Daily Norseman - NFL Week 16: Minnesota Vikings at Miami DolphinsThe Purple and Gold Standardhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48653/dailynorseman_fave.png2014-12-21T20:35:30-06:00http://www.dailynorseman.com/rss/stream/71694262014-12-21T20:35:30-06:002014-12-21T20:35:30-06:00Stock Market Report: Dolphins
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<figcaption>Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Well, that was about as fun as walking into an ambush.</p> <p>There are ways to lose football games, and then there are ways to lose football games.</p>
<p>It seems that only the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Vikings</a> could lose a football game in that manner, though, doesn't it? I mean, a blocked punt for a safety? Jeez. Oh wait. It was the culmination of a lot of things, to be honest. Multiple defensive breakdowns, a Vikings turnover, and so many bad officiating calls that the game should have been sponsored by the replacement refs petitioning for reinstatement.</p>
<p>Still, for as bad as the defense and the ending was, the one current in these games is the continued development of Teddy Bridgewater. He keeps getting better and better, and for awhile, it looked like his homecoming was going to be a pretty successful one.</p>
<p>Until the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a> safety. And the obligatory Dolphins celebratory dances. Safety. Dance. Hmmmm...</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6pOq4hyoX9g" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><i>And say, we can dance, we can dance<br>Everything's out of control<br>We can dance, we can dance<br>They're doing it from pole to pole<br>We can dance, we can dance<br>Everybody look at your hands<br>We can dance, we can dance<br>Everybody's taking the chance<br>Safety dance<br>Oh well, the safety dance<br>Ah yes, the safety dance</i></p>
<p>The SMR that won't let <span>Ryan Tannehill</span> throw for four bills follows.</p>
<h4>Blue Chip Stocks:</h4>
<p><b><i>Teddy Bridgewater, QB:</i></b> Earlier this week, Jim Souhan <a target="_blank" href="http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/286476641.html">wrote a column</a> that implored us all to quit comparing Bridgewater to <span>Christian Ponder</span>, and I thought to myself, 'who is still doing that?' I mean, it was kind of a stupid premise to begin with, to be honest, and Bridgewater, once again, had a very good game against the Dolphins. His two TD throws were on a dime to <span>Greg Jennings</span> and <span>Jarius Wright</span>, he ran the offense efficiently and smoothly in spite of subpar offensive line play, and once again engineered a fourth quarter comeback. His interception was more of a Matt Asiata fumble, yet Bridgewater came back time and again to get the Vikings in a position to win.</p>
<p>This season has been disappointing in terms of wins and losses, and off the field distractions, but the reason this team is better is due in large part to one guy--Theodore Edmond Bridgewater II. And the better he gets, the better this team will get. You can agree with me or not, but the Vikings FINALLY have a guy that can play quarterback at an above average level in the NFL, and that's going to make this team better moving forward.</p>
<h4>Solid Investments:</h4>
<p><b><i><span>Chase Ford</span> and <span>Rhett Ellison</span>, TE: </i></b> With Kyle Rudolph out, again, it felt like the tight end position was pretty much going to be forgotten for the last two games. Rudolph had finally started to come on, but with him out of the lineup, it seemed like the tight end was going to fade into the background again. But Ellison and Ford combined had 3 catches for 69 yards, and Ford had a touchdown that wasn't at the end of the first half. Seriously, if you can't call what appeared to be a clear touchdown a, you know, touchdown, then why the hell should we even have replay? But that was just one of about 27 horrid, HORRID calls in this game, though.</p>
<p><b><i><span>Blair Walsh</span>, K:</i></b> After what we all hope was a bottoming out game last week, Walsh got back on track kicking, going 2/2 in field goal attempts, and a nifty pooch kickoff that ended up giving the Vikings the ball on the Dolphins six after <span>Jarvis Landry</span> fumbled the pooch kick. The Vikes ended up scoring on the next play, and you kind of felt they had finally put the Dolphins away. Only until they didn't.</p>
<h4><b>Junk Bonds:</b></h4>
<p><b style="font-style: italic;">The Vikings secondary: </b></p>
<p><i><b></b>//Prosecuting attorney rises from his desk, adjusts glasses, clears his throat and approaches the jury</i></p>
<p>Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Ryan Tannehill threw for 396 yards and four touchdowns. The last time a Dolphins quarterback threw for four TD's in one game was Dan Marino in 1998.</p>
<p><i>//Prosecuting attorney turns, returns to his desk, and sits down</i></p>
