Vikings Monday RE:Action
By author
I think this is the part where we all look at each other a little awkwardly as we search for answers. “Do you know what’s going on?” “Nope. You?”
It’s almost maddening isn’t it? We want to know why this team can not finish. Why can’t this team win a second half. Then we have to go through all of the conjecture about what the reasons are that this team can’t close. Opinions are just like a STD everyone has one. Wait…What?
Well I certainly don’t have the answer but I offer this…
I have said repeatedly that the offense is inconsistent and needs to execute when called upon. In Week 1 the offense struggled to find a rhythm. They looked disjointed, and confused at times. Not much of the offense was installed and Musgrave and Co. rolled with what they had. After watching (and rewatching) that first game, it begged the identity question: “What does this team want to be?” Perhaps not a fair question in Week 1 because of the playbook issues. The gameplan seemed inadequate and it didn’t seem many adjustments were made. Frazier in the post game said they didn’t change much going from the first half to the second half. He tells the truth and it’s perhaps they couldn’t change much going from the first half to the second half. Vikings racked up 9 yellow flags for 78 yards. Even now I want to describe the play as sloppy but jumbled, fragmented, or muddled might be more appropriate.
In Week 2, inconsistency and execution. My boy, Paul Allen, said he thought Winfield needed to make a tackle and Ty Johnson needed to come up with an interception. I agree and would add in the second half the defense didn’t tackle well (execution). The offensive playcalling was better in Week 2 but still seemed odd. It was clear more of the passing game was installed but why get away from Peterson with a lead? Mix it up? Sure. Get away from doing what we do? I respectfully disagree.
It seemed obvious coming into the season that the Vikes were going to have to control the clock, use play action to deliver the big play, play above average defense and win close, close games.
Here we had an opportunity to grind away, something the offense was doing for most of the day, and we got away from it. It seems on the drives when we need to grind some clock, we go three and out and roll 2:00 off the clock.
Vikings 8 penalties for 65 yards.
Week 3. 20-0 at halftime. 3 drives in the 3rd quarter. Three – three and outs that take a TOTAL of 3 minutes. Peterson has 2 carries in the 3rd quarter. That my friends just is not going to get it done. Peterson had 5 carries total in the second half. That will never do. The playcalling must improve and the execution must get better. The penalties are too much. The players must improve. Vikings flagged 10 times for 79 yards. Onatolu, Jenkins, Greenway all guilty of grievous transgressions in the second half.
All in all, it’s not as bad as it looks. 0-3 sure. Not many make the second season after starting 0-3. Got it. It’s negative azz right now in the Great White Nort. I know. It smells like butt in the Metrodome. I understand.
Stop the undisciplined play. We are the second most penalized team in the league right now (avg. 8.7 per tilt). Second, improve the play calling and do what we do! Control the clock (especially when up 20), play good defense, use play action, and win games with special teams (we have exceptional special teams).
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