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

[JDBrocks]

some people, man...

[VikeManDan]

I'll be curious to see if we've improved handling interior pressure on offense and how our run defense holds up. Packers dominated us in both last year. 

[Uncle Buck]

On 9/10/2020 at 7:39 AM, Virginia Viking said:

I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with me, but I cannot remember ever being less excited for a football season!  Maybe it's the whole COVID thing.  Anyone else kind of feeling "meh" about football right now?

I'm feeling the same way, V.V.  I probably haven't been less enthused about football since before 1998.  Between having no fans in the stadium, to the Vikings being in a rebuild/retooling year, to all the politics creeping into the game, and now we have our home game against the Packers with no home field advantage without any fans in the stands and we go into the game without our two best defensive linemen (Hunter and Pierce), I just can't get too excited.  My dad is 90 and it's a way for us to spend some time together every week so he is really looking forward to that.  If it weren't for him, I doubt if I'd even watch too many games this year. 

Edited September 11, 2020 by Uncle Buck

[Uncle Buck]

On 9/10/2020 at 8:56 AM, SteelKing728 said:

This was a good article written by Wobschall. Its not biased and looks at the strengths and weaknesses of both teams a bit.

 

This is nice to see!  I haven't heard anything from Wobby since he left the Vikings. 

[RpMc]

Haven’t missed him since he was fired. 

brought very little true knowledge or insight to the position. There are a dozen people on Twitter, and here as well, who could have done a much better job in the position he held. 

[swede700]

7 minutes ago, RpMc said:

Haven’t missed him since he was fired. 

brought very little true knowledge or insight to the position. There are a dozen people on Twitter, and here as well, who could have done a much better job in the position he held. 

But, he is a true homer.  You always need guys like that.  I do agree that he's never been the most insightful or analytical person when it comes to the Vikings, but he has his place...for every @Arif and @Krauser, we need a Mike Wobschall and Sid Hartman.    

Edited September 11, 2020 by swede700

[Ozzy]

On 9/10/2020 at 7:39 AM, Virginia Viking said:

I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with me, but I cannot remember ever being less excited for a football season!  Maybe it's the whole COVID thing.  Anyone else kind of feeling "meh" about football right now?

If this is the representation of most NFL football fans, then yes I also feel quite meh about the NFL season.  For one, little to no fans for any sporting event instantly makes the sporting event less interesting to watch.  There is far less drama, less player reaction and pandering which can be a good thing and a bad thing at times.  No home field advantage and no hard road victories just makes everything simply different.  The NFL does not have much in terms of traditions or pageantry compared to college football, or bands for that matter but yeah lack of fans make everything a little worse and less interesting to view on TV, cannot imagine the difference in person.

 

I have watched all the NBA playoffs, still enjoy it but obviously a win is not the same when it is in the bubble.  But yeah if this display by only a few Chiefs fans is an example of the society today, with the fan reactions to the players sign of unity between teams, yeah maybe none should be allowed to watch in person.   I would not be surprised to see the players boycott like the NBA if that keeps up.  I mean honestly so people want to keep suppressing others to boost yourself up?  If so the society sucks then.  

 

PS bull**** NBC did not pipe up the crowd noise in that game, no way that crowd was just as load as any crowd is, which is what it came off as listening to it TV.  Al Michaels even said it in the broadcast that the crowd noise was real, no way.  

 

 

Going to a local event recently outside, I had a mask on, did not want to wear it and do not like wearing it, but I had it on to protect others for possibly getting it from me out of respect for them.  Then you see others without it on potentially infecting myself when I have this on to protect them form me!  So why should I care about them when they do not care about me?  That is the crap reality of all of this, and ones political opinions is usually exactly why one has a mask or does not.  Yeah America could be in deep ****, so of course football is not a main focus right now and should not be.  

