Why so high on the Vikings?

[Eddie]

I'm happy we're the underdogs. I hope we're the underdogs for the rest of the way to the Super Bowl.

The Cowboys play better when they're under the gun. When they get complacent, they fall apart.

We need to keep the pressure on this team. We have to keep fighting.

 

[skinsscalper]

Latin makes a valid point with his post. However, this team isn't as one dimensional as the Saints or the Eagles. And we certainly haven't come across a RB with the talent of Peterson last year.

But I must admit, I feel a little better about this game after Latin posted their schedule. I knew it was pretty weak, but I didn't think it was THAT weak.

Umm, bro, you might want to do a little fact checking. The Saints finished 4th in pass yardage and 6th in rushing yardage in the ENTIRE league. They also finished 1st in points scored. The Vikings? 8th in passing and 13th rushing. We've faced better, in a louder environment, under similar pressure and handed their ***** to them. Keep in mind, also, that the Cowboys have been in "playoff mode" since the Saints game. One loss could have been catastrophic during that stretch. We've been under pressure for 5 weeks. The Vikings barely got themselves off an embarrassing slide. Honestly, the Vikes are where we WERE in 2007. A bye in the playoffs and a team that's on fire coming into their house.

IMO there just a better version of the eagles, Harvin and Berrian are like jackson and maclin except they have sidney rice. We haven't faced a running back of peterson's caliber(as in top 5 running back, with the exception of deangelo williams but he only got 11 carries). Brett Favre is playing better than mcflabb. There defense is alot better than the eagles. This team is no joke.

We also haven't faced a running back that likes to cough up the ball when the pressure is on like Peterson, either.

Also, Philly's pass defense is top 10. Minnesota barely snuck into the top 20 (19th) (a DECENT showing by the Giants would have dropped them out of the top 20 altogether). Minnesota does have the 2nd ranked rush defense but don't fool yourself into believing that they're dominant. Teams rarely had to run against the Vikings to win. Ex. the Ravens ended the season 5th in rushing yards and 18th in passing yards (offensively). Against the Vikes they ran the ball a total of 17 times for 80 yards (Ray Rice averaged 7.7 yards a carry). That 18th ranked Ravens passing attack lit them up for 385 yards and 2 TDs. If the Ravens didn't have a choker for a kicker, the Vikes would have lost this past weekend at home to the Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs. Believe that.

The Vikes will be tough at home, no doubt, but the Cowboys are the better team in every conceivable way. The Vikings stat line does nothing to strike fear in me at all.

I know it's the playoffs, and you can throw the records and stats out, blah, blah, blah. The fact of the matter is, there isn't a team in the league playing more fundamentally sound in all three phases of the game as the Cowboys are, right now. Anyone who's paid any attention at all knows that I'm the farthest thing from a homer, around here. This isn't "home" based. I'm a "show me" guy. From what I've been "shown" over the past 5-6 weeks, the only team capable of beating the Cowboys is the Cowboys (which is always a possibility).

 

[skinsscalper]

Hey Guys, Vikings fan here, Not here to Troll. These two teams statistically are mirrors of each other. This will be a very close game, i'm thinking 21-24, Min with a late 4th Q Brett Drive. But if your team keeps playing like they have been and we play like we did vs Az or Car, it will be over by Halftime. If our O line cant protect Brett its going to be a long painful game to watch. I will be expecting a lot of short passes/screens from Brett to Ap/Shaincoe. I also think Chester Taylor will have a better game then Ap, He has been playing extremely well latley, IMO he is more reliable than Ap. Ap is either on or off, not very consistent.

Hey bro, sorry you got ignored to this point. Props for coming on board and posting with some class.

Here's to a good game with no injuries.

