Why so high on the Vikings?

[DFWJC]

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.

Yeah...I'm pretty slack on the keyboard at times.

 

[Aikbach]

Yeah...I'm pretty slack on the keyboard at times.

You make it sound like a hobby.

 

[MnMayz]

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).

O, Good Ole Met Center. I Dont get to see many Dallas Games, i have watched the last couple though. Loved the NO game. Which kinda worries me, that dome is Loud, and it didn't have much effect, but if we can get out on top first i think we will stay loud. Ugh...its only Monday, Sunday cannot some soon Enough!

 

[coblue]

We have intention of running up the middle. Never do. Our main plan is delayed draw to the right of the middle and outright edge runs behind pulling guards.

I agree. Running is going to be a lot harder with those 2 hogs in the middle (K. and P Williams) and of course on offense they have some big play threats. I do like the matchups in this game but I don't look at the Vikes as some chump team. Dallas will have to play a good game if they expect to move on to the NFC Championship game

 

[1rIghtsaidFred]

yeah, I'm not too sure about them being balanced though it looks like they would be balanced with a RB like Peterson,,, at the very least the Cowboys have to game plan for Peterson.

The one thing I hate about playing teams that have had a cupcake schedule (like the 49ers all those years) is that their weaknesses are less likely to have been exposed AND they always end up with home field advantage. The only advantage to playing in the NFC East is that we are battle tested and forced to address all our weaknesses.

I would only add that just because they've been passing more than running, doesn't necessarily mean they're "not balanced." It's not so much the number of pass vs. run plays that creates balance, but the ability to execute on any given play with either. Apparently Favre set an NFL record this year with six or seven receivers with over 40 receptions each. That's spreading it around and taking advantage of the opportunity. Peterson is the real deal, and it's no secret that teams stack 8 or 9 man fronts on every play to stop him. We haven't faced a RB like Peterson at all this year. This is a dangerous game I'm afraid, I don't think we beat them.

 

[yimyammer]

wk 3 niners win
niners were awful to start the yr. and vikes needed that prayer td at the end of the game.

The niners were 2-0 and were not playing awful. They had already beaten the Cardinals on their field and held them to 16 points. I wouldn't chalk this up as a gimme for the Vikes although I do think they were very lucky to win

wk 6 ravens win
ok win

I'd say better than ok, Baltimore always brings it with Ray Lewis


their schedule was cupcake this yr. i told people on another cowboys forum i post at about the eagles going into the final week of the reg season. eagles were garbage. they had their meat of the schedule at the begining of the yr. and they were exposed. had a easy last half. and it showed in both games. they just werent in the cowboys league. these vikings havent proved squat. what they can run on the lions rams and bears? they can throw on them too?

the vikings cant block ware or spencer. and the nfl north doesnt hit the way the east does. them wr on the vikings arent used to the physical play. and that showed in games vs the cardinals and panthers. this game should be a replay of the eagles games. if the cowboys come ready to play by halftime i expect to be relaxed and thinking about the nfc championship. their secondary is awful after winfield. and theyre lbers are ok but witten will eat them alive. and their defense has nobody that can catch felix. nobody at all.

im saying it now. get ready for the cowboys playing the cardinals in arlington. thats the game people need to worry about.

This game won't be easy and with a 40 year old QB and injuries in some key spots, I think the bye will serve them well.

I think the constant pressure the Cowboys are under (regardless of when the game is played) prepares the Cowboys better for the playoffs than other teams. We have what it takes to win, but I think the Vikings have more weapons offensively than any team we've played this year, so our defense will have to show up big time. Hopefully we can get a lead and force them to be one dimensionally and control the clock, that shouldn't be overlooked in how our defense has performed. It all goes hand in hand.

Bottom line (imo), there are no easy wins from here on out.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Everyone keeps saying Minny is undefeated at home. So was New Orleans. The Cowboys have proven they can go on the road in a dome with a hostile crowd and take it to the opposition. I like our chances in this game.

 

[rkstevens]

Patriots were also undefeated at home during the regular season going into yesterday's playoff game against Baltimore. It didn't seem to bother the Ravens too much.

 

[Don Corleone]

Favre is new on this team, but he doesn't play defense.

The Vikings lost to Philly at home in the playoffs last year. Where was the Metrodome crowd on that day?

 

[1rIghtsaidFred]

Favre is new on this team, but he doesn't play defense.

The Vikings lost to Philly at home in the playoffs last year. Where was the Metrodome crowd on that day?

Where was the crowd on that day? ...booing Tarvaris Jackson. Minny beats Philly with a competent QB last year in that game.

 

[Cover 2]

I'm not worried about their rushing attack at all. Their passing game is a different story though. As long as Flozell can handle Jared Allen I think the offense will have a good game. But Flo does have to do his job.

 

[Trace1015]

What you guys need to realize is dat we are going into a very tough game against a very good team now Farve may has his flaws but when he's on he's a very deadly weapon

now we need to put a lot of pressure on Farve so he does like he always does and just throwes it to rice or shancoe but since we got jenkins i dont think shutting down rice will be that hard.

Next we gotta stop peterson early and hard because if he establishes the run he gonna run all over us i say just keep hitting him hard till the gains get smaller and smaller and mayb even force a fumble

Finally our offensive line is gonna have to be on point protecting romo against Allen because that guy is a game changer and he almost never slows down

So if we do all that i see a close game that we win

 

[speedkilz88]

We have intention of running up the middle. Never do. Our main plan is delayed draw to the right of the middle and outright edge runs behind pulling guards.

