Vikings To Be This Years Titans?

[RashanGary]

They're really close teams. 12-4, 11-5. Lost NFCC playoff game. Lost Wildcard playoff game.


It's going to come down to a few things. . . .

On our end, will Jones, Raji and Matthews improve their pass rush?
Will the back end of our defense be more on the same page in pass defense?

With the Vikings, can they shore up their pass defense?
Can Favre play well late into the season and playoffs?


I actually think Rodgers is a big key to the division. He has flashes of HOF type QB play. If he can do it for most of next season, it's going to be a huge hinge point for the division.

Health is another key for both teams.

Just going off last year though, the Vikes have a little edge. Like Fred's Slack's said, if our ST's can find some way to be average, we're right on their level, then the tipping point will be Health and Rodgers.


If I had to call odds right now, assuming it's a 2 team division, I'd call it a coin flip. Last year the Vikings got up on us quick and we transformed into a really good team late. This year, I think the battle is going to be a little nastier from start to finish. Should be a fun year. Taking the best 2 teams in any NFC division, I think our is the strongest, so it should be a really exciting year in the NFCN.

[RashanGary]

To the main point of this thread with the aging QB dropping off fast. . .


There's a chance. If Rodgers comes out of the gate like a gang buster and the Packers get the early lead in the division, I could see Favre melting down and then later in the year breaking down.

There's a chance it goes really wrong for them, but there's a chance it goes really wrong for us too. I see a dog fight, honestly.

[RashanGary]

Chester was a fantastic 3rd down back last year. Gerhart isn't going to be that type of reliable in the passing game or pass protection aspects as a rookie. He might never be.

Peterson is their bellcow. They don't need another one of those. Chester was the perfect compliment.


They'll miss him, but not that much. I'd worry much more about Favre breaking down or melting down than I would about losing Chester.

[SMACKTALKIE]

Chester was a fantastic 3rd down back last year. Gerhart isn't going to be that type of reliable in the passing game or pass protection aspects as a rookie. He might never be.

Peterson is their bellcow. They don't need another one of those. Chester was the perfect compliment.


They'll miss him, but not that much. I'd worry much more about Favre breaking down or melting down than I would about losing Chester.

Chester may have been the best 3rd down back in the league last year. He will be tough to replace but Percy Harvin will be a part of filling that void as well as Gerhart.

I was told Chester was a locker room diva and wont be missed in that respect. If that is the case than I have no problem with him going to Chicago.

[Scott Campbell]

I was told Chester was a locker room diva and wont be missed in that respect.

Yeah, you guys wouldn't want one of those.

[Lurker64]

I think that the ultimate reason that the Vikings won't be the Titans this year is that the traditional trajectory of this team during the regular season under Childress is the opposite that the Titans took last year.

Under Brad Childress the Vikings regularly start strong, and then fade towards the end of the season. We saw this even last year when they were a very good team. During the Titans swoon of last year, the Titans started out as bad as you possibly could, and then clawed their way back to respectability. If the Vikings are going to have a disappointing year next year, a better analogy to draw would be the 2009 New York Giants, who started at a torrid 5-0, but went 3-8 down the stretch.

If the Vikings do miss the playoffs next season, it will almost assuredly be because they lose some games late when they shouldn't. Early in the season, they should win all the games that they're supposed to win. Though on paper, the Vikings first eight games don't contain a lot of guaranteed wins (Saints, Dolphins, Lions, Jets, Cowboys, Packers, Cardinals, Bears), as the Saints, Dolphins, Jets, Cowboys, and Packers are all teams with a reasonable shot at the Vikings. So that, coupled with a late season swoon of a couple of games, would be what keeps the Vikings out of the playoffs.

[Bossman641]

I was told Chester was a locker room diva and wont be missed in that respect.

Yeah, you guys wouldn't want one of those.

Hahaha. Well played.

[Fritz]

It's all about who suffers the fewest injuries.

