Tag: Green Bay Packers

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Vikings Primed to Keep Pace with Packers in the North

After a successful road trip to Dallas, the Minnesota Vikings have returned home and will soon face the Denver Broncos. It isn’t considered a premier matchup, but this game is actually quite important as the Vikings look to chase down the Packers in the NFC North.

Golden opportunity

With Green Bay only a win ahead of Minnesota and currently on a bye week, a victory over the Broncos would bring the Vikings within striking distance of their nemesis. Having beaten Minnesota earlier this season, the Packers would still hold the tiebreaker when it comes to playoff positioning. That said, a win this weekend would be a huge step towards reclaiming the NFC North.

The “trap” game

It’s been said about other games this season, but fans are now referring to this matchup as another “trap game.” A trap game is one that looks like an easy win on paper, but it could be sneaky dangerous and end up as a disheartening loss. Vegas currently has the Vikings favored to win by double digits, but Zim’s squad can’t afford to take their foot off the gas. I expect Minnesota to play a somewhat conservative game, run the ball often, and try to control the clock.

With only three wins on their resume, the Broncos may not look like big competition for the potentially playoff-caliber Minnesota Vikings. However, their record doesn’t tell the whole story. The Broncos have lost several games this season by one score or less, and they also boast the fourth-best defense in the league. 

As for their offense, quarterback Brandon Allen is inexperienced as a rookie, but that’s not to say he lacks talent. At this point, Allen is a bit of a mystery, and the Vikings’ pass rush will need to get in his face early and often. Running back Phillip Lindsey is also a big threat, especially if the Vikings are without their two starting defensive tackles. Last week, Minnesota was able to cover for an injured Linval Joseph, but the defensive line just took another blow with the loss of Shamar Stephen.

Home field advantage

It seems like it came a little early this year, but snow has arrived in the Twin Cities. Fortunately, the frigid temps will only affect tailgaters on Sunday. U.S. Bank Stadium has become a safe haven for Mike Zimmer’s team, as the Vikings are currently undefeated at home this season. 

The combination of an indoor venue and a rowdy home crowd creates an unforgiving environment for opposing offenses, and Allen will have his hands full. Coming off a bye week, the young quarterback has had some extra time to prepare, but nothing can prepare you to play at the Bank.

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Where Do Vikings Go After Lambeau Loss?

Fans and foes of the Minnesota Vikings know what happened on Sunday. With the Green Bay Packers having handed the Vikings their first loss, many Minnesotans are tempted to jump ship. How will the team move forward, and what is the state of the franchise?

I’ll admit, it took me a few days to digest the disappointing loss at Lambeau, hence the delay on a post-game article. Now that the dust has settled, we can look at what happened and be realistic about where the team is at.

Don’t give up on the Vikings!

This one is obvious to die-hard fans, but newer followers and skeptics might need a reminder. The Vikings currently have one win and one loss on their record, and that loss occurred on the road against the team’s biggest rival. Aaron Rodgers is a Hall of Fame caliber quarterback, and you can’t always expect to march into his house and steal a win.

Despite giving up a whopping 21 points in the first quarter, Mike Zimmer’s squad was in it until the end. You could argue that the team was a throw (or penalty flag) away from victory. Don’t take this loss to heart, strange things happen early in the NFL season.

What’s the deal with Kirk Cousins?

Statistically, Cousins had the worst game of his career on Sunday. The rumors are true, his passer rating was lower than that of Christian Ponder’s worst game. That said, Cousins has eight years of starting-caliber play on his resume, and he looked great all offseason. He blamed the loss on himself, and I appreciate that he took full ownership of his play. 

It was sad to see him struggle, but I’m actually not that surprised with what happened. The Packers literally spent millions this offseason to improve their defense, and they harassed Cousins all afternoon. In addition, the Vikings have moved to a run-first offense, and I believe this makes it harder for Cousins to get into a groove. Let’s see if Zimmer allows him to throw more against the Oakland Raiders.

Outlook

Aside from the first quarter, the Vikings defense looked impenetrable on Sunday. Just like in recent years, they were able to bear down and hold back a top-tier quarterback. That will come in handy in the coming weeks.

Dalvin Cook is an animal. It’s too early to say he’s Adrian Peterson 2.0, but he is a dynamic threat when he’s healthy (knock on wood) and leads the league in rushing yards. Alexander Mattison has also quietly been the perfect compliment to Cook.

If Cousins can get back on track and in sync with his star receivers, this offense is going to be special. This week’s matchup will be back at home, and it’s against a team that missed the playoffs last year. Soon enough, the Lambeau loss will be a fleeting memory.

