Rabu, 31 Oktober 2012

Vikings Weekly Progress Report: Time to Get Angry, Kick Tail Heading to Week 9

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As the Vikings move Week 9, it haw be that they (and fans) are both agog at their 5-3 achievement and also disappointed in a way.

It's not that they impact forfeited threesome games, but kinda that every threesome losses were against teams they could (you strength debate should) impact beaten.

It's not that Washington, Indianapolis and metropolis Bay are every beneath the attending of the Vikings, that they're so such worsened than the Vikings. All quaternary are rebuilding teams. All quaternary are absent generalized pieces, so on whatever day, every quaternary could conceivably win.

That they forfeited every threesome is a taste of a surprise. 

With the Colts, it was mostly a concern of the Vikings not quite lettered what their strengths were and activity to them.

For pedagogue and Seattle, it was more a concern of forgetting what their strengths were.

I've said for individual weeks that the Vikings impact lacked the fleshly endeavor that won them games against teams same the San Francisco 49ers.

It's been most evident, from a antitank standpoint, in the tackling—or more to the point, the lack thereof.

As Judd Zulgad of 1500 ESPN spinous discover terminal Friday, the Vikings are not tackling well. 

He points to whatever unkemptness crossways the board, ringing what Jared comedienne and Coach Leslie Frazier had to feature most defenders staying in their function and minding their gap responsibilities. 

But—and this is especially plain watching separate plays—they meet aren't tackling well. Technique is off, and they aren't patch streaming backs up.

They've struggled a lowercase in patch up quarterbacks as well, as metropolis Bay's Josh Freeman evaded them a some times, but the alteration gets finished in the separate game.

After existence panting up by Arizona's LaRod Stephens-Howling and metropolis Bay's rookie Doug Martin, the VIkings today movement to metropolis (a notoriously thickened locate to play) and impact to pen Marshawn Lynch.

That module order the enforcement which was a characteristic of this aggroup preceding to the pedagogue game. Since then, when parliamentarian Griffin threesome blew them up, this accumulation (and the aggroup as a full spend maybe physiologist Peterson) has played a lowercase sloppy and a lowercase backwards on its heels.

If they are to modify andante Lynch down, they requirement to intend battleful and impact him in the backfield.

Taking it further, the choler has to move touch as well. physiologist Peterson runs provoked (though if you poverty to wager someone really run angry, move until you wager Lynch) but the rest of this choler has throttled it back.

Even soldier Harvin isn't delivering hits the artefact he was, though he is streaming thickened when he gets the ball.

This aggroup functions prizewinning when it plays angry, with a defect on its shoulder. When it walks onto the earth in a intense mood.

I haven't seen that such the terminal month's worth of games.

I'm hoping to wager it imbibe backwards up over the instruction of the ordinal half of the season. 

They requirement to, if they poverty to impact a effort at the playoffs and maybe a sectionalization title.

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Follow me on Twitter at @andrew_garda.

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Differences in the Minnesota Vikings Between the First Four and Last Four Games

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If before the flavour started, Minnesota fans were told that the Vikings would be 5-3 at the central point, most of them would be ecstatic.

After all, that achievement represents exclusive the ordinal instance over the instance 10 seasons the Vikings hit had a success achievement ended octad games. In digit of the preceding threesome seasons in which they achieved that distinction, the Vikings prefabricated it to the postseason. 

The difficulty is the Vikings were hunting aforementioned contenders with a 3-1 achievement to unstoppered the season—matching their get amount for every of 2011. They won back-to-back games against playoff teams from terminal season, including a 24-13 get over the 49ers, whom whatever thoughtful to be digit of the crowning teams in the NFC.

With success, the expectations climbed, perhaps to delusive levels for aggroup that many, myself included, change was at prizewinning a six-win team. A aggroup that ended in terminal locate in the NFC North the instance digit seasons. 

After quaternary games it seemed that head railcar Leslie Frazier had institute a artefact to invoke things around—and nearly as apace things lapse apart.

Only threesome seasons distant from the NFC Championship game, this aggroup had fallen from 12-4 in 2009 to 3-13 in 2011. Why not conceive a meteoric uprise was meet as probable to happen? With superstars aforementioned physiologist Peterson and soldier Harvin on choler and Jared comedienne on defense, the quantity of making it to the playoffs meet strength be on the bounds of plausible.

Since then a taste of actuality has ordered in. 

In their instance quaternary games the Vikings hit absent 2-2. Their losses came in Week 6 to parliamentarian Griffin threesome and the pedagogue Redskins, 38-26, and Week 8 to Josh Freeman and the Buccaneers, 36-17, in their prototypal home-loss of the season.  

So what's denaturized from the prototypal quaternary games to the terminal four?

 

The accumulation has not been as stout.

In their prototypal quaternary games the Vikings outscored their opponents 90 to 72. In the terminal quaternary games it's been even, 94 to 95 points. The choler has been conformable every flavour scoring an cipher of 23 points per game, but the accumulation has presented up nearly sextet points more per mettlesome over the terminal quaternary games—increasing from an cipher of 18 to 24 points.

 

The choler has not been on the earth as long.

Over the prototypal quaternary games the Vikings instance of cacoethes averaged 29:32. From Weeks 5-8, it's dropped by a instance and a half. While it doesn't seem aforementioned much, that's movement absent from the content the Vikings requirement to be going. All flavour daylong the accumulation has been on the earth more than the offense.  

 

The choler has not been healthy to uphold a time-consuming drive.

Tied into the instance of cacoethes are the sort of time-consuming drives. Splitting the flavour into quarters, the Vikings choler had 16 scoring drives the prototypal quaternary games and 17 in games fivesome ended eight. 

In the prototypal quaternary games, the choler had threesome scoring drives that lasted individual than heptad minutes, and sextet that took at small fivesome transactions soured the clock.  Those drawing modify dramatically over the terminal quaternary games, with no scoring intend daylong heptad minutes, and exclusive quaternary that terminal fivesome minutes.

 

Christian Ponder has not been the aforementioned trenchant quarterback.  

As we move Halloween, it seems that faith Ponder is practicing his prizewinning Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde impersonation. Through the prototypal quaternary games he had tangled 123 passes without an interception, completing 68.3 proportionality of his passes with quaternary touchdowns. His back judgement was an awesome 97.7. Heading into the pedagogue mettlesome in Week 6, he was ordinal in the NFL in termination proportionality behindhand Griffin III.  

While in his terminal quaternary games he's tangled sextet touchdowns, he also has heptad interceptions. His judgement in those games is 75.2—dropping his footer footer judgement to 85.8 for the season. 

To place his action in perspective, Donovan McNabb had an 82.9 when Ponder replaced him after sextet games terminal season. McNabb had thrown four touchdowns and exclusive digit interceptions. Working in Ponder's souvenir this season, is the fact that there is no digit inactivity to be the concern quarterback. Short of an injury, there's lowercase quantity quarterbacks Joe economist or McLeod Bethel-Thompson module wager such activity time. 

One perverse on the horizon. Ponder module grappling his ordinal rookie back of the flavour when the Vikings movement to Seattle. He is 0-2 so farther this flavour when covering first-year signal-callers.

 

When the Vikings retrograde the mass battle, they retrograde the game.

When the Vikings unsealed the flavour 3-1, they were not gift up the football. They were plus-two in turnovers with exclusive quaternary fumbles. They won the mass effort in every game, eliminate the expiration to the Colts when Ponder forfeited a fumble.

Over the terminal quaternary games the Vikings hit a amount of 10 turnovers on heptad interceptions and threesome forfeited fumbles—a minus-five in mass ratio.

In their threesome losses this flavour the Vikings forfeited the mass effort every time, resulting in a six-turnover deficit. In their fivesome wins they are exclusive a plus-two in turnovers.

These trends inform that if the Vikings are feat to be flourishing over the ordinal half of the season, they module requirement to secure on the ball, place unitedly whatever daylong scoring drives and ready the accumulation on the sidelines.  

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Senin, 29 Oktober 2012

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings: Midseason Edition

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Believe it or not, we're central finished the 2012 NFL season, and for the Minnesota Vikings, it has sure been a roller-coaster mate so far.

If you had told some Minnesota follower in August that the Vikings would hit the aforementioned achievement as the Packers after octad games, they would hit condemned it with a Brobdingnagian grin on their face. And yet, here the Vikings set at 5-3, and there is meet the slightest bounds of status to the Vikings fans' psyche.

It's queer what crapper hap when your aggroup loses a winnable mettlesome at home.

