If the team gets to 6/2...
I hate playing o'fer teams - dangerous. But lets make the assumption the Vikings don't beat themselves Sunday, cause the Browns shouldnt.
Where's the buzz though? Among the fans or media?
That aside, are you starting to think this is a SB winning capable team? Always felt that going in? (liars), Other? I felt GB was going to take the North with 11+ wins. Vikes a 9 kinda win team.
3 home games after the bye; You see 5 more wins out there after Cleveland?
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Yes. I see that they can win any game. It's not a guarantee it's how I feel. At this point I see home field advantage all the way. It's possible. The Vikings have not even come close to playing up to their potential yet.
Probably because we went 5-0 to start last year? Or 5-3 if you want to add the next 3 games. 6-2 isn't to far off.
yes they can and will.... with better QB play. I am not as down on Keenum as it likely sounds by my harping for Teddy or Sam, but as I have previously stated, Case isnt doing anything to cost us the games, but he isnt doing much to help us win them either. We are going to need to see better play from the QB to compete against teams with decent defenses being fueled by roaring home crowds.
- 10 NOV 12 12:00PMCST ) AT
REDSKINSGAME DAY Loss (with the Case we have seen the most) | Win (with healthy Sam, Teddy, or Tampa Case) - 11 NOV 19 12:00PMCST )
RAMSGAME DAY WIN | WIN -- I dont see this team losing at home to anybody again this year.- 12 NOV 23 11:30AMCST ) AT
LIONSGAME DAY LOSS | WIN- 13 DEC 3 12:00PMCST ) AT
FALCONSGAME DAY LOSS | LIKELY LOSS, BUT STILL A WIN-ABLE GAME- 14 DEC 10 12:00PMCST * AT
PANTHERSGAME DAY LOSS | Coin Flip ( if the Panther get healthy they can be a tough out any time)- 15 DEC 17 12:00PMCST *
BENGALSGAME DAY WIN | WIN- 16 DEC 23 7:30PMCST ' AT
PACKERSGAME DAY LOSS | Coin Flip ( its really going to depend on health and playoff status for both teams)- 17 DEC 31 12:00PMCST )
BEARSGAME DAY WIN | WIN - 12 NOV 23 11:30AMCST ) AT
11-5/10-6 at worst with healthy Sam, Teddy, or Tampa Case
@JimmyinSD
"Tampa Case" :)
I agree with your projections except the Falcons. Here is my thought...
13 DEC 3 12:00PMCST ) AT FALCONSGAME DAY LIKELY WIN | WIN
@"mblack" said: @JimmyinSD "Tampa Case" :) I agree with your projections except the Falcons. Here is my thought... 13 DEC 3 12:00PMCST ) AT FALCONSGAME DAY LIKELY WIN | WIN
they arent the falcons team that I was expecting pre season, but IMO in their house they can still be a handful.
I'm surprised you are so down on the Carolina game. I look at that game as pretty winnable either way. Cam hasn't been playing well lately, just pouted his way out of a press conference, and the Vikings under Zimmer are 2-0 against them, including last year in Charlotte.
I don't think that Case Keenum is some fantastic QB but I think he is over-maligned here. With our defense, there isn't a single team left on the schedule that he cannot perform well enough to win against. We won't win them all, but there is nothing on our schedule to fear no matter who is in at QB (ok I have no idea on sloter as he is raw and unknown)
Here is the number of the points the team has put up with him at QB.
Washington might be the toughest game on our schedule. Coming off a bye week we might be ready for them.
L.A. Dumpster fire. I think the defense might put up enough points to win.
Detroit.... We are the better team. Had we not lost Cook in the first game I don't think we fall into the funk that we did. Still Thanksgiving at Detroit can be tough
Atlanta isn't everything they were cracked up to be early on in the season.
Carolina we dismantled last year.
Cincinnati is a shit show.
Green Bay without Rodgers? And even with him our defense has been pretty solid against them.
Chicago at home to close out the season.... That's a win unless we are resting starters.
@"SFVikingFan" said: I'm surprised you are so down on the Carolina game. I look at that game as pretty winnable either way. Cam hasn't been playing well lately, just pouted his way out of a press conference, and the Vikings under Zimmer are 2-0 against them, including last year in Charlotte.hedging my bet. that was a game I went back and changed. I think Carolina is a good team.... just in a rough patch right now and they could right that ship any week and get on a roll.
@"Mike Olson" said: I don't think that Case Keenum is some fantastic QB but I think he is over-maligned here. With our defense, there isn't a single team left on the schedule that he cannot perform well enough to win against. We won't win them all, but there is nothing on our schedule to fear no matter who is in at QB (ok I have no idea on sloter as he is raw and unknown)Here is the number of the points the team has put up with him at QB.
9 Steelers (little prep)34 Tampa Bay7 Lions Stinker of a game20* Bears (Only played a half of football - put up 17 points Bears defense is a respectable if not good defense)23 Packers24 Ravens (a good defense)Washington might be the toughest game on our schedule. Coming off a bye week we might be ready for them.
L.A. Dumpster fire. I think the defense might put up enough points to win.
