I Think We Have A RT

agreed...!

agreed. LT-C-RT is locked down. 

Need to figure out the best two Gs out of the 4 that are available

O'Neill played maybe his best overall game for sure, but really well in the run game which was a weakness. He just keeps getting better with every minute of play time.

A keeper for sure. He's come a long way in a short time. I think I like Hill better at LT backup.

I was at the game today and specifically tried to watch him.  From what I saw he was the best offensive lineman out there today.  He was more than solid.

Hill is absolute trash and it doesn't matter which side of the line you play him. He doesn't move his feet, he lunges and grabs with his lazy technique, he stands straight up in pass protection and has zero leverage or strength. He flat out sucks and I'm tired of the Vikings giving him chance after chance. He better be benched once Reiff returns. 

O'Neill has been fantastic so far. He is one of the few offensive line picks that Rick should be credited for. I definitely voiced my displeasure over taking O'Neill because it reeked of desperation by the Vikings who found themselves without a legitimate O Line starter when the run on OLineman occurred. He was the project and Hughes was the gifted corner we just couldn't pass up. With it looking like Hughes is done for the year, thank God for O'Neill being ready to play faster than anyone expected.  

I expect the longer term plan is for O’Neill to become the left tackle.  With his quick feet and long arms I think that’s where he projects to be.

I thought O'Neil looked awful in the first half. At one point he was getting run over almost every play. I guess I don't see it. 

@"TBro" said: Hill is absolute trash and it doesn't matter which side of the line you play him. He doesn't move his feet, he lunges and grabs with his lazy technique, he stands straight up in pass protection and has zero leverage or strength. He flat out sucks and I'm tired of the Vikings giving him chance after chance. He better be benched once Reiff returns. 

O'Neill has been fantastic so far. He is one of the few offensive line picks that Rick should be credited for. I definitely voiced my displeasure over taking O'Neill because it reeked of desperation by the Vikings who found themselves without a legitimate O Line starter when the run on OLineman occurred. He was the project and Hughes was the gifted corner we just couldn't pass up. With it looking like Hughes is done for the year, thank God for O'Neill being ready to play faster than anyone expected.  

I re-watched the entire first half an focused on Hill when on offense and Weatherly when on D. 
 You are right about Hill.  He is barely holding in own on pass protection.  On the pass block he can only slide with the outside rusher so far and then looses him.  Hopefully he has stayed withhis man long enough that the rusher has no affect on Cousins.
 On run protection he doesn't sustain blocks, has trouble really moving his man, and has no strength.  He did help block on the first running TD by Murray but there was all kinds of help on that hole so that he only played a minor role in the block.
He gave up the strip for the TD and allowed pressure on Cousins on 3rd down right before the half to kill a drive.  He does not pursue a play once his job is done.  When the strip occurred I saw B. Oneil chasing the play down the field but Hill was done.
One word summary would be that he looks "lazy".
Weatherly didn't really impress me either but some of his play responsibility was to protect the back side for cut backs, etc.   Hunter is definitely the impact end.  He slides along the line when the flow goes away from him and you often find him on the opposite of the field from where he started.  This allows him to be the second man in on tackles. Very active and involved.  Similar to how Joseph always seems to be near the ball.

he looks lazy slow and lunging to recover

@"Mike Olson" said: I thought O'Neil looked awful in the first half. At one point he was getting run over almost every play. I guess I don't see it. 

Mike,

No doubt he is getting beat from time to time, but it seems his misses are more assignment based where he isn't peeling off a double team to take the rusher coming in his zone rather than flat out getting beat. He is much more effective at pushing the speed rushers to the outside where they can't get their paws on Cousins. Remmers is also causing O'Neill a lot of problems as he consistently is getting beat between the guard/tackle gap and allowing pressure. I see him having to help Remmers out a lot which is freeing up outside rushers. It will get better with more reps for him. Hill is what he is at this point and needs to sit before he gets our QB killed. 

