Vikings v Lions

DeepFreeze05 wrote:
https://x.com/TPPSkol/status/1876122594866516069

We’d have to beat la and Philly on the road to meet them again in Detroit. Right?

Lmao. 

Detroit was ripe for the taking, tonight.

savannahskol wrote:

We’d have to beat la and Philly on the road to meet them again in Detroit. Right?

Lmao. 

Detroit was ripe for the taking, tonight.

I believe it's the lowest seed remaining after wild card weekend would go to Detroit. That could be us unless Green Bay or Washington pulls upsets.

Did you hear Campbell telling KOC after the game, "Hell of a season...see you again in two weeks."

I said in another thread that if Flores could come up with a plan that actually slowed down the Lions we might win. He actually did and the D held them down for 3 quarters but eventually you can't just keep shitting the bed on offense on every drive and expect to keep up. Sam was putrid - holding the ball too long, missing open guys, sailing balls, playing scared and skittish. I'm not surprised they lost but surprised they picked tonight to give their worst offensive performance of the year.

But Sam really just showed us the guy he'd been for the last 6 years. You can jump on KOC for schemes or what-have-you, but for 16 games he got the most out of a guy who'd been mostly hot trash throughout his career. Once the pressure is on, Sam's brain shrinks to the size of a pea and tonight was basically a playoff game. I figured a meltdown was coming in the actual playoffs but I guess they started early for Sam. The stakes were raised and he folded.

supafreak84 wrote:

I believe it's the lowest seed remaining after wild card weekend would go to Detroit. That could be us unless Green Bay or Washington pulls upsets.

Did you hear Campbell telling KOC after the game, "Hell of a season...see you again in two weeks."

Exactly, for us to play the Lions again The Eagles and Bucs would have to win next week

Hopefully Darnold got rid of the yips because he missed some open TDs. Had JJ twice with two overthrows that shoulda been TDs. The big gainer to JJ was high and made him lose his balance, if he catches it in stride, he might be gone instead of stumbling out of bounds. Missed Nailor and Addison wide open in the end zone. Honestly, we could have been up at least 21-7 in the first half. Then momentum is flipped and the game is probably different with how the defense played in the first 3 quarters.

Frustrating. Darnold was off all night. He was jacked and 90% of his passes were equally jacked. Either too high, too hard, or too far outside. Realizing this, KOC should have called for more high-percentage passes to calm him down. Quick outs, slants, whatever, but he just didn't. 

One other thing. I've been screaming to pass on 1st down and run on 2nd down since the days of Mike Tice. And to his credit, KOC has done this for the most part. But not last night. I don't have the numbers, but it sure seemed like for the majority of the game, the Vikings would run on 1st down, gain 2 or 3, then pass on 2nd and 7. Vikings were unusually predictable in this game.

Not a good game for Darnold, but I think this one was mostly on KOC. KOC just had a bad game plan and they were stuck in it because they didn't have any other options. I think they expected the Lions to play a very passive defense with their injuries and they were very wrong. Darnold was under pressure the whole game, and we were running those long developing routes KOC was famous for and the only routes we were running under 10 yards were screens. I think they must have found a weakness in our blocking schemes and just spammed an exploit of it.

There wasn't an open receiver all day, and thats on KOC. I think if Darnold was having a good day, he'd make just enough tight throws to keep it close. The lack of any desire to run the ball to open up the pass is a fundamental weakness KOC has, or at least that our team has. The game was close most of the game, and if we were able to run the ball to take some pressure off of Darnold, we really should have been doing it.

But I think you can see some of the limitations in our offense yesterday. Can't run the ball when you need to. Our running game only works when the passing game already works. It feels like we live and die by 15 yard throws, and if we're not hitting those everything shuts down. We really need to have options to counter defenses that are successfully taking that away and that are getting too many hits on the QB, as we always seem to have one of the most hit QBs across the season.

