Maybe there is hope for this new O-Line

I don't think they're there yet on the OL - again.

Steelers were way down on D yesterday, including their starting NT.

They still need to upgrade from Bradbury imo....

Cole may be more serviceable than Udoh @ OG.

Oli should be a swing/back-up guy. 

@"purplefaithful" said: They still need to replace Bradbury imo....Cole may be more serviceable than Udoh @ OG. Oli should be a swing/back-up guy. 

We are 2nd in the league in least number of sacks allowed, Cousins has been pretty well protected and a lot of clean pockets, Cook is averaging almost 5 yards a carry, this OL has taken a lot of heat, but they have played very well this year.   

@"PurpleCrush" said:

@"purplefaithful" said: They still need to replace Bradbury imo....Cole may be more serviceable than Udoh @ OG. Oli should be a swing/back-up guy. 

Agree on Cole/Oli. I'd really wish Bradbury plays well down the stretch and shows he's a long term starter. It sucks when your 1st rounders don't pan out and you're left having to replace them.

Bradbury and Cole have now had two straight pretty solid games playing next to each other. Get Darrisaw back and leave those two at C and RG and Vikings might actually have something. Still don't think Bradbury gets his 5th year though. 

Typically, Bradbury's run grade is above average and his pass grade well below average, resulting in meh-to-average grades. Last night his pass pro grade was even higher than his run grade. OL is such a continuity/chemistry thing. Maybe the Brad/Cole combo in the middle is good for both of them. 

Garrett Bradbury's 84.0 PFF pass-blocking grade against the Steelers was the second-best of his career. He and Mason Cole at RG were both excellent in the run game as well.

Once Christian Darrisaw returns for Oli Udoh at LT, this #Vikings offensive line could be pretty solid.

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) December 10, 2021

Hopefully Darrisaw is back for MNF. 

Maybe PFF can do the grades for when the Steelers showed up which was around halfway into the 3rd quarter.  

mason cole has started six games this season (some at center, some at guard) and allowed fourteen pressures and no sacks for a 75.7 PFF grade.

he's also just 25 years old. I would extend him this offseason and keep him as the starting right guard with flexibility to play center

maybe we should wait until we play the bears or the packers again before we exhale on our OL concerns.

@"JustinTime18™" said: mason cole has started six games this season (some at center, some at guard) and allowed fourteen pressures and no sacks for a 75.7 PFF grade.

he's also just 25 years old. I would extend him this offseason and keep him as the starting right guard with flexibility to play center

What they needed was a blocker. A fact that became obvious a few days after the Herndon trade when they brought in Stocker (who's been awful IMO). Still, a 4th for Herndon goes in the L column.  

But so many forget that Cole was a trade also. Getting a 25-year-old starting G/C for a 6th rounder definitely goes in the W column. 

@"JimmyinSD" said: maybe we should wait until we play the bears or the packers again before we exhale on our OL concerns.

I believe Brandel got some reps at C. That might be the C of the future.

@"JustinTime18™" said: I believe Brandel got some reps at C. That might be the C of the future.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"JustinTime18™" said: I believe Brandel got some reps at C. That might be the C of the future.

Did he? I could be wrong, but I only saw him play the 3rd tackle in heavy packages. Either way, he had a good game last night.  

It hink the fact that the Steelers run a 34 and they don't have a huge hulk at the nose definitely played into Bradburys favor. With that said the entire line played well. Udoh still struggles in pass blocking but when he gets his hands on you in the running game it's over. I saw him rag doll a couple guys last night. Cleveland continues to look like our best lineman 

We need a vet Center with an anchor for 2022

Cole or Davis can develop into a quality G, Cleveland is your LG, the tackles are good to go.  

Next year’s team needs on a new C on offense and a new HC+OC

Should be good because we need resources to grab a pass rusher, shut down corner, and a playmaking LB. 

This probably helped:

Second Thoughts: In Dalvin Cook's return, Vikings opened up the playbook to open big holes
The Vikings complemented their zone running game with more gap scheme runs (12, according to Pro Football Focus) than they've used all season. Their first run of the game — a 20-yard Cook gain — came off an old-fashioned counter trap play that had Ezra Cleveland and C.J. Ham out in front of the running back. Cook's 30-yard run later in the first quarter came out of a spread formation where Justin Jefferson motioned out of the backfield and brought a Steelers defender with him, leaving the Vikings' offensive line to take advantage of a light box. And on Cook's 29-yard touchdown in the second quarter, the Vikings lined up with Luke Stocker and offensive lineman Blake Brandel (as an extra tight end) next to C.J. Ham on the line of scrimmage, running a duo play that Cook bounced outside before strolling into the end zone.

Changing up the running scheme, that was a novel idea, what someone wake up VirtualRico™️…?  ;) 

 https://www.startribune.com/dalvin-cook-return-vikings-steelers-harrison-smith-patrick-peterson-second-thoughts-ben-goessling/600125902/

What about the OSU guard we drafted, when will he have a chance to show his wares?  Hopefully, gets some playing time since this team not going anywhere...

@"IDVikingfan" said: What about the OSU guard we drafted, when will he have a chance to show his wares?  Hopefully, gets some playing time since this team not going anywhere...

Post Zim I believe….  ;)