Week 15: Colts (4-8-1) at VIKINGS (10-3)

[vike daddy]

On 12/12/2022 at 6:35 AM, swede700 said:

Game 14

When:  1:00 PM EST December 11th

we sure about that...?

[ArcticNorseman]

First game of the final 4 - it's now or never to start playing monumentally better.   It's great the team has generally avoided significant injuries; by comparison look at the Rams and Bucs, especially their lines.

Goes without saying, our D HAS to play better.  Stopping Taylor, those big WRs and a former MVP is nothing to take lightly.  

Offensively, I feel the Vikes should be fine and score 30+, but when that isn't enough?

This late in the year, the D should be showing us something . . . Sadly, all that talent isn't stopping the run or creating fear in QBs or WRs.   

[swede700]

16 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

we sure about that...?

Oops, forgot to change the date.  🤣  Thanks for catching that!

Edited December 13, 2022 by swede700

[swede700]

29 minutes ago, Morlee said:

I’d sit Darrisaw again.  Unless you’re 100% confident that he is as healthy as he will be come playoffs. I’ll go with Udoh for this one, even though that scares me, a lot. 
 

I had this marked as a trap game many weeks ago. I still see it that way. Vikings refuse to do anything to improve the defense, even handing over play calling duties to someone else. So, when you continue to ignore it, you deserve to reap what you sow. 

Let’s not do ourselves a disservice. I don’t see how, if our defense gives up another 450+ yard offensive performance to the Colts, that no alterations are made. 

I think you have to play Darrisaw just to get him back as he hasn't played much in the last month (he suffered the first concussion in the Buffalo game).  The likelihood is he's going to sit against the Bears, so you just need him to get back into the flow before the playoffs.  

As far as alterations, it's already been intimated by P2 that they've put some things into this week's game plan to alter their pass-rushing scheme in hopes of improving it. 

Edited December 13, 2022 by swede700

[Morlee]

1 minute ago, swede700 said:

I think you have to play Darrisaw just to get him back in the flow as he hasn't played much in the last month (he suffered the first concussion in the Buffalo game).  The likelihood is he's going to sit against the Bears, so you just need him to get back into the flow before the playoffs.  

As far as alterations, it's already been intimated by P2 that they've already put some things into this week's game plan to alter their pass-rushing scheme in hopes of improving it. 

P2 is a good guy.  He isn’t going to be fully honest.  That defense isn’t going to do anything. And because, like you said, they’re afraid of hurting feelings, they won’t do what may be necessary.  Pettine HAS to be a better option. Even if he isn’t good. Subpar to close to average has to be an improvement. 

[Morlee]

3 minutes ago, swede700 said:

I think you have to play Darrisaw just to get him back as he hasn't played much in the last month (he suffered the first concussion in the Buffalo game).  The likelihood is he's going to sit against the Bears, so you just need him to get back into the flow before the playoffs.  

As far as alterations, it's already been intimated by P2 that they've put some things into this week's game plan to alter their pass-rushing scheme in hopes of improving it. 

As for this game, maybe bring him back next week.  This game isn’t important unless SF catches you.

 

The Giants game and the GB game will get him back in the groove. 

[VikeManDan]

If he clears protocol he plays. If he doesn't, he doesn't play. You can't rest a healthy player in a potential division clinching game.

[swede700]

1 minute ago, VikeManDan said:

If he clears protocol he plays. If he doesn't, he doesn't play. You can't rest a healthy player in a potential division clinching game.

He's cleared the protocol, which is why he started practicing last Friday.

[VikeManDan]

1 minute ago, swede700 said:

He's cleared the protocol, which is why he started practicing last Friday.

Well then he should most definitely play, not sure what @Morlee is discussing otherwise for.

[Morlee]

1 minute ago, VikeManDan said:

Well then he should most definitely play, not sure what @Morlee is discussing otherwise for.

Wasn’t he cleared last time and got another concussion? That’s what I’m discussing. Due diligence. 

 

So clearly it isn’t as black and white as you’re making it out to be. 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Morlee

[JDBrocks]

31 minutes ago, Morlee said:

P2 is a good guy.  He isn’t going to be fully honest.  That defense isn’t going to do anything. And because, like you said, they’re afraid of hurting feelings, they won’t do what may be necessary.  Pettine HAS to be a better option. Even if he isn’t good. Subpar to close to average has to be an improvement. 

So a player, and head coach both talk about changing things on the defensive side of the ball after being lit up for 6 weeks in a row and you've come to the conclusion that they aren't going to do anything differently? The overall scheme isn't changing, no matter how much you want it to. Even if they did what you are advocating, Mike Pettine is not installing a new defense with 4 more weeks left in the season.

[JDBrocks]

38 minutes ago, swede700 said:

I think you have to play Darrisaw just to get him back as he hasn't played much in the last month (he suffered the first concussion in the Buffalo game).  The likelihood is he's going to sit against the Bears, so you just need him to get back into the flow before the playoffs.  

As far as alterations, it's already been intimated by P2 that they've put some things into this week's game plan to alter their pass-rushing scheme in hopes of improving it. 

I can only imagine the backlash if Udoh plays, misses a block like he generally does, and gets Cousins injured.

[vikesfan89]

48 minutes ago, Morlee said:

Pettine HAS to be a better option. 

Have we learned nothing? It can always be worse 

[swede700]

Mike Pettine's defenses in GB:  29th (2018), 15th (2019) and 17th (2020), so it's hard to say that he'd be much better.  Just like Donatell, he's had good defenses and bad ones.  He had good to great ones in both Buffalo and with the Jets, but he too hasn't coordinated (and called plays) for a good defense in about 10 years. 

Changing play-callers ain't going to make much of a difference because neither one of them is Mike Zimmer, who is probably the most brilliant defensive play-caller (alongside Fangio) in generations.  We'll see in this game what kind of schematic changes have been made and go from there.  

[VikeManDan]

54 minutes ago, Morlee said:

Wasn’t he cleared last time and got another concussion? That’s what I’m discussing. Due diligence. 

So clearly it isn’t as black and white as you’re making it out to be. 

Buffalo he suffered #1, was cleared to play and suffered #2 against Dallas, has sat the last 3 games (Pats, Jets, Lions)? Is that accurate?

Perhaps the clearing of protocols needs to be more strict? Yes, definitely not as black and white as I'm making it out to be but he was already held out against the Lions for precautionary reasons. How long do you hold him out for precautionary reasons?