Great article Mathew 👏 so many thanks to like about this game especially when we heard a minimal of offensive line numbers being called and for the most part Cousins had time to throw all day. Thanks again Mathew.
I did not get why we did not run a Dalvin run before the FG attempt (or Mattison if there was worry about the ankle). We had the timeout and more than enough time... And 3-5 yards could have helped a lot...
2. Not trying to score a TD to win. The NFL isn't golfing with your buddies. There are no gimmes, as evidenced by *this exact kicker* having already missed a PAT. Standing down one's offence prematurely is so stupid.
Running 2-3 more plays gives a chance of scoring a TD, or as you note at least makes the FG easier. It's infuriating when coaches treat FG range as some binary construct with certain outcomes.
Great article. Joseph will get most of the blame, but this game was was lost/wasn’t won in so many other ways. But it’s why unless almost everything goes right for this team, they’ll find a way to lose.
Many NFL games come down to one or two plays at the end of the game. In every game you can go back and find numerous moments where you can place blame. You have to be able to make plays in the moments that count. Cousins again came though in the clutch, the OLINE performed in the clutch, Osborn, Thielen, and the defense all came though at the biggest moment in which they had opportunities . Joseph failed in the biggest moment... this loss is on him... no game is perfect.. every game ever played can claim a bunch what if's ... but in winning time you have to come through.
Well put. At the end of the day when all the chips were on the table, we had a kick to win the game and forget about all the other things we did or didn’t do, and Joseph missed it and we lost. But I also look at the game and think about how many times we could’ve avoided having to make a game winning drive and kick to walk away with a W when a couple of plays throughout the game and we’re kneeling on the ball and catching a flight home.
Will I ever be in a situation as a Vikings fan, where I don't think "I bet we miss this game winning kick"?
Great article Mathew 👏 so many thanks to like about this game especially when we heard a minimal of offensive line numbers being called and for the most part Cousins had time to throw all day. Thanks again Mathew.
I did not get why we did not run a Dalvin run before the FG attempt (or Mattison if there was worry about the ankle). We had the timeout and more than enough time... And 3-5 yards could have helped a lot...
Two coaching decisions stand out:
1. Not going for two after the missed PAT.
2. Not trying to score a TD to win. The NFL isn't golfing with your buddies. There are no gimmes, as evidenced by *this exact kicker* having already missed a PAT. Standing down one's offence prematurely is so stupid.
Running 2-3 more plays gives a chance of scoring a TD, or as you note at least makes the FG easier. It's infuriating when coaches treat FG range as some binary construct with certain outcomes.
Totally agree...
Great article. Joseph will get most of the blame, but this game was was lost/wasn’t won in so many other ways. But it’s why unless almost everything goes right for this team, they’ll find a way to lose.
totally agree Jamie
Many NFL games come down to one or two plays at the end of the game. In every game you can go back and find numerous moments where you can place blame. You have to be able to make plays in the moments that count. Cousins again came though in the clutch, the OLINE performed in the clutch, Osborn, Thielen, and the defense all came though at the biggest moment in which they had opportunities . Joseph failed in the biggest moment... this loss is on him... no game is perfect.. every game ever played can claim a bunch what if's ... but in winning time you have to come through.
Well put. At the end of the day when all the chips were on the table, we had a kick to win the game and forget about all the other things we did or didn’t do, and Joseph missed it and we lost. But I also look at the game and think about how many times we could’ve avoided having to make a game winning drive and kick to walk away with a W when a couple of plays throughout the game and we’re kneeling on the ball and catching a flight home.