Reason For Worry…. Reason For Hope

I agree, and now you understand the lack of excitement around here.  This is an average team at best on both sides of the ball.  Zimmer may have been anointed as the next "Bud Grant" a little too early.  I'm not impressed at all with Sherman's offense, or Zimmer's D.  Looks a lot like the post bye week Vikings from last season.

Tom, not to nitpick, but Treadwell had 3 catches for 36 yards.  Also, Treadwell has the starter throwing passes while Coley and Adams have the more aggressive 2nd and 3rd string QB's throwing passes. 

There's a lot to be concerned about but I still maintain preseason is when they're trying to work the kinks out and shouldn't reflect their style at all. The tackling and dropsies aside, I'm still no too worried. For all we know, they could be trying out schemes they'll never use in the regular season.

But knowing this team, we'll be 8-8...

Good summary, but my own disagreement would be with your assessment of Mike Remmers as an "improvement over last year's starters". Hard to be sure I remember all the guys who played RT last season, but thus far Remmers has been worse than Andre Smith (who was unimpressive but adequate) as well as Jeremiah Sirles (even though Sirles was thrown into RT after playing G earlier); I think Remmers is playing worse than TJ Clemmings was at the end of 2015. I didn't appreciate Phil Loadholt nearly enough, obviously.

Remmers was a panic-driven bad FA signing. Between he and Boone, the Vikings have proven they are no better at finding OL through free agency than they are through the draft. Reiff didn't look good and will be excused due to his minimal practice time, but why should we believe that the Vikings got it right with him??

@"HappyViking" said:  I'm not impressed at all with Sherman's offense  

Atlanta would beg to differ ... (and Savannah as well).

My biggest issue (yes I know it's preseason) the fact that the entire 1st team seemed to play with complete indifference.  I don't know if I've ever seen them more flat on both sides of the ball since Zimmer took over, ridiculous actually.

They are going to absolutely hammered by the Saints if they don't figure this thing out in the next two weeks.

It's sad that the first half was piss poor. You wait for football and then they are flat. The OL is our Achilles heel. I hope they get it sorted out. The run defense and the soft spots in the middle suck. It was cool to see McKinnon have 108 yard return and Heinicke have some success. Floyd made some good catches. I look forward to seeing more of Adams and Coley. Kendrick did a great job being relentless to get the sack. Nice to see Treadwell make plays. Hopefully we don't make Cutler look all world.

I'd love to hear Guru's opinion on if this team is still behind Zim and if they have ANY faith in Bradford as their QB. Something has happened to this team since the bye last year and I am very curious to know what it is. My wife spent a ton of money on tickets for our anniversary (2nd row, 50 yard line, behind the Vike's bench) for the Rams game in Nov. Yet I just don't feel that excited. I felt more faith in Ponder and TJack than I do Sleeves. Yeah the guy has an arm, but he uses it to check down. He can't climb the pocket and our OL gets his unaware ass killed. Teddy may not have had the deep ball sleeves has (during his first 2 years) but he SURE was growing as a QB and he had this team 110% behind him and he gave you hope. This team right now, and since the bye last year, is just missing that "hope" a fan needs. As so many Vikings fans have said on so many different places. There is just something missing right now, is it because of Zim, because he made this team feel special going into last year, is it all because of our OL, because a lot of teams have awful OL, it really seems that since we found out who sleeves was in purple that this heart and soul of this team has just died...

@"Neptizzle" said: I'd love to hear Guru's opinion on if this team is still behind Zim and if they have ANY faith in Bradford as their QB. Something has happened to this team since the bye last year and I am very curious to know what it is. My wife spent a ton of money on tickets for our anniversary (2nd row, 50 yard line, behind the Vike's bench) for the Rams game in Nov. Yet I just don't feel that excited. I felt more faith in Ponder and TJack than I do Sleeves. Yeah the guy has an arm, but he uses it to check down. He can't climb the pocket and our OL gets his unaware ass killed. Teddy may not have had the deep ball sleeves has (during his first 2 years) but he SURE was growing as a QB and he had this team 110% behind him and he gave you hope. This team right now, and since the bye last year, is just missing that "hope" a fan needs. As so many Vikings fans have said on so many different places. There is just something missing right now, is it because of Zim, because he made this team feel special going into last year, is it all because of our OL, because a lot of teams have awful OL, it really seems that since we found out who sleeves was in purple that this heart and soul of this team has just died...

