DENVER BRONCOS (6-5) |
GAME 12 |
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-9) |
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Date: | 4 December 2011 |
Location: | Minneapolis, MN |
Time: | 12:00 PM Central |
Stadium: | HHH Metrodome |
TV: | FOX DirecTV Ch. 713 |
Know Thy Enemy: | Mile High Report |
Ted's Prediction: |
First 59 Minutes: Vikes 17, Broncos 10 Last Minute: Broncos 14, Vikes 0F |
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Final Score: | Broncos 35, Vikings 32 |
So when you're 2-9, what are you playing for? Well, we still have the best running ba--no, he's out. Well, we have a savvy veteran quart--no, he got released. Okay then. Well, we still have a healthy second--no, every starter is hurt and won't be playing.
Okay then. Play the kids, see what we have.
And hope that Tim Tebow realizes he's a terrible quarterback and acts accordingly. Well, he's not terrible. As Bill Parcells says, you are what your record says you are. And as a starter, Tim Tebow wins a lot more than he loses, style points be damned. But he just looks so bad for 58 minutes, you think you have him dead to rights.
And then in the last two minutes, BOOM. Game over, you lost. How can the Vikings avoid that today?
1) Pressure Tebow The Entire Game
The Broncos QB doesn't have good mechanics, doesn't throw a pretty football, and isn't accurate. If he can be pressured, the Vikings should be able to force turnovers. With Adrian Peterson out, the Vikings are going to need to give the offense a short field, and a couple of turnovers in Denver territory would be awesome.
I think Tim Tebow is a great story, and it's hard not to root for him. Conventional wisdom says he should be a flop, but he's on a roll and got Denver in the middle of the playoff hunt. He gets it done, and at the end of the day that's all that matters. Let's hope the Vikings can stop him for an entire 60 minutes.
2) Stop The Run And Make Denver One Dimensional
I'll give John Fox credit in that when he made Tebow his starter, he designed a spread-type offense that plays to his strength. Personally I don't see it working long term in the NFL, because I look at this as another gimmicky offense like the Run 'n Shoot or the Wildcat. Once it gets on tape enough, it will be countered and neutralized, but for now, it's working. The Vikings must be gap and assignment disciplined, or they will be shredded. It's going to be very important for E.J Henderson, Erin Henderson, and Chad Greenway to stay home and don't allow yards after contact. If they can force Denver into the air, take away Tebow's security blanket and put two guys on WR and former Gopher Eric Decker. I think that will be tough with the makeshift secondary, but I it can be done.
3) MOAR Christian Ponder to Percy Harvin Please
One of the reasons Tebow has such a gaudy record as a starter is because Denver's defense is one of the best in the NFL. With AP out, I don't see the Vikes having a lot of success with Toby Gerhart. Bill Musgrave has done a good job of setting up a mobile pocket with Christian Ponder and moving Harvin from outside, to inside, to the backfield. He'll need to get very creative to keep Ponder upright, and Gerhart and Ponder will have to at least make Denver respect the run to open up passing lanes for the rookie.
Well, we all know how disappointing this has been, but I'd like to say thanks to all of you who continue to come here and follow the Vikes with us in the game threads. It's made a bad season bearable, so let's get in that game thread and hopefully cheer on the Vikes to win number 3!
SSSSSKKKKKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOGAAAAAAAAA!!! (That was my gjallahorn, didjalikeit?)