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Vikings Discussion & Random Thoughts
It’s the peak of the week, and it’s Thanksgiving eve. Happy early Thanksgiving to all of you!
Lots of scuttlebutt about J.J. McCarthy out there. It’s an interesting situation to watch, I’d love to know what KOC is thinking. I’m also very curious to see what Max Brosmer can do with the offense. If the offense starts clicking with him in there, it’ll be very hard to justify re-insterting McCarthy. Without Bledsoe’s injury, we may never have seen Tom Brady become Tom Brady.
Yesterday was brutal, I took off early to get on the road to Williston. The roads were not good, and they didn’t really get better until half-way through the return trip, so about 350 of the 500 miles were on crap roads. Oh well, there wasn’t much traffic, most people were smart enough to stay home.
I’m planning to build the loft in my shop today, or at least get a huge chunk of it done. I’m building it about 16′ x 12′, with an additional walkway about 6′ x 18′. I’m renting a scissor lift, so hopefully we move fast.
Vikings and NFL News
If you have the stomach for it, Vikings.com looks at how far the Vikings have fallen in the power rankings.
It sounds like Joe Burrow is ready to lace ’em up for Thanksgiving football, per NFL.com. He said he’s ‘not going to sit if healthy’.
The Bills have signed WR Brandin Cooks, per NFL.com. He could be a solid addition with Allen throwing the ball.
CBS Sports has a Thanksgiving Day injury report.
The Thanksgiving Day schedule and the rest of week 13, from CBS Sports.
Media Selection
For those of you with kiddos, this is some good information, it blew me away. WARNING: It’s Shawn Ryan, who speaks the same language as me, so there’s some NSFW language in here. He’s not wrong, though.
Thread Guidelines
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1st Injury reports since I just noticed that now posted it yet.
If you are an old North Stars fan back in the 1970s. Went to Tavern 23 in Edina.
Lou Nannes’s restaurant. Excellent food.
Been here several times when visiting Mom.
Hmm hmm.
Macadamia Nut Chicken.
Hmmmmmm…
This is exactly how I calculate my yardages, when I play…
And that’s why I never use a range finder when I play. Walk off from 100 and 150 markers and the rest is all feel.
I use the distance device in the cart to determine the yardages to the front, middle, and back. Then I pick the club I feel is best for the flag placement and trouble avoidance.
National Guardsmen shot in Washington DC. Obviously Trumps fault.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11/26/us/national-guard-shooting-dc
Was just a matter of time.
Next the blame game will start.
Worthy of the Bee.
I like where Trump said he wasn’t going to joke about how fat JD Pritzker is doing the press conference. He said ‘I am not going to mention how fat he is’.
I laughed when he said he almost named the turkeys chuck and Nancy but didn’t because then he wouldn’t pardon em.
He can be a funny guy.
It’s actually so close to the truth, it’s more scary than funny.
I couldn’t watch the FTP game but I had not heard that the OL was terri-bad.
‘In total, Minnesota’s offensive line allowed 18 pressures, nine hurries, and five sacks. Let’s be honest: that’s a pretty bad day at the office’
Was it JJ (QB) holding the ball too long or was it due to injuries to CD and Jackson? They both left the game early? First time hearing of that.
Now admittedly I kind of avoided football and Vikings news after that game for a bit but even here I didn’t hear much about all of this.
https://thevikingage.com/jj-mccarthy-deserves-heat-something-going-on-minnesota-vikings
I still haven’t watched it.
I did not really watch it either…but you can probably just assume all of the above!
I’m gonna watch the condensed version, lessen the pain a little.
I will check out the YouTube highlights soon.
‘Highlights’ would be a pretty short video.
“Lowlights’ would be more telling.
JJ holding the ball too long mostly….
The former.
I blame JJ.
It is amazing how truly awful he is. I am shocked.
Wife keeps reminding me that she was screaming for them to draft Bo Nix. God, I have to deal with that until Nix retires…..
It is interesting how some pundits really complicate the analysis. It is a simple matter: JJ truly is out of his depth. Extenuating circumstances can contribute to the problems, as well.
But ultimately, JJ has a looooong way to go…
I agree.
