The NFL analytics website Football Outsiders is not impressed by the Minnesota Vikings’ changes on offense.
In their 2017 projections, FO ranked the Vikings as the 22nd best offense in the league in DVOA – a stat that adjusts yards to situations. Last year, Minnesota finished 26th in DVOA.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/0...s-offense/

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman does plenty of research on draft prospects. When it came to center Pat Elflein, some of the information Spielman got was from his niece.
Spielman’s brother, former NFL linebacker Chris Spielman, lives in Columbus, Ohio. His daughter, Maddie, was roommates at Ohio State with Emily Lachey — Elflein’s girlfriend — and took classes there with Elflein.
When Spielman asked his brother about Elflein’s character, he relayed what he had heard from Maddie.
“My daughter is the same age (23) as Pat and she says he’s a great kid,” said Chris Spielman, a two-time All-American with the Buckeyes. “She speaks very highly of him. I just know that if my daughter says he’s a great guy, then he’s a great guy.”
Elflein is also a pretty good football player. After being taken in the third round of the April draft, he is set to be the first rookie center to start a Vikings opener since Mick Tingelhoff in 1962 in Monday night’s game against the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium.


http://www.twincities.com/2017/09/08/con...ng-center/

Nick Easton started the final five games last season at center for the Vikings, and now he’s at left guard.
So what will be the key for Easton in Monday night’s opener against New Orleans at U.S. Bank Stadium?
“Just got to focus on not snapping the ball and blocking my guy,’’ Easton said Thursday.
vikings-offensive-line-coach-confident-in-nick-easton-moving-to-left-guard

Laquon Treadwell hasn’t felt this way since the days leading up to Jan. 1, 2016.
That’s when Treadwell was getting ready for Mississippi to face Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl. Treadwell caught six passes for 71 yards in his final college game, a 48-20 Rebels victory.
After being taken by the Vikings with the No. 23 pick in the first round of the 2016 draft, the wide receiver barely played as a rookie, catching one pass for 15 yards. But Treadwell should have a role in Monday night’s opener against New Orleans at U.S. Bank Stadium, and the anticipation has been building.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “You know, I haven’t played since college. So it’s just that whole thrill of game week, getting ready, getting antsy and knowing you’re going to be out there.”

http://www.twincities.com/2017/09/08/vik...-lifetime/

In previous years, the Vikings often have elected their captains by a vote of players. This season, the choice was made by head coach Mike Zimmer.
Selected as captains by Zimmer were quarterback Sam Bradford, tight end Kyle Rudolph, tackle Riley Reiff, defensive ends Everson Griffen and Brian Robison and cornerback Terence Newman. That’s three on offense and three on defense.
Rudolph, Griffen and Robison are holdover captains from last season.
“It’s obviously a great honor,’’ said Rudolph, a seven-year veteran. “I’m going to be the same person I’ve been since I got here, a guy that tries to lead by example.’’
Bradford joined the Vikings last September when they had already chosen captains for the season. Reiff has become a captain in his first year in Minnesota.
“Riley, he’s mean and nasty and he brings that mentality to that offensive line and really to our whole offense,’’ Bradford said.
It’s the first time Newman has been a captain in his three years with the Vikings. Newman turned 39 last Monday and could be playing his final NFL season.
“It goes without saying that Terence is one of the leaders of this team,’’ Rudolph said. “He’s been around, he’s seen everything (in the NFL).’’
http://www.twincities.com/2017/09/09/vik...n-defense/

When Mike Zimmer was the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive backs coach and his team was preparing to play Randy Moss, Zimmer developed a trick to give his players an idea of what they were dealing with.
“I remember on the scout team, we lined a receiver up two yards offside every time we played against him, because he was going to be on us so fast,” Zimmer said...


http://www.startribune.com/randy-moss-still-larger-than-life-to-current-vikings/443455603/

http://www.twincities.com/2017/09/08/con...enter/amp/

They flew him up here early due to Irma. Was at a local dunkers or something speaking and was telling people that after watching tape, the Saints D is going to be very good this year. He expects them to give the Vikings a difficult time.

We'll see soon enough...

If not, then he should be. I thought he was our best and most disruptive defensive lineman this preseason and I love the size element he would bring starting next to Joseph inside. This team has struggled against the run and Johnson (even though he is a rookie) gives us the best chance to stack and push the pocket. Tom Johnson needs to continue his role as a 3rd down pass rusher and not as a starter with Floyd gone. I know Zimmer is adverse to starting rookies to say the least, and having to start Gedeon and Johnson at the same time might push him into a coronary......but it needs to happen. Anybody heard anything? Guru?

Wow. 

That's the easiest reaction to it, but I can go a bit more in-depth...

First movie I've seen in a long time that was equal parts creepy, scary, heart-warming, and funny. These boys are my exact age I was during the time period, and they couldn't have nailed a group of dorky boys better. The banter was perfect. I was one of these kids...

Bill Skarsgård was great as Pennywise! Not sure he could have been any creepier if he tried. Again, given my age, I typically think of Tim Curry when I think of Pennywise... Not any more. Skarsgård took the role and made it fresh and unique.


Slight spoilers...
The only negative is that it finds itself caught in familiar horror movie tropes. The biggest being that the kids get separated way too easily... If I were in that situation, my pals and I would be clutched together. Now... That's what Pennywise does... Isolates them and feeds off their fear... But still. Happened way too easily.

Overall... I'm not much of a modern horror fan (Annabelle, The Conjuring were "meh" to me). But this was a new twist. It's nostalgic, funny, AND scary. Think Stand By Me with a clown that's creepy as f**k.

I loved it, and Mrs. Clanzomaelan wants to go see it again...