[RpMc]

23 minutes ago, swede700 said:

But, he is a true homer.  You always need guys like that.  I do agree that he's never been the most insightful or analytical person when it comes to the Vikings, but he has his place...for every @Arif and @Krauser, we need a Mike Wobschall and Sid Hartman.    

Need is a strong word.... that I would not personally use. 

[Cearbhall]

19 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

If this is the representation of most NFL football fans, then yes I also feel quite meh about the NFL season. 

I am not sure I caught what the fans were doing. Is it just that they were not completely quite or was there more than that? I might not understand the context of what was going on there well enough. Were they asked to be quite? If so, for what reason?

Without knowing the details, I am going to guess that this had something to do with kneeling for the national anthem, but this was a replacement. If so, I am much in favor of a replacement for kneeling. It doesn't surprise me that there are some that disagree with that and would rather see them kneel. Personally, I find protests during the anthem distasteful and disrespectful so I would rather they go with whatever alternative display that was. So what if some fans think they should stick to the kneeling. Improvement is improvement. 

[Uncle Buck]

32 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Does it look to anyone else like the Chiefs have about three times as many players as the Texans do?  No wonder they won the Super Bowl! 

 

[RpMc]

9 minutes ago, Cearbhall said:

I am not sure I caught what the fans were doing. Is it just that they were not completely quite or was there more than that? I might not understand the context of what was going on there well enough. Were they asked to be quite? If so, for what reason?

Without knowing the details, I am going to guess that this had something to do with kneeling for the national anthem, but this was a replacement. If so, I am much in favor of a replacement for kneeling. It doesn't surprise me that there are some that disagree with that and would rather see them kneel. Personally, I find protests during the anthem distasteful and disrespectful so I would rather they go with whatever alternative display that was. So what if some fans think they should stick to the kneeling. Improvement is improvement. 

The show of unity was also accompanied by a moment of silence through which very audible boos could be heard as a statement of what the players unitedly stood for was up on the big screens. 

going to leave it at that explanation to keep within forum rules. Hope that helps to clear it up for you. 

[Cearbhall]

1 minute ago, RpMc said:

The show of unity was also accompanied by a moment of silence through which very audible boos could be heard as a statement of what the players unitedly stood for was up on the big screens. 

going to leave it at that explanation to keep within forum rules. Hope that helps to clear it up for you. 

K. Thanks. I can imagine what the big screens said.  I think it is great that players did something unitedly but I don't think it should surprise anyone that not everyone agrees with them.  I didn't pick up that the noise was boos. If everyone agreed we wouldn't have a problem, would we?

I wish the TV coverage would stick to football. That is what I tuned in to see and I appreciate that the forum rules here get people to stick to that mostly. Unfortunately, the game itself wasn't all that exciting. The Texans were up after a quarter but things tilted pretty quickly. I watched until the end, but I did lose interest pregame and stopped watching until later when the coverage was not about football.

[Ozzy]

26 minutes ago, Cearbhall said:

K. Thanks. I can imagine what the big screens said.  I think it is great that players did something unitedly but I don't think it should surprise anyone that not everyone agrees with them.  I didn't pick up that the noise was boos. If everyone agreed we wouldn't have a problem, would we?

I wish the TV coverage would stick to football. That is what I tuned in to see and I appreciate that the forum rules here get people to stick to that mostly. Unfortunately, the game itself wasn't all that exciting. The Texans were up after a quarter but things tilted pretty quickly. I watched until the end, but I did lose interest pregame and stopped watching until later when the coverage was not about football.

Yes it was the booing that I have issue with.  Think what you wish about kneeling, but last time I checked kneeling is more respectful than standing.  There is a reason almost every religion has the congregation kneel.   Even the dictionary definition is "to kneel....as when praying or showing submission"  

 

So basically certain Chief fans were booing unity and support of those who are oppressed.  Again if that is even a minority of football fans, well than they should just simply not play because that is a disgrace to this society.  They are going to watch a game being played, when a majority or at least half of the members playing have or know individuals that live in said suppressed communities, and to boo the reality of that, yeah things need to change, like now.  