<p><b><i><span>Gerald Hodges</span>:</i></b> You know, long term I like Hodges and think he'll be decent player in Mike Zimmer's system. But on Sunday, he had a pretty bad game, to include a bad, bad, BAD personal foul penalty that extended a Dolphins drive after the Vikings looked like they might have them stopped. Instead of a 3rd and 5 at the Vikes 30, it was 1st and 10 at the Minnesota 15, and they scored shortly after, taking their first lead at 21-17.</p>
<p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Heck, let's just include everyone else on defense while we're at it:</i> The Dolphins ran pretty much at will, and were able to consistently be in second and short type situations. The screen pass burned the Vikes defense so bad Eric Sugarman was running out of gauze, the Dolphins were 9/13 for third down conversions, and for a quarterback that's been as battered as Tannehill has been this year, the Vikings weren't able to put pressure on him for most of the day. I would put this as the worst defensive performance of the season, to include the debacle at Green Bay. And it needs to be said again--Ryan Tannehill threw for almost 400 yards.</p>
<p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Colin Loeffler And The Worm Burner Special:</i> So here's the deal. When the Vikings got the ball back with just over a minute left and three timeouts, I thought they had it in the bag. Noooooooope. Three and out, punt the ball, and pray the defense can force overtime. Only it never even got to that. Long snapper Loeffler didn't, you know, long snap it, punter <span>Jeff Locke</span> had his punt blocked for a safety, and my Dad and I literally burst out laughing, shaking our heads.</p>
<h4>Buy/Sell:</h4>
<p><b><i>Buy: Harrison Smith's interception.</i></b> Early in the second quarter Smith came on a blitz and jumped to knock down a Tannehill pass. Only instead of knocking it down, he ended up intercepting it, and the Vikings had the ball on the Miami 34. Three plays later the Vikings were up 14-0, and life looked pretty good.</p>
<p><b><i>Sell: Harrison Smith's missed interception.</i></b> The possession before that, though, Smith missed a sure interception that was right in his hands, literally. The way the game turned out, it didn't affect the outcome of the game, but missed opportunities like that seemed to encompass the Vikings defense today--just a bit late on a rush, dropped interceptions, bad penalties. The defense was just off all day, and this play just kind of encapsulated it.</p>
<p><b><i>Buy: <span>Matt Asiata's</span> ground game.</i></b> Matt <strike>Assinotter</strike> Asiata was effective on the ground today, scoring two touchdowns and a big two point conversion to tie the game in the fourth quarter. His second TD run from six yards out, coming right off a Dolphins turnover, was particularly emphatic.</p>
<p><b><i>Sell: Assinotter the pass catcher.</i></b> Technically, that was an interception on <span>Teddy Bridgewater's</span> card, but yeah, that was all on Asiata. It was actually a situation where he kinda caught it but not really and OH HEY JUMP BALL WHO WANTS IT. It really sucked, because the Vikings were driving, and a TD there makes it 24-14. Instead, the Dolphins kept the momentum, went down and scored, and took the lead. Brutal.</p>
<p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Buy: Referees could call a penalty on every play if they wanted. </i>You could look at every replay and talk yourself into someone committing a foul. Be it holding, pass interference, or something else, hardly a play goes by without somebody doing something to someone.</p>
<p><b><i>Sell: Referees calling a penalty on every play in this game. </i></b>I mean, holy crap was that one of the most horribly officiated games I've ever witnessed. Mystery defensive holding on <span>Chad Greenway</span> that extended a drive, mystery defensive holding on <span>Xavier Rhodes</span> that extended a drive, the BS PI call on Rhodes at the end of the game when he was looking at the ball and making a play on said ball, the list goes on. Did they cost the Vikings the game? 99% of the time, I think the calls even themselves out over the course of a game, but there's a nagging burning in my gut over this game. Not necessarily on the penalties, which were bad, but on the Chase Ford touchdown that wasn't right before halftime.</p>
<p>I mean, he had possession, his foot was in bounds, he dragged his toe in bounds, and he was inside the pylon before he went out. If that isn't a touchdown, then honestly, I don't know what a TD is in the NFL anymore. And if that was bad enough, when officials reviewed the Mike Wallace TD that occurred in a similar fashion later in the game, Wallace's foot was no more out of bounds than Ford's was, yet his TD call stood. It was one of the more horridly officiated games the Vikings have been involved in that I can remember. Since last week. Or the week before.</p>
<h4>Don Glover quote of the week:</h4>
<p>"How can these refs accept their paychecks in good conscience?"</p>