Yeah, we could really use Reilly Reiff back at left tackle.  And hope we have no more injuries on the O Line. 
My thought after watching all these plays is that when one guy does his job, someone else is leaking a defender.  How often have you seen where Cousins had "way too much time"? 
Cousins is making this offense go and covering up a lot of the sins of the O line by making quick reads and getting the ball out fast.  Where we get into trouble is when Cousins tries to keep the play alive and instead of paying attention to his mental clock and just getting the ball out of there.  It's a fine line that he has to be conscious of.
When asked about the fumbles Zimmer said from what he saw, Cousins lost the ball when the pressure was behind him and he would step up in the pocket and said that they would have to address it and take better care of the ball.  Sounded like he thought Cousins was the problem but I think they have to do a better job of staying with the outside rush.  At least on Hill's side.

Does anyone have an answer as to why so many batted balls today?  i remember at least six. I know its happened before but not to the extent it did today.  Is this on cousins or the OL?

@"Caactorvike" said: Does anyone have an answer as to why so many batted balls today?  i remember at least six. I know its happened before but not to the extent it did today.  Is this on cousins or the OL?

Good question.  I think it is a combination of things.  First of all, the pocket that the OL created was smaller than most QBs would prefer.  That means that the DL was closer to him and- therefore- in a better position to block balls.  Second of all, there are times when Cousins makes his mind up early and fires the ball after a 1 step drop.  Arizona looked to be prepared for that and- rather than trying to rush him- they prepared to jump up into the passing lane (Cousins likes those quick slants).  Or it could just be that it's all a coincidence and the Cardinals got lucky...?

@"Caactorvike" said: Does anyone have an answer as to why so many batted balls today?  i remember at least six. I know its happened before but not to the extent it did today.  Is this on cousins or the OL?

I think its likely something the Cardinals saw on film. Cousins has a really tight, quick release, but it's also a low release. 

As far as O'Neill goes, I've seen him get blown up a few times, but overall I'm impressed, mostly because I never really expected him to contribute this year. 

Hill struggled, but let's not forget he was going against Chandler Jones, the player who finished 3rd in defensive player of the year voting last year, was defensive player of the week last week and is supposedly (according to the announcers) one of the leading candidates for defensive player of the year this year. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Caactorvike" said: Does anyone have an answer as to why so many batted balls today?  i remember at least six. I know its happened before but not to the extent it did today.  Is this on cousins or the OL?

I think its likely something the Cardinals saw on film. Cousins has a really tight, quick release, but it's also a low release. 

As far as O'Neill goes, I've seen him get blown up a few times, but overall I'm impressed, mostly because I never really expected him to contribute this year. 

Hill struggled, but let's not forget he was going against Chandler Jones, the player who finished 3rd in defensive player of the year voting last year, was defensive player of the week last week and is supposedly (according to the announcers) one of the leading candidates for defensive player of the year this year. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Caactorvike" said: Does anyone have an answer as to why so many batted balls today?  i remember at least six. I know its happened before but not to the extent it did today.  Is this on cousins or the OL?

I think its likely something the Cardinals saw on film. Cousins has a really tight, quick release, but it's also a low release. 

As far as O'Neill goes, I've seen him get blown up a few times, but overall I'm impressed, mostly because I never really expected him to contribute this year. 

Hill struggled, but let's not forget he was going against Chandler Jones, the player who finished 3rd in defensive player of the year voting last year, was defensive player of the week last week and is supposedly (according to the announcers) one of the leading candidates for defensive player of the year this year. 

I know its taboo to say anything negative about Cousins game,  walks on water and all... but he was starring down some of his targets yesterday and those were getting batted down.  pretty easy to do when he isnt looking off his preferred choice.  I am disappointed that when those cardinal Dlinemen were going vertical to bat those balls down that they werent put on their backs by our Olinemen... that is a must if a DL raises his arm and jumps to drive up and through him and deposit him on his ass or his face... cant let them get comfortable going up like that.

