Daily Norseman - Pre-Season: Vikings Fall To Bills, 20-16The Purple and Gold Standardhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48653/dailynorseman_fave.png2013-08-17T23:02:30-05:00http://www.dailynorseman.com/rss/stream/43914452013-08-17T23:02:30-05:002013-08-17T23:02:30-05:00Vikings At Bills: Pre-Season Game 2 In Pictures
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<figcaption>Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>See, I told you that we'd get these pictures in significantly quicker fashion than we got the ones from the pre-season opener.</p>
<p>We've got 120 pictures of Friday night's contest between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> from Ralph Wilson Stadium. It wasn't a particularly pretty night for the Vikings as they fell by a score of 20-16, but on the bright side the purple and gold were ahead 3-0 when they decided to lift the first teamers. Considering the pressure that the Vikings' offense was under and the fact that they spent most of the time being unable to get out of their own way, it could have been significantly worse than it was.</p>
<p>We hope that you'll enjoy the pictures of the contest that we've got here for you, courtesy of the folks at U.S. Presswire. As I've mentioned, we will attempt to do this for every game this year for your viewing pleasure.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/8/17/4632542/vikings-at-bills-pre-season-game-2-in-picturesChristopher Gates2013-08-17T18:19:36-05:002013-08-17T18:19:36-05:00Jarius Wright Out With A Concussion
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<img alt="Jarius Wright is out with a concussion, suffered Friday night in Buffalo." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fdLGNblMlv7y8vriMB0KBNz0604=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/18029155/20130108_kkt_ah7_443.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jarius Wright is out with a concussion, suffered Friday night in Buffalo. | USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Apparently the Vikings didn't escape Buffalo without any injuries. How long will he be out?</p> <p>Last night, Jarius Wright was in for 23 of 25 plays the first team offense was on the field, catching two passes for 16 yards. What is more important than those numbers, though, is what Dan Wiederer, interpid Star-Tribune Vikings beat writer, tweeted out a little while ago:</p>
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<p align="left">Vikings WR Jarius Wright suffered a concussion Friday. Will have to pass NFL testing protocol before returning to practice.</p>
— Dan Wiederer (@StribDW) <a href="https://twitter.com/StribDW/statuses/368867094453960704">August 17, 2013</a>
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<p>So how big of a deal is this? It's potentially huge. The NFL has gotten a lot stricter on concussion treatments, and that's a good thing. No longer are concussions <a target="_blank" href="http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130725/SPORTS/130725018/NFL-adopts-new-comprehensive-concussion-policy">diagnosed and treated by the team doctor or training staff.</a> Starting this year, there is an independent neurotrauma specialist assigned to each game, and they are responsible for looking at players that might have suffered a concussion.</p>
<p>You can read the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nflevolution.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/NFL-SIDELINE-TOOL-POST-INJURY-2-18-12.pdf">concussion assessment form</a> the NFL uses right here, if you're so inclined. Gone are the days of "what day is it and now get back out there". The assessment, as you can see if you open the link, is now fairly comprehensive and takes about eight minutes to complete on the sideline.</p>
<p>If that independent doctor diagnoses a concussion, that player is treated by either that doctor or another independent doctor, and is given a series of tests, or protocols. Only when the player has successfully passed those tests can he be cleared to play again.</p>
<p>No word on how severe Wright's concussion is, but I don't think it's unreasonable to think the Vikings could keep him out of the last two pre-season games, just to be on the safe side.</p>
<p>For the time being, one would assume this bumps Cordarrelle Patterson to the primary slot guy when the Vikings go three wide. And for when the Vikings go four wide, this could give someone like Stephen Burton, Joe Webb, or one of the other guys at the bottom of the depth chart extra reps and another opportunity to change some minds.</p>
<p>But it could also be one more setback for a first team passing offense that has struggled more than they have found success this pre-season.</p>
<p>Only time will tell.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/8/17/4631936/vikings-wr-jarius-wright-concussion-injuryTed Glover2013-08-17T09:21:46-05:002013-08-17T09:21:46-05:00Vikings-Bills Stock Market Report
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<img alt="Here we see the German Army rolling through the Maginot Line on their way to Paris, largely unopposed." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Qm99vMpt4qLSfnIkJNwHi3jmZzY=/0x730:3508x3069/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/18007703/20130816_ajw_al9_238.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Here we see the German Army rolling through the Maginot Line on their way to Paris, largely unopposed. | Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Spor</figcaption>
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<p>We're looking at the good, the bad, and the ugly in the Vikings 20-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Friday</p> <p>You know, the pre-season is what you make of it. I try not to get too fired up in either direction, win or lose. I really don't care about the final score. Sure it's nice to get a win, don't get me wrong, but quick--without looking it up, what was the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Vikings</a> pre-season record in 2009? How about 2010?</p>
<p>See what I mean? I used to really over emphasize the pre-season, win or lose. I took a win as a sign that the Vikings getting to the playoffs were a mere formality (remember Daunte 'I'm a Jedi' Culpepper's lights out 2005 pre-season?), and a loss meant that it was time to blow everything up and start over (Favre in 2009 comes to mind). But some people take things WAY too seriously. I mean, WAY too seriously:</p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/KooistraMatt">@KooistraMatt</a> are u referring to when a fan said they hope I get gang raped or when they tweet death threats?</p>