The Cowboys ran at the edges to beat the eagles blitzes.

 

[RainMan]

I think Minnesota's record -- and thus its seeding -- is overrated, but I also think they're fully capable of beating us if we don't go in there and play our absolute best. They're obviously an explosive team and have a defense that can create pressure, so each and every mistake could prove very costly.

With that said, I think they undoubtedly have a lot more holes than you would typically associate with a No. 2 seed. Their defense hasn't been nearly as good in recent weeks, as their sack numbers have dropped dramatically. And for as good as Peterson is, they're a pass-first team -- and it's not as if Peterson has really "gone off" this season. Seven straight games without a 100-yard performance, and in six of them he averaged under 4 yards per carry.

They have explosive receivers, but their offense has shown it can get cold in a hurry. The recipe for their disaster? Pressuring Favre. We have the horses to do it, and we don't have to blitz a whole heckuva lot to get it, meaning we can have enough guys in coverage to prevent leaving wide-open passing lanes.

Lastly, I'm not real into the whole "weak schedule" stuff. I think for the first 12 weeks of a season it's difficult to really gauge how good your opponents are. Early in the season we thought we had lost to two of the better teams in New York and Denver. Turns out we went 0-3 against a pair of .500 squads. So I don't really want to penalize Minnesota in this category.

With that said, I am a believer that the final month of the season is a strong indicator of things to come. We shut out a team riding a six-game winning streak to close the regular season, and proceeded to throttle that same team the next week. Earlier, we ended a team's, what, 13-game winning streak? And then proceeded to shut out a bad Washington team.

What did Minnesota do to end the year? Lose three out of their last five, dropping games to teams like Chicago and Carolina? I don't think there's really any doubt we're the better team right now, much as there was no doubt they were better from Sept. through the start of Dec. Will we win? I don't have a clue.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

I would only add that just because they've been passing more than running, doesn't necessarily mean they're "not balanced." It's not so much the number of pass vs. run plays that creates balance, but the ability to execute on any given play with either. Apparently Favre set an NFL record this year with six or seven receivers with over 40 receptions each. That's spreading it around and taking advantage of the opportunity. Peterson is the real deal, and it's no secret that teams stack 8 or 9 man fronts on every play to stop him. We haven't faced a RB like Peterson at all this year. This is a dangerous game I'm afraid, I don't think we beat them.

Well, it's not too often that a first time poster sways me to pick the team "we" are playing against this week but you've done it,,, though I do think the Cowboys defense is better than the Panthers defense,,, hmmmmmm

 

[mldardy]

Everyone keeps saying Minny is undefeated at home. So was New Orleans. The Cowboys have proven they can go on the road in a dome with a hostile crowd and take it to the opposition. I like our chances in this game.

Exactly. Being undefeated at home means nothing. The Panthers were undefeated at home last year and we all know what happened to them in their first play game. What you did in the regular season doesn't mean anything anymore. All these teams are good. It's the teams that make the fewest mistakes and execute their game plane are the teams that will win.

 

[LatinMind]

cowboys 31 vikings 10

 

[Blackspider214]

Schedule or not, I'm more worried about this team because of their big defensive line. We can not just bully them around like the Eagles undersized d-line. I do not think we run the ball as well against them. Also, their o-line is slightly better. But this time around, if we pressure Favre, he will not get away as good as McNabb did. Take Favre out of his comfort zone and you will see him go into panic mode like he did here 2 years ago.

They also have a WAY better running game with traditional running backs. Now the thing about AP it seems is if you can stop those long runs of his, he seems to lull you to sleep with a lot of pedestrian runs. I've seen many games of his where he does nothing but all of a sudden breaks that long run and his yardage and carries looks like he dominated but really just had a very long run.

Also, they have more of a traditional passing game than can drive them down the field. The only way the Eagles can score is by the big play. They just can not drive the ball down and score on you. They get frustrated when they do not hit the long ball.

 

[MapleLeaf]

...I was real happy to see Green Bay get knocked off.

(30 keys to beating Vikings:

1. Peterson...this means you Spencer and Ware. Force him inside to make his meal ticket and he won't be as effective.

This guy has put the ball on the ground (20) times in the past (3) years. (16) times in the past two.

He can't run with a good stride without pumping the ball carrying arm away from his body.

I just can't imagine what the Viking coaches are doing!!! Even the Giants coaches finally told Tiki Barber to change his ball grip.

Force him inside and he has to protect the ball more. He runs slower and more cautious.

2. Pressure Favre. He is what he is...an interception machine waiting to happen when he is excessively pressured. Best way to do this is to slow down Peterson and force him into 3rd downs.

3. Blanket Shiancoe. Not Rice, not Harvin, not Berrian, but Shiancoe. Visanthe has been Favre's ticket to resurgence this year. The supreme security blanket for (56) balls. Take him out and force Favre to push deep balls into his (3) wide receivers.

If they drop into 3 or 4 wide that is the best alignment we can match up with the Vikings. Threatening a blitzer on Shiancoe's side would force him to stay put to protect or the Vikings may just cave in and leave Kleinsasser in to block.

A running Favre is a crappy Favre. I like the Cowboys chances.

 

[Thatkidbob]

cowboys 31 vikings 10

I dunno if I see that kind of runaway victory (unless we get a bunch of pressure/sacks... Favre isn't very mobile).

I'm not good at picking scores, but I'm thinking the cowboys win this game... if I had $500 to spare I'd bet on it.