@"StickyBun" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Caactorvike" said: Does anyone have an answer as to why so many batted balls today?  i remember at least six. I know its happened before but not to the extent it did today.  Is this on cousins or the OL?

I think its likely something the Cardinals saw on film. Cousins has a really tight, quick release, but it's also a low release. 

As far as O'Neill goes, I've seen him get blown up a few times, but overall I'm impressed, mostly because I never really expected him to contribute this year. 

Hill struggled, but let's not forget he was going against Chandler Jones, the player who finished 3rd in defensive player of the year voting last year, was defensive player of the week last week and is supposedly (according to the announcers) one of the leading candidates for defensive player of the year this year. 

I know its taboo to say anything negative about Cousins game,  walks on water and all... but he was starring down some of his targets yesterday and those were getting batted down.  pretty easy to do when he isnt looking off his preferred choice.  I am disappointed that when those cardinal Dlinemen were going vertical to bat those balls down that they werent put on their backs by our Olinemen... that is a must if a DL raises his arm and jumps to drive up and through him and deposit him on his ass or his face... cant let them get comfortable going up like that.

He was getting hit a lot yesterday, guys around him on many throws. Had some throws batted down. He's not beyond criticism, but at the same time, not sure I'm looking his way as a problem yesterday. 

I got big time OL envy watching the Patriots last night...

As a unit, the Vikings OL is absolutely dreadful. 

Now I have to go say a few "hail mary's" cause I coveted like crazy. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Caactorvike" said: Does anyone have an answer as to why so many batted balls today?  i remember at least six. I know its happened before but not to the extent it did today.  Is this on cousins or the OL?

I think its likely something the Cardinals saw on film. Cousins has a really tight, quick release, but it's also a low release. 

As far as O'Neill goes, I've seen him get blown up a few times, but overall I'm impressed, mostly because I never really expected him to contribute this year. 

Hill struggled, but let's not forget he was going against Chandler Jones, the player who finished 3rd in defensive player of the year voting last year, was defensive player of the week last week and is supposedly (according to the announcers) one of the leading candidates for defensive player of the year this year. 

I know its taboo to say anything negative about Cousins game,  walks on water and all... but he was starring down some of his targets yesterday and those were getting batted down.  pretty easy to do when he isnt looking off his preferred choice.  I am disappointed that when those cardinal Dlinemen were going vertical to bat those balls down that they werent put on their backs by our Olinemen... that is a must if a DL raises his arm and jumps to drive up and through him and deposit him on his ass or his face... cant let them get comfortable going up like that.

He was getting hit a lot yesterday, guys around him on many throws. Had some throws batted down. He's not beyond criticism, but at the same time, not sure I'm looking his way as a problem yesterday. 

starring down targets has to be on him... no way to blame somebody else when a QB locks on.  I went back and rewatched those plays to see if the linemen were doing their jobs and on most of those batted passes he was locked onto somebody for at least a 1 count prior to releasing the ball in that direction.  he needs to pump fake or work off his primary target more often.   Its not a killer issue,  but in spite of getting knocked around he does have to get back to the finer points of the position at times.  balls getting batted back at him or to the ground dont bother me so much,  but the ones that go up in the air are scary as shit and could easily be turnovers.  it needs to get cleaned up.

@"pumpf" said:

@"Caactorvike" said: Does anyone have an answer as to why so many batted balls today?  i remember at least six. I know its happened before but not to the extent it did today.  Is this on cousins or the OL?

Good question.  I think it is a combination of things.  First of all, the pocket that the OL created was smaller than most QBs would prefer.  That means that the DL was closer to him and- therefore- in a better position to block balls.  Second of all, there are times when Cousins makes his mind up early and fires the ball after a 1 step drop.  Arizona looked to be prepared for that and- rather than trying to rush him- they prepared to jump up into the passing lane (Cousins likes those quick slants).  Or it could just be that it's all a coincidence and the Cardinals got lucky...?