:toast2:

 

[skinsscalper]

Hey Guys, Vikings fan here, Not here to Troll. These two teams statistically are mirrors of each other. This will be a very close game, i'm thinking 21-24, Min with a late 4th Q Brett Drive. But if your team keeps playing like they have been and we play like we did vs Az or Car, it will be over by Halftime. If our O line cant protect Brett its going to be a long painful game to watch. I will be expecting a lot of short passes/screens from Brett to Ap/Shaincoe. I also think Chester Taylor will have a better game then Ap, He has been playing extremely well latley, IMO he is more reliable than Ap. Ap is either on or off, not very consistent.

BTW don't tell anybody over there in Minny, but Chester Taylor is the most complete back on your team. Peterson can be the most explosive, but Taylor is the better all around back (and it's not even close).

 

[dbair1967]

Latin makes a valid point with his post. However, this team isn't as one dimensional as the Saints or the Eagles. And we certainly haven't come across a RB with the talent of Peterson last year.

.

The Saints outrushed the Vikings this yr (they were 6th in the league in rushing, Vikes were 13th) and they averaged almost a half yd more per carry.

Minnesota also led the league in zero or negative yd rushes.

No question Peterson is highly talented though. We've got to tackle this guy. I have a little fear that with all the fumbling he's done some of our guys might be more inclined to try for strips rather than good wrap up tackling, and this guy will kill us if he gets into openings in the secondary.

 

[Aikbach]

If this game were in Dallas I'd say Dallas was a lock because A. the Vikes are 4-4 on the road and B. Brett Favre can't win in Texas and never has in his 17 year career.

However this game will be in Minnesota where the Vikes are 8-0 this season so all bets are off.

 

[MnMayz]

BTW don't tell anybody over there in Minny, but Chester Taylor is the most complete back on your team. Peterson can be the most explosive, but Taylor is the better all around back (and it's not even close).

Thanks, I completely agree. Actually a lot of us in Minny would love to see Taylor get the ball more. But i dont see that happening anytime soon. I hope this game goes down to the Final Drive, just a shoot out.

 

[skinsscalper]

I'm happy we're the underdogs. I hope we're the underdogs for the rest of the way to the Super Bowl.

The Cowboys play better when they're under the gun. When they get complacent, they fall apart.

We need to keep the pressure on this team. We have to keep fighting.

In all fairness, we are underdogs in the betting line. However, the typical line gives the home team an automatic 3 pt. advantage for being at home (nothing more). The line for the Cowboys game? 2 1/2 points. I'm not so sure anyone really sees us as the underdog (unfortunately).

 

[skinsscalper]

Thanks, I completely agree. Actually a lot of us in Minny would love to see Taylor get the ball more. But i dont see that happening anytime soon. I hope this game goes down to the Final Drive, just a shoot out.

Should be a great game, dude. I, of course hope we win, but Minny is one tough motha at home.

 

[Aikbach]

They've got a lot of talent, very balanced team and they are playing at home.

Offensively they've got AP, Chester Taylor, Favre, Harvin, Rice, Berrian and Shiancoe. That's fantastic.

I think Berrian at the very least is very dangerous and he's probably their 3rd best WR on the team.

Defensively they have the Williams boys, Jared Allen and Antoine Winfield. They don't scare me as much defensively, but Allen is ridiculously good and can change the game.

They went 12-4 this year, you have to respect that any way you slice it.






YAKUZA

In all honesty though, the Eagle "talent" per say is better all around than Minnesota, the exception being at runningback.

But Dallas shutdown DeShaun Jackson, Celek, minimized Maclin, Westbrook and Weaver and Avant.

That is pretty on par with Harvin, Rice, Berrian, Taylor and Peterson when the sum of all the parts are considered.

The Vikes have no tight end but have a great running game and above average wideouts.

Philly had great deep threats, a reliable and athletic tight end and Michael Westbrook out of the backfield and was still unable to be threatening.

I like Dallas' chances assuming they show up to play.

 

[Aikbach]

They are at home....where they are 8-0.
We lost to Denver
We lost to NY twice
We lost to GB

We are better now vs earlier, but to pull up a road loss by them way back when does not mean a whole lot, imo.

