The Skoloholics Mailbag – The TEN AND two MAILBAG

Good Morning!

Just like I did previously expect a lighthearted answer to any question(s) but I’ll give you an answer…a wrong answer is still an answer though.

For salary cap questions I’ll continue using overthecap.com so I’m consistent with the numbers.

Any trades involving draft picks I’m using the updated NFL Trade Value Chart developed by Rich Hill available at https://www.drafttek.com/NFL-Trade-Value-Chart-Rich-Hill.asp

For evaluating or looking up draft prospects or rookies my go to is thedraftnetwork.com

If I can’t come up with what I think is a legitimate answer, I’ll ask someone who I think can provide one.

If you have a question, leave me a comment in the mailbag post, I’ll revisit it later in the week.

Enough from me, let’s see what’s on everyone’s mind.

Bekah687 pondered: I know KOC and the rest of Vikes crew consistently say “we need to get better about putting together a whole game”, “we need to have both sides of the ball play well for the whole game”, etc. However, part of me wonders if they’re content with playing these close games or have at the very least gotten used to it. The “bend but don’t break” D that Donatelli has committed to this season isn’t really the best scheme to “put teams away”. They’ve shown they have success in close games, and I think all the people saying, that after all the “bad luck” last year things are just evening out now, or things just happen to go their way (I think for two or three games a person could say that, but it’s been nine games now). Do you think that this is what we can expect in the playoffs, or are they going to flip a switch and somehow win a playoff game (hopefully more) handily?

Like yourself and every fan of the Minnesota Vikings, I have been waiting for this team to put together a complete game; we can’t even point to the week one win over the Packers anymore as poorly as they’ve played. Keep in mind the current roster is essentially what Rick and Zimmer built with a new offensive and defensive scheme, it’s going to take years to draft or sign the right players to fit the scheme…especially for the defense. That we’re looking at the 2nd seed and winning the North (potentially this weekend) is nothing short of a remarkable accomplishment by this coaching staff.
However, there are still a lot of areas of deficiency that need to be cleaned up before this team can be regarded as a Super Bowl challenging team, the offensive pauses (hello 3rd quarter) defensive breakdowns between the 20 yard lines are just a few.
What we see is what we get, my expectation is this continued rollercoaster into the playoffs.
Enjoy it while it lasts.

PA Viking Fan pondered: you know I am a big Thielen fan. I have owned his jersey and worn it every Sunday for or 6 years now. But most of us see he has lost a step, those great hands may be coming a bit less reliable and I am wondering what you think of his future. I see 4 possibilities:

1. Vikes restructure him and keep him on. Next year is WR3 or 4
2. He gets cut outright or traded (not likely to be traded at his salary
3. He moves into coaching with the team
4. He outright retires
   What does your crystal ball say about my favorite Viking?

Every year since I joined the Daily Norseman and now Skoloholics during the draft I picked out a late round pick or UDFA to follow and cheer for to not only make the team but have an impact on the field. Most of those picks or signings don’t come to fruition, but sometimes they do which brings up to Thielen. Who doesn’t enjoy the almost mythical story of a guy who tried out for the Bears and Vikings, spent a year on the practice squad and blossomed into a legit WR2? He’s been a very good player for the Vikings since 2016.
Father Time is undefeated and has come calling for Thielen. He’s a 33 year old WR whose speed and skills have diminished over the last couple of years due to aging and injury. I did see some cutups on Twitter earlier this year that showed he was getting open but wasn’t getting the ball or the play design was to the opposite side of the field. This offseason is going to be interesting in regards to some of the veteran contracts and long time Vikings players.
If I understand over the cap if the Vikings cut him before March 19th the dead money is 13.55M with a cap savings of 6.4M. His base salary of 11M guarantees on March 19th and his dead money would move to 19.9M. Cut or trade dead money remains the same because of the restructure….another restructure doesn’t make sense at this point due to his age.

Cut him and eat the cap money.

Skoldiers pondered: What team do you prefer to play round 1 in playoffs? Looking more like Commanders or Seattle. Slight chance of Giants if they stumble.

