Well, it's Week 1 people! Let's not wait around... and here we go!
Welcome, everybody, to Mike Otto's Ten & Six. If you're unfamiliar, Mike is a lifelong Vikings fan and he's agreed to give us his take each week on the Vikings upcoming games. Be sure to scroll down the blog a little further for his breakdowns of the Vikings offense & defense, and, most importantly, his predictions for the squad this season (hint: He's optimistic).
Fortunately for all of us, Mike is also an avid fan of the rest of the league. Sure, he could just break down the upcoming Vikings games, but why neglect the rest of the league when there are so many jokes to be made? Be sure to read on after his Vikings preview for his picks for the rest of the week.
So, without further ado, let's all stop pretending to care about baseball and jump into this baby.
The season is here! Yours truly couldn't be more excited about what's in store for the purple this year. The bottom line in this game: If you are gonna be a decent team this season, you CANNOT lose to the Jaguars at home to open the season.
Maurice Jones Drew will play and probably get more carries than Adrian Peterson. The Vikings will need to hit him HARD and hit him EARLY, remind him he missed all of camp and preseason.
Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:
Key #1: Secure the ball on offense, create turnovers on defense.
Neither Adrian Peterson or MJD has been hit in a loooong time. It will be interesting to see if either of them have ball security issues. If the Vikings can create a few turnovers and limit their own to zero, they will win the game. High & tight, AP!
Key #2: Tackle, Tackle, TACKLE!
Missed tackles killed The Purple last year, and I want to see drastic improvement in this first game. The first guy to make contact needs to wrap-up strong and wait for his reinforcements to finish the play.
Key #3: Keep CP7 upright
Christian Ponder had little to no time last year. If our line could give him an average of 4-5 seconds in the pocket it would go a very long way towards a Vikings victory. Young quarterbacks can get flustered quickly, so it's very important to make most of CP7's drop-backs a pleasant experience.
Matchups To Watch:
Matchup #1: Justin Blackmon vs. Vikings Secondary
If Blackmon runs wild against our 2nd level it will be a bad omen for the rest of the season. If this secondary has improved, the rookie shouldn't be a giant factor in the outcome. If he goes for more than a hundred or find the end zone more than once The Purple will be flirting with a loss.
Matchup #2: Rookie Right End Andre Branch vs. Rookie Left Tackle Matt Kalil
Andre Branch is a tall, lanky, speed rusher coming off the end. at 6'5" and 265 lbs., he could give Mat tKalil a little trouble. Kalil was the 3rd pick in the draft and if he wants to validate that right out of the gate he needs to dominate. As mentioned before, keeping CP7 upright is of the utmost importance. That starts with protecting his blindside.
Mike's All Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week:
Tight End Kyle Rudolph
He's going to show you want kind of year it will be right away. 6 catches, 70 yards, and a touchdown from Christian Ponder. Wooday woop!
Final Takes:
I think the Vikes come out fast in this one with 2 first half touchdowns (1 pass, 1 run) only to come out flat in the second half and fail to get in the end zone again. Lucky for us, the Jaguars are awful and our defense is just good enough. In the fourth quarter, with the Jaguars driving to tie the game, our defense slams the door, creating a much needed turnover, essentially ending the game.
FINAL SCORE:
Minnesota Vikings: 20
Jacksonville Jaguars 13
... in a game that shouldn't be that close.
MIKE'S WEEK 1 PICKS:
(Editor's Note: Michael did not make a pick prior to Wednesday night's Cowboys-Giants match for three reasons.
1. He hates Tony Romo.
2. He hates Eli Manning.
3. He hates deadlines.)
On to the picks)
New England at Tennessee
CJ 1.2K says he feels, "as strong as ever" and he's back to his old self. That's all well & good, but, unfortunately for the Titans, there are 52 other players not named "Chris Johnson" on their team. One of them is Jake Locker, who will be overwhelmed and under-protected. Pats roll 35-14
Philadelphia at Cleveland
Michael Vick's flack jacket producer promises he won't get hurt this year. I wonder if that thing protects him from drownings, electrocution, rape stands, etc... I'm guessing not. But, since the rest of the league is more humane than Mr. Vick, he won't have to worry about any of that come Sunday. Vick makes it through this game and the Eagles win 24-9 if only because late night weed-whacker infomercial host Brandon Weeden (known formerly as "Weedin' Weeden) is the Cleveland quarterback.