 

Does that have anything to do with football, no.  But obviously sports is just a distraction and entertainment, and to not allow the very athletes than play that sport to not have an opinion, well that simply does not sound very American, does it.   And one cannot pretend the people playing it are not people living in the same society everyone else is living in.  

 

So thus, such unrest in the country makes any sporting event a lot less entertaining and or meaningful.  

 

 

 

But I will get back to football, that game was lame disregarding the fans because the Texans clearly stink without Hopkins who was a massive player for them an a massive leader.  Defensively they were weak in the pass rush, nothing great, that CB group is questionable, nice to see Murray playing though honestly for them.  They have little to no edge rushers at all, Omenihu was out or did not do much it seemed.  Also did not see much of Blacklock on the inside for them who they will greatly depend on.  Looks like PJ Hall played for them and got a few tackles, sure the lack of preseason does not help Blacklock.  Offensively Cobb is nothing, he should retire really, Cooks disappointed in him big time as well for the Texans.  No clue how they do not use those massive TEs anymore and the OL on paper looks ok but they did not look great in that game.  

 

Kelechi Osemele looked great, they got him for nothing I think, wasn't he released.  Took the place of Duvernay-Tardif who is helping out as a doctor during the Pandemic and decided to sit out the season.  Would have been a huge hole for the team on the OL but Osemele looks like he could have rejuvenated his career if he keeps playing like that.  The rook from LSU did great but anyone in that system would do great at RB with Mahomes getting all the attention.  The Texans did not seem into the game though and no shocker why that was the case.  

Edited September 11, 2020 by Ozzy

[whitehops]

46 minutes ago, RpMc said:

Need is a strong word.... that I would not personally use. 

Ugh I hated listening to wobschall. Provided no insight and was delusionally pro-vikings.

 

Still remember when he was doing the pick six (where he answers six questions fans mailed in) after AP got suspended. When asked about the running game without AP. He said “we have McKinnon and Asiata so expect the team to still have an explosive running game”.... Asiata ended up being our leading rusher with 570 yards that season.

that was the last straw for me listening to him.

[Cearbhall]

48 minutes ago, whitehops said:

Ugh I hated listening to wobschall. Provided no insight and was delusionally pro-vikings.

 

Still remember when he was doing the pick six (where he answers six questions fans mailed in) after AP got suspended. When asked about the running game without AP. He said “we have McKinnon and Asiata so expect the team to still have an explosive running game”.... Asiata ended up being our leading rusher with 570 yards that season.

that was the last straw for me listening to him.

I don't remember wobschall. I don't think I ever listen to whatever station he was on. Generally, I have never really cared for the local sports writers that cover the local teams. I did read that article that was linked and found it to be worth the read. He provided some opinion which is as much as we can get from anything right now since we haven't seen hardly anything before the season. Reading it, I found myself thinking most of it made sense. None of it was super profound but it was something to read about the game. Good analysis is hard to come by at this point.

It doesn't take much imagination to think that the Packers offense will run through Aaron Rodgers and the Vikings offense will run through their ground game if they don't fall behind. Seeing a large dose of Dalvin Cook would be a very good thing.  I don't have a lot of confidence that the Vikings will end up beating the Packers but I don't see any reason that it can't happen. The Vikings have some obvious weaknesses but so do the Packers. Will the Packers weak group of WRs be able to exploit the Vikings CBs that will be learning on the job? I think that Zimmer can scheme to hold Adams from a huge day, but will the leftover DBs be up to the task against the remaining group of WRs -- a group that shouldn't scare defensive coordinators. I am pretty concerned about the Vikings run defense. Aaron Jones may end up having a very nice day.

The Vikings do have some bullets to fire too. Thielen is still a legitimate WR1. Cook is still a very good RB. As ever, it will depend on how well the offensive line holds up. Cousins gets flustered if the other team gets quick pressure early in the game. Establishing the run will be important.