JJ could become a serviceable QB like Sam Darnold. Sam was shit his entire stay in Jersey. He looked much better imo in Carolina, but they are stupid. He has improved a bit each season.
Maybe by 2030 JJ will be okay as a QB.
Not the excitement that was hyped, for sure.
With Justin Jefferson chasing records, and Addison wanting to get paid, it really becomes interesting to see how they handle this the rest of this season and next.
If Brosmer is not at least average, the team has no serviceable QB on the roster moving forward.
Wentz is def not the answer.
I see “reports” of Daniel Jones being a potential target next season.
god no…..
I would rather continue to try and learn with JJ and Max.
I loved the preseason sentiments that the team had somehow (shitty) QB play – proofed the team.
I wish they’d have played the starters in the preseason. I understand the logic of not playing them, avoid injuries in a meaningless game, but the reps were obviously needed.
I don’t have a problem with D. Jones.
He will get a large contract with the success he has had this year. Starter money even, doubt we could afford him.
Plus that would mean giving up on JJ (QB) for the most part.
No Bueno!!
They need to sign a serviceable vet next season. If JJ doesn’t show substantial improvement they SHOULD (they don’t listen to me) draft another QB. Having nothing in development = the equivalent of two birds in a bush.
Yeah, might as well draft one.
I see trading for Mac Jones is another theory floated around. I guess that could work as long as they don’t give up a lot for him.
All the choices are kind of gross really.
Do birds hang out in bushes very often? I usually see them in trees or in the air, can’t say that I’ve seen a lot of them in bushes.
I think of quail when I hear that saying.
Speculation below on whether or not JJ is really hurt…
Just my opinion but I would say he is really hurt.
The Vikings would get in a shit load of trouble if they “faked” an injury and put a player in concussion protocol when he didn’t need to be. If the NFL ever found out the consequences would be severe. So no, I do not think it is a ruse.
Not quite the same thing, but the NFL just recently fined the Ravens 100,000 for falsifying their injury report.
They wouldn’t fake it. That’d be terrible, and I don’t think JJ would go for it.
He also did take a beating, so it’s within reason.
Don’t get the local news WRT Vikings.
So, who is going to be the starting QB this week?
Brosmer
Wentz
probably their best option.
SKOLOHOLICS PICK EM LEAGUE AND SURVIVAL UPDATE #12
Hey, I didn’t completely suck this week. I only got three wrong, but it didn’t benefit me a huge amount because everyone did pretty well. Plus, the Bills screwed me over big time. 14 confidence points lost. Freaking Bills…
Surly was the top scorer this week. Surly has really been nailing it these last couple of weeks. I am just going to copy him from now on.
DE was second and NoDak and ManlyPurple tied for third.
Overall, JacksonVike and some others are sinking like Artax from The Neverending Story. Come on, you can do it!
Then almost everyone else is in in a general cluster. Only 32 points separate NoDak in number 2 from me at number 9. In between you got Surly in third place now, then DE, Lasallegrouse, Kirko, PA and Let’s Fish. It’s actually pretty good competition!
As stated, this week was pretty good. The Bills and Eagles were the only games everyone got wrong. Otherwise, everyone got NE, Detroit, Seattle, Baltimore, Rams and 49ers right. So, it looks like we has some pretty easy games to pick this week. That makes sense because there weren’t really any Genius Picks to award. Everything was pretty boring.
We have a couple Iconoclast Picks. I was the only one to take Indy over KC. I was surprised I was the only one. It was a kind of close game. I don’t know any storylines behind it. Maybe it was my mistake for not accounting for refs or something.
Meanwhile, Let’s Fish and JacksonVike were the only ones to pick the Vikings. The rest of us were Traitor Picks. I don’t feel like I betrayed the Vikings, though. No, the Vikings betrayed US!
No change in Survival, but I imagine that will start changing a bit soon. They are going to run out of easy picks.
GET YOUR PICKS IN BEFORE THANKSGIVING, LOSERS!
I suppose that means I should go do my picks…
Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
And indeed I almost lost each of my last two survival picks (at least they were closer than what I would have liked).
I droppped from 5th to 8th, not a good week for me.
I have a few things that we need to discuss.
