Week 3: Raiders (1-1) at VIKINGS (1-1)

[wcblack34]

There is no recency bias on my part. Hated the signing when it happened. Hate it still. Kirk is who he is in year 8. Will he always be as bad as last week? No. Will he be good enough to win a Super Bowl? Only under the most ideal of circumstances. Unfortunately, we are stuck with him through next year. But this team had better start thinking about life after Kirk. He absolutely does not deserve another contract. 

[vike daddy]

For a duo as productive as Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen were in 2018, the production so far in 2019 for this tandem has been relatively modest. The two have combined for 11 catches, 204 yards and one touchdown on 20 targets in two games.

Their matchup this week against the Raiders would appear favorable because there’s nothing modest about the production Oakland has surrendered through the air. No team has allowed more passing yards than the Raiders (682), plus the combined production for the top two wide receivers for each of the Raiders opponents amounts to 24 receptions for 427 yards and three touchdowns, a stat line that does not include tight end Travis Kelce’s numbers from last week (seven receptions for 107 yards and one touchdown).

 

A much better matchup in Sunday’s contest will be Dalvin Cook and the Vikings rushing attack versus Oakland’s stout run defense. Through two games, Oakland has allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yards (126) and they rank fourth in yards per carry allowed at 2.8. The Vikings, meanwhile, have been running seemingly at will through two games. Behind Cook’s fast start (two 100-yard games), the Vikings rank tied for second in rushing yards (370), fourth in per-carry average (5.7) and tied for the most rushing scores (four).

https://www.vikings.com/news/5-vikings-raiders-storylines-to-follow?sf219670288=1

Edited September 18, 2019 by vike daddy

[vikesfan89]

3 hours ago, Virginia Viking said:

Thanks for your post.  I agree with all that you have articulated here.  I think I might have gotten myself in trouble by wondering aloud about the possibility of benching Cousins if he has another bad outing and the Vikings fall behind in the score.  I didn't articulate myself particularly elegantly or clearly.  The other thing that I didn't realize is the overall hesitancy of benching starting quarterbacks in the modern NFL.  It was pretty common in past eras to bench quarterbacks who are having rough outings in much the same way you would pull a starting pitcher who was getting tagged and losing.  The idea was that a benching might actually do the quarterback some good.  None of them liked it.  However, I think if someone like Terry Bradshaw honestly reflected on his early career, Chuck Noll did him a favor by benching him multiple times.  It inspired him, eventually, to play better and more under control.  The modern game is different.  Quarterbacks might not respond well to the "tough love" that might have occurred in the past.  Anyway, I will be taking all of this into account as I comment on Cousins in the future. Accordingly, I will attempt to add more objectivity to comments.

To be fair, you did mention benching him because of the defense giving up points and not his own performance in the game

[Uncle Buck]

9 hours ago, Virginia Viking said:

I'm not sure that Buck was advocating completely benching Cousins or pulling him when behind.  I don't want to put words in his mouth or on his keyboard, but I think he is basically saying ride Cousins for the duration.  I think I remain the only foolish over reactive member of the board regarding Cousins.

2

Nothing foolish or overreactive about what you said.  We are all allowed to have an opinion, and there is nothing wrong if it happens to be a dissenting one.  I respect your ideas and your contributions. 

[SteelKing728]

The only way Davis plays is likely on ST. But even then I doubt he'll be active.

[Guest]

11 hours ago, vikesfan89 said:

To be fair, you did mention benching him because of the defense giving up points and not his own performance in the game

True.  My assumption was that the offense was not keeping pace with the opponents offense...thus, not benching him if the other team scores first.  However, I don't think I am the only one here who has noticed that Cousins performance is generally much better with a lead than it is when he has to guide the offense when the team is behind.

[RaidersAreOne]

We got this baby!!!!

 

Jk we're going to lose by 21.

[RaidersAreOne]

Quote

Our O should go through Jacobs who is looking very solid, but he's also banged up and didn't practice.

Update: I just saw Jacobs' IG story and he said he's super sick and has lost 10 pounds already since last week. If he plays he isn't going to be the same. This is a massive blow for the Raiders.

Edited September 19, 2019 by RaidersAreOne

[vikingsrule]

17 hours ago, wcblack34 said:

There is no recency bias on my part. Hated the signing when it happened. Hate it still. Kirk is who he is in year 8. Will he always be as bad as last week? No. Will he be good enough to win a Super Bowl? Only under the most ideal of circumstances. Unfortunately, we are stuck with him through next year. But this team had better start thinking about life after Kirk. He absolutely does not deserve another contract. 

Cousins has another year to show it. But If the Vikes miss the playoffs again, they must go all in and do what it takes to land a top rated QB in the draft. MN can’t afford to miss the playoffs again and go into Cousins third year without a viable developmental option who can start when Cousins deal is up. 

[wcblack34]

1 hour ago, vikingsrule said:

Cousins has another year to show it. But If the Vikes miss the playoffs again, they must go all in and do what it takes to land a top rated QB in the draft. MN can’t afford to miss the playoffs again and go into Cousins third year without a viable developmental option who can start when Cousins deal is up. 

I think they need to do that regardless. Kirk is not the Top 5-7  QB he is paid as. When it comes time to resign him, he'll only cost more. We can't continue to tie up that much cap in a guy who can't carry the team.

 

[SteelKing728]

4 hours ago, RaidersAreOne said:

We got this baby!!!!

 

Jk we're going to lose by 21.

Carlson might still have the game of his life though. I wish our kickers weren't cursed.

And there is no guarantee yinz lose. Just get to an early lead and watch what happens.

[vike daddy]

Josh Jacobs has an illness as well as a groin injury, he posted on social media earlier Thursday. That isn’t stopping the Raiders running back from practicing. Scott Bair of NBCSportsBayArea.com reports that Jacobs and receiver Tyrell Williams are on the field for the start of practice. Offensive tackle Trent Brown is not.

Williams has a hip pointer. Brown has a knee injury.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/09/19/josh-jacobs-is-on-practice-field-despite-illness-groin-injury/

[skywindO2]

I don't see how we can lose but I thought the same about week 3 against the Bills last year. Hoping for no surprises. 

[Scottish_Viking]

Expect a comfortable win, just hoping for no key injuries. On a side note is it possible to lose faith in a player based mainly on one play. I am still trying to get my head around kirks endzone INT. It was such a boneheaded play that I dont think I can.put any trust on Kirk after that throw. The situation in the game the down when he threw just boggles my mind. Pass protection needs to improve, it almost seemed like cousins was inder pressure on every dropback. It just sucks that there is a QB accross the border that would probably guarantee this team a Lombardi

[TENINCH]

Kurt will throw 5 touchdowns and Dalvin will run for 1.