Thread: Preview Capsules Of Each NFL Team

Originally Posted by "tastywaves" #1105996

Originally Posted by "Marrdro" #1105995

Originally Posted by "tastywaves" #1105984

Originally Posted by "Marrdro" #1105941

Originally Posted by "tastywaves" #1105891

Originally Posted by "Marrdro" #1105863

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-10)

New faces: Coach Leslie Frazier, QB Donovan McNabb, QB Christian Ponder, WR Michael Jenkins, DT Remi Ayodele, TE Kyle Rudolph, LT Charlie Johnson.

Key losses: QB Brett Favre, DE Ray Edwards, LB Ben Leber, DT Pat Williams, WR Sidney Rice, LT Bryant McKinnie.

Strengths: Dynamic playmakers. With RB Adrian Peterson, WR Percy Harvin, DE Jared Allen and LB Chad Greenway, Vikings have talented group at skill positions. Kicking game solid with Ryan Longwell and punter Chris Kluwe.

Weaknesses: Age. CB Antoine Winfield, DT Kevin Williams, LG Steve Hutchinson and McNabb are in twilight of careers. OL is significant concern with departure of mainstay McKinnie, who showed up to training camp overweight, and uncertainty of RG Anthony Herrera, coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Johnson has had rough preseason in McKinnie's place. McNabb has played 16 games only once in last seven years. Can line protect him and open holes for Peterson? Secondary also uncertain with CB Cedric Griffin coming off second torn ACL, one on each knee, in last two years. Unproven safeties Husain Abdullah, Jamarca Sanford, Tyrell Johnson, Mistral Raymond competing for two starting spots.

Expectations: Frazier and Vikings have fresh start without Favre and fired coach Brad Childress. Division should be tough, and winning record will be difficult

Preview Capsules Of Each NFL Team

He has the Bores going 11-5 based on the hope the OL comes together, the defense remains strong and Williams somehow remembers how to catch a ball.

Anyone who's watch the Bores so far knows that not all three of those hopes is gonna come true so I wouldn't believe the 6-10 projection for us.

On a side note there are some good ones in here if you have the time to read them.

I agree that he is highly over-rating the Bears. I wouldn't be surprised to see them on the bottom of the North when all is said and done.

I think his little summary of the vikings was pretty good, but 8-8 is what I would throw out if I take off my purple shades.

And it's just a meaningless pre-season attempt at a guess.

I would put money against his Chicago prediction though.

I disagree with the DB and OL assesment.

Been down the road enough lately (and posted the stats) about how our OL was middle of the road, last year with backups in it so I don't think I have to go there again, but its been a bit of time since I pointed out that our DB's actually played better than most contend last year.

Even without our starters and a "Non-existent" pass rush the first part of the season our DB's graded out pretty damn high last year.

Just because they didn't get alot of "Picks" most yutz sports hacks fall into the same ole cliche of how bad they are when in fact they aren't that bad at all.

I think it's a pretty fair assumption to say that the two most questionable areas on our team are with the backfield on defense and the line on offense. The WR's could be criticized as well.

You see a lot of potential in each of these areas and that is fine and may be what we end up seeing, but at this point it takes a lot of faith to just believe we are going to be fine.

If McNabb comes in and plays at an all pro level, he can help out with deficiencies in the line. If the line comes out and plays like a top 10 line, then they can help McNabb look good.

There are a lot of changes on this team and a lot of unknowns at this point. I'll sit back and see how it unfolds, but I'm not going to try and assert at this point that we have a great DB group or OL.

I would have written a very similar write up if I was being honest. But I think 7 or 8 wins at this point is a better expectation. More than that and I give Frazier and staff a lot of kudos and probably McNabb.

I can track with all of that, just I'm not saying or using the word great when it comes to our DB and OL play last year.

We had lots of backups playing in those position groups. My point is that they graded out pretty good last year with those cats in there. Just getting our starters back should help get us back to a 2009 form or better.

As to this, I guess I would have listed the following:

I would have written a very similar write up if I was being honest. But I think 7 or 8 wins at this point is a better expectation. More than that and I give Frazier and staff a lot of kudos and probably McNabb.

