Where is the Excitement?

I gotta believe our RB position is better than McKinnon and Asiata. Our Oline has to be at least a bit better although they still are the liability. 
I do think that LB will be improved even if a little green in comparison. DLine I think will be improved without FLoyd and with Robison giving way to his successor and him being fresh all game long. QB should be better given an actual offseason in the system, not to mention the system not having to be completely overhauled mid season. 

I think there is way too much doom and gloom for the team after a stupid first preseason game. Am I ready to hop on board the SuperBowl train? not exactly but I don't see reason to be so down about the team either. 

I agree with the other posters.  There are things to be excited about but after last year, I'm in the proof it/show it category before I get overly excited about this team.  Color me hopeful but cautious...

I won't stop being a fan ... i have given up optimism though.  

I lost excitement last year.  And I can see myself giving up the ticket after one more year of disappointment.  

@"A1Janitor" said: I won't stop being a fan ... i have given up optimism though.  

I lost excitement last year.  And I can see myself giving up the ticket after one more year of disappointment.  

We have moved to the bare bones minimum DTV package, and Hulu TV. The NFL needs to stop selling to the highest bidder and create their own OTT subscription service. MLB has it, and it's a joke that the NFL doesn't.

p.s. I also cancelled NFL Sunday Ticket for this season. First time in 12 years.

@"purplefaithful" said:  other thoughts:

Defense can win a championship, Offense put's aszes in the seats. It's been a very boring team to watch for most, pedestrian fans.

Look at the teams record for quite a while outside of 11/5...That malaise doesnt go away over night and 8/8 might as well be 5/11. 

I think once the year starts, and if a few of the kids on offense starting showing-up on highlight reels? The fans will notice. 

Vikes are still #1 in this town by a long-shot, just way off the national radar for now. 

@"Tom Moore" said: In just about 3 weeks, we will hit the regular season, but the Viking fan base does not seem all that excited, or maybe they are afraid to be let down again.

I think this team is better on offense, and top 10 defense (but not top 5).  If Schumer can be creative and we can get some line protection and blocking, we easily could be a 10-6 team.  Then again, that is probably the case for every other team in the league.  

Let's review what has happened in the past two seasons...

1) Blair Walsh ripped out our hearts in the playoffs and surpassed Gary Anderson as the most reviled Kicker in Vikings history...

2) Our promising young QB's knee fucking exploded a week before the start of the 2016 season.  In a non-contact drill...

3) The Vikings traded for a QB who has never had a winning record during the regular season to replace him.

4) Fans start to believe in the team AND said QB after a 5-0 start..  only to watch the Vikings go 3-8 and miss the playoffs.

I'm starting to see why older fans like Sticky (no offense calling you old, but you are old...  Mr. OldieBuns.  LOL) are having a hard time getting excited about this team.  

I'm not anywhere near the level of becoming a bandwagon fan...  but I can't seem to get super excited... I'm more cautiously optimistic.  I'm not ashamed to admit...  a part of my Vikings fanaticism died when Teddy's knee blew up.  I just can't buy into Bradford until he leads this team to the playoffs.  

Fair?  No. Rationale?  Probably not.  I just feel like the past couple seasons have been mentally draining...  and I'm in full prove it mode this season.  I "think" we have a good team, but I wanna see it first. 

BOOM

Agreed Wet.  I was in full koolaid mode last year until Teddy went down.  Haven't been the same since.  (was just getting back to it at 5-0).  Then after repeated kicks to the groin, I folded.

I'm excited and confident for the season, but I feel like life is wearing me down a bit.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"purplefaithful" said:  other thoughts:

Defense can win a championship, Offense put's aszes in the seats. It's been a very boring team to watch for most, pedestrian fans.

Look at the teams record for quite a while outside of 11/5...That malaise doesnt go away over night and 8/8 might as well be 5/11. 

I think once the year starts, and if a few of the kids on offense starting showing-up on highlight reels? The fans will notice. 

