2024 Vikings

Yeah… but it sure is fun watching the Bears self-destruct!

Ripjiggen wrote:

Coming from a team 2.5 games back.
Wasn’t packers bears 20-19? With a blocked field goal for a win? Asking for a friend.

Ding ding fn ding!!!!

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the Bears take the Vikings into overtime the last time they played??

Now that’s embarrassing

That said, I don’t see any NFC North teams making it to the big dance with how they’ve all played lately and how beat up the Lions are.

Hoping somebody does, but I’d be surprised to see it lol

Not this time. Ha talking smack from the 3rd best team in the north me boy.

Is it true the Packers are 1-3 in the Division??? Asking for a friend.

Just in case you forgot. Bman

The Whiteout was awesome, as was the game and all the tributes to Randy Moss. Prayers for my favorite Viking as he battles a bad form of cancer.

As for the Vikings, if you have followed my posts all season, I have looked at this year similar to 2022. Winning a lot of close ones, saying as fans we should just enjoy the ride, free money blah blah blah.

That’s over now. After the last couple games I think it’s finally time to start looking at the Vikings as legitimate contenders for a playoff run. They dominated a Falcons team that was fighting for its playoff life, and throttled a talented but terribly coached Bears team. This defense is a MFer for opponents, and built for the playoffs. They are tough as hell up the middle, with Jalen Redmond providing huge depth and slowly developing into a superstar, Cashman, 3 deep Safeties, and I don’t think anyone has better edge rushers than Greenard/Gink/Jones and now Dallas Turner starting to show up and show out. Offensively we have weapons all over, and a coach who excels at utilizing them. Addison has proven he will feast when they roll all coverage to the best WR in the league in JJ, and Hockenson is just a first down machine. Akers/Jones don’t leave many yards out there, and give them enough of a run game to be taken seriously. And special teams have been solid for the most part. I’m not sold on Darnold long term, but he is having a helluva year, and certainly could go on a 3-4 game run in the playoffs. Let’s SKOL!!!

Injuries have really affected Seattle and Detroit. Packer Game is now the toughest one left on the schedule, IMO. Would love to see this group pull together and run the table the rest of the way, but I just don’t feel it. 2 of 3 on the road in really tough places to play.

If Pace JR can come back only makes us better on D. Not sure he will be ready for the next two games but might be back for the Lions game.

Dallas Turner flashed for the first time this season (imo) That sack showed the freakish athleticism we drafted him for…if last night’s game was a trigger for him figuring things out, he COULD turn into an X factor down the stretch we didn’t plan on having 5 games ago…

It wouldn’t surprise me of the Bears did us a favor against the Lions and Packers in the next 3 weeks, IF they can just stop shooting themselves in the foot they can beat those guys…You just worry that Caleb Williams will stop trying, he looked absolutely defeated last night on the bench…

Hoyt4 wrote:

If Pace JR can come back only makes us better on D. Not sure he will be ready for the next two games but might be back for the Lions game.

Sounds like he should be back for the Packers game.

http://www.heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/ivan-pace-injury-update-news-playoffs/

Was watching ESPN this morning, More and More so called experts starting to take this team seriously. I’m still not a total believer but starting to become one. Its sad to see what is happening to Detroit with all the injuries, but that’s a part of the game. The rest of the season is in Minnesota’s hands. If they win out they win the Division and have a excellent shot at the #1 seed. Its crazy we are even talking about all this like we are. to start the year I had them at 9-8 or 10-7 at the best. Even if the lose the final 3 games they are 12-5.

Vikings are starting their hot streak at just the right time. Too many positives to list on this team. A top 3 coaching staff in the league is one a lot of people overlook. This team is ready for a deep run.

The Lions are ridiculously injury riddled right now, but a lot of those guys will be back for the playoffs. So it’s unlikely they get the #1 seed, but they will still be a tough out if they can remain somewhat healthy the rest of the way and these injured guys stay on schedule for a playoff return.

http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2024/12/9/24317299/full-list-detroit-lions-injuries-latest-news-potential-returns-ir-anzalone-decker-hutchinson

I just cant believe Hutch is coming back that soon after that horrific leg injury. Maybe in looked worse than it was, but I don’t know how it couldn’t be bad with it flopping around like it was…

They were talking about tie breaker scenarios on KFAN this afternoon.

Obviously if the Vikings win out or the Lions stumble, Minnesota will win the division. But what about if the Eagles and Vikings end up tied, who earns the 1 see and the bye?

