Are the Vikings going to be playing a full team yet?

[Tony Oday]

THey get Washington with a hobbled Portis.

They get a Carolina team without Smith, Morgan and a revamped O line.

Think Grossman and Urlacher will get in an auto accident with eachother before the game?

[Rastak]

THey get Washington with a hobbled Portis.

They get a Carolina team without Smith, Morgan and a revamped O line.

Think Grossman and Urlacher will get in an auto accident with eachother before the game?

They are doing plenty of things right and some things not as well. But to your point 2-0 is 2-0. Bears will be tough, I like what Childress is building.
Two close games, two comebacks, 2-0 so far. The Vikes second half schedule is much easier than the first half.

[Tony Oday]

Im not saying they arent but man they are resembling the 13-3 Bears where everything is bouncing their way. Enjoy it :)

[Rastak]

Im not saying they arent but man they are resembling the 13-3 Bears where everything is bouncing their way. Enjoy it :)

Hell ya, I'd rather it not be bouncing the wrong way.....

[mmmdk]

I was hard on Childress but he's 2-0 now. Beats 0-2 any day. But being 0-2 isn't always bad, if you see promise on a team then you know your day will come and the Wins will come in bunches sooner rather than later. I don't have that feeling about the Packers, I just don't - and I trust my gut feeling.

[Guiness]

lol @ Capt Smoot - way to poke fun at yourself Ras

Vikins have beat two teams that many think (thought?) are playoff bound. One player does not a team make, and they still beat the rest of the players on playoff caliber teams.

BTW Johnson got sacked 5 times, 3 by Peppers? And he's still playing? When did he develop any toughness - I remember refering to him as the Balsa Wood QB in years gone by.

[HarveyWallbangers]

One player does not a team make, and they still beat the rest of the players on playoff caliber teams.

Well, one player is awfully good for Carolina, and it wasn't just one player--as their LT, C, Pro Bowl LB, All Pro WR were all out. Two good wins, but right now Carolina and Washington aren't nearly as good as people thought. Better than being 0-2 though.

[Rastak]

One player does not a team make, and they still beat the rest of the players on playoff caliber teams.

Well, one player is awfully good for Carolina, and it wasn't just one player--as their LT, C, Pro Bowl LB, All Pro WR were all out. Two good wins, but right now Carolina and Washington aren't nearly as good as people thought. Better than being 0-2 though.


Carolina played extremely well defensively...Peppers wasn't just beating Johnson almost every play, he was doing other things as well. I think once Carolina gets Smith back they'll be fine.

[Dabaddestbear]

One player does not a team make, and they still beat the rest of the players on playoff caliber teams.

Well, one player is awfully good for Carolina, and it wasn't just one player--as their LT, C, Pro Bowl LB, All Pro WR were all out. Two good wins, but right now Carolina and Washington aren't nearly as good as people thought. Better than being 0-2 though.
Tell us Bear fans that in regards to Steve Smith in last years playoff. That guy should have been the MVP last year because it is now obvious without him the Panthers dont seem to have any offense at all.

Trust me, the Panthers without Steve Smith is just a good (not great)Defensive team with no offense to speak of. Peppers was all over the place but football is a team game. You need playmakers all over the field to make it work. The rest of his team did nothing to speak of.

[Guiness]

Truth is baddest, that it wasn't just SS. They had other weapons you had to be worried about, or you would've just rolled both safeties over to SS, triple covered him, and been done with it.

Did he torch you guys? Absolutely. Did he do it alone? no :neutral:

[Dabaddestbear]

Truth is baddest, that it wasn't just SS. They had other weapons you had to be worried about, or you would've just rolled both safeties over to SS, triple covered him, and been done with it.

Did he torch you guys? Absolutely. Did he do it alone? no :neutral:
You must didnt see that game. HE TORCHED THE HELL OUT OF THE BEARS by himself. The reason why most fans were upset and the reason why analyst couldnt understand is why Lovie didnt double team Smith like the Seahawks did. Check the stats and the play by play. He was the Jordan like, ala Bulls versus Jazz playoffs.

I cant think of one other player a team depends on more than Carolina does in regards to Smith. I think the Packers need for Brett(of old) might be the only equal.

[Scott Campbell]

He was the Jordan like, ala Bulls versus Jazz playoffs.