<p>Well, if they're anything like a government employee, it's pretty easy. Just sayin'...</p>
<p>So .500 is now out of the question, but getting a win against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Bears</a> would give the Vikings their only divisional win in 2014, so I still consider this an important season finale. It'll be against the <span>Jimmy Clausen</span> led Bears, so yeah, getting a win to close out the year would be a good thing.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/12/21/7431595/stock-market-report-dolphinsTed Glover2014-12-21T15:38:57-06:002014-12-21T15:38:57-06:00Vikings Invent New Way To Lose, Fall 37-35
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<figcaption>Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Fans of the Minnesota Vikings are used to roller coaster rides, and on Sunday at Sun Life Stadium, their favorite team gave them a bunch of ups-and-downs, all in the span of one sixty minute contest. They even invented a new way to lose, as a safety with less than a minute remaining cost them the game, as the Miami Dolphins defeated the Vikings by a score of 37-35.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Vikings</a> raced out to an early lead, much like they did in last week's game against the <a href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Lions</a>. The Vikings took advantage of a short field following a long field goal miss by <span>Caleb Sturgis</span>, and the first score of the game came from <span>Matt Asiata</span>, who went over from one yard out to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. The Vikings then turned an interception by <span>Harrison Smith</span> into another score, as <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> hit <span>Greg Jennings</span> from 21 yards out to give the Vikings a 14-0 lead.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dolphins</a> answered late in the second quarter with a 16-yard touchdown pass from <span>Ryan Tannehill</span> to <span>Dion Sims</span> to make the score 14-7. The Vikings got the ball back late in the half, and appeared to be content to just run out the clock and go into the locker room with a 14-7 lead. However, a big run by <span>Joe Banyard</span> gave the Vikings new life, and they drove deep into Miami territory. Bridgewater hit <span>Chase Ford</span> on a pass that was ruled out of bounds at the 1-yard line, even though replay appeared to show Ford going into the end zone before going out of bounds. The call stood, however, and the Vikings had to settle for an 18-yard field goal from <span>Blair Walsh</span> to take a 17-7 lead into the locker room.</p>
<p>The Dolphins scored the first fourteen points of the second half to take the lead. Midway through the third quarter, Tannehill found <span>Mike Wallace</span> for a 16-yard touchdown pass to make the score 17-14 in favor of the Vikings. Miami's defense stood up again, and the first play of the first quarter saw <span>Lamar Miller</span> go over from a yard out to give the Dolphins their first lead of the day at 21-17. The Vikings answered the touchdown with another Blair Walsh field goal, this one from 33 yards out to make the score 21-20.</p>
<p>Miami added to their lead on the next drive, as Tannehill found Wallace again, this time from seven yards out to extend the Miami lead to 28-20. The Vikings got the ball back needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion just to tie it up, and that's just what they got, as Teddy Bridgewater found <span>Jarius Wright</span> for an 8-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-26 and, after a couple of Miami encroachment penalties, Matt Asiata took the two-point conversion try over to tie the score at 28 with 4:46 remaining in the game.</p>
<p>On the ensuing kickoff (that came from the 50-yard line after a Miami penalty on the two-point play), the Vikings kicked the ball high to attempt to pin the Dolphins deep, and got something even better. . .a fumble by <span>Jarvis Landry</span> and a recovery by Antone Exum at the 5-yard line. On the next play, Matt Asiata took the ball over for a 5-yard touchdown run and, just like that, the Minnesota Vikings were back on top by a score of 35-28.</p>
<p>The Dolphins responded by marching back down the field, and found themselves at the Minnesota 14-yard line at the two-minute warning. After a questionable pass interference call on <span>Xavier Rhodes</span>, Tannehill found <span>Damian Williams</span> for a 3-yard touchdown strike, and the extra point tied the score with 1:11 left on the clock and the Vikings with three time outs in their pocket.</p>
<p>The Vikings got the ball back, but they put together a pretty horrendous series of plays and were forced to punt the ball away with 44 seconds remaining. Well, they thought they were going to punt the ball away. . .the Dolphins' rush got through and reserve <span>Terrence Fede</span> blocked Jeff Locke's punt attempt in the end zone for a safety, giving them a 37-35 lead, and that's how the game ended.</p>