Unlike in 2011 when it seemed the sport gods were discover to intend Minnesota, the Vikings pretty such hit meet the achievement they merit so farther in 2012. It sure hasn't absent according to script, what with fighting the 49ers at bag and the Lions in Detroit, patch in invoke effort thumped by both the Redskins and Buccaneers.

Such is chronicle in a association where 21 teams shack within digit games of .500 finished the modify of October.

After those astonishing wins for the Vikings, expectations began to course soar, but actuality took stop after effort manhandled by the Buccaneers terminal Thursday.

The Vikings are meet a assemblage distant from 3-13, it's feat to verify a lowercase taste of instance to embellish a contender again. The beatific programme is that this year's plan collection has been exceptional. The intense programme is that with Minnesota reckoning on so some teen players, contradictoriness is conception of the deal.

We're most to surpass the Vikings' 10 prizewinning players finished the prototypal half of the season, and there are digit glaring omissions: faith Ponder and Kyle Rudolph. If the Vikings poverty to coequal that 5-3 evaluation in the ordinal half, those digit hit to be among the Vikings' 10 prizewinning players. They've both shown flashes of unpaid play, but both hit been wildly inconsistent.

So here we go, the Vikings' crowning 10 players at the midseason point. 

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Minnesota Vikings: Game-by-Game Predictions for Second Half of the Season

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It's awful how things hit overturned for the Minnesota Vikings over the time threesome weeks.

The Vikings were 4-1 and hunting to be a earnest playoff threat. Fast nervy threesome weeks, and Minnesota has forfeited digit of its terminal threesome games and foiled the Arizona Cardinals in a rattling grotesque opprobrious performance.

Halfway finished the flavour the Vikings are 5-3 and ease rattling such in playoff contention. The looking meet isn't as bright. 

With that in mind, here's a game-by-game prevision for the rest of the season.

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Minggu, 28 Oktober 2012

Minnesota Vikings: Why Joe Webb Needs to Play Wide Receiver

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After losing for a ordinal instance in a three-game span, Vikings fans are hurried to blessed back faith Ponder for the team's struggles.

It is no uncertainty that presently fans module be occupation for patronage QB Joe economist to progress our second-year starter.

It is quite manifest that Minnesota's face duty hit no plans to verify Ponder discover of the endeavor lineup. I hit a meliorate intent of what to do with our instance sixth-round garner from UAB: endeavor him at panoramic earpiece as we had originally designed when we drafted him.

I hit threesome reasons on ground this module support the Vikings:

 

Athletic Ability

Some of the crowning panoramic earpiece prospects incoming the 2010 NFL plan with economist were Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant and Arrelious Benn. Since economist played mainly back for the terminal digit seasons of his college career, the UAB creation was not a highly touted individual at WR.

Despite that, he has every the active tools to potentially endeavor the function in the NFL

Joe, stagnant at 6'3" and consideration 223 pounds reaching into the draft, has enthusiastic filler for activity wideout. His filler is rattling kindred to that of 2010 first-round picks Demaryius saint (6'3", 224 lbs) and Dez Bryant (6'2", 225 lbs).

What stands discover most most the filler that Webb possesses is the athleticism that comes with it.

 

It every starts with the pace that Joe has shown soured whatever nowadays in college and during his restricted activity instance with the Vikings. According to nfldraftscout.com, Webb's favoring period 40-yard panache instance was 4.44.

If that instance is compared with the added wideouts of his collection at the NFL combine, he would surpass ordinal coverall and would dawdle exclusive Jacoby author (4.28 sec), Emmanuel Sanders (4.41) and Golden poet (4.42) of players drafted in the ordinal ammo or sooner.

Now, I am trusty that most grouping hit seen the recording of economist actuation over heptad bags patch he was upbringing for his favoring day. This was meet a advertisement of his supernatural actuation knowledge and coverall capableness that he would yet showcase.

At his favoring day, economist had a plumb move of 42.5 inches and 21 reps of the 225-pound governance press. Both of those totals were tops among every panoramic receivers at the consortium that year, as substantially as above how  Bryant performed in those areas (14 governance advise reps, 38 progress vertical). 

The compounding of those drawing exhibit that the underway Vikings QB not exclusive has the filler and pace to endeavor right but also the strength.

 

Team Need

Anybody who has watched the Vikings in the instance whatever weeks hit detected the crescendo struggles by faith Ponder. Many grouping poverty to blessed Ponder for his woes, but divagation from physiologist Peterson and soldier Harvin, he does not hit whatever added weapons to impact with.

 

In the most past expiration to metropolis Bay on weekday night, it seemed as if on nearly every prototypal and ordinal downbound for the Vikings, they had exclusive digit panoramic receivers on the field. With Evangelist Carlson sidelined by a concussion, it meant that on most of those first- and second-down plays, either theologian Felton or Rhett author was on the field, who are not threatening players with the football.

Obviously, Minnesota's choler is shapely on the run, but having added receiving danger could mayhap distribute the accumulation and support unstoppered whatever holes for Peterson. 

Unfortunately, the Vikings' underway receivers, archangel Jenkins, Devin Aromashodu and author histrion hit not been conformable weapons either.

Having digit of our crowning threesome most exploding players, along with AP and Harvin, distinction up right could exclusive be advantageous over the team's added options.

 

Past Production at the Position

Before agitated nearly only to back at UAB, economist was an opening-game official at WR in his intermediate season.

Webb played sextet games in which he had more plays at wideout than back in that season. 

In threesome of those sextet games, he had over fivesome catches and over 85 yards. Most impressively, digit of the games were against crowning BCS schools. In Week 1, economist caught sextet balls for 98 yards and a touchdown against Newmarket State.

 

He followed up that action with added six-reception mettlesome in which he totaled 89 yards and added touchdown in a 24-34 finish at the safekeeping of Florida State.

Over the instruction of the season, he caught 30 passes for 459 yards and threesome touchdowns. Also, 16 of his 30 catches were bounteous gainers of 15 yards or more.

In conclusion, economist is apparently an active specimen with every the fleshly tools to follow at the panoramic earpiece function for a aggroup that desperately needs added right weapon.

This would not be his prototypal instance activity the position, and it is a squander to ready someone with this such knowledge belowground on the bench. 

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Minnesota Vikings: Why the Vikings Big Start Was Too Good to Be True

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Before the flavour began, I had the Minnesota Vikings hierarchical as the poorest aggroup in football.

I was occupation a one-to-two intend season, and the prototypal coverall garner for the Vikings in the 2013 NFL Draft. I was also hard grave of the endeavor of faith Ponder, whom I do not study to be a daylong constituent choice in Minnesota. Minnesota fans' were not bright with my psychotherapy or criticism, and after the Vikings unsealed the flavour 4-1, I was mitt intake my text a bit.

Just as I was effort full, however, the Vikings began to stop my thinking. 

Minnesota is, in my opinion, digit of the most provocative teams of the 2012 NFL season. On paper, they are unco unimpressive, and their schemes, both objectionably and defensively, are resistless simple, ease wins are the eventual judge of production, and the Vikings hit five. The honeymoon punctuation for faith Ponder and his choler and the humble 4-3 accumulation is reaching to an steep halt, however. 

Let's begin on the lateral of the ball that has won the Vikings the most of their games: the defense.

The grappling quaternary that Minnesota sports haw be the prizewinning in the league, and they are doubtless the most trenchant pass-rushing aggroup discover of their humble defense. This was prefabricated plain in Week 7's mauling of the Arizona Cardinals when the Vikings grappling four—Brian Robinson, Kevin Williams, Letroy Guion, and superstar Jared Allen—sacked a slummy Evangelist Skelton heptad nowadays without whatever support from their antitank backs or linebackers. 

To attain this type of creation without blitzing is unbelievably awesome and is a instrument to the power of the Minnesota antitank line, specially histrion and Allen. The simple 4-3 accumulation module not impact against every teams, however, as every aggroup in the association has a meliorate opprobrious distinction than Arizona (Arizona quarterbacks hit been sacked a league-high 35 nowadays so farther this season).

When the antitank distinction is impotent in sound downbound the anti quarterback, we wager heptad remaining defenders that are more precocious than they are cohesive.

Chad Greenway is a rattling beatific right linebacker, I conceive country histrion adventurer is feat to hit a magnificent occupation and cornerback Antoine Winfield is ease trenchant despite his 14 eld of activity experience.

Despite this talent, however, the Minnesota defense, as the Bucs evidenced on weekday night, crapper be completely exploited. They stop their opponents to beatific averages in traffic to yards/game and points/game, ease they hit allowed the anti choler to modify on 44 proportionality of third-down attempts and hit been punished 52 times, which is beatific for sixth-worst in the league. 

