Can we start to believe?

9 third down conversions....just gutting the defense, you can see their frustration.

GOOD FOOTBALL PLAYER https://t.co/jRmi1FIjMs

— vikesinsider (@vikesinsider) October 12, 2026

After really looking back, I am not sure we win this game without Kyler. Converting on something like 10 3rd downs is really impressive. Makes the bad misses not look so bad in the end. Kyler deserves praise and he led this team to a nice win. The throw to JJ was impressive when I thought he meant to throw it away yesterday. Looking at it again, he threw it right where it needed to be. Only a few WRs can make that catch. One of them was on the receiving end of a TD on the play.

Fries in the other hand.... Just release him. I am not even sure what he is doing on some plays.

Never thought I'd say this in 26:

But I am looking forward to seeing what a rested and used more judiciously Aaron Jones Sr. can do.

I mean, outside of Reichard, is there a more deserving Viking MVP YTD?

purplefaithful wrote:

Never thought I'd say this in 26:
But I am looking forward to seeing what a rested and used more judiciously Aaron Jones Sr. can do.
I mean, outside of Reichard, is there a more deserving Viking MVP YTD?

Reichard: 53 Points

Offense: 50 Points

Short answer. No. Not even Jones. That can quickly change, however.

I was going to start a thread called "Why 5-0 feels Squinky", but I will just put my thoughts here. It's more historical then with any one individual. It's hard to bite off the big piece of cake. The Vikings have squinked up so many good seasons. Most recently the 2024 and 2022 seasons. They get you right where they want you. All believing and hoping, and next thing you know your dog has kicked you, your wife has a new boyfriend and the Vikings are again at home in January.

I fear...FEAR Reichard. He is giving us a historical look in to kicker greatness...ala...Gary Anderson. I recall chanting "Super Bowl" when he lined up for the FG in the 98 Championship game.

It's just hard to emotionally invest so much. And it's hard not to. You watch a historical defense, maybe an offensive improvement and the thoughts of "Maybe this one is for real!" start creeping in to your head. Next thing you know, you are wearing your Vikings Underroo's and pronouncing to anyone that will listen that the Vikings are for real....and then it happens..

So I want to believe...I really do. Don't let me down...just one before I die!

Canthony wrote:

After really looking back, I am not sure we win this game without Kyler. Converting on something like 10 3rd downs is really impressive. Makes the bad misses not look so bad in the end. Kyler deserves praise and he led this team to a nice win. The throw to JJ was impressive when I thought he meant to throw it away yesterday. Looking at it again, he threw it right where it needed to be. Only a few WRs can make that catch. One of them was on the receiving end of a TD on the play.

Fries in the other hand.... Just release him. I am not even sure what he is doing on some plays.

IDK, I think any semi-competent QB would have gotten the job done.  Obviously, if you are comparing this game against the QBs we had in 2025, Kyler looks pretty competent by comparison, but Darnold and Cousins would have easily won this game.  Wouldn’t be surprised if Wentz or JJM also won this game.  Not exactly a high bar to beat 13 points.

Kyler’s ability to scramble made up for the limitations he has, but there’s a lot of ways to be an effective QB. 

medaille wrote:

IDK, I think any semi-competent QB would have gotten the job done.  Obviously, if you are comparing this game against the QBs we had in 2025, Kyler looks pretty competent by comparison, but Darnold and Cousins would have easily won this game.  Wouldn’t be surprised if Wentz or JJM also won this game.  Not exactly a high bar to beat 13 points.
Kyler’s ability to scramble made up for the limitations he has, but there’s a lot of ways to be an effective QB.

I think you're underselling the game he had. I'll take that type of efficiency and scrambling for 1st downs. I've been far from a Murray truther but he played well. I hope it continues.

I REALLY just don't understand why we didn't hang onto Darnold when he was clearly what KOC wants in a QB. Imagine year 2 or 3 of Darnold in this offense. I know we had just drafted the kid but all of those coaches who saw him on a daily basis HAD to know what he was and wasn't.

AGRforever wrote:

I REALLY just don't understand why we didn't hang onto Darnold when he was clearly what KOC wants in a QB. Imagine year 2 or 3 of Darnold in this offense. I know we had just drafted the kid but all of those coaches who saw him on a daily basis HAD to know what he was and wasn't.

