Vikes thread!

[LPS]

The long snapper played in the XFL last year and was an all pro or something like that.  He was a standout in college too.  SO maybe he hasn't been polluted by a lot of bad coaches and he may really "blossom" here too.   

[Gunner55]

  The kicker, Romo, was in the XFL & had a good season (17/19) last year but they know the long snapper pretty well.....................The 36-year-old McQuaide is in his 14th season in the NFL, including 10 with the Rams, first in St. Louis, then in Los Angeles. His last year with the Rams, 2020, was current Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell's first season as offensive coordinator of the club. Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels was a teammate of McQuaide for two years (2012-13) and later his assistant special teams coach with the Rams (2018-19).                                                                                                                                                                                          
McQuade also has been a long snapper for Dallas and Detroit and most recently had a practice-squad stint with Chicago last month. He has played in 190 regular-season games and 10 playoff games.

[Gunner55]

It's starting to look like Cashman might be back this week as he took part in a light practice yday. Pace didn't practice at all though. Both are still listed as Questionable. Murphy, a rookie LB they were high on at the start of camp, was designated to come off IR yday too. He's currently listed as LB #3 behind Greenard.

[Leech~~]

I just have a hard time wrapping my mind around the "Long snapper" position.
Like omg no, he's just a center and can only throw the ball backwards between his legs 10" inches!   
 

[Steve-o]

Superstar Mike Morris preferred the term '4th Down Center'   

My guess would be...  if more guys could do it, it wouldn't be such a big deal.  But with NFL game victories potentially riding on every kick, there is ZERO margin for error on the snap and hold.  They gotta be perfect every time.  They're goona cut the kicker SOME slack if he misses a long one, but I don't think the snapper and holder get any. 

I gotta believe the pressure associated with making a perfect snap on a game-winning field goal attempt is right up there with trying to make a birdy putt on 18 to win a golf tournament.  'Cept, there is probably more pressure on the snap, because there's 52 other players + coaches + fans + gamblers counting on you to NOT F-it up.  If you miss the put, you still get to cash the 2nd place check.

P.S.  After you snap the ball, there is a really big guy hovering over you on the other side of the line who only has to wait one second ("one Mississippi") before he gets to surge over the line and clobber you. 

[Gunner55]

  It's normally about 8 yds back from the line of scrimmage that the holder sets up. So, keeping the ball within a few inches of where the holder wants it at almost 25' probably sounds a lot easier than it really is IMO.

[Gunner55]

Apparently, the Vikes aren't the only team that can't get a QB facemask call late in the game. The Ravens got Burrows' twice late in the game last night too. The early 1 was almost as bad as the 1 in the Ram's game IMO. In his postgame interview Burrows was asked about why he didn't make a bigger deal of it during the game than he did. He said it was because he's used to NOT getting those calls. Each year, the committee reviews the competitive aspects of NFL football and may, based on its findings, propose new rules and rule changes. However new rules and rule changes cannot be adopted unless supported by 75% of NFL team owners (which is currently 24 out of 32 team owners) I think this will at the very least get changed to a reviewable play at this offseason.

[Gunner55]

Cashman & Pace are Questionable. Trevor Lawrence isn't expected to play, Mac Jones instead.

[Leech~~]

Losing to a 2-7 team at the half!   

[roony]

Trump's fault.

[Leech~~]

Trump's fault.

Um, not yet next fall maybe!   

[glenn57]

I see the Vikes won without Humpty Trumpdy"s help :rotflmao:or leeches wings.

[mike89]

 

[Leech~~]

I see the Vikes won without Humpty Trumpdy"s help :rotflmao:or leeches wings.

Did you fall out of your tree oh leader of the squirrels?  The wings were done 3 games ago.   

The only person that had a good game just walked on the field as a Viking for his first game and kicked 4 field goals!   

[glenn57]

  what, noone donated to your gofundme!!

[Bobberineyes]

Idk about that Darnold, I was yelling yank him Mullens can't do any worse. Hock can't keep taking those hits either. I'm actually looking forward to next year with McCarthy cuz Darnold will not take this team deep in the post season.

[dutchboy]

Idk about that Darnold, I was yelling yank him Mullens can't do any worse. Hock can't keep taking those hits either. I'm actually looking forward to next year with McCarthy cuz Darnold will not take this team deep in the post season.

Theres a better chance McCarthy will look like the Bears Williams. Be careful what you ask for.

[Leech~~]

Idk about that Darnold, I was yelling yank him Mullens can't do any worse. Hock can't keep taking those hits either. I'm actually looking forward to next year with McCarthy cuz Darnold will not take this team deep in the post season.

I can't decide if it's the players or the play calling? If you have the talent in the players to go 5-0 and then fall flat.  Sounds to me like the talents not being used right like it was! 

[dutchboy]

If Darnold flames as a quarterback he could always pitch for the Twins. There is no touch on his throws, he lets 'er fly whether the receiver is 5 yards or 50 yards away. 1/2 way through the schedule and nobody will need worry about him anymore.

