Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Week 8 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings

Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day...

Hello again, football fans! Welcome to Week 8 of Ten & Six With Mike Otto. As you can probably guess, the Ten & Six routine has been turned on its side thanks to the Vikings and Buccaneers playing on Thursday rather than Sunday.

To make up for this wonky schedule we're posting Mike's thoughts on Sunday's victory over the Cardinals as well as his Vikings/Bucs game preview today. As per usual Mike will be back on Saturday to make his picks for the rest of the league.

Who is Mike Otto, you ask? Well, first of all, you should know the answer to that question already. He's been dropping knowledge bombs all season. Regardless, Mike is our resident football expert. He's also a devoted Minnesota Vikings fan.

So, be sure to check back on Saturday for Mike's take on the rest of the league. Take it away, Michael.

Last Sunday the Vikings played a game about as ugly as you can and still won. Regardless, wins is wins and 5-2 feels pretty damn sweet.

Outside of a bounce-back week by the offensive line and a standout performance by Adrian Peterson there was nothing to be proud of offensively.

Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman put up 420 yards and 3 touchdowns in their tough loss to the Saints while Christian Ponder put up 58 yards (only 4 in the second half), 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions against the Cardinals. Obviously there is a slight difference in the quality of the Saints and Cardinals defense, but those paltry passing numbers are still alarming.

Ponder seems to be pressing in the pocket more than he was at the beginning of the year. He needs to relax, go through his reads, and make smart decisions with a clear head. I wouldn't mind seeing a little more four-wide sets with some quick slant options for the kid. All it will take to build some confidence is 3 or 4 consecutive completions to get CP7 in the flow of the game. Nothing major, just 7 or 8 yard gainers.

Christian has a luxury that most young quarterbacks don't have: he played an awful game, hopefully learned a few lessons, and his team still won. Most young QB's have to learn their lessons the hard way, with their shitty performances leading to defeat. The rest of the Vikings definitely picked up the slack for CP7 last Sunday.

Let's take a look at some positives and negatives. As always, I'll start with the positives:

-Adrian Peterson!: He abused the Cardinals impressive defense all day. To put his performance in perspective, before Sunday the Cardinals had not surrendered a single run for more than 15 yards. AP put an end to that, tallying runs of 27, 22, and 17 yards. The scary thing is, Adrian admitted after the game that he still doesn't have his pre-injury burst back yet. Whatever he does have it was good enough for 23 carries and 153 yards against what was, before Sunday, the best run defense in the league.

-Harrison Smith: How about this rookie? I was a week early calling his first NFL interception, but it's probably best since his touchdown turned out to be the deciding factor in the game. I can't say enough about what he has done for this Vikings pass defense. Harrison is tall and lean with a long, graceful stride. Any time the adjectives used to describe an NFL team's starting safety make him sound like a thoroughbred in the Kentucky Derby it's a good thing. Harrison reminded me of a young Darren Sharper on that pick-six. The only difference between Harrison and Darren is that Harrison can actually tackle! Keep it up, rook!

-Michael Floyd: Made it through a weekend in Minneapolis without getting a DWI in Dinkytown. Bravo!

-Pass Rush: Seven sacks total, kept The Skeleton off-balance most of the game, and got significant pressure to set up Harrison Smith's pick-six. Just how you draw it up. Gotta love that.

And now, unfortunately, the negatives:

-Christian Ponder: 8-17, 58 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions for a 35.7 QB rating. If I gave you that one stat line you would say the Vikings must have lost the game. Ponder has looked uncomfortable in the pocket the last two games and particularly so against the Cardinals. He needs to improve and he needs to do it fast. Another game like his last and he won't have the same result.

-Run Defense: For the seoncd week in a row the run defense gave up a hundred-yard rusher. Giving up 100 to Bob III... OK, that happens. Giving up 100 to something called LaRod Stephens-Howling-Moon-River? That's unacceptable! He's a third-stringer on a Cardinals team whose best running back in the last decade was a 56 year old Emmitt Smith! Troubling. Fix it!

-John Carlson: 3 catches, 8 yards, and 7 games into his $25 million contract, John Carlson has suffered his fist concussion as a Viking. He has also taken the title of “Softest Skull In Minnesota” from Justin Morneau. Hell, he's even taking a run at the “Most Overpaid Asshole” title currently held by Joe Mauer. See you in 3-7 weeks, Johnny Boy.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-4) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-2)

Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:

Key #1: The offense must win time of possession.

The Vikings defense was on the field a lot last Sunday, including what seemed like the entire second half. With only 100 hours between the end of Sunday's game and kickoff on Thursday some of The Purple's defenders may not have a full tank. If CP7 could lead three or four 7 minute drives that end in points (preferably touchdowns), we'll all be looking at a Vikings victory. Controlling the pace against the Bucs = 6-2.

Key #2: Ponder needs to play hot potato.

He has been hanging on to the ball way too long the last couple games. I've seen more five-step drops lately than there were early in the season. Some of that may be play calling, but I think it's mostly Christian trying to find something that isn't there when he should just throw the ball away. I want to see three steps and throw! Hit a few quick openers and you can set up a double move later in the game. Just sayin...

Key #3: Get back to having fun out there.

I know it's an age-old football cliché, but I think it's true in this case. The entire offense looks like it's scratching and clawing for every single yard like it's their last. Now, you want a great effort from everybody all the time, but in the 49ers game earlier this year, The Vikings offense was making it look easy. They need to get a little of that vibe back, as their last two or three games have looked like a struggle.

Two Matchups To Watch:

Matchup #1: Doug Martin & LaGarette Blount vs Vikings Run Defense.

The run defense has left a lot to be desired the last two weeks, specifically the linebackers. After a strong start, Greenway and Co. have been missing tackles and struggling to get off their blocks. Doug Martin is an impressive rookie running back and LaGarette Blount gave the Vikings trouble last year in The Dome. They form a pretty solid two-headed rushing attack. If the Vikings can't shut these two down it could be a long day.

Matchup #2: Josh Freeman vs. Me

So far this year, the flaming pile of car wreckage that is Josh Freeman has done the exact opposite of anything I've predicted. I trash him, he has a spectacular game. Then, I apologize, and he craps the bed! So, with that being said, I am predicting “The Tampa Culpepper” himself will have a record-breaking week! 650 yards, 7 touchdowns, and he'll save a litter of puppies from a burning building during halftime. Only one piece of advice for “The Tampa Culpepper:” Watch out for Chris Gamble coming in low.

Mike's All Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week:

Christian Ponder, QB, Your Minnesota Vikings

Ponder has to play better for the Vikings to win this game. I think he answers the bell! 19-26 for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

FINAL TAKES

The passing attack has to get turned around in this game. I think CP7 is more mature than he was last year when bad games snowballed and negatively affected the vibe of his team week-to-week. Ponder would really prove his growth to me if he can shake off that wretched performance that, at kickoff, will surely be fresh in his mind.

The defense is not going to have enough energy to be on the field for 40 minutes again Thursday, so long offensive drives by your Purple are a must.

I want to see some four-wide sets early in the game to keep the Bucs off-balance. They will be expecting heavy doses of AP, so try to catch them off guard.

Ponder has to make sure he's getting rid of the ball quickly. Move those chains and take a couple chances! Show teams you can beat them through the air AND on the ground. Big Game! Let's see it!

FINAL SCORE:

Minnesota Vikings: 24

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 20

Win! SKOLLLL!

There you have it, Vikings fans! The Vikings will be sitting at 6-2 Friday morning and putting pressure on the rest of the NFC North to keep pace. Skol, indeed.

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