MAD GAINZ wrote:
Hopefully Darnold got rid of the yips because he missed some open TDs.  Had JJ twice with two overthrows that shoulda been TDs.  The big gainer to JJ was high and made him lose his balance, if he catches it in stride, he might be gone instead of stumbling out of bounds.  Missed Nailor and Addison wide open in the end zone.  Honestly, we could have been up at least 21-7 in the first half.  Then momentum is flipped and the game is probably different with how the defense played in the first 3 quarters.

why is it when someone points this same thing out in a win,  its nitpicking, but in a loss its ok to point out the issues?  His passes have been sailing on him for a few weeks now at times,  not as bad as last night,  but it was certainly there so not entirely unexpected. especially considering our porous IOL was once again making a 4 man rush look like a zero blitz for getting pressure.

comet52 wrote:
I said in another thread that if Flores could come up with a plan that actually slowed down the Lions we might win.  He actually did and the D held them down for 3 quarters but eventually you can't just keep shitting the bed on offense on every drive and expect to keep up.  Sam was putrid - holding the ball too long, missing open guys, sailing balls, playing scared and skittish.  I'm not surprised they lost but surprised they picked tonight to give their worst offensive performance of the year. 

But Sam really just showed us the guy he'd been for the last 6 years.  You can jump on KOC for schemes or what-have-you, but for 16 games he got the most out of a guy who'd been mostly hot trash throughout his career.  Once the pressure is on, Sam's brain shrinks to the size of a pea and tonight was basically a playoff game.  I figured a meltdown was coming in the actual playoffs but I guess they started early for Sam.  The stakes were raised and he folded.

I have the exact opposite take.  I don't think you stick any QB in that offense and have been productive.  No open receivers, not running the ball and getting hit on every play is a recipe for bad QB play.  What makes KOC a "QB whisperer" is that his plays get guys open, and that what they practiced in practice is what is working.  When the plays aren't getting guys open, they needed to pivot to other things, but they didn't have other things to pivot to.  I think what a great QB gives you over Darnold is that you can start saying things like, "Hey remember that gameplan from week 5, lets run that." and you don't get boxed in when you have a bad game plan, but every team should have multiple methods of attacking every defense.

If you look at the box score of TJH/Addison/JJ it'll make you cringe.
- Dont do it

I am really disappointed in TJH, especially last night. He could have been a difference maker at key times. Lions LB's covered him too easily.
- See LaPorta stats

Gotta give the Lion org credit for the talent & coaching they'v assembled; top notch
- Ben Johnson gets all the accolades, but last night was time for their DC to shine

KOC got guys open at times. But I am disappointed KOC didnt do more offensively during the game to counter the Lions. Plenty of chances to go quick hitters, bubble screens, slants, roll Sam out - saw none of that

Bad, bad game by Sam - disappointed. To be fair, his pass pro was mediocre. But he better be very careful where he goes if he leaves here. It could get ugly for him with the wrong coach/scheme/surround.

I read an interesting article on JJM. I dont recall all the detail, but the jist of it was JJM can go off-script and help cover some of the warts the Vikings have as an offense and some of KOC's warts as a play caller.  I think we could have used some of that last night.

What is it with this team and kickers? Hopefully Reichard works through it and doesnt cost us post-season. That worm turned quickly. 

Hopefully they bring a better game to LA. I have a feeling that they will. But I am a frustrated fan today cause I think that game was there for the taking last night. At least for almost 3 qtrs of play it was.

Darnold crapped the bed and so did KO. Both these guys have been so great all year but for whatever reason, they didn't have it last night. Hock, JJ, and I guess Addison to a degree too.

When guys were open, Sam overthrew them. When Sam had time, guys weren't open. Just a mess. But that doesn't negate the great season they're all having. To me, a LOT of it feels fixable. These are fantastic players and coaches and they've proven that. I still have hope. After we lost to DET-LAR back to back, it felt like the wheels may come off. We didn't lose again for 2 months.

Biggest concerns that probably AREN'T fixable before Monday, that I think we'll have to be good enough to overcome:

1. A hurt kicker with the yips.
2. Crappy ground game in short yardage situations.
3. Pass plays that take forever to execute.

Rams game is a tossup that we can win. Let's do it!

Darnold shit the bed no doubt but KOC doesn't get a pass nor the OL or those receivers and tight ends dropping balls. The OL was getting squeezed inwards so when Sam tried to scramble it wasn't working. The offense was brutal. The defense kept them in it for 2.5 quarters but the offense has to score at some point

No one is at fault. To be the only 14 win wild card team in NFL history was far too "Vikings" for the football gods to ignore.

With the Lions being down so many on the defensive side of the ball they had to play the way they did against the pass.  Grab, hold, and be physical yet Flores plays a soft zone trying to limit YAC instead of playing man coverage the way the Lions were playing.  Sam had a really bad night and so did the entire offense.  Scoring 9 points isn't going to cut it this time of year.

