...but it didn't mirror to the front page.  So:
https://vikefans.com/observations-from-t...he-saints/

https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/09/13/mike-zimmer-minnesota-vikings-coach-eye-surgery 

To listen to the men who have worked with Zimmer is to believe that this country music fan with one good eye (and “no ass,” according to Vikings cornerback Terence Newman, who says, “I don’t know how his jeans stay up”) has a better rapport with his largely twentysomething, mostly African-American roster than any coach in the league.

“I’m not gonna say he’s a players’ coach, because he hates that,” says Minnesota safety Harrison Smith. “Other coaches, the way they talk to players, it’s just not ... real. Nothing about [Zimmer] is fabricated, nothing’s fake.”“I didn’t know Mike when I went to Dallas,” says Bill Parcells, who took over the Cowboys five years after Switzer resigned. But Parcells soon saw that his new defensive coordinator “was passionate, committed. He was a tireless worker. Cared about players. I inherited some people who weren’t like that. But Mike was a guy I gravitated to.”
“It’s like he grew up in the inner city, man,” says Sanders. “He relates to everyone. And he’s intelligent. What Zim said was going to happen in a game, it happened. When your best players see that and start buying in, then everybody follows.”
That was the path the Vikings were on one year ago. Coming off a 2015 season in which quarterback Teddy Bridgewater emerged as a budding star and the Vikes snapped the Packers’ string of four division titles, expectations were high. They had but one flaw. “I can still remember talking to [Minnesota GM] Rick [Spielman] before last season and saying, ‘Man, if Teddy goes down, we’re in trouble,’” Zimmer says. “ ‘We can’t lose Teddy.’”

VOTE for the @pepsi Rookie of the Week!
Tweet player's name + #NFLROTW:Cohen. Hunt. Cook. Fournette. Watt https://t.co/DmrQ0DSis6

OK, let's just get all the rationalizations out of the way: only one game, Saints are mediocre, etc.

But: Left Tackle is a cornerstone position for every NFL team, and when it is weak, the entire OL is weak. LT has been a sucking wound for the Vikings since 2012 - really, since 2001 when Todd Steussie left. I was among those dubious that Reiff could solve the problem, but based solely on Monday night, he was damn good. No pressure on Bradford's blindside, LG Easton was free to take assignments without needing to babysit the LT, and I don't remember many plays with a TE assisting Reiff (some of you guys who break down film can correct me if needed).

IMO Reiff was a 1-game ray of hope as big as Bradford, Cook, Diggs, Theilen - because the others would have been less effective if he had failed.

Remmers, OTOH...don't get me started..

...

It’s unlikely Cook’s mark on the Vikings’ 2017 offense will be as profound as Peterson’s was in 2007. But for a team that has planned to replace Peterson with a trio of running backs, Cook looked awfully close to a featured back in his first game.

He was on the field for 51 of the Vikings’ 65 offensive snaps, carrying 22 times and being targeted with passes five more times. Not counting two kneel-downs by Sam Bradford, the Vikings had just six rushing attempts that didn’t involve Cook.
And after he opened the fourth quarter with a 32-yard run, Cook was still in the game to the end, breaking a 33-yarder on a third-and-7 to allow the Vikings to run out the clock at the Saints 12.
According to NFL Research, Cook recorded two of the three fastest speeds by a running back in Week 1, when he hit 20.45 and 19.98 miles per hour on his two long runs.
http://www.startribune.com/dalvin-cook-l...444099203/

for a #28???David Johnson Reportedly to Have Surgery on Wrist Injury, to Miss 2-3 Monthshttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/2732838-david-johnson-reportedly-to-have-surgery-on-wrist-injury-to-miss-2-3-months?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/253...ngs-giants

Great way to start the season -- dominating win and winning a bet with my nephew.  Here are my misc. thoughts:

• Confidence.  There are a couple of examples of confidence in this game which I took note.  First, Bradford looked like he had a lot more confidence in his receivers than last year.  There were a lot of throws to open receivers but there were also a number of throws to covered receivers.  Rarely, last year, did Bradford feel confident enough in the receivers to throw the ball even when the receivers were covered.  This resulted in a lot of check downs.  Last night, as the night went on, Bradford seemed more and more confident in throwing to covered receivers (such as one of Diggs' TDs).  This could have been just due to Bradford's general growing confidence in the game or it might be the product of the off season work.  It will be something that I will be watching going forward.  The second example of confidence was the fact the Vikes ran a pitch play to Dalvin Cook with less than 2 minutes to go.  Obviously, there is more of a risk in a pitch play than a straight handoff -- I thought it showed great confidence in Cook.  Also, do you realize the three rookies are in the top 5 of rushing the first week?  That is pretty remarkable in itself.
• Peterson.  Did anyone get the feeling that Sean Payton wanted to get AD a touchdown in the Vike's house?  I don't think AD will finish the season with the Saints.
• Barr/Kendrick.  I was surprised to see Barr had more tackles and TFL (8; 1.5) than Kendricks (6; 0).  I thought Barr played well but Kendricks seemed to be everywhere.  Regardless, Linval presents the canvas upon which the backers paint their artistry.
• Elflein.  I have memorize how to spell his name because I feel I may be writing about him often.  It is not often that a Olineman catches my eye but Elflein seems very athletic and able to get to the second level.  He may follow a long line of athletic Viking centers.
• Thielen/Diggs.  One word to describe each.  Thielen -- inspirational.  Diggs -- dynamic.
• Quick questions in my mind.  Jaleel Johnson inactive?  Treadwell, being brought along slowly or not ready for prime time?  Another missed extra point?  
• One Coaching Criticism.  I know I shouldn't complain about anything but this stuck out in an otherwise near perfect game.  In the 4th quarter, Thielen was marked just short of a first down when he went out of bounds.  Time stopped.  Zim should have challenged the spot.  Vikings had 3 time outs.  Burning a challenge at that point only had upside.  The only think I could think of was that Zim didn't want to freeze his own kicker.  Small criticism but I felt I had to find something.