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Three Keys That Can Bring the Vikings to 2-0

The Minnesota Vikings are flying high after taking down the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The home team dominated in most aspects of the game, but they may need to play even better to beat the Packers on the road. So, how can the Vikings grate the Cheeseheads?

Special Teams

After how bad the Vikings special teams unit looked in the preseason, I never thought I’d be highlighting their performance in week one. Eric Wilson blocked a punt, Dan Bailey made all four of his kicks, and our punter looks like a keeper. If the divisional matchup with Green Bay turns into a close game, the Vikings might need a game changing block or a clutch field goal to seal the deal. At the very least, it would help to pin Aaron Rodgers deep in his own territory with some solid punts.

Defensive Line

Like many Vikings fans, I believe some players on the purple defensive line are aging. That said, they played fast and furious against the Falcons. Three of the four starters came away with sacks, and linebacker Anthony Barr even joined the fun. Rodgers was taken down five times in the Windy City, and I’m betting there will be sacks aplenty in Lambeau. The key will be getting a better sense for the snap count. You can’t afford to jump offsides and give Rodgers his “free play,” and I’m sure Zimmer is stressing that this week.

Pass Protection

I’m expecting to see another healthy dose of Dalvin Cook this Sunday, but there’s no way he’ll have as many carries as last week. Atlanta’s defense played quite poorly, while Green Bay has a much better defense than last year with the additions of Adrian Amos, Rashan Gary, and Za’Darius Smith, just to name a few. Cousins will need some time to throw, and that means it’s up to Garett Bradbury and the gang to keep the Packers’ defense at bay. Most of the Vikings offensive linemen looked good against the Falcons, but left guard Pat Elflein got beat several times. There’s even a rumor that Rick Spielman is attempting to bring back guard/center Brett Jones, who he cut last week. Hopefully, Elflein straightens out his game and keeps Kirk upright this weekend.

A divisional matchup on the road is never an easy win, but the team’s performance against Atlanta should have fans as confident as can be. If they execute in these three categories, they’ll be 2-0.

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Fran Tarkenton, Bart Starr, and a Lesson for Kirk Cousins

A football legend was lost today with the passing of former Packers quarterback Bart Starr. The Hall of Famer didn’t play for the Vikings, but Minnesota’s own star in Fran Tarkenton recognizes him as one of the greats. The late quarterback may even have a lesson for Kirk Cousins.

Tarkenton spent several years playing against Starr and the Green Bay Packers during the 1960’s and 70’s. They may have been competitors on the gridiron, but there was a mutual respect between the two signal-callers. Fran was as devastated as anyone about the passing of Starr: “This is a very sad day… Bart Starr passed away. Bart Starr is the greatest human being ever to play in the National Football League.”

Years have passed and football has evolved since Starr last put on a helmet, but the legacies of the past live on. Fame, and especially fortune were certainly different in that era, even when accounting for inflation. When Starr won back to back Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967, he was earning $100,000 per year. Today that would equate to about $765,000, which is far short of the monstrous deals that quarterbacks currently receive. The highest paid player of 2019 should be Russell Wilson at $35,000,000. I’m all for players maximizing their earning potential, but I also respect Starr for playing for less in a time where there was greater risk of injury.

He didn’t set a gaudy standard for how much money franchise players should make, but Starr did set a more important standard off the gridiron. As a player, head coach, and member of the community, Bart is remembered as being humble and kind. Troy Aikman remarked on Twitter: “Bart Starr was a true gentleman and one of the kindest people I knew. I had elbow surgery following our ‘95 Superbowl in Birmingham and Bart made a visit to the hospital. To this day, not sure how he even knew I was there.” Even as a division rival, he was undoubtedly a classy competitor.

How does Kirk Cousins stack up to Starr? When it comes to being a team player and stand-up guy, I don’t think it should be viewed as a competition. Cousins does a great deal of work for those in need with The Julie & Kirk Cousins Foundation, and there are many other selfless individuals around the NFL. What’s important is that Starr led by example and left a legacy for others to follow.

Bart’s personal stats speak for themselves (24,718 career passing yards), but one must not forget that he had the best coach he could’ve asked for in Vince Lombardi. If Kirk Cousins wants to prove his haters wrong by winning a championship, he should try to follow in Starr’s footsteps. Leading a team to the Super Bowl is a ton of pressure to put on yourself, and Cousins needs to stay humble. To find ultimate success with the Vikings, he’ll have to lean on experienced head coach Mike Zimmer and his new veteran assistant Gary Kubiak. The two are well respected in the league, and their guidance can help Cousins become a star.

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