— Sam Ponder (@samsteeleponder) <a href="https://twitter.com/samsteeleponder/statuses/368549016197267457">August 17, 2013</a>
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<p>Seriously? IT'S JUST A GAME, FOKKER. A PRE-SEASON GAME AT THAT, FOKKER. Stuff like that embarrasses the entire fan base, and seriously, I hope jackasses like that are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. If you want to be 'that guy' and tweet stupid things to the player, that's one thing (still ridiculously stupid, but whatever), but a player's wife? Again, SERIOUSLY?!?! You're imbalanced, and you should seriously consider a mental health evaluation. And turn in your Vikings fan card. No, wait, turn in your human being card.</p>
<p>That said, I can't say I enjoyed watching the Vikings game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Bills</a>, as they were sloppy. Well, the first team offense was. The first team defense looked pretty good actually, but Bills starter <span>Kevin Kolb</span> was awful.</p>
<p>Because Kevin Kolb.</p>
<p>The first team played into the second quarter, and try as I might, I can't remember one time when the Vikings saw a blitz coming and adjusted to try and negate it. I have two observations about this and if it has been a regular season game. One, I don't think the Bills would have blitzed every...single...play. They have a completely new coaching staff and scheme, so they were going deep into their playbook to make sure their personnel know what they're doing. It's a little unorthodox for a pre-season game, but it's not illegal.</p>
<p>Secondly, the Vikings are still trying to get their passing game down, and were more worried about running their offense than worrying about what Buffalo was doing and trying to counter it. And head coach Leslie Frazier even said as much in his post game press conference last night:</p>
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<p>"We didn't spend a lot of time up in Mankato preparing to play Buffalo. We worked a lot on our team, and that's what we're going to continue to do."</p>
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<p>In the regular season, <span>Adrian Peterson</span> is playing (even the particularly awful Bills broadcasters mentioned this a couple of times), and I would like to think the Vikings, once they had seen what was unfolding, would have run a draw or screen pass. Heck, I'm sure they would have. And I'm just as sure Purple Jesus would've housed at least one of those, because THAT'S WHAT PURPLE JESUS DOES. For whatever reason, they didn't Friday. I'm not going to condemn the team for not doing it Friday--it seemed their focus was on getting their offense on tape and evaluating that, as opposed to countering the Bills defense. And in the pre-season, that's okay.</p>
<p>Because at the end of the day, does it matter? Well, Tripper, does it?</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-TogGxzlfhM" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe> <br id="1376745041618"></p>
<p>Your SMR that just doesn't matter follows.</p>
<h4>Blue Chip Stocks:</h4>
<p><i><b><span>Kyle Rudolph</span>?</b></i>...sure, if there's someone from the first team offense we can pick, let's pick him. Even though he dropped a pass, he still was the only guy on the first 11 that looked like he knew what the hell he was doing out there. 3 catches and 39 yards, including a nice 25 yard catch and run was about the highlight of the night for the first team.</p>
<h4></h4>
<p><i><b>The First Team Defense:</b></i> It's tough to say any one person stuck out, because the run defense was solid, and the secondary looked really sharp. Rookie Xavier Rhodes had a tipped ball that lead to a <span>Jamarca Sanford</span>...what IS that called...it's on the tip of my tongue...INTERCEPTION, THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS. <span>Josh Robinson</span>, playing the nickel, almost had a pick six, and I get the feeling that this is going to be a top shelf unit once we get into the regular season. Now, we must temper this a bit because the starting quarterback was Kevin Kolb, but still, I liked what I saw.</p>
<h4>Solid Investments:</h4>
<p><i><b><span>Joe Banyard</span>, RB:</b></i> I think right now you can make a solid case for the Vikings keeping Banyard, <span>Zach Line</span>, or <span>Bradley Randle</span>. Last week, Randle and Line played well, and this week it was Banyrad's turn. He showed nice vision and speed on his 38 yard burst in the second half, and really stood out among the three. Randle probably had the poorest showing, but he wasn't terrible. Line only touched the ball once, and that was a 12 yard reception, but on Banyard's 38 yard run he blew up the linebacker at the point of attack. Last week I thought <span>Matt Asiata</span> was safe; this week, I'm not so sure.</p>
<p><i><b>MacLeod Bethel-Thompson:</b></i> I almost dialed up KFAN on iHeart radio last night to listen to Vikings fan line to see how many folks think it's time for Thompson to be named the Vikings starting quarterback, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN MINNESOTA. I liked what Thompson did Friday, and he had a good rapport with his backup receivers. He's a solid number three quarterback, for whatever that's worth in today's market.</p>
<h4>Junk Bonds:</h4>
<p><i><b>The first team offense, minus Rudolph:</b></i> If I could use a WWII analogy, Ponder was France, the Bills were the German Wermacht, and the Vikings big uglies were the Maginot Line. Rudolph was the French Resistance, but everyone else? Yeah, pretty much got blitzkrieged. Ponder was running for his life, <span>Matt Kalil</span> perfected the "lookout block" technique, and <span>John Sullivan</span> demonstrated his otherworldly strength by snapping a football 30 yards behind him.</p>
<p><i><b><span>Matt Cassel</span>:</b></i> The second team offense wasn't much better, but again, I think a lot of this goes to the Vikings and their decision to concentrate on what they waned to do as opposed to try and counter what Buffalo was doing. But yeah, Cassel threw a pick and was running around so much it looked like he was auditioning for 'Dancing With The Stars'. Pre-season football fever, catch it!</p>
<h4>Buy/Sell:</h4>
<p><i><b>Buy: The new road uniforms. </b></i>I like them. If I have a beef on anything about the new uniforms, it's the weird edges on the numbers. But I like the look. Very nice balance between retro and a new look.</p>
