# 2016 MN Vikings...



## Chuck Smith

Well with the season starting on Sunday what is everyone's thoughts???

I mean we all know it hurts that Teddy is down. But what are thoughts on the Bradford deal? Good, bad, indifferent?

My take on everything so far....

1. It does hurt that Teddy is down and was looking so good in the preseason. But remember he beat the Packers in Green bay and Teddy was 10-19 for 99 yards. So I think Hill if he can stay healthy can manage a game like Teddy did last season. I don't think he will "win" you the game but he can manage a game.

2. Bradford.... I think it is a good pick up but we paid too much for him. The good thing is he is locked down for 2 years incase teddy's recovery takes longer or if teddy is done for a career. I think he is better than Hill but will take time to get the system. I see him starting after the bye week if Hill is under preforming or injured.

3. The defense is looking good... very good. Lots of young talent looking very good in the preseason. Again it is the preseason but it looks like Waynes is making the necessary strides, Alexander is looking good but will need more time to step in. The LB core is solid with Barr really coming along. The D line is shaping up like it should be. The Def will help keep us in games and will win games for the Vikings. Should be fun to watch..... also my prediction about Kearse.... he is looking good but still making rookie mistakes. I see him getting time mid season unless injuries happen. But he looks like he could be the real deal.... again if he keeps progressing.

4. Our kicking game should be back on Point. Yes Walsh the goat of last season will win us games this year. He is back indoors where he was lights out in the previous seasons.

Any other thoughts???


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## KEN W

The trade for Bradford was a good trade. If the coaching staff evidently didn't feel good about Hill, he was the best QB they could get. Especially if like Spielman said, teams were asking for top players in a trade along with draft picks.Other teams had him over the barrel and most likely asked for more than the Eagles did. Bradford has more to offer and may even be better than Bridgewater is. Then going into 2017 will be a good situation to be in and the Vikes may be able to get back some picks in a trade like the Eagles did after getting Wentz. I look for a playoff season.

Both the Vikes and Eagles are on TV Sunday. Will be switching the channel back and forth to see Wentz play his first game.


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## Chuck Smith

I will be watching Wentz too.

I hope they just don't throw him to the wolves too fast. I mean if you look at the top 10 qb's in the league now... over 1/2 sat their first couple years. Lots of qb's have been pushed too fast and bounce from team to team before they hit their stride...

I blame the teams more than the player.... So I am always hesitant when I see a rookie QB starting right out of the gate. I hope he does great and has a long career. :beer:


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## 9manfan

I like the Bradford trade, giving up a 1st round pick sucks but it will prolly be a low first round pick ( I hope anyways), I just don't think Bradford has ever played on a team with this much talent, if we can stay healthy as team this trade could work out great for us,not sure who else we could of brought in that would get the job done, and him being signed for 2 years is a definite plus, I hate to think if Bridgestone never comes back, that would suck,.......Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Chuck Smith

Like Ken stated.... The vikes were bent over a barrel so to speak. All the teams knew it.

I agree I don't think anyone else was better out there.

Start of the official season tonight..... I hope Den beats Car.


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## 9manfan

Was quite shocked to see Denver win that game last nite but loved seeing Carolina lose, just not a Cam Newton fan...........like Rivera as a coach though.....


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## Chuck Smith

It was a good game to watch.

I am not a Cam fan either.... but he was taking some shots to the head. The one got flagged but Car had the intentional grounding.... The other was by Marshall and he did "launch" at Cams head. I am sure there will be a fine implemented. Now the one the broadcasters and others today are talking about with Miller... That one wasn't a "launch" or the use of the "crown". That was a facemask to face mask type hit. Plus Cam was going down as miller was making his "tackle".

Also about that game is if Den. could not have turned the ball over a couple of times when they were driving.... it wouldn't have been the nail bitter. Bookers fumble right away, the tip pass INT..... and then the floater that was intended for Sanders would have been a big gain if not a TD. But that is a ball that you can get away with in college....not the pros.

