[Chuck Smith]

Well with the season starting on Sunday what is everyone's thoughts???

I mean we all know it hurts that Teddy is down. But what are thoughts on the Bradford deal? Good, bad, indifferent?

My take on everything so far....

1. It does hurt that Teddy is down and was looking so good in the preseason. But remember he beat the Packers in Green bay and Teddy was 10-19 for 99 yards. So I think Hill if he can stay healthy can manage a game like Teddy did last season. I don't think he will "win" you the game but he can manage a game.

2. Bradford.... I think it is a good pick up but we paid too much for him. The good thing is he is locked down for 2 years incase teddy's recovery takes longer or if teddy is done for a career. I think he is better than Hill but will take time to get the system. I see him starting after the bye week if Hill is under preforming or injured.

3. The defense is looking good... very good. Lots of young talent looking very good in the preseason. Again it is the preseason but it looks like Waynes is making the necessary strides, Alexander is looking good but will need more time to step in. The LB core is solid with Barr really coming along. The D line is shaping up like it should be. The Def will help keep us in games and will win games for the Vikings. Should be fun to watch..... also my prediction about Kearse.... he is looking good but still making rookie mistakes. I see him getting time mid season unless injuries happen. But he looks like he could be the real deal.... again if he keeps progressing.

4. Our kicking game should be back on Point. Yes Walsh the goat of last season will win us games this year. He is back indoors where he was lights out in the previous seasons.

Any other thoughts???

 

[KEN W]

The trade for Bradford was a good trade. If the coaching staff evidently didn't feel good about Hill, he was the best QB they could get. Especially if like Spielman said, teams were asking for top players in a trade along with draft picks.Other teams had him over the barrel and most likely asked for more than the Eagles did. Bradford has more to offer and may even be better than Bridgewater is. Then going into 2017 will be a good situation to be in and the Vikes may be able to get back some picks in a trade like the Eagles did after getting Wentz. I look for a playoff season.

Both the Vikes and Eagles are on TV Sunday. Will be switching the channel back and forth to see Wentz play his first game.

 

[Chuck Smith]

I will be watching Wentz too.

I hope they just don't throw him to the wolves too fast. I mean if you look at the top 10 qb's in the league now... over 1/2 sat their first couple years. Lots of qb's have been pushed too fast and bounce from team to team before they hit their stride...

I blame the teams more than the player.... So I am always hesitant when I see a rookie QB starting right out of the gate. I hope he does great and has a long career. :beer:

 

[9manfan]

I like the Bradford trade, giving up a 1st round pick sucks but it will prolly be a low first round pick ( I hope anyways), I just don't think Bradford has ever played on a team with this much talent, if we can stay healthy as team this trade could work out great for us,not sure who else we could of brought in that would get the job done, and him being signed for 2 years is a definite plus, I hate to think if Bridgestone never comes back, that would suck,.......Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuck Smith]

Like Ken stated.... The vikes were bent over a barrel so to speak. All the teams knew it.

I agree I don't think anyone else was better out there.

Start of the official season tonight..... I hope Den beats Car.

 

[9manfan]

Was quite shocked to see Denver win that game last nite but loved seeing Carolina lose, just not a Cam Newton fan...........like Rivera as a coach though.....

 

[Chuck Smith]

It was a good game to watch.

I am not a Cam fan either.... but he was taking some shots to the head. The one got flagged but Car had the intentional grounding.... The other was by Marshall and he did "launch" at Cams head. I am sure there will be a fine implemented. Now the one the broadcasters and others today are talking about with Miller... That one wasn't a "launch" or the use of the "crown". That was a facemask to face mask type hit. Plus Cam was going down as miller was making his "tackle".

Also about that game is if Den. could not have turned the ball over a couple of times when they were driving.... it wouldn't have been the nail bitter. Bookers fumble right away, the tip pass INT..... and then the floater that was intended for Sanders would have been a big gain if not a TD. But that is a ball that you can get away with in college....not the pros.

Den will be fun to watch all year.

 

[9manfan]

I thought Bradford played very well, really thought our O-line would look better at this point, D looked good, sucks to lose AP but shouldn't be too long the way it sounds and it's always nice to beat the PUKERS .......

 

[Chuck Smith]

Well the Vikings season just got a whole lot more interesting....

AP gone for who knows how long
Khalil gone for at least 8 weeks (via the IR list he is on he can come back but has to sit 8 weeks)
and of course Teddy down...

When has a team ever lost its Starting QB, RB, and Left tackle all before the 3rd game.

Signing Hillman is an ok thing. Just to give us another RB. But I don't see him getting too many snaps for awhile. We will see if Clemons can get the job done on the left side (this is just my guess who will be playing for Khalil). Our defense can keep on doing what they are doing will help a lot.

If the Vikings can have Clemmons come in and do what Khalil has been doing.... which has been average. I think the Vikings will be just fine. I mean they were 7-9 without AP in 2014. The defense is better than back then. :bop:

Here is a side note and we will have to see how it plays out....