Still....Dallas 27-24

True, but Dallas lost three of those games when those teams were peaking and Dallas was struggling.

 

[DFWJC]

In all honesty though, the Eagle "talent" per say is better all around than Minnesota, the exception being at runningback.

.

I do not agree with that, but you can have an opinion....even if it is wrong.

 

[Aikbach]

I do not agree with that, but you can have an opinion....even if it is wrong.

I have read some of your other opinions and the information was not the only thing of a questionable nature but much of the spelling as well.

 

[skinsscalper]

In all honesty though, the Eagle "talent" per say is better all around than Minnesota, the exception being at runningback.

But Dallas shutdown DeShaun Jackson, Celek, minimized Maclin, Westbrook and Weaver and Avant.

That is pretty on par with Harvin, Rice, Berrian, Taylor and Peterson when the sum of all the parts are considered.

The Vikes have no tight end but have a great running game and above average wideouts.

Philly had great deep threats, a reliable and athletic tight end and Michael Westbrook out of the backfield and was still unable to be threatening.

I like Dallas' chances assuming they show up to play.

I'd have to disagree with you there, bro. Shianco is no joke. I've had to endure every Vikings game this season (the wife is a hardcore) and Shianco shows up and makes a clutch play every week. Sleeping on Shianco would be a HUGE mistake. He's behind only Vernon Davis (13) and ahead of Dallas Clark in TDs scored by TEs (Shianco has 11). Don't fool yourself into thinking they have no threat at TE. He has more TDs this season than Roy Williams and Jason Witten combined.

 

[ajk23az]

dline yes. qb i dont think favre is any better. he just played against bad teams. rb is no question but jackson is more dangerous. rice isnt going to beat u the way jackson is.

Sidney Rice is WAYYYYY better than Jackson. Rice reminds me a lot of Vincent Jackson. Both are talllllll WRs who can jump out of the roof. Favre, like Rivers loves to just throw it up to Rice who will go and catch it. Jackson does not catch ANYTHING across the middle or underneath, Rice goes all over the field and can beat you doing it any which way.

Favre is also better than McNabb, its just not smart even comparing the two. Favre is much more accurate this year and is not trying to throw it into the tight holes that oh so many of his INTs have come from.

Vikings are a damn good team and you are crazy for thinking they arent.

 

[Aikbach]

Pull out tape from the Steelers and Bears game and mix and match what frustrated them the most.

 

[ajk23az]

Pull out tape from the Steelers and Bears game and mix and match what frustrated them the most.

Well, they still did put up 30 vs. the Bears. How about the Panthers game?

 

[MnMayz]

I'd have to disagree with you there, bro. Shianco is no joke. I've had to endure every Vikings game this season (the wife is a hardcore) and Shianco shows up and makes a clutch play every week. Sleeping on Shianco would be a HUGE mistake. He's behind only Vernon Davis (13) and ahead of Dallas Clark in TDs scored by TEs (Shianco has 11). Don't fool yourself into thinking they have no threat at TE. He has more TDs this season than Roy Williams and Jason Witten combined.

I totally agree, Shainco has been very clutch for us. Very reliable.

 

[Aikbach]

Well, they still did put up 30 vs. the Bears. How about the Panthers game?

First half only, don't watch the second half.

 

[skinsscalper]

I totally agree, Shainco has been very clutch for us. Very reliable.

Like i said in my earlier post, I can relate to what you are seeing, bro. My wife is a hardcore Vikings fan. She used to go watch them a lot when she was a kid when they played at the Met center. She's got some pretty cool old autographs (Tarkenton, Blair, Rashad, Marshall). I watch the games with her every week on Sunday NFL Ticket (though sometimes she has to wait and watch it on DVR if the Cowboys play at the same time).

I know all about your team, bro. They'll be tough. No doubt about it. I just think, right now, the Cowboys are the better team. Time will tell.

Like I said: "here's to no injuries"

Good luck (but not TOO much luck).