It’s going to be a rough season. I’ll keep saying it because there isn’t anything else to do at this point but complain, but I never liked them pushing all their chips in for this season instead of reloading with younger players that could help you in a year or two from now. You didn’t even know McCarthy was going to be good, yet you decided to sign Kelly, Allen, Hargrave, Jones, and probably somebody else I’m missing. Even if McCarthy was good, and I know he still can be despite what we’ve seen so far, the window for him to be good enough was never realistically going to be this season. So why sign all those guys who are going to have even more tread in years 3-4 of McCarthy’s rookie deal, which is what you should be shooting for. Just feels like they either got impatient, or were overly confident after playing the AFC South last year.
I pretty much agree with everything you’ve been saying. The only reason to sign the players you mentioned is if you have a veteran QB. Of course if you’re an optimist you can say that the Vikings are only one game out of first place.
Even taking all the sacks, Wentz did everything they needed to win. Two tipped ball INTs to end good drives seems pretty random. I see more long term success in the offense as is (maybe with McCarthy too, when healthy); but the all or nothing defense is most concerning to me.
Many teams don't have 5 good OL. No team has 8. Jurgens has been ok, but if there is an extended period with someone other than Darrisaw and O'Neill at OT, it's going to be very difficult for the offence to succeed, regardless of who is under centre.
Agreed about the defence. When Allen and Hargrove have 98 snaps, while LDR and TID have 25, we see this kind of run "stopping". That's easily fixable, but Flo has to actually do it.
Agreed but I don't worry too much about the if. So much changes week to week, it's one matchup at a time. Backup linemen as they may be, it's different getting a week to prepare versus coming in cold with a game plan not designed for you. There's still a version of the Vikings that comes out a better team for the adversity. If we're in mid November and it still looks like this, by all means you're welcome to panic.
Not sure if you are talking about OL or DL here. DL, the horses are there, they just need to be let out of the stable and they weren't against Atlanta or Pittsburgh.
OL, Cam Robinson just got traded, and I don't see who else could be reasonably acquired/add value if O'Neill is out for a while. Hope is not a plan. I've seen Skule play OT, it ain't panicking to realize what he can/cannot do.
I'm talking OL. I tend to agree overall, but I see no use in complaining. They took a calculated risk for sure, and it's not working out so far, but that doesn't mean it's doomed. Not yet anyway, still much too early. Right now the primary concern is winning a game. You can bet the coaching staff will be working round the clock on a bye week to self scout and plan courses of action. I watch a lot of football, and no team made it out of September without looking bad and directionless at some point. Every team is beatable with the right game plan and execution. Fans tend to get lost in the minutia and grudges and feelings instead of specific scenarios. Players need to focus on fundamentals, sticking to roles, minimizing avoidable mistakes like penalties leading unfavorable situations. It's all fixable stuff, even Wentz's limitations, even JJ's rough start, even backup OL. The coaches can only do so much. The players will decide how much they want it. And even with perfect execution, they can still lose, because much of football is chaos in between precise moments. That's why it's so fun to watch.
I'd suggest another title for this article: "Nothing works when the offensive line sucks." Look at KC in the Super Bowl--the potential GOAT QB looked like McCarthy vs. ATL for most of that game. This season is going to be an ugly slog if they're constantly shuffling in replacement-level or worse linemen and KOC is building game plans on what he hoped to have instead of what he actually does.
It’s going to be a rough season. I’ll keep saying it because there isn’t anything else to do at this point but complain, but I never liked them pushing all their chips in for this season instead of reloading with younger players that could help you in a year or two from now. You didn’t even know McCarthy was going to be good, yet you decided to sign Kelly, Allen, Hargrave, Jones, and probably somebody else I’m missing. Even if McCarthy was good, and I know he still can be despite what we’ve seen so far, the window for him to be good enough was never realistically going to be this season. So why sign all those guys who are going to have even more tread in years 3-4 of McCarthy’s rookie deal, which is what you should be shooting for. Just feels like they either got impatient, or were overly confident after playing the AFC South last year.
I pretty much agree with everything you’ve been saying. The only reason to sign the players you mentioned is if you have a veteran QB. Of course if you’re an optimist you can say that the Vikings are only one game out of first place.
Even taking all the sacks, Wentz did everything they needed to win. Two tipped ball INTs to end good drives seems pretty random. I see more long term success in the offense as is (maybe with McCarthy too, when healthy); but the all or nothing defense is most concerning to me.
Many teams don't have 5 good OL. No team has 8. Jurgens has been ok, but if there is an extended period with someone other than Darrisaw and O'Neill at OT, it's going to be very difficult for the offence to succeed, regardless of who is under centre.
Agreed about the defence. When Allen and Hargrove have 98 snaps, while LDR and TID have 25, we see this kind of run "stopping". That's easily fixable, but Flo has to actually do it.
Agreed but I don't worry too much about the if. So much changes week to week, it's one matchup at a time. Backup linemen as they may be, it's different getting a week to prepare versus coming in cold with a game plan not designed for you. There's still a version of the Vikings that comes out a better team for the adversity. If we're in mid November and it still looks like this, by all means you're welcome to panic.
Not sure if you are talking about OL or DL here. DL, the horses are there, they just need to be let out of the stable and they weren't against Atlanta or Pittsburgh.
OL, Cam Robinson just got traded, and I don't see who else could be reasonably acquired/add value if O'Neill is out for a while. Hope is not a plan. I've seen Skule play OT, it ain't panicking to realize what he can/cannot do.
I'm talking OL. I tend to agree overall, but I see no use in complaining. They took a calculated risk for sure, and it's not working out so far, but that doesn't mean it's doomed. Not yet anyway, still much too early. Right now the primary concern is winning a game. You can bet the coaching staff will be working round the clock on a bye week to self scout and plan courses of action. I watch a lot of football, and no team made it out of September without looking bad and directionless at some point. Every team is beatable with the right game plan and execution. Fans tend to get lost in the minutia and grudges and feelings instead of specific scenarios. Players need to focus on fundamentals, sticking to roles, minimizing avoidable mistakes like penalties leading unfavorable situations. It's all fixable stuff, even Wentz's limitations, even JJ's rough start, even backup OL. The coaches can only do so much. The players will decide how much they want it. And even with perfect execution, they can still lose, because much of football is chaos in between precise moments. That's why it's so fun to watch.
I'd suggest another title for this article: "Nothing works when the offensive line sucks." Look at KC in the Super Bowl--the potential GOAT QB looked like McCarthy vs. ATL for most of that game. This season is going to be an ugly slog if they're constantly shuffling in replacement-level or worse linemen and KOC is building game plans on what he hoped to have instead of what he actually does.