<p><i><b>Sell: Not wearing the purple pants: </b></i>One of the reasons I liked the uniform changes in 2006 was because they added the purple pants. I think I'm one of the few fans that actually like them, and with the new striping down the side of the leg, I think they look cool. Hope we see them from time to time.</p>
<p><i><b>Buy: Not game planning in the pre season.</b></i> Look, this is the time where you try and get game reps and continuity with your first team, and not get anyone hurt. It wasn't pretty to watch, but I understand the philosophy of what the Vikings did.</p>
<p><i><b>Sell: Not running at least one screen pass or draw play. </b></i>I mean, it's not like the Vikings don't have screen passes or draws in the playbook, and really, how much valuable information can you glean from the Vikings first team offensive line playing Olly Olly Oxen free the whole time they were out there? Ponder's lateral running ability, or maybe his backpedal? At least no one was hurt, so we'll call it a night and get ready for the next game.</p>
<p><i><b>Buy: Rodney Smith's nice TD catch.</b></i> It was a nice outside shoulder throw by Thompson that Smith had to adjust for by doing a 180. He went up, got the ball at the highest point, and boom, our lone highlight of the evening, for the most part. Nice effort.</p>
<p><i><b>Sell: Joe Webb making the team.</b></i> I didn't see a noticeable drop in <span>Joe Webb's</span> play, but I didn't see any improvement, either. When you combine that with the fact that <span>Stephen Burton</span> has picked it up as a receiver and a special teams guy (had a TD called back on a kickoff return), and guys at the bottom of the roster coming on (Smith and <span>Chris Summers</span> looked good, for the most part), I'm finding it harder and harder for Webb to find a seat at the table when the music stops.</p>
<h4>"Coach wants to see you. Bring Your Playbook":</h4>
<p>Since my father doesn't really watch pre-season football, his quote of the week will return for week 1. In it's place, we'll add this section, because last night, there were two guys that might as well get a visit from The Turk today.</p>
<p><i><b><span>James Vandenberg</span>, QB: </b></i>He didn't play, and at one point when the Vikings third team was on the field, the camera shot went to Thompson as he was getting ready to line up over center. In the background, the camera angle caught Vandenberg, helmet on, arms cross, all the weight on one leg--the ultimate 'I'm gooned' look imaginable. That's because you are, James. You are.</p>
<p><i><b><span>Tyrone McKenzie</span>, LB:</b></i> He was out of position more often than not, and was called for holding on Burton's kickoff return TD, negating a score. For a guy fighting for a roster spot, that's NOT HOW YOU DO IT.</p>
<p>So, we hit the halfway point of the pre-season. The Vikings definitely have some things they need to clean up, but I refuse to press the panic button over what transpired last night. The third pre-season game is generally the dress rehearsal game, if you will--they will do some game planning, and the starters will play into the third quarter. If they look okay next week, I'll be fine. If they put on a shitshow like we saw against Buffalo...well, I'll be worried until we get to the first game.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/8/17/4630178/vikings-vs-Bills-game-score-recapTed Glover2013-08-16T23:57:18-05:002013-08-16T23:57:18-05:00Vikings Sloppy In 20-16 Loss To Buffalo
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<figcaption>Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a> fell to 0-2 in the 2013 pre-season with a 20-16 loss on Friday night to the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buffalo Bills</a> at Ralph Wilson Stadium.</p>
<p>I haven't had an opportunity to watch the entire game. . .I'll have a more in-depth look at things after I get a chance to watch the replay. . .but I did get to see the first half. Frankly, there's no way to sugar coat things. . .the first team offense looked like hot garbage (with the exception of <span>Kyle Rudolph</span>, and even he had a dropped pass). The offensive line was getting killed during the entire portion of the game that I saw, as the Bills constantly brought extra rushers and the Vikings didn't appear to make any real adjustments. Even Matt Kalil got beaten pretty badly a couple of times. I'm not going to start to panic, because it is only the pre-season, but this is something that needs to get figured out.</p>
<p>Even when the offense was set up to succeed in this one, they managed to screw it up. A <span>Jamarca Sanford</span> interception off of a deflection by rookie <span>Xavier Rhodes</span> gave the Vikings the ball at the Buffalo 31-yard line, but on the first play of the ensuing drive, center <span>John Sullivan</span> snapped the ball early. The ball went well over Christian Ponder's head, resulting in a 14-yard loss. <span>Blair Walsh</span> missed a field goal to cap that drive.</p>
<p>Ponder struggled as the offensive line did, finishing just 5-for-12 for 53 yards. Rudolph was the recipient of 39 of those yards on three catches.</p>
<p>Conversely, I thought the first team defense looked pretty good. I mentioned Xavier Rhodes having the deflection that led to an interception for the Vikings, and the Vikings' starting defense forced the Bills to punt four times in five drives to go along with that interception.</p>
<p>The play of the offensive line in this one, and the offense in general, is cause for some worry, to be sure. Hopefully the Vikings will have an answer for this going into next weekend's game, a prime time. . .well, as "prime time" as you can get in the pre-season, anyway. . .tilt with the defending NFC Champion <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Francisco 49ers</a> on Sunday Night Football.</p>
<p>Again, we'll have more on this game over the course of the next day or two.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/8/16/4630228/vikings-at-bills-final-score-minnesota-looks-sloppy-in-20-16-loss-toChristopher Gates2013-08-16T19:30:08-05:002013-08-16T19:30:08-05:00Vikings At Bills: Second Half Open Thread
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<img alt="Because we might not be able to use pictures of James Vandenberg for that much longer." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TDj5ofHXGgPsGfzytu4uj1OhljQ=/0x170:2667x1948/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/17988391/20130809_jrc_ah7_087.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Because we might not be able to use pictures of James Vandenberg for that much longer. | Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>We're either awaiting or into the second half of the second pre-season game of the year between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> in upstate New York. (As I said in the first half thread, I'm probably just getting to work as you're reading this, so I'm not totally sure.)</p>
