Minnesota Vikings' high-priced offensive line still a work in progress.

**cogitans** · 09-28-2007, 03:29 AM

[size=13pt]Minnesota Vikings' high-priced offensive line still a work in progress.[/size]

Vikings haven't gotten much bang for their bucks thus far

BY DON SEEHOLZER
Pioneer Press

**marstc09** · 09-28-2007, 09:58 PM

These guys are underachieving and Overated. They need to step their game up or we will end up with the #1 pick in the draft.

**cajunvike** · 09-28-2007, 11:14 PM

They had better get their asses in gear!!!

**Ltrey33** · 09-29-2007, 01:12 AM

I think it's funny. Whenever we play an opponent that isn't familiar with us (i.e. the Chiefs last week) their fans come in here and talk about how good our line is, yet we get whooped each and every week in pass protection.

This line has been together as a whole for about 8 games (with Cook and Hicks on the right side) and the left side has been together for more than a year now. It's almost time to stop calling them a work in progress and start calling them a failure.

**cajunvike** · 09-29-2007, 01:18 AM

"Ltrey" wrote:

I think it's funny. Whenever we play an opponent that isn't familiar with us (i.e. the Chiefs last week) their fans come in here and talk about how good our line is, yet we get whooped each and every week in pass protection.

This line has been together as a whole for about 8 games (with Cook and Hicks on the right side) and the left side has been together for more than a year now. It's almost time to stop calling them a work in progress and start calling them a failure.

Say it ain't so, trey!!!

**bigbadragz** · 09-29-2007, 01:19 AM

"Ltrey" wrote:

I think it's funny. Whenever we play an opponent that isn't familiar with us (i.e. the Chiefs last week) their fans come in here and talk about how good our line is, yet we get whooped each and every week in pass protection.

This line has been together as a whole for about 8 games (with Cook and Hicks on the right side) and the left side has been together for more than a year now. It's almost time to stop calling them a work in progress and start calling them a failure.

i've been calling them the biggest problem in another thread and been getting crap from V that they are the best part of a bad offense.
well if they are the best part, why are they making the qbs look so bad and not giving the wrs a chance to get open?
they are the ones that are sticking out to me looking bad.
they can run block pretty good, but they should be able to as big as they are, but the pass protection is a joke.
as i said in the other thread, if this doesnt get better we are not going to get a good read on any of the young players cuz you can't run an offense if you can't protect.

**cajunvike** · 09-29-2007, 06:09 AM

"bigbadragz" wrote:

"Ltrey" wrote:

I think it's funny. Whenever we play an opponent that isn't familiar with us (i.e. the Chiefs last week) their fans come in here and talk about how good our line is, yet we get whooped each and every week in pass protection.

This line has been together as a whole for about 8 games (with Cook and Hicks on the right side) and the left side has been together for more than a year now. It's almost time to stop calling them a work in progress and start calling them a failure.

i've been calling them the biggest problem in another thread and been getting crap from V that they are the best part of a bad offense.
well if they are the best part, why are they making the qbs look so bad and not giving the wrs a chance to get open?
they are the ones that are sticking out to me looking bad.
they can run block pretty good, but they should be able to as big as they are, but the pass protection is a joke.
as i said in the other thread, if this doesnt get better we are not going to get a good read on any of the young players cuz you can't run an offense if you can't protect.

I don't think that our OL is HORRIBLE...but certainly the breakdowns in blocking haven't helped matters.
The biggest problem is still the overall execution of our entire offense.

**PurplePowerPunch** · 09-29-2007, 07:26 AM

They get beat off the ball so easily. Cook looks lost, Hicks gets over-powered too much, Birk is not that strong, and McKinnie makes Hutch look bad. I'm wit Trey on this one, it's about time to call this unit a failure!!!

**Marrdro** · 09-29-2007, 09:34 AM

"bigbadragz" wrote:

"Ltrey" wrote:

I think it's funny. Whenever we play an opponent that isn't familiar with us (i.e. the Chiefs last week) their fans come in here and talk about how good our line is, yet we get whooped each and every week in pass protection.

This line has been together as a whole for about 8 games (with Cook and Hicks on the right side) and the left side has been together for more than a year now. It's almost time to stop calling them a work in progress and start calling them a failure.

i've been calling them the biggest problem in another thread and been getting crap from V that they are the best part of a bad offense.
well if they are the best part, why are they making the qbs look so bad and not giving the wrs a chance to get open?
they are the ones that are sticking out to me looking bad.
they can run block pretty good, but they should be able to as big as they are, but the pass protection is a joke.
as i said in the other thread, if this doesnt get better we are not going to get a good read on any of the young players cuz you can't run an offense if you can't protect.

I've got your back on this one Big Guy.

Anyone who champions this OL doesn't know what the heck they are talking about or isn't watching the line play during the game.

Heck Nodacks thread is an exellent example of what is wrong with this line and it only shows thier inadequacy at Pass Blocking.
It doesn't even go into the run blocking.

http://www.purplepride.org/forums/in...5364#msg645364

AD would have got at least a buck and a quarter last weekend if he didn't have to find his way through the guys that got to him in the backfield.
I find it amazing that he got over a 100 yards.

In Seattle we played five years together," he said. "Here we've played 19 games. It takes time. I think as an offensive line we know we have to play better as a unit. Our mentality is one guy doesn't make an offensive line. We all need to pick it up individually and we'll get better as a unit."

And I have been one of the biggest supporters with respect to "It takes time to install the Zone Blocking Scheme" but damn, we should see some sort of progress here.

Tomorrow will tell.
Birk should be able to make his line adjustments (in the dome with a quiet crowd) as well as all the Linemen should be able to hear the snap count, QB audibles.

I stand by my comments in this thread as well as the others I have commented in this week.
Until our OL gets off its ass and starts earning thier keep (OL Coach and TE's included) this offense isn't going to go anywhere.

IMHO its time to put up and get rid of the excuses.

http://www.purplepride.org/forums/in...6440#msg646440

**mountainviking** · 09-29-2007, 11:01 AM

Finally, some threads thinking what I've been thinking...OLINE needs to step up!!
All right, eight games in isn't many, but we really, really need to start seeing improvement!
It is hard to judge any other part of our offense at this point.

I'm getting more and more afraid of what the percentage of green to purple might be in the dome tomorrow...they're close enough to buy tickets early.
And the whole record thingy has got them fired up!
It might not be as quiet (or as loud vs.) as we'd like to hope!
D'oh!!