Want to see a great one-on-one block?

Kline played well too, which let Bradbury help Elf a lot. Really, my only complaint with the Line was getting annihilated every time they did the toss left play. I counted 6 times they ran that play. 2 worked but one was called back by the terrible holding call on Thielen. The rest were negative plays. In including 2 in 1st and goal. 

Ironically, traditional handoffs running left did much better. But this team still is far more effective rushing to the right or up the gut. You can't just abandon running off Left Tackle, but I sure hope Stefanski calls it just enough to keep the 9ers Defense honest.

I've watched the game 3 times now and the O-Line really did a nice job. Some key blitz pickups, some clean pockets, room to run. Weird playcalling killed more drives than performance,  IMO.

I'll use this opportunity to mention yet again how painfully wrong about #75. He got 1 All Pro vote this year. He'll get much more next year. He's been a rock star. Find a LT in the draft and leave O'Neill where he is. When you have the likes of Jordan and Hunter lining up on the left, you need two quality OTs.

I know they're trying to break tendencies by running left, and I'm sure thats what they were doing at the goal-line in ot with that toss left to Cook that lost yards. 

But at some point you have to take a Belichek approach to things. Keep doing whats working until they show they can stop it. 

Peyton should have done that with Hill too. 

How about a text book play and tackle from our backup WLB? 

@"MaroonBells" said: How about a text book play and tackle from our backup WLB? 

https://twitter.com/MattAndersonNFL/status/1214413435833868288?s=20

@"MaroonBells" said:
How about a text book play and tackle from our backup WLB? 

https://twitter.com/MattAndersonNFL/status/1214413435833868288?s=20

@"BarrNone55" said: I'll use this opportunity to mention yet again how painfully wrong about #75. He got 1 All Pro vote this year. He'll get much more next year. He's been a rock star. Find a LT in the draft and leave O'Neill where he is. When you have the likes of Jordan and Hunter lining up on the left, you need two quality OTs.

I'm not sure what I think about moving him or keeping him on the right. I tend to think it's best to just leave him, but are we selling him short by doing that? What if the transition is not a problem for him? Sure wasn't for Tyron Smith. I'm guessing he would be for it, considering the money difference. I think I'd try in training camp, and if he struggles at all, just forget about it.

@"MaroonBells" said:

How about a text book play and tackle from our backup WLB? 

https://twitter.com/MattAndersonNFL/status/1214413435833868288?s=20

That tricky, tricky Mike Zimmer defense...  :p

(it stood out because i'm so conditioned to think Gideon as the 3rd backer in a 4-3, us in a 2 backer formation going Nickle or Heavy Nickle and because Wilson replaced Kendicks/Barr when they went down.) 

Wilson definitely popped on Sunday...

Someone name Ben is about to get Wally Pipped me thinks.

And I agree with you MB regarding O'Neill. He'd be stupid not to consider LT move with the $$$ over there. A ;ot will depend on FA and Draft. 

I hate the thought of a rook LT starting with a team that can make playoff runs...

@"StickyBun" said: Bring up the long pass from Cousins to Thielen to the NO's 2 in OT. O'Neill knew he was getting no help and would have to man up against Cam Jordan. Wrestled his ass wide of the pocket letting Cousins rip it deep. Jordan is a beast and he kept him off his QB. These are the plays that win close football games. Also see Irv Smith Jr. just stone his guy in pass protect:

https://www.vikings.com/video/can-t-miss-play-cousins-uncorks-a-dime-to-thielen

Interesting to me that some our key players in this game and in recent weeks have been Odenigbo (7th round), Ant Harris (undrafted), Adam Thielen (undrafted), Eric Wilson (undrafted), Mike Boone (undrafted), Jayron Kearse (7th round), Bisi (7th round). 

That to go along with an excellent 2019 draft, a couple free agent hits (Cousins, Kline)...all supports the argument that this front office (Rick and his college and pro scouting staffs) needs to stay together. I really think they're getting better at what they do. 

I don't know how Gedeon sees the field again. Hell, if we had lost Barr, I was comfortable inserting him in his spot.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"BarrNone55" said: I'll use this opportunity to mention yet again how painfully wrong about #75. He got 1 All Pro vote this year. He'll get much more next year. He's been a rock star. Find a LT in the draft and leave O'Neill where he is. When you have the likes of Jordan and Hunter lining up on the left, you need two quality OTs.

I'll take some of that crow as well. But, in our defense, there were serious questions about whether his weight was legit, having gained a ton of it in a short time to switch from 230 lb. tight end to 290 lb. tackle. And he just wasn't very good at the Senior Bowl. Now, while I've always believed that the Senior Bowl--especially practice week--is the single best scouting measure for predicting success in the NFL, it's certainly not 100%. 

I'm not sure what I think about moving him or keeping him on the right. I tend to think it's best to just leave him, but are we selling him short by doing that? What if the transition is not a problem for him? Sure wasn't for Tyron Smith. I'm guessing he would be for it, considering the money difference. I think I'd try in training camp, and if he struggles at all, just forget about it.

And the draft should provide potential FNGs for the LT spot...Having a rookie surpass Hill at a tackle spot has worked well before...

