3 and 9 in OT

Zimmer needs to go, but I won’t speak ill of the guy. He did some good things for this franchise for multiple seasons but right now it’s just time to part ways.

Kirk on the other hand… man. Trying to hold my tongue ha. Great stats, few results. Every single year and he’s been in the league for a decade. It’s not a fluke or even a trend, it’s a stone cold fact at this point. Just sad.

Blow it all up. 

I will yelling at my TV on the replay.  How do you not have 1 short route on this call?  As much pressure as they brought it would have been a huge gain. 

@"El_Padre" said: I will yelling at my TV on the replay.  How do you not have 1 short route on this call?  As much pressure as they brought it would have been a huge gain. 

At first I thought if he had a check-down everybody would have lost their shit throwing short of the sticks...But you're right, it would have been a big gainer, certainly a 1st down. 

Firstly what's going on with the protection?  There's 7 blockers and 7 potential rushers presnap.  There's 5 potential rushers over and to the left of the center and 2 pretty far to the right.  For some reason, we allocated 3 blockers to the two guys on the right and only 4 to the 5 guys on the left?

Secondly, if you're Cousins and you know there's an unblocked rusher and you know there's no outlet pass, shouldn't you be switching the offense around such that you have what you need?  Switch a receiver to a hot route?  Call an audible?  Change the protection call?  Maybe call a TO?  Take a delay of game?  IDK, It just seems like he should be fixing that problem and that running that play as called was the worst possible decision.

@"pattersaur" said: Zimmer needs to go, but I won’t speak ill of the guy. He did some good things for this franchise for multiple seasons but right now it’s just time to part ways.

Kirk on the other hand… man. Trying to hold my tongue ha. Great stats, few results. Every single year and he’s been in the league for a decade. It’s not a fluke or even a trend, it’s a stone cold fact at this point. Just sad.

Blow it all up. 

To be fair, Kirk has kept us in EVERY GAME this season.   He drove us down the field in Cincy only to have Cook fumble.    He scored 33 against the Cards and drove them to a chippy FG for the win.    He bailed out Zimmer/Kubiak vs. Detroit and Carolina.   Played nearly a perfect game vs. Seattle.    The play calling is absolutely atrocious.  VERY predictable.

True Leadership is taking full responsibility and owning it.

Clearly, both Zimmer and Cousins don't have true leadership.

To combine both Minny65's and Medaille's great observations, Kirk should have said, "That play is on me, I could see they called for a blitz and I should have called an audible to get out of a play with only longer developing routes." 

@"VikingOracle" said: To combine both Minny65's and Medaille's great observations, Kirk should have said, "That play is on me, I could see they called for a blitz and I should have called an audible to get out of a play with only longer developing routes." 

Exactly.

I wonder if Zimmer is going to run through all our great stat rankings after this game, ooopps!

Stat That!

The offense has been brutal through the recent games.  

The offense has been brutal in the second halves of most game this season. 

Even if he had all day to throw where was that play going?  They had two WRs running into the exact same space and I have no idea what kind of route the 3rd WR was running.  Biggest play of the game and we are not in a wide set forcing the defense to spread out.  

@"JR44" said: Even if he had all day to throw where was that play going?  They had two WRs running into the exact same space and I have no idea what kind of route the 3rd WR was running.  Biggest play of the game and we are not in a wide set forcing the defense to spread out.  

A good QB would have seen that and called a time out or just changed the play.

@"kmillard" said:

@"JR44" said: Even if he had all day to throw where was that play going?  They had two WRs running into the exact same space and I have no idea what kind of route the 3rd WR was running.  Biggest play of the game and we are not in a wide set forcing the defense to spread out.  

A good QB would have seen that and called a time out or just changed the play.

Nobody open anyway. Baltimore brings 7, Conklin and Cook stay in to block. Three receivers covered by 3 corners in man and a single high safety. Nothing there. 

One could argue that the Vikings are being aggressive here. You could also argue they're being stupid. I've said this a million times but I don't think this team gets the rhythm of play calling: be aggressive after a big play. A turnover. A big Dalvin chunk run. Your offense is filled with swagger, confidence. And the defense is reeling. That's when you bring out the dagger. 

3rd and 9 in OT? You're desperate and they know it. Just get the ****ing 1st down. 

Kirk---:"That play was on me, I was hoping at least two of the rushing defenders would run into each other buying me time for our 7 second down field play to develop to fruition."

Klint--"  Hey I've had my play sheet upside down the whole game.  I hope nobody noticed."