Happy Victory Monday, everyone, and welcome to Skoloholics, your home for Minnesota Vikings Discussion! Every day you can join us for the latest Minnesota Vikings news, lots of Minnesota Vikings talk, also NFL news and updates, and most anything else you may have on your mind. At Skoloholics, the real action is in the comments, so if you haven’t checked out the comments section yet, sign up and join the conversation.
Vikings Discussion & Random Thoughts
Well, the Surly Curse has been lifted. I had seen winning football at all the other stadiums the team has played in, and US bank was the lone holdout since I rage-quit after the 2018 season ending stinker. While I purchased these tickets hoping to see JJ vs Burrow, it was a very good game, and the defense showed up. Lots of fun when the team wins. I am glad we ate out at Hells Kitchen prior to the game, since it was $25 for a domestic beer and popcorn in the stadium. I need to go back to school or something to earn more money so I can afford football games. Corgi races were fun at halftime. All in all, a very good day for me.
Wentz played pretty well, but I feel he holds on to the ball way too long. This seems to be a common theme with KOC offenses, so maybe it is not just the QB, but all the slowly developing plays. I dunno, someone smart figure that out for me. Running game looked good. Darrisaw is a “Must stay Healthy” or else. We can all see the difference. I am hopeful that everyone is healthy when JJ returns, since the schedule is rough.
I apologize about the late thread. Production data issues at work, and that always takes precedence. Been at it since 4:00 am.
NFL News
FTP!
Really, that was glorious when they showed the final of that game on the jumbotron. Had a FTP fan sitting in front of me all game, and he was talking trash about how much better his team is. He was pretty ruthlessly mocked at that point. I did not even have to say anything, the surrounding crowd let him know how we feel about that team. hehe.
Thread Guidelines
- Keep politics to a minimum. We are adults, news happens, and we can talk about it. What we don’t want is to go down rabbit holes and turn a productive conversation into name calling and personal attacks.
- Be respectful and civil. You don’t need to agree with everyone, you also don’t need to make it personal. Attack the argument, not the poster.
- Keep the NSFW language/pictures to a minimum. We don’t want anyone getting in trouble at work for hanging out here.
- To summarize, behave like adults. Treat each other with respect, and things will be fine. Mods will take out content they feel is pushing the boundary. If you want to reach out about something, please do. We want to have robust discussions, that’s why we’re here, just be civil.
- Twitter sized version: Be cool to one another.
Surly just beat me for the top spot, that TD by Montgomery just beat him.
Surly and I are fewer than 4 points apart, battling for the #1 spot in the league this week. He has Montgomery playing, and I have Gibbs playing.
Lions have 6 sacks tonight. Yikes.
C’mon Ravens, beat these dirty pricks
I can’t believe I found this. Remember Eddy Lacey? This is that blog post with the “intercepted texts” between Lacey & then HC Mike McCarthy, this is one of the funnier things I’ve seen.
INTERCEPTED TEXT: Mike McCarthy Talks Weight Control With Eddie Lacy – PRO FOOTBALL MOCK
He wasn’t the ‘China Food Guy’ was he?
That was a different ‘Rotund Running Back’.
That was him.
Ravens OL has given up 4 sacks.
Ravens DL has given up 160+ yards rushing.
But they are still in it down 28-24 early in the 4th.
Okay the touchdown by Gibbs gives me the league-high in our FF league (over my wife, she was slightly ahead of me, hee hee). Now the Lions need to stop scoring so they lose, Go Ravens!
Tied up at the half… 14-14
I wonder if anyone is still doing a comment count tally?
If so, I should pull a Kodiak and go respond to everyone that is not around.
Even when we were it didn’t effect me much.
I didn’t even make the top 50 back then.
I can look that up pretty easily, I think
I better get commenting.
You’re in the top 18
Current as of just now.
7-12
13-18
Doubt that is accurate.
Me 5th overall? Seems implausible.
You’re only 90 comments away from 3rd overall.
That doesn’t include my 100,000+ from the Daily Norseman.
That drive by the Ravens was Vikingesque
Lions making all the plays so far really…
14-14 at the half.
‘Making all the plays’ has not done all that much for them.
The Ravens hung in there for sure. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an 11 minute drive before though.
January 2023, wild card round of the playoffs, Giants had one against us in the 4th quarter. I was there, it sucked.
Donatell defense. I don’t miss that shit.
Go Ravens!!
Guess this is the game thread. Obviously pulling for the Ravens.