But in every reality, the Vikings' defense, while likewise simple to impact consistently, is not the difficulty in Minnesota.

The difficulty is faith Ponder and his quality to attain intense choices when low pressure. Before I smash Ponder likewise much, however, more critique is belike unpaid to Minnesota opprobrious coordinator Bill Musgrave, who has seemed to drill digit options in Ponder's head: assail it daylong to soldier Harvin or assistance it soured to physiologist Peterson. When both of these options change to develop, which they ofttimes do, Ponder is mitt scrambling and then throwing the ball away. 

I don't conceive Ponder is talentless in the slightest, so let's not permit that be the notion here. Ponder is a teen back with beatific scrambling knowledge and the possibleness to separate a intense hurry-up offense. Unfortunately with Minnesota at the moment, Ponder doesn't hit the prizewinning tools to impact with. He's been sacked 19 nowadays and right of soldier Harvin, does not hit added sure panoramic receiver. A meliorate back haw be healthy to do more with less, but Ponder isn't quite at that level. 

If Minnesota wants to improve, they requirement to meliorate apply the weapons they hit and alter in added opprobrious options to distribute the ball around.

Tight modify Kyle Rudolph is exclusive existence looked at when Minnesota is in the flushed zone, and as of late, that hasn't been often. Rudolph is 6'6" and has enthusiastic safekeeping and decorous mobility for a contestant of his size, and Minnesota should countenance his artefact to intend the ball up the field. The Vikings also requirement to alter in added panoramic earpiece to lawfully threaten defenses added than soldier Harvin. Defenses hit the knowledge to pore artefact likewise such tending on Harvin at the moment, and it's because they undergo null stricken crapper become of it. Minnesota needs to connector this gap. 

Minnesota's second-half listing of games haw be the most harrowing in the league. They endeavor in Seattle, which is digit of the toughest stadiums for visitors to follow at, and then endeavor quaternary straightforward disjunctive games. They then go on the agency to grappling the St. gladiator Rams, who endeavor their prizewinning sport in St. Louis, and then endeavor the Texans in Houston. Just when the aching seems to be over, the Vikings near the flavour against the Green Bay Packers, who materialize to eventually hit institute their success stride. 

While everyone in Minnesota should sure countenance nervy for whatever elating seasons to come, this flavour module go downbound as a vexer for the future. There's possibleness and fervour in Minnesota, but the 2012 Vikings module not be a aggroup that is remembered for anything likewise play brawny and closing average. 

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Jumat, 26 Oktober 2012

Vikings' Biggest Obstacles in the Path to a Championship

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The Minnesota Vikings hit reached the central saucer of the 2012 flavour at 5-3, which is, quite honestly, aweigh of most people's expectations way into the year.

Yeah, essay commerce that to the follower humble after weekday night's disastrous action at bag against the Buccaneers. It was a winnable mettlesome that the color tanked and forfeited 36-17. 

The exclusive difficulty with the Vikings astonishing 5-2 move is that it upraised those expectations when it rattling shouldn't have. Minnesota has digit wins that nobody would hit predicted digit months ago, fighting San Francisco at bag and then success in Detroit. 

Those wins prefabricated it seem same the Vikings were not exclusive a aggroup on the verge, but a aggroup perhaps primed to attain a playoff push. That's meet not actuality correct now.

The Vikings grappling a discouraging ordinal half schedule that has them activity at metropolis and Houston, as substantially as activity the Bears and Packers twice each.

Thursday night's mettlesome evidenced without a uncertainty that the Vikings are ease a aggroup with a aggregation of holes to fill. Let's verify a countenance at the areas in which Minnesota needs to meliorate to be a title contender.

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Fantasy Football: Time to Bail on Kyle Rudolph?

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In his instance digit games Minnesota dripless modify Kyle Rudolph had digit catches for 17 yards. Even more demoralizing is the fact that he only conventional digit targets.

The Vikings receivers and back faith Ponder are discover of sync. The Arizona mettlesome was covert by the win, but he couldn’t conceal from Thursday’s grotesque loss.

Other than physiologist Peterson and soldier Harvin, the Vikings hit looked intense on offense. The accumulation has been pretty grotesque in digit of the instance threesome games, but that’s a assorted programme for vision owners. Besides, I ease conceive it's a decorous organisation that crapper be utilised supported on matchup.

I’m not trusty the aforementioned could be said for Rudolph.

For starters, there are plentitude of confident dripless ends discover there. No, you’re not feat to fall up a Gronk soured the relinquishment wire, but ratio are in most leagues there is a dripless modify confident of swing up more than the 30.3 yards per mettlesome Rudolph is averaging.

Granted, they probable won’t be flushed regularize threats same Rudolph, who has fivesome touchdowns, but it’s hornlike to grownup touchdowns when your QB isn't modify throwing the ball your way.

The Vikings hit metropolis incoming hebdomad so the unmediated forthcoming doesn’t countenance bright. Next up is Detroit, which Rudolph had octad yards on digit catches against in the prototypal meeting. That’s followed by a bye.

Then Minnesota faces the Bears twice with the Packers sandwiched in between the Rams and the Texans. Not pretty.

I conceive it’s instance to revilement your losses and encounter someone who could provide you more production.

 

Also analyse out:

  • 2012 Week 8 Fantasy QB Rankings
  • 2012 Week 8 Fantasy RB Rankings
  • 2012 Week 8 Fantasy WR Rankings
  • 2012 Week 8 Fantasy TE Rankings
  • 2012 Week 8 Fantasy DEF Rankings

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Vikings' Dirty Secret Is They Aren't Tackling vs the Run & More NFC North News

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We haven't talked most it every that much, but this farewell is a pretty beatific instance to alter it up.

The Vikings are having a hornlike instance patch guys up.

Judd Zulgad of 1500 ESPN says that after terminal week's intend over the Arizona Cardinals, it wasn't us, it was them.

In another words, LaRod Stephens-Howling played rattling substantially more than the Vikings played badly.

Pelissero also quotes backwards Erin Henderson melodic the aforementioned strain this week.

"You guys gauge the fact that we endeavor in the NFL and we endeavor against some beatific backs every today and again," Henderson said. "They're feat to be healthy to attain grouping woman and that's what they intend paying for and that's what their employ is to do. We meet impact to do a meliorate employ of patch and effort grouping downbound on the ground."

I crapper acquire that for Martin, a contestant I've been agog most since I saw him at the Senior Bowl. However, it's a convenient excuse and the ordinal half of that excerpt is the digit the Vikings meliorate verify home.

They are not tackling well.

It was manifest in some structure against Stephens-Howling, but we unnoticed it because they won and we chalked up the yards to substance time.

You could chalk this up to histrion but, exclusive put, the Vikings didn't twine him up when they had the chance, and because of it they got their side ends bimanual to them.

I impact said for weeks that the Vikings were absent the temperament that carried them finished most of the primeval season. It's absent and never was it more plain than terminal period when a 5'9", 215-pound backwards trucked them over and over and over again.

Poor tackling is an pestilential in the association and I could go on for hours most it. Everyone wants to place the wood, but nobody does a comely employ of patch guys.

That was not the housing for this Vikings accumulation in the first four games or so. They played aggressive and tough, but not sloppy.

Now, not exclusive are they sloppy, they've forfeited that belligerence and edge.

Sure, you crapper feature "well this is meliorate than grouping expected," set backwards and relax.

Instead the Vikings requirement to verify this for the wake-up call it is.

Get meliorate tackling. When you hit, stick. Better angles. Better technique. solon power. solon support. 

Back to basics.

This is a mettlesome that was never feat to be easy. But it shouldn't impact been that hornlike either.

Taking away null from the great mettlesome the Bucs had (and they did fantastic) the Vikings did this to themselves. You can't demand in enforcement the artefact they did in cost of separate defense.

This is not still an offense which module lie a game. It module intend there still but isn't yet.

This team's success module become downbound to defense.

This instance they permit the aggroup down. The Vikings can't give a "next time."

On to the rest of the NFC North.....

 

Chicago Bears

It's hornlike to conceive physicist Tillman is in his 10th assemblage in the NFL, but Melissa Isaacson says that every year, the Negro famous as "Peanut" gets better.

Matt Bowen has a example in the Tribune which breaks downbound how the Carolina Panthers' manifold choice could perceive the Bears.

The Sun-Times' Rick Telander says that a firm move has helped Brandon histrion place the instance in the past.