Detroit.... We are the better team. Had we not lost Cook in the first game I don't think we fall into the funk that we did. Still Thanksgiving at Detroit can be tough
Atlanta isn't everything they were cracked up to be early on in the season.
Carolina we dismantled last year.
Cincinnati is a shit show.
Green Bay without Rodgers? And even with him our defense has been pretty solid against them.
Chicago at home to close out the season.... That's a win unless we are resting starters.
So we have Mike's money coming in either way... 14-2. ( do we get a first round bye and homefield in your scenario?) :)
I had us 12-4/11-5 preseason, I didnt think we would lose to the Lions yet otherwise I am on point thus far and I dont want to get my hopes up higher. I also didnt think we would be relying on Case so theres the reasoning for that loss.
I just think so much has been made about the back half of our schedule. Sure having a lot of road games isn't great especially with the 3 game stretch of road games, but it is 3 home and 5 away. A whopping 1 game difference between it being balanced.
I think at some point it's ok to admit that we have a pretty damn good team. And we will be getting players back and healthy too.
Mike, are you saying the 5-2 Rams are a dumpster fire? If so, I will start a gofundme to get you the NFL Redzone.
One thing is for sure... the NFC is WIDE OPEN this season. You could argue that the Eagles and the Vikings have been the two most impressive teams in the first half of the season and I don't think you'd get much of a debate.
Atlanta looks like they still have a Super Bowl hangover... the Panthers have looked really good and really bad... the Cowboys may not have Zeke for 6 of the last 9 games and are 3-3 with him in the lineup... the Packers don't have Rodgers and look terrible without him... the Lions are a middle of the road team that can't protect Stafford (he's been sacked 23 times in 6 games, OUCH)... the Redskins are inconsistent... the Rams are surprisingly 5-2, but I'm not sure if I'm a believer yet... the Seahawks have a terrible offensive line and no running game... the Saints have a nice win streak going, but we completely dominated them in Week 1.
As far as getting 5 more wins out of the second half of the schedule... sure we can do that if we win all of our home games (Rams, Bengals, and Bears). As long as the Vikings get a win this weekend, they will remain in control of their own destiny. The second half of the schedule doesn't look that daunting anymore IMO.
@"Wetlander" said: One thing is for sure... the NFC is WIDE OPEN this season. You could argue that the Eagles and the Vikings have been the two most impressive teams in the first half of the season and I don't think you'd get much of a debate. Atlanta looks like they still have a Super Bowl hangover... the Panthers have looked really good and really bad... the Cowboys may not have Zeke for 6 of the last 9 games and are 3-3 with him in the lineup... the Packers don't have Rodgers and look terrible without him... the Lions are a middle of the road team that can't protect Stafford (he's been sacked 23 times in 6 games, OUCH)... the Redskins are inconsistent... the Rams are surprisingly 5-2, but I'm not sure if I'm a believer yet... the Seahawks have a terrible offensive line and no running game... the Saints have a nice win streak going, but we completely dominated them in Week 1. As far as getting 5 more wins out of the second half of the schedule... sure we can do that if we win all of our home games (Rams, Bengals, and Bears). As long as the Vikings get a win this weekend, they will remain in control of their own destiny. The second half of the schedule doesn't look that daunting anymore IMO.
That was my preseason point when I ran through the schedule and was accused of drinking spiked purple koolaid. the schedules rarely play out as tough or as easy as we think when they are released.
If our O-line continues their current level of play, we finish the season at least 12-4. If the O-line regresses, we go 10-6 or worse. Im putting it on the O-line for a successful 2nd half of the season.
@"FSUVike" said: Mike, are you saying the 5-2 Rams are a dumpster fire? If so, I will start a gofundme to get you the NFL Redzone.Oh strange I think when I was writing that out I might have accidentally put that on the wrong line.
Oh! I think I meant that for the browns game that isn't on my list. Opps.... Well the rest of my post stands though.
@"Mike Olson" said:@"FSUVike" said: Mike, are you saying the 5-2 Rams are a dumpster fire? If so, I will start a gofundme to get you the NFL Redzone. Oh strange I think when I was writing that out I might have accidentally put that on the wrong line.Oh! I think I meant that for the browns game that isn't on my list. Opps.... Well the rest of my post stands though.
Cool. That game kind of worries me. LA can run it and throw it and have like 76 First Round picks on that Defense.Don't see the Vikings winning a shootout with the Rams and the reality of the NFL is that Minnesota's Defense will have an off game sooner or later.
However, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the team wins 2 of the Washington/Detroit/Atlanta/Carolina road games.
Glad we're playing LA at home. As it is they might be one of our few home losses. Don't feel great about Washington, Atlanta, or Carolina. If we steal 1 or 2 of those, and wind up with 11 wins, it's a pretty impressive season given where we were last year, and playing without our #1 QB or #1 RB for most of the year.
I said before the season that this was an 11-5 team. But that was with Cook and Bradford. If we can maintain balance offensively and get either Sam or Teddy back for a playoff run, I think we can still get there. If we get to 6-2 (and we should), then we only have to go 5-3 the rest of the way to finish 11-5.
The game @Washington is going to be a good test coming off the bye. Its a winnable game and would definitely set the tone heading into the 2nd half of the season. But ultimately it'll come down to health.
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