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Post by Richie3Jack on Sept 9, 2010 22:48:30 GMT -5
The game looked like it would be a blowout, but the Vikings held in there. I think the Vikings have some major issues. Their CB's are weak, they need either Harvin or Berrian to step up big time and I don't think Harvin is ready and Berrian is just a waste of money. Now their main receiving thread seems to be Schiancoe. And if McKinnie's hurt, they are big trouble.
Leslie Frazier did a nice job of taking away the deep stuff and seemed to get the team to focus on the checkdowns in the flats and screens and just not allow them to make big plays from them.
There's certainly a chance the Vikings can turn it around. They'll need to hang on with the corners and get a big year from Jared Allen. Then if Harvin can step up and Peterson raise his play they have a chance.
The problem I see with the Vikings is last year they got an easy schedule early on (Detroit, Cleveland and Rams on the road...Niners (hail mary) and Packers at home). They won those games and when you start off 5-0, you're almost guaranteed to make the playoffs and usually that snowballs into a very good year. Now they've got:
Miami
Detroit
@jets
Dallas
@green Bay
@new England
3JACK
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Post by Richie3Jack on Sept 10, 2010 12:09:16 GMT -5
Here are the odds for this weekends (and Monday) games from Danny Sheridan. Bolded are my picks
NY GIANTS (-6½) v Carolina 40½
Miami (-3) v BUFFALO 39
Atlanta (-2) v PITTSBURGH 37½
CHICAGO (-7) v Detroit 43½
NEW ENGLAND (-4½) v Cincinnati 44½
TAMPA BAY (-3) Cleveland 37
JACKSONVILLE (-2½) v Denver 40
Indianapolis (-2) v HOUSTON 48
TENNESSEE (-6) v Oakland 40½
Green Bay (-3) v PHILADELPHIA 47½
San Francisco (-3) SEATTLE 37
Arizona (-4) v ST LOUIS 39½
Dallas (-3½) v WASHINGTON 40
NY JETS (-2½) v Baltimore 35½
San Diego (-4½) vs KANSAS CITY 45
If I were to take two money line picks, I'd take KC over SD and Detroit over Chicago.
3JACK
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Post by secondary on Sept 11, 2010 23:32:47 GMT -5
I like Bear (of course) the Tenn under and Denver believe it or not, I bet I don't say that very often this year?
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Post by vjsinger on Sept 12, 2010 9:49:25 GMT -5
The game looked like it would be a blowout, but the Vikings held in there. I think the Vikings have some major issues. Their CB's are weak, they need either Harvin or Berrian to step up big time and I don't think Harvin is ready and Berrian is just a waste of money. Now their main receiving thread seems to be Schiancoe. And if McKinnie's hurt, they are big trouble. Leslie Frazier did a nice job of taking away the deep stuff and seemed to get the team to focus on the checkdowns in the flats and screens and just not allow them to make big plays from them. There's certainly a chance the Vikings can turn it around. They'll need to hang on with the corners and get a big year from Jared Allen. Then if Harvin can step up and Peterson raise his play they have a chance. The problem I see with the Vikings is last year they got an easy schedule early on (Detroit, Cleveland and Rams on the road...Niners (hail mary) and Packers at home). They won those games and when you start off 5-0, you're almost guaranteed to make the playoffs and usually that snowballs into a very good year. Now they've got: Miami Detroit @jets Dallas @green Bay @new England 3JACK The game should have been a blowout on the scoreboard and I'll argue that it was a blowout in every other facet of the game for the Saints, except the kicking game. The Vikes definitely have issue at corner, but they got lucky a few times with very uncharacteristic Saint Wide out drops, one in the end zone by Meachum and an overthrow by Drew to a wide open Henderson that would have been a TD. Hartley played terrible, but I think he'll get it straightened out..if not we'll be looking for a new kicker. The good for the Vikes: Leslie Frazier is one hell of a coach and had his guys playing really well in the first 3 quarters..with the assistance of Saint miscues. He ran into a big problem in the 4th quarter when the Saints imposed their will on the best front 7 in football. Evans and Nicks embarrassed the Williams boys and the Saints dominated the Vikes front. Maybe some media types with get their heads out of their butt now when they talk about the best O-lines in the game and give the Saints credit. Adrian Peterson is the best RB in the game..period folks! The good for the Saints: The defense played very well and all of the people that make foolish comments about how the Saints D is bad and won't improve under Greg Williams in his second year as D-coordinator WILL EAT CROW! You will see. The Saints were able to out physical the Vikes at the point of attack in the 4th quarter and run the ball down their throat, when everyone watching the game knew that's what the Saints would do to grind the game out. Another good..The Saints in pass protection..nuff said. Another goofy thing I've heard fans say is how the Saints offense is now figured out by the rest of the league...LAUGHABLE! If that were the case don't you think D-coordinators would have figured that out all these years the Saints have been in the top 5 in offense? These people really need to do some research that make such statements. I feel better...Who Dat?! |
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Post by Richie3Jack on Sept 12, 2010 10:20:10 GMT -5
Williams has a history of having some odd years where his defense turns to mush. In '04 and '05 the Redskins defense was very good and looked like it would only get better with FA signings, then in '06 they had the worst defense in the league. '07 they were pretty much average. Mainly because he kept the safeties a good 25 yards off the LOS and just wouldn't allow anything deep..but at the expense of making a lot of plays. His '08 Jax defense was nothing to brag about.