<p>Minnesota managed to invent a whole new way to lose in this game, but the defense managed to not stop Miami one single time in the second half when just one stop, particularly at the end, would have been enough to secure a victory.</p>
<p>Bridgewater had a solid afternoon for the Vikings, completing over 70% of his passes for the fourth straight game. He completed 19-of-26 attempts for 259 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Matt Asiata ran the ball 16 times for 58 yards, and also found the end zone twice. Bridgewater completed passes to nine different receivers on the afternoon, with Greg Jennings leading the way with three catches for 56 yards and a score.</p>
<p>For Miami, Ryan Tannehill was basically unstoppable in the second half. He completed 35-of-47 attempts for 396 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. Lamar Miller led the Dolphins in rushing with 19 carries for 92 yards and a score, while tight end <span>Charles Clay</span> had 114 yards on six catches for Miami, with Mike Wallace pitching in with two receiving touchdowns.</p>
<p>The Vikings fall to 6-9 on the season, guaranteeing a losing record for the second season in a row. They will host the <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Bears</a> next week in their regular season finale. The Dolphins move their record to 8-7, and will finish their season against the <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Jets</a>. They were eliminated from playoff contention after the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> knocked off the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas City Chiefs</a> earlier in the day.</p>
<p>The Vikings lose to the Dolphins by a score of 37-35 on an ugly, ugly play at the end of the game. Thank you to everybody that got their coverage this week right here at The Daily Norseman.</p>
<p><i>To buy tickets, visit the <a rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=4292&awinaffid=173843&clickref=PreRec&p=http://www.ticketexchangebyticketmaster.com/NFL/" target="_blank">NFL Ticket Exchange</a>.</i></p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/12/21/7431197/minnesota-vikings-miami-dolphins-final-scoreChristopher Gates2014-12-21T14:20:07-06:002014-12-21T14:20:07-06:00Vikings at Dolphins: Fourth Quarter Open Thread
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<figcaption>Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>To start the third quarter at Sun Life Stadium, the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a> received the second half kickoff from the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Miami Dolphins</a>. The kickoff from <span>Caleb Sturgis</span> went through the end zone for a touchback, and the Vikings got to start from their own 20-yard line. The Vikings appeared to have picked up a first down on a pass from <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> to <span>Greg Jennings</span>, but a weak call for offensive pass interference on <span>Charles Johnson</span> negated it, and the Vikings came up just short on the 3rd-and-12 play, forcing them to punt the ball away. <span>Jeff Locke</span> got away another nice punt, and some very nice coverage from the Vikings put the Dolphins at their own 20-yard line to start their first drive of the second half.</p>
<p>The Dolphins picked up a first down to start their drive, and <span>Ryan Tannehill</span> hit a big 45-yard pass to <span>Charles Clay</span> over <span>Captain Munnerlyn</span> down to the Minnesota 22-yard line. A run by <span>Lamar Miller</span> and an offsides penalty on <span>Everson Griffen</span> put the Dolphins into the Minnesota red zone, and eventually the Dolphins found their way into the end zone, with Tannehill hitting <span>Mike Wallace</span> for a 16-yard touchdown pass. Sturgis came on for the extra point, and the Vikings found their lead cut to three at 17-14.</p>
<p>The Vikings started their next drive from the 20-yard line following a touchback. It looked like the Vikings might go three-and-out again after the drive started with a sack of Bridgewater by <span>Dion Jordan</span>, but on third down he found Greg Jennings for a big 24-yard gain to the Minnesota 41. The Vikings pushed deeper into Miami territory, and got down to the 34-yard line, but then attempted to hit <span>Matt Asiata</span>, and the ball went off of his hands into the hands of <span>Derrick Shelby</span>. . .who plays for the Dolphins, so that's bad. That gave the Dolphins the ball back at their own 36-yard line.</p>
<p>One play later, thanks to a Lamar Miller carry, the Dolphins found themselves at midfield. Tannehill then found <span>Dion Sims</span> for a gain down to the Minnesota 33. <span>Gerald Hodges</span> then got called for a stupid unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to push the Dolphins into the Minnesota red zone at the 14. A pass to <span>Charles Clay</span> gave the Dolphins 1st-and-goal at the 3, and Dolphins are now looking at 3rd-and-goal from the Minnesota 1-yard line.</p>
