The Skoloholics Mailbag – wild card weekend

Good Morning!

It’s time for our weekly mailbag here at Skoloholics. As always our staff will research your questions about the Vikings, NFL or life in general with a well thought out mediocre answer.

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.
Leave us a question in the comments section, I’ll revisit it later in the week.

Sidenote: I’ll keep doing a weekly mailbag as long as the Vikings are in the playoffs, when they are out I’ll probably change to twice a month until free agency and the draft.

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

PA Viking Fan pondered:
OK, Looking back over the season, did the Vikings ever play a complete game? One with minimal mistakes, firing well on all sides of the ball and being able to walk out with their head held high? Giant’s game? First Packer Game? Patriots? What do you think?

First I think we have to define a complete game.
To me, it’s a combination of the kicking, offense and defense all being successful in defeating an opponent…make all the kicks/punts, keep the opposing team out of the end zone (for the most part) and scoring points on offense.
Also, I think we need to look for a quality opponent.
We can dispense with the four losses…because as we say here at the mailbag, they were all rubbish.
The final Bears game was really a preseason game with the Chicago playing something called a Nathan Peterman and the Vikings playing half the game with their back ups.
If we disregard all the one score wins that leaves either the first Packers game or Dolphins, but neither were a quality opponent.
I’d look to the Bills game as probably the best team effort.
Quality opponent plus on the road.
I texted GA Skol and Brad during the game when the Vikings were behind late in the game and said that although the Vikings were losing the at the time I didn’t think the game and situation were too big for the Vikings.
Joseph made all his kicks.
The defense gave up a lot of points but produced points on their side of the ball.
Cook had a 119 yards on the ground, Jefferson 193 through the air.
However, Cousins did not have a good game with two interceptions, but did have a lot of passing yards.
I’ve thought about your question a lot, I can’t realistically say the Vikings had a complete game this year in all three phases.
For reference I was considering the 2017 game against the Rams as a measure of a complete game.
Maybe their best game is yet to come in the following weeks.

Skoldiers pondered:
What’s your dream scenario for playoff match ups for the vikes to go all the way?

Defeat the Giants this weekend.
Tampa wins over Dallas (it’s going to happen)
Defeat the 49ers by less than three points next weekend.
Tampa travels to Philly and the Bucs win over the Eagles.
Host the Bucs in Minneapolis and send Brady to retirement.
Stranger things have happened.

Gone Fishin pondered:
The O-line looked good against the Bears. The Giants are a much tougher match up. How does KOC and Phillips neutralize that blitz? Can they implement an effective game plan with the pieces they currently have on O-line?

First, get the running game going early and often, runs don’t have to be called on every first down though. Incorporate the screen game with Ham, Cook or the wide receivers.
Maybe Reagor can be a factor on offense this week, find a way to get the guy the ball.
The good news is the Vikings have their own game film from this year to see how and when the Giants were blitzing, I’d expect the Giants to change some but not all of that.
Get a damn lead and keep it.

Mrs_Rob pondered:
Predict the winners of this weekend’s NFC and AFC playoff games.

NFC:
Seattle at San Francisco: 49ers
Giants at Vikings: Skol!
Dallas at Tampa Bay: Tom Brady

AFC:
Miami at Buffalo: Bills
Baltimore at Cincinnati: Bengals
Chargers at Jaguars: Duval

Thanks to everyone who took their time to ask a question for the mailbag, as indicated above if the Vikings win this weekend the mailbag will be back next week.