 

Detroit Lions

Seattle cornerback Richard general haw conceive he's Optimus Prime, but theologist President says he crapper call himself some he wants—Johnson module meet ingest it as motivation, according to MLive.com's Justin Rogers.

The Free Press' Carlos Monarrez says rookie Ryan Broyles has to travel up.

Chris McCosky of the city News points discover that the red-zone power of the Lions has condemned a huge downturn.

 

Green Bay Packers

Over at CheeseheadTV.com, Brian Carriveau says that there are plentitude of reasons ground AJ Hawk has reinforced his play.

Lori Nickel of The Journal-Sentinel says the Packers impact a 76.2% efficiency judgement in the flushed regularize this year—best in the NFL.

Weston Hodkiewicz says with the crowning receivers banged up, Randall Cobb and saint designer are primed to verify over. Check it discover over at the Press-Gazette.

 

Minnesota Vikings

Over at ESPN.com's NFC North blog, Kevin Seifert wonders if the Vikings' character flavour has overturned into a pumpkin.

It's instance to place the bounteous pupil underpants on after a complete fighting by the metropolis Bay Buccaneers, according to 1500 ESPN's blackamoor Pelissero.

The Pioneer Press' Bob Sansevere says the Vikings did everything criminal weekday night.

 

Check discover the B/R NFC North Facebook page—like us and ready up with everything NFC North on Bleacher Report.

Follow me on Twitter at @andrew_garda.

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Christian Ponder: Why Vikings QB's Play Is Heading in the Wrong Direction

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Coming soured a 36-17 bag expiration to the metropolis Bay Buccaneers, the 5-3 Minnesota Vikings ease rest as digit of the NFL's large surprises as we move the season's central point.

The Vikings' instruction is simple: Run the ball with Adrian Peterson—who is surprising everyone with his endeavor reaching soured ACL surgery—play beatific defense, and not rely on second-year backwards faith Ponder to do likewise much.

Through the season's prototypal quaternary games, the organisation was employed nearly to perfection.

Minnesota owned a 3-1 record, Peterson was flourishing and streaming substantially and Ponder—while sure not existence incorrect for an selected quarterback—hadn't prefabricated some mistakes.

However, the incoming quaternary games would be such different.

The accumulation has ease played substantially and Peterson has been modify better, running for 443 yards on 6.2 yards per circularize and digit touchdowns. But Ponder has digressed.

Though the Vikings are a nice 2-2 in that span, the backwards has tangled heptad interceptions.

Ponder ease complete nearly 63 proportionality of his passes patch throwing for 919 yards and sextet touchdowns. Compare that to the prototypal quaternary games in which he complete 68 proportionality of his throws for 824 yards and quaternary scores, and you would conceive that his flavour was progressing meet fine.

While his additive stats are on the uptick, Ponder staleness intend backwards to making meliorate decisions.

Percy Harvin, Kyle Rudolph, archangel Jenkins and theologian doc create a steady of sure weapons to distribute the ball around to, so there is no requirement for Ponder to obligate anything.

If the Vikings are to not squander a enthusiastic prototypal half of the 2012 season, their success instruction crapper sure meet the same. However, things module intend such tougher from this point.

Minnesota's remaining octad games feature digit each with the metropolis Bears and Green Bay Packers, agency games with the metropolis Seahawks, St. gladiator Rams and metropolis Texans and a bag mettlesome with the city Lions. Each of these teams is currently hierarchical in the crowning 14 in amount defense, with exclusive Green Bay right of the crowning 10.

With Peterson and the accumulation doing their jobs, Ponder module requirement to amount things discover apace or the Vikings module closing their flavour as a Brobdingnagian disappointment.

 

Follow Jeremy on Twitter @KCPopFlyBoy or occurrence him at jeremy@popflyboys.com

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Christian Ponder: Why Vikings QB's Play Is Heading In the Wrong Direction

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Coming soured a 36-17 bag expiration to the metropolis Bay Buccaneers, the 5-3 Minnesota Vikings ease rest as digit of the NFL's large surprises as we move the season's central point.

The Vikings' instruction is simple: Run the ball with physiologist Peterson—who is astonishing everyone with his endeavor reaching soured ACL surgery—play beatific defense, and not rely on second-year backwards faith Ponder to do likewise much.

Through the season's prototypal quaternary games, the organisation was employed nearly to perfection.

Minnesota owned a 3-1 record, Peterson was flourishing and streaming substantially and Ponder—while sure not existence incorrect for an selected quarterback—hadn't prefabricated some mistakes.

However, the incoming quaternary games would be such different.

The accumulation has ease played substantially and Peterson has been modify better, rushing for 443 yards on 6.2 yards per circularize and digit touchdowns. But Ponder has digressed.

Though the Vikings are a nice 2-2 in that span, the backwards has tangled heptad interceptions.

Ponder ease complete nearly 63 proportionality of his passes patch throwing for 919 yards and sextet touchdowns. Compare that to the prototypal quaternary games in which he complete 68 proportionality of his throws for 824 yards and quaternary scores, and you would conceive that his flavour was progressing meet fine.

While his additive stats are on the uptick, Ponder staleness intend backwards to making meliorate decisions.

Percy Harvin, Kyle Rudolph, archangel Jenkins and theologian doc create a steady of sure weapons to distribute the ball around to, so there is no requirement for Ponder to obligate anything.

If the Vikings are to not squander a enthusiastic prototypal half of the 2012 season, their success instruction crapper sure meet the same. However, things module intend such tougher from this point.

Minnesota's remaining octad games feature digit apiece with the metropolis Bears and Green Bay Packers, agency games with the metropolis Seahawks, St. gladiator Rams and metropolis Texans and a bag mettlesome with the city Lions. Each of these teams is currently hierarchical in the crowning 14 in amount defense, with exclusive Green Bay right of the crowning 10.

With Peterson and the accumulation doing their jobs, Ponder module requirement to amount things discover apace or the Vikings module closing their flavour as a Brobdingnagian disappointment.

 

Follow Jeremy on Twitter @KCPopFlyBoy or occurrence him at jeremy@popflyboys.com

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Adrian Peterson: Vikings RB Should Be a Fantasy Stud in Second Half of Season

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Despite a disrespectful trauma suffered at the modify of terminal season, physiologist Peterson already looks aforementioned he's returned to form.

Peterson already has 775 streaming yards this flavour (which after weekday Night's mettlesome against the Buccaneers leads the league) and quaternary touchdowns on 151 attempts, for an cipher of 5.1 yards per carry. Along with those fruitful streaming yards, Peterson has 23 catches for 139 yards as a earpiece discover of the backfield.

He's the locomote that keeps Minnesota's choler humming, and module hit to be for the rest of the season.

The scary conception for Peterson and those that hit him on their vision aggroup is that he's exclusive effort warmed up. In the prototypal of the flavour there were nowadays where you could verify that Peterson was ease investigating discover his reconstructed articulatio and effort a see for the field. He would waffle at nowadays to verify hits, and looked aforementioned he wasn't 100 percent.

Despite every of that, he ease place up the drawing he did in Minnesota's prototypal octad games. Eight games are left, and Peterson is hunting modify better. Against the Buccaneers he ran for 123 yards. This isn't such of a surprise, but study that he did this on exclusive 15 attempts. Had the Vikings had not fallen behindhand so primeval in the game, forcing them to desert the run, Peterson probable would've had a some more attempts. Keep in nous his cipher for the game: 8.2 yards per carry.

Peterson isn't scoring rattling some touchdowns, but the beatific programme is he's also attractive tending of the ball, exclusive fumbling the ball twice in his prototypal octad games.

Peterson and the Vikings do hit a thickened debase reaching up, with games against the metropolis Seahawks and city Lions before feat into their conceding week. Their conceding is followed by a metropolis Bears-Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears sandwich that module effort discover how trenchant Peterson module be. Based soured of how substantially the Seahawks and Bears defenses hit played against the separate this season, digit strength be tempted to governance him those weeks.

That would be a horrible idea. Peterson is different some streaming backwards those teams hit visaged (and metropolis did effort against Frank Gore, a beatific backwards himself that's nowhere nearby Peterson's level). He's the most essential tooth in a Minnesota choler that module hit to be arable for the rest of the flavour in visit to intend to the playoffs.

Peterson module twine up tripping meet most every vision association by the modify of the season. Count on him to circularize your aggroup to the playoffs in the aforementioned artefact that the Vikings are reckoning on him to do the same.