<p>After three quarters of play in Miami, the Vikings are clinging to a three-point lead at 17-14. Can the Vikings hold on in this one?</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/12/21/7429865/minnesota-vikings-miami-dolphins-fourth-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates2014-12-21T13:41:35-06:002014-12-21T13:41:35-06:00Vikings at Dolphins: Third Quarter Open Thread
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<p>To start the second quarter of play, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> found themselves in a short-yardage situation against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>, as they had a 2nd-and-3 from their own 41-yard line. They could not convert, however, as the Dolphins sniffed out a run to <span>Cordarrelle Patterson</span> on third down and stopped the Vikings short, forcing them to punt. The punt from <span>Jeff Locke</span> was fair caught at the Miami 19-yard line, and that's where the Dolphins started their third drive of the afternoon.</p>
<p>The Dolphins started their next drive with a first down pass from <span>Ryan Tannehill</span> to <span>Lamar Miller</span>, and another one to <span>Mike Wallace</span> to get themselves to their own 45-yard line, but then <span>Harrison Smith</span> made a great play, as he rushed into the backfield and deflected a pass to himself for an interception. Smith took the ball down to the Miami 23-yard line, and the Vikings were in business with a short field once again.</p>
<p>It didn't take long for the Vikings to cash in, as <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> dropped back on 3rd-and-8 and hit <span>Greg Jennings</span> for a 21-yard touchdown pass. I can't do it justice. . .just a great throw by Bridgewater and a great catch by Jennings. The extra point from <span>Blair Walsh</span> extended the Minnesota lead to 14-0 with just over eleven minutes remaining in the half.</p>
<p>Seriously, I love Teddy Bridgewater more every single week. I mean, how can you not?</p>
<p>The Dolphins started their next drive deep in their own territory, as a holding penalty on the kickoff pushed them back to their own 8-yard line. Miami picked up a first down to get their drive underway, and Ryan Tannehill then found <span>Charles Clay</span> for a big 33-yard pass down to the Minnesota 45-yard line. A pass from Tannehill to Miller moved them down to the Minnesota 30, and a few more plays had them into the Minnesota red zone. Soon after Tannehill found tight end Dion Simms for a 14-yard touchdown, with the extra point from <span>Caleb Sturgis</span> cutting the Minnesota lead to 14-7 with 4:53 remaining in the half.</p>
<p>The Vikings started their next drive with decent field position, as the Dolphins kicked it short to avoid <span>Cordarrelle Patterson</span>, and <span>Justin Trattou</span> took the ball to the Minnesota 35-yard line. The Vikings did nothing with the ball on that possession, as Teddy Bridgewater was sacked by <span>Cameron Wake</span> in the middle of a Minnesota three-and-out. (Wake was even held by <span>Mike Harris</span> and still managed to take Bridgewater down.) Jeff Locke got away a monstrous punt that was muffed by rookie <span>Jarvis Landry</span> at the Miami 9, and that's where the coverage team took him down, putting Miami deep in their own territory once again.</p>
<p>The Dolphins picked up a couple of first downs prior to the two-minute warning. Coming out of the two-minute warning, the Vikings were called for roughing the passer, as <span>Sharrif Floyd</span> took down Ryan Tannehill late, giving the Dolphins a big chunk of yardage. The Dolphins lost a couple of yards on a nice play by <span>Xavier Rhodes</span>, and the Vikings stopped the Dolphins on a 3rd-and-2 play by forcing an incompletion. Brandon Field punted the ball to the Minnesota 13-yard line, where <span>Marcus Sherels</span> called for a fair catch.</p>
<p>The Vikings looked like they might just run out the clock to close the first half, but <span>Joe Banyard</span> broke a nice run to the Minnesota 34. Bridgewater then hit <span>Charles Johnson</span> for a big gain to the Miami 41-yard line for 25 yards. Bridgewater then found Cordarrelle Patterson for an 18-yard gain to the Miami 23. After spiking the ball, Bridgewater dropped back to pass and found <span>Chase Ford</span>. Ford was initially ruled out of bounds at the 1-yard line, and the call stood up on review, even though it looked like Ford got across the goal line first. (The Vikings totally got hosed. Watch the replay if you get an opportunity.) The Vikings called on Blair Walsh for an 18-yard field goal, which he converted to give the Vikings a 17-7 lead.</p>
<p>For the Vikings, Bridgewater had a pretty solid first half, completing 7-of-11 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown (and it should have been two touchdowns). <span>Matt Asiata</span> leads the Vikings in rushing with 42 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. <span>Charles Johnson</span> is the only Viking with multiple receptions, as he has two for 31 yards. Three other Vikings (Chase Ford, Greg Jennings, and <span>Jarius Wright</span>) each have at least 20 yards receiving.</p>