Fuck you Michael Vick.
Washington at New Orleans
Continuing the trend, RG III starts this game for the Skins. Although I think he will have a solid debut, recording more TD's than Mike Shanahan blinks, the Skins will lose. You just can't bet against Drew Brees at home. Saints win 31-21.
Miami at Houston
What's this? More rookie QB's? Ryan Tannehill is the latest, greatest Miami QB to give his best Dan Marino impression. I put his talent level somewhere between Cleo Lemon & Jay Fiedler (poor bastard). Houston destroys Miami 42-17.
Atlanta at Kansas City
This game got me thinking... who plays for Kansas City? Billy Buter? No, wait, that's baseball... hmmm... oh well. Needless to say, there will be guys in red jerseys playing football at Arrowhead Stadium come Sunday.
For the Falcons, the Matt Ryan-to-Julio Jones combo will have its coming out party while "The Falconer" himself, Michael Turner, and Jaquizz Rodgers (my personal sleeper pick of the year) will provide the 1-2 punch on the ground. The Atlanta Michael Turners roll 28-13.
Buffalo at New York Jets
This game is gonna be ugly, mostly due to the lack of offensive talent. I can't wait for the first time Tebow checks into the game and lofts a perfectly thrown ball directly in to an oblivious Rex Ryan's balls. Quit lookin' at your feet, Rex! Pay attention! Your boys are trying to score the 17 points necessary to win this one! Jets win 17-14
St. Louis at Detroit
The roar has been restored! The Lions are now the best thing in Detroit (yes, it's gotten that bad). In all honestly, I think the Lions keep the pressure on Green Bay this year. They'll demolish the Rams this week 35-14.
Indianapolis at Chicago
Andrew Luck will try his luck against Mike Tice and the new-look Bears offense. I wanted tickets to this game but the only guy selling them on StubHub was a "TikeMice" and they were twice the face price. Bears are upset this week! Colts win 24-20.
Carolina at Tampa Bay
In terms of QB comparison, Cam Newton is a bright, shining star in the night sky while Josh Freeman is the burning remains of a Ford Pinto on the side of the Tampa highway. Panthers win 21-6.
Seattle at Arizona
Between John "Skull & Bones" Skelton and Kevin "Can't Justify A Contract" Kolb the Cards are doomed. Way to ruin Larry Fitzgerald's prime, assholes. Russell Wilson scores 2 TD's and Seattle wins a clunker 20-13.
San Francisco at Green Bay
The Packers say they expect the old Randy Moss. They better hope they are wrong. Moss is listed as a starter but will likely see only 20-25 plays. Randy will find the Green Bay end zone, though, as he has done 14 times in the past, but the 49ers will fall in a close game 24-20.
Pittsburgh at Denver
Peyton Manning's comeback is complete with this game. Unfortunately, Manning will be overshadowed when, during the 3rd quarter, Ben Roethlisberger engages in some questionable sexual contact with a 6 out of 10 in the 1st row. Broncos win 24-20.
Cincinnati at Baltimore
Ray Lewis will dance as he enters the field on Monday night and also realize his new favorite quarterback snack - Andy "Crystalized Ginger" Dalton. Aaaannnd... Down goes the Red Menace! Ravens win 20-10.
San Diego at Oakland
How does Norv Turner still have a job? Is Phillip Rivers the most masculine woman ever born? Carson Palmer is the best QB in the league at throwing 1 TD and 2 INT's, but I think that will be enough in this one. Raiders win 27-20
Enjoy The Games!
Thank you, Mr. Otto. For more of Mike's thoughts you can find him on Twitter as @SwervinTaters, where he'll likely be ranting like a lunatic most Sundays.
Of course, this blog is still on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) and on Facebook here. Be sure to stop by and give us a "like" when Mike's predictions come to fruition.