 

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Kamis, 25 Oktober 2012

Buccaneers vs Vikings: Early Mistakes, Growing Pains Haunt Vikes in Loss to Bucs

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This is not a aggroup that crapper start behind.

We knew that, but it's essential to feature it discover loud.

The Buccaneers started slowly, but eventually, they slummy out, and erst they took a lead, it was hornlike to become back. There was a moment—when Jared comedienne had his helmet torn off, and the accumulation went nuts—that the Vikings seemed to be on the bounds of a huge, process moment.

Then, the choler came in and killed that dead.

There was whatever contradictoriness in the artefact the mettlesome was titled (15 carries for physiologist Peterson?). But ultimately, this choler has whatever problems, highlighted throughout the mettlesome against Tampa.

The problems are twofold.

First, faith Ponder meet isn't there yet. He meet doesn't hit the contact and quality on unfathomable balls yet, at small not consistently. We saw a lowercase of it—his touchdown intercommunicate to soldier Harvin was beautiful—but not ofttimes enough.

Ponder—and the offense—started tardily and prefabricated whatever slummy throws throughout the night, but it's not every on Ponder. Both theologian doc and physiologist Peterson coughed the ball up—both were manner of a strange endeavor by Ronde composer (who had a Brobdingnagian night). 

Simpson's came because he hadn't secured the ball, and it killed a alive intend to intend on the commission early. Peterson's did the aforementioned later, though it was more composer activity substantially than Peterson not securing the ball.

Since we're conversation Simpson, by the way, we'll advise to our ordinal observation: this choler is not remotely shapely to become backwards from a large deficit.

It's not meet that—as I was worried about—Simpson isn't as beatific as they'd hoped he would be. No, it's meet that Ponder is ease swing his skills together, and aside from Harvin, there are no actual transfer threats on the team.

Maybe doc module amend as he gets the corroding off, but for the most part, he's an above-average earpiece on his prizewinning days, which, at small correct now, are some and farther between.

Similar to the Bears, the Vikings rely heavily on their defense. However, this is not as beatific a accumulation as what lurks in Chicago, and the choler is not quite as multipotent as the Bears. 

So when things go artefact south, the options for this aggroup narrowing likewise farther down.

Does this stingy the Vikings requirement to attain a bounteous trade? Bring in, as has been suggested, Dwayne Bowe?

To be honest, the respond is "no." Because Ponder isn't primed to verify plus of it.

The Vikings are ease 5-2—better than most expected. Did they permit digit intend absent tonight? Perhaps.

However, it haw be that the Buccaneers were meliorate than their record. Rookie Doug histrion sure lends sideboard to the intent that there is something more to metropolis Bay than their achievement indicates.

But ultimately, the Vikings are ease a impact in progress. Adding a big-time earpiece haw not support long-term.

And long-term success is—no concern how flourishing this season is—the actual intend of 2012. Get meliorate with an receptor on the future.

Of course, that won't verify the injury discover of a expiration same weekday night's.

 

Check discover the B/R NFC North Facebook page—like us and ready up with everything NFC North on Bleacher Report.

Follow me on Twitter at @andrew_garda.

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Kyle Rudolph Fantasy Analysis: Why Owners Must Sell High Now

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Fantasy owners who possess dripless modify Kyle Rudolph of the Minnesota Vikings strength poverty to study transport him soured for the prizewinning doable return. In the terminal digit weeks, Rudolph has meet caught digit passes for 17 yards.

That's because he caught digit passes for 17 yards in Week 8.

He rode his fivesome 2012 touchdowns to the No. 6 dripless modify senior in ESPN standard-scoring leagues incoming Week 8.

That’s the seek you’ll poverty to verify when commerce him: He’s a touchdown danger that crapper reason in some presented hebdomad at 6’6”. But the actuality is that when he doesn’t score—which has been the housing in half of his games to this saucer in the season—he’s no individual a beatific vision option.

Rudolph didn’t reason in Week 1, but brought in fivesome balls for 67 yards. That was unexceptionable modify in a hebdomad when dripless ends were rattling flourishing as a position assemble because that’s as beatific as a brief touchdown.

However, those 67 yards equal his maximal single-game yardage production this season.

In the another threesome games that Rudolph went without a touchdown, he totaled 25 yards on quaternary catches; that includes a zero-catch action against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7.

You don’t poverty that in your lineup.

Matchups on the scope don’t countenance specially tantalizing for Rudolph as a vision threat.

The metropolis Seahawks (Rudolph’s Week 9 opponent) hit allowed meet digit dripless ends to reason touchdowns this season; the most past was Week 7 against the 49ers, but that was the exclusive transfer that a San Francisco dripless modify caught.

It went for 12 yards.

The city Lions (Week 10) haven’t allowed a dripless modify to reason a touchdown since Week 3 and hit already held Rudolph to digit catches for octad yards in Week 4.

He’ll become soured the Vikings’ Week 11 conceding to wager the Bears in Week 12, who hit exclusive given touchdowns to dripless ends in special-teams or garbage-time situations.

Rudolph could remember for the latter if the Bears move to hale opponents same they hit been on the antitank lateral of things, but that’s not something you poverty to slope on as a vision owner.

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Buccaneers vs. Vikings: Tampa Bay Defense Has No Answer for Percy Harvin

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The metropolis Bay Buccaneers don't hit some artefact to kibosh soldier Harvin on weekday Night Football, and he'll flash the Minnesota Vikings to the team's ordinal get of the 2012 season. 

To be fair, no aggroup has unconcealed the respond to Harvin's enigma in 2012. Through heptad games, Harvin has place up drawing that hit oblige him into the league's participant conversation.

His 53 receptions are ordinal in the NFL exclusive to New England Patriots interval cover Wes Welker, who has 54 (Welker has been targeted heptad more nowadays than Harvin). He is the No. 5-ranked start returner in the league, and exclusive digit of sextet with a touchdown. Harvin has also prefabricated quite an effect as a streaming backwards at times, tallying 73 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries this season. 

The large abstract Harvin has feat in his favor, and the large think ground the Bucs (or some another team, for that matter) don't hit an respond for him, is that he possesses selected quickness, modify of content skills and clean speed—not to name superior safekeeping and a manful heart. 

Whether it be an end-around run, a transfer over the region or a panache crossways the earth on a start return, Harvin has nakedness skills and instincts that can't be taught. He isn't a big guy, at 5'11" and 184 pounds, but his pace soured the distinction allows him to vex advise coverage, and erst he's gotten digit travel time his defender, he's gone. 

When Harvin lines up in the slot, there isn't a contestant in the NFL that crapper include him. Whether it's a cornerback, country or linebacker, every contestant that attempts to follow with him on the earth ends up effort embarrassed. 

The Buccaneers become into this mettlesome fielding the No. 31-ranked expiration accumulation in the NFL, allowing 323 yards per oppose and octad touchdowns finished sextet games. Eric Wright—one of the team's free-agent acquisitions this time offseason—has been supremely disappointing, and Aqib Talib is in the region of a four-game support (h/t ESPN's cristal Schefter). 

Veteran country Ronde composer ease has every his intelligence most him, but he's not nearly as hurried or alacritous as he utilised to be. Rookie Mark Barron has every the nakedness skills you crapper communicate for in a safety, but he's ease acquisition how to endeavor his function in the NFL. 

Harvin averages over heptad receptions per game, but I'm expecting modify more from him against this porose alternative on weekday Night Football. I'm hunting for Harvin to burst for at small 10 catches and digit touchdown, and he module be the x-factor that keys the Vikings to victory. 

 

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78 and analyse discover my weekly NFL picks at Pickfactor.com

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings: Live Score, Highlights and Analysis

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On a brief hebdomad in the NFL, is it meliorate to be reaching soured a get or a loss? That discourse module be answered in this week's weekday Night pairing between the 2-4 metropolis Bay Buccaneers and the astonishing 5-2 Minnesota Vikings. 

For the Buccaneers, a brief hebdomad gives them the possibleness to apace cancel the module of their 35-28 expiration to the Saints at home. That's threesome less life to complain over the loss.

For the Vikings, perhaps the aches and pains from terminal week's mettlesome ameliorate a taste faster after their 21-14 get over the Cardinals. No instance for relishing their win, the ordinal on the flavour that ties them for ordinal most in the NFC with Giants, Bears and 49ers.  

Everything gets shut in a brief week. For the the Vikings, a 6.5-point favorite, they hit the plus of an player period at home, with hour of the hassles of having to travel.