<p>We'll attempt to have a recap of this game up as quickly as we possibly can after it finishes. In the meantime, feel free to use this thread to talk about some of the guys currently down the depth chart a bit that are getting some time to shine in their efforts to make the roster.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone that's come to the Game Threads to hang out tonight. . .it's going to be good practice for everyone that's going to be hanging out here when the regular season gets underway. If you haven't been part of the Game Threads prior to this season, I think most of the long-timers can tell you that it's quite an experience to be a part of during the regular season action.</p>
<p>Enjoy the second half of action, ladies and gentlemen!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/8/16/4629558/vikings-at-bills-second-half-open-threadChristopher Gates2013-08-16T17:00:05-05:002013-08-16T17:00:05-05:00Vikings At Bills: First Half Open Thread
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<figcaption>Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sport</figcaption>
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<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" border="1" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0px;" width="454" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#431668" width="192"><font color="#f1b928"><strong>MINNESOTA VIKINGS</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="70"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>PRE 2</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#0f3356" width="192"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>BUFFALO BILLS</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="192"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1344158/newdnlogo.jpg" height="200" width="250" style="vertical-align: middle;"></td> <td align="center" style="font-size: 23px; vertical-align: middle;" bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="70"><h1>@</h1></td> <td align="center" width="192"><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/70/large_buffalorumblings.com.full.53966.png" height="200" width="250" style="vertical-align: middle;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" border="1" align="center" height="146" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="546" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100"><strong>Date:</strong></td> <td width="159">16 August 2013<br> </td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106"><strong>Location:</strong></td> <td width="127">Buffalo, NY</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100"><strong>Time:</strong></td> <td width="159">6:00 PM Central</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106"><strong>Stadium:</strong></td> <td width="127">Ralph Wilson Stadium</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>TV:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="159">KARE-11</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>Radio:</strong></td> <td width="127"> <a href="http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/radio.html" target="_blank">Vikings Radio Network</a><br>XM Ch. 226 (BUF feed)<br>Sirius Ch. 157</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>TV Announcers:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="159">Paul Allen<br>Pete Bercich</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>Know Thy Foe:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="127"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.buffalorumblings.com">Buffalo Rumblings</a></td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100"><strong>Line:</strong></td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan="3"><strong>No, seriously, why are you betting on NFL pre-season games?</strong></td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="100"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Chris' Prediction:</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>As long as there are no injuries, who cares?</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100"><strong>Final Score:</strong></td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan="3"></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<p><br>Just like last year, here are the ground rules for the Game Threads:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not promote illegal feeds of today's game, or I shall kick thy arse to the curb until the game is over. Thou hast been warned.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt make an attempt to keep the swearing to a minimum. Understandable that it will slip occasionally, but do try to limit it. (And, really, it's pre-season, folks.)</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not feed the trolls. Rather, thou shall simply point them out, and they shall be banished to the fires of Mordor. Or Wisconsin. Whichever we feel is more harsh at the time.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not engage in racist, sexist, or other such insulting rhetoric. Somebody disagreeing with you does not make them racist or sexist. It means they disagree with you. Talk it out like adults.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not bait the fans of other teams into trolling.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Basically, thou shalt not be a jackwagon in the game thread.</em></strong></p>
<p>We're going to do an Open Thread for each half in this one, much like we did for the pre-season opener last week. Unfortunately, since I'm going to be stuck working for a portion of this game and am unsure who from the rest of the crew will actually be watching the game live, I will pre-schedule the second half thread to pop up at approximately 7:30 PM Central time. I'll have to reserve my own judgments on the game for later on, after I get a chance to kick back and watch it. (Thank you, NFL Game Pass.)</p>
