Studs n Duds vs The Vikings

[adambr2]

If we were getting blown out by the best teams I completely agree, but fact is we aren't. Until we get just throttled for a whole game against the best I'm not throwing the white flag and declaring we are terrible.

I don’t think we are terrible. I think we are a very good team that hasn’t taken that next step that we all hoped to see this year into that top tier of teams, for 3 main reasons.

1) our rivals improved more than we did.

2) Love hasn’t improved to the degree that we had hoped for.

3) We are not getting enough return on our big investments on defense (mainly looking at LVN here, but also others), to generate enough pass rush against the league’s best teams.

 

[AmishMafia]

Dud
Love's execution/MLF playcalls - it's hard for me to figure out which is more the issue but together was for sure our biggest offensive hurdle often.
Defensive Backfield we had to play...Jaire, Williams and then Zayne going down just makes us have to play guys out of their best positions.

The all-22 should show if there were open WRs and Love was making poor decisions. There were 4 or 5 drops that would have been good catches. The receivers have to hold on to those. Meanwhile, Jefferson and Addison were holding onto even tougher catches. Are our WRs not as good as I thought?

Good points on our DBs. We would have done better with Alexander and Williams back there. I expect we focus on CB this coming offseason as much as safety was last year.

 

[tynimiller]

The all-22 should show if there were open WRs and Love was making poor decisions. There were 4 or 5 drops that would have been good catches. The receivers have to hold on to those. Meanwhile, Jefferson and Addison were holding onto even tougher catches. Are our WRs not as good as I thought?

Good points on our DBs. We would have done better with Alexander and Williams back there. I expect we focus on CB this coming offseason as much as safety was last year.

Yeah - it's why I put both...Love took deep shots into better coverage, a couple times right over an under route for 8-11 yards and a likely continued drive. BUT I also noticed on a couple of the deep balls either the receivers ran the wrong routes or the play call sucked and it was like we clearly sold to the deep shot.

Not sure on how many drops we will officially be credited with...I know I didn't come away with more than 2 personally....I struggle hard with giving a WR a drop on a ball they have to lay out for (Doubs and Wicks both had one of these each).....but like you said, those are the catches that make a MASSIVE difference.

 

[adambr2]

The all-22 should show if there were open WRs and Love was making poor decisions. There were 4 or 5 drops that would have been good catches. The receivers have to hold on to those. Meanwhile, Jefferson and Addison were holding onto even tougher catches. Are our WRs not as good as I thought?

Good points on our DBs. We would have done better with Alexander and Williams back there. I expect we focus on CB this coming offseason as much as safety was last year.

Everything starts up front. Until the Packers defense can start consistently generating a pass rush with their front 4 without blitzing, it doesn’t really matter who is in the secondary.

 

[tynimiller]

Good points on our DBs. We would have done better with Alexander and Williams back there. I expect we focus on CB this coming offseason as much as safety was last year.

Bullard's best position and play is slot not filling in at the second safety position at this stage in his career...when Zayne went down my gut churned...cuz this meant this shift but also meant Nixon was going to have to be out there a lot and everyone knows I don't see an outside corner at all and don't feel he is more than an average slot defender.

 

[tynimiller]

Everything starts up front. Until the Packers defense can start consistently generating a pass rush with their front 4 without blitzing, it doesn’t really matter who is in the secondary.

It's the definition of a two sided blade - one of the best things for a pass rush is excellent coverage and one of the best things for coverage is an excellent pass rush.

 

[milani]

Especially dumb move against the Vikings front 7 who lead the league in stopping 4th down conversions.

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Very foolish move. 7-6 at that point would in a good position. At most we go into half down only one score.

 

[Fooksmania]

I believe the Josh Jacobs fumble was much bigger than we may realize. And also the 6 point swing with the Packers not kicking the FG and the penalty on the Vikings missed FG could be viewed as the most significant plays. Sometimes games are won and lost in the 1st quarter or the first half. I believe this game is a perfect example. If the Packers strap on the brain and ability they will have a fighting chance against the Eagles.

 

[milani]

If we were getting blown out by the best teams I completely agree, but fact is we aren't. Until we get just throttled for a whole game against the best I'm not throwing the white flag and declaring we are terrible.

We are in the second tier of teams in the league like the Rams, Bucs, Chargers, Steelers, Commanders, Texans. The top tier is Buffalo, KC, Detroit. Philly, Minny, and maybe the Ravens. And we are not too far away. Our team is the youngest. That certainly factors. And our HC has to get better on GameDay. His game plan is solid but strategy leaves something to be desired.
.

 

[milani]

I believe the Josh Jacobs fumble was much bigger than we may realize. And also the 6 point swing with the Packers not kicking the FG and the penalty on the Vikings missed FG could be viewed as the most significant plays. Sometimes games are won and lost in the 1st quarter or the first half. I believe this game is a perfect example. If the Packers strap on the brain and ability they will have a fighting chance against the Eagles.

MLF is the chief Einstein. If his brain is working the others will follow.

 

[milani]

It's the definition of a two sided blade - one of the best things for a pass rush is excellent coverage and one of the best things for coverage is an excellent pass rush.

We actually came very close but Darnold hangs tough both in and out of the pocket. And then his precision is at HOF level.

 

[DoURant]

If we were getting blown out by the best teams I completely agree, but fact is we aren't. Until we get just throttled for a whole game against the best I'm not throwing the white flag and declaring we are terrible.

I feel if they can win that 1st rd playoff game against most likely the Eagles, that could be the push to beat either the Vikings or Lions the next week. Like you said, if we're being blown out, fine, I might be more pessimistic in my thoughts on this team.