I didn't see Smith push off.

[Iron Mike]

He was the Jordan like, ala Bulls versus Jazz playoffs.


I didn't see Smith push off.

Or NEVER get called for obvious traveling. :evil:

[ND72]

hey, good job Carolina doing a throwback on a punt return when you're up in a close game....

[run pMc]

When you face a team w/o its best playmakers, you should win...so I give MIN credit for that. And Portis and Smith are the best playmakers on their teams. Peppers is a very good, but Smith is a more dynamic player IMO.

Injuries are a major part of the game...remember last year in GB? Any time you lose a Pro Bowl caliber player, someone else on the team has to step up. Finding someone else on your team to play to that level is unlikely. Losing Smith on CAR's O is like CHI without Urlacher...good but not nearly as good. I shudder to think what GB's O would be like without Driver...Jennings and Fergy as your starters? Yech.

(Knocking on wood that it never happens)

[run pMc]

As far as the CHI-CAR playoff game, I thought Smith killed them. The CAR D wasn't exactly slacking, either, so it's not like Smith was the only thing keeping them afloat. It's a team game, and I thought the better team won. Last year any fool would have taken CAR's D over CHI's O. The surprise was that CHI's D couldn't handle Smith.
IIRC, CAR got handled by SEA because they were down to Nick Goings at starting RB. Again, injuries and depth are key.

[run pMc]

One final comment (yeah, I know, I'm monoplizing the thread...sorry) -- tat play call on the punt return by Fox was the dumbest. CAR had the lead in a close game and were backed deep in their territory. At that point, I'd be more concerned with getting one or two 1st downs and running down the clock. Field position and time of possession are more critical than razzle dazzle (unless you're Mike Martz). I agree with Peter King's comment about how John Fox gift wrapped that game for MIN.

The older I get, the more convinced I am that it's usually better to be lucky than good. MIN's had some good luck to go with that talent and go 2-0. However, MIN's not having much luck on the injury front. IIRC they had a physicall camp, too. Come December, I wonder how competitive and fresh-legged they will be.

[Rastak]

One final comment (yeah, I know, I'm monoplizing the thread...sorry) -- tat play call on the punt return by Fox was the dumbest. CAR had the lead in a close game and were backed deep in their territory. At that point, I'd be more concerned with getting one or two 1st downs and running down the clock. Field position and time of possession are more critical than razzle dazzle (unless you're Mike Martz). I agree with Peter King's comment about how John Fox gift wrapped that game for MIN.

The older I get, the more convinced I am that it's usually better to be lucky than good. MIN's had some good luck to go with that talent and go 2-0. However, MIN's not having much luck on the injury front. IIRC they had a physicall camp, too. Come December, I wonder how competitive and fresh-legged they will be.



Id' say without that play Carolina has a 90% chance they win. Once they blew that, the Vikings still had to convert as well as hold Carolina in overtime and then drive down and score and they did all those things so I do have to give them alot of credit. Carolina has a nasty defensive line.

As for the physical camp, the players claim it helped them greatly during the 4th quarter against the Redskins. Their claim not mine. I doubt having a physical camp contributed to torn acls though.

[mngolf19]

I think we will all be able to tell after this week's game. If they play the Bears closely, then they must be pretty good. If not, then maybe it has just been more luck then skill. I think they will play competitively though. Already meeting my expections for this season.

[FavreChild]

Minnesota won two games fair and square. Whining about them getting "lucky" is just loser talk (you know, how they usually whine about us). :wink:

[Badgepack]

For some reason, maybe because Tice, Culpepper, and Moss are gone or because the Packers don't have a chance in hell, but the Vikings winning games this year doesn't upset me too much.

[Scott Campbell]

For some reason, maybe because Tice, Culpepper, and Moss are gone or because the Packers don't have a chance in hell, but the Vikings winning games this year doesn't upset me too much.


Were not expecting to contend, so they aren't really our competition. We'll get this thing turned around and hate them again soon enough.

[mmmdk]

Minnesota won two games fair and square. Whining about them getting "lucky" is just loser talk (you know, how they usually whine about us). :wink:

Yup, nothing worse than loser talk. Packers are 0-2, Vikings & Bears are 2-0. Get used to it. I know losing hurts but Packers will rebound eventually.