.  And three to Chuck Foreman (playing fewer games).  His 1,138 yards on the ground was his career high.  However, add to that over 400 yards receiving.

The forward pass/fumble by Stafford was at best a fumble, at worst intentional grounding.  Refs blew it IMHO.  That's when the first wheel fell off the truck.

To say that the Vikings only lost to two teams all season is not a moral victory.  

It's gonna take me a while to recover from this embarrassment.  It was an awful performance.
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#2
Good post, Tom.

Couple things...

Our run game (and blocking) definitely took a turn after Darrisaw went down and Risner came into the lineup. Too bad Ed Ingram didn't work out, we need some bigger bodies on the interior.

The first sack given up by O'Neill was a clear hand to the facemask penalty on the Rams. Shoulda been called.

We also got burned again by a QB in the grasp of our defender(s) just tossing the ball away and getting bailed out by the officials. It couldn't be called grounding on replay because it's not reviewable. League needs to change this because the Lions got away with it and so did Stafford.

Officials need to nut up and not let everything go to review. The Vikings clearly had Stafford wrapped up and sacking him and it was pretty clear it wasn't a fumble and he threw it at his own feet. Call grounding and let the coaches challenge if it was a fumble or not. It didn't cost us since we got a stop (ball doesn't lie) but it's garbage football.
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#3
(Yesterday, 11:54 AM)MAD GAINZ Wrote: Good post, Tom.

Couple things...

Our run game (and blocking) definitely took a turn after Darrisaw went down and Risner came into the lineup. Too bad Ed Ingram didn't work out, we need some bigger bodies on the interior.

The first sack given up by O'Neill was a clear hand to the facemask penalty on the Rams.  Shoulda been called.

We also got burned again by a QB in the grasp of our defender(s) just tossing the ball away and getting bailed out by the officials.  It couldn't be called grounding on replay because it's not reviewable.  League needs to change this because the Lions got away with it and so did Stafford.

Officials need to nut up and not let everything go to review. The Vikings clearly had Stafford wrapped up and sacking him and it was pretty clear it wasn't a fumble and he threw it at his own feet.  Call grounding and let the coaches challenge if it was a fumble or not.  It didn't cost us since we got a stop (ball doesn't lie) but it's garbage football.

It did cost them because Cashman picked it up and scored but the refs jumped in and gave the ball back to the Rams.  They did end up punting but to say it didn't cost the Vikings, it would have tied the score at 10.
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#4
Staffords cap hit was $46M this year and is $50M next year. Doesn’t really matter what his base salary is.
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#5
Telling defensive stat from the game.

Bullard had 1 tackle and 0 assisted tackles
Redmond had 0 tackles and 1 assisted tackle
Phillips had 0 tackles and 1 assisted tackle
Tillery had 0 stats

Zero sacks 

If these stats in a win or go home game in the playoffs, don't scream we need defensive line help nothing else will.
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#6
(Yesterday, 12:18 PM)Greylock Wrote: It did cost them because Cashman picked it up and scored but the refs jumped in and gave the ball back to the Rams.  They did end up punting but to say it didn't cost the Vikings, it would have tied the score at 10.

...and totally changed the complexion of the game. We probably would've lost anyway due to how poorly Darnold played, but the more football I watch, the more I realize it’s all about the little things that compound and either generate momentum or stifle it.
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#7
(Yesterday, 12:35 PM)Greylock Wrote: Telling defensive stat from the game.

Bullard had 1 tackle and 0 assisted tackles
Redmond had 0 tackles and 1 assisted tackle
Phillips had 0 tackles and 1 assisted tackle
Tillery had 0 stats

Zero sacks 

If these stats in a win or go home game in the playoffs, don't scream we need defensive line help nothing else will.

the stat the sticks with me once again is we got shit out of our first round defensive pick.  Turner, 1 tackle.   He may be a nice piece down the road,  but was he a luxury we could afford when you look at how much we gave up to get him,  just to have him sit and watch 98% of the season, and have no impact in the playoffs?
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
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#8
(Yesterday, 12:56 PM)JimmyinSD Wrote: the stat the sticks with me once again is we got shit out of our first round defensive pick.  Turner, 1 tackle.   He may be a nice piece down the road,  but was he a luxury we could afford when you look at how much we gave up to get him,  just to have him sit and watch 98% of the season, and have no impact in the playoffs?

Adding more sting to that was that all-rookie Pro Bowl edge Jared Verse was taken two picks after Turner. It's very possible we'll be very happy with that decision in a couple years, but right now it sure doesn't look good.
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#9
(Yesterday, 12:35 PM)Greylock Wrote: Telling defensive stat from the game.

Bullard had 1 tackle and 0 assisted tackles
Redmond had 0 tackles and 1 assisted tackle
Phillips had 0 tackles and 1 assisted tackle
Tillery had 0 stats

Zero sacks 

If these stats in a win or go home game in the playoffs, don't scream we need defensive line help nothing else will.
Most of this is due to excellent coaching by the Rams head coach he doesn’t allow pressure on his quarterback - three step drops and he gets rid of the ball. Why Kevin O’Connell can’t figure this out is beyond me.
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#10
(Yesterday, 01:34 PM)DH11 Wrote: Most of this is due to excellent coaching by the Rams head coach he doesn’t allow pressure on his quarterback - three step drops and he gets rid of the ball. Why Kevin O’Connell can’t figure this out is beyond me.

I questioned this during the Lions game, last night and the last time we played the Rams a few mos ago. 

The predictability of running on first down and the seeming lack of quick hitters from the QB is beyond my comprehension. 

KOC should get scrutinized for how his offense has played against elite teams.  

Now how much is on him vs the others guys are just better? A question as old as time.
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