Vikings vs. Packers

[Mr. Brooks]

It's amazing that Cousins can be so good this year, and then be so awful just because it's Monday instead of Sunday.

 

I don't know what the reason is, I won't call him a choker because I don't know him, but there is definitely a reason he struggles so badly on Monday night.

[gunnarthor]

This game is brutal. I hate the play calling. Taking a time out on fourth and 1 and then punting? Gads.

 

Credit the defense for keeping us in this but we are not a good team tonight.

[Badsmerf]

Embarrassing. Cousins has been bad, but the line has been eaten alive. This season is over. Fire Zimmer and Spellman.

[Mr. Brooks]

Wait, they're punting it down 2 scores with 3:30 to go?

I get that 4the and 24 is a longshot, but punting it here is game over.

Zimmer coaching to keep the final score from looking more lopsided, that's sad.

[Mr. Brooks]

Embarrassing. Cousins has been bad, but the line has been eaten alive. This season is over. Fire Zimmer and Spellman.

Bradbury was a huge whiff.

O'Neill has moments where he looks solid, but otherwise this offensive line needs to be completely scrapped.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I’ve been wondering all season when they would run a trick play. Then they ran that reverse option and as Diggs looked to pass I said to myself “jesus no.” Zimmer just has no feel for modern football. Zimmer is not horrible but he needs to go. Speilman has put together some good talent but he needs to go too. Or at least give up some of his duties. Ownership has spent the money but changes need to be made.

[gunnarthor]

The o-line was destroyed tonight. Cousins had a bad game but he had no time at all and the play calling was iffy at best.

 

Both this and the Seattle monday night game it seemed like we were ok at halftime and then the other team was a lot better in the second half. Our opening drive of the second half (three and out) was really demoralizing.

[Mr. Brooks]

I've been hard on Zimmer.

And I agree, and have thought for a couple of years, that he needs to go.

But at some point the players need to have some professional pride. These guys are all getting paid a ton of money, and tonight, in a huge game against a bitter rival, most of them didn't bother to show up.

Embarrassing.

[Mr. Brooks]

The o-line was destroyed tonight. Cousins had a bad game but he had no time at all and the play calling was iffy at best.

 

Both this and the Seattle monday night game it seemed like we were ok at halftime and then the other team was a lot better in the second half. Our opening drive of the second half (three and out) was really demoralizing.

The offense was awful in the first half too (just 2 first downs), it was just masked by the defense.

[Mr. Brooks]

And if not having Cook is going to be the excuse (TV guys, not anyone here), then I'd question the wisdom of building your offense around a guy who seems incapable of staying healthy.

[USAFChief]

Zimmer must go.

 

Most pathetic game plan and play calling on modern history, or all time?

[Vanimal46]

I’ve seen all I need to see. Another early playoff exit is in this team’s future. They can’t compete against good teams.

 

On a positive note, there’s only 17 more regular season games left in the Kirk Cousins era.

[Mr. Brooks]

Zimmer must go.

 

Most pathetic game plan and play calling on modern history, or all time?

It certainly gave me flashbacks of the Childress/TJack era.

[Vanimal46]

It's amazing that Cousins can be so good this year, and then be so awful just because it's Monday instead of Sunday.

 

I don't know what the reason is, I won't call him a choker because I don't know him, but there is definitely a reason he struggles so badly on Monday night.

I can’t help but think it’s all between his ears and it can’t be overcome. Granted the OL was awful tonight and that didn’t help. Regardless, I just don’t see him stepping up when adversity strikes like tonight.

[Mike Sixel]

My order of problems tonight

 

OL

Coaching, again

Cousins

Dropped passes on third down

Coaching

Whiffing or something on Bradbury

Coaching

[stringer bell]

Vikings are locked into the #6 seed. They will visit either Seattle, New Orleans or Green Bay. My guess is they go to the Big Easy. I don’t like their chances to advance.

[Vanimal46]

Vikings are locked into the #6 seed. They will visit either Seattle, New Orleans or Green Bay. My guess is they go to the Big Easy. I don’t like their chances to advance.

The best opportunity to advance is playing the Seahawks. That team is absolutely decimated by injuries. They’ve lost 3 RBs, 2 starting OL, 2 starting DL, and 2 starting CBs to injuries.

 

Though if I were Green Bay, I’d find a way to lose next week so I could play the Vikings again at home...

[Badsmerf]

Defense played well. Got worn out at the end. Offensive gameplan was a disaster. Stefanski was predictable and boring. Cousins was bad. Play calling has been really good at times this year, as has Cousins. Bad night for them.

 

A bigger problem is the O line getting dominated. Again. That can't be fixed or explained as an off night. Cousins was absolutely harassed all night. Sometimes, a defender was on him by the time he finished his drop back. Can't win games like that. Packers weren't even blitzing, even destroying double teams. This O line has been covered up by easy wins.