[mngolf19]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/blogs/99171999.html

The viklings haven't signed their 7th round pick yet.

"The Vikings have one of the three remaining unsigned seventh-round picks from the draft. That would be tight end Mickey Shuler, who was taken at No. 214 overall. The players immediately above and below Shuler are signed."

WR Webb is the lone unsigned sixth-rounder from the draft.

"The 199th pick of the draft, Webb is sandwiched between Carolina wide receiver David Gettis, who received a four-year, $1.9 million deal that included a $94,000 signing bonus, and Philadelphia running back Charles Scott, who signed a four-year, $1.8 million deal that included a $91,000 signing bonus."


So if you are the lowest revenue team in the NFl you cannot afford to sign your draft picks. Season ticket sales must not have brought in enough money.

Vikes are typically one of the last to report to camp so I don't think it's out of the norm to have later signings. They'll likely have all but their 1st signed by start of camp and that one shortly thereafter.

[mngolf19]

I think that the ultimate reason that the Vikings won't be the Titans this year is that the traditional trajectory of this team during the regular season under Childress is the opposite that the Titans took last year.

Under Brad Childress the Vikings regularly start strong, and then fade towards the end of the season. We saw this even last year when they were a very good team. During the Titans swoon of last year, the Titans started out as bad as you possibly could, and then clawed their way back to respectability. If the Vikings are going to have a disappointing year next year, a better analogy to draw would be the 2009 New York Giants, who started at a torrid 5-0, but went 3-8 down the stretch.

If the Vikings do miss the playoffs next season, it will almost assuredly be because they lose some games late when they shouldn't. Early in the season, they should win all the games that they're supposed to win. Though on paper, the Vikings first eight games don't contain a lot of guaranteed wins (Saints, Dolphins, Lions, Jets, Cowboys, Packers, Cardinals, Bears), as the Saints, Dolphins, Jets, Cowboys, and Packers are all teams with a reasonable shot at the Vikings. So that, coupled with a late season swoon of a couple of games, would be what keeps the Vikings out of the playoffs.

Keep in mind that the losses last year were all on grass until the playoffs. That may be more of a factor than fading down the stretch.

[packerbacker1234]

Assuming Favre returns...


It's really all on that defense. the vikings almost scored 30 a game last year. If that defense holds their end they will win a lot of games. If not, they are in trouble. Can't expect favre to win it late every single time.

[Bretsky]

Most people have the Vikings contending for a Superbowl this year, and rightfully so after their terrific season that was ultimately ruined by Bert's pick to Tracy Porter. But like us they have a much more difficult schedule. And unlike us, they are betting everything on a 41 year old to defy father time for one more season.

Look what happened to the Titans last year with them coming off the leagues best record and Kerry Collins coming off a Pro Bowl season. When it finally goes, it can go fast. I'm not saying it's Brett's time yet, but he is 41 years old and it shouldn't surprise anyone if it's his time to wilt. The Titans waited until they were 0-6 to acknowledge that something was wrong, and by then it was too late. I'm not sure anyone in that Vikings organization has enough of a spine to bench an 0-6 Bert. He is bigger than the team.

Like most everyone else, I expect the Vikings to contend this year - much like the Packers. But unlike the Packers, I think the Vikings are also capable of finishing sub .500. How much fun would that be?

KUDOS

[Fritz]

It's all about who suffers the fewest injuries.

Wow, The wisdom.

[mission]

Wow, The wisdom.

Lol you meant "whoever suffers the most will end up beating the team who suffered the least to go to the Super Bowl"?

[retailguy]

My guess for the team who is going to nosedive this year is the Pats. It won't be as far a fall as the Titans, since the Pats were only 10-6 last year, but I could easily see them finishing below .500 and third in their division.

BUMP!

That one is for Madtown.

Well, you opined yesterday that you always sounded "pretty smart" when you went back and read old threads. This one, not so much. But honestly, last July, I agreed with you! I really thought their run was winding down.