My uncle knows Steve Poppen who is very high up in the Vikings organization. Upper management was extremely excited when they selected JJ Mccarthy in last years draft. Before the season began, they were confident Mccarthy would hit the ground running. How could they be this far off on a prediction? Were they lied to by KOC and Kwesi? Or do they really not know what it takes to play qb in the nfl?
Finally to piggy back off of that, is Mccarthy really injured? Why does a high ankle sprain take 6 weeks to fully heal? I may be a bit naive but I recall having a bad high ankle sprain and being back to full health in basketball by about 1 1/2 weeks. Why on the flight back from Green Bay does he all of a sudden have a concussion. Something just is not adding up. My hunch is they are now realizing he does not have the quick processing that the nfl requires. He cannot read a defense to know what pressure is coming, or cover 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6. This is 100% speculation on my end so do not throw me under the bus. I hope I’m dead wrong on everything I just typed.
My fan fiction theory goes like this:
Everyone wanted Maye. KOC was even okay keeping Darnold or Jones. That didn’t happen. So, on draft night, they were looking at taking a QB but not really sure which one. KOC did not want McCarthy, though.
Sean Payton fakes moving up for McCarthy. Kwesi thinks, “That Sean Payton is smart. I should just copy him.” He then says, “Hey everyone, we are taking McCarthy.”
“WHAT!?” KOC exclaims.
Kwesi nods to his bodyguards and they restrain KOC and lock him in the closet while Kwesi makes the pick. Eventually, Kwesi let’s KOC out.
“You going to be a good boy now?” Kwesi asks.
“Yes,” KOC grudgingly agrees. “What choice do I have?”
Cut to Denver: Sean Payton laughs maniacally and says, “That’s what you get for the Minneapolis Miracle, losers!”
Is it a Dr. Evil laugh? That’s what I pictured right away.
Dr. Evil laugh x20.
Nicely done Wren!!!
I am not a big fan of KOC, but I can’t believe he watched JJ and said, “Yep, that’s my guy.”
I feel like he is just being the good employee within the situation.
Yea, something doesn’t ‘smell’ quite right. Every time he has a particularly bad game an “injury” not noted during the game comes up later. Once OK, now twice?
Yes, that is bizarre.
Maybe McC has a delayed injury response. For instance, if a vehicle ran over his leg, his leg wouldn’t break until a half hour later.
There was a play in the 4th quarter I believe where JJ ran for a first down and got rocked pretty good by the sideline. It looked like he was rattled and going to stay down, but Hock pulled him up by the jersey and walked him back to the huddle. I think this is the play that he was concussed. It was missed by the refs, he should’ve been taken to the blue tent.
I posted a clip of McCarthy attempting a bunch of deep throws at the combine. Really bad misses. Of course he wasn’t throwing to anyone he knew, so gauging their relative speed was difficult. He overthrew a lot of balls though. Maybe he was just interested in showing scouts how far he could launch it. Dunno. He never came close to completing one though.
So with that performance in mind, and his college career where he wasn’t in a passing offense and didn’t throw the ball much, who thought he could come into the NFL and be a great QB?
‘He never came close to completing one though’
Did that video show all of his throws though or just the ones he missed??
Dunno
I think the video was done to prove a point and only showed the negative. There may have been more misses than connections but I doubt that he had zero completions.
It only showed the “bunch” (two) out routes he missed, not a bunch of deep shots. They do almost no throwing at the combine. Go look at his pro day tape.
Sorry Bow… I said a bunch, and that’s what I meant. Don’t intone I’m exagerrating or lying…
and…that’s why the GM and likely HC will be gone by this point next year.
I saw some mid range outs, couple of them dropped and 3 deep passes, one of which the receiver stopped half way through his row. The announce even said “oh, nice ball, jeez”
I didn’t see any of that…
Just a lot of really bad throws by McCarthy. Enough that I would have graded him very lowly as a potential NFL QB.
bowbunch reminds me of that scene in “Shallow Hal” where Jack Black is out dancing on the dance floor with three gorgeous women, although his friends see a different picture.
