Vikings studs n duds

[longtimefan]

Studs- Gute & MLF for suspending JA even though some thought it would cost the game.
Stud- Clifford- I hope I don't have to wait until next year for Tyni & LTF to give us the stats & comparisons to Starr, Favre, Rodgers & Love after each one of their 1st NFL pass attempts.
Dud- Joe Barry for the defense playing so well & if they do it again possibly saving his job.
Duds- injuries to key guys.
Next week should be fun.

Duds

posters that try to be funny but look like noodle heads

or slander others when they are a public official

 

[Team Ronny]

Studs: young wrs and cbs..they played great!

Dline..they dominated when they needed too..didn't let the 3 or 4th string qb kill them.
Oline also dominated.
Dud: injuries
1/2 a dud to Toure on fumble..was forced into action after Reed went out. Game was well in hand when he fumbled.

 

[gonzozab]

So nobody is going to say Toure was a dud?

 

[longtimefan]

So nobody is going to say Toure was a dud?

We all forgot

 

[BrokenArrow]

So nobody is going to say Toure was a dud?

He was put on the field to return a punt when he had never done that before. If anything, maybe Rich gets a dud for putting him out there instead of Nixon.

 

[tynimiller]

I think we will be back to full force at WR next week and possibly at TE too.

I actually think Reed playing through his issue finally hit the breaking point tonight and he will be out.

 

[milani]

Duds

Carlson. Xp point misses.
Everyone doubting the defense lol me included


Studs
everyone else

In all fairness the Vikings played with 2 not so good QBs and without Hockenson. But I was still expecting them to put up more points. With that said the Viking defense could not stop us. They were lucky Melton did not make that 4th and 1 catch or we are 40 points or more.

 

[AGreen2AJones]

Studs: MLF. I doubted him and have been a hater, but he had them ready! Next week will be a big test, he's 0-3 in the last three elimination games at home (vs. Bucs 2001 NFCC, vs. 49ers 2022 NFC Div, vs. Lions Week 18 wild card clincher 2023). Must win or I think it's fireable.

Love, Reed, Jones, Defense, Barry, Field Goal Carlson

Duds: Extra Point Carlson

 

[milani]

I actually think Reed playing through his issue finally hit the breaking point tonight and he will be out.

Now next Sunday afternoon we are not indoors. The winter weather will be finally hitting the Midwest. So it will be an old fashioned Bear-Packer game in which you can toss out the records and trends. Much harder to catch the ball, kick the ball, and hold the ball.

 

[milani]

I actually think Reed playing through his issue finally hit the breaking point tonight and he will be out.

Now I believe the guys who are hurt will want to be out there because they know this one means a lot. The staff has to suit up the best team it can and also the healthiest.

 

[weeds]

Bo Melton - Practice squad player makes good. Happy for the guy. Would love to know the backstory behind the Clifford throw that put him over 100 yards.


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I have to admit that I questioned that one myself - was that the play that set up the kerfuffle where Aaron Jones got whacked upside the head? The long ball at that point just seemed a little out of character for the LaFleur Packers at that point.

Still, if it was the Packers poking the Vikies in the eye for their after the whistle stuff -- I love it.

 

[weeds]

Duds

posters that try to be funny but look like noodle heads
---

Such a hurtful thing to say ... you ... you ... you... poopie pants.

 

[tynimiller]

Now I believe the guys who are hurt will want to be out there because they know this one means a lot. The staff has to suit up the best team it can and also the healthiest.

Trust me Reed has been playing through more than some would. Dude is a warrior

 

[weeds]

Just watched video of Jones and Love spraying champagne on the turf of Minnesota's stadium, at or around the 40 yard line... and I'm reminded of:

My wife, son and I saw George Strait there a few years ago. Son goes there dressed in full Packers' regalia. Every time he'd get up to get something to drink, a guy at the end of the row would playfully boo and mock Aaron Rodgers' "3 - 19" cadence. Sonny boy stopped and asked the guy where the 50 yard line was down there because he had to pee.

Still have to say that I've never had a bad interaction with a Vikings fan. All fun...

 

[GBowner]

Studs: offense and (ahem) defense but Barry needs fired still
Duds: carlson pat, toure fumble

next week will be a tough matchup. Bears are playing well and would love to be a spoiler. Regardless, our Love has had a pretty darn good first season I’d say. Bad D had killed this team for far too long. Get it fixed and I can see another trophy in the case.

 

[El Guapo]

Dud: whomever it was in the pre-game thread that disagreed with me that the Vikings offense is a joke. I watched them every week all season. For their offense is Costanza, king of the….

Listen, we beat up a deflated and hapless football team. I loved every minute of it surrounded by my extended family-in-laws.

Now, we actually have a difficult game against the Bears. I’m looking forward to seeing the outcome.

 

[BrokenArrow]

I actually think Reed playing through his issue finally hit the breaking point tonight and he will be out.

Where did you see that?

 

[ThePerfectBeard]

I don't think we need to talk about the duds this week thankfully.

