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purplefaithful · 06-01-2018, 11:32 AM

At some point this season, Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings will find themselves in a situation in which the season hangs in the balance.
Considering the Vikings went 13-3 last season and then upgraded at quarterback and added an extra piece to their No. 1 ranked defense, it’s safe to say that they expect to find themselves in important games in January.

But when it comes to those pressure-packed playoff contests, the Vikings’ new quarterback and offensive coordinator do not have a lot of experience.
Cousins has only started one playoff game. He threw for 329 yards, but lost 35-18 to Green Bay in a game in which Washington blew an 11-point lead. DeFilippo was the quarterbacks coach for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles. The only time he’s been the one calling plays was in 2015 with the Cleveland Browns. His club finished 3-13 and 30th in points.
“What really helps is I’ve done the job before,” DeFilippo said. “Done the job on a team where you really had to manufacture yards and find ways to get guys open. Was it a great situation at the time? No. Was it perfect? No. At the same time, I think it really helped to prepare how to coach. When you do get that opportunity when you do have guys that maybe are the next step up in terms of ability, I think it helps to take some of those ideas to manufacture yards and feed the ball in their hands.”
Clearly it would be tough to look at the struggling 2015 Cleveland team for answers on what the Vikings’ OC will call for his new quarterback in big spots. We can, however, look at concepts used by the Eagles when it mattered most and apply those elements to the Vikings...

http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2018/0...ason-line/

06-01-2018, 11:46 AM

Weird article. Flip will call a play and Cousins will try his best to execute it. Wash, rinse and repeat. It seems because the Vikings are 'all in' (the media's words) everything now that Flip and Cousins do must be gold. Clutch. Perfect.

The Vikings are trying to hire the best people to give themselves their best chance of success. It won't always be perfect. The hope is the team is better than last year's team and they can get to a Superbowl. But they'll need luck and the ball to bounce right to get there, like every team does. They hope they've increased their chances to compete at a high level, but that doesn't guarantee anything.

06-01-2018, 12:34 PM

"The only time he’s been the one calling plays was in 2015 with the Cleveland Browns. His club finished 3-13"

3 wins in 1 year...that's AWESOME! In a Cleveland sort of way. Just proves the man can coach.

06-01-2018, 12:55 PM

The bar is set at 13-3. I dont expect them to beat it.
It is going to be a very interesting year.

06-01-2018, 02:18 PM

Quote: @Poiple said:
The bar is set at 13-3. I dont expect them to beat it.
It is going to be a very interesting year.

how is that the bar? this team is different, the coaching staff is different, and the opponents are different (supposedly going to be a tougher schedule) the league is different... hell even the rules of the game will be different. I understand the desire to say that we should be improved from last year and if we dont have a better record then its a set back, but honestly how many teams have ever improved on, or ever matched that type of result? I would say the bar is set at making the NFCCG, getting back should be the minimum expectation and even that will be a big challenge.

06-01-2018, 02:22 PM

Quote: @Poiple said:
The bar is set at 13-3. I dont expect them to beat it.
It is going to be a very interesting year.

That isn't the bar. The bar is can they be right back there, top 2 or 3 team in the NFC, playing good football in the playoffs. And then next year the same thing. The bar is consistency and contender status in the playoffs. The regular season record might be 11 wins or 12 doing that. The bar isn't needing a miracle win to beat a playoff team at home. 13 wins is really hard to do and to expect it as a 'bar' is silly, IMO.

The Vikings weren't the best team in the NFC last year. They can improve. And the conference is loaded.

06-01-2018, 02:59 PM

Quote: @JimmyinSD said:

@Poiple said:
The bar is set at 13-3. I dont expect them to beat it.
It is going to be a very interesting year.
how is that the bar? this team is different, the coaching staff is different, and the opponents are different (supposedly going to be a tougher schedule) the league is different... hell even the rules of the game will be different. I understand the desire to say that we should be improved from last year and if we dont have a better record then its a set back, but honestly how many teams have ever improved on, or ever matched that type of result? I would say the bar is set at making the NFCCG, getting back should be the minimum expectation and even that will be a big challenge.

The bar to me is not wins alone either. Goals should be win Division and get the bye again. Home field would be a top goal. What if that was possible with a 12-4 record? If I had to set a wins total bar. Then anything less the 11 wins would be a disappointment. Unless 10 wins got us in the playoffs and somehow to the Super Bowl. That is after all is the ultimate goal.
We have not made back to back playoff appearances since 08 - 09. That HAS to change this year or we enter huge disappointment territory.

06-01-2018, 06:01 PM

Quote: @Poiple said:
The bar is set at 13-3. I dont expect them to beat it.
It is going to be a very interesting year.

I couldn't care less what our record is. Winning fewer games in the regular season would not mean it's an inferior team.

2018 is the best roster of players the Vikings have ever had, and I personally think it's the best roster in the NFL. So anything less than a Lombardi will be a disappointment. That said, Vikings have sent 4 teams to the Super Bowl, and the two best teams we ever had ('75 and '98) were not among them.