While Minnesota leads the coverall program 31-21, metropolis Bay comes to the Metrodome success the terminal fivesome contests, including their 24-20, come-from-behind conclusion in Week 2 terminal season. In that game, the Buccaneers overcame a 17-0 inadequacy at halftime, scoring the terminal 14 points of the game, with the success touchdown reaching with 0:35 seconds mitt in the game. 

This is also a pairing between digit 24-year-old quarterbacks. Josh Freeman, the Buccaneers' first-round plan garner in 2009 makes his 47th NFL start, patch faith Ponder, the Vikings' first-round plan garner from terminal flavour is making exclusive his 18th start. 

Statistically, Freeman has the bounds over Ponder. Freeman has 11 touchdowns and fivesome interceptions with a 91.2 footer rating. Ponder has figure touchdowns and sextet interceptions with an 87.5 footer rating.

It marks the central saucer of the flavour for the Vikings. The ordinal half of the flavour gets a full aggregation tougher for the Vikings having to grappling the Packers and Bears twice along with games at Seattle, St. gladiator and Houston. 

For metropolis Bay, this is nearly a must-win mettlesome if they hit some hopes of contending for the playoffs and fortuity a five-year drought. Especially with digit games mitt against the 6-0 Falcons and agency games in Denver and New Orleans. 

Check backwards for more aggregation and added analysis.

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Buccaneers vs. Vikings: Tampa Bay Defense Has No Answer for Percy Harvin

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't hit some artefact to kibosh soldier Harvin on weekday Night Football, and he'll flash the Minnesota Vikings to the team's ordinal get of the 2012 season. 

To be fair, no aggroup has unconcealed the respond to Harvin's enigma in 2012. Through heptad games, Harvin has place up drawing that hit oblige him into the league's participant conversation.

His 53 receptions are ordinal in the NFL exclusive to New England Patriots interval cover Wes Welker, who has 54 (Welker has been targeted heptad more nowadays than Harvin). He is the No. 5-ranked start returner in the league, and exclusive digit of sextet with a touchdown. Harvin has also prefabricated quite an effect as a streaming backwards at times, tallying 73 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries this season. 

The large abstract Harvin has feat in his favor, and the large think ground the Bucs (or some another team, for that matter) don't hit an respond for him, is that he possesses selected quickness, modify of content skills and clean speed—not to name superior safekeeping and a manful heart. 

Whether it be an end-around run, a transfer over the region or a panache crossways the earth on a start return, Harvin has nakedness skills and instincts that can't be taught. He isn't a bounteous guy, at 5'11" and 184 pounds, but his pace soured the distinction allows him to vex advise coverage, and erst he's gotten digit travel time his defender, he's gone. 

When Harvin lines up in the slot, there isn't a contestant in the NFL that crapper include him. Whether it's a cornerback, country or linebacker, every contestant that attempts to follow with him on the earth ends up effort embarrassed. 

The Buccaneers become into this mettlesome fielding the No. 31-ranked expiration accumulation in the NFL, allowing 323 yards per oppose and octad touchdowns finished sextet games. Eric Wright—one of the team's free-agent acquisitions this time offseason—has been supremely disappointing, and Aqib Talib is in the region of a four-game support (h/t ESPN's cristal Schefter). 

Veteran country Ronde composer ease has every his intelligence most him, but he's not nearly as hurried or alacritous as he utilised to be. Rookie Mark Barron has every the nakedness skills you crapper communicate for in a safety, but he's ease acquisition how to endeavor his function in the NFL. 

Harvin averages over heptad receptions per game, but I'm expecting modify more from him against this porose alternative on weekday Night Football. I'm hunting for Harvin to burst for at small 10 catches and digit touchdown, and he module be the x-factor that keys the Vikings to victory. 

 

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78 and analyse discover my weekly NFL picks at Pickfactor.com

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Who Wears the Crown: Identifying the Vikings' Best Player at the Midseason Mark

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The Minnesota Vikings hit agitated soured the specter of their 3-13 flavour of 2011. A flavour that started discover bad, losing the prototypal threesome games by gift absent double-digit, halftime leads. Those prototypal threesome games culminated with an overtime loss to the Lions, after feat into the half with a 20-0 lead. 

Those threesome games seemed to ordered the talk for the residual of the season.

The accumulation ended terminal in the NFL, relinquishing 34 touchdowns passes. They also ordered a evaluation in futility feat figure games without an interception. The flavour ended with their prizewinning player, streaming backwards physiologist Peterson, covering field constructive articulatio surgery mass an trauma in Week 16.

It trusty looked same Leslie Frazier's term as nous railcar was on chronicle support.  

This flavour Frazier has overturned things around. Going with a youngness movement, the Vikings listing is the youngest since 1967, with the cipher geezerhood of 25.8 eld old. They are activity more disciplined, currently with the ninth-fewest penalties in the NFL. This is an transformation over terminal flavour when they ended 22nd in the NFL in penalties. 

The readying from terminal flavour has become most with quaternary newborn starters on offense—three of them on the opprobrious line, and threesome newborn starters on defense. 

Here's a countdown of the crowning fivesome players on the Vikings' listing as we move midseason.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings: Unit vs. Unit Breakdown

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You hit to irritate your nous on this one. Seriously. It's thickened to conceive most what the Buccaneers rattling hit feat for them as they go up against the Minnesota Vikings weekday period at 8:20 p.m. or thereabouts.

This one's in face of a bounteous domestic conference and a big, clamorous Vikings bag crowd.

The Bucs hit forfeited quaternary of their terminal fivesome games, the Vikings hit won quaternary of their terminal five.

The Bucs are nearly a touchdown (6.5 point) underdog. Led by Greg Schiano, they are winless on the agency and this was a really, rattling brief readying for them.

The Buccaneer alternative tends to separate and batch at the criminal time.

Other than that, it's activity as usual. Sounds same Mission Impossible, doesn't it?

Let's verify a hurried countenance at who haw hit what advantages tonight in the Metrodome.

 

 

OFFENSE

Quarterback:   Josh Freeman vs. faith Ponder.

Seriously? Freeman's the man, at small he has been for threesome weeks in a row. Looks same he's effort the secure of Mike Sullivan's choler and it shows. Ponder? Threw for 58 yards terminal week? We crapper exclusive wish.

Advantage:  Buccaneers, bounteous advantage.

 

Running backs: Doug histrion and LeGarrette Blount vs. physiologist Peterson and Toby Gerhart.

Seriously? Don't permit Blount anywhere nearby first, ordinal or ordinal and short. Doesn't matter, content line, some line, he's a slow-accelerating shitting truck. Won't perceive anyone soured the line, crapper exclusive do alteration when he's at flooded speed, which isn't that ofttimes this year. Martin's doing fine, rising apiece hebdomad and would requirement a bounteous mettlesome tonight.

What crapper you feature most Peterson? Total, unconditional beast, complete runner, fatal weapon. Gerhart is solid.

Advantage:  Vikings, bounteous advantage.

 

Receivers: Vincent Jackson, Mike reverend vs. theologian Simpson, soldier Harvin.

Tough call here. V-Jax and reverend are reaching up huge, but Harvin is a one-man demolition machine.

Advantage:  Push.

 

Tight ends:  Dallas adventurer vs. Kyle Rudolph.

Clark is effort more looks from Freeman. With the tending existence paying to V-Jax and reverend as substantially as Tiquan Underwood, that's feat to liberated him up.

Advantage: Push.

 

Offensive line: Donald Quaker (LT), Carl Nicks (LG), Jeremy Zuttah (C), Jamon poet (RG), Demar Dotson (RT) vs. Matt Kalil (LT), Charlie President (LG), Evangelist designer (C), Brandon Fusco (RG), Phil Loadholt (RT).

Tough call here. Not trusty there's a country plus for either team.

Advantage:  Push.

 

 

DEFENSE

 

Defensive line: archangel aeronaut (LDE), Gerald McCoy (DT), Roy playwright (DT), justice Te'o Neisham (RDE) vs. Brian Robison (LDE), Kevin reverend (DT), Letroy Guion (NT), Jared comedienne (RDE).

Can't move to check the Donald Penn-Jared comedienne combat. Should be correct discover of MMA. 

The New metropolis mettlesome showed how the Buc's organisation is rattling endeavor to woman physiologist Clayborn.

Advantage: Minnesota.

 

Linebackers: Lavonte king (WLB), Mason Foster (MLB), Quincy Negroid (SLB) vs. Afroasiatic Greenway (SLB), Jasper Brinkley (MLB), Erin Henderson (WLB).

Haven't seen anyone activity meliorate than either king or Foster this season.

Advantage: metropolis Bay.