Den will be fun to watch all year.


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## 9manfan

I thought Bradford played very well, really thought our O-line would look better at this point, D looked good, sucks to lose AP but shouldn't be too long the way it sounds and it's always nice to beat the PUKERS .......


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## Chuck Smith

Well the Vikings season just got a whole lot more interesting....

AP gone for who knows how long
Khalil gone for at least 8 weeks (via the IR list he is on he can come back but has to sit 8 weeks)
and of course Teddy down...

When has a team ever lost its Starting QB, RB, and Left tackle all before the 3rd game.

Signing Hillman is an ok thing. Just to give us another RB. But I don't see him getting too many snaps for awhile. We will see if Clemons can get the job done on the left side (this is just my guess who will be playing for Khalil). Our defense can keep on doing what they are doing will help a lot.

If the Vikings can have Clemmons come in and do what Khalil has been doing.... which has been average. I think the Vikings will be just fine. I mean they were 7-9 without AP in 2014. The defense is better than back then. :bop:

Here is a side note and we will have to see how it plays out....

With Khalil and AP down for awhile if not the whole regular season. How will this play out in the off season. Khalil was about to get paid as a left tackle or ask for more money.... AP's contract was about to jump up to enormous price tag (15 mil I think or what ever)...... So now with injury years.... do they demand that money or ask for less to stay with the team?? Can they demand that type of money?? I mean Khalil wasn't a top tier LT but he would command more money than he is getting now. But now with an injury and his history of nagging injuries.... does he command that much higher of a price tag??? Also with AP getting older, another knee injury, not having a great start to this season, etc.... will he deserve his price tag??? Or will he be willing to renegotiate for less and stay with the team???


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## 9manfan

Very Impressive win yesterday, I really didn't think we had a chance of winning this game at Carolina, Zimmer is a mastermind at Defense.........Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Ron Gilmore

So is this defense for real or not? I listened to the game and hope to see it broadcast again to see if it was the defense or a hurt Cam.


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## Chuck Smith

Ron.....

I think it is the defense and the coaching staff. Cam looked good right away.... after the half MN made changes and it was a totally different game. Even in the 1st half you could see changes being made and frustrating Cam.

Also what I have come to notice the past year and these 3 games. The defense needs a series or two to get acclimated to the game. Then they are good to go.

Our offense needs to start a lil more "faster"... I mean we look slugging the whole first half.... then their must have been a butt chewing at Halftime at the O - Line.... then we came out the second half looking like a new team. Now on out o-line.... Yes I know we are injured now. But they have looked horrible all year for the running game. They need to step it up big time. :bop:

Our CB's will have a work out on Monday against NYG.... eli and crew (Beck Jr. Shepard, Cruz..... will be looking to have a big game after the let down against Wash.


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## 9manfan

This defense just keeps impressing me more and more, the job Zimmer has done is unbelievable, and the offense is looking better as well, even the O-line looked good last nite as well.........Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Chuck Smith

Well I am glad the bye week is here.

We need to get healthy. Our o-lime which was supposed to be deep (which it is showing it is because the back up are playing well).... needs to mend. I hope Smith isn't out the year with an elbow injury. We need Diggs back at full speed as well.

Bradford is looking like an MVP out there. It will be interesting if Teddy makes a full recovery what will we do?? Especially if Bradford keeps doing what he is doing.

Our Defenses..... WOW... WOW... WOW. That is all I can say.

SKOL VIKINGS... now we need to come out after the bye week still running on full throttle.


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## 9manfan

Heard Smith was out for year after surgery yesterday, the o-line injuries have been unreal this year but so far (knock on wood) we have not lost any defensive players, I'm thinking Bradford is our QB for the future and AP might not play for us again.......Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Chuck Smith

Well we signed Jake Long..... He was a former # 1 draft choice. Now he hasn't lived up to his potential at all. But hope he can be a good back up or move into the starting role.

We will see how we come out of the bye week and how we can keep rolling after seeing some teams a second time.