<p>So, what am I looking for this evening?</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">1) No serious injuries</em> - The same thing we're looking for in every pre-season game, Pinky.</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">2) MOAR STARTERS</em> - In last week's contest, the starters. . .particularly the offense. . .were out of the game before we could really get a good look at them. This week, the starters are scheduled to play a quarter, so hopefully we'll have a better opportunity to see how things are looking for the guys that will take the field in Detroit in a few weeks.</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">3) How is the secondary coming together?</em> - This week will bring us the debut of rookie <span>Xavier Rhodes</span>, who missed last week's contest with an injury. It will be interesting to see how the secondary is gelling at this point and how Rhodes works with <span>Chris Cook</span>, Harrison Smith, <span>Jamarca Sanford</span>, and Josh Robinson. With <span>Kevin Kolb</span> getting the start at quarterback, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Vikings</a> should be able to get some pressure. Can the secondary hang with the Buffalo receivers?</p>
<p>We're about an hour away from kickoff here, folks. . .remember, the second half thread will automatically pop up at about 7:30 PM Central time, so be on the lookout for it.</p>
<p>SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/8/16/4627430/vikings-at-bills-first-half-open-threadChristopher Gates2013-08-16T07:55:05-05:002013-08-16T07:55:05-05:00Preview: How the Buffalo Bills Test the Vikings
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<img alt="Pretend he's a wide receiver in this picture. Joe Webb!" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1vZIfcG1QD9qbVny_3tV_ODhb1A=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/17954001/20120817_mje_ah7_239.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Pretend he's a wide receiver in this picture. Joe Webb! | Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Arif broke down the Buffalo Bills to see exactly how they can challenge the Vikings. The Bills have a lot to offer as exhibition opponents and look like a great Week Two matchup.</p> <p>Preview: Bills Game</p>
<p>Ted's excellent post broke down what to look for in the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buffalo Bills</a> game, and there's nothing to add to his breakdown.</p>
<p>Instead, it behooves us to take a look at what the Buffalo Bills have to offer in their game against us in New York, as the only professional football team that plays in the state of New York (because the New York Dragons have folded, and the New York Sentinels moved to Hartford, Connecticut. Before folding).</p>
<p>We won't see the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Vikings</a> line up against <span>Stevie Johnson</span> or <span>Kiko Alonso</span>, which is too bad-both look like precautionary rests, as Johnson is at the tail end of his recovery from a hamstring issue and Alonso, though medically cleared, will be forced to rest his shoulder.</p>
<p>Given that <span>T.J. Graham</span> is also out, the Vikings will see a good rotation of receivers, including <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/4/23/4255894/Minnesota-Vikings-NFL-Draft-Arifs-Vikings-specific-Big-Board-Wide-Receivers-Tier-1-2-3/in/3952781">my third, fourth and 17th-ranked</a> rookie wide receivers. The combination of speed, technique and intelligence from that receiver corps should give even veterans like <span>Chris Cook</span> a difficult time.</p>
<p>This will be a fantastic way to test out the concepts the Vikings are willing to roll with, not just with <span>Xavier Rhodes</span>, Chris Cook and <span>Josh Robinson</span> (or Harrison Smith and <span>Jamarca Sanford</span>) but throughout the roster, given how quickly the Bills ended up becoming deep at receiver.</p>
<p>Anyone watching the Bills may eventually get tired of hearing about the high-tempo "no-huddle" offense that teams around the league have increasingly adopted. What's interesting is that Doug Marrone and Nathaniel Hackett have decided not just to implement some of their Syracuse playbook, but dig into the K-gun that made Jim Kelly famous and quickly allowed the Bills to join the Vikings as having four unsuccessful <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl" class="sbn-auto-link">Super Bowl</a> appearances.</p>
<p>Hey, 0-4 is better than 0-0.</p>
<p>But it would be lazy to describe their offense as a no-huddle. That's not an offense, it's a tactic.</p>
<p>The Bills will bring a variety of offensive formations and tactics, but will likely keep a philosophy similar to Jim Kelly's offense in Buffalo, which is fundamentally the Run and Shoot Offense that people think died in the 1980s. Somewhat similar to the scheme run in New York under former ‘Shoot coordinator Kevin Gilbride, I wouldn't be surprised if the modern twist on the Buffalo offense is also designed to be entirely reactive.</p>
<p>Given that Marrone has spent some time with a heavy ‘Shoot offense like the <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Saints</a>, don't be shocked to see similar concepts.</p>
<p>Aside from the philosophical tension between keeping a pro-active tempo with a reactive scheme, Buffalo will do its best to make sure that matchups and options dictate its approach. For this they'll use a variety of formations.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064887/Bills_in_I-Form.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Bills_in_i-form_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064887/Bills_in_I-Form_medium.png"></a> <br id="1376656827351"></p>
<p>The Bills didn't actually run too many shotgun snaps with three-wide (their preferred passing formation), instead choosing to play their primary personnel in power formations.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064895/Bills_in_Strong_I.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Bills_in_strong_i_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064895/Bills_in_Strong_I_medium.png"></a> <br id="1376656866319"></p>
<p>It's not surprising that it's a run-heavy offense. I've been saying for months that <span>C.J. Spiller</span> is going to end up as a top-five running back in fantasy circles because he'll get a heavy load. It's not only that the Bills will likely field a rookie quarterback in <span>E.J. Manuel</span> (or a terrible one in <span>Kevin Kolb</span>), but that even with <span>Ryan Nassib</span>, the offensive coordinator (who travelled with Marrone from Syracuse to Buffalo) ran the ball twice as often as he passed it.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064903/Bills_in_K-Gun.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Bills_in_k-gun_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064903/Bills_in_K-Gun_medium.png"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" class="text8">Marv Levy loved the 2x1/3x1 set with the running back set to the weak side</p>
<p>Up-tempo doesn't always mean passing the ball.</p>