[Gunner55]

Idk about that Darnold, I was yelling yank him Mullens can't do any worse. Hock can't keep taking those hits either. I'm actually looking forward to next year with McCarthy cuz Darnold will not take this team deep in the post season.

I can't decide if it's the players or the play calling? If you have the talent in the players to go 5-0 and then fall flat.  Sounds to me like the talents not being used right like it was! 

It wasn't just Darnold & the Viking's offense that had a bad day. There were 12 games played yday & 8 of 'em had 4 or more turnovers. In fact, the QB for what most are calling the best team in the NFC, the Lions, threw 5 picks & they still won last night. Stroud had 2 more picks & both teams had a fumble for a total of 9 TO's in that game alone. I'm thinkin that there was something in the Gatorade yday, myself.        

[Leech~~]

Idk about that Darnold, I was yelling yank him Mullens can't do any worse. Hock can't keep taking those hits either. I'm actually looking forward to next year with McCarthy cuz Darnold will not take this team deep in the post season.

I can't decide if it's the players or the play calling? If you have the talent in the players to go 5-0 and then fall flat.  Sounds to me like the talents not being used right like it was! 

It wasn't just Darnold & the Viking's offense that had a bad day. There were 12 games played yday & 8 of 'em had 4 or more turnovers. In fact, the QB for what most are calling the best team in the NFC, the Lions, threw 5 picks & they still won last night. Stroud had 2 more picks & both teams had a fumble for a total of 9 TO's in that game alone. I'm thinkin that there was something in the Gatorade yday, myself.        

To me if there are a lot of picks it's because the play callings not working and the QBs are forcing things to try and make something happen. 

[Steve-o]

I've always been baffled why there aren't MORE interceptions.  I know the big difference is the receiver knows the route and the defender doesn't.  But past a certain point, when they'r runnin down the field, and the ball is in the air - just look back, adjust, and go catch it.

Still, easier said than done, I know.  The first responsibility is to defend, to break it up or knock it down, cause if you don't make the catch and get burned for a big gain or score, you didn't do your job.

Plus, what Leech said.  Maybe those QBs get used to seeing their guys make circus catches in practice and take more chances in the game.

[Gunner55]

You both make some good points when they're throwing the ball. But all the TO's in those 8 games weren't Int's, there was a bunch of fumbles too. More than 1/2 of the 49 TO's were fumbles, it was 26 fumbles to 23 Int's, in fact. It's awfully hard to blame a fumble on the QB making a bad throw or a bad play call & them not making the right decision on what to do with the ball. There had to be something in the Gatorade ..........................anyway.....................that's my story & I'm stickin to it.

[Steve-o]

Maybe all the turnovers this week were in the scripts that Goodell sends to each team before the start of the season.

The other thing I don't understand is why aren't there MORE fumbles.  With the speed that the game is played at and the ferocity in which defenders try to dislodge the ball... 

Imagine yourself running and juking down the field as hard as you can - even with two arms wrapped around the ball - and then have either behemoth linemen ripping at your arms or fleet-footed linebackers punching at the ball - I'm surprised most possessions don't end in a fumble.

But y'er Gaterade theory is as good as any.

[Leech~~]

You both make some good points when they're throwing the ball. But all the TO's in those 8 games weren't Int's, there was a bunch of fumbles too. More than 1/2 of the 49 TO's were fumbles, it was 26 fumbles to 23 Int's, in fact. It's awfully hard to blame a fumble on the QB making a bad throw or a bad play call & them not making the right decision on what to do with the ball. There had to be something in the Gatorade ..........................anyway.....................that's my story & I'm stickin to it.

I was just talking about passes, interception and play calling.  Fumbles are defenses getting better at going after the ball.

[LPS]

Just an ugly game but glad we won.  Darnold was throwing like everyone was open but they weren't.  ???   

[Bobberineyes]

Maybe the new guy Robinson that came from Jax gave them a look at our play book... as to why our guys were covered all the time...

[dutchboy]

He seems to have a hard time throwing the receivers open. They are either wide open and he hits them or he drills it in there and sometimes they catch it, sometimes they miss it other times the bad guys get it.

He is far from the worse quarterback to lace em up for the Vikings.

[Bobberineyes]

Can't agree with you more Dutch. The way our defense played it should have been and blow out, when your kicker is scoring all your points there's a problem against a team like that.  It'll be interesting to see the changes made come next Sunday on offense, good teams adjust usually during the game tho..

[Gunner55]

  Was Darnold bad on Sunday?
Well, that question depends on how you want to interpret it. Darnold had really good process throughout the game in identifying the right player to throw the ball to. However, his accuracy and placement needs major improvement moving forward.

As a coaching staff, fixing the placement and working on some of those things is far easier than fixing decision-making. They will go back to the drawing board and try to get those issues fixed, but this is a part of the roller coaster you have with Darnold. You'll have some variance, but the good decision-making is something that will hopefully carry through the rest of the season.