AGRforever wrote:

I REALLY just don't understand why we didn't hang onto Darnold when he was clearly what KOC wants in a QB. Imagine year 2 or 3 of Darnold in this offense. I know we had just drafted the kid but all of those coaches who saw him on a daily basis HAD to know what he was and wasn't.

Homie had just crapped the bed in the 2 biggest games of the season and his career. The fan base was rabid about getting McCarthy in there to continue the run with a rookie contracted starter. Well that and KAM didn't want to pay that man his money...

The next 4 weeks after the bye will be the story of the season. If they manage 2-2 or better, there will be hope. 1-3 or worse and this season will likely turn into a tailspin.

This might be the best Vikings defense I’ve seen in my lifetime and will likely be the last year we see Flores lead it. Legit championship caliber. Not to mention we have the best kicker in the league.

The offense, on the other hand, is not good. It is wildly inconsistent and oftentimes looks like we’re just throwing shit against the wall hoping something sticks. All credit to KOC though for seemingly throwing away the entire passing offense and developing a simplistic shotgun, one read then check down or scramble passing game completely on the fly that capitalizes on Kyler’s ability.

If we can get Mason back fully healthy and grind out 40+ carries a game between him and Jones, we might be able to squeeze enough blood of the stone off our passing game to be competitive.

However, unless things begin to look infinitely better on offense, this team is likely looking at another early playoff exit if they manage to get there.

Vikesrock wrote:

Homie had just crapped the bed in the 2 biggest games of the season and his career. The fan base was rabid about getting McCarthy in there to continue the run with a rookie contracted starter. Well that and KAM didn't want to pay that man his money...

Just imagine a world where JJM sat 3 years learning behind Darnold, never tore his meniscus, never missed time, worked on his mechanics, able to learn the playbook and mature like a fine wine...

purplefaithful wrote:

Just imagine a world where JJM sat 3 years learning behind Darnold, never tore his meniscus, never missed time, worked on his mechanics, able to learn the playbook and mature like a fine wine...

I am a Vikings fan. Fathoming a world where shit goes right is just not in the wheelhouse.

purplefaithful wrote:

Just imagine a world where JJM sat 3 years learning behind Darnold, never tore his meniscus, never missed time, worked on his mechanics, able to learn the playbook and mature like a fine wine...

We would have seen a whole different JJM. Now, he may get it in another couple years.

MAD GAINZ wrote:

I think you're underselling the game he had. I'll take that type of efficiency and scrambling for 1st downs. I've been far from a Murray truther but he played well. I hope it continues.

I think you're underselling how much harder Kyler, at this stage in his understanding of the offense, makes the game that he then has to overcome.

Scoring over 13 points against the Saints is not a heroic feat.

medaille wrote:

I think you're underselling how much harder Kyler, at this stage in his understanding of the offense, makes the game that he then has to overcome.
Scoring over 13 points against the Saints is not a heroic feat.

Two fumbles in the redzone in that game for Minnesota, correct? Nobody is pinning 'hero' on his lapel, but you can see he's making nice strides toward improvement. His mobility was massive and he converted 9 3rd downs...NINE. Stacked a bunch of completions, which KOC is giddy over. I'll say this: if you watch the Redzone, you really get a nice feel for how other QBs look and play and sometimes fans are too close to the trees on their own QBs.

StickierBuns wrote:

Two fumbles in the redzone in that game for Minnesota, correct? Nobody is pinning 'hero' on his lapel, but you can see he's making nice strides toward improvement. His mobility was massive and he converted 9 3rd downs...NINE. Stacked a bunch of completions, which KOC is giddy over. I'll say this: if you watch the Redzone, you really get a nice feel for how other QBs look and play and sometimes fans are too close to the trees on their own QBs.

I'm not shitting on Kyler. He had a fine performance. But, I'm just disagreeing with the idea that Canthony said that we probably don't win this game without Kyler.

Like sure, Kyler looked great stacking six 7 yard completions together, but a different QB could do that with one 40 yard throw and a worse completion percentage. Different styles of offenses to get to the same place.