Laughing… Bow bought into the hype, then he promoted the hype. The truth is for all young QB’s there are two fundamental things a great NFL QB needs. A fast brain, and an accurate arm.
I broke a bone in my foot and was jogging within a month.
I saw a tiktok where a Down syndrome kid had their head superimposed on McCarthy’s body, saying some drivel, and God help me, I laughed.
Starting an undrafted FA at QB just might work.
KAM has had better luck picking up the unwanted than actually drafting players.
I don’t expect much in Seattle though.
Got my mom moved into the memory care unit yesterday.
Day 1 was good. All of my siblings will be together with her for thanksgiving.
She should get better care than the rehab place.
Be safe all.
Keeping you and your mom in our prayers DE. Good to hear she is in a safe place, with around the clock care. Happy Thanksgiving.
Prayers for your Mom, DE. It is a tough time.
Pray for the best. Have s wonderful Thanksgiving, all together is nice.
Sorry about your mom. Hope she can be comfortable and happy in her new abode.
That’s difficult and right before the holidays. Sending prayers your way.
Sorry to hear about your mom, that’s tough.
I’m not sure if I shared on here but while I was in Arizona my mom had a spell…thought my BIL and I were hitchhiking across the Prairies with my dog on our way to enlist in the Canadian Forces. Was frantic that I was lost and homeless. Good times.
Talked to her on Sunday, seemed as sharp as she ever is these days.
You get good days and you get bad days. Nature of the beast.
If it’s none of my business, please don’t reply.
What made you feel she was getting worse care at the rehab center?
It was transitional care.
She had a brain bleed.
Rehab was supposed to take out stitches in her head after 5 days.
Never did. Missed medication on some days.
Care givers were mostly nice, but the place didn’t know what they were doing. Everybody spoke Haitian or Somalian.
We ran up to the grocery store first thing this morning. Needed a couple things we were low on like milk, and litter for the cats. Picked up some other things too. Lots of folks were there buying all their Thanksgiving fare. We have all of that stuff already. Wife is doing her food prep today.
Today is prep day for us, as well. I’ll be doing all the house cleaning while the wife preps all the food.
Nice. I had to get the China and silver out. My wife has a massive collection of crystal wine glasses. Had to go through all of them and figure out which ones we would be using. We have Champagne and some white wine for the dinner. So had to get the flutes out, and regular white wine glasses. Set the table, so that’s all done. Had to dig out the crystal bowls for the cranberry sauce and stuffing, and the serving platters. All set now. The cats are very docile at the moment. Couldn’t care less about everything we’re doing.
How many people do you have coming over?
It’s funny, but BMS (before grad school) the major holidays were a big deal, I think I’ve recounted that my Thanksgivings growing up were staid affairs with just my parents and sister. Christmas growing up once we were back in North America we usually trekked to my maternal grandparents place along with my mother’s other siblings and their family. Moved stateside and first Thanksgiving with my wife’s family there were easily 50 people there, 8 siblings and their kids plus basketball players, etc. We hosted at our house about every third holiday (Tgiving, Christmas, Easter).
10 years away, and when we returned to Montana that tradition had died as the now adult children no longer come home.
My wife and I are spending Thanksgiving alone, I think we’re going to get turkey dinner at the hospital. It’s pretty good and only $8.
My daughter is coming tonight, with her boyfriend from Belgium. My ex lives in the Panhandle (Ft Walton Beach) so they’re seeing her, then coming down to Tampa. So just the four of us. My wife loves cooking and we have a lot of things to be thankful for, so tomorrow will be great.
Nice! Enjoy…
We did that yesterday.
The Teacher had to pick up a prescription and a few things.
We also go some holiday add ons and such. It was busy but not terrible.
GM
FTP!
SKOL!
Happy Hump Day!
I am hoping Brosmer plays, since that could at least be more interesting. Quite the conundrum. JJ needs the reps, but sucks. I am expecting Brosmer to also suck, since Vikings do not get nice things. It would be nice to see some competent QB play this season. So far, we have not really seen that from anyone for more than 1 series per game.
Morning Surly!
Rec for first and FTP!
SKOL!
Good morning, SKOL!
FTP!
Bring on Brosmer, the new SloterGoat!
FTP Auto Rec.