I think he's a good D-Coordinator, but I value sacks on defense more than anything because statistically it has a great correlation to winning and losing in the NFL and turnovers. You can have those odd years where a team gets a lot of sacks, but not a lot of turnovers (last year's Cowboys were a great example), but if you can't consistently sack the QB at a pretty high level the turnovers won't really follow. Williams' defenses usually start out sacking the QB at a high rate, but then other teams tend to adjust pretty well and make his defenses less effective. He's a good coach IMO and I wouldn't be too down on him if he were my D-Coordinator, although I think there are others I'd rather have.
The only year that the Saints offense was 'figured out' under Payton was 2007 when they finished 11th in Footballoutsiders.com's DVOA which is a far better representation of offensive (and defensive) capability. Other than that they've finished no higher than 4th. I don't think the offense will be figure out, maybe curbed to a degree. Back in '07 teams realized some of the things that Payton loved to do (particularly, running an end around or a reverse on 3rd and short). They stopped it and Payton had to adjust. I think Payton is at a really high level of coaching now. He's rid himself of the really goofy play calls and now sticks to the run and is willing to grind it out if need be, much like he did in the Vikings game. Most offensive minded HC's who call the plays won't do that.
Personally if I were a Vikings fan I'd be more concerned about McKinnie and the receivers than at corner. If Schiancoe is your best receiving target, then Peterson needs to have an unbelievable year to score points.
3JACK
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Post by vjsinger on Sept 12, 2010 10:56:06 GMT -5
To counter your argument on Greg..it's simple. He NEVER had the corners the Saints have anywhere he has coached..period! Stats DO NOT tell you the story on our corners, but if you want one..here it is. When Greer and Porter are healthy and in the starting lineup together, the Saints have NEVER lost a game. The Saints have gotten better on defense on the back end in tackling now with Jenkins playing safety and not Sharp, Greer is a great tackler and Porter is very good as well. When you have confidence, which Greg now does and never did in any other place he has been, that the guys on the back end can tackle well you can do alot more things with your packages to confuse a QB.
Sacks don't have a greater correlation to winning and losing..hurries do. The Saints were 13th in sacks last year and the Colts were 16th, so clearly it isn't sacks that determine the outcome. Its pressure and hurries that create turnovers. Offense helps too:) It's far too easy to pick one stat and make that a "key" to anything. Great coaches don't do that crap, it's silly and narrow minded. Belichick: "Stats are for losers"
As for the offense..What makes you think that it will be curbed to a degree? I see no evidence of it.
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Post by Richie3Jack on Sept 12, 2010 17:02:16 GMT -5
5-3-1 so far on the picks. The Eagles offense looks awful and I love it. You would think by listening to Aikman call games that he played for the Eagles for 15 years and they saved his children from leukemia because he simply cannot bring himself to say a bad word about the Eagles.
Mike Zimmer proved my point about him being overrated as a D-Coordinator today as he didn't get the memo that you cannot, under any circumstances, not blitz Brady. Yet he tried that all day.
Houston just mauled the Colts.
Gotta say though, the 18 game reg. season 2-preseason game is a very bad idea and I think it's just further solidified today. Most of the teams look very rusty on defense, so shortening preseason to 2 games doesn't make much sense....plus, not a lot of good looking football teams today...not sure I really want to see them play 2 more games.
As far as Belichick goes...he's arguably the most stat minded coach in the game. Simplistic stats like INT's are for losers, but he's looking at more complex stats than that. And some guy named Landry looked heavily at statistics to learn player and team tendencies.
Anyway, former Giants LB Carl Banks was predicting that Andy Reid would quit the job as HC as the Eagles after this year and take over with the Browns becasue he believes Reid didn't want to start Kolb and trade McNabb. After this performance (so far) and how much they've played Vick, he might have been onto something. I don't believe it will happen because Reid has always been a 'company man', but worth noting nonetheless.
3JACK
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Post by Richie3Jack on Sept 12, 2010 17:09:41 GMT -5
Charles Woodson is the greatest player, ever.
3JACK
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Post by Richie3Jack on Sept 12, 2010 17:17:05 GMT -5
some beautiful playcalling by the Packers there. Eagles D committing hard on runs off tackle, so dish it to the FB up the gut.
3JACK
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Post by vjsinger on Sept 12, 2010 17:57:41 GMT -5
You gave me a smite? That's a little harsh isn't it? Go Skins!
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Post by Richie3Jack on Sept 12, 2010 18:53:22 GMT -5
Somebody else must have. I honestly do not pay attention to that. I disagree with some of your sentiments...although I never knew the Saints have yet to lose with their two corners. The only person I've done that with is Ringer and that was giving him an exalt
3JACK
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Post by secondary on Sept 12, 2010 19:43:43 GMT -5
No TV today as I am in the middle of moving, but the internet tells me I better keep my day job! 2nd string QB and Bear are gifted a win and my only correct call is Bronco's? I might be bowing out, but I will be reading  |
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Post by vjsinger on Sept 12, 2010 20:57:00 GMT -5
Ummmmmm...Hello Jason Garrett...Are you there? Wade Phillips=Not Good. Kneel the ball!
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Post by Richie3Jack on Sept 12, 2010 21:04:25 GMT -5
Ahhh, Dallas Cowboys football. Only Dallas can dominate a team and be down 10-0 at the half. If we were lottery winners, we'd piss away our winnings in 9 months.
3JACK
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Post by vjsinger on Sept 12, 2010 22:02:01 GMT -5
ALOT of Mistakes from the Cowboys so far. They look like a very undisciplined team right now..WAY TOO MANY PENALTIES! On a positive note, Miles Austin looks good against the average Skins secondary.
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