<p>It looks like an offense that likes the play-action pass as a way to move the ball downfield, but not one that lacks its own set of pass concepts independent of the running game.</p>
<p>Of the 44 passes thrown in the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Colts</a> game (and remember, they were ahead for much of it), 10 were play-action. That doesn't compare to the <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Eagles</a> (23 of 47) or the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Seahawks</a> (11 of ... 17), but it's a heavy enough dose to pay attention to.</p>
<p>More on that later.</p>
<p>The Bills ran the ball 40 times, although six of them were marked as quarterback runs. At least two of them were scrambles by E.J. Manuel. There were some brief instances of read-option plays (one was a run-option and the other a pass-option, as far as I could tell) with E.J. Manuel, but Manuel did not keep the ball and run on those options.</p>
<p>I did not log the game as closely as I did the Vikings game, but it's clear that the Bills will, on occasion, use their quarterback as a run threat.</p>
<p>It looks to be a largely zone-running system that should take advantage of Spiller's skill-set, allowing him to read the blocks and make his own decisions about which lanes to choose. He jumps the gun a little early in terms of gap commitment, but it has worked out so far.</p>
<p>For this the Vikings will need to maintain gap integrity more than they have to spill into the backfield and make plays, although Floyd, Williams and Greenway should be fine moving downhill to the running back without giving up too much in terms of gap discipline.</p>
<p>This sort of running is prevalent, and the Vikings will see a bit of zone-type running in their schedule this season. Nailing down their assignments on inside and outside zone runs will be important.</p>
<p>The linebackers will have critical functions, and <span>Erin Henderson</span>, <span>Audie Cole</span> and <span>Michael Mauti</span> will have a lot of leeway to attack and make plays at the line of scrimmage against these types of runs. If they can bottle up Spiller and Jackson, they should be set against the wide variety of running attacks they'll see throughout the season.</p>
<p>The schedule is filled with talent (Carolina and Seattle), scheme (Philadelphia) and lethal combinations (Washington and Baltimore) in the running game, but also some softies (Green Bay and Detroit). They know how to attack power running schemes, but zone schemes require constant refinement.</p>
<p>In the passing game, the Bills will play a little looser with their routes. Instead of orienting themselves around timing schemes, they'll play with option routes and make sure that they attack the defense that they see.</p>
<p>Last week, the Vikings functionally ran three basic defenses-a Cover-3 with combined man coverage and zone concepts, a Cover-1 that largely used man coverage and a Cover-2 in the two minute drill that Vikings fans should be familiar with.</p>
<p>Against the Cover-1 and Cover-3 the Bills will have their receivers option to the outside and try to pull the deep safety to one edge or the other. Against the Cover-2, they'll try to attack the inside to stress the zones that the Vikings will have. Given their unbalanced receiver sets, also expect them to overload a zone on the weak side of their formation.</p>
<p>That means that the Vikings corners will have to rely on tight passing windows and reactive play. The physical style of defense that Chris Cook and Xavier Rhodes are known for (and Josh Robinson isn't a slouch there either) will be relatively less useful against this offense than others because of the propensity for the Bills to throw receivers open instead of simply hitting anticipation routes at predetermined times.</p>
<p>At a fundamental level, this will test the basic coverage ability of the Vikings' corners. Reading individual receivers will be important, not just because they don't have tendencies on film in a big way, but because the receivers will be relatively autonomous in their decision-making.</p>
<p>That also means the pass-rush will be more important in this type of game than many others because the offense, by design, may find itself in many situations where the quarterback will hold on to the ball for a little longer. If they can't create pressure, the defense will crack open.</p>
<p>On the other side of the ball, the Vikings face a real challenge. Even though <span>Jairus Byrd</span> is holding out for a better contract, <span>Da'Norris Searcy</span> is an underrated safety and <span>Stephon Gilmore</span> is poised to step up and become one of the league's best young cornerbacks.</p>
<p><span>Bryan Scott</span> and <span>Nigel Bradham</span> have an unusually good ability to create tackles and make plays despite the defense's relative inability to stop drives, and Bradham grabbed a tackle on 14.2 percent of the plays he was in. The average for an outside linebacker was eight percent.</p>
<p>He's a solid pass-rusher and should be one to watch out for as the Vikings set their protections against a confusing defense. In IDP leagues, Bradham is a sleeper to keep an eye on, and worth a late draft pick in deep leagues.</p>
<p>More importantly, Mike Pettine, formerly of the <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Jets</a>, is willing not just to play with 3-4 and 4-3 alignments, but also gap concepts. Preparing for this kind of defense is extremely difficult.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064927/Buffalo_-_One_Gap_-_Six_Person_Blitz.png"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064927/Buffalo_-_One_Gap_-_Six_Person_Blitz_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Buffalo_-_one_gap_-_six_person_blitz_medium"></a></p>
<p class="text8" style="text-align: center;">One-Gap Blitzes on Blitzes from the Buffalo Billzez</p>
<p>When I talked to <span>Charlie Johnson</span> about the Buffalo game, he made no bones about the difficulty of a front like that.</p>
<p>"We've seen it from their preseason game last week; their first series or their first team defense when they were out there threw three or four different looks that you don't normally see for a first preseason game," he said of Buffalo's surprising aggressiveness.</p>
<p>Expect even more this time around.</p>
<p>"That's his MO," he said of Pettine. "So you know you're going to see, especially with them being home now, five or six different things, but it's good though. We're prepared for it."</p>