Welcome, everybody, to Mike Otto's Ten & Six. If you're unfamiliar, Mike is a lifelong Vikings fan and he's agreed to give us his take each week on the Vikings upcoming games. Be sure to scroll down the blog a little further for his breakdowns of the Vikings offense & defense, and, most importantly, his predictions for the squad this season (hint: He's optimistic).
Fortunately for all of us, Mike is also an avid fan of the rest of the league. Sure, he could just break down the upcoming Vikings games, but why neglect the rest of the league when there are so many jokes to be made? Be sure to read on after his Vikings preview for his picks for the rest of the week.
So, without further ado, let's all stop pretending to care about baseball and jump into this baby.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The season is here! Yours truly couldn't be more excited about what's in store for the purple this year. The bottom line in this game: If you are gonna be a decent team this season, you CANNOT lose to the Jaguars at home to open the season.
Maurice Jones Drew will play and probably get more carries than Adrian Peterson. The Vikings will need to hit him HARD and hit him EARLY, remind him he missed all of camp and preseason.
Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:
Key #1: Secure the ball on offense, create turnovers on defense.
Neither Adrian Peterson or MJD has been hit in a loooong time. It will be interesting to see if either of them have ball security issues. If the Vikings can create a few turnovers and limit their own to zero, they will win the game. High & tight, AP!
Key #2: Tackle, Tackle, TACKLE!
Missed tackles killed The Purple last year, and I want to see drastic improvement in this first game. The first guy to make contact needs to wrap-up strong and wait for his reinforcements to finish the play.
Key #3: Keep CP7 upright
Christian Ponder had little to no time last year. If our line could give him an average of 4-5 seconds in the pocket it would go a very long way towards a Vikings victory. Young quarterbacks can get flustered quickly, so it's very important to make most of CP7's drop-backs a pleasant experience.
Matchups To Watch:
Matchup #1: Justin Blackmon vs. Vikings Secondary
If Blackmon runs wild against our 2nd level it will be a bad omen for the rest of the season. If this secondary has improved, the rookie shouldn't be a giant factor in the outcome. If he goes for more than a hundred or find the end zone more than once The Purple will be flirting with a loss.
Matchup #2: Rookie Right End Andre Branch vs. Rookie Left Tackle Matt Kalil
Andre Branch is a tall, lanky, speed rusher coming off the end. at 6'5" and 265 lbs., he could give Mat tKalil a little trouble. Kalil was the 3rd pick in the draft and if he wants to validate that right out of the gate he needs to dominate. As mentioned before, keeping CP7 upright is of the utmost importance. That starts with protecting his blindside.
Mike's All Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week:
Tight End Kyle Rudolph
He's going to show you want kind of year it will be right away. 6 catches, 70 yards, and a touchdown from Christian Ponder. Wooday woop!
Final Takes:
I think the Vikes come out fast in this one with 2 first half touchdowns (1 pass, 1 run) only to come out flat in the second half and fail to get in the end zone again. Lucky for us, the Jaguars are awful and our defense is just good enough. In the fourth quarter, with the Jaguars driving to tie the game, our defense slams the door, creating a much needed turnover, essentially ending the game.
FINAL SCORE:
Minnesota Vikings: 20
Jacksonville Jaguars 13
... in a game that shouldn't be that close.
MIKE'S WEEK 1 PICKS:
(Editor's Note: Michael did not make a pick prior to Wednesday night's Cowboys-Giants match for three reasons.
1. He hates Tony Romo.
2. He hates Eli Manning.
3. He hates deadlines.)
On to the picks)
New England at Tennessee
CJ 1.2K says he feels, "as strong as ever" and he's back to his old self. That's all well & good, but, unfortunately for the Titans, there are 52 other players not named "Chris Johnson" on their team. One of them is Jake Locker, who will be overwhelmed and under-protected. Pats roll 35-14
Philadelphia at Cleveland
Michael Vick's flack jacket producer promises he won't get hurt this year. I wonder if that thing protects him from drownings, electrocution, rape stands, etc... I'm guessing not. But, since the rest of the league is more humane than Mr. Vick, he won't have to worry about any of that come Sunday. Vick makes it through this game and the Eagles win 24-9 if only because late night weed-whacker infomercial host Brandon Weeden (known formerly as "Weedin' Weeden) is the Cleveland quarterback.
