Week 2: VIKINGS (1-0) at Packers (1-0)

[SemperFeist]

One of my biggest issues during the game, especially in the 1st half, is that they were not calling plays that got Cousins on the move. We didn’t see them trying to move the pocket, despite the interior getting abused. 

It was frustrating seeing GB moving the pocket for Rodgers, and basically calling a game like I thought we’d see. 

[Klomp]

How rattled was Zimmer after the game? He actually told Tomasson he asked a good question.

[Robb_K]

2 hours ago, Cearbhall said:

Oh, we are on the hook for his salary this year. Any trade would likely keep us on the hook for most of that. Trading him would be about getting out of his contract for next year.

As far as who would want him after his game today, I don't know but the Vikings and Jets both wanted him after watching him play in Washington. It is not like he looked better than average there. He is still the same guy that he was when we signed him which was when other teams wanted him too. Teams with playoff ambitions do silly things sometimes. Look at what Rick did when Teddy was injured. Kirk Cousins is not worse than Supreme Captain Checkdown Bradford. was when the Vikings traded for him.

Late Add:

I would trade Kirk Cousins to the Saints straight up for Teddy Bridgewater right now even with the cap allocation being left exactly the same for both teams this year.  And yes, I have seen has Teddy has done in Teddy's two most recent games with extended action.

So would I.  Teddy looks like he's back physically, to 99% of what he was before his injury.  With some more games' experience, he will be better than Cousins.  I never liked the idea of $84 million fully guaranteed for 4 years.  I didn't like the idea of Keenum for $12 million.  But, I realised that The Vikings couldn't risk the decent possibility that Teddy might never come back from his severe injury.  Too bad.

[Klomp]

Win all your home games. Win half your road games.

That will always be my regular season recipe for success. There's a little give and take, but that's the goal.

Coming into the week, I classified this game as one we could've won, but not necessarily one that we should've won. Losing this one does place a little more importance on winning some of the toss-ups later in the season though.

[Klomp]

2 hours ago, Vikes_Bolts1228 said:

I would too but if the team doesn't make the playoffs this year, I honestly can't see Spielman coming back.

Rick went all in giving Kirk $84 million guaranteed and I don't see the Wilf's being too happy if Kirk misses the playoffs in at least two of his three years.

If Rick is GM, does he trade up and go for broke in the 2020 draft and hope he hits? If he does draft a QB early, how do you bench Kirk when he's making a crap ton of money? I guess it'll be easier if the team is sucking but even then....Rick is probably gone.

Will the new GM take a big risk like that from jump street? 

I just don't see the trade up coming in 2020 regardless of who's GM. I think 2021 would be the earliest we see it.

Regardless, I think it's time for a new GM. Rick has proven he can't find a QB.

A team is bigger than one position on the field.

Rick is responsible for more than just the Kirk Cousins signing. How about drafting Dalvin Cook? Stefon Diggs? Danielle Hunter? I could go on, but I think you get the point. Spielman is responsible for the entire team.

This team has won 62 games (entering 2019) since Spielman was promoted to GM. That's tied for the 11th most in the league and 6th most in the NFC. Interesting to note that only three of the franchises ahead of us on that list have won Super Bowls (just one from NFC). Throw one more team in there if you're talking about Super Bowl losers.

Furthermore, since he got his guy in here as head coach, the team's 47 wins entering 2019 were 6th in the NFL and 3rd in the NFC. Only two franchises ahead of us have made it to the Super Bowl (one NFC).

That's not a fireable offense.

[Klomp]

Lots of criticism over the INT, but this one might be just as bad. (the throw was to Diggs on the midfield logo)

 

[PrplChilPill]

33 minutes ago, Klomp said:

A team is bigger than one position on the field.

Rick is responsible for more than just the Kirk Cousins signing. How about drafting Dalvin Cook? Stefon Diggs? Danielle Hunter? I could go on, but I think you get the point. Spielman is responsible for the entire team.

This team has won 62 games (entering 2019) since Spielman was promoted to GM. That's tied for the 11th most in the league and 6th most in the NFC. Interesting to note that only three of the franchises ahead of us on that list have won Super Bowls (just one from NFC). Throw one more team in there if you're talking about Super Bowl losers.

Furthermore, since he got his guy in here as head coach, the team's 47 wins entering 2019 were 6th in the NFL and 3rd in the NFC. Only two franchises ahead of us have made it to the Super Bowl (one NFC).

That's not a fireable offense.

How many times have they made the playoffs, vs not? The record is not good enough, not close. Not even a little.

[Scottish_Viking]

frustrating doesnt come close. We gave them a 21 point lead git ourselves back in it and then kirk goes a floats one into blanket coverage. We are a better team which makes it even harder to take. Ironically the INT looked a carbon copy of the Harris INT last week. Well onwards and upwards expecting a big reaction next sunday

[HitStickAllDay]

Just re-watched the game. Kirk made some terrible decisions. Also made some pretty good throws. I actually think Cousins has a chance to improve. It will come down to coaching, finding a mentor, and psychological work. 

I’m sticking with momentum being a huge issue for Cousins. Every time he would dig out of a hole something would happen. Dropped pass by Diggs, absurd penalties, questionable play calling. 

