Taking Stock; Sitting @ 4/6...

hard to be excited about draft position when we won't have that "high" second round pick to potentially address the guard position.

I can't watch and want them to lose either.  This is a total rebuild year, but I do admit the 3 game win streak sucked me into believing there could be a shot at bigger things.
My expectations have been readjusted.  Still love them - SKOL!

I found a little joy in them having a good game but losing at the end before they went on that 3 game tear which screwed them for the draft for this year.  I dont root against them,  I just dont take the losses as hard knowing it would lead to better things for the future... of course this was all before the 3 meaningless division wins.  now I am just going to be bitter,  still watching,  still happy when they do good,  but not really caring when they lose.

Injuries and personnel losses on defense devestated this version of the Vikes. Actually picked them to lose Sunday but was pissed at the way they lost. I just took a look at the remaining schedule and think they will end up 6 - 10 or best case (or worst case if you are looking at the draft) 7 - 9.  Offense can be very good at times, other times...yikes. Guess I will continue to watch and look forward to next years version of my beloved & exasperating Vikings.

It's not about wins and losses now, but individual performance. 

As it stands now, we've got 2 third rounders and 3 fourth rounders...if we package those or trade down from 13, we can pick up that second we gave up. This draft might be the least amount of first round talent I've seen in awhile. But there is good value through the 4th.

Edit: Plus a 3rd comp pick

At this point I just try and concentrate on young talent (1-2 yrs) and there development.

Looking at the roster we have a pretty young team.  Cousins is the oldest at 32 and then Harry and Rudolph are 31.  

It is what it is. They won't get a qb for the future. They will probably trade down and stockpile picks again. I don't know how excited to be for next year with the same old same old offensive philosophy. Unknown is Hunter on defense. That is huge. I am curious about Pierce. I will enjoy Jefferson but still be frustrated that he is not getting enough targets. Love Cook but worry about durability. It's just meh all around.

@"BarrNone55" said: It's not about wins and losses now, but individual performance. 

As it stands now, we've got 2 third rounders and 3 fourth rounders...if we package those or trade down from 13, we can pick up that second we gave up. This draft might be the least amount of first round talent I've seen in awhile. But there is good value through the 4th.

Edit: Plus a 3rd comp pick

I want to believe Rick is better now than before, I hope i am right and that Wonnum, Dye and the Baylor kid are all better than Jaleel and Holmes and Elf turned out.  

Looking at history, i think easily firsts and 2nds are the best value in the draft. Need to keep those picks IMO and not go for the quantity > quality 

We will get one impact player this draft. Since we always want to be competitive, if we could get that 2nd impact player OR a QBOTF lets fuggin do it. 

A lot of the views here are expressing that this is a semi-rebuild, that we had too many injuries, that we were affected by Covid. But I think we see these same ups and downs whether the CB is Xavier Rhodes or Cam Dantzler - only the excuses change.

Alternative explanation: this is the down year in the Zimmer cycle, and it completely follows the strength of schedule, because he gets most of his wins against weak teams and has a bad record against playoff-caliber teams. We go 7-9 one year and are rewarded with a 3rd place schedule - and Zimmer has a winning season. But the following year we play the schedule awarded to a winner, and sink to 8-8...and so on, wash, rinse, repeat.

We went 10-6 last year so our schedule is tougher. But, hey - if we finish 7-9 this year, we'll have a 3rd-place schedule, and in 2021 we should get back to 9 or 10 wins, a wildcard, and playoff loss.

@"Bullazin" said:

@"BarrNone55" said: It's not about wins and losses now, but individual performance. 

As it stands now, we've got 2 third rounders and 3 fourth rounders...if we package those or trade down from 13, we can pick up that second we gave up. This draft might be the least amount of first round talent I've seen in awhile. But there is good value through the 4th.

Edit: Plus a 3rd comp pick

I want to believe Rick is better now than before, I hope i am right and that Wonnum, Dye and the Baylor kid are all better than Jaleel and Holmes and Elf turned out.  

Looking at history, i think easily firsts and 2nds are the best value in the draft. Need to keep those picks IMO and not go for the quantity > quality 

We will get one impact player this draft. Since we always want to be competitive, if we could get that 2nd impact player OR a QBOTF lets fuggin do it. 

It is what it is. This year seemed like a perfect storm of issues that helped contribute to the record. I think once we get guys back from injury and opt-outs, as well as some good experience for the young guys and incoming draft picks...then we'll be a much better team next season.

I believe the offensive philosophy is fine, except for the guy behind center. It seems like he puts up good numbers during the course of the game, but in crunch time when teams know he has to abandon the run and go and pass the ball is where the troubles lie. Until this team gets a QB that doesn't fold under pressure, can make plays on his feet and isn't afraid of making the tough throw, then we won't be much better than a playoff team that may win a game or two in the postseason.

The longer we can play meaningful football, and have a chance at a playoff spot, extending our season, allowing me to watch one or two more games, the happier I will be.

I've said this before, but unlike most of you I suspect, if there were only two choices, I would MUCH rather make the playoffs 10 years in a row and not win a Super Bowl... than win the Super Bowl once and go 4-12 for the next 10 years. 

