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Da Bears Game
Another day removed from that s*** show on Sunday, we now look ahead to Chicago. The Vikings play a fairly meaningless game on Sunday, as the Bears are obviously long out of it, and the Vikings are all but guaranteed the #3 seed. There is a very remote chance that they sneak into the #2 spot, but that would require the 49ers to lose to the Cardinals at home. Yeah, not happening. Because of this, I expect that we won’t see the Vikings starters on the field for very long on Sunday.
Being in this position, especially now with the sudden need for replacements at O-line, is advantageous for the Vikings. They have an opportunity to either give reps to the backup or to the new guy, if they go that route to replace O’Neill or Schlottman (Bradbury). The play calling could use some improvement as well, so let’s hope they’re able to use this week to implement at least a semblance of a balanced offense.
NFL Playoffs
I’m still a bit perplexed as to what the NFL plans to do with the playoffs and the unfinished game between the Bills and Bengals. If the Bills do indeed defeat the Patriots on Sunday, then the #1 seed hinges on the result of the Bills-Bengals game, and they must play the game, in my opinion. If they were going to play the game, yestereday or today were the most logical options, but the NFL has already said that the game WILL NOT be played this week. I’m not sure what their plan is here.
Minnesota Vikings News:
Skoldiers posted the Week 17 Vikings @ Packers Report Card.
Have a Vikings-related question? Ask Rob at the Skoloholics Mailbag.
I do my best to decipher what happened on Sunday and where we go from here.
From the Pioneer Press, the Vikings are seeking to build momentum on Sunday. Okay, so I agree with this. I said earlier that the Vikings had nothing to play for, but that’s not exactly right. They do need to establish some good momentum heading into the playoffs. I’d hate to see the Vikings limp into the playoffs coming off of another performance like we saw last Sunday.
Video of the Day:
Here’s a great song by Billy Strings and Luke Combs called The Great Divide, it kinda fits into a conversation from yesterday. Enjoy!
Let me lead the GOP id dominate unlike 5. Jokes aside this house mess is a joke and just horrible for the GOP. Shows how disfunction we are and elite ammo for Dems.
Need Desantis in 2024
Yes: Need Desantis
No: All due respect, you leading GOP, no offense.
Told you guys. Very likely scenario and Bills and Bengals are okay with not playing game and accepting the outcome. Astricks will be there but they both will likely agree
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/01/04/momentum-builds-for-cancelation-of-bills-bengals-game/
What do you maroons think of Levis?
elite physical tools, big physical athletic qb, but too many picks and some accuracy concerns, basically a slightly smaller Josh Allen prospect, I like him.
Everything is relative, like the sweat on your mom’s back.
We have beaker at 40 mill.
That gives you 2 wins. Fields lightyears better and he sucks and gave Bears 3 wins
Kid sucks. At pick 32 that’s a waste 😉
Wranglers fit me better.
Don’t need a QB. Don’t really likely any prospects at 32 honestly
To easy to throw on.
The Vikes need like 3 more years to truly build the 3-4 scheme they want. I’m actually surprised they’re ok. They weren’t bad against puke game.
So 26-27 until we don’t suck. Finally a good take. Only if they do things right.
lol yeah only 3 years till they don’t suck
Lol obviously pff doesn’t actually watch any fucking games
Chill Ben. It’s just funny bc anyone can cherry pick whatever stat they want to fit their agenda. I think the defense isn’t as bad as people make it seem. They point to yards… okay but there’s a million other things to go into it.
im not saying the defense is good but I don’t think their piss poor either
They have been bottom 5 all season, on many metrics.
The defense sucks, maybe not as bad as it seems, but it’s still trash
Yes it’s trash but not as bad Skoloholics members think. All I’m saying
Basically proves pff sucks
\
Exactly, pff is as awfully was its owner Is at calling games, which is Chris collinsworth if you didn’t know, he sucks and so does pff
Wut?
