Week 2 Thoughts

[yo123]

Originally Posted by BlindSite

I feel the "it" factor is the element of being able to take a ball the distance on any play and make what you'd think is impossible, possible.

Until AP puts up 31 touchdowns in a calender year, or looks capable of doing the same, he's doesn't have more of anything than LT did in his prime, except power.

Ummm...Peterson is a threat to take it the distance on any play. And his lack of TD's is because of Tarvaris Jackson and only Tarvaris Jackson. You can only break so many 40 yard touchdown runs.

LT has always had at least a decent passing game to take some pressure off him, the Vikings have the worst passing game in the league and he is averageing 5.5 YPC right now.

The torch has been passed, LT was on top for a long time, now it's Peterson...until his legs fall off from having to carry this team on his back.

[brat316]

Week 2 was so amazing, OT games, close games, blow out games, Broncos going for 2. And the MNF blowout games and a grind it out game for SNF.

There is no way Week 3 can top week 2.

[CC.SD]

Originally Posted by yo123

LT has always had at least a decent passing game to take some pressure off him, the Vikings have the worst passing game in the league and he is averageing 5.5 YPC right now.

The torch has been passed, LT was on top for a long time, now it's Peterson...until his legs fall off from having to carry this team on his back.

Uh, no. See 01,02,03 for LT putting up record breaking numbers with the worst passing game in the league. Not to mention probably the worst O-line.

Peterson has not done nearly enough to supplant LT. You're just being incredibly myopic.

[ChezPower4]

Originally Posted by yo123

Ummm...Peterson is a threat to take it the distance on any play. And his lack of TD's is because of Tarvaris Jackson and only Tarvaris Jackson. You can only break so many 40 yard touchdown runs.

LT has always had at least a decent passing game to take some pressure off him, the Vikings have the worst passing game in the league and he is averageing 5.5 YPC right now.

The torch has been passed, LT was on top for a long time, now it's Peterson...until his legs fall off from having to carry this team on his back.

I don't see how Jackson is keeping Peterson from scoring TD's? If Peterson was as good as you say he is (better than LT) then he would be scoring TD's and helping your Team WIN games, which is really the only stat that counts right now. The Vikings as a whole offense are not getting the job done in the red zone for the second straight week. IMO they would've had a chance to beat Green Bay and they would've beat the Colts if they had scored some TD's instead of settling for FG's. Peterson needs to score more TD's in the red zone to take LT's spot of best RB in the league.

[yo123]

Originally Posted by CC.SD

Uh, no. See 01,02,03 for LT putting up record breaking numbers with the worst passing game in the league. Not to mention probably the worst O-line.

Peterson has not done nearly enough to supplant LT. You're just being incredibly myopic.

LOL. The Chargers passing game was never even remotely close to as bad as this Vikings passing game is.

Anyway this has no relevance to who is the best right now anyway, AD ran for almost the same number of yards as LT last year in two less games, and had almost a FULL YARD higher YPC. This with the absolute worst passing game in the league.

This year he is leading the NFL in rushing, still with the worst passing game in the league and without his starting LT, with 5.5 YPC.

[yo123]

Originally Posted by ChezPower4

I don't see how Jackson is keeping Peterson from scoring TD's? If Peterson was as good as you say he is (better than LT) then he would be scoring TD's and helping your Team WIN games, which is really the only stat that counts right now. The Vikings as a whole offense are not getting the job done in the red zone for the second straight week. IMO they would've had a chance to beat Green Bay and they would've beat the Colts if they had scored some TD's instead of settling for FG's. Peterson needs to score more TD's in the red zone to take LT's spot of best RB in the league.

Yeah, because it's so easy to run with 8 in the box and no threat of your QB even hitting a wide open WR.

Peterson was the reason we score any points at all in that game.

[CC.SD]

Originally Posted by yo123

LOL. The Chargers passing game was never even remotely close to as bad as this Vikings passing game is.

Anyway this has no relevance to who is the best right now anyway, AD ran for almost the same number of yards as LT last year in two less games, and had almost a FULL YARD higher YPC. This with the absolute worst passing game in the league.

LT barely played after halftime in a bunch of games last year, but whatever. And not too many people talk about it much these days, but young Brees' was awful; inaccurate and not a lot of power on his throws, plus no protection. We drafted Rivers' because Brees had shown very little to that point. LT was the entire offense...he even caught 100 passes in 03 in addition to 1600 rushing yards on 5.3 per with 17 total TDs.

You can't do an accurate comparison right now, because LT is playing hurt. AD is quite a talent, and probably 2nd, but you can't call him better.

[P-L]

Originally Posted by ChezPower4

I don't see how Jackson is keeping Peterson from scoring TD's?

You don't see how a poor passing game affects a running back's performance? If you can't throw the ball then the opposing defense will stack the box with 8 or nine guys. On Sunday, the Vikings only made it to the red zone once. They ran three plays in the red zone. One rush by Peteson on first down and two passes by Tarvaris Jackson on second and third down. Jackson's second down pass was for 3 yards and his third down pass was incomplete. Now I'd say that was part Tarvaris' fault and part crappy play calling. You can't expect Peterson to bust off a 5-10 yard run every single time. No running back does that.

