Don't want to overreact after one week, but.....
.....here's what concerned me:
- They didn't play well and turned the ball over, yet could have easily won the game. But didn't. Some of the offensive play calls really had me shaking my head.
- Our RBs lack explosiveness. There were some big holes early that Cook would have exploited for major yards and watching Mattison/Chandler in comparison was like watching someone dragging a cement block behind them. Its just something new to get used to. The Mattison TD was excellent, however. Run game is a concern.
- Kirk continues to get hit way too often. And hard. I saw some grumpy sideline exchanges between KOC and Cousins.
- I thought Flores would be the kind of coordinator that rarely, if ever, would only rush 3. Saw that way too often with bad results.
- The D was better, for sure, but lacked a pass rush when it was really needed. Maybe that will improve with Davenport in there.
- Ingram continues to make mental mistakes, which I find more concerning that his getting handled.
- Bradbury.
@"MaroonBells" said:@"TBro" said:@"MaroonBells" said: Leber sums it up....Stumbled out of the blocks in 2023.
— Ben Leber (@nacholeber) September 10, 2023
Quick thoughts on the 20-17 loss to the Bucs. #Vikings #Skol pic.twitter.com/LmHKLoWx7o
I don't agree with his take that the OLine did a good job of not allowing penetration. They were constantly getting blown up.
I'll have to watch it again, but I don't think the OL played too poorly against that very good front seven. They certainly weren't the reason for the loss, as they have been in the past with the IOL getting overpowered up the middle.I might change my mind after further review, but it seemed to me most of the pressure came from the edges via blitz. The Bucs blitzed more than any other team yesterday, except one, the Vikings.
The Vikings gave up 6 TFL's yesterday and 9 QB Hits so that is what I'm basing my response on. On several plays, Mattison was hit in the backfield and was able to get past the line of gain with 2nd and 3rd efforts so it could've been even worse. I don't have access to the all 22, but from my viewpoint we were giving up a ton of penetration up the middle that created a ton of disruption. Way too many 3 and outs.
Missed this at the end of the first half Sunday but Kirk Cousins was VERY frustrated after that goal line INT pic.twitter.com/QrtBMMD2wJ
— RandBall (@RandBall) September 11, 2023
@"StickyBun" said: https://twitter.com/RandBall/status/1701260226152825046The tackle by JJ as pretty impressive on that INT. I think it may have been you that called it out in his first year on how strong JJ was.
@"StickyBun" said: https://twitter.com/RandBall/status/1701260226152825046Bad read. Hesitating then throwing into double coverage on a non 3rd down in the deep red zone.
Bad read, not throwing to the league's best WR or a top 5 TE in the league or the wide open 1st round rookie
This isn't going to end well with Kirk
One big gripe, on the last run by Mayfield where he picked up the first down. Pace plays it like he is tackling a QB, cuz if he goes in and blows Mayfield up, he might get a flag. Instead he arm tackles him and everyone celebrates Mayfield running strong. QBs need to either be fair game once they take off, or they need to be blown dead at contact.
Tampa outplayed us on our turf.
Our first two fumbles in our own territory resulted in only 3 points for TB. So not killer by any means.
The Int in the end zone took at least 3 off the board and then TB drove to tie the game at 10-10 by half. Their best drive of the game other than the closeout! They finished both halves and we couldn't.
Second half of a 10-10 game at home and JJ has 2 catches for 12 yards.
We score 1 TD in the second half that was gifted by a phantom PI on KJ the play before - IMO? Otherwise, we would have generated 3 points total in the second half with a Top Offense??
That stat sheet against the run looks great but we couldn't stop them when we needed to, and TB had the worst run offense in football last year...fyi.
Awful start to the season. Now we come to my turf in Philly which has been a killing field. Kirk is going to be under siege, and this is going to be hard to watch surrounded by Iggle fans.
Don't want to overreact after one week, but.....
It is what we do.
I'm gonna go out on a limb here. Don't want to step on toes, but maybe, just maybe, Cousins is not a really good QB.
@"FLVike" said: I'm gonna go out on a limb here. Don't want to step on toes, but maybe, just maybe, Cousins is not a really good QB.
He was 33/44 for 344 yards and two TDs under a ridiculous amount of pressure. Not many QBs would have been picking themselves off the turf and shaking it off like he was all game. The interception at the end of the half really hurt and he missed on a few, I do not blame the fumble on him. Overall it wasn't his best game, but it was a pretty solid effort based on the kind of pressure he was under all game. The one area I thought he could have improved on the most from yesterday, was feeling the pressure and sliding in the pocket, not scrambling, but just moving a little bit to buy more time.