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"BarrNone55" said: I'll use this opportunity to mention yet again how painfully wrong about #75. He got 1 All Pro vote this year. He'll get much more next year. He's been a rock star. Find a LT in the draft and leave O'Neill where he is. When you have the likes of Jordan and Hunter lining up on the left, you need two quality OTs.

I'll take some of that crow as well. But, in our defense, there were serious questions about whether his weight was legit, having gained a ton of it in a short time to switch from 230 lb. tight end to 290 lb. tackle. And he just wasn't very good at the Senior Bowl. Now, while I've always believed that the Senior Bowl--especially practice week--is the single best scouting measure for predicting success in the NFL, it's certainly not 100%. 

I'm not sure what I think about moving him or keeping him on the right. I tend to think it's best to just leave him, but are we selling him short by doing that? What if the transition is not a problem for him? Sure wasn't for Tyron Smith. I'm guessing he would be for it, considering the money difference. I think I'd try in training camp, and if he struggles at all, just forget about it.

i would say OTAs/Mini Camps,  if at all.  by the time camp rolls around you will know if he has the footwork to make it a more permanent effort or if he should be left at RT.  waiting until august to try a move like that could be a massive failure if he cant make the move and you screw up his rhythm right before the season starts.   personally i say pay him well and keep him at RT and draft a new LT and let Hill and FNG battle it out unless Reiff wants to make some serious $$$ concessions to stay in the mix. 

@"BarrNone55" said: And the draft should provide potential FNGs for the LT spot...Having a rookie surpass Hill at a tackle spot has worked well before...

Let us say we win next week, Kirk balls out in all 3 playoff games.  

Do you restructure Reiff and slide him to LG, drafting LT?

Do you cut Reiff, extend Kirk and get cap room (combining Reiff and Kirk’s savings) for Scheriff?  Drafting a T in the first, second, or third?

which line would you like more
A: ONeill-Scheriff-Bradburry-Kline-Rookie RT (Hill-Collins-Elf-Dozier-Udoh)

B: 1st RD LT - Reiff - Bradburry - Kline - ONeil
(Hill-Collins-Elf-Dozier-Udoh)

Give me A, drafting that RT in the 3rd, allowing us to draft DE, DT in the first two rounds. 

With Kirk, Cook, Mattison, the Dynamic Duos at TE and WR, we need dominance in the trenches.  One more young talent at T and a stud a G could do that

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"BarrNone55" said: And the draft should provide potential FNGs for the LT spot...Having a rookie surpass Hill at a tackle spot has worked well before...

I am hoping that one of Dozier, Samia or Collins can provide a real improvment at LG next year... well honestly I am hoping that Elf can make a big jump,  but who ever it is we need to be able to move bodies in the short run game, not just trick them into getting out of position. 

@"Skodin" said: Let us say we win next week, Kirk balls out in all 3 playoff games.  

Do you restructure Reiff and slide him to LG, drafting LT?

Do you cut Reiff, extend Kirk and get cap room (combining Reiff and Kirk’s savings) for Scheriff?  Drafting a T in the first, second, or third?

which line would you like more
A: ONeill-Scheriff-Bradburry-Kline-Rookie RT (Hill-Collins-Elf-Dozier-Udoh)

B: 1st RD LT - Reiff - Bradburry - Kline - ONeil
(Hill-Collins-Elf-Dozier-Udoh)

Give me A, drafting that RT in the 3rd, allowing us to draft DE, DT in the first two rounds. 

With Kirk, Cook, Mattison, the Dynamic Duos at TE and WR, we need dominance in the trenches.  One more young talent at T and a stud a G could do that

Also, I think my draft pick would be more of a left tackle. You could put him on the right if O'Neill proves capable of playing on the left, but some security if he can't. Also very excited about how Udoh played in week 17. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Skodin" said: Let us say we win next week, Kirk balls out in all 3 playoff games.  

Do you restructure Reiff and slide him to LG, drafting LT?

Do you cut Reiff, extend Kirk and get cap room (combining Reiff and Kirk’s savings) for Scheriff?  Drafting a T in the first, second, or third?

which line would you like more
A: ONeill-Scheriff-Bradburry-Kline-Rookie RT (Hill-Collins-Elf-Dozier-Udoh)

B: 1st RD LT - Reiff - Bradburry - Kline - ONeil
(Hill-Collins-Elf-Dozier-Udoh)

Give me A, drafting that RT in the 3rd, allowing us to draft DE, DT in the first two rounds. 

With Kirk, Cook, Mattison, the Dynamic Duos at TE and WR, we need dominance in the trenches.  One more young talent at T and a stud a G could do that

I'd be very surprised if Reiff were on the team next year. Just too much potential cap savings that we'll need. I love A. But we're going to have to dump a lot more salary than just Reiff to bring in a guy like Scherff (maybe Linval and Rhodes too). 

Also, I think my draft pick would be more of a left tackle. You could put him on the right if O'Neill proves capable of playing on the left, but some security if he can't. Also very excited about how Udoh played in week 17. 

Oneil made a huge block. 

Smith stoned the blitzing LB  on the other corner