The Punchers Chance

After watching the niners and the ain'ts duke it out Sunday, I believe to beat either team in their house we either need our offense to put up 50 points OR we need our defense to prevent both of those teams from putting up 50.
I wanna believe in this team but I'm struggling.

starts up front.....

pound the rock
chew the clock
screens / high percentage throws
and take a shot now and then

keep defense rested

To beat any highflying offense, keep them on the sidelines.  Controlling time of possession and being efficient on offense can beat any team.

Great post. 

Thielen/Diggs  together  cause mandatory  defensive tendencies.

Rudy and Smith together present match up problems. Smith can beat a CB ,S, or LB in a route. Rudy is  larger than any CB,S or LB that may cover him.

Cook and Mattison  can both Block and catch.

Even if a defense could match up with that package in pass coverage, the Vikings can run out of that set.

When Thielen returns, I'd like to see the Vikings go 2 minute hurry up for 1 drive early in a game, just to do it. 

The Vikings went hurry up the 2nd half of the Denver game and the  Broncos defense couldn't defend it.

@"Hidalgo" said: After watching the niners and the ain'ts duke it out Sunday, I believe to beat either team in their house we either need our offense to put up 50 points OR we need our defense to prevent both of those teams from putting up 50. I wanna believe in this team but I'm struggling.

I'm not getting that 'puncher's chance' vibe from this team....and I've used this very same term in the past to describe teams that are dangerous in a one game situation. Thielen's return is important for the stretch run here, hopefully he indeed does come back for Sunday's game. I like that the last 2 games are divisional and at Minnesota. I'll take a win in any form against the Chargers....boring, disappointing, etc. whatever. Just get the W. 

In my mind, I can't talk playoffs until Minnesota has clinched. Bad things can still happen. I hate to be a worrywart, but the team is to blame for that because historically there have been some disappointing scenarios. My blinders are firmly on, I can only see one game at a time. 

"It's not who you play but when you play them." -- Bud Grant

Zimmer stumbles in every game where something is on the line.  The last time he got a critical win was at Green Bay late 2015.  Ever since Blair Walsh he's had cold feet.  Punchers chance but Zim is afraid to throw a punch.

One advantage the Vikings offense will have is that what they've put on film for the last 8 weeks has been without Thielen. And it's not as simple as going back and watching the Vikings offense pre-injury. Offenses evolve during the course of a season. A formation "tell" from week 6 is not going to be the same in week 15. And a formation tell from week 14 without Thielen is not going to be the same as it is with Thielen in the lineup. Now, let's just hope he plays. 

my only problem is we don't put teams away. We should have beat Detroit by way more. Need to have a killer mentality.

Detroit was dead the minute they stepped foot on USB field. That game was never in doubt. And I remember a time when they were undefeated in that bldg lol!

This edition of the Vikings is very hard to predict...Clearly upper echelon, yet capable of losing on any given Sunday too.

It's actually the D that has me the most concerned...That still hasn't quite sunk in yet. I feel like I'm going to watch a Denny Green team. 

What a year and with 3 HUGE games left..

@"StickyBun" said: I'm not getting that 'puncher's chance' vibe from this team....and I've used this very same term in the past to describe teams that are dangerous in a one game situation. Thielen's return is important for the stretch run here, hopefully he indeed does come back for Sunday's game. I like that the last 2 games are divisional and at Minnesota. I'll take a win in any form against the Chargers....boring, disappointing, etc. whatever. Just get the W. 

In my mind, I can't talk playoffs until Minnesota has clinched. Bad things can still happen. I hate to be a worrywart, but the team is to blame for that because historically there have been some disappointing scenarios. My blinders are firmly on, I can only see one game at a time. 

@"purplefaithful" said: Detroit was dead the minute they stepped foot on USB field. That game was never in doubt. And I remember a time when they were undefeated in that bldg lol!

This edition of the Vikings is very hard to predict...Clearly upper echelon, yet capable of losing on any given Sunday too.

It's actually the D that has me the most concerned...That still hasn't quite sunk in yet. I feel like I'm going to watch a Denny Green team. 

What a year and with 3 HUGE games left..

@"comet52" said: Zimmer stumbles in every game where something is on the line.  The last time he got a critical win was at Green Bay late 2015.  Ever since Blair Walsh he's had cold feet.  Punchers chance but Zim is afraid to throw a punch.

Yep and I think this is far more important than any of the factors FSU listed in his OP. In the playoffs, we will be facing excellent coaches who will come into the game with different game plans than Zimmer will see in his regular season film study, and he always seems shocked when that happens (a la Eagles playoffs 2017) - or when a team makes adjustments at halftime (Saints playoffs 2017). Against teams with lower talent levels (Lions, Giants, etc.) we're fine - but there won't be any of those if we get to the playoffs.

I think you're missing my point J. This Offense, when healthy and clicking, can outscore a team that outcoaches Zimmer's Defense. Even in 17 I never had that feeling. 

@"FSUVike" said: I think you're missing my point J. This Offense, when healthy and clicking, can outscore a team that outcoaches Zimmer's Defense. Even in 17 I never had that feeling. 

I think what you mean is -
A. You never felt Zimmer's defense was the type of dominant/elite unit that could control the outcome against a playoff opponent, so their 2019 decline doesn't really hurt our chances
+
B. This is the first year you feel our offense could have a chance if we have to get into a shootout

Is that about right? I can see that reasoning, though I don't share your confidence our offense is as good as other playoff teams, especially if Cook doesn't return to his early-season form.

Good assessment.  It all hinges on health and getting good enough pass protection. And playing a clean game in terms of TOs and drive-killing penalties. 

I know that's a lot of IFs, but at least they have a chance, which I haven't felt until now.

@"FSUVike" said: I think you're missing my point J. This Offense, when healthy and clicking, can outscore a team that outcoaches Zimmer's Defense. Even in 17 I never had that feeling. 

 This   team  is better on offense than it is on defense.  Hasn't been like that since 2014

Rule changes, coaches adapting to Zim scheme, players aging.......lots of factors have created the change. 

i'm hopeful Thielens return is the piece that makes the offense "click". 

Whoever wins the NFC will do so by outscoring opponents.   See Niners/Saints last weekend.

@"FSUVike" said: I think you're missing my point J. This Offense, when healthy and clicking, can outscore a team that outcoaches Zimmer's Defense. Even in 17 I never had that feeling.