Happy Birthday Brad! As it´s already the 5th around here it´s OK to congratulate, and once again thank you for creating this site for us. Have a good one, mate!
What’s up?
A few people tick me off. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Ya usual. Just have to look past it buddy sometimes
Everybody pisses me off, I doubt it gets better
Who or what?
Gotta be late in Austria!
January 5 already over here, 20 minutes to 1am. Enjoying my week off with a nice glass of Tomatin single malt 🙂
Sounds good…enjoy!
Thanks, MT!
Yes.
I see.
Fun Fact, after the Vikings 1st 3 seasons back in the early 60s…
They have never had more than 2 consecutive losing seasons.
That is remarkable.
They shouldn’t be allowed back in the NFL because of metrics, however.
Zactly
Thank God Chris Reed handled the walk-through…
And NoDakRube successfully dunked on a 6 foot basket – sorry a little testy this PM.
Kirky talk
https://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=35365534
I still believe he is a top 12 QB….but man he is hard to defend sometimes.
12 is about right to me.
I could be convinced up to #10.
Maye because he plays like a top 32 qb sometimes.
About where I have him, anywhere from 8-12
Holy the team you root for sucks balls. This article absolutely roasts the Vikings lol….and its probably accurate. Fucking losers deserve every bit of criticism. Fire everyone.
Why the Minnesota Vikings Are the NFL’s Ultimate Fool’s Gold Team
Following an ugly loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings can no longer land the No. 1 seed in the NFC. But it’s a shame Minnesota will likely be guaranteed home-field advantage for at least two playoff games because the NFC North champions might be the worst 12-4 team in NFL history.
The Vikings have made a season out of beating weak teams by tiny margins while being exposed by superior teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys and even the Detroit Lions and Packers within the division.
The fact that they’re 11-0 in one-score games is a testament to their ability to perform in high-pressure situations and grind out victories, but that is also almost certainly aberrational, and regression to the mean is inevitable—whether it be this weekend against a rival Chicago Bears team looking to play spoiler, in the playoffs or next fall.
Regardless of how they go out, though, the Vikings will go out. Their most likely wild-card opponent is the New York Giants, who they barely beat at home on Christmas Eve. They won by a field goal after the Giants negated one Kirk Cousins interception with a penalty and dropped another, and after benefiting from two Giants turnovers inside the Minnesota 40-yard line as well as a brutal Richie James dropped pass on a key fourth-quarter third down.
Those breaks have seemingly gone Minnesota’s way all season, which is why the law of averages is not on the team’s side.
When they’re bad, though, they’re truly bad. The legendarily inconsistent Cousins committed four turnovers as the Vikings didn’t look to be in the same league as the then-sub-.500 Packers on Sunday in Green Bay. Justin Jefferson might be the league’s most productive receiver, but he caught just one pass on five targets in that affair, and he also disappeared when Dallas demolished the Vikes in a key matchup six weeks earlier.
It has become obvious that if you can limit the Cousins-Jefferson connection, you can shut down a Vikings team that has only two other Pro Bowlers (linebacker Za’Darius Smith and tight end T.J. Hockenson) at regular positions. Good teams should be capable of doing that, and after Chicago in Week 18, Minnesota won’t have the luxury of playing non-good teams.
Considering their record, it’s incredible the Vikings have allowed 19 more points than they’ve scored. Only a dozen NFL teams have worse scoring margins on the season, which is a major reason Football Outsiders ranks them as the fifth-worst team in the league in terms of DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average).
In that widely respected and all-encompassing advanced metric, the Arizona Cardinals and the Bears are the only NFC teams that have performed worse than Minnesota in 2022.
Unless they beat the Bears by 19 or more points in Week 18, the 2022 Vikings will become the first team in NFL history to win 12-plus games with a negative scoring margin. Only three other teams have hit the 12-win mark with margins below plus-50, and those three teams won a combined one playoff game. None came close to the Super Bowl. Only two other teams have won more than 10 games with negative scoring margins, but Minnesota might win 13!