I don’t recall ever having a ‘game thread’ for another team.
Not usually.
Tough sledding for the Ravens tonight. 7 starters out for the game against the Lions.
Kiddo has no school today
Took a cruise on the back roads
Beautiful day.
Perfect
Catch anything?
Notta. Had a great day, though. Took kiddo on a drive out into the deep boonies, back to a spot where I used to hang out, absolutely beautiful. We had a really nice day.
So how about Adam Theilen? Doesn’t seem like making much of an impact, like some of us said… Addison is back now, so probably even less of an impact moving forward. Maybe he’ll help at some point.
Yeah, sometimes I wonder about KOC. Thielen really is a strong receiver, and I can think of many route combinations with Jefferson and Hock, where he would easily get open.
I think McCarthy’s lack of experience hurt in the first two games, and then Wentz’s lack of reps in the offense worked against him in this game.
Thielen did have a ball go through his hands, with a “teammate bearing down on him”.
well he’s dropped like 3 passes….
Yup
KOC made a point to give Thielen a shout out for his excellent blocking in the run game this week – so he is contributing….I do not think Addison is nearly as capable or as willing to block as Thielen.
Speaking of that…..Jefferson is just a special breed – ultra talented wideout who definitely is a willing and able run blocker – we are fortunate.
Hope so
I haven’t done this in a long time, but going to a Packers site and watching them melt down over their loss is enjoyable. Some calling for LaFleur’s head haha. And others admitting that J. Love “isn’t elite”. Fun stuff.
Well, they are the owners, so they have the right…….
I had a couple Packer fans REALLY try and downplay it and I told them, at least it was against a team that has looked very dominant so far this year, not like it happened against a team who was winless and hasn’t looked good… No response, just a laugh react haha
Love it!
Entitled Town tears are delicious.
Of course, 1 good game with good OL play. Just enough so that we can realize what you are missing.
Damn it!
FUCK! O-LINE! Bring on Brandel. Fuck.
Well, if any team is used to porous IOL play, it’s the Vikings.
WHAT? Well Brandel was very good when Darrisaw was there so I mean… I guess there is that.
He’s fine
—Zim
Not really looking forward to weathering Cleveland’s pass rush in London.
Big concern, O-line just comes up with one malady after another.
The one bright spot is remember Brandel looked very good last year Until Darrisaw went down. So that is the good news in all of this.
How does ATL beat the Vikes like a drum last week and then go to the Panthers and get skunked? WOW-I am glad that I don’t gamble on sports because it makes 0 sense to me!
Vikings had 7 starters miss the ATL game and lost a second stringer on the O Line as well. Injuries matter, and for sure we missed Van Ginkel and Smith on defense, and Darrisaw being back on the O Line had an instant impact as well.
ATL could not score a TD until the game was out of reach and the backup defense of the Vikings was exhausted.
It matters when you play a team, too.
‘On Any Given Sunday’??
McCarthy vs Wentz, the pride of
MinnesotaNorth Dakota, um, er, one of those fly over states.Haha yeah, they even put in Kirk at the end.
well glad KOC finally realized he should call a better offensive game, quicker pass plays etc…
too bad he didn’t do that for JJ and let JJ have just complete crap games
All part of JJ’s learning process…
Almost as many running yards as passing yards…JJ would have done as well (or better).
Me dumb but I think the Darrisaw effect freeing up Hock had a lot to do with it.
PS that flea flicker or whatever you want to call it abomination just looks rickety af when the Vikings do it.
PPS when’s the last time we had multiple FG and XP attempts and not a single miss. 62 yards GTFO Reichard sez give me 70.
having darrisaw back definitely helped…
but KOC had a game plan of quicker releases for Wentz, quicker than anything he drew up for JJ
What I saw was Wentz was quicker to break huddle. JJ’s facial expressions “appeared” to convey that he had just been asked to memorize the first 100 digits of pi as he approached the LOS with 7 seconds on the game clock.
Didn’t help that the refs decided they needed to stand in JJ’s way until there was only 1 second on the play clock either.
I don’t really blame JJ, he should have been given every snap in preseason. We’ll know the truth about what we have in him by week 10…or at least I will.
I still trust the coach, and think JJ is the QBOTF for this team.
However, he does need to stay healthy for that to happen. So far, he has played two complete games, not very well except for 1 quarter, and got injured.
I expect growing pains, and all the rookie class of 2024 QB’s are having their own set of issues.
