Vikings

[Cbus cardsfan]

you really can't tell anything about them yet. Their season will be defined over the next 5 weeks. Look at their schedule so far. They have played a road schedule of Cle, Det, Stl,Pitt, and GB.They lost at Pitt and held on versus GB. They haven't been on the road in over a month and have had it pretty soft. The only games they could have lost so far is Pitt and GB on the road, maybe Bal at home and they could have lost that as well. SF had them on the ropes too. So let's not make them out to be the world beaters the Favre love-fested media would like you to think. Starting this week we'll know all we need to know come playoff time about Minny because their schedule finally has some teams that can challenge them. They are at AZ, home to Cincy, at CAR,at CHI, and home to NYG. They could lose all 5 of those games. I don't think they will,i say (2-3), but it's not going to be the cakewalk it's been lately.

 

[Matt L]

The Vikings are who we thought they were!

 

[earthsci]

There will be no home field advantage this week.

At the very least it will be neutral.

 

[SuperSpck]

There will be no home field advantage this week.

At the very least it will be neutral.

Indifferent Field Advantage!

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Vikings fans travel well. While in Tennessee, i was talking to a waitress at a sports bar Sunday morning and she said,without a doubt, that Vikings fans have been the most numerous, and most obnoxious, of the visiting teams to come to Nashville.

 

[football karma]

Trent Dilfer said something very interesting a week ago-- and I paraphrase:

responding to the assertion that Bret has become a better game manager and is taking care of the ball:

"When I watch film, Brett is still winging it. He is still taking chances, throwing the ball into tight spots -- its just that everything has worked thus far. The tipped balls have found the ground, etc. I kinda think its going to catch up with him pretty soon."

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

This is why many on this board are extremely worried:

Brett Favre torched Cards for like 6TD's last season

The Vikings slaughtered us at home last season with Tavaris Freaking Jackson.

Put those two together and it does not feel so great.

 

[Dr. Jones]

There will be no home field advantage this week.

At the very least it will be neutral.

Not only that.... Michaels and Collinsworth will let the whole world know that our stadium is full of Vikings fans.

We really need the Red Sea this week.

 

[ReddBird]

If Kurt plays -- and is at the top of his game -- we win.

But those are two very big "ifs".

 

[football karma]

funny things about the Vikings D:

pass D as measured by QB rating is 88.1. For perspective -- its bottom third. Clearly they sack the QB -- leading the NFL with 40. The Cards have 32.

Arguably -- the qB rating may be a function of teams passing against prevent D's when the Vikings are ahead -- but still ----

 

[Brighteyes]

Vikings are a good team. No doubt.

BUT Cardinals are pretty damn good, too. They can win this game. Just keep seeing Rolle catching Favre's passes. Over and over. (I read somewhere if you keep visualizing, it will come to pass. Or Favre won't come to pass -- something like that.)

Remember going into New York for a night game. Giants had only lost one as well, and everyone thought they'd slaughter us. Afterwards the NFL started talking about our Defensive Coach.

 

[CardLogic]

Good post!

Vikings are a good team. No doubt.

BUT Cardinals are pretty damn good, too. They can win this game. Just keep seeing Rolle catching Favre's passes. Over and over. (I read somewhere if you keep visualizing, it will come to pass. Or Favre won't come to pass -- something like that.)

Interesting. Just prior to reading this I was thinking, its about time for Rolle to have a big game!

Remember going into New York for a night game. Giants had only lost one as well, and everyone thought they'd slaughter us. Afterwards the NFL started talking about our Defensive Coach.

The Cardinals had no chance of beating the Giants...

 

[Lorenzo]

I think the cardinals may win this game. I'm more worried about the cards than the vikings. I know the vikings will show up and have a chance to win....so you can spare me with the whole breakdown of the schedule. You can't fault a team for winning games on their schedule...but for some reason people like to do that to bring a team down. The cards will have a chance, but every so often they have had a tendancy to have a let down. this is coming from a neutral perspective. I have no doubt that the cards can beat the vikings and have every incentive in the world to do so coming off of a loss and a humilation of last years defeat.

 

[earthsci]

You can't fault a team for winning games on their schedule...but for some reason people like to do that to bring a team down.

As Duckjake points out, an NFL is very good if they make it to 10-1 no matter who they play. We would be 9-2 if we had beaten everyone that we should have beaten. We didn't though.

I will say this, the Vikings won't end the regular season with one loss. They play us, Bengals, Panthers, @ Bears (who should play tough) & NY Giants.

 

[az1965]

Bears and Giants are not challenging many teams. I would put Panthers in the same category.

We will find out who we are after Sunday's game.

 

[earthsci]

I would put Panthers in the same category.

They beat the reigning NFC Champions.

Chicago at home against the Vikings? They will play tough.

My money is on the Giants to be a little tougher bye the end of the season.

 

[Doug]

Shannon Sharpe and Rod Woodson and Mark Schlereth picked the CARDINALS to beat the vikes this Sunday.Just watched too much of the NFL Channel.They also think the vikes might be missing Shiancoe for the game.That would be a big break for us also.Although I'm sure another tightend would fill in.Its just that the other has caught a td in 4 or 5 straight games.One of the lil' elves favorite recievers this year.

Don't think the vikes have played a team like us this year.It will be very interesting INDEED!!! Warner & favre have both had 5-6 interception games playing each other.Who's turn is it this time? I say we would be at an advantage to go deep a couple times this game.I hope its in the gameplan.

 

[LittleDavis]

My main concern is McFadden on Harvin. McFadden reminds me alot of Eric Green. Albeit, a better version.