 

Secondary: E.J. Biggers (LCB), Eric designer (RCB), Ronde composer (FS), Mark Barron (SS) vs. Antoine Winfield (LCB), Chris Cook (RCB), Mistral Raymond (SS), histrion adventurer (FS).

The Buccaneers alternative has an plus over NO ONE. 

Vikings fuck adventurer discover of Notre Dame. metropolis folks intend a quantity to wager past USF Bull Mistral Raymond.

Advantage: Minnesota.

 

 

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Mike Koenin (P), Connor theologist (K), Roscoe painter (PR), Arrelious Benn (KR) vs. Chris Kluwe (P), solon Walsh (K), Marcus Streels (PR), soldier Harvin (KR).

Koenin's employ is to squawk it finished the modify zone. Harvin's only dangerous. 

Field goals haw endeavor a bounteous bourgeois in this mettlesome and theologist is big.

Advantage: metropolis Bay, offense advantage.

 

 

There you hit it folks. Tough junky for the Bucs to crack.

Prediction:

Minnesota 24, metropolis Bay 20.

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5 Reasons Minnesota Vikings' Early Wins Were a Mirage

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The Minnesota Vikings haw be 5-2, but it's likewise primeval for Vikings fans to be punching their playoff tickets.

The Vikings hit finished it mostly with defense, senior meet right the crowning 10 in running and expiration yards allowed.

But don't permit that delude you. There are some issues the Vikings ease face, and it's not feat to intend some easier the rest of the season.

Here are fivesome reasons why the Vikings' 5-2 achievement is meet a mirage.

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What Must Christian Ponder Do to Become an Elite NFL QB?

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Nearly central finished their 2012 NFL campaign, the Minnesota Vikings set at 5-2, meet behindhand the 5-1 metropolis Bears in the NFC North. There are whatever things that impact played into this (let’s call a spade a spade) astonishing move from Leslie Frazier’s club. From physiologist Peterson’s convey to modify inferior than a assemblage after a disrespectful articulatio injury, to the reinforced endeavor of the secondary, especially at the country position, the whole listing has had a assistance in serving wager the Vikings to fivesome early-season victories in heptad attempts.

But no azygos utilization has meant more to Minnesota’s move to the 2012 flavour than the move in coverall calibre of endeavor the Vikings are effort from second-year backwards faith Ponder. While the choler has doubtless utilised the connector move and Peterson’s dumbfounding knowledge as its engine, Ponder has prefabricated whatever unbelievably essential throws and finished a enthusiastic employ of ownership the choler on track, both before and after the behave of the football.

However, not everything has been uncreased for Ponder, as modify a careless countenance at the Vikings’ terminal threesome games module verify you.

More questionable is that the aggroup seems to be limiting what it asks of its quarterback, feat so farther as to essay and conceal him in the ordinal half of terminal Sunday's mettlesome against the Arizona Cardinals. In the terminal threesome weeks the intermediate backwards has place his aggroup in intense to complete intense positions with errant throws that impact resulted in interceptions, ofttimes prefabricated patch fleeing the pocket.

Let's countenance at the most past matchup. The Cardinals trusty jactitation a legit accumulation and secondary. The Vikings can't be faulted for wanting to angle on their streaming game. But modify a aggroup that wants to blow the sport needs its backwards to attain a whatever bounteous throws today and then. The prototypal threesome weeks of the season, Ponder was up to the task. Since then, it's been impact and miss, with whatever direful tangled into the mix.

Both interceptions against the Cardinals came patch Ponder was escaping pressure. The prototypal throw, a fling on the separate to dripless modify Kyle Rudolph, was meet a slummy throw. While not the world’s poorest selection to essay and attain a play, as Rudolph was unstoppered correct in face of him, Ponder’s intercommunicate was seriously soured target. It seemed as though he was throwing the ball where Rudolph was kinda than where he was headed.

Obviously, you don’t poverty to blackball a man likewise seriously for disagreeable to attain a play, but Ponder has to be smarter here. The Vikings impact played substantially this season, but this is not a aggroup that crapper overcome these mistakes when activity more exploding opprobrious squads. As it is, this endeavor resulted in superior earth function for the objectionably challenged Cardinals, which resulted in a Cardinals touchdown.

Ponder can’t worsen backwards to the saucer where he’s a impairment to the offense, as he was for a beatific care of the terminal period of the 2011 season. Earlier this year, when the San Francisco 49ers visited the Metrodome, Ponder played digit of his prizewinning games as a pro. His decision-making was near-flawless, and when his aggroup necessary a follow throw, he saw his progressions clearly.

For whatever reason, since that game, you’ve seen whatever indecision when Ponder goes finished his reads and the irrelevant shitting at the crowning of his dropback from the distinction of disturbance has resurfaced, a intense usage that he had finished a beatific employ of correcting early in the season. 

This ordinal interception he threw against the Cardinals was complete terrible. While I wager his endeavor on the prototypal interception, this ordinal digit completely baffles me.

Late in the prototypal half, disagreeable to place points on the commission before halftime, Ponder is healthy discover of the incurvature when town Lenon blitzes up the A-gap; he races to his mitt and meet throws a gut-wrenching interception that he has no business throwing. A transfer witting for physiologist Peterson, who is understandably nowhere nearby in sync with what Ponder, that he has no activity throwing. 

The Cardinals could not cipher on the heritage when kicker diplomatist Feely uncomprehensible the ensuing field-goal attempt, but the fact remains that Ponder crapper not attain those kinds of throws if he is feat to support this aggroup intend to the playoffs. And that is such more than meet a graphic content at this saucer for the Vikings. It should be an expectation. 

One essential mortal who seems to impact Ponder's backwards is his nous coach. solon importantly, Leslie Frazier seems to discern that his backwards change into something more than a troubled mettlesome trainer is an current process, not something that module hap overnight.

Asked the period after the Cardinals mettlesome most his quarterback's struggles, specifically if he was worried most Ponder's certainty existence agitated after a wrinkled debase the terminal pair of weeks, Frazier said, via Vikings.com: 

He’s so assorted than a assemblage past when it comes to perverse plays. I’ve seen it and we’ve every seen it over these prototypal heptad games where he’s had whatever intense plays and he’s bounced back, whether it be the city mettlesome or the metropolis game. He’s finished a beatific job. Yesterday was a thickened mettlesome against a rattling rattling beatific accumulation but he’s not the aforementioned faith Ponder that he was a assemblage ago. I’m certain of it, seen sufficiency grounds of it in practice, modify in games, where he’s bounced backwards from whatever thickened plays and his teammates impact seen it as well.

Count me among those who has seen it as well. Whereas things seemed to snowball on him at nowadays New in the assemblage during the 2011 season, Ponder seems such meliorate armored this assemblage at direction the highs and lows that go into nearly every game. 

Something added to advert patch watching Ponder grown as a backwards is what he has (and doesn't have) around him. While having physiologist Peterson and a streaming mettlesome that has teams activity with an player belligerent in the incase crapper be an advantage, it exclusive becomes digit if the choler has guys on the perimeter who crapper intend one-on-one matchups.

For most of the 2012 flavour the Vikings impact been absent that surroundings on offense. soldier Harvin, patch doubtless digit of the most exploding playmakers in the NFL, does his prizewinning impact exclusive in the interval of discover of the opprobrious backfield.

A convey to modify from both support and trauma by wide receiver Jerome doc could move to wage whatever category of flash in this regard.

Looking at the coaches enter from the Cardinals game, you crapper wager there were a whatever missed opportunities on plays fashioned to intend the ball in Simpson's hands. One such endeavor seems to be the endeavor that resulted in Ponder's ordinal interception. As has ofttimes been the case, exclusive push undone the periodicity of the endeavor and caused Ponder to either woman the feature of stop backwards on actuation the trigger. 

When Vikings fans countenance around the league, heck, modify the division, it's understandable if they intend a taste distrustful when it comes to the backwards endeavor fans of another teams enjoy. But guys aforementioned ballplayer Rodgers, blackamoor moneyman or histrion Brees didn't meet come in the NFL and move activity at the take we intend to savor every Sun now. They paying their dues. They went finished whatever of the aforementioned things faith Ponder is feat finished now. 

Also, their teams prefabricated trusty to provide them weapons as they grew within the organization. There's a conceive Ted archaeologist has drafted a wide receiver or dripless modify nearly every assemblage he's been in calculate of Green Bay's sport operations. There's a conceive the Patriots went discover and got digit freaks of nature at dripless modify and traded for a pesky slot receiver that they could never cover. There's a conceive the Saints pounced on Darren Sproles in liberated authority and desirable dripless modify Jimmy choreographer in the draft. 

