Thread: Look at the positive...

... The Vikings have arguably the best performing defensive end duo right now, three weeks into the 2011 season.

Jared Allen is well-known around the league as one of the best defensive ends in the league, but I don't think he has ever started off a season as good as this one. Not only sack-wise, but also making some impressive plays like e.g. when he covered a halfback in San Diego and came away with a interception. The play showed that he still has some very nice pass-catching hands.

After only three weeks of football, Allen is leading the NFL with 4,5 sacks, 3 pass deflected, one interception, and one forced fumble.

I predicted that Jared Allen would hit 20 sacks this season and now I believe it more than ever. At this pace, Allen will have 24 sacks. That's even 1,5 sacks MORE than the single season sack record.

... But let's not talk all about Jared Allen here! The far less famous man on the other end of the line definitely deserve his share of credit. I'm talking about the first-year starter at left end, Brian Robison.

After week 3, Robison is 15th in the NFL with 2,5 sacks (on pace to 13,5 sacks).

However, the numbers don't the tell the whole truth as his actual on-field performance is even more impressive. Take the interception against San Diego for example, that would never have occurred if Robison hadn't hit Philip Rivers' hand which caused the ball to come out in a different way than intended.

Our defensive ends are flat-out ballin' this year! Putting fear into every quarterback around the league. Going into week 3, the Lions were the only team not to give up a sack. After playing the Vikings' "Dynamic D-end Duo", Matthew Stafford had been sacked 5 times and hit 7 times.

I don't think I've said it before, but Brian Robison reminds me in parts of a younger version of Jared Allen. Robison has incredible lower-body speed and strength, he plays with a high motor, and has a great instinct for the ball.

Maybe it's time we find a nickname for this duo...

Brian Robison: 2.5 sacks
Ray Edwards: 0 sacks

Suck it Ray! Good luck leading the league in sacks opposite a washed up John Abraham. Maybe you should keep boxing instead.

Originally Posted by HEY

... The Vikings have arguably the best performing defensive end duo right now, three weeks into the 2011 season.

Jared Allen is well-known around the league as one of the best defensive ends in the league, but I don't think he has ever started off a season as good as this one. Not only sack-wise, but also making some impressive plays like e.g. when he covered a halfback in San Diego and came away with a interception. The play showed that he still has some very nice pass-catching hands.

After only three weeks of football, Allen is leading the NFL with 4,5 sacks, 3 pass deflected, one interception, and one forced fumble.

I predicted that Jared Allen would hit 20 sacks this season and now I believe it more than ever. At this pace, Allen will have 24 sacks. That's even 1,5 sacks MORE than the single season sack record.

... But let's not talk all about Jared Allen here! The far less famous man on the other end of the line definitely deserve his share of credit. I'm talking about the first-year starter at left end, Brian Robison.

After week 3, Robison is 15th in the NFL with 2,5 sacks (on pace to 13,5 sacks).

However, the numbers don't the tell the whole truth as his actual on-field performance is even more impressive. Take the interception against San Diego for example, that would never have occurred if Robison hadn't hit Philip Rivers' hand which caused the ball to come out in a different way than intended.

Our defensive ends are flat-out ballin' this year! Putting fear into every quarterback around the league. Going into week 3, the Lions were the only team not to give up a sack. After playing the Vikings' "Dynamic D-end Duo", Matthew Stafford had been sacked 5 times and hit 7 times.

I don't think I've said it before, but Brian Robison reminds me in parts of a younger version of Jared Allen. Robison has incredible lower-body speed and strength, he plays with a high motor, and has a great instinct for the ball.

Maybe it's time we find a nickname for this duo...

They are working great together and have helped us stay in ballgames. The return of Kevin Williams was also a great help as he commanded attention in the middle and took some of the blocking pressure off of the DE's.

Our DL is looking pretty darn solid right now and for sure the strongest group on the team from top to bottom.

I think another bright spot IMHO is the special teams. Sherels, Booker and Harvin look like the best group we have had in as long as I remember.

We also have seemed to clamp down on our kick and punt coverage and have been limiting the yards we are giving up which really helps the field position.

Originally Posted by Purple Floyd

I think another bright spot IMHO is the special teams. Sherels, Booker and Harvin look like the best group we have had in as long as I remember.

We also have seemed to clamp down on our kick and punt coverage and have been limiting the yards we are giving up which really helps the field position.

The reason that Harvin was out in the 2nd half was because of a hit he took on a kick return. I love his explosiveness on returns, but we can't afford to put him back there anymore. Not to mention that Booker is an above average returner himself. He is our only playmaker at the receiver position, and we can't afford to get him hurt on special teams.

Originally Posted by MulletMullitia

The reason that Harvin was out in the 2nd half was because of a hit he took on a kick return. I love his explosiveness on returns, but we can't afford to put him back there anymore. Not to mention that Booker is an above average returner himself. He is our only playmaker at the receiver position, and we can't afford to get him hurt on special teams.

Won't argue that one. Booker has been showing some shiftyness which I really like to see and they are hitting the holes hard.

At any rate it feels good to be able to say that a unit is performing better than anticipated at this point in the season so I will take it.

Originally Posted by MulletMullitia

The reason that Harvin was out in the 2nd half was because of a hit he took on a kick return. I love his explosiveness on returns, but we can't afford to put him back there anymore. Not to mention that Booker is an above average returner himself. He is our only playmaker at the receiver position, and we can't afford to get him hurt on special teams.

Not to mention Webby just mad me whole again by reuniting by old UffDaVikes account with my current Purple Floyd account. Feels good to be all back together again.Thanks Webby!

Originally Posted by Purple Floyd

Not to mention Webby just mad me whole again by reuniting by old UffDaVikes account with my current Purple Floyd account. Feels good to be all back together again.Thanks Webby!

He did the same for me. It's pretty damn sweet, eh?

hmmmm... I guess there's not much positivity going around here at the moment. Not that it should come as a surprise. The the biggest reason I made this thread was to get some positivity rolling on PurplePride.org.

... Because quite frankly: WE NEED IT! Too much negativity is not good for anyone!

Besides from our defensive ends wrecking havoc, this is also what I'm satisfied with thus far:

Safety Husain Abdullah - Nice to see him continue his solid play from last year. He even has an interception in week 2 which is not so common for our safeties. Best safety on the roster in my opinion.

Receiver Michael Jenkins - He has exceeded my expectations. Best wide receiver on the roster after Harvin. Not that it count for much, but he's leading the team in receptions and receiving yards.

Cornerback Antoine Winfield - One of my favorite players. He's the best slot corner in the league if you ask me. He has really put on some nice numbers this season and I'm so happy I decided to start him in my fantasy league. He even got a interception in week 1.

Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin - They are of course already very established players in the league, but they definitely hasn't regressed. I love watching these guys play and I wish they could get the ball on every play. (AD is averaging over 5 yards per carry so why don't we use him more? And Percy is averaging almost 10 yards on 8 carries and already has a return TD, but is not even leading the team in receptions.)

All our starting cornerbacks are healthy. Now that is certainly a rarity! Too many people complain on the corners, whether it be Cedric Griffin or Chris Cook, but I think those people has to remember that it's easy to blame corners. Personally, I'm overall satisfied with the performance of both Griffin and Cook. I'm so happy to get Griffin back and Cook has really shined at time in press-coverage. Now, of course they make mistakes, but a corner's mistake can be very revealing and the difference between a TD catch and a interception is marginal. Cook and Griffin on the outside with Winfield in the slot is a very nice lineup.

At least we didn't blow a 21 point lead like the Patriots did.