Question; You have the best WR in the NFL, so in a close game would you not throw more than a couple passes to him in the 2nd half?Well maybe I'm being too critical and negative, so let me try to be more positive.....................The last time that we lost to the Buccaneers by 3 points we finish the season at 15-1.
@"FLVike" said: I'm gonna go out on a limb here. Don't want to step on toes, but maybe, just maybe, Cousins is not a really good QB.
Not sure what to say anymore about fans that blame Cousins for everything.
@"StickyBun" said: https://twitter.com/RandBall/status/1701260226152825046I'd be interested to find out what he's so hot about. Clearly it's not himself.
@"MaroonBells" said:@"StickyBun" said: https://twitter.com/RandBall/status/1701260226152825046 I'd be interested to find out what he's so hot about. Clearly it's not himself.Trying to read his lips; "I haven't learned a thing, I should have thrown it to Jefferson"
@"MaroonBells" said:The throw was to KJO, couldn't really tell from the replay that he did anything obviously wrong, but Kirk definitely threw it to a different spot than he was going.@"StickyBun" said: https://twitter.com/RandBall/status/1701260226152825046 I'd be interested to find out what he's so hot about. Clearly it's not himself.
@"TBro" said:@"MaroonBells" said: Leber sums it up....Stumbled out of the blocks in 2023.
— Ben Leber (@nacholeber) September 10, 2023
Quick thoughts on the 20-17 loss to the Bucs. #Vikings #Skol pic.twitter.com/LmHKLoWx7o
I don't agree with his take that the OLine did a good job of not allowing penetration. They were constantly getting blown up.
PFF grades of our interior would agree with you about our OL.Also, Leber talks about how well the D played but PFF indicates other than Hunter the rest of the Defense recorded 1 hit on Mayfield with all the blitzing we did. That is not good at all because he is not elusive, and their OL is not above average by any means. Plus, our Def could not stop them when the game was on the line letting Mayfield run for a couple of crucial first downs. TB had the worst run game last year, so I take little solace in us holding them to 2.4 a carry because they got what they needed when they needed it.
The bottom line is that TB beat us at home by playing mistake free methodical football and we were out of sync and full of errors.
Oh - one more Leber comment....that tie is something from the 80's, talk about old school :)
@"minny65" said:@"TBro" said:@"MaroonBells" said: Leber sums it up....Stumbled out of the blocks in 2023.
— Ben Leber (@nacholeber) September 10, 2023
Quick thoughts on the 20-17 loss to the Bucs. #Vikings #Skol pic.twitter.com/LmHKLoWx7o
I don't agree with his take that the OLine did a good job of not allowing penetration. They were constantly getting blown up.
PFF grades of our interior would agree with you about our OL.Also, Leber talks about how well the D played but PFF indicates other than Hunter the rest of the Defense recorded 1 hit on Mayfield with all the blitzing we did. That is not good at all because he is not elusive, and their OL is not above average by any means. Plus, our Def could not stop them when the game was on the line letting Mayfield run for a couple of crucial first downs. TB had the worst run game last year, so I take little solace in us holding them to 2.4 a carry because they got what they needed when they needed it.
The bottom line is that TB beat us at home by playing mistake free methodical football and we were out of sync and full of errors.
Oh - one more Leber comment....that tie is something from the 80's, talk about old school :)
Agree with the bold. It's too early to say, but the defense looks like it can be better this year, but damn, you blitz THAT many times against a below average OL, you expect it to get home at least once. Nope, not a single time. Vikings only sack was Hunter in a three man rush.
@"StickyBun" said:@"FLVike" said: I'm gonna go out on a limb here. Don't want to step on toes, but maybe, just maybe, Cousins is not a really good QB.
Not sure what to say anymore about fans that blame Cousins for everything.
He is a limited QB. What can help him overcome his limitations? A GREAT OL, hasn't been achieved while he's been here. He's put up a lot of great numbers and has also had a significant amount of 3 and outs (lack of mobility does that). He's been lucky to have had the weapons around him he has had since 2018 (Diggs, Adam, Jefferson, Cook, TJ).Plenty of QBs would put up strong numbers with those weapons.
Unless we are building a GREAT OL, what's the point of having him here. Should have dealt him for something this offseason and focused on a younger QB who can be mobile enough to extend plays and drives.
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