While it’s easy to get excited about a team that continually wins thrilling games, and it’s easy to enjoy a blinged-out Cousins dancing shirtless on the team plane, it’s important to remember—especially if you might be compelled to make some (legal) wagers on Kevin O’Connell’s squad—that the Minnesota Vikings are not just worse than their strong record, but also worse than the majority of NFL teams across the board.
They deserve the NFC North crown because they found ways to win when the Packers didn’t, and because the punchy Lions also have their flaws. But in most other campaigns, similar overall output would have the Vikings fighting for a playoff spot in the best-case scenario.
Based on their overall performance, Football Outsiders estimates they should be 6-10 rather than 12-4. In that scenario, their season would be over.
The league’s second-worst scoring defense has been saved by the streaky Cousins, while the whole group has been bailed out by well-timed, uncharacteristic bad fortune from opponents and 61-yard walk-off field goals and miraculous comebacks,
How many times can lightning strike in the same spot? The Vikings and their fans likely have their answer, but the fluky ride has earned them a strange division title and at least one home playoff game.
Just don’t expect to see them in action come late January.
JUST WIN BABY!!!
I will summarize for you GF…The Vikings advanced metrics suck and we should have just 6 wins.
12-4, Baby
First round play off exit AND a worse draft pick baby!!
What did you expect baby, it´s the Vikings! Enjoy the run while it lasts!
There is no run, shit luck losers.
Likely the pinnacle of greasy adolf and KOC. It will just get worse.
Actually, because our advanced metrics stats are so awful, we should just give the Division Banner to the winner of Sunday nights game…
We clearly don’t deserve it.
I agree! We dont lol. Whoever goes further in the play offs should get it
Come on, even the Viking haters of whatever metric Lifer posted above say we deserve the division title
No, the Vikings are horrible. They are so bad, they shouldn’t even be allowed to play in the NFL next year. Maybe move the to the Big Sky Conference in D1-AA.
Yup, how dare they even exist, let alone pretend to be a 12-4 team that set several NFL records this season and division winner.
Now we’re talking….five and kodiak will sign on, or maybe not then they have what they love to hate taken away.
I love the Vikings, just because they suck is irrelevant
One of the most sane articles written on them this year.
Spot on, I’m surprised bRad didn’t delete it like like several of my comments that said the same thing. Welcome to reality bRad. We suck.
This man is speaking the truth…listen.
Wouldn´t it be necessary to determine the cause of the injury first? Could be an undetected, pre-existing heart condition, could be medication he took, could be any number of things. Have they confirmed yet that the tackle caused the injury?
It was probably the COVID shot….
Probably, who knows, dunno if Hamlin took the shot, assuming he did like so many.
It would be essential to determine the cause, just to avoid any speculation and have clarity on how to move forward.
I WAS KIDDING! I do not think it was the COVID shot….
Just saying that to anger the libs.
You never know…..
Well, I am not 100 percent ruling it out either…
But when I said it was “probably” I was kidding.
What bow said… because you REALLY never know. Those soccer players DID start dropping like flies at some point.
Media ascribed it to “over exercising” after 2 years of reduced training because of the alleged pandemic and other not too realistic causes.
The only cause to be reported will be the brutal and mean NFL, regardless of what the medical cause was.
Media and libs have no desire to know the truth other than to blame their favorite targets.
I´m afraid this assessment is 100% correct.
Correct. To buy into the indirect hit on a casual tackle stopping his heart would make you a rube at this point. That theory makes 0 sense. These athletes are tested hard core from highschooler through NFL, if he had a heart condition that could have caused anything close to this it would have been found. You dont just develop them out of thin air in your early 20s peak athlete. Unless of course…you introduce something that could cause it unnaturally.
Agree 100%.
Lol, you obviously never heard of former Viking Cameron smith, who retired in like 2021 due to a congenital heart defect that wasn’t found despite all the “hard core” testing he got from high school through the NFL, until his second year in the NFL and was only found because of his symptoms after getting Covid.