<p>For Miami, Ryan Tannehill has completed 16-of-24 passes for 160 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Lamar Miller has carried the ball 11 times for 52 yards for the Dolphins, and Miller also has 52 yards receiving on four receptions to lead Miami in that category.</p>
<p>After one half of play at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, the Minnesota Vikings lead the Miami Dolphins by a score of 17-7. Can the Vikings hold on in the second half of this game to get their seventh victory of the year?</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/12/21/7429867/minnesota-vikings-miami-dolphins-third-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates2014-12-21T12:36:55-06:002014-12-21T12:36:55-06:00Vikings at Dolphins: Second Quarter Open Thread
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<figcaption>Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>To start this afternoon's game at Sun Life Stadium against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> won the coin toss and opted to defer to the second half, giving <span>Ryan Tannehill</span> and company the football first. The kickoff from <span>Blair Walsh</span> went into the end zone for a touchback, so the Dolphins started out on their own 20-yard line. The Vikings appeared to have a three-and-out on the Dolphins' first series, but a defensive holding penalty on <span>Tom Johnson</span> allowed the drive to continue. The Dolphins slowly moved the ball down the field, and a short pass to <span>Lamar Miller</span> led to an 18-yard gain that moved Miami into Minnesota territory at the 38. <span>Andrew Sendejo</span>, who started at safety for the injured <span>Robert Blanton</span>, was injured on the play and is listed as questionable to return.</p>
<p>The Dolphins had moved themselves into field goal range, but a sack courtesy of <span>Sharrif Floyd</span> and <span>Chad Greenway</span> on third down pushed them back. The Dolphins called on <span>Caleb Sturgis</span> to attempt a 56-yard field goal, but the kick was no good, giving the Vikings good field position at their own 46-yard line to start the drive.</p>
<p>The Vikings quickly found themselves in Miami territory on their first drive, as <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> found <span>Jarius Wright</span> on the team's first third down for a 20-yard pass down to the Miami 31-yard line. A carry from <span>Matt Asiata</span> moved the ball down to the 21, and a couple more carries by Asiata (with a pass to him mixed in) set the Vikings up with first-and-goal from the Miami 7-yard line. The Vikings kept feeding Asiata, and he rewarded them with a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Vikings on the board first, with the Blair Walsh extra point putting the Vikings ahead 7-0.</p>
<p>The Dolphins started their next drive from their own 19-yard line, and got a quick first down on a carry by Lamar Miller. The Vikings pushed the Dolphins into a third down situation, but a big pass from Ryan Tannehill to <span>Damien Williams</span> moved the Dolphins into Minnesota territory at the 44-yard line. However, the Dolphins could get no more, as a dropped interception by <span>Harrison Smith</span> brought up fourth down, and this time the Dolphins elected to punt the ball away. The punt by <span>Brandon Fields</span> went through the end zone for a touchback, and the Vikings started their second drive from their own 20.</p>
<p>As we move to the second quarter of play, the Vikings are looking at a 2nd-and-3 from their own 41-yard line, holding a 7-0 lead. Can they keep it up into the second quarter of play?</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/12/21/7429869/minnesota-vikings-miami-dolphins-second-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates2014-12-21T11:00:03-06:002014-12-21T11:00:03-06:00Vikings at Dolphins: First Quarter Open Thread
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YKfCRya5E1Rl50CjZNcD-xA2q_4=/0x0:4612x3075/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44381152/usa-today-8278244.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" border="1" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0px;" width="454" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#e8b451" width="192"><font color="#3b2764"><strong>MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-8)</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="70"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>WK 16</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#007699" width="192"><font color="#F26522"><strong>MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-7)</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="192"><img src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/65/large_dailynorseman.com.full.61051.png" 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="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/69/large_thephinsider.com.full.103698.