But when has a team been 5-0 that has lost Starting: QB, RB, LT, RT, and also had injuries at CB (Rhodes missed 3 games), #1 WR (diggs out), starting DT (Floyd), TE (Pruitt, Morgan, Ellison).

Yes I know a lot of teams get banged up. But we have lost 4 major positions and plus the normal wear and tear. Lets hope we can keep rolling. It has been a fun year so far.

As of now our remaining schedule has 7 of 11 of our remaining games are against teams under .500.... (playing bears and lions twice) So we still have a tough row to hoe. But if we win those games that is a 12 win season!!! (knock on wood)


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## 9manfan

My kids were telling me last nite we would sign Jake Long, I didn't think it would happen, seems as though they are putting everything into this year to win it all..........like I said before, keep the D healthy because Defense wins Championships.......


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## speckline

Well queen fans, you've had a stellar season up to Sunday's game. :beer: Obviously, as a Packer fan, I was happy to see the queens beat!! :rock: 
Question for you is: With all the injuries at key positions on offense that the Vikes have incurred and the fact that the offense was anemic against the Philly defense, do you think the vike offense has been exposed and the Philly defensive gameplan will be the plan going forward against the queens? Or do you feel this game was a hiccup coming off the bye week??


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## 9manfan

Our O-line is terrible or maybe a work in progress I hope, not too worried with this loss, Philly has a pretty good defense and Bradford had zero time to throw the ball, if we score on that first turnover when we had the ball at the 2 it could of changed the game a lot, but that's the way the ball bounces.....if we lose to DaBears next Monday then I will be alittle worried........Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Chuck Smith

I agree with 9man....

The sky isn't falling like the media and others are trying to portray. Just like when Rodgers had a couple bad games.... things are not that bad.

Yes our O-line play was like the titantic... huge holes in it. But Phi has a good d-line and has good outside rushers. I think that other teams will see this game film and try to duplicate it. Yet our weak O-line shouldn't be a surprise.... We have lost two starting tackles. It isn't a hidden secret at all. Just like our coaches will watch the film and make corrections.

The game on sunday was also we didn't get a sack on Wentz!!! MN gave up 6 sacks, 1 INT, 3 lost fumbles, a kick off returned on them, and a muffed punt. You shouldn't win games with those stats.

We need a rebound game.... CHI is a good one to have it against. Not the strongest D-line, a weaker DEF, O-line isn't that strong and discord in CHI-town.... most will be thinking Cubs. The only thing is Cutler is coming back... or could be back. So he could have one of his 300 yards, 4 td games...... or lets hope his 130 yards, 4 int games.


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## speckline

cutler would be to your advantage


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## 9manfan

speckline said:


> cutler would be to your advantage


 :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:


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## huntin1

:lol: :lol:


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## speckline

Game plan to beat the queens has been established :rollin: Reminds me of the 2015 Falcons. I predict they won't make the playoffs unless something major changes on offense. That offense is as bad as you can get!!! oke:


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## Chuck Smith

When you cant run the ball you are easy to defend against. Asiata doesn't hit the holes hard at all. Bradford isn't stepping up into the pocket... our tackles are not blocking, gaurds are getting blown up. I mean it is all horrible on the offensive line front. Also another thing.... how many batted down passes or tipped passes did we have?? Is Bradford not recognizing passing lanes? I mean these guys were not in his face tipping balls they were 3-4 yards away from him tipping them. The whole offense is sputtering. Not just the O-line.

Now lets talk about our defense the past two games...... 1 sack. So we are not getting the pressure on their QB. Their line dominated out D line. Our tackling was awful....we were bouncing off of their RB.

I will give the bears credit they played good and beat the Vikes out right.

Also some of the coaching calls bothered me. Like not hurrying up the offense when they were down, play calling I mean if the rush is beating you.... dives, draws, screens, swing passes, etc. Need those to slow down that rush... it also takes away your weakness at O line. How come we are not using Roudolph more.... quick passes, seams, etc.