 

This team is good. I don't buy that Cousins can't win a big game. I don't think he's The Guy, but he had no chance tonight. Now I hope they lose out to get better draft position and Spellman gets fired.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Wait, they're punting it down 2 scores with 3:30 to go?

I get that 4the and 24 is a longshot, but punting it here is game over.

Zimmer coaching to keep the final score from looking more lopsided, that's sad.

In terms of coming back to win at that point, with where we were on the field, it's basically converting 4th and 24 vs recovering an onside kick. I think that's a defensible decision.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Though if I were Green Bay, I’d find a way to lose next week so I could play the Vikings again at home...

As bad as the Vikes looked last night, I think Green Bay would rather win and get a first round bye and a 2nd round home game.

 

Heck, if the Packers beat the Lions, and the Seahawks beat the 49ers, then the Packers are the #1 seed!

[Mr. Brooks]

In terms of coming back to win at that point, with where we were on the field, it's basically converting 4th and 24 vs recovering an onside kick. I think that's a defensible decision.

My uneducated guess, especially with the new kickoff alignment rules, is that 4th and 24 is multiple times more likely than an onside kick being successful.

Though I'd be interested in seeing the math.

[Mr. Brooks]

Defense played well. Got worn out at the end. Offensive gameplan was a disaster. Stefanski was predictable and boring. Cousins was bad. Play calling has been really good at times this year, as has Cousins. Bad night for them.

 

A bigger problem is the O line getting dominated. Again. That can't be fixed or explained as an off night. Cousins was absolutely harassed all night. Sometimes, a defender was on him by the time he finished his drop back. Can't win games like that. Packers weren't even blitzing, even destroying double teams. This O line has been covered up by easy wins.

 

This team is good. I don't buy that Cousins can't win a big game. I don't think he's The Guy, but he had no chance tonight. Now I hope they lose out to get better draft position and Spellman gets fired.

I don't know if he can or can't win a big game. But I do know that for his career he's yet to do it.

 

I also don't think this team is good. I think they are firmly in the 'mediocre' category. Good enough to beat bad teams, not good enough to beat good teams, and a coin flip against other mediocre teams.

[Mike Sixel]

 

In terms of coming back to win at that point, with where we were on the field, it's basically converting 4th and 24 vs recovering an onside kick. I think that's a defensible decision.

 

My son that is not a sports fan at all had earlier asked if a team could "surrender".....which Zimmer did at that point. But then, taking the stupid time out reminded me why I don't think he's a good coach.....

[howeda7]

If they somehow avoid the Saints, I think they can win a play-off game. For 2021, they need to clear the over the hill guys (Rhodes, Griffen, Reif) out and spend some real $$ on the offensive line.

[Otto von Ballpark]

My uneducated guess, especially with the new kickoff alignment rules, is that 4th and 24 is multiple times more likely than an onside kick being successful.

Though I'd be interested in seeing the math.

Perhaps. But facing a 4th and 24 with Cousins at that point, fairly deep into our territory, we were really between a rock and a hard place there. Hoping for a Packers mistake may have been our best bet. I can't really fault that punt. Lots of other things to fault, though.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Defense played well. Got worn out at the end. Offensive gameplan was a disaster. Stefanski was predictable and boring. Cousins was bad. Play calling has been really good at times this year, as has Cousins. Bad night for them.

 

A bigger problem is the O line getting dominated. Again. That can't be fixed or explained as an off night. Cousins was absolutely harassed all night. Sometimes, a defender was on him by the time he finished his drop back. Can't win games like that. Packers weren't even blitzing, even destroying double teams. This O line has been covered up by easy wins.

 

This team is good. I don't buy that Cousins can't win a big game. I don't think he's The Guy, but he had no chance tonight. Now I hope they lose out to get better draft position and Spellman gets fired.

How much of that is related to Cousins, though? It's not like he only struggled under pressure -- pretty much all night, he was missing short, easy targets rather badly. The Packers could pretty much play with zero fear of the passing game (and zero fear of the run).

[Mike Sixel]

How much of that is related to Cousins, though? It's not like he only struggled under pressure -- pretty much all night, he was missing short, easy targets rather badly. The Packers could pretty much play with zero fear of the passing game (and zero fear of the run).

He also had a TD called back, and several easy drops on third down. He wasn't good, but much of the offense was worse around him.

[Badsmerf]

He also had a TD called back, and several easy drops on third down. He wasn't good, but much of the offense was worse around him.

Agreed. The pressure was so bad at times, it was like there was absolutely no line at all. No QB can effectively complete a 5-7 step drop, which is what was being asked over and over. They needed to move him out of the pocket, more shotgun, more bubble screens, draw plays.

 

Cousins did miss a few throws, but most of them were inconsequential to the outcome. I just wish he took more shots down the field. Where was Thielen? If he wasn't getting open, and they were doubling Diggs... there was probably nowhere to go. Hard to see from the TV angles. When he did try to stretch the field, Diggs was tackled before the ball arrived.

 

Not being an apologist, but there was bigger problems than Cousins.