Well hello again, football fans! Welcome to Ten & Six: Week 10!
As you've hopefully notice, Mike usually uses this Thursday post to crack some jokes and make his pick for the Thursday night game. However, this week's Thursday night game features our beloved Vikings inflicting their unique style of "football" on both the Washington Redskins and a national television audience.
As such, Mike's giving us his usual column, breaking down what happened last week and telling us what to watch for tonight against the Redskins. Of course Mike will be back on Saturday to give us his picks for the rest of the league.
Mikey, RG III is in town tonight. What do you think?
Welcome back, Vikings fans! Another week, another heart wrenching loss for our beloved purple. That was the 3rd game this year the Vikings gave up a late lead in the final minute, allowing a touchdown to Tony Romo and the Cowboys and once again snatching a loss from the jaws of victory.
What can you do right? I myself was fully prepared for that outcome. In fact, when Adrian Peterson single-handedly orchestrated the Vikings last drive to the end zone, capping it with a beast-like 11 yard power punch-in touchdown, and I saw 3 minutes left on the clock, I knew the chances the defense could hold were slim.
Can't completely blame the players for the all-to-frequent late game collapses this year. As terrible as the defense has been at times, I put the losses to the Bears, Browns and now the Cowboys on the coaches inexplicably abandoning the game plan that got them in a position to win in the first place. Prevent, cloud, whatever Alan Williams wants to call his late game defensive scheme, it fucking sucks. Rushing three that entire final drive makes absolutely no sense, especially when the Vikings had been getting successful pressure on Romo all game with 4 man fronts and the occasional linebacker blitz. The Cowboys had been trying to stretch the field the entire game and The Purple was finding success getting pressure on them, so why change anything on that last drive?
These coaches are toast! Jon Gruden, meet dump truck of Zygmunt Wilf's money.
Quick turnaround for the Vikings this week as they face RGIII and the Washington Daniel Snyders on Thursday Night Football! Almost half of the Vikings starters from the beginning of the year are injured and the QB situation is still a disaster, but hey, what else is new? Lets look at a couple positive(s) and negatives from that demoralizing Dallas loss.
As always, the positives first.
Positives:
-Adrian Peterson! As I previously mentioned, AP put the team on his back in the Vikings last successful drive, and he looked like the MVP of last year once again. Adrian hadn't been himself the last 3 games. Some of that was dictated by a lack of carries, but I really think he wasn't quite mentally ensconced in the warm embrace that is football, and who could blame him? I was noticeably distracted when the Monarch butterfly I raised from caterpillar through chrysalis died, I can only imagine what losing a child would be like. That being said, we all saw a fully-focused AP last Sunday.
Brian Robison I was starting to get concerned, ever since Robison signed his new contract he hadn't made much of an impact on defense at all. He made mincemeat of the Cowboys offensive lineman in Dallas, and it was a sight for sore eyes.
Al Jefferson?!? He intercepted a pass? And it wasn't sandwiched between being burned on long touchdowns? It's all downhill from here...
Negatives:
-The Coaches I tend to agree with the players who spoke out after the game questioning the play calling, particularly on the final drive. The coaching staff went away from what had been working for 4 quarters and got soft. They protected deep, yet allowed underneath routes to turn into catch-and-runs that hurt just as much as a 25 yard completion where the receiver is tackled immediately. Garbage, and a disservice to a defense that played their hearts out most of the game.
-That Last Second Christian Ponder "Hail Mary" Oh boy. He had all the time in the world, the ability to step into the pocket and uncork his longest throw. Ponder released it at about his own 45 yard line, he had Jarius Wright open in the paint and might actually have a game-winner if he can throw it to the back of the end zone. Naturally, the pass bounced at the Cowboys 5 yard line after travelling roughly 50 yards in the air, and the most fitting end to a game ever was officially sealed.
On to the main event!
WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-5) at MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-7)
Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:
Key #1: Ground & Pound, Baby!
Last week the Vikings got back to what made them 10-6 last year. Ball control offense helped by a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson. Mix in a couple 3rd down conversions by Christian Ponder and you put yourself in a position to win in the 4th quarter. The Vikings are never going to win an air-it-out shootout, not with any of these quarterbacks anyway.
Key #2: Make RGIII A Pocket Passer
Something the Vikings failed to do last year and it cost them the game. The only reason I think they have a chance this year is because Griffin has appeared much less mobile through the first half of the season. However, in the last two weeks, he has added a little bit of the swerve that made him Rookie Of The Year. The Vikings need to keep a spy on RGIII all game and the defensive ends can't shoot upfield every down looking for a sack, or The Purple will get consistently burned.
Key #3: Lock Down Pierre Garcon!
He is quietly having a Pro Bowl year and he is far more talented than any individual the Vikings have in the secondary, so I expect the Vikings to double him for the majority of the game. The depleted Vikings secondary might be in a lot of trouble in this one no matter what, but winning the war starts with winning the battle against this Frenchman wideout.
Two Matchups To Watch:
Matchup #1: Brian Orakpo vs. J'Marcus Webb
With LOADHOLT!?! on the shelf with an injury, the Vikings look to right tackle and revolving door J'Marcus Webb. I'm warning you all now, this is not going to be pretty. Webb has been previously terrible with the Bears and in his first drive last week for the Vikings he gave up a strip sack in the end zone that the Cowboys fell on for a touchdown. I'm not going to hammer on Ponder for staying in the pocket/ holding the ball too long because I always hammer on him for giving up on the pocket too quickly. It is ironic however, that the first time in his fucking career he decides to stay in the pocket is when he's standing in his own fucking end zone. Whatever, lets hope they keep a tight end tied to Webb's right hip.
Matchup #2: Christian Ponder vs. DeAngelo Hall
Mike's All-Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week
Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, YOUR Minnesota Vikings
Shariff had his best game as a Pro last week against the Cowboys and I think he keeps it going this week against a somewhat suspect offensive line. 4 tackles/1 sack/1 fumble recovered.
Final Takes
It seems like everyone is hurt right now for the banged-up Vikings. Seriously, they are one Chad Greenway injury away from having ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on the 2nd and 3rd levels of defense.
The Redskins just won a bruising game that went into overtime and both teams are sure to be sore with the quick turnaround that playing a Thursday night game brings.
I think this one is going to be ugly as game plans get much less attention on such a short week. My fear is Leslie and Co. will just go with last year's game plan they used against the Daniel Snyders. In case you forgot, it failed miserably. That game was also played on the shit grass of Fedex Field, as this one is in the Dome sweet Dome! It gives our guys a fighting chance I think.
This is going to be a very tightly contested battle that is close going into the 4th quarter. Unfortunately, I don't trust this coaching staff at the end of close games. I miss Fred Pugic. Never thought I'd say that. Alan Williams, your days are numbered, and you might be taking everyone else on that coaching staff down with you. Another tough loss for the Vikings.
Final Score
Washington Daniel Snyders: 29
Minnesota Vikings: 27
Ouch. Just remember, each last second loss hurts less the the one before it. ENJOY THE SEASON.
There you have it, Vikings fans! Just try to enjoy the season.
As we mentioned above, Mike will be back on Saturday to give us his picks for the rest of the league and, let's be honest, probably to vent some anger about tonight's game.
For more Mike Otto be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@SwervinTaters). The line between sad & entertaining runs awfully thin on a Thursday night. He can also be found right here on Newest Industry contributing to our Trendsetting column.
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