It's not SB or bust for me this year...

@"StickyBun" said: Pretty tough to expect Minnesota to beat the Super Bowl champs in the first game at their house. Looks like some fans are ready to set their expectations at 'bury the needle'. The Eagles are still the cream of the crop in the NFC. 

As tough as the NFC was last year, its even better this year (add the Packers with Rodgers). The NFC is really must-see football TV. I would think most of the prime time games will involve that conference.

@"Poiple" said:

@"Steve" said: There is no excuse to miss the superbowl this year.  I can't remember a team that made it to the championship game AND had plenty of money to make a free agency splash AND had a key player out for most of the season AND was returning their core starting lineup save for improvements made in FA.

But where the Vikings are concerned I'm like a puppy dog who always thinks that noisy keys means I get to go for a walk.  I'm eternally hopeful and always disappointed.  One of these days its going to happen.  I just KNOW it.

After a lot of years I have realized that a football really isnt round and seldom bounces as one might expect.  Each season is loaded with surprises.... few of them good.

Moves that are touted as improvements often actually arent and of course there is the injuries to throw in there to keep things unpredictable.

Ive learned to really enjoy the offseason side of things.

Zimmer must have read this thread yesterday.....

With the team stacked as deep as it is they could use the first 4 picks at Oline and it would start to address the depth problem.  Keep in mind all of the second round disappointments (Cook) and even some of the first rounders like McKinnie that just dont work out.

The Oline has been a weakness since Tice was coach.  Every single QB going back to Jackson has been running for their lives.  Just fix it once and for all.  I do not want to see that guarenteed $84 mill on injured reserve for the next 3 years.

The line isnt as good as we thought as evidenced by the playoffs.  One of the analytic websites ranked them as 22?  I dont think that is quite accurate but Keenum’s abilities masked many of their weaknesses.  A top 5 line with enough depth to rotate players and handle injuries will be needed to make that Superbowl run.

Minnesota was a miracle play away from one and done in the playoffs playing at home....then got annihilated in Philadelphia. So although the team was technically 'one game away from the Superbowl', they weren't that close. Keenum was 24/39 for 253 yards before the last play with one TD and one INT against the Saints. The team needed to get better to compete again in the loaded NFC in 2018....which they've done this offseason. But they have areas they can improve (offensive line) still. 

The Vikings don't operate in a vacuum so other teams have improved also that they will compete with. Its not as simple as 'adding Y and X will = Z'. 

@"StickyBun" said: Minnesota was a miracle play away from one and done in the playoffs playing at home....then got annihilated in Philadelphia. So although the team was technically 'one game away from the Superbowl', they weren't that close. Keenum was 24/39 for 253 yards before the last play with one TD and one INT against the Saints. The team needed to get better to compete again in the loaded NFC in 2018....which they've done this offseason. But they have areas they can improve (offensive line) still. 

The Vikings don't operate in a vacuum so other teams have improved also that they will compete with. Its not as simple as 'adding Y and X will = Z'. 

The Rams were very good last season and have substantially improved. I am glad we play the Eagles prior to Wentz returning.

Also, you often neglect the fact that our already mediocre O line was shredded due to injury, our defense was a sieve, and lay the loss on Keenum. The guy was running for his life and throwing with defenders hanging off of him. They wouldnt have even made the playoffs if it wasnt for his surprisingly good play.  
Credit where credit is due and blame also.

With that O line play all season it would have been interesting to see if Bradfords golden arm could have driven them to the playoffs.  I fear for Cousin’s knees.  Those that blame Keenum also tend to think they solved the problem upgrading to Cousins.  I don’t think so.  Not behind this line and with the past clock control, conservative play calling, I seriously doubt Cousins sees another consecutive 4,000 yard season.

@"Poiple" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Minnesota was a miracle play away from one and done in the playoffs playing at home....then got annihilated in Philadelphia. So although the team was technically 'one game away from the Superbowl', they weren't that close. Keenum was 24/39 for 253 yards before the last play with one TD and one INT against the Saints. The team needed to get better to compete again in the loaded NFC in 2018....which they've done this offseason. But they have areas they can improve (offensive line) still. 

The Vikings don't operate in a vacuum so other teams have improved also that they will compete with. Its not as simple as 'adding Y and X will = Z'. 

The Rams were very good last season and have substantially improved. I am glad we play the Eagles prior to Wentz returning.

Also, you often neglect the fact that our already mediocre O line was shredded due to injury, our defense was a sieve, and lay the loss on Keenum. The guy was running for his life and throwing with defenders hanging off of him. They wouldnt have even made the playoffs if it wasnt for his surprisingly good play.  
Credit where credit is due and blame also.

With that O line play all season it would have been interesting to see if Bradfords golden arm could have driven them to the playoffs.  I fear for Cousin’s knees.  Those that blame Keenum also tend to think they solved the problem upgrading to Cousins.  I don’t think so.  Not behind this line and with the past clock control, conservative play calling, I seriously doubt Cousins sees another consecutive 4,000 yard season.