Against Green Bay the Vikings made it to the red zone three times. The first time they ran 1 play inside the red zone and it was an incomplete pass by Jackson. The second time they ran 4 plays in the red zone and Peterson touched the ball twice. They ended up kicking a FG. The third time they made it to the red zone Peterson scored.

I really fail to see how it's Peterson's fault that he's only received 3 red zone carries in the eight plays the Vikings have run inside the red zone, not counting his touchdown drive.

[yo123]

Originally Posted by CC.SD

LT barely played after halftime in a bunch of games last year, but whatever. And not too many people talk about it much these days, but young Brees' was awful; inaccurate and not a lot of power on his throws, plus no protection. We drafted Rivers' because Brees had shown very little to that point. LT was the entire offense...he even caught 100 passes in 03 in addition to 1600 rushing yards on 5.3 per with 17 total TDs.

You can't do an accurate comparison right now, because LT is playing hurt. AD is quite a talent, and probably 2nd, but you can't call him better.

Ok, but he still had 77 more carries than AD anyway so I don't really get your point. Peterson was just as productive last year if not more and is dominating again this year with Artis Hicks and Ryan Cook as his respective tackes. I don't really care what LT did in 2003 we're talking about the best RB right now.

[diabsoule]

Here are some of my thoughts:

• I agree, Philip Rivers, Jay Cutler, and Ben Roethlisberger are all going to be studs and are the next faces of the NFL. Cutler has stepped it up to another level this year. He is just playing out of his mind, but it helps when you have a stud WR in Brandon Marshall and a developing rookie in Eddie Royal.

• While the Eagles may have lost against the Cowboys on MNF, they have shown that they are back. Their defense looked good and they are getting great QB play from Donovan McNabb. I really think that they stand a good shot to win the division if they continue playing like they have been the past two weeks.

• The NFC West is the worst division in football by far.

• Green Bay hasn't skipped a beat with Aaron Rodgers and look to be the favorites in the division. From the way the teams have been playing I wouldn't be surprised if Minnesota finishes third in the division behind Chicago. If Minnesota wants to be taken seriously as a contender then they either need to trade for a QB (Alex Smith, Shaun Hill, J.P. Losman, or Sage Rosenfels) or put in John David Booty or Gus Ferrotte. Tavaris Jackson will only keep them at mediocrity.

• Derek Anderson was a one year wonder and Pittsburgh will easily win the division. It actually would not surprise me if Pittsburgh represented the AFC in the Super Bowl.

• The Broncos are back and in a big way. With Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, and a running back by committee that is working, along with a little luck, they have started out 2-0 and beaten two teams that I picked them to lose to. They should easily beat the Saints next week.

• Carolina is going to win the NFC South barring some miraculous coaching by Sean Payton or Brian Griese playing lights out all year. John Fox has squeaked out two wins over two teams I thought they would lose against and done it without Steve Smith. Next week they get Smith back, which will help them out even more since he does not fit the Ewing Theory as defined by Bill Simmons.

• New Orleans looks like the same team they had last year. Sean Payton needs to stop using Madden '09 as his playbook and actually calls plays that will net positive yards. The team needs to stop trying to put the ball into Reggie Bust, er, Bush's hands and put it into Shockey's, David Patten's, or Pierre Thomas', or any player that will net positive yards for them.
The Saints lack of depth on defense is scary, especially along the defensive front. Sedrick Ellis is looking great but he can't do it alone. The pass rush that we got against TB absolutely disappeared against Washington and that's a cause to worry.

• The Bills will make the playoffs and will turn into a team that others will not want to play. The Jets will not make the playoffs and Brett Favre will probably break down in about 5 more games.

• The injuries to the Colts OL is scary, although they should still win the division.

[diabsoule]

Originally Posted by njx9

if your offense can't score at will, you should cut all of them.

The same can be said about your offense against the Saints defense.

[Saints-Tigers]

Originally Posted by diabsoule

• New Orleans looks like the same team they had last year. Sean Payton needs to stop using Madden '09 as his playbook and actually calls plays that will net positive yards. The team needs to stop trying to put the ball into Reggie Bust, er, Bush's hands and put it into Shockey's, David Patten's, or Pierre Thomas', or any player that will net positive yards for them.
The Saints lack of depth on defense is scary, especially along the defensive front. Sedrick Ellis is looking great but he can't do it alone. The pass rush that we got against TB absolutely disappeared against Washington and that's a cause to worry.

I know cracking on Reggie Bush seems to be the fun and trendy thing to do, but we won't get any sort of running game going without constant use of our great fullback, and some sort of push from anyone not named Jammal Brown and Jahri Evans. Our runningbacks are being swarmed in the backfield as soon as they are handed the ball, and Sean Payton and his fancy play calls aren't helping.

Put Karney in, run from the I formation and let Bush and Thomas actually get to the second level before they have to make 3 guys miss.