You have to dig quite deep to figure that one out, and it’s a moving target because right now you have to go down to “opponents winning percentage” or something. They did not play each other, and they obviously aren’t in the same division. Then it’s common opponents. The two teams they both played this season are Atlanta and the Rams. The Eagles beat the Rams but lost to Atlanta. The Vikings beat Atlanta but lost to the Rams.

It’s pretty obvious at this point that winning the division is a massive advantage as opposed to being the 5 seed. And earning the top seed would ensure a bye plus home field advantage.

We’re going for the bye all the way baby!

gimruis wrote:

They were talking about tie breaker scenarios on KFAN this afternoon.

Obviously if the Vikings win out or the Lions stumble, Minnesota will win the division. But what about if the Eagles and Vikings end up tied, who earns the 1 see and the bye?

You have to dig quite deep to figure that one out, and it’s a moving target because right now you have to go down to “opponents winning percentage” or something. They did not play each other, and they obviously aren’t in the same division. Then it’s common opponents. The two teams they both played this season are Atlanta and the Rams. The Eagles beat the Rams but lost to Atlanta. The Vikings beat Atlanta but lost to the Rams.

It’s pretty obvious at this point that winning the division is a massive advantage as opposed to being the 5 seed. And earning the top seed would ensure a bye plus home field advantage.

Vikings, Strength of schedule.

Thanks EPG

The Eagles have the Commanders, Cowboys, and Giants left. Safe to say they will win at least 2 of those, and maybe all 3.

What time are the vikings playing lions on January 5th?

My sources say TBD for that one. There is no current game listed for Sunday night football for week 18 yet so if the division is on the line, my guess it would be moved to that time slot.

They just announced that the Packers-Vikings game in week 17 on Dec 29 could be moved to 3:25 instead of noon.

The realist in me hasn’t worried too much about the Lions game yet because for that game to matter the Vikes have to beat a very good Packers team first.

Detroit is just too battered. At full strength with all their defensive pieces + RB they’d be my pick to win it all…but that’s not the reality. Even if they hang-on to the 1 seed, I don’t think they survive the NFC playoffs and make the SB. I foresee the Vikings or Eagles representing the NFC. I think the Ravens or Bills will be the AFC champions

Dan wrote:

The realist in me hasn’t worried too much about the Lions game yet because for that game to matter the Vikes have to beat a very good Packers team first.

And the Seahawks before the Packers.

And… Kirk Cousins has been benched in favor of Michael Penix Jr. Cousins has 1 TD and 9 INT over the last five games!

Kirk will never throw another pass as an NFL QB.

Seattle is the trap game. GB will play tough like always, but Vikes have advantage and odds in terms of home field, coaching staff, qb and receivers. I’m looking for LaFloor to get another 15 yard penalty for being a baby or getting in a fight with a fan. The lions are toughest game even with injuries. I think vikings run table and get #1 seed. I won’t worry til playoffs start.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Kirk will never throw another pass as an NFL QB.

Bet? I think once the Falcons drafted Penix, Kirt, the business man, adjusted his plan. Now he gets all the Falcons guaranteed money and the opportunity to sign somewhere else again. Sure he will *only* get like $50-60M guaranteed this time, but if there’s one area Curt is a winner, it’s the business of football. And he’s not hanging em up with money still on the table.

The Falcons and Kirk saga is pretty crazy. I think a lot of people initially thought the Falcons were dumb as hell to pay huge money for him and still draft a QB. Their front office stated they did so because the conditions they were in (top-10 pick in a solid QB draft) were likely not to happen again for them. If Penix plays well the rest of the year and has a serviceable stint with Atlanta, they may have made an absolutely solid move. Although they still owe Kirk a ton of money.

I would certainly bet he plays more in the NFL. Yeah he’s expensive but, like always, there’s a chunk of the league who doesn’t have their QB situation figured out. Plenty of options for Kirk. He’s still probably good enough to plug and play on a decent team and could win. Or put him on a garbage team as a placeholder while getting a new, younger QB some time to learn. Off the top of my head, the Giants and Raiders have absolutely no QB future at the moment, and the experts don’t see this upcoming draft class as very great or deep at QB.

If Atlanta is looking to trade Kirk, we’re possibly looking at an off-season where teams will need to decide if they want to pay for Sam Darnold or Kirk Cousins. Four months ago I would’ve never believed I’d be typing that.

Well, he is the GOAT at getting paid. There’s no doubt about that.