Studs: Love! I forgot what football podcast I was listening to, but they basically said the Vikings are a good measuring stick for a new quarterback because of their somewhat complicated disguised blitz packages. Quarterbacks that can't diagnose them quickly suffer and Love was just picking them apart! Things are seemingly slowing way down for him and it's exciting!

Kraft. I love this kid more and more every week! His attitude, his posts, and then him protect AJ was the cherry on top. The tight end room is going to be awesome going forward!

Reed. The kid is just a stud when he's healthy. Nothing more really needs to be said.

Offensive line also gets a stud because they're really starting to gel.

Ballentine gets a stud for locking up Jefferson pretty much. I know the quarterback situation wasn't ideal, but he still deserves praise for that performance.

 

[DarkHelmet]

I haven't been able to watch too many games this season for a variety of reasons, but I'm glad I was able to catch this one. Studs and duds have already been covered, but I'd give an extra high five to Melton. He made some clutch grabs.

I'm willing to step up and eat some crow -- I didn't think the Packers had a chance at the playoffs. To be playing meaningful football in January is great. Back in the early part of the season I posted something like "The Packers are a mediocre team with a mediocre offense, a mediocre QB, a a mediocre head coach and a worse than mediocre defense." So where do they stand now? The record of 8-8 says middle of the league, the very definition of mediocre. But the way they got there matters, obviously. They were quite poor in first half and much improved in the second half. That's encouraging.

About Love specifically, I have been in the "why on earth did we draft Love" camp from Day 1. My belief was that he was likely to be a middle of the league quarterback at best. I believed that if he ended up as high as 12th in passer rating for the season I'd be very pleasantly surprised and willing to admit I was wrong. Where does he stand now? Love has moved up to 11th in the league in passer rating, 10th in the league passing yards and 3rd in the league in TDs. So I am ready, willing and able to admit I was wrong about him. The kid can play. I don't think he's going to be the next Rodgers -- there may never be another QB with Rodgers' unique skill set -- but he can win games for us if the scheme is good and the defense doesn't give away the store.

All that said, I wouldn't get too hyped about last night simply because the Vikings were awful. Awful on offense, awful on defense. This was one of the rare occasions when the Packers didn't make a star out of a fourth string QB. I'll give Barry a little credit -- the plan to contain Jefferson was good, and the players mostly executed. But I was stunned that the Vikings couldn't cover Melton. In fact, it looked like they didn't even know he was on the field. He was SO open on a bunch of plays that you might have assumed all the Viking secondary was taking a coffee break. Some of the arching floaters Love put up might have been intercepted or at least broken up by a decent defense. The Vikings made the Pack look better than they really are, IMHO. Let's remember that last week the Packers defense nearly gave away the game to one of the worst teams in the league.

Bottom line: they won a game they had to win, they did it in Minnesota, they did it with room to spare and they were fun to watch. Next week is going to do a lot to determine how I feel about MLF. The Packers should be able to beat the Bears in a home game with a playoff berth on the line. If MLF has them ready to play and provides an intelligent game plan I'll consider moving him up to "above mediocre" in my mind. Barry would have to have his unit win multiple playoff games for me to be willing to keep him.

So bring on as much crow as you like. I was wrong on several counts about this team. Most importantly, I was wrong about Love. Which is fantastic. I was very much hoping to be wrong about him.

 

[tynimiller]

Where did you see that?

See? He’s been dealing with his chest/abdominal issues for weeks and playing through.

My contact said team won’t know till testing as we texted last night, to the severity of the injury. If it is more the same he’ll likely be typical Reed and fight through but worry is there he did more.

 

[BrokenArrow]

See? He’s been dealing with his chest/abdominal issues for weeks and playing through.

I'm aware of that.

My contact said team won’t know till testing as we texted last night, to the severity of the injury.

Obviously.

If it is more the same he’ll likely be typical Reed and fight through but worry is there he did more.

So we're speculating. You're just speculating the opposite I am. Guess we'll find out later this week.

 

[Poppa San]

I have to admit that I questioned that one myself - was that the play that set up the kerfuffle where Aaron Jones got whacked upside the head? The long ball at that point just seemed a little out of character for the LaFleur Packers at that point.

Still, if it was the Packers poking the Vikies in the eye for their after the whistle stuff -- I love it.

It was out of character and it worked. I'm sure the defense was expecting another run or short pass to the sticks and a burn the clock before a TO and punt. The point was to get a first down, not score.

 

[gopkrs]

My favorites: LaFleur for changing those lousy passes 5 yards deep on the sidelines with two or three w/o blockers, to swing passes which worked pretty consistently. And not using the reverse which everyone is looking for. Also, the DBs. They were covering the field. And swarming to tackle.
dud: people who say Nixon is not good and he is just too tired to return punts. Doghouses suck. No way he did not learn his lesson.

 

[Zartan]

Studs
Entire Offense, Defense, Joe Berry shockingly

Duds
Carlson.

 

[Team Ronny]

Studs: Wr and te coaches for getting these guys on the same page and making no name guys look like pro bowlers!

Also the the whole team for having Jordan's back. These guys truly want him to succeed! You don't always hear guys say that.