The team has seemingly had motivation problems since game 5 last year, but what is your basis for blaming it on Bradford? The team - at least the defensive unit - sure seemed to be sky-high confident during Bradford's first 4 games as a starter. Was beloved Teddy rolling his hospital bed along the sidelines keeping their morale high??

I think some people are vastly overvaluing Bridgewater's leadership abilities and the effect any QB has on the performance of other players on the team. Good NFL players aren't waiting around for their QB to tell them they have to do their jobs, or to inspire them. Anyone who has watched football more than a month or two should remember countless examples of players giving great effort on teams quarterbacked by uninspiring guys ranging from Trent Dilfer to RG3.

Anyone accusing Bradford of failing to have leadership or the respect of his teammates is also far too impressed with their own ability to know the actual attitudes of a bunch of strangers that they watch playing a game on TV.

Bradford is seeing ghosts...  too quick to hit the checkdown and refuses to throw past the sticks until we need some big plays.  After the first two series, look at the plays when he had a clean pocket...  5 yard pass to Thielen or a 3 yard pass to Diggs...  Wash, rinse, repeat.

For as good as Bradford is as a deep passer, he sure doesn't take many shots down field.  He seems too content to dump short passes and rarely attacks the intermediate part of the field.

This offense was pathetic and you can blame the offensive line for some of the early sacks, but Bradford made plenty of mistakes.  The first two plays of the game were ALL on him.  He should have never let Dalvin get obliterated for a 5 yard loss and then he got careless with the ball on a play action pass. 

No TDs by our starters in preseason is EMBARRASSING.

49ers overloaded Remmers' side a few times. These are looks teams don't typically show in the preseason. I get the feeling that Kyle Shanahan, as a new coach, wanted to put it all out there for the national TV audience. A 2-14 team last year, they don't have anything to lose. I still think we'll see a totally different team week one...

But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. The truly alarming thing is that the Vikings' defense--a unit who legitimately should be among the league's best--has been playing mostly crappy football now since week 5 of last season. Its biggest stars (Rhodes, Harry, Linval, Griffen, Barr) all making mental errors and underachieving. 

It might be time we stop putting Barr on a list of stars for our team. 

@"Mike Olson" said: It might be time we stop putting Barr on a list of stars for our team. 

I've been thinking the same thing Mike.  It's been awhile since he's looked like a good player, I think he's truly overrated.

@"MaroonBells" said: 49ers overloaded Remmers' side a few times. These are looks teams don't typically show in the preseason. I get the feeling that Kyle Shanahan, as a new coach, wanted to put it all out there for the national TV audience. A 2-14 team last year, they don't have anything to lose. I still think we'll see a totally different team week one...

But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. The truly alarming thing is that the Vikings' defense--a unit who legitimately should be among the league's best--has been playing mostly crappy football now since week 5 of last season. Its biggest stars (Rhodes, Harry, Linval, Griffen, Barr) all making mental errors and underachieving. 

my thoughts exactly,  we were as bland as could be with no game planning likely,  and the niners looked like they were prepared for the playoffs.  no excuses for missed tackles and some other shit,  but the looks and preparation wasnt consistent with pre season IMO.

@"Tom Moore" said: The Blah - I have no idea why LaQuon Treadwell is running ahead of Rodney Adams and Stacey Coley.

This is why Tom.

In all seriousness, if Treadwell was drafted in any other round last year, he would be cut.

I would honestly take both Adams and Coley over him if there was only room for 2 of the 3 on the team this year.

@"SFVikingFan" said:

@"Tom Moore" said: The Blah - I have no idea why LaQuon Treadwell is running ahead of Rodney Adams and Stacey Coley.

This is why Tom.

In all seriousness, if Treadwell was drafted in any other round last year, he would be cut.

I would honestly take both Adams and Coley over him if there was only room for 2 of the 3 on the team this year.

@"Mike Olson" said: It might be time we stop putting Barr on a list of stars for our team. 

Or it might be time to just admit that Anthony Barr might not be suited to a 4-3, unless you want to turn him into a 4-3 DE, ala Chris Doleman, and we have no vacancies.

