What We Learned: Week 12

by SDVike on Nov 28, 2011 9:09 AM CST

Here is what we learned from the week 12 matchup between the Vikings and the Falcons:

The Georgia Dome is not a very hostile environment. Horrible fans.
Jared Allen did a fantastic job filling in for Cullen Loeffler at long snapper.
Benny Sapp made a great play against Roddy White in the end zone...
...but was horrific the rest of the game.
The sad thing is, Sapp might be our best active corner.
Our run defense is still pretty solid, holding Michael Turner to 60 yards on the ground.
Bill Musgrave is not a very good offensive coordinator.
Example #1: 4th and goal from the one. We have a pretty good play action QB. We have Percy Harvin. Atlanta's run D is also pretty good. They have 8 in the box. We hand it off to Toby Gerhart up the middle. Loss of 2. Turnover on downs.
Example #2: Before the goal line debacle, we had the ball in our territory, 2nd and 15. We choose to run it up the gut with Gerhart. He gains two yards, but we are left with a 3rd and 13.
It turns out, this team has the ability to play well in the second half...
...unfortunately we still can't put two good halves together.
Not that we don't learn this every week, but our offensive line is really, really bad.
To win in this league, you need a quarterback like Matt Ryan.
Whoever was on Julio Jones shut him down today.
That person also shut down my fantasy team. Pulled Beanie Wells (36 points) for Jones yesterday.
Allen Reisner had a nice catch early in the game (his only target of the day).
Percy Harvin is lethal.
Not sure I've ever seen a 104 yard kick return that didn't result in a touchdown.
Toby Gerhart has the potential to be a serviceable running back.
It doesn't appear as if Jared Allen will break Michael Strahan's single season sack record.
This team has a long way to go before we reach the supremacy of 2009.
Bring on Tebow.

Poll

What was the Vikings play of the game vs Atlanta?

Percy Harvin's 104 yard kick return

10 votes

Ponder to Harvin down the middle on 4th an 13 for a TD

91 votes

Benny Sapp's coverage on Roddy White, one on one, in the end zone

0 votes

Ponder to Harvin on the one yard line, right side

1 votes

102 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost was created by a registered user of The Daily Norseman, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the site. However, since this is a community, that view is no less important.

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That throw from Ponder was unbelievable

On the run, right between the numbers in a do-or-die situation. It looked even more difficult when they slowed it down for the replay.

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by Eric J. Thompson on Nov 28, 2011 10:53 AM CST reply actions

• Bill Musgrave is not a very good offensive coordinator.

• Example #1: 4th and goal from the one. We have a pretty good play action QB. We have Percy Harvin. Atlanta’s run D is also pretty good. They have 8 in the box. We hand it off to Toby Gerhart up the middle. Loss of 2. Turnover on downs.

You wanted us to go play action? With our O-Line?? There were free men on every thrust at the goal line, we cannot risk that free man sacking Ponder (again) in that situation. Our line was able to make a single gap on three thrusts at the endzone. ONE!! And Percy didn’t find it.

"Let's go our there, and stick our fists through their ribcages, rip our their hearts, eat them, and shit them back out on the field!!" - Blue Mountain State

by Alittlemore_cowbell on Nov 28, 2011 11:02 AM CST reply actions

It’s probably worth noting that not only is Allen’s sack pace cooling off a bit (putting Strahan’s mark in jeopardy), but he’s not even leading the league right now: Demarcus Ware has 14.

Moreover, there’s about 4 other guys with double-digit sacks already, and 3 or 4 others with 9.

All that is to say that as cool as it is to root for Jared Allen’s sack tally, I think it’s an overrated concept. First, sack totals seem to be up for several guys (perhaps a function of a higher volume of pass attempts leaguewide?), and second, it has clearly not produced much in the way of wins.

by jianfu on Nov 28, 2011 11:18 AM CST reply actions

Sneak it

A QB sneak has a lot better chance of getting 1 yard than Toby Gerhart on a handoff in a 3 receiver set. I can’t guarantee it would work, but I would give it a 95% chance for 6 points

SKOL

by MuskieVikesfan on Nov 28, 2011 1:34 PM CST reply actions

You need push for a sneak to work

So far we got no push. None zippo on the one yard line and not one of the O-linemen were in the end zone… Pathetic.

The Vikes aren't in a remodeling or reconstruction they are in a burn the place down and start praying they don't mimic the Lions rebuilding process.

by Grime on Nov 28, 2011 4:29 PM CST up reply actions

I agree Grime

Our o-line wouldn’t have done much better with a less powerful runner trying to score

Hey Green Bay, where's your WNBA title???

by SDVike on Nov 29, 2011 10:00 AM CST up reply actions

You haven't seen a 104 yard anything

that didn’t result in a touchdown because it had NEVER happened before yesterday. The Vikings officially are owners of the longest non-TD play in NFL history, just another infamous record we can tie to the lovely memories this season has and will surely continue to leave us with.

J.P. Bedor, Editor in Chief of Odin's Eye
www.eye-of-odin.blogspot.com

by randymoss on Nov 28, 2011 1:51 PM CST reply actions