<p>Not that the transition would be easy. The Bills ran perhaps the most vanilla front four concepts in the NFL last year (limiting their otherwise excellent pass-rushers), so moving from a defense that will mix up gap concepts and split different people in and out of gaps will be tough.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064943/Buffalo_-_Two_Gap_-_Run_Defense.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Buffalo_-_two_gap_-_run_defense_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3064943/Buffalo_-_Two_Gap_-_Run_Defense_medium.png"></a> <br id="1376657399792"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" class="text8">Buffalo Bills Also Block Bodies</p>
<p>Johnson mentioned that this sort of complexity may not just make it difficult for the Vikings, but also the Bills.</p>
<p>"You get a guy who's classic 4-3 defensive end, and you see a lot of times those guys try to convert to be on that outside linebacker trying get used to dropping and all that stuff and it can be a little bit of a transition.</p>
<p>"I can imagine playing D line if you get used to one scheme for so long and have to switch, it probably would be a little bit difficult."</p>
<p>It won't be easy lining up against <span>Marcell Dareus</span> and Kyle Williams, however. Both are top-tier players at their position and if the Vikings want to stop the pass rush from <span>Mario Williams</span> and <span>Alex Carrington</span>, they'll need to prevent the interior from overloading the protection.</p>
<p>"I don't know if you ever look forward to two guys like that, but it's a good challenge."</p>
<p>The Vikings will have a complicated task ahead of them. <span>John Sullivan</span> will be even more important than usual in this game, because calling out the "Mike" for protection schemes or run blocking fits will be critical to make the offense move forward. His calls will determine who blocks who and how.</p>
<p>While the rules for zone blocking are designed to be relatively simple, an "odd" or "even" call from the center changes who the line will react. If Toby Gerhart is to get any room running the ball, the offensive line will need to maintain their communication and reads.</p>
<p>The Vikings will mix it up with a healthy power-running game as well, and read-react type blocks will be even more important. Fusco and Loadholt will have to be more comfortable than they were last year making plays up on the second level, and Gerhart can't hesitate-in order to get a man advantage when blocking, the Vikings will often leave the backside defensive end (or outside linebacker, as the case may be) completely unblocked.</p>
<p>Some of the areas that <span>Christian Ponder</span> needs to improve upon from last year will be front and center against a complicated Buffalo defense. The coverage tends to be man coverage with a Cover-1 shell-that enables blitzes-but the Bills here are at least a little less aggressive than they are up front.</p>
<p>Designed to limit gains instead of create turnovers from the CBs (that's what Byrd is for), they prefer to let their safeties do free-wheeling and the pressure from the front create the turnovers from what they see in the offense.</p>
<p>That means Ponder will be tasked with recognizing and reading defenses and making sure to key in on blitz adjustments, not just in coverage but in route patterns. Reading defenses has been marked as an issue in the past for him, so this will be another test of how the offense adjusts to a shifting defensive look.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the Vikings' best game plan against the Bills won't test a different weakness of Ponder's, but they may throw in some things to make sure he can improve (or show the improvement that he's made).</p>
<p>Specifically, the deep ball is not a great idea against a defense so willing to allow short gains and one that salivates over jumping and doubling the deeper routes.</p>
<p>Should the Vikings test these deeper routes, Ponder will be asked to play with remarkable anticipation and ball placement, as mistakes further deep create interceptions more often than up close. This type of coverage demands difficult throws to the sidelines and in exclusive real estate for receivers.</p>
<p>On intermediate throws, he'll have a bit more of a window than against most defenses, so he has some wiggle room in regards to ball placement-they are concerned with limiting those big gains from underneath and are willing to play so that they can tackle or hit the receiver instead of jump the route.</p>
<p>That said, with so many defensive players in trail technique, he'll have to lead his receivers. Timing may be an issue as Buffalo likes to play with some physicality at the line, but adapting to these timing changes is part of being an NFL quarterback.</p>
<p>From the standpoint of developing a quarterback, the Vikings should commit to an "unwise" gameplan of making sure there are routes that go vertical, and may even want to test the deep safety (who should often be <span>Aaron Williams</span>) with several deep-breaking routes. But because Minnesota wants to make sure they can work on chemistry, the receivers should play their option-routes like the defense demands it.</p>
<p>That could lead to a lot of calls that initially have receivers go deep, but check into intermediate routes as a result of what they see. With trailing techniques and a clear MOFC (Middle of the Field Covered) read on most plays, this shouldn't happen too often, but expect it to limit the offense.</p>
<p>Overloading a side to prevent double-teams may help, and we may see <span>Kyle Rudolph</span> open up outside receivers by attacking the deep middle of the field (which may be inappropriately called the seam during the game) and pulling the safety away from the outside.</p>
<p>Hopefully, we can see Christian Ponder command a defense not only to stay consistent, but potent. Ball placement will be important, but coverage reads will be even more critical. His deep ball anticipation may not be a question that's really answered in the game, but should at least be tested given the nature of his development.</p>
<p>The Bills could be an underrated team heading into the season, but more importantly they'll be a team that should provide some important challenges for a Vikings offense that has its fair share of questions.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/8/16/4627542/preview-how-the-buffalo-bills-will-test-the-minnesota-vikings-nfl-preseason-week-twoArif Hasan2013-08-15T13:00:04-05:002013-08-15T13:00:04-05:005 Good Questions With Buffalo Rumblings