DL - No obvious replacement for Phat Pat.
DE - Questioned if Rob could hold up/be effective
WR - Questioned lack of Possesion/Red Zone target

Even more reasons to expect a mediocre season this year until shown otherwise. A lot of changes in personnel, a few twists to how both sides of the ball will be called and a lot of unknowns.

With the DB's I'm hopeful, but I'm far from confident. Same goes for the OL. I've less concerns for the DL, but there are question marks as you point out. Rudolph and Shank should be fine choices for Red Zone targets. I think Rudolph could make us forget about Shank pretty quickly.

Agree with you on Rudolph. Truth of the matter, each and everyone of my concerns (except maybe at WR) have been aleviated at this point by what I've been seeing either by the play of the team or some of the scheme changes that appear to be going on from the coaches.

Grading out middle of the pack is not a food grade unless you are satisfied with having a losing team. Middle of the pack blocking doesn't get you far in the playoffs.

Originally Posted by "Purple Floyd" #1106006

Grading out middle of the pack is not a food grade unless you are satisfied with having a losing team. Middle of the pack blocking doesn't get you far in the playoffs.

I don't think anyone would disagree with you on that especially when you grade out your starters and wind up in the middle of the of the league.

For the most part, though, everyone seems to be saying our OL or DB's suck when in fact they didn't suck and they didn't suck with our backups in.

What they should be saying is about the same crap they spew forth about the PUKERS and how much better they will be just based on getting their injured back this year.

Bottom Line

The only clear strength on this team is the Adrian Peterson-led rushing attack. Everything else has been downgraded over the last two years.

2011 Minnesota Vikings Season Preview


Wow, found this one looking at what people were saying about the PUKERS.....

I'm not sure if I can find one thing he says good about the team except for a brief comment on AD.

But I would be careful about putting that general philosophy in the same category of what Childress ran in his early years with the Vikings. From a pure football perspective, Musgrave's scheme is inherently different than Childress'.

"Well, our language is based more on the Ron Erhardt system. Of the three different systems that have withstood the test of time in the NFL, you could count Don Coryell's number system, of course Paul Brown and Bill Walsh's West Coast offense system, and Ron Erhardt's system, which has been run for years, with the Pittsburgh Steelers, now with coach [Ken] Whisenhunt in Arizona. Of course it's being run in Atlanta with Mike Mularkey, and portions of it are being implemented in New England, and with the Giants. So our offense will be rooted in that base language."

Peeling back the Vikings' offense


In case your intersted. I posted some stuff and we had a brief discussion about the actual differences/nuances in the schemes in this thread.

Interview With Offensive Coordinator Bill Musgrove

Originally Posted by "Marrdro" #1106024

Bottom Line

The only clear strength on this team is the Adrian Peterson-led rushing attack. Everything else has been downgraded over the last two years.

2011 Minnesota Vikings Season Preview


Wow, found this one looking at what people were saying about the PUKERS.....

I'm not sure if I can find one thing he says good about the team except for a brief comment on AD.

Ouch..

Rough as last season was and distracting as Favre became, the Vikings are going to sorely miss their “intrepid part-time leader.” What’s about to be discovered is that Favre camouflaged a heck of a lot more problems than he caused.

Offense

With Brett Favre gone, Minnesota’s weaknesses will rise to the surface. It’s not that Favre is that much better than Donovan McNabb, it’s that his style of play was particularly accommodating. Unless McNabb can consistently zing lasers off a one-step drop (something that’s hard to picture the methodical veteran doing), Minnesota’s offensive line will be exposed as one of, if not the, worst in the N.F.L.

Sounds like this guy and Marrdro are completely in synch. He goes quite a bit further to talk about our OL woes.

He did back you up on Edwards later on though.

This guy is pretty tough on his evaluation of the Vikes, but it actually wasn't that bad of a read. Not completely out of line as new players impact is yet to be proven.

Originally Posted by "tastywaves" #1106062

Sounds like this guy and Marrdro are completely in synch.

You cut me deep my friend. :laugh:

I enjoyed the read. My biggest concern with our offense is our line. We need some help there still. I also feel, the o line will be our biggest weakness all season...Urghhhhhhh