week 8: Bucs @ Vikings TNF

[marshallb]

The Vikings only scheduled primetime game this season. Tougher game than the records suggest, especially with the way Ponder has been playing the past couple games. I'm still picking the Vikings, 20-13. The Vikings have looked so much better at home this season, and I think that stands even on a short week.

[Taber21]

Really looking forward to the game tonight. If we can win this game it will put us in the drivers seat, at least for the moment, for a playoff spot. Obviously a lot of games left, and the final 6 games are going to be really tough, but winning this one will be huge for a potential playoff spot.

[marshallb]

Originally Posted by Taber21

Really looking forward to the game tonight. If we can win this game it will put us in the drivers seat, at least for the moment, for a playoff spot. Obviously a lot of games left, and the final 6 games are going to be really tough, but winning this one will be huge for a potential playoff spot.

This one will be huge. The Vikes need to be at 6-4 at the bye at the worst if they want to make it to the playoffs with as tough of a schedule as they have after the bye: Bears 2X, Packers 2X, @ St. Louis, @ Houston.

[General Zod]

I posted this in the week 8 thread, but I got a feeling the Bucs pull off an upset. It just seems like we always have trouble against mobile type QBs. Not that I think that Freeman will pull off a 70 yarder like RGIII did.

But if there is ever a game for Ponder to turn it around, it would be against the Bucs 31st ranked pass D.

Bucs 24
Vikes 20

I hope Im wrong...

[djp]

Feels so weird to be ready for a Vikings game on a Thursday night.. I kind of like it. I hope we get out of the short week okay health-wise tonight. Been extremely fortunate with injuries thus far (knock knock knock)

Vikings 24
Bucs 21

I think it will be close, but I like the way our defense is playing lately and I think this Tampa defense is certainly beatable for Ponder.

[D-Unit]

Hoping for a big night from Adrian and Kyle! My fantasy team relies on them!

[Vikes99ej]

Wow, what a hideous start.

[General Zod]

Ponder looks god awful.

[Taber21]

Fortunate to be down just 10 at half after the way we started out. AP is running well, just need to play clean the second half and find a way to slow down their running game.

[marshallb]

20-10 at halftime. Very deserved.

The run defense has been horrendous. Martin had over 100 yards already, which is ridiculous. Missed tackles, overrunning gaps and missed gap assignments. The real difference in this game has been the turnovers. They have 10 points off the two turnovers, and Parrish muffs the punt and they're able to get back on top of it.

The game's far from over, but the run d has to improve and the offense has to keep doing what it has after the first 3 drives, and make no mistakes.

[Vikes99ej]

Can I fast forward this season to Week 15 where we are just 6-8?

[General Zod]

Now we are not tackling. Just awesome. I think its bedtime for me. Wake me when its draft time.

[Vikes99ej]

Pardon the negativity, but this game has to be a crash to reality. Again, pardon the negativity.

[djp]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

Hoping for a big night from Adrian and Kyle! My fantasy team relies on them!

1 out of 2 isn't so bad.

Peterson!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on, we can get back in this game right now. Hopefully that run wakes the defense up

[djp]

Man, can I get a little love for Kevin Williams in here? He may not be as good as he was, but he's still solid and has been an absolute rock for our defense for so long now. Love that guy.

[djp]

Chris Cook done for the night. He got his forearm absolutely smashed by Doug Martin's helmet.

On a related note, Doug Martin has been incredibly impressive tonight. Very tough runner with great agility. I know they mentioned it on the broadcast and I hate to repeat it here, but he does kind of remind me of Ray Rice with his stature and running style. Remains to be seen if he is as good of a receiver as Rice, however.

[Vikes99ej]

This was never a playoff team. We'll be blessed at 7-9.

[yo123]

Call me overly optimistic but even if you're right, if I would have told you before the year we would finish 7-9 what would you have said?

[vikes_28]

so when does joe webb get to start? I know Christian Ponder is only in his second year, but he has had 3 awful games in a row.

[General Zod]

Originally Posted by yo123

Call me overly optimistic but even if you're right, if I would have told you before the year we would finish 7-9 what would you have said?

True. Before the season started I was thinking 6 wins tops.

[yo123]

And for the love of god do not bench Ponder for Webb. At the very best that is a lateral move, and I think Joe Webb is a fantastic backup QB.

[marshallb]

Originally Posted by yo123

Call me overly optimistic but even if you're right, if I would have told you before the year we would finish 7-9 what would you have said?

Exactly. People are now acting all surprised and pissed off that the Vikings aren't world beaters, but did you really expect that?

I expected this team to be a 7-9 team from the start, and that might be what they are, but that's a hell of a step up from one of the worst teams in the league that was aging and is now one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and is much more talented than it was last year.

On top of that, people are making all of these conclusions after a short week game in which we played a good team. Yea, the Bucs might be 3-4 now, but they're better than their record suggests as I said in the first post.

Ponder struggled, but it wasn't all on him, he was pressured and his receivers didn't get open. He does need to get so much better at reading blitzes though. The turnovers killed the Vikes as did the inability to stop Martin in the first half/first drive of 3rd quarter. Losing Cook hurt as the kept attacking his side of the field after he went out and Jefferson didn't get burnt any time, but couldn't make the play on the ball, which lead to the Bucs converting 3rd down after 3rd down including 5 for 5 on that clock/game killing drive, and many of those being 3rd and longs.

I see no reason to act like the sky is falling, though. They've got 10 days to prepare to go into Seattle and need to win that one and then come home and beat the Lions before going into the bye because the schedule after that is brutal. This team is still a flawed team, especially after injuries to those shallow positions, like CB. Brinkley looked great early in the season, but has been exposed big times since then. Guion looked really good the first few weeks, but we've gotten torched on up the middle runs the past 3 weeks. The interior OL was damn good early in the season, but Johnson and Fusco have struggled the past few weeks. The offense still needs another weapon opposite Percy and AD as Rudolph has kinda disappeared, and even if he's the guy he was the first several weeks, they need someone else at WR as Simpson isn't the answer and apparently Jairus Wright isn't the guy as he can't even get active and Childs is on a long road to recovery if he ever even wants to play again. Carlson looks like an absolute waste of money as he's done nothing this year and was made into a $25 million punt coverage guy where he suffered a concussion last week.

[marshallb]

According to Tom Pelissero on twitter, Chris Cook has a broken wrist.

[yo123]

I posted this in the discussion thread, we have gotten worked in the run game defensively 3 games in a row now, and Alfred Morris (who admittedly has looked pretty good all year, Larod Stephens-Howling, and Doug Martin are not guys we normally let run wild. While I agree djp K-Will made some things happen pass rush wise I just think he's really dropped off as far as getting a push against he run. And Guion can be a rotational type guy but I just don't think he's the answer at the other DT spot.

And Chris Cook potentially missing time really sucks, I've really started to like him as a player.

[prock]

I was at the game. Incredibly disappointed. Thoughts later.