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<figcaption>Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Getting to know this week's opponent, the Buffalo Bills, thanks to Brian Galliford from Buffalo Rumblings</p> <p>The Vikings take on Buffalo Friday night in Buffalo, and it will be the second pre-season game for both teams. The Bills aren't a team we play on a regular basis, so we thought it would be nice to find out a little bit about what's going on with them. Brian Galliford, one of the editors over at the SB Nation Bills site <a href="http://www.buffalorumblings.com/" target="new">Buffalo Rumblings</a>, was kind enough to answer our questions.</p>
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<p>You can find <a href="http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2013/8/15/4624206/bills-vs-vikings-five-good-questions-with-daily-norseman" target="new">my answers to his questions</a> on BR right here. Thanks to Brian and the good folks at Buffalo Rumblings.</p>
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<p><b>1. In one of your questions to me you paid the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Vikings</a> a nice compliment, saying they were the envy of the first round of the draft. I hate to be 'that guy', but the Bills were largely panned for drafting QB <span>E.J. Manuel</span> in the first round, as most 'experts' thought it was way too high and a reach. What was the overall feeling of Bills fans regarding Manuel, how has he looked so far, and will he win the starting job against <span>Kevin Kolb</span>?</b></p>
<p>Fun fact: never before in the history of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> franchise had the team taken a quarterback with their top overall pick in any NFL Draft. (They hadn't taken a quarterback in the first round since J.P. Losman, either.) Bills fans craved a franchise-level investment in a quarterback, and that's exactly what they got in Manuel. There was some consternation early from fans that preferred a different quarterback prospect, but after catching a glimpse of Manuel's physical gifts this summer, that rhetoric has died down for the moment. Right now, Manuel has the lead on Kevin Kolb in the starting quarterback race, and unless he flops (or Kolb is lights out) over the next couple of weeks, the expectation is that Manuel will be leading the Bills into a Week 1 battle with New England. (Gulp.)</p>
<p><b>2. Doug who? The Bills have a new coach in Doug Marrone, who is looking to get the Bills over .500 for the first time since 2004. What are your thoughts on a guy that is largely an unknown quantity outside of upstate New York, and what is his coaching philosophy on offense and defense?</b></p>
<p>At his heart, Doug Marrone is a blue-collar, in-the-trenches coach - he was an offensive lineman in his playing days, and made his name as an offensive line coach with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">Jets</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/">Saints</a> (where he also held the title of offensive coordinator). He then spent four years at Syracuse, his alma mater, taking a program that had gone 10-37 under its previous coach and turning them into a 25-25 outfit with two bowl wins in four years, producing NFL-caliber talent along the way (most notably Ryan Nassib and <span>Justin Pugh</span>, who are now both with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a>). He's aggressive on offense and defense - Nathaniel Hackett is running an offense nearly as fast as Chip Kelly's, and Mike Pettine brings his multiple fronts and blitz-heavy philosophies from the Jets - and had the Bills looking well-coached in their preseason opener in Indianapolis. So far, so good - but, like every coach, he'll go as Manuel goes.</p>
<p><b>3. The Bills seemed to hit the free agent jackpot with the signing of DE <span>Mario Williams</span> last year, and although he had 10.5 sacks, Williams had a fairly anonymous season as the defense was largely disappointing, getting gashed on the ground all season. What did the Bills do to address the defense, and has it shown any results so far?</b></p>
<p>Pettine would be the big difference, as his scheme is different from departing coordinator Dave Wannstedt's in every way imaginable. They'll split time between five or six different fronts and personnel groupings, and the words "hybrid" and "versatile" have been worn out since January. Personnel-wise, there haven't been major changes - <span>Manny Lawson</span> will likely be the only starter that wasn't with the team in 2012, and we're still not sure when <span>Jairus Byrd</span> will show up - so for now, they're banking on getting the most out of the talent on hand.</p>
<p><b>4. Much like the Vikings, the Bills seem to have most of their offensive weapons in place, as <span>C.J. Spiller</span> and <span>Fred Jackson</span> make a good RB tandem, and Steve Johnson is a legitimate #1 WR. But Johnson has had his controversial moments, and his antics seem to be a distraction for the team at times. Is he worth all the drama, or has the new coaching staff put him on notice at all?</b></p>
<p>You know, Stevie's antics are sort of overblown, I think. He's a bit of an eccentric personality, and once in a while he'll do something stupid that actually affects the team (celebration penalties, mostly), but on the whole he's a really unique, consistent and productive receiver that's a good dude and a family man. He's a bit of a self-promoter, but he seems to mature a little bit more each off-season - which is good, since he's now the veteran presence in the receiver room. In no way is he on notice with the new coaches; he's the clear-cut No. 1 guy, and that won't change for quite a while.</p>
<p><b>5. What are your biggest training camp battles going on right now, and who are the guys we should we be paying attention to at those positions Friday night?</b></p>
<p>The quarterback job is the big one; Kolb will be making his preseason debut on Friday, so it'll be the first time we get to see both he and Manuel in a game situation. A big game from rookie receiver <span>Marquise Goodwin</span> could sew up a fairly prominent offensive role for him, and he's already proven to be an electrifying returner. There's a battle going on at left guard, but let's be honest - Vikings fans aren't going to pay attention to Buffalo's left guards. <span>Jerry Hughes</span> and <span>Jamie Blatnick</span> are competing for a situational pass-rushing role, so they'll be more noticeable (ideally, anyway). We'll be paying close attention to the cornerback position, which has struggled mightily in camp. We're hoping that someone will step up there.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2013/8/15/4622872/five-good-questions-with-buffalo-rumblingsTed Glover