With Khalil and AP down for awhile if not the whole regular season. How will this play out in the off season. Khalil was about to get paid as a left tackle or ask for more money.... AP's contract was about to jump up to enormous price tag (15 mil I think or what ever)...... So now with injury years.... do they demand that money or ask for less to stay with the team?? Can they demand that type of money?? I mean Khalil wasn't a top tier LT but he would command more money than he is getting now. But now with an injury and his history of nagging injuries.... does he command that much higher of a price tag??? Also with AP getting older, another knee injury, not having a great start to this season, etc.... will he deserve his price tag??? Or will he be willing to renegotiate for less and stay with the team???

 

[9manfan]

Very Impressive win yesterday, I really didn't think we had a chance of winning this game at Carolina, Zimmer is a mastermind at Defense.........Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ron Gilmore]

So is this defense for real or not? I listened to the game and hope to see it broadcast again to see if it was the defense or a hurt Cam.

 

[Chuck Smith]

Ron.....

I think it is the defense and the coaching staff. Cam looked good right away.... after the half MN made changes and it was a totally different game. Even in the 1st half you could see changes being made and frustrating Cam.

Also what I have come to notice the past year and these 3 games. The defense needs a series or two to get acclimated to the game. Then they are good to go.

Our offense needs to start a lil more "faster"... I mean we look slugging the whole first half.... then their must have been a butt chewing at Halftime at the O - Line.... then we came out the second half looking like a new team. Now on out o-line.... Yes I know we are injured now. But they have looked horrible all year for the running game. They need to step it up big time. :bop:

Our CB's will have a work out on Monday against NYG.... eli and crew (Beck Jr. Shepard, Cruz..... will be looking to have a big game after the let down against Wash.

 

[9manfan]

This defense just keeps impressing me more and more, the job Zimmer has done is unbelievable, and the offense is looking better as well, even the O-line looked good last nite as well.........Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuck Smith]

Well I am glad the bye week is here.

We need to get healthy. Our o-lime which was supposed to be deep (which it is showing it is because the back up are playing well).... needs to mend. I hope Smith isn't out the year with an elbow injury. We need Diggs back at full speed as well.

Bradford is looking like an MVP out there. It will be interesting if Teddy makes a full recovery what will we do?? Especially if Bradford keeps doing what he is doing.

Our Defenses..... WOW... WOW... WOW. That is all I can say.

SKOL VIKINGS... now we need to come out after the bye week still running on full throttle.

 

[9manfan]

Heard Smith was out for year after surgery yesterday, the o-line injuries have been unreal this year but so far (knock on wood) we have not lost any defensive players, I'm thinking Bradford is our QB for the future and AP might not play for us again.......Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuck Smith]

Well we signed Jake Long..... He was a former # 1 draft choice. Now he hasn't lived up to his potential at all. But hope he can be a good back up or move into the starting role.

We will see how we come out of the bye week and how we can keep rolling after seeing some teams a second time.

But when has a team been 5-0 that has lost Starting: QB, RB, LT, RT, and also had injuries at CB (Rhodes missed 3 games), #1 WR (diggs out), starting DT (Floyd), TE (Pruitt, Morgan, Ellison).

Yes I know a lot of teams get banged up. But we have lost 4 major positions and plus the normal wear and tear. Lets hope we can keep rolling. It has been a fun year so far.

As of now our remaining schedule has 7 of 11 of our remaining games are against teams under .500.... (playing bears and lions twice) So we still have a tough row to hoe. But if we win those games that is a 12 win season!!! (knock on wood)

 

[9manfan]

My kids were telling me last nite we would sign Jake Long, I didn't think it would happen, seems as though they are putting everything into this year to win it all..........like I said before, keep the D healthy because Defense wins Championships.......

 

[speckline]

Well queen fans, you've had a stellar season up to Sunday's game. :beer: Obviously, as a Packer fan, I was happy to see the queens beat!! :rock:
Question for you is: With all the injuries at key positions on offense that the Vikes have incurred and the fact that the offense was anemic against the Philly defense, do you think the vike offense has been exposed and the Philly defensive gameplan will be the plan going forward against the queens? Or do you feel this game was a hiccup coming off the bye week??

 

[9manfan]

Our O-line is terrible or maybe a work in progress I hope, not too worried with this loss, Philly has a pretty good defense and Bradford had zero time to throw the ball, if we score on that first turnover when we had the ball at the 2 it could of changed the game a lot, but that's the way the ball bounces.....if we lose to DaBears next Monday then I will be alittle worried........Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuck Smith]

I agree with 9man....

The sky isn't falling like the media and others are trying to portray. Just like when Rodgers had a couple bad games.... things are not that bad.

Yes our O-line play was like the titantic... huge holes in it. But Phi has a good d-line and has good outside rushers. I think that other teams will see this game film and try to duplicate it. Yet our weak O-line shouldn't be a surprise.... We have lost two starting tackles. It isn't a hidden secret at all. Just like our coaches will watch the film and make corrections.

The game on sunday was also we didn't get a sack on Wentz!!! MN gave up 6 sacks, 1 INT, 3 lost fumbles, a kick off returned on them, and a muffed punt. You shouldn't win games with those stats.

We need a rebound game.... CHI is a good one to have it against. Not the strongest D-line, a weaker DEF, O-line isn't that strong and discord in CHI-town.... most will be thinking Cubs. The only thing is Cutler is coming back... or could be back. So he could have one of his 300 yards, 4 td games...... or lets hope his 130 yards, 4 int games.