JJ will be fine.
So far, I haven’t seen anything from McCarthy to make me think he has the ability to be a great NFL QB. In fact, he hasn’t shown me anything to make me believe he can be a very good NFL QB.
You’re just a hater and sour.
I don’t hate McCarthy… at all. I said I don’t see anything that makes me believe he’ll ever be a great NFL QB. That’s just a realistic take.
You’re the hater. You hate Cousins so much it’s coming out of your ears, and it’s completely irrational.
Not at all. You’re just wrong on JJ.
JJ’s a winner. He’ll be fine.
I said, I have seen nothing to make me believe he’ll ever be a great NFL QB, and I mean nothing. So far. We’ll see if he ever lives up to your over the top predictions, but I’m not feeling it.
I didn’t watch this oofda, looked like a long video. Sorry.
Wasn’t this the great QB expert you posted a video of this weekend and then Kurt Warner over posted and explained what’s “really” happening. Sort of theory versus reality.
I don’t know… I didn’t watch the video. Warner did have several “experts” disagree with his take on the stop route combination read, and throw by Tua though. I personally agreed with Warner. One guy was talking about “back side reads” when Tua was actually under pressure immediately, and had no chance to go elsewhere with the ball. This is the difference between guys who “study” the game and consider themselves experts, vs guys who have taken snaps on the field, in a real game.
Believe it was the other QB play but can’t quite remember. Do recall Warner ripping this guy. for not knowing real world what he’s talking about.
I even saw a slant, it was crazy
Maybe he reads our comments! Which is why they did so well this week!
I think he’s SoCalMinnFan
How did he not think he should do that when Darrisaw was out? Like, oh our awesome LT is back now we should call quick game routes… like what?
I’ve been trying to stay out of politics on here because all it does it get the natives all rustled up, but I saw this in a book from 1969 called The Truth About Boulwarism and thought it was interesting. 50+ years later, people are still discussing this rationally.
Man, is that spot on! I love it when people say we need to tax the corporations – as if that isn’t taxing people.
I remember reading “Biblical Economics in Comics” in the 70s.
Pretty spot on.
Federal Reserve act pretty much was the beginning of the end for this country.
Now, leave me alone while I watch football.
Darrisaw is THE MAN! The domino affect of just having that upgraded talent at LT, not having Hock staying in and the issues with communication with both having a backup in there and extra person in for calls plus allowing Hock getting to actually go out into routes and that’s just the passing game. Also obviously helping the running game. I would like to see what JJ does behind center with a full powered OL and letting Mason be RB1.
You will get your wish October 19.
Na, the Ginger Jesus won’t be giving up his starting gig.
Bros, as Vikings fans we all know they are going to start McCarthy against the Eagles, and he will suck, and we will have schism on skoloholics. It is the Vikings fan way.
If the team is playing well and winning with Wentz and he gives them the best chance to win vs the Poopeaters I have to problem with sitting JJ (QB).
Lots can and will happen between now and then. As a very wise man once said ‘Never make a decision until you have to’. Bud Grant
Wise indeed, Wentz was adequate, have to see how these next two games go….
Didn’t see the game but did the first two. And based on that would say “adequate” was a step up.
Nice, you often are the voice of reason. BTW, is it smoky down in your parts? CdA was bad with smoke while we were there.
We have gotten some smoke but not a lot.
I hardly notice it but The Teacher with her mild asthma is more aware of it.
We used to talk about that in business. It’s amazing how many times if you follow this concept, the “decision” sort of takes care of itself by the time you get there.
You can make a decision to make a plan for when you ‘need to make a decision’.
OODA cycle is much quicker if you have a plan in place and are ready for whatever comes.
Wentz wasn’t the reason for the team playing well.
He was at least part of the reason since he didn’t screw it up.
Technically correct is correct. 👍
Rodgers could have won that game without a single offensive point
Yup, Rodgers had a game that you would not believe even if you read it in a novel.
I expect Brosmer to be playing at some point the next two weeks.
Wentz will get a hangnail or something.
Vikings doing Vikings things.
He should consult with Caleb Williams, I bet he knows a lot about fingernail care
Wentz has been a bit injury prone going back to his college days – so this would not surprise me.
I can see an argument for either thing happening. I’ll trust what KOC decides TBH… If it’s chaos then he might start losing that trust lol.
