Pumping the brakes...

Well that was certainly agitating, wasn't it?  :p :p :p

The author failed to mention the date and time of the DVOA Super Bowl, so we can all tune in and watch.

This is not college football.  Style points do not matter.  Nobody gets to decide whether your team gets into the playoffs.  That's determined solely by your record and that of the other teams.  In other words, the experts' opinions, no matter how many numbers and statistics they have to support them, simply do not matter.  Whether we measure up or don't measure up, whether we validate our record or confirm your doubts, who cares?  You can type into the void all you like, it is all meaningless. 

Schatz has NEVER said a good thing about the Vikings.  EVER.

I would bet the 1970s Minnesota Vikings wouldn't have had a very good DVOA either.

Aaron is a friend of a friend. What he doesn't mention is that around this time last year the Vikings ranked 6th in Defensive DVOA and 3rd in pass defense DVOA. And we all know how that turned out. 

What's funny to me about these analytics...  you give no credit to the defense on that...  but are they saying that Harrison Phillips driving low throw the centers legs had no impact on the exchange between the Center and QB?  Cuz it sure looked like it did.

I get it, this stuff is never going away (and can be useful indicators of how a team is playing on one side of the ball) and the Vikings need to play more consistently, but I'm kind of tired of reading about how this team is "lucky" or "not as good as their record"...  we have an offense that has been inconsistent but finds ways to score points when it matters and has a bevy of playmakers...  Two stud tackles... And a defense that can give up yards and scores but is opportunistic as heck (all year, not just a handful of games) and has a good pass rush...  We've been excellent on special teams and beating teams in average starting field position. 

Like I get it, we don't have the Bills offense or the Cowboys defense but if you put all three phases of our team together, we're pretty fucking good and we have a lot of heart. Can't measure that with analytics, Shitz boy.

He's just saying what a lot of outsiders still believe. Vikings still have a long ways to go to shake that perception.
I have noticed a lot of the media with that belief are being cautiously quiet about it or changing their stance.
Proving the doubters and Vikings haters wrong has been a pleasure so far. Let's continue. I like this underdog, under appreciated position. I haven't enjoyed a season as much in several years. Even if it doesn't continue, the new GM and coaching staff are off to a start that gives a lot of hope for the future.

@"jargomcfargo" said: He's just saying what a lot of outsiders still believe. Vikings still have a long ways to go to shake that perception. I have noticed a lot of the media with that belief are being cautiously quiet about it or changing their stance. Proving the doubters and Vikings haters wrong has been a pleasure so far. Let's continue. I like this underdog, under appreciated position. I haven't enjoyed a season as much in several years. Even if it doesn't continue, the new GM and coaching staff are off to a start that gives a lot of hope for the future.

Agree! We have already achieved more than what I expected.  The cherry on top for me is winning the division even if the Packers $hit the bed so far.  I now almost wish they had lost to Dallas and buried themselves but I began to look beyond a division championship.

I think the biggest win of this season has already been made and that is hiring O’Connell.  So far it appears that they have hired the future long term coach for this franchise and what he does in the future is more important than this season. Dare I say, the best coach since Bud Grant.  Would be nice.

Just enjoy a special season for now.  Besides, I have always preferred flying under the radar then being the team everyone wants to knock off the top of the hill.  Let the Eagles, etc be King of The Mountain (for now).

@"Wetlander" said: What's funny to me about these analytics...  you give no credit to the defense on that...  but are they saying that Harrison Phillips driving low throw the centers legs had no impact on the exchange between the Center and QB?  Cuz it sure looked like it did.

I get it, this stuff is never going away (and can be useful indicators of how a team is playing on one side of the ball) and the Vikings need to play more consistently, but I'm kind of tired of reading about how this team is "lucky" or "not as good as their record"...  we have an offense that has been inconsistent but finds ways to score points when it matters and has a bevy of playmakers...  Two stud tackles... And a defense that can give up yards and scores but is opportunistic as heck (all year, not just a handful of games) and has a good pass rush...  We've been excellent on special teams and beating teams in average starting field position. 

Like I get it, we don't have the Bills offense or the Cowboys defense but if you put all three phases of our team together, we're pretty fucking good and we have a lot of heart. Can't measure that with analytics, Shitz boy.

Yup.  Phillips getting so low and moving to the side right before the snap had no effect on the center's concentration and snap.  EK knifing through the gap had no bearing on his ability to recover.  H Smith leaping into the pile had no effect either (just as EK).

Winning is a habit.  It builds confidence and it is rather cyclical.  Being down by multiple scores late in the game, you have two options.  Believing it is out of reach and going through the motions, or believing in your team and doing everything possible to change the outcome.

I get it.  Vikes don't have gaudy stats to back up their record.  Expect more of the same from the talking heads.  Might as well start prepping.

