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Week 4: TNF - Vikings @ Rams


CriminalMind

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2 strong teams, coming in banged up.
Vikings are disadvantaged going across the country to LA for a Thursday game.
Talib & Peters out.
Griffen out for Minny.
Dalvin Cook expected to play.

What does Minny do to slow down the Rams front 4 pass rush? [short, quick passes?]
What does Rams do to ensure Diggs/Thielen don't turn medium passes into long gains? [more in the box play?]

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I hope the Vikings show up this week. Last week was embarrassing. I know Griffen is probably on their minds but that can't be a distraction at this point.

Im worried about Suh, Donald and Brockers having a field day against the banged up Vikings OL. Elflein returns though. If Cousins can find time, Diggs and Thielen could be in for big games.

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There are two sides to this game thats interesting to me. 

1) The Rams top two corners are out. The Vikings have an advantage there....BUT...Cousins the the most pressured QB in the NFL, so do you want him dropping back throwing alot with Suh and Donald looming? I think this will be a Suh and Donald game where the Rams in general start racking up a bunch of sacks. I think the Rams secondary still is good. They dont have an elite secondary without Peters and Talib but Shields is a former pro bowler (his only knack has been injuries but he is healthy and feeling good). Robey-Coleman is one of the best nickle corners in the NFL. Hill wasnt playing in the Rams/Vikings game last season but he is quietly a good corner for the Rams. Not to mention Joyner and Johnson are two very good safeties. So while everyone is just thinking the Rams secondary is trash now without Peters and Talib, I think with the bad oline for the Vikings, the still dominant force for the Rams up front combined with the Rams still having a decent to good secondary, do the Vikings choose to throw alot with Suh and Donald looming?

2) McVay doesnt forget. Last season was easily the Rams worst game in the McVay era when the Rams traveled to Minnesota and lost to the Vikings. I am willing to bet the Rams wont have that same showing again. Win or lose the Rams offense is going to better this time around. The two keys to the Rams offense is Goff being better this season than last season. Last season alot of people were saying the reason why Goff was looking this good was because he was throwing to guys wide open alot. This season Goff is steadily putting the ball into tight windows. Another key is Cooks. Last season I truly believe for Watkins was a decoy because he came on to the Rams far to late. Then you factor in he just isnt a better receiver than Cooks. We are going to see the Vikings struggle to key in on Cooks, Kupp, and Woods. Teams know what the Rams are going to do but the playcalling and players are so great its just hard to stop it. Again, McVay doesnt forget. The storyline might be the Vikings overlooked the Bills to focus on the Rams. Well McVay and the Rams probably circled this game thinking they have revenge on their mind from what took play in Minnesota last season. 

Overall though its going to be a fun one. I got the Rams winning 27-21. I think its going to come down to Cousins and the Vikings with the ball for a chance to score a td and possibly win late but Donald saves the day with a big sack just like he did last season to Hoyer and the Niners on TNF to held the Rams hold on to the victory.

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The Rams haven't faced a good defence this season and I expect this to be close as a result.  Donald will dominate the interior  but if Cousins has time there could be some passes to be made.  Too bad both teams aren't at full strength, but teams never are anyways

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Feel like Minnesota jumps out to a sizable (14-0, 21-3 type) lead after getting embarrassed by Buffalo. Feel they'll play really solid and rally with Griffen out. Also helps that the Rams are missing both they're starting corners against one of the leagues top 5 passing attacks. I think the Rams gut it out, but expect a really solid and good game.

Also worth noting that Stephen Weatherly (expected DE to start in place of Griffen) was the key defender who helped stop the Rams from getting their play action game from going last year in Minneapolis.

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