I felt the defense had played well the first two games, but we just weren’t getting major turnovers. It all came together yesterday. But since we are the Vikings, the national media just puts the awesome record by Rodgers as just a small aside. If he was a player on Dallas or KC or one of the darling teams, the national media probably would have set aside a special half hour to drool over it. I’m not cynical at all.
Well, TBH, there were a lot of game deciding FG blocks yesterday which is also unusual. So if I had to decide on what to feature during a 30 second snippet I would go with the FG blocks.
71 is a lot like #18…he is so good he makes it look easy.
71 is so good when healthy. He needs to be there for this team to succeed. But yes, it was very fun to watch. I wonder if JJ looks better last week if we had the full starting offensive line playing?
Only because the QB was getting the ball out quickly and he got help from 64. (Sarcasm)
game was worthy of Waldo.
SKOL
Wow, I’m dumb. Started creating the Monday thread, then forgot to schedule it to post. Oh well, I have tomorrow’s ready now.
Hell of a game. Wentz looked good. A little hesitant a time or two, but not shocking considering he’s only been on the team for 2 weeks. O-line was much better.
No INT’s, no fumbles, made a hell of a snag on that high snap to his right that I could not do but one time in a hundred even knowing it was coming. I’ll take that. Also, went down gracefully when wrapped up and did not encourage contact (ie slid) when running. I’ll take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I am officially down on whatshisname, the other QB. Built like an antelope yet runs directly into contact (in other words, he does not have the frame to withstand withering DB hits). He needed way more snaps in preseason.
I was just telling a friend group (all Vikings fans, except one Broncos fan) last week that Rodgers is our best and our only generally sound CB that I trust. They laughed and said Byron Murphy is clearly the best and Rodgers is average at best. Who is having the last laugh now? lol
Rodgers was certainly on point yesterday.
Understatement or the month.
I thought understatement of the month was “the Beatles suck”? Or maybe that was understatement of the year.
Sure was.
Only ever 99.9 PFF rating. Not a PFF fanboy, I think it can overall be a useful tool (especially when it agrees with my opinions 😉 ), but that’s a crazy awesome thing for Rodgers.
Can’t believe the GMFB crew didn’t pick him for a game ball in their segment this morning. Never mentioned him once.
Wow, really? That game he had is hard to ignore!
Wentz looked as I expected. Good enough–not terrible but not great.
Imagine that, the passing game was better when they went to quicker routes and quicker reads. Also helped having CD back and playing the Bengals defense.
I think JJM will be better for this team as he gets more reps.
Wentz did not suck, nice to see, also I enjoyed Mason’s running, it’s been a while since they had a back like that, and well, Rodgers play speaks for itself
Apparently, the “shareholder” took the wrong flight.
Pukers were in Cleveland. Idiot.
There’s one at every game. Saw a dumbass wearing a f***ing cheesehead at a Vikings-Bears game.
This guy was wearing a Jordan Love jersey.
Not quite as bad as a cheesehead.
He was with a Bengals fan, so they were pretty loud pregame. Once the game was out of hand, only the FTP fan was boasting about how much better his team is. Man, that was some nice instant Karma.
Did the Browns game final score pop up whilst he was there? If not, that’s a tragedy.
It was shown on the big screen. That is when he was pretty ruthlessly mocked by people he had been trash talking with.
Oh, awesome. I guess I should’ve read the mythical words up top first.
For real? HAHA!
Nice no-stress game for once. I fell sound asleep at the half, and it was a great nap.
Then the Packers give up 13 points in like three minutes to lose is icing on the cake.
The refs even tried to help them with several calls, including with the fumble at the end of the game.
Thanks Surly.
FTP!
$25 for beer and popcorn. Oh my.
I had Huevos Rancheros with Bison Sausage and a good craft beer for $30(not including tip) at Hells Kitchen.
Yeah, $25 for popcorn and 16 oz domestic beer. I felt violated.
Food is really very good at Hells Kitchen. I want to go back.
I assume that is a Gordon Ramsey establishment, so dinner for $30 is darn cheap for a TV network star restaurant.
It is not. This place was there prior to Gordon Ramsey getting on TV.
Very good local place. Employees own it.
When we go to the games (about twice a year) we always always always go to Hells Kitchen pregame. Have to have a reservation though.
My other go-to place is Dayblock Brewing.
They have a pizza buffet that is really good. I just do not need that much food, and at a buffet I try and get my money’s worth.
Like Homer at the “All you can eat Seafood buffet”
When I was younger, I loved buffets. I definitely got my money’s worth. Now, not so much.