Watching meaningful football, win or lose, is fun. I like fun. Fun makes me happy. And I sorta think that if we ever do win a Super Bowl, I'll be like, YAY!! Ok....now what? 

@"MaroonBells" said: The longer we can play meaningful football, and have a chance at a playoff spot, extending our season, allowing me to watch one or two more games, the happier I will be.

I've said this before, but unlike most of you I suspect, if there were only two choices, I would MUCH rather make the playoffs 10 years in a row and not win a Super Bowl... than win the Super Bowl once and go 4-12 for the next 10 years. 

Watching meaningful football, win or lose, is fun. I like fun. Fun makes me happy. And I sorta think that if we ever do win a Super Bowl, I'll be like, YAY!! Ok....now what? 

win another and then another until people be hating the Vikings because they are tired of them always winning the damn thing.

@"MaroonBells" said: I've said this before, but unlike most of you I suspect, if there were only two choices, I would MUCH rather make the playoffs 10 years in a row and not win a Super Bowl... than win the Super Bowl once and go 4-12 for the next 10 years.

Count me as someone who disagrees. As a KC Royals fan too, yeah we stink, but I can still dust off the WS blu-ray box set, drink out of my WS pint glass, and remember the time when we were kings. It's been 5 years and I'm still overjoyed with that magical run. Someday I hope for the Vikings to do the same. At least once. Anything after that is gravy.

Losing the Cowboys game was a bummer because it seemed like the team had clawed its way back to important games, which is fun as a fan. Not so much now. It sucks being in the middle gray area of meaninglessness. 

@"StickyBun" said: Losing the Cowboys game was a bummer because it seemed like the team had clawed its way back to important games, which is fun as a fan. Not so much now. It sucks being in the middle gray area of meaninglessness. 

No high draft picks at key positions to look forward to,   no money to get into what could be a hearty free agent class,  and knowing that we are in cap hell and will likely have to lose some of our own quality players just to get under the cap.....not a lot of joy in mudville. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Losing the Cowboys game was a bummer because it seemed like the team had clawed its way back to important games, which is fun as a fan. Not so much now. It sucks being in the middle gray area of meaninglessness. 

No high draft picks at key positions to look forward to,   no money to get into what could be a hearty free agent class,  and knowing that we are in cap hell and will likely have to lose some of our own quality players just to get under the cap.....not a lot of joy in mudville. 

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Losing the Cowboys game was a bummer because it seemed like the team had clawed its way back to important games, which is fun as a fan. Not so much now. It sucks being in the middle gray area of meaninglessness. 

No high draft picks at key positions to look forward to,   no money to get into what could be a hearty free agent class,  and knowing that we are in cap hell and will likely have to lose some of our own quality players just to get under the cap.....not a lot of joy in mudville. 

Times like this when a GM really needs to do exemplary work...

@"pattersaur" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: I've said this before, but unlike most of you I suspect, if there were only two choices, I would MUCH rather make the playoffs 10 years in a row and not win a Super Bowl... than win the Super Bowl once and go 4-12 for the next 10 years.

Count me as someone who disagrees. As a KC Royals fan too, yeah we stink, but I can still dust off the WS blu-ray box set, drink out of my WS pint glass, and remember the time when we were kings. It's been 5 years and I'm still overjoyed with that magical run. Someday I hope for the Vikings to do the same. At least once. Anything after that is gravy.

@"MaroonBells" said: The longer we can play meaningful football, and have a chance at a playoff spot, extending our season, allowing me to watch one or two more games, the happier I will be.

I've said this before, but unlike most of you I suspect, if there were only two choices, I would MUCH rather make the playoffs 10 years in a row and not win a Super Bowl... than win the Super Bowl once and go 4-12 for the next 10 years. 

Watching meaningful football, win or lose, is fun. I like fun. Fun makes me happy. And I sorta think that if we ever do win a Super Bowl, I'll be like, YAY!! Ok....now what? 

But is there really a scenario that extreme - win a SB and then go 4-12 for a decade? I guess Tampa Bay comes to mind, they won in in 2002, won the division twice in the following 5 years, but haven't made the playoffs for 12 seasons. That's a tough road, no doubt, but still... I don't know any Tampa fans, so the nearest comparison I could make is with the Twins. They struggle with postseason success as much as the Vikings - but I think those 2 championships, even that long ago, completely change the attitude of fans, at least those who remember.
I just don't think "1 championship in exchange for 10 years of incompetence" is a necessary bargain. Good coaches show progress to a championship. Reid didn't win a SB immediately with Chiefs, but he had 7 straight winning seasons, 4 straight divisional championships, better playoff success every year...they were consistently excellent and building towards the championship, and it doesn't look like they will be 4-12. Contrast that with the Zimmer era: we rotate every other season from a game or 2 over .500, or at or under a game. Not progressing.
Maybe it's all in the definition of "meaningful football". I think it means that, every December, we should be fighting for home field advantage and a first-round bye. The Zimmer-era definition is that we spend December hoping we can back into a wildcard spot.