Vikes are still #1 in this town by a long-shot, just way off the national radar for now. 

8-8 is just the same as 5-11 in my gut... just without the good draft pick to look forward to.   

I'm very excited for the season, but the o-line looking terrible in its one preseason performance plus some of the drama hereabouts this year has me less interested in expressing Vikings stuff online.

@"Zanary" said: I'm very excited for the season, but the o-line looking terrible in its one preseason performance plus some of the drama hereabouts this year has me less interested in expressing Vikings stuff online.

If it wasn't for my dad (the eternal optimist and fan since the team's inception), I'm not sure where I'd stand with this team.
I am with Wetlander though, on the Teddy going down and fanaticism going down with him comment.
All that said, once the regular season is here, I'll be in front of the TV screaming like I always do.
Wholeheartedly believing we have as good a chance as any other team to make the playoffs and march through to a Super Bowl victory.

I kinda feel bipolar when it comes to this team... LOL

The team needs to show something different in preseason in order for me to get real excited.  And first stringers didn't.  Sure names were different but it was the same basic attack that we've seen in the past.  Short routes, throw short of the sticks and hope and handoffs.  Other teams use the intermediate routes to gain first down after first down.... once the Vikings do it... it's back to handing the ball off.  2nd and 8?  What's wrong with a Slant... either a first down or 3rd and short.... but I digress..... I guess. 

Difficult to be excited about two three and outs by the offensive starters.  Not to mention their numbers...  QB - 5 for 7 for 35 yards.   Cook - 5 rushes 13 yards with a long of 6.   Zero touchdowns.  Zero snaps in the opponents side of the 50.  Overall meh...
 
Like I said in another post... I hope the offense that the second stringers ran is our actual offense and the coaching staff didn't want any tape of the first stringers running it until the season starts.  Second stringers took shots down the field... they actually attacked the opposing defense.     

I've been resting my liver for the regular season eh!  ;)

Hate to be a broken record but I agree with everyone else.

Last year the hype was REAL. Finally after a few up/down/and mostly in the middle seasons I thought we were ready to rock and roll. Then... not so much.

The lack of offensive touchdowns and explosive plays the past few years have tempered my expectations big time. Being objective, other teams are just more fun to watch than we are. (Not to anyone on this board because we are so invested but you know what I mean.) If our offense could put up 30+ points in an early season game I think my excitement would grow exponentially.

And yeah, the Packers still have Rodgers.

EDIT: One more thing. I'm a Lakers fan too. They STINK. But now they got Lonzo Ball so whether he turns out to be great or not, there is EXCITEMENT. I'd love nothing more than for Dalvin (or Coley, or whoever) to be the next Moss/AP/Culpepper/Jared Allen/Favre -type of player to emerge. We have some great players on this team for sure but I'm talking about that Must-See Talent level.

i was excited until i saw the offensive line 

@"purplefaithful" said:  other thoughts:

Defense can win a championship, Offense put's aszes in the seats. It's been a very boring team to watch for most, pedestrian fans.

Look at the teams record for quite a while outside of 11/5...That malaise doesnt go away over night and 8/8 might as well be 5/11. 

I think once the year starts, and if a few of the kids on offense starting showing-up on highlight reels? The fans will notice. 

Vikes are still #1 in this town by a long-shot, just way off the national radar for now. 

Right now they are the #1 team but the Wolves have a chance to truly challenge them with the new roster.

The excitement is there for me. I've said it many times before, but in terms of cycles, this team was scheduled to open its window last year, only to have it slammed shut by injuries. This is an even better team this year, so I expect an improvement on the 11-5 team we saw in 2015. Whether or not our record is better than that depends on factors like health and luck more than anything else. 

For me because our wonderful GM did absolutely nothing to improve the offensive line.  And the reports from training camp are not good in that regard.  My 3 year old grandson knows we have no shot if the QB get's killed like he did last season.