So something was wrong with his genitals? Poor guy.
that would be something crazy if he had a birth defect that was something connected from his heart to his genitals
Eh, not impressed. Damar is tragedy for sure…but he made 1.8 million dollars in 2 years. If he was concerned about making it to pension service time buy an injury insurance policy with some of that 1.8 million dollars.
No one is forcing these kids to play, this is America, and for now still a free country.
They are all paid quite well….sorry if that sounds cold hearted.
I agree. Millions of ppl would take their place knowing the risks in blink of an eye. Just the facts
WTF kind of assessment is that….you missed the entire point and half the facts.
Why The Fuck do you conservative fuck sticks keep protecting these rich motherfuckers when you’re poor white fucking trash without a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out in comparison to them???
Why….why…..why…. Are you just fucking stupid or so politically retarded you can’t connect the fucking dots. Pisses me off to no end you fucking people.
I thought they said this was his 2nd year of a contract that pays him 800,000 per year plus a signing bonus….
Therefore 1.8 ish…maybe I heard it wrong, I sometimes do…
I will double check and get back to you.
Well, all of those benefits were negotiated for by the union. Maybe if the union gave two shits it would be different. You can’t get mad at the league (owners) for giving the union what they asked for or at the very least were happy with.
My bad, he only made 1.6 million in his 1st 2 years.
My other points remain…most people would give their left nut to earn 1.6 million dollars in 2 years, even given the risks.
He absolutely could have purchased an individual insurance policy.
Its still a free country…
I’m just going to toss this out there and say that it has taken me most of my life to make 1.6 million (if I even have).
Thats the point…no one is oppressed.
Sorry I made you angry…That was not my intent…
Sometimes it is my intent…but this time it wasn’t.
A wise man once told me “He who angers you, controls you.”
Don’t be controlled my people on this website.
LOL
Ahem… Lifer… before we pin this on the league and put them to the torch for being a shitty employer it should be determined first if that pretty standard-looking high tackle even had anything to do with the injury. Right, bro?
If Hamlin would have just dropped while running (like many soccer players and other athletes in Europe, for example, in the last months) we wouldn´t even be having this discussion.
Does Europe even exist? I thought we only looked at Europe if it supported a liberal agenda.
For the time being, it still does.
Sorry Hun. It just makes me upset when American liberals gush over how great European socialism is, but they avoid looking in the dark corners and see the truth.
They know the truth.
Socialism is for the peasants and not themselves.
I read it exactly like this, no harm no foul mate 🙂
Remember when bashing millionaires was cool?
So the fact that an NFL player signs a contract is irrelevant?
Is the Union a bunch of evil m effers for agreeing to the CBA?
Dollars to donuts, this guy and his family will be taken of.
Protecting rich people? I wonder how many years it took me to earn the amount of money that Hamlin has already earned. I’m going to go with “a lot”.
Same here.
$40,000 a year for 40 years is $1.6 million.
So you are correct….
Im guessing Lifer thinks that all of your employers are scum of the earth.
I’m thinking that Lifer thinks ALL employers are scum of the earth.
Old Lifer has made a resurgence.
He really should break out the Zima from time to time. Might help him relax a bit.
Lol….didn’t take long huh.
You are such a phony lifer.
Agreed. He´s currently having his “I hate the Vikings and want to die” phase (to paraphrase Nirvana).
I hate the vikings because they’re incapable of playing to their potential. I hate the rich NFL owners who bargain with players safety and won’t give an inch to give them everything and more in regards to healthcare and retirement. How the fook does one have anything to do with the other as far as my opinions go?? Sounds like to me you’re just trying to lash out at me like a 14 yr old with immature takes. Congrats.
Nope, mate. Calling it as I see it, as always.
Listen…based on his own words, if it wasn’t a black player this apparently wouldn’t matter.