The Bills rushed out to a 17-point lead against Minnesota before the Bills gave the game away on a first down fumble from their own 1-yard line with under a minute remaining. As Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders suggests, there's no reason to believe the Vikings are better than Buffalo just because of a fluke, fumbled snap they had no influence over. "Those fumbles are almost always recovered by the offense, and I give no credit to the defense on those plays because the defense had nothing to do with a bad exchange," said Schatz.

But if the game would have ended with the Vikes not scoring from the inch line that would have been a legit win for Buffalo?  The Vikes had two plays in a row that looked to be a TD and it took instant replay to take the TD away.  The only fluke was that they didn't score.  On the TD it was only on the inch line because that is where we drove to and that was not a gimme to get it out of there.  Phillips drove the center back which cause the ball to sail and Kendricks was aggressively pressing the line. We didn't give up and made the play happen.  Also in OT had the 12 man on the field been called, we would have won the game outright in OT.  All the stats in the game were pretty even and we also had two very costly interceptions.  We very much deserved to win that game!  This guy is a complete hack!

@"JR44" said:

The Bills rushed out to a 17-point lead against Minnesota before the Bills gave the game away on a first down fumble from their own 1-yard line with under a minute remaining. As Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders suggests, there's no reason to believe the Vikings are better than Buffalo just because of a fluke, fumbled snap they had no influence over. "Those fumbles are almost always recovered by the offense, and I give no credit to the defense on those plays because the defense had nothing to do with a bad exchange," said Schatz.

But if the game would have ended with the Vikes not scoring from the inch line that would have been a legit win for Buffalo?  The Vikes had two plays in a row that looked to be a TD and it took instant replay to take the TD away.  The only fluke was that they didn't score.  On the TD it was only on the inch line because that is where we drove to and that was not a gimme to get it out of there.  Phillips drove the center back which cause the ball to sail and Kendricks was aggressively pressing the line. We didn't give up and made the play happen.  Also in OT had the 12 man on the field been called, we would have won the game outright in OT.  All the stats in the game were pretty even and we also had two very costly interceptions.  We very much deserved to win that game!  This guy is a complete hack!

@"purplefaithful" said: there's no reason to believe the Vikings are better than Buffalo just because of a fluke, fumbled snap they had no influence over.

"Those fumbles are almost always recovered by the offense, and I give no credit to the defense on those plays because the defense had nothing to do with a bad exchange," said Schatz.

First of all, the Vikings defense, namely Harrison Phillips, very likely influenced that fumble. Second, we're not even in that situation without the 12-men penalty non call the play before. And very likely not in that situation if the refs looked at Gabe Davis's non catch a few plays before. And what about the phantom horse collar? I mean you can play this game all game, every game. 

Schatz should watch this film and then explain why the Vikings are built on luck and did not deserve to win over Buffalo.  If stats are that important then why play the games.
https://youtu.be/dMWmyOWzkKs

@"Wetlander" said: What's funny to me about these analytics...  you give no credit to the defense on that...  but are they saying that Harrison Phillips driving low throw the centers legs had no impact on the exchange between the Center and QB?  Cuz it sure looked like it did.

I get it, this stuff is never going away (and can be useful indicators of how a team is playing on one side of the ball) and the Vikings need to play more consistently, but I'm kind of tired of reading about how this team is "lucky" or "not as good as their record"...  we have an offense that has been inconsistent but finds ways to score points when it matters and has a bevy of playmakers...  Two stud tackles... And a defense that can give up yards and scores but is opportunistic as heck (all year, not just a handful of games) and has a good pass rush...  We've been excellent on special teams and beating teams in average starting field position. 

Like I get it, we don't have the Bills offense or the Cowboys defense but if you put all three phases of our team together, we're pretty fucking good and we have a lot of heart. Can't measure that with analytics, Shitz boy.

Exactly, if that is the case GB has been lucky the last 3 years.

My only concern from the last game was 1 for 4 in the redzone. That has to get cleaned up.

@"kmillard" said: My only concern from the last game was 1 for 4 in the redzone. That has to get cleaned up.

Yeah, the red zone offense was not great against the Bills. The thing that really concerned me was how they would get down close to the goal line and then lose big chunks of yards, whether it is Cook getting blown up for a 4 or 5 yards loss or quick pressure up the middle leading to a sack. I did like the handoff to Ham for a TD. I am still waiting to see Hockenson get involved in the red zone. He did get targeted once and had to take an offensive pass interference to prevent an INT. I also feel like as great as Jefferson is, he's not quite an elite red zone threat yet. I think that will come with time, but for now, I want to see guys like Thielen and Hockenson get more involved in the red zone offense.

Well, no Tomlinson again, no Darrisaw and Evans and yeah.....a challenge for sure. 

@"StickyBun" said: Well, no Tomlinson again, no Darrisaw and Evans and yeah.....a challenge for sure. 

Sounds like Darrisaw might be good to go since he practiced yesterday. Even if he can't Blake Brandel played a good game in Buffalo.

Evans hurts with Dantzler on IR. Only Shelley and Booth opposite P2.