Fuck you Michael Vick.
Washington at New Orleans
Continuing the trend, RG III starts this game for the Skins. Although I think he will have a solid debut, recording more TD's than Mike Shanahan blinks, the Skins will lose. You just can't bet against Drew Brees at home. Saints win 31-21.
Miami at Houston
What's this? More rookie QB's? Ryan Tannehill is the latest, greatest Miami QB to give his best Dan Marino impression. I put his talent level somewhere between Cleo Lemon & Jay Fiedler (poor bastard). Houston destroys Miami 42-17.
Atlanta at Kansas City
This game got me thinking... who plays for Kansas City? Billy Buter? No, wait, that's baseball... hmmm... oh well. Needless to say, there will be guys in red jerseys playing football at Arrowhead Stadium come Sunday.
For the Falcons, the Matt Ryan-to-Julio Jones combo will have its coming out party while "The Falconer" himself, Michael Turner, and Jaquizz Rodgers (my personal sleeper pick of the year) will provide the 1-2 punch on the ground. The Atlanta Michael Turners roll 28-13.
Buffalo at New York Jets
This game is gonna be ugly, mostly due to the lack of offensive talent. I can't wait for the first time Tebow checks into the game and lofts a perfectly thrown ball directly in to an oblivious Rex Ryan's balls. Quit lookin' at your feet, Rex! Pay attention! Your boys are trying to score the 17 points necessary to win this one! Jets win 17-14
St. Louis at Detroit
The roar has been restored! The Lions are now the best thing in Detroit (yes, it's gotten that bad). In all honestly, I think the Lions keep the pressure on Green Bay this year. They'll demolish the Rams this week 35-14.
Indianapolis at Chicago
Andrew Luck will try his luck against Mike Tice and the new-look Bears offense. I wanted tickets to this game but the only guy selling them on StubHub was a "TikeMice" and they were twice the face price. Bears are upset this week! Colts win 24-20.
Carolina at Tampa Bay
In terms of QB comparison, Cam Newton is a bright, shining star in the night sky while Josh Freeman is the burning remains of a Ford Pinto on the side of the Tampa highway. Panthers win 21-6.
Seattle at Arizona
Between John "Skull & Bones" Skelton and Kevin "Can't Justify A Contract" Kolb the Cards are doomed. Way to ruin Larry Fitzgerald's prime, assholes. Russell Wilson scores 2 TD's and Seattle wins a clunker 20-13.
San Francisco at Green Bay
The Packers say they expect the old Randy Moss. They better hope they are wrong. Moss is listed as a starter but will likely see only 20-25 plays. Randy will find the Green Bay end zone, though, as he has done 14 times in the past, but the 49ers will fall in a close game 24-20.
Pittsburgh at Denver
Peyton Manning's comeback is complete with this game. Unfortunately, Manning will be overshadowed when, during the 3rd quarter, Ben Roethlisberger engages in some questionable sexual contact with a 6 out of 10 in the 1st row. Broncos win 24-20.
Cincinnati at Baltimore
Ray Lewis will dance as he enters the field on Monday night and also realize his new favorite quarterback snack - Andy "Crystalized Ginger" Dalton. Aaaannnd... Down goes the Red Menace! Ravens win 20-10.
San Diego at Oakland
How does Norv Turner still have a job? Is Phillip Rivers the most masculine woman ever born? Carson Palmer is the best QB in the league at throwing 1 TD and 2 INT's, but I think that will be enough in this one. Raiders win 27-20
Enjoy The Games!
Thank you, Mr. Otto. For more of Mike's thoughts you can find him on Twitter as @SwervinTaters, where he'll likely be ranting like a lunatic most Sundays.
Of course, this blog is still on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) and on Facebook here. Be sure to stop by and give us a "like" when Mike's predictions come to fruition.
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