Hot Damn son…..what this clip….things getting 🔥🔥🔥
I just read the Tweet behind this conflict. For the record, I hate Skip Bayless but his Tweet wasn’t wrong (although perhaps “too soon”). You can care about and prioritize concern for Damar Hamlin while still acknowledging the NFLs challenges in finishing the season in a fair and equitable way.
Unless the plan is to shut down the NFL forever because there’s too much risk involved.
Five agrees…
https://twitter.com/sosarick/status/1610730439391744001?s=61&t=CivgpDVPOPDSqp_FzkjhAg
Does he really lead the nfl in air yards? I find that hard to believe….
Think its just that, not necessarily a completion.
The site I was just on had him at #1….just ahead of Allen, and that is for catches only…GIVE THAT MAN an extension!
I have him at #4 in air yards but the point is still valid.
nice to see him get 1 junk time score vs 7-8 gb. Does lead the NFL in INT’s
Tied for the lead with Carr and Prescot
he’s ahead of both of them in fumbles lost, man wha a bad combo
Young GOAT has more fumbles, right?
HANG THE AIR YARDS BANNER!
When your average to mediocre besides a few cherry picked stats. You’re an MVP to Lifer, Mick and Lifer and should be a Vikings for life. Thats what that tweet should say.
KFEY93, there is truth in your words….not about Mick and Lifer but about Cousins being average to mediocre in most stats except some cherry picked ones.
I would say he is slightly above average…but getting older.
I think they should just give him an indefinite contract. $40 mill / year until he decides to retire.
Agreed. I´d love to watch the heads explode
But would you also love guaranteed .500 football with a hit or miss chance at the playoffs?
It´s pretty much what I am used to, have been a fan since like 1999/2000.
I wouldn´t mind going through a cellar dweller phase to build a championship team for 2 or three seasons, but I think the Wilfs won´t allow that.
I have been through the cellar dweller phase in the early to mid 80s…it is not a good place to be…Sundays are dark, hopeless and depressing…at least we have some hope.
I can only imagine, probably not a good place to be, especially for an extended period of time. True fandom might be forged in times like that.
It’s pretty sad to think that I have fond memories of the dominance in the 70’s, and most of you only have the NFC championship game beatdown every decade.
Yup, that´s pretty much all we have… would love to see some version of those dominant Vikings teams reincarnate, must be awesome to follow a team like that.
So now you are back to posting Cousins stats because winning/losing is a “team game”?
Veni vidi vici, I say to this day of work. I’m going home.
Have a good night, folks!
I’m leaving, too. Uckfay isthay itshay.
F&@K Joy Behar, that is all.
Joy Behar rips ‘conservatives,’ ‘heterosexual men’ for supporting tackle football: ‘Just saying’ | Fox News
Although I do agree no reason for 1 through 6 graders to be playing tackle football
Absolutely can’t imagine why I would give one single fuck about what anyone on TV says lol
Usual suspects already trying to exploit this young man´s injury for political reasons, even if a cause or causes for his condition has not been determined yet (AFAIK).
I think Lifer does and has a poster of her in his bathroom.
Ha!
LOL
I should play “We Are The World” on the media selection tomorrow, just for fivefingers.
Would be popular with the dum libs. I’d say Kill em All by Metallica or No More No More by Aerosmith
Kill Em All is solid, great album.
Angry and drunk Metallica is the best Metallica
Yepper. Master of Puppets is one of the best songs ever.
My favorite is One.
Awesome song.
One is GREAT. My favorite would be Welcome Home (Sanitarium).
Yessir, Sanitarium is an awesome tune!
Verily!
Metallica wouldn’t exist if not for the influence of the beatles
I almost said it in the reply and then forgot haha.
Bless you!
It’s either that or Nelson, five’s favorite artist.
I assume this if lifer and BSF? Likely before they split a Bartles and James 12oz wine cooler.
Double Fabio?
Firsting occurs!
First auto rec