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">21 December 2014<br> </td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106"><strong>Location:</strong></td> <td width="127">Miami, FL</td> </tr> <tr align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="100"><strong>Time:</strong></td> <td width="159">12:00 PM Central</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106"><strong>Stadium:</strong></td> <td width="127">Sun Life 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">FOX<br>DirecTV Ch 710</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 225 (MIA)<br>Sirius Ch 138</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">Kenny Albert<br>Daryl Johnston</td> <td bgcolor="#d4d4d4" width="106" style="vertical-align: middle;"><strong>Know Thy Foe:</strong></td> <td style="vertical-align: middle;" width="127"><a href="http://www.thephinsider.com" target="_blank">The Phinsider</a></td> </tr> <tr align="center"></tr> <tr align="center"> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="100"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>Weather:</strong></font></td> <td bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"><font color="#ffffff"><strong>79 degrees, winds 10 MPH from SE, 0% chance of rain</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100"><strong>Line:</strong></td> <td style="text-align: center;" bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan="3"><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a> -6, Over/Under 42 (Thanks to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/odds">SB Nation Odds Page</a>)</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>Vikings 27, Dolphins 24</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>Here are the ground rules for the Game Threads:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt not link illegal feeds of today's game, or I shall kick thy arse to the curb until the game is over. Do not promote then, do not mention them, do not even hint at them. Thou hast been warned.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>-Thou shalt keep the GIFs out of the Game Threads. These things tend to bog down enough as it is due to the number of comments. We don't need it to potentially be any worse. If we get a GIF of a big <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Vikings</a>' play or something, we will drop it in here.</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. If you really feel the need to curse, use the spoiler tags to keep it covered up. We'll get the sentiment.</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>Well, it's the final road trip of the year for the Minnesota Vikings, and there are worse places they could be spending the last few days before Christmas than down on South Beach. The weather appears as though it will cooperate today as the Vikings do battle with the Miami Dolphins.</p>
<p>So, what do the Vikings have to do today to keep their chances of getting to .500 alive?</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">1) Protect Teddy Bridgewater</em> - The Vikings' young quarterback is having a homecoming today, as he grew up in the Miami area and even originally committed to "The U" before changing his mind and going to Louisville. The Dolphins have a very good pass rush, led by <span>Cameron Wake</span>, though they've been in a bit of a drought over the past month or so. Hopefully for the Vikings, offensive tackle <span>Matt Kalil</span> can continue his improved play over the past few weeks and not allow Wake and company to "get well" this afternoon. The Dolphins are 3rd in the NFL in pass defense in terms of yards allowed, but Bridgewater was impressive against a very impressive Detroit defense last week, and can hopefully continue that this week as well.</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">2) Get after <span>Ryan Tannehill</span></em> - The Dolphins' third-year starter has played well this season, but the Dolphins have had as many offensive line issues recently as the Vikings have. They lost left tackle <span>Branden Albert</span> for the season, and it appears that right tackle <span>Dallas Thomas</span> will not play today, either. The Dolphins have allowed 38 sacks so far this season, and that number has seen a dramatic increase since Albert's loss. If players like <span>Everson Griffen</span> and the returning <span>Sharrif Floyd</span> can keep Tannehill flustered, it would go a long way towards a Vikings victory.</p>
<p><em style="font-weight: bold;">3) Take care of the football</em> - Last week in Detroit, two big turnovers by Bridgewater led directly to 10 of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Lions</a>' 16 points and were, ultimately, the difference in the loss. The Vikings are now 1-6 in games where they commit at least one turnover this season and 5-1 in games where they don't. Miami is in a bit of a tailspin after getting throttled by New England last week, and rumors are swirling around the status of head coach Joe Philbin. The last thing the Vikings need to do is give the Dolphins any extra opportunities or do things to shift the momentum against them like they did last week in Detroit for the Dolphins to rally around.</p>