@"Poiple" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Minnesota was a miracle play away from one and done in the playoffs playing at home....then got annihilated in Philadelphia. So although the team was technically 'one game away from the Superbowl', they weren't that close. Keenum was 24/39 for 253 yards before the last play with one TD and one INT against the Saints. The team needed to get better to compete again in the loaded NFC in 2018....which they've done this offseason. But they have areas they can improve (offensive line) still. 

The Vikings don't operate in a vacuum so other teams have improved also that they will compete with. Its not as simple as 'adding Y and X will = Z'. 

 Not behind this line and with the past clock control, conservative play calling, I seriously doubt Cousins sees another consecutive 4,000 yard season.

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"Poiple" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Minnesota was a miracle play away from one and done in the playoffs playing at home....then got annihilated in Philadelphia. So although the team was technically 'one game away from the Superbowl', they weren't that close. Keenum was 24/39 for 253 yards before the last play with one TD and one INT against the Saints. The team needed to get better to compete again in the loaded NFC in 2018....which they've done this offseason. But they have areas they can improve (offensive line) still. 

The Vikings don't operate in a vacuum so other teams have improved also that they will compete with. Its not as simple as 'adding Y and X will = Z'. 

 Not behind this line and with the past clock control, conservative play calling, I seriously doubt Cousins sees another consecutive 4,000 yard season.

I think with a healthy Dalvin Cook you may be right...And Cousins will probably have more team success that way too?

@"StickyBun" said:

@"Poiple" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Minnesota was a miracle play away from one and done in the playoffs playing at home....then got annihilated in Philadelphia. So although the team was technically 'one game away from the Superbowl', they weren't that close. Keenum was 24/39 for 253 yards before the last play with one TD and one INT against the Saints. The team needed to get better to compete again in the loaded NFC in 2018....which they've done this offseason. But they have areas they can improve (offensive line) still. 

The Vikings don't operate in a vacuum so other teams have improved also that they will compete with. Its not as simple as 'adding Y and X will = Z'. 

The Rams were very good last season and have substantially improved. I am glad we play the Eagles prior to Wentz returning.

Also, you often neglect the fact that our already mediocre O line was shredded due to injury, our defense was a sieve, and lay the loss on Keenum. The guy was running for his life and throwing with defenders hanging off of him. They wouldnt have even made the playoffs if it wasnt for his surprisingly good play.  
Credit where credit is due and blame also.

With that O line play all season it would have been interesting to see if Bradfords golden arm could have driven them to the playoffs.  I fear for Cousin’s knees.  Those that blame Keenum also tend to think they solved the problem upgrading to Cousins.  I don’t think so.  Not behind this line and with the past clock control, conservative play calling, I seriously doubt Cousins sees another consecutive 4,000 yard season.

Not blaming Keenum, I recognize the O-line issues. I like Cousins, but he'll have to prove himself for sure. Fingers crossed. But the organization moved on from Keenum....its not like Rick gave me a late night phone call on my cell for my opinion. They could have signed him, but didn't. So I think you are neglecting THAT fact. Its your opinion Cousins won't have a 4,000 yard season and you wanted to keep Keenum, its all good. But the Vikings obviously feel that Kirk is a step up, their actions have spoken. 

Super Bowl or bust for the Vikings isn't so much about players as it is coaching and game planning IMO. This Viking team is every bit as talented as the Eagles or Rams. And on any given Sunday any one of these teams can beat the other two. We didn't lose to the Eagles because we didn't have enough talent on defense. We lost because we were out-smarted. 

Just looking at the depth charts, I'd rank the units as follows...

QB: Wentz, Cousins, Goff (No huge difference. Any given Sunday one can be better than the others) 
RB: Gurley, Cook, Ajayi (No huge difference. Any given Sunday one can be better than the others. Though I would say Ajayi doesn't have the "special" qualities of the other two)
WR: Vikings, Eagles, Rams (Vikings have a pretty big lead here)
OL: Eagles, Vikings, Rams (Eagles get Peters back, but he's 36. They will almost certainly draft a tackle in the first round)
TE: Ertz, Rudolph, Higbee (No huge difference)
DL: Rams, Eagles, Vikings (No huge difference. The Donald/Suh nightmare gives the Rams slight edge over the other two. Eagles depth gives them edge over Vikings. That I'm ranking a DL with Hunter, Richardson, Joseph and Griffen 3rd best is NUTS)
LB: Vikings, Eagles, Rams (Rams trail the other two by a ways)
DB: Vikings, Rams, Eagles (Vikings and Rams good bit ahead of Eagles here)

In looking at all three of these teams there are very few weaknesses across the board. Rams linebackers and wide receivers aren't very good. But these teams are so stacked in terms of talent that this really will come down to which team comes up with the smartest game plan.