The sky isn't falling just yet either....but they need to right the ship soon or it will be a long rest of the season.

Also to Packer fans who want to talk @#$..... About two weeks ago they were Booing their Hall of Fame QB.... now they think he is a god again. Two weeks ago the sky was falling in GB....now they are all thinking super bowl. That is how fast things can change good, bad, or indifference in the NFL. There are 9 games left in the season.... and the Vikes are still leading the division.... :bop:


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## 9manfan

Da Bears played a great inspiring game, something we didn't do at all, they out played us and out coached us, they better right the ship soon, but with the way the O-line looks it could be a long rest of the year, the defense can not score all the time to keep us in the game.....very disappointing loss with how we played........go vikes ......


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## 9manfan

speckline said:


> Game plan to beat the queens has been established :rollin: Reminds me of the 2015 Falcons. I predict they won't make the playoffs unless something major changes on offense. That offense is as bad as you can get!!! oke:


long ways to go and your Predictions are not so good........ oke:


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## speckline

Watch out for the Lions. :beer:


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## 9manfan

Norv Turner resigns but I think our problems lie deeper than him, although his offensive scheme is a bit predictable.....Go Vikes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## speckline

May be the major change needed??


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## Chuck Smith

I agree watch out for the Motor City Kitties..... They are playing good ball this year.

I have not been impressed with Norv for a long time. If you look back on all these threads you can see I haven't been impressed with him. I think a change was needed. Now again he is a great offensive mind but here in MN it seemed lacking. Every once in awhile you would see something....but then dull the rest of the year.

It will be interesting to see what will happen. The good thing is Shummer has been around Bradford a long time so knows more of his in's and out's than probably the rest of the Vikings staff. So it could be good or bad... HAHA.

But every division game is a big one. Hope they can rebound and get back rolling.

Skol Vikings.


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## 9manfan

speckline said:


> May be the major change needed??


I sure hope that's what it takes, I have never been a huge fan of Norvs offense, very old school and predictable and yes, the Lions scare me , thye have been playing well this year without their big reciever, but it is a home game and I really think they wont lose 3 in a row.....Go Vikes !!!!!


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## 9manfan

Think Speckline is right...2015 Falcons season flashback, really doubt we will make playoffs now......Go Wild !!!!!!!


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## Chuck Smith

Well we are still # 1 in our division.

I will say this the second half of the game looked better than the first half.

We are not getting pressure on the QB, we had horrible tackling (past two games), and some coaches decisions on Defense are questionable. Only rushing 3, why not kick a pooch kick at the end of regulation instead of into end zone. That would take off 4-5 seconds and they still get the ball on the 20-25 yard line, didn't use the last TO to "freeze" the kicker, etc. Again I am not saying Zimmer is horrible but there are some more questionable calls.

The O-Line looked not too bad. Two of the sacks were because Bradford didn't get rid of the ball or didn't step up in the pocket. But yes... 1 out of 3 games they didn't look horrible.

People will want to blame walsh..... Yes he did miss an extra point.... But the blocked FG.... the line. We also didn't come away with points twice in the red zone. Forth and inches and Asiata doesn't try to leap, stretch, etc for that extra few inches. He also didn't hit the holes hard for the past three weeks either. Bradford sack, penalty, etc. I mean good QB's when they get sacked most of the time they are moving towards the line of scrimmage. So only take a 5 yard loss not a 10 yard loss.

So again walsh's miss was big....but there are many things you can point at for this loss.

I mean look at the last play.... Rhodes goes in with a flying shoulder instead of a tackle. He tried to make a sideline "highlight reel" hit instead of just hitting him. Smith played like crap.... I mean Ebron had 100 yards, missed tackles, etc.

But again.... all hope isn't lost. We are still 1/2 game ahead of Detroit and winning the division. Things looked better in the second half than the previous 10 quarters of football.

I will say this.... I need to see how they play against the Redskins before I start to say, "go wild and screw football".....lol. For now it is still Go Vikings and Go Wild.