How many times were they in the red zone and tried to score by the pass and got shut down.  Remember the days when Randall McDaniel would line up in the backfield and be the lead blocker?  We need to bring that play back.

Say what you want and defend all you want but Will Reichard sucked last night.  It wasn't only the missed field goals but the kickoff out of bounds and giving the Lions the ball at the 40.  Two passes and they are in scoring position, inexcusable.  I miss Parker Romo.

If one play exemplified the game for me, it was this one. Everything this team has done all year--throw with great accuracy, make difficult field goals, catch the tough passes, take the ball away--just didn't happen in this one.

.@Vikings @Lions @AndrewVanGinkel what could have been. He has done 2X already this season. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/0zIhWAX9xf

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) January 6, 2025

MAD GAINZ wrote:


LOL

Dude gets us to 14-3 and our first loss in 9 weeks and we're ripping KOC.

Get outta here.
[hr]
Darnold didn't play well, lots of missed opportunities in the first half to get TDs.

Can't blame this one on KOC.

Some fans showing their true colors here, knew it was a matter of time for a few. Ripping O'Connell.....unreal. Sam chose a poor time to play his worst game by far...he was pressured, erratic and looked skittish all game. The D showed up, but you can't keep Detroit grounded on offense forever and offense didn't do their part by any stretch.

I'll say this and its probably not fair: if Sam shits the bed against Los Angeles, almost all of this narrative about himself that he changed will go up in smoke. And now we have a bit of head case with Will Reichard, sad to see. Fans ready to cut bait with Darnold. The Twin Cities dinosaur brigade is already turning on Sammy:

https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-vikings-detroit-lions-nfc-north-champion-conference-top-seed/601202274

JimmyinSD wrote:

why is it when someone points this same thing out in a win,  its nitpicking, but in a loss its ok to point out the issues?  His passes have been sailing on him for a few weeks now at times,  not as bad as last night,  but it was certainly there so not entirely unexpected. especially considering our porous IOL was once again making a 4 man rush look like a zero blitz for getting pressure.

Have I pissed on you about this in the past or why are you quoting me?

StickierBuns wrote:


Some fans showing their true colors here, knew it was a matter of time for a few. Ripping O'Connell.....unreal. Sam chose a poor time to play his worst game by far...he was pressured, erratic and looked skittish all game. The D showed up, but you can't keep Detroit grounded on offense forever and offense didn't do their part by any stretch.

I'll say this and its probably not fair: if Sam shits the bed against Los Angeles, almost all of this narrative about himself that he changed will go up in smoke. And now we have a bit of head case with Will Reichard, sad to see. Fans ready to cut bait with Darnold. The Twin Cities dinosaur brigade is already turning on Sammy:

https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-vikings-detroit-lions-nfc-north-champion-conference-top-seed/601202274

Kevin Seifert
@SeifertESPN
Per ESPN Research, Sam Darnold has 8 overthrows tonight, the second-most for a game in his career. The only other game with more was in Week 7 of 2019, when he had 12 while with the Jets vs. the Patriots. (You know what game that was.)

Dustin Baker
@DustBaker
·
Can't take anything from Sam Darnold's season on the whole, but ya kinda gotta wonder which guy will show up next Monday

MAD GAINZ wrote:

Hopefully Darnold got rid of the yips because he missed some open TDs.  Had JJ twice with two overthrows that shoulda been TDs.  The big gainer to JJ was high and made him lose his balance, if he catches it in stride, he might be gone instead of stumbling out of bounds.  Missed Nailor and Addison wide open in the end zone.  Honestly, we could have been up at least 21-7 in the first half.  Then momentum is flipped and the game is probably different with how the defense played in the first 3 quarters.

Also: way too much pressure allowed by the Viking's O-line with just a 4-man rush from Detroit. They blitzed, that's what they do with all the injuries on D, but they kept getting crazy good pressure with just their base front 4. Bad look for the Viking's O-line.

MAD GAINZ wrote:

Have I pissed on you about this in the past or why are you quoting me?

I am sorry if it wasnt you,  I thought it was you and Sticky that got a little twisted up a week or 2 ago when I was noting SDs errant throws and the IOL issues after a win.  If it wasnt you its my bad,  as a way of saying I am sorry,  you can come shoot one of the 70+ "wild" turkeys I have running around my place... we good?