So, About that OLine...

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I said all off-season if they could get to mediocre, Sam would take his game up a notch...So far, so good...

We still had too many short FGs, and too many bad runs, but considering we have 5 new starters playing together for the first time, I'll take it...

[Guest]

They played well against a very mediocre to poor defense. I'll take it, however. 

[Guest]

Interesting that at least once (on Sam's great pass to Wright), Remmers lined up to the left of Reiff, with Rudy and Cook taking on the pass rush on the right. Vikings seemed to know where the rush was going to come from on this one. Sam still got hit as he threw, but he got it off. One of the prettiest passes I've seen in 10 years. 

[Guest]

Anyone else notice Sirles get in for a series or two for Easton?

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
Anyone else notice Sirles get in for a series or two for Easton?

IIRC he was in for Berger.  I heard them say Easton,  but it was Berger that was out for a bit the way it looked to me.

[Guest]

The thing to me is that although the Saint Defense is said to be pretty poor (although the talking heads tried to talk it up like it was overhauled and better) this was still an NFL roster that really had very little impact on our QB. THat's encouraging. You are supposed to handle the teams well that you are supposed to win. We did exactly that and more. They aren't the 85 bars but we did everything against them that we should have been able to do save for perhaps a few better holes in the run game. But it also was our first game of the year with an oline that we haven't seen play together as a unit. Lot's to be encouraged about there. 

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@Jor-El said:
Fantastic improvement, I am happily surprised.

However...Remmers looks like a weak link.

One of them is always going ti be the weak link. Maybe he gets better with lining up next to the same guy every time, or maybe they just adjust their play calling to reflect that. which is something that hasnt happened in what seems like forever.
I think every lineman has bad plays, but the center of the line not getting blown up and the tackles not being turnstiles on every pass play was a sight for sore eyes.

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@JimmyinSD said:

@StickyBun said:
Anyone else notice Sirles get in for a series or two for Easton?

IIRC he was in for Berger.  I heard them say Easton,  but it was Berger that was out for a bit the way it looked to me.

he said he was in for Easton at RG. So I assumed it was actually Berger at RG, assuming the announcer knows his right from his left better than he knows our O-line.

[Guest]

@"BarrNone55" said:
I said all off-season if they could get to mediocre, Sam would take his game up a notch...So far, so good...

We still had too many short FGs, and too many bad runs, but considering we have 5 new starters playing together for the first time, I'll take it...

The offensive line was better than "mediocre" Monday night...  their pass protection was PHENOMENAL.  I think Bradford was only hit twice and sacked once.  It was crazy to see graphics showing Bradford had 3+ seconds on some of his deep completions...  we haven't seen those in YEARS...  LOL
If the Vikings can keep up that type of protection and get on the same page in the running game...  WATCH OUT.
BOOM

[Guest]

Unfortunately, the one sack that Bradford took was a HUGE hit. And right on the shoulder. That could have easily been a broken collarbone shot. He got up wincing. I cringed because it just had the look of an injury the way he got pile-driven into the turf.