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## KEN W

Vikes are bringing in kickers to look at today.

I hate prevent defenses. They never work. Why were the defensive backs sitting at field goal range. Detroit did not need a touchdown. Detroit has the best kicker at long range in the league. He has the record of 68 yards. Yet they sit there at long field goal range and let a pass completion right in front of them. POOR COACHING. And that is totally Zimmer's fault.

At least in this game they looked like a team that wanted to win. There are always games during the season where you are destined to lose no matter what you do. This was one of those games. Hopefully they now have some fire in the belly to beat Washington next Sunday. :bop:


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## Chuck Smith

Ken....

I agree 100%.....

I think bringing in kickers is a good idea. Not to get a new one but to get into Walsh's head. Lot of times when a team brings in a kicker to try out it gives the old kicker a "boot" to the rear end. So hope this will work for Walsh. Other than the last year and this year he as been one of the best kickers in the league. So he just needs to get his head right to get back on track.


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## 9manfan

Season over......Over and OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Wild !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Chuck Smith

Well lets put it this way.....

It isn't over we are tied for division (tie breaker as of now goes to lions).... so all hope isn't lost.

Yet we have no OL and took another hit with another tackle going down for the year. Our DL has only gotten 3 sacks in the last 4 games.... we have no run game.... Bradford hangs on to the ball too long.... our defense cant stop anyone... our offense cant get inches when it is needed.... etc.

At least we are ahead of the PACKERS.... :bop:

I am not giving up... I haven't in 38 years.....lol


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## 9manfan

I admire your optimism Chuck, 57 years old and watched 3 Super Bowl losses, we had a snow storm for one of them and lost power,so I missed one of there losses, and I really had the fever this year, after they were 5-0 I ordered a Vikings jersey for the wife for her Birthday and actually ordered one for myself,told the wife after yesterdays loss maybe we should burn them to turn the luck.....ha....but with the O-line and all the injuries we have had there maybe we shouldn't of never been 5-0, and I just cannot figure out whats going on with the Defense, held them to 4 FG's in the second half but they don't look like the same team ,I will keep watching them like I have for the last 50 years I guess and there's always next year.....and boy the Pukers are REALLY STRUGGLING.....................


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## Chuck Smith

I have always said... if the Vikings have two wins a season it is a good year... and you can guess who those wins need to be against.... the Packers... LOL oke:

And I know Packer fans who say the same thing. :beer:


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## speckline

Ouch, Thanksgiving day against Detroit must have really hurt!! :iroll:


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## Chuck Smith

Speck....

Yes it did. But the Vikings are still 2+ games ahead of a few teams in the NFC central.... :beer:

I am still not a guy that all hope is lost. I think they can win the division... but now need help. We need the Saints, Bears, NYG, Packers, and Dallas to beat the Lions. Plus we need to run the table. If the Vikings are 11-5 by the end of the season... that is a good year! Plus that should win the division.... unless the Lions keep playing the way they are.

I mean the rest of the Vikings schedule has only 1 team over .500.

But things need to happen....

1. Get a little more creative on Offense.... What I mean is throw the ball down field. Even if it is 10 yards over the guys head the defense will have to respect that. I am saying... take a three to five step drop and let it go. A designed play that you know u have 1 on 1 coverage on the outside and let the ball rip!

2. Better clock management. This falls on the coaches as well as the QB. On thanksgiving people will point to Patterson lining up wrong and that penalty. I will look at the series before where we had a delay of game penalty. That made the Vikings go first and 15 yards to go. Then they were about a yard short and had to punt on 4 down. Then the lions drove down and scored 3. A first down there could have sealed the game. This isn't the first time all year where we had crappy clock management. That is both on coaches (all of them) and the QB.

3. Our Defense needs to keep putting pressure on the QB. It has been better than the 4 game losing streak. But we need to keep it up.

4. We need to get Kyle Rodoulph back in the mix. He needs 6-10 targets a game. Plus he needs to block better. He has had some whiffs on special teams on the edge.