 

[milani]

I feel if they can win that 1st rd playoff game against most likely the Eagles, that could be the push to beat either the Vikings or Lions the next week. Like you said, if we're being blown out, fine, I might be more pessimistic in my thoughts on this team.

When we played the Eagles both teams were rusty and that Brazilian turf was no fun. We were ahead at halftime but we settled for FGs early. MLF went for 2 and should not have. Then Narv misses a FG. Saquon killed us. I thought we could fare better against LA or Tampa but they are hungry.

 

[tahoebum]

When we played the Eagles both teams were rusty and that Brazilian turf was no fun. We were ahead at halftime but we settled for FGs early. MLF went for 2 and should not have. Then Narv misses a FG. Saquon killed us. I thought we could fare better against LA or Tampa but they are hungry.

The Eagles will be a tough but if we survive that it’s a trip to Minneapolis or Detroit. It’s tough to beat a team 3 times in one season.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I think LaFLeur is a good coach, he won 13 games his first three seasons. And still has a very good record, 67-32. He hasn't won the division without Rodgers though.

MLF and Rodgers also didn't have to contend all that much with other good teams in the North from 2018-2022. Except maybe in Rodgers final season, when the Vikings went 13-4, but the Packers weren't good that year either, finishing 8-9.

 

[Dantés]

I hope the Packers get another shot at the Vikings. Flores drank Petals' milkshake, but I don't think he could do it again.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Good point. I can't remember when my opinion about the Packers changed so much from one week to another just from one game. I'm not saying it's hopeless, but we looked completely outclassed. And yet, if not for the ref's ticky tacky call on their FG, or if MLF had kicked the FG instead of going for it, who knows? I think MLF was trying to emulate the Lions when he went for it on fourth down. But I guess we're not the Lions.

That's a dumb way to fly. Not understanding the importance of 3 points in what you KNOW will be a close road game is a really good way to lose. It cost the Lions in the NFCC last year and it cost us yesterday. I don't give a damn what "the analytics" say. 80 years of football wisdom prior to that crap dictates you take the points. Analytics can't account for intangibles.

 

[GB2016]

Dud: Hafley and the Packers 3rd down defense.

Prime example of the Peter principle....

"The Peter Principle is a human resource theory. The overall concept of his theory is that people within an organization are promoted until they reach a level at which they are incompetent. As a result of incompetence in their latest position, the person is not promoted further."

 

[El Guapo]

Besides line play, to me the entire difference in the game was Minnesota's WRs/TEs made all of the tough catches. The Packers WRs/TEs dropped most of the tough catches. Change either of those and this would have been a vastly different outcome. They converted all of the important downs and we consistently failed until it was too late.

 

[tahoebum]

Besides line play, to me the entire difference in the game was Minnesota's WRs/TEs made all of the tough catches. The Packers WRs/TEs dropped most of the tough catches. Change either of those and this would have been a vastly different outcome. They converted all of the important downs and we consistently failed until it was too late.

The Vikings have the best 1,2 WR Duo in the league and Hockenson, a top 5 tight end. It’s frustrating for sure that the GB pass catchers are such a big liability relative to the Vikings and maybe the Lions receivers as well.

 

[David Ciembronowicz]

Studs: Jacobs (except for fumble that was big), Gary (again)
Duds: Love, DB's, OL, DL, LB, WR, Playcalling by both HC and DC
To solidify perspective on Love's performance: What we learned about the QB on Sunday: The intermediate and deep throws were not there until much too late. Jordan Love missed on his first five pass attempts that traveled 10 or more yards in the air. Until midway through the fourth quarter, Love's longest air-yards completion traveled 8 yards. To that point, he had completed just 10 of 19 passes for 64 yards before hitting Bo Melton for 13 yards and Tucker Kraft for 35. -- Rob Demovsky His mechanics are not good, his decision making and accuracy suspect.

 

[Pugger]

DUD:
Bullard was a nightmare at Safety. He got burned on a fake for a TD, then let their RB roam free for a game sealer while he got caught napping staring at the Camera on National TV. Literally.

MLF.
Once again failed to come out playing fast. He just refuses to learn what works. He tried to play keep away in a game where he went from missing 3 D starters to 4 starters. As if MN wasn’t going to score against our mess in the secondary.

Failure to use RB’s in the Passing game. Matt just will not tolerate Jacobs or Wilson in the short passing game. ZERO targets to the RB group and just 4 targets to TE’s.

Thats 4 total targets to 4 players across 4 Quarters!! 57 yards on 4 targets for (14.2 per target) but we waited until deep into the 4th Quarter. What are we afraid of with our RB’s??

Vikings?? 15 targets to 4 RB’s and TE’s for 120 yards and 1 TD. That’s 10.3 yards PER target

Matt also has to be reminded he has TEs who he can have Love throw to.

 

[Pugger]

Didn't see the whole thing to have an informed opinion but the offense looked uninspired and we need jaire back

Did you miss seeing the guys come back to within 2 points late in the 4th?

On another forum I saw more than one post by Vikings fans comment on how we didn't quit no matter how bleak it got.

 

[Pugger]

The Vikings have the best 1,2 WR Duo in the league and Hockenson, a top 5 tight end. It’s frustrating for sure that the GB pass catchers are such a big liability relative to the Vikings and maybe the Lions receivers as well.

As I said elsewhere this was absolutely the worst game to have a decimated secondary.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Matt also has to be reminded he has TEs who he can have Love throw to.

Coaches don't decide who QBs throw to on a play-to-play basis. Maybe you mean Matt needs to remind Love that he has TEs he can throw to?