 

[SuperSpck]

My main concern is McFadden on Harvin. McFadden reminds me alot of Eric Green. Albeit, a better version.

That'll be a rare formation. Starters are Berrian (who practiced fully today) and Rice. Harvin may see sub time on the outside, but will mostly play in the slot.

 

[LittleDavis]

That'll be a rare formation. Starters are Berrian (who practiced fully today) and Rice. Harvin may see sub time on the outside, but will mostly play in the slot.

O.K....Thanks...even worse, Adams or Brown on Harvin

 

[Perfectionist]

Shannon Sharpe and Rod Woodson both picked the CARDINALS to beat the vikes this Sunday.Just watched too much of the NFL Channel.They also think the vikes might be missing Shiancoe for the game.That would be a big break for us also.Although I'm sure another tightend would fill in.Its just that the other has caught a td in 4 or 5 straight games.One of the lil' elves favorite recievers this year.

Don't think the vikes have played a team like us this year.It will be very interesting INDEED!!! Warner & favre have both had 5-6 interception games playing each other.Who's turn is it this time? I say we would be at an advantage to go deep a couple times this game.I hope its in the gameplan.

Yes indeed, I have seen a lot of the experts pick the Cards this week. Cards make us proud again this week and we all have a little more bounce in our steps next week.

 

[Lorenzo]

the key will be to protect kurt and keep his jersey clean. that front 4 for the vikes is the best in football. they give up less than 2 yds per rush on most plays and they get to the QB...a lot of this without help from LB's and DB's. the cards OL will have their hands full.

 

[Doug]

the key will be to protect kurt and keep his jersey clean. that front 4 for the vikes is the best in football. they give up less than 2 yds per rush on most plays and they get to the QB...a lot of this without help from LB's and DB's. the cards OL will have their hands full.

So far this year I'd say the best D'Line would be the talented duo of Freeney & Mathis when healthy as they need no other help.

I think the Williams boys will be handled by our front 3 and Bridges is gonna be looking forward to playing jared allen this Sunday night.Not too sure about Levi yet but I'd say we run the ball better than you think to our left,right at jared allen.Or right by him.He's gonna get kickblocked out.

Greenway is gonna have to make a ton of tackles and Fitzgerald is gonna have a CAREER game against the old team he was the ball boy for.Dockett is gonna grab the lil' old man and show him what he has'nt seen in a while and it may just rattle his cage a little bit.I'd say two picks for favre and one fumble for AP. We'll win the turnover battle and the crowd will have a fieldday.Warner has been waiting for this game for a long time.Don't look for a slow start from our offense this week.

The vikings have'nt played a team like us this year.PERIOD!!!They have no way to prepare.We've played better than them already in a couple teams.If Shiancoe can't go,then they are in deep do do.

 

[Lorenzo]

So far this year I'd say the best D'Line would be the talented duo of Freeney & Mathis when healthy as they need no other help.

I think the Williams boys will be handled by our front 3 and Bridges is gonna be looking forward to playing jared allen this Sunday night.Not too sure about Levi yet but I'd say we run the ball better than you think to our left,right at jared allen.Or right by him.He's gonna get kickblocked out.

Greenway is gonna have to make a ton of tackles and Fitzgerald is gonna have a CAREER game against the old team he was the ball boy for.Dockett is gonna grab the lil' old man and show him what he has'nt seen in a while and it may just rattle his cage a little bit.I'd say two picks for favre and one fumble for AP. We'll win the turnover battle and the crowd will have a fieldday.Warner has been waiting for this game for a long time.Don't look for a slow start from our offense this week.

The vikings have'nt played a team like us this year.PERIOD!!!They have no way to prepare.We've played better than them already in a couple teams.If Shiancoe can't go,then they are in deep do do.

they beat a team that beat the cardinals. they beat GB twice(GB will likely share your record at the end of the year). their only loss was a fluke type loss at pitt(no shame there). Then combined with this season UofP has been a road friendly environment.

you have some points, but the vikings are among the most physical teams in the league up front. Talking and overrating on a message board is easy. beating the beast in front of you isn't lol. we'll see...keep kurt's jersey clean and you have a chance.

 

[Doug]

they beat a team that beat the cardinals. they beat GB twice(GB will likely share your record at the end of the year). their only loss was a fluke type loss at pitt(no shame there). Then combined with this season UofP has been a road friendly environment.

you have some points, but the vikings are among the most physical teams in the league up front. Talking and overrating on a message board is easy. beating the beast in front of you isn't lol. we'll see...keep kurt's jersey clean and you have a chance.

I'm not underating the vikes or overating the CARDINALS.I think we match up well against thier kinda injured pass D with Lil' Winfield just back with his foot and Sapp has'nt been playing that great.

If the vikes turn the ball over like AP is getting well known to do then we will have more oportunities for this game.I'm thinking Whiz will not start the game like he did last week with the dink and dunk to help Matt feel comfortable.We may go downtown to Fitzgerald to start the game.I don't see why not.

The saints got the db the vikes lost and he's having an all pro year in Nawlins'.I know who has been tested the most recently.I also know who has been playing nobodies at home also.I think that is a big key to this game.

The running stats for the vikes front 4 are not against the rb's the CARDINALS have played.Plus the packers o-line never let the only qb they've played to ever get going.Will our o-line protect Kurt and give him time? Thats the key to the game.I'm glad M.Gandy and his 70% play is sitting.It will be a bonus for us.

If the CARDINALS don't turn it over it may be that the vikes are playing catchup ball and I like the pass rush of Dockett against the vikes middle and forcing the old man out of his rocking chair he's been in for a few weeks back there.Could be interesting if the lil' guy gets any of his passes blocked by CC too.