Again not all hope is lost. We are 1 game back with 5 to go. Plus I hate to say it.... The Packers are not out of it yet either. They can rip 6 straight and with a lil luck be right there for the division.


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## speckline

The Packers are the walking dead. they are down to their third and fouth string CBs, no RB worth a crap, o-line in disrepair, receivers dropping alot, Rodgers being normal instead of fantastic, and a coach who has been figured out by the league. :crybaby: 
I feel like a queens fan uke:


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## Chuck Smith

Speck....

10-6 could win the division...... 11-5 will win the division... IMHO.

Det has been a team winning on the end most of their games. Which is a good confidence builder for them......but those games can start to go the other way pretty quickly. :bop:


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## 9manfan

Vikings will beat the Cowboys on Thursday nite and the schedule is soft the rest of the way, but our O-line is terrible and I'm thinking 9-7 maybe 10-6 on the year.......


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## 9manfan

9manfan said:


> Vikings will beat the Cowboys on Thursday nite.....


didn't think we had to beat the Refs as well...................I was in bed before halftime....Go Wild !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Chuck Smith

Well it was a bad officiated game.... BOTH WAYS... to be honest. It was just we got the "non-call" at the end of the game. I mean when we cant score TD's.... we don't deserve to win.

Anyways..... I might have finally thrown in the towel on the season. I will keep watching and cheering but the outlook is bleak. We only have a tie breaker in any play off scenario (as of now) with GB and NYG. But the Giants are 2 games ahead of us in the win category. So yeah we need lots of help and we need to win :bop: :bop:

The thing that killed us the past games is the stupid penalties..... Offensive line jumping, delay of games.... I mean things that you have control over. You can point to our line... .but last night Bradford had good time. We also have been plagued with DROPPED BALLS...... Anyways I could go on and on.

But I will keep cheering for them and hope they can make the play offs..... but I know it will be a lost cause. It will be a very interesting offseason.... Sad thing is we need to sign lots of players (Kahil, Rhodes, Smith the offensive tackle).... plus we will see or could see others restructuring contracts or heading down the road.... (AP, Munerlying, Newman, Greenway, Kahil, etc.). we don't have much cap space and we don't have a 1st round pick..... So I am foreshadowing a possible trade coming up.... and all we have is defensive player that are worth a crap..... Could be an interesting off season. :bop:


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## 9manfan

Your right Chuck, we needed Td's instead of them first 2 FG's, at that point I was pretty sure we were screwed, never seen a year with so many injuries on the O-line, but it's not like they were that great to start with before the injuries.

As far as the number 1 draft pick, you never know how they pan out , I would still try and keep this D team together, they are a pretty good bunch of players, need O players now....

We would need a miracle to make the playoffs now, no chance we beat the Pukers in Cheesville.....9-7 season....and as the saying goes year after year....Wait till next year....... :bop: :bop: :bop: :bop: :bop: :bop: :bop:


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## Chuck Smith

Well I hope the tommorrows game is a good one.....

Like I have always said... the Vikings just need two wins a season to make me smile.... they have one of those already... HAHA

The Packers are playing very well and are a scary team right now. If they beat the Vikings I see them making the play offs and even possibly making it to the division finals. That is the Pack... yeah I know I threw up in my mouth a lil after I just typed that...but is the truth.

But I have two things to say...... 1. Merry Christmas to all....2. SKOAL VIKINGS..... ;-)


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## speckline

speckline said:


> Game plan to beat the queens has been established :rollin: Reminds me of the 2015 Falcons. I predict they won't make the playoffs unless something major changes on offense. That offense is as bad as you can get!!! oke:


Chrystal ball appears to have been working. :rock: 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Queens fans!!! :beer: :thumb:


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## 9manfan

How about those Wild...10 game winning streak !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and how bout those Queens...  ...I hate the Pukers with a passion but really think they have a chance of going a ways in the Playoffs.....time will tell


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