I've always sorta felt that his best role would be as a 3-4 OLB. Be foolish to do anything now, but if he doesn't turn things around by the trade deadline (10/31), might want to look at what you could get for him. As much as he's underachieved lately, the guy is bursting with raw talent. And as a 25-year old, two-time pro bowler on his first contract, he would draw quite a bit in trade. 

@"MaroonBells" said: 49ers overloaded Remmers' side a few times. These are looks teams don't typically show in the preseason. I get the feeling that Kyle Shanahan, as a new coach, wanted to put it all out there for the national TV audience. A 2-14 team last year, they don't have anything to lose. I still think we'll see a totally different team week one...

But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. The truly alarming thing is that the Vikings' defense--a unit who legitimately should be among the league's best--has been playing mostly crappy football now since week 5 of last season. Its biggest stars (Rhodes, Harry, Linval, Griffen, Barr) all making mental errors and underachieving. 

Yes, I think the objective of the coaches were quite different.  I am concerned by the lack of fire by the starting offense.  And the poor coverage by the defense.

But as mentioned, lack of film study left the D vulnerable to the exotic plays by Shanahan.  (funny tho, his team gave up a huge lead late in the game, wonder how that is for his psyche?)

The one pass where Rhodes was burned, I think he bit on the reverse.  Seems like some film study of the actual opponent may help our D.  And some humble pie may help as well. 

I'm not worried yet. I know that, especially on defense, we are run a straight up scheme and doing very little of what we will be doing in the regular season. He'll, we are probably even running plays that we won t be running in the regular season.

I know some people will laugh at what I am about to say, but I'm being honest.
Without Brian on the field they have no one who knows how to read and adjust players and/or change plays like he does. He has only played in 1 quarter of 1 PS game.  That has usually been only on passing downs.
I also question the fact that he has been replaced as a starter. Me bringing that up may or may not have a thing to do with anything but I still believe that Brian was/is better against the run. I saw nothing wrong with the what we did last year and the year before. I have nothing against Hunter, in fact I really like the kid. He still looks up to Brian and he still looks to him for guidance advise and how to s. However, one thing that does make a difference is, does he pay attention to the #1 priority (the run) or does he just pass rush? Is he told to just pass rush or is he told to honor and read first before rushing? I know the answer but I won't say. I do know that Brian is the leader of that D and I do know how much he does on the field when he's there. Those coaches depend on Brian to be a coach on the field. He's given free rein to change and adjust players to put them in the right positions to make plays.
Brian is one he'll of a smart football player, always knew he was but when these coaches came in, they saw it and taught him even more 
Until the past couple of years I had no idea how smart he really was and listening to him about some of the stuff he is doing just blows me away.
Having said all that, many may not believe me and I may be proven wrong too. We'll just have to see, but those are my reasons for not showing too much concern for these PS games.
Another thing, and I'm not really looking to see if it's happening but sometimes when guys get paid, as we've had a few guys get paid, they try to do too much and prove that they deserved to get paid. Rather than realizing they got paid because of what other players did for them to get paid. Another words they may push to make a play (i.e. come off blocks too soon, or shoot a gap or maybe lose their gap integrity while rushing or playing run) instead of everyone doing their jobs and letting the play come to them.

This part is the part that has me riled up. Zimmer and his staff assured some players and encouraged them to just do their jobs and not worry about numbers or stats. Now that they've done that they are no longer starting.
Yes it pissed me off. But I'm just another fan so it matters to no one.
Oh well, there I went again. On my soapbox. Sorry everyone but I just had to vent a little.
I'll stop it.

@"96POPS" said: This part is the part that has me riled up. Zimmer and his staff assured some players and encouraged them to just do their jobs and not worry about numbers or stats. Now that they've done that they are no longer starting. Yes it pissed me off. But I'm just another fan so it matters to no one. Oh well, there I went again. On my soapbox. Sorry everyone but I just had to vent a little. I'll stop it.

Well, that sucks, no other way to put it. Very bad for the individuals affected, but could mean overall trouble for team attitude. I'm sure many of us have worked places where a new manager or executive comes in, gets people fired up, changes everything, and makes a lot of promises - but a while down the road, the promises are not coming true for either individuals or the organization. Bad scene.

I'm sure you can't say much more, but I have to wonder who these assignment-over-stats promises have impacted, aside from a certain outstanding DE? Possibly Shamar Stephen, Terence Newman, Captain Munnerlyn - I can't think of any other defensive players who have lost starting positions.