What I think Cousins needs is emotional support. He’s too hard on himself. Everyone says he’s making $84mm therefore he should be superhuman. It does not suppress the fact that he’s a human being. So, what this type of person needs is, I think, unconditional support. Yelling at him. Blaming him for everything will break him. So it’s a choice, do they want to lift him up? Or fall back on the easy route and say he makes xx$ and therefore “should” be this or that. This is what great coaches and mentors do. Figure out how to work with people. 

 

If if you told me we’d be down 21 in Lambeau in the first quarter and we didn’t roll over and quit and made it a close game. I’d be happy. Mistakes were made, but they are fixable. It’s a choice if the coaches see it for the way it is. 

[Klomp]

1 hour ago, PrplChilPill said:

How many times have they made the playoffs, vs not? The record is not good enough, not close. Not even a little.

NFC playoff appearances since 2012 (full Spielman era)

Seattle 6
Green Bay 5
Carolina 4
Atlanta 3
Dallas 3
Minnesota 3
New Orleans 3
Philadelphia 3

NFC playoff appearances since 2014 (Zimmer era)

Seattle 4
Carolina 3
Dallas 3
Green Bay 3
Arizona 2
Atlanta 2
Detroit 2
Los Angeles 2
Minnesota 2
New Orleans 2
Philadelphia 2

The issue I see is consistency. This is something that goes beyond this coaching staff's tenure, this front office's tenure, and even this ownership group's tenure. Think about the fact that we haven't been to the playoffs three consecutive seasons in this century. And we've only been a playoff team in consecutive seasons once in that span.

Back to the current management, there were things that were simply unavoidable that Spielman couldn't see coming and couldn't really prepare for. Zimmer got the team to 7-9 in his first year despite Adrian Peterson being placed on the commissioner's list after Week 1. The next year, they make the playoffs. Momentum is quickly halted going into the following season thanks to a freak injury to our starting QB in Week 3 of the preseason, plus Peterson goes down with a season-long injury in Week 2. The next year we make the playoffs. Then there's last year.

There has to be an understanding of context when looking at situations. It was not Rick Spielman's fault that Adrian Peterson and Teddy Bridgewater missed all of those games.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Klomp

[Hunter2_1]

5 hours ago, Klomp said:

Win all your home games. Win half your road games.

That will always be my regular season recipe for success.

Literally exactly what we (Pats) did last season.

I think Kirk does have the tools, and without knowing too much about MIN's 'scheme' or offensive coaching, could it be that they're not making it easy enough for him currently? Compare it to LAR, who put Goff into a warmed leather chair all game and ask him to throw to open reads. MUCH easier said than done, it takes monumental coaching skill, but is it maybe more up to the coaching than Kirk? I don't know, just wondering

[Vikes_Bolts1228]

5 hours ago, Klomp said:

 

Furthermore, since he got his guy in here as head coach, the team's 47 wins entering 2019 were 6th in the NFL and 3rd in the NFC. Only two franchises ahead of us have made it to the Super Bowl (one NFC).

That's not a fireable offense.

You raise good points but at what point do you go in a new direction? How long can you stay on the current path of one good year, one .500 year.....one good year, one .500 year, etc?

The Kirk signing was 100% an all-in move by Rick. He gave him an unprecedented contract (at the time) and it's proven to be a horrible contract so far. What if Kirk goes 0 for 3 and doesn't make the playoffs (I don't think that will happen)? Is that just an "Ohh well! We tried! On to the next idea at QB! Maybe we'll figure it out this decade!" Do you think the Wilf's will be pleased $84 million came out of their bank on what might be considered one of the worst free agent signings the team has ever made?

You say there's more to a team besides QB. 100% true....but at the end of the day, you do not win in the NFL without one unless you have a historical defense and catch lightning in a bottle. Rick hasn't been able to identify a QB in over a decade and it has honestly hurt the team like it does so many others.

Do you fire Zimmer? Do you fire the GM? Do you fire both? Or do we just keep on the track of what we've been doing sine 2014?

If Kirk doesn't get it done, I think something has to happen. Whether it's Rick, Zimmer, or both.....if this Kirk thing proves to be an epic bust, how can you go forward with the status quo?

 

 

 

[gopherwrestler]

Relaxed a night and stayed off everything to review my thoughts. Still just bummed because I still believe we are the better team. Yes, it was like last week where we jumped out to the lead, but our situations just didn’t add up for us to win. 

Bailey missed FG, still hate the Cook PI penalty, in reality it didn’t effect the play, and he just got scrambled up in the junk, the Diggs taking his helmet off really hurt, probably go for 2 there. And at the end of the day, just penalties killed us. Really this game should have never fell on Cousins, but it’s going to and still deserves his fair share of the blame. 

 

I can get over a road loss in Green Bay, but next week we really have to punch the Raiders in the mouth or my faith will really start falling off. This is probably the most all around talented team we have had since I really got into watching the Vikings. The team is good enough to make a run and beat anybody.

[wcblack34]

6 hours ago, HitStickAllDay said:

I actually think Cousins has a chance to improve. It will come down to coaching, finding a mentor, and psychological work. 

It's year 8. I'm pretty sure that the list of QB's improving drastically after their 8th season is a an incredibly short one. 

[wcblack34]

2 hours ago, Vikes_Bolts1228 said:

You raise good points but at what point do you go in a new direction? How long can you stay on the current path of one good year, one .500 year.....one good year, one .500 year, etc?

..... how can you go forward with the status quo?

 

 

 

***Prays*** Please don't ask Cincinnati for advice ***Prays***