The Vikings faced the Commanders (side eye to The Handmaiden’s Tale) earlier this season and gave the Vikings all they could handle, we see the Giants in two weeks who are returning to Earth after a very good early season run…which brings up the resurgent Seahawks.
I didn’t think any of those three teams would be in playoff mix this year, particularly the Seahawks considering their offseason move of casting off Wilson in favor of Geno Smith. My pick before the season would have been the 49ers to win the NFC West with that ferocious defensive line and offense QB’ed by Handsome Jimmy, but the injury bug got Jimmy…at least for the moment.
As for your question, if the Vikings have the 2nd seed none of those teams should be able to hang an entire game at US Bank Field, so bring on the Seahawks, I want to see a sad horseface on the opposing sideline.

Gone Fishin pondered: When the Vikings wrap up the division, and since the #2 seed is all but a certainty, is it time to rest guys like Za’Darius Smith soon so that they are 100% going into the playoffs?

The 1st seed in each conference gets a week off to open the playoffs, if/when the 1st seed becomes a viable option for the Vikings they should not rest anyone but keep pushing for the 1st seed.
However, so far the Eagles haven’t stumbled and have a two game hold over the Vikings due to head to head play, so if the Vikings can’t do worse than the 2nd seed and it doesn’t cause them to fall in seeding I think resting guys like Z. Smith, Cook and getting a better rotation in the defensive line is very reasonable.

Surly Viking pondered: What does this team do in the next 4 weeks to prevent a 38-7 or even a 41-0 in the playoffs? Still very skeptical of this team and especially Kirky Chainz, but it has been a fun ride so far.

The players didn’t believe in HC Dennis Green anymore and have as much said they quit playing in that 41-0 loss to the Giants, since O’Connell is a rookie HC with a new message I don’t see that happening.
Lost in the post euphoria of The Minneapolis Miracle was the fact the Eagles had built their team through the draft with smart free agent signings along their offensive and defensive lines. That was the strength of the Eagles that year, plus the fact Zimmer’s defense although statistically the best in the league was vulnerable to the RPO. All those factors came together in that one game, which I remember we were all shocked and dismayed.
A Vikings – Eagles rematch to represent the conference in the Super Bowl looks likely at this point in the season, the Vikings will probably have to travel again.
The Eagles team is built along similar lines as 2017 with a very good QB, the Vikings are different compared to that 2017 team with their 3-4 defense and established QB.
O’Connell and Donatelli should be able to look at that week two debacle and identify how and where to scheme against and attack the Eagles.
Bring on the Poopeaters and the rematch, and pass the Purple Koolaid. I’m all in.

Peterplaysbass pondered: Which divisional game(s) are the Vikings going to lose? Detroit seems to have really found itself recently. They’re above average. The Vikings might be just 4 days away from loss number three

Detroit has been playing better since their close loss to the Vikings, that game was mismanaged by Lions HC Dan Campbell which provided an opening for the Vikings. I am surprised the Lions offense has been scoring with Goff at QB but Swift and St. Brown have been playing very well. I looked at sportsnaut and they have Detroit’s offense ranked 11th in the league.
That’s bad.
Somehow the Detroit defense is awful and statistically worse than the Vikings.
That’s good.
Vikings have to travel to Detroit for the game.
That’s bad.
It’s the Lions.
That’s good.
I see that the Vikings scoring fast and furious on Detroit.
That’s good.
The divisional game that gives me pause is either the Packers game in Green Bay or the final regular season game in Chicago.
That’s bad.
Both of those teams may having packed their golf clubs for the offseason.
That’s good.
It’s the Packers and Bears away from home.
That’s bad.
Both those teams suck this year.
That’s good.
The Vikings are three days away from win number 11.

Pirateflip pondered: Could you try to come up with something to mitigate the occurrence/severity of concussions, besides turning the game into flag football? I’m hoping for a magical medical fast acting cure, maybe involving mushrooms.

If I could I’d be able to buy Twitter, the Vikings and a new truck. I’m going to bring back your question in the next mailbag for a longer answer.

Rob pondered: Give us a score prediction:
Vikings 37
Lions 34

Thanks for everyone who took the time to ask a question, look for our next mailbag next week after the Lions game.

Skol!