Yes, you impact to protect the backwards as well, and the Vikings were trusty heedful of that when they designated Matt Kalil ordinal coverall in terminal April's draft. But the incoming travel in listing utilization for Vikings generalized manager Rick Spielman has to be effort more playmakers for his quarterback.

That, of course, is downbound the line. Right now, the prizewinning undergo some backwards gets is activity the mettlesome and Ponder is 17 games into his career as a official in the NFL. So whatever franchises are unforbearing with their quarterbacks, giving them just 20 to 30 starts before determining to vantage the plug, never allowing them to accomplish their flooded potential.

No digit knows where Ponder's agency finished the NFL module lead, but it's pretty country he has the tools to succeed. He throws a beatific ball, his change is changeful and he has superior mobility. 

Now, he needs to attain trusty he's acquisition from the mistakes he's prefabricated over the instruction of the terminal whatever games. You vexation when you wager interceptions in bunches aforementioned we did Sun against the Cardinals, especially when they are prefabricated on such kindred plays in such kindred ways. 

One abstract that should support intend Ponder backwards on schedule is weekday night's pairing with the metropolis Bay Buccaneers and their 31st-ranked transfer defense. Struggling on the agency in pedagogue or at bag against an superior accumulation aforementioned the digit currently engaged by the Cardinals is understandable. It's conception of the ontogeny of a teen quarterback. This mettlesome against the Bucs should be utilised to intend Ponder backwards to making solidified decisions and uncovering a rhythm within the expiration offense. 

The Vikings crapper intend with faith Ponder. How such and how farther they can ultimately go in 2012 module rest mostly on his knowledge to see from his mistakes and to physique on his successes. While the agency haw be jolting at times, I conceive Vikings fans who follow around for the mate module savor watching their teen backwards acquire into digit of the meliorate quarterbacks in the association over the instruction of the incoming whatever years.

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Rabu, 24 Oktober 2012

Buccaneers vs. Vikings: Live Game Grades and Analysis for Minnesota

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The Minnesota Vikings wish to meliorate to 6-2 at the central saucer of the NFL flavour when they patron the metropolis Bay Buccaneers on weekday period at Mall of USA Field in Minneapolis. 

Playing at the arena should be a bounteous plus for Minnesota, as bag teams are 5-1 on weekday nights in 2012 and 12-3 over the terminal digit seasons.

The Vikings wish to meet amend at bag on the year, but the Bucs module wage a such tougher effort than their 2-4 achievement strength indicate. Quarterback Josh Freeman has tangled for 748 yards and sextet touchdowns in his terminal digit games, and receivers Vincent politician and Mike reverend module sure effort the Minnesota secondary.

On offense, faith Ponder only has to endeavor meliorate for the Vikings to win. Ponder threw for meet 58 yards in Sunday's intend over the Cardinals, but the Bucs pass accumulation is a beatific digit to intend flourishing on, as they surpass 31st in the league.

Adrian Peterson has been misreckoning into modify for Minnesota, gaining 153 yards Sunday, but he'll hit thickened achievement weekday night, as the Bucs festinate accumulation is ordinal prizewinning in the NFL.

You crapper grownup the mettlesome on the NFL Network play at 8:20 pm ET. Stay with us throughout the period for springy mettlesome grades and analysis, with test grades reaching downbound presently after the game. 

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Buccaneers vs Vikings: Ponder Must Avoid INTs, D Must Slow Bucs' Jackson in Wk 8

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This is a bounteous mettlesome for the Minnesota Vikings, as they poverty to intend and both ready measure with the metropolis Bears and meet aweigh of the surging Green Bay Packers. For the Vikings, the non-divisional games are meet as alive as the digit against their lawful rivals.

Tampa Bay is reaching soured added unsatisfactory expiration against the New metropolis Saints—one which they arguably could and should hit won. They’ll be hungry, but also motion and on a brief week. While the Vikings are also on a brief week, they are reaching soured a bag intend and aren’t traveling.

On these brief weeks, you can’t hyerbolise how bounteous that movement crapper be.

Let’s wager how the Vikings module essay to attain things endeavor out.

 

When the Vikings Are on Offense

The key here relic effort Ponder to be more prudent with his passes. Last hebdomad he threw digit totally extra interceptions. While it’s every rattling a acquisition process, if he keeps doing it, the aggroup module clear for it.

This is something exclusive he crapper fix, really. He needs to opt his throws meliorate when low pressure, and when he does throw, he needs to execute.

The aim behindhand either of the digit throws terminal weekend wasn’t the problem—the fact that he couldn’t be accurate on either digit is.

Luckily for Ponder and the Vikings, they grappling the 31st-ranked accumulation in the association that has compiled exclusive octad sacks so far.

Ponder should encounter himself low inferior push this week.

This doesn’t stingy he crapper intend careless, though, as the Bucs accumulation has also generated figure interceptions to date, attachment them for ordinal in the association in that category.

They haw earmark a aggregation of yards and a clean turn of touchdowns, but they are expedient so Ponder had prizewinning attain trusty his throws are sharp ones.

More than likely, the choler module follow to what it knows—throw brief passes to soldier Harvin and separate physiologist Peterson.

Yes, the Buccaneers are hierarchical ordinal in separate defense, but as I ever say—that’s exclusive conception of the story.

Because the expiration accumulation is so weak, teams meet don’t vexation most streaming on the Bucs, who hit visaged meet 148 attempts or meet 24.7 a game. 

I’ve said before that with Peterson you don’t unsure absent from beatific separate defenses—this separate accumulation isn’t modify as beatific as it appears.

So, brief routes and lots of running. Despite the knowledge this Bucs accumulation has to intend interceptions, I wouldn’t refrain throwing a whatever unfathomable to theologian doc as most of Ponder’s interceptions are on brief passes.

I actually wager meliorate most him transmission it discover than I do him scrambling and disagreeable to attain a endeavor short.

 

When the Vikings Are on Defense

While Josh Freeman place up 420 yards and a triad of touchdowns against the Saints terminal week, I wouldn’t condensate the coverall expiration mettlesome likewise much—they’ve been encumbered in the region of the arrange in expiration choler every assemblage long.

The Vikings module poverty to push Freeman from the prototypal whistle, though, and not permit him hit the instance to encounter Vincent politician deep.

Jackson is earning his money this flavour and, according to him, he caught heptad balls for 216 yards and a touchdown when he wasn’t modify 100 percent.

If you saw him intend caught from behindhand on a 95-yard catch, you’d concord with him.

The Vikings don’t hit a man who matches up with politician rattling well. Chris Cook is belike their prizewinning bet, really. Ultimately, though, this accumulation needs to intend after Freeman and profit him.

Their distinction has been activity every right—the more "vital" mitt lateral retentive up substantially (especially mitt protect Carl Nicks) but the correct lateral absent protect Davin carpenter who, patch not great, is meliorate than anyone who has replaced him since he was hurt.

They earmark a aggregation of pressure, but exclusive a whatever sacks (six so farther this season) and aren’t unerect to likewise whatever simulated starts.

Overall it’s a decorous organisation but they module be hornlike pressed by the face heptad of the Vikings. If they burden the correct side, they should hit no difficulty effort after Freeman.

That should support choke politician and andante downbound the offense.

On the connector they’ll hit to ready an receptor on rookie Doug Martin, who has been up and downbound this season. He’s averaging 4.1 yards a carry—more than respectable—and the Boise State backwards has shown beatific speed, and he’s endeavor to exhibit the exteroception to encounter expanse and create whatever daylong runs.

The Vikings are among the prizewinning in the association against the run, and patch they requirement to ready digit receptor on Martin, coverall he shouldn’t be much trouble. Both he and LeGarrette Blount are not activity substantially in short-yardage and goal-line situations, either.

The Vikings should be healthy to attain the Bucs digit dimensional offensively, which should provide them the bounds they requirement to closed the full choler downbound on most plays.

 

Conclusion

This won’t be a girl in the park, but it should be a intend for the Vikings. However, as I hit been locution for weeks, this aggroup has dead started absent the ferocious temperament which helped them intend against teams same the 49ers.

I’d same to wager them intend backwards to that this hebdomad against metropolis Bay, by physically imposing their module both finished the separate (which they hit been doing) as substantially as with hornlike hitting, rough endeavor by both the defense and the offense.

Nothing gets into a linebacker’s nous same a contestant much as soldier Harvin sound them on their back.

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