Minnesota Vikings????

D9Male

I am a little bit more negative.

Plus:
Defense looks like it should be as good as last season, if not better. Richardson is a good acquisition.
Minus:
I am not sure we will be able to get the same level of QB play as last season. I like Cousins, but it all clicked last season for a variety of reasons.

Our OL is going to suck.

Our division rivals all look better than last year.

I go 9-7.

Hulk Hands

Dalvin Cook should be a massive addition. Would agree on Cousins, I think we can expect a decent level of play but expectations are too high. He's never performed well under pressure and this OL will have him under plenty of it.

The defense could be insane. Its natural to expect a regression from last year's highs but they've managed to streghten two of the weaknesses, Richardson is a big upgrade on Johnson and Iloka adds safety depth. Mike Hughes looks great apparently also, could be a starter after a few weeks.

I think we'll scrape the division, the Packers roster looks poor overall and we're a favorite over them even with Rodgers. I'll say 10-6

D9Male

Fair point on Cook.

I would say that the Packers, Vikings and Lions will all be between 8-8 and 10-6. I just hope we end up on the right side of it.

markc91

Echo,echo,echo.....anyone else in here? What we making of the season so far? Thoughts on making the playoffs and what number seed we are? Have we enough to get to a superbowl or are we gonna be one and done in the playoffs?

Prospector1989

Pessimist in me can't see better than a 10-6 finish. Can't see enough consistency to beat the Bears or the Packers.**
Will that be enough for a wildcard? Would still finish ahead of the Bears in that scenario IMO as I can't see them going 3-0 with the Packers as Chiefs to play as well.
Just the Rams to worry about then (Cowboys, 49ers, Cardinals). Can see them going 2-1 leaving them on 10-6.
Better record in the division would give them the wildcard.

**Hoping they prove me wrong!

Get Thielen back for the run in (even for the games against the Bears and Packers) and I'll be more optimistic.

D9Male

Of the playoff contenders, I think we are better than the Packers, and clearly better than whatever the NFC East dishes up.

I really don't rate the Saints as highly as others, so in my opinion we are close to the second best team in the NFC, in a small group with the Saints and Seahawks, just behind the 49ers. The 9ers are not bomb proof so I think we would have a sporting chance of getting to the Super Bowl.

But we need to show up in the last three games. At Chargers, followed by GB and the Bears coming to Minnesota. I could conceivably see us winning all three and losing all three.

I think we will win 2 of 3 (including the Packers), get the #3 seed. Beat the Packers in the WC round, win in New Orleans and then lose narrowly to the 9ers.

Bish bash bosh.

Prospector1989

Odd game last night.

Could have been game over much earlier than it was but great defensive performance overall.
Cousins played well excluding the interception off the screen.
Special teams executed well, couple of decent punts as well as the block on theirs.
Hopefully Cook and Mattison will be back for next week but good to see Boone step up to the plate.
Good to see Thielen back. Hopefully that's his injury behind him.

On the playoffs, can only be caught by going 0-2 and the Rams going 2-0.
Wasn't expecting the Rams to lose yesterday.
I reckon they lose to the 49ers too.

Reckon the Packers will take the North. Even with a Vikings win next week, Packers would only need to beat the Lions to stay top based off a better record in the division.

My prediction following yesterday is now a wildcard with a record of 11-5.
Unfortunately I think the Packers win next week but more positive than I was.

Hulk Hands

The Packers are utter rubbish for an 11-3 team. Their YPP stats (the most accurate metric of a teams actual performance) are very poor but they keep winning. Those two games the refs handed them, versus Vikings and Lions earlier in the year are really screwing the Vikings now. By the time Monday comes around, the Vikings will likely have a playoff spot confirmed (if 49ers beat the Rams on Sunday). It would be nice to beat the Packers but chances are the game won't matter, the Packers will beat the Blough led Lions the following week to win the Division on tiebreaker. Kind of annoying but have zero fear of going to Lambeau in the WC round. Or Philly. At Dallas would be a toss up. Hoping the Saints keep winning so we can avoid going there to start

Prospector1989

Nice to see Boone have a decent game but not much to take note of given the circumstances.
@ Saints going to be extremely tough.
One and done in the playoffs in my opinion even if Cook, Mattison and Thielen are all back.

markc91

Yeah gonna need another miracle to beat the saints in new orleans but as we seen a couple weeks back theyre just as likely to have a brainfart of game like against the falcons, its not a primetime game so cousins shouldnt be too overawed!

Prospector1989

Well, that was unreal!

markc91

Were gonna win it all!

Prefab Sprouter

Raiders fan here. Watched the game last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great win and hopefully ye can push on. Anyways congrats!

Hulk Hands

Amazing stuff. The thing that gives me confidence is that the Defense, which has been crap by their standards all year (16th in points allowed), actually has the potential to go be a top unit again. The likes of Rhodes, whos had a nightmare season, Linval Joseph and even Smith despite named to the pro bowl, were all at the very top level a couple of seasons ago. Rhodes really got it together late last night. There's no reasons why that D cant get back to 2017 form, especially with the way Hunter, Griffen, Kendricks and Harris are playing. They were great last night.

If they can do that, with a reasonably good level of offense thats been shown most of the season, they can contest with any team. It looked like they were bricking themselves in the 4th Q last night, but really good aggressive playcalling in OT and that throw by Kirk was phenomenal. Two top receivers, a top back and an OL thats growing slowly. The sky should be the limit