<p>If the Vikings can step up and be victorious in today's contest, they stand a very good chance of reaching .500 for the season. . .while, not exactly pie in the sky, is much better than many would have predicted for a Vikings team that played 15 of 16 games without their best player. It would also give the Vikings their third road win of the season, a big jump for a team that went winless away from Minneapolis last season. Here's hoping that our favorite football team can make that happen.</p>
<p>SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/12/21/7429887/minnesota-vikings-at-miami-dolphins-first-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates2014-12-21T10:43:39-06:002014-12-21T10:43:39-06:00Vikings at Dolphins: Inactive Lists For Both Teams
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BLgOq_ak7DX74w1zjsT8VFHOleY=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44381600/usa-today-8258264.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We're ninety minutes from kickoff at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, ladies and gentlemen. The <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a> and the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Miami Dolphins</a> have designated their inactive players for today's contest, so let's take a look at who will be sitting this one out, starting with the visiting team.</p>
<p><b>Minnesota Vikings</b></p>
<p>LB <span>Anthony Barr</span><br>OT <span>Carter Bykowski</span><br>S <span>Ahmad Dixon</span><br>G <span>Charlie Johnson</span><br>FB <span>Zach Line</span><br>CB <span>Shaun Prater</span><br>TE <span>Kyle Rudolph</span></p>
<p><span>Gerald Hodges</span> will get another start in place of Barr, <span>Vladimir Ducasse</span> will step in for Johnson at left guard, and <span><strike>Chase Ford</strike></span> <span>Rhett Ellison</span> will start in Rudolph's place. Also, <span>Robert Blanton</span> is active, but <span>Andrew Sendejo</span> will be starting next to <span>Harrison Smith</span> anyway.</p>
<p>In addition, for the first time all season, offensive lineman <span>David Yankey</span> is active for the Vikings.</p>
<p>And now, on to the home side.</p>
<p><b>Miami Dolphins</b></p>
<p>G <span>Nate Garner</span><br>WR <span>Matt Hazel</span><br>S <span>Don Jones</span><br>WR <span>Rishard Matthews</span><br>LB <span>Chris McCain</span><br>OT <span>Dallas Thomas</span><br>RB <span>Daniel Thomas</span></p>
<p>Linebackers Koa Misi and <span>Jelani Jenkins</span>, both of whom were on the injury list for the Dolphins, are active for this one.</p>
<p>And those are the inactive lists for this week's contest, ladies and gentlemen. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/british-open" class="sbn-auto-link">The Open</a> Thread for the first quarter of play will be popping up at 11 AM Central time in preparation for the 12 noon kickoff.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/12/21/7429873/minnesota-vikings-miami-dolphins-inactive-listsChristopher Gates2014-12-20T15:13:10-06:002014-12-20T15:13:10-06:00Vikings at Dolphins: ALL THE COVERAGE!
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VE6rJu9LKrRxLX_2ALDE0PjCIdY=/0x90:3000x2090/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44378548/460468870.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Gregory Shamus/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It's the final road game for the year, ladies and gentlemen, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> head to south Florida to take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>. If you're wondering how you can keep tabs on all of the action from Miami, we've got all the necessary information right here for you.</p>
<p><b><i>Television Info</i></b></p>
<p>Once again, we are back to a noon Central time kickoff for this one, and the game will be broadcast on FOX. For a relatively meaningless game, we got one of the better announce crews in the NFL, as FOX will be sending Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston to this one. You can take a look at the maps from <a href="http://506sports.com/" target="_blank">The 506</a> to see if you're in the main broadcast area for this one. . .basically if you're not in Minnesota, the Dakotas, South Florida, or the greater Louisville area, you're not in the main broadcast area.</p>
<p>If you're outside of the primary broadcast area and are going to be looking for the game via the DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket package, you're going to be looking to <b>Channel 710</b>.</p>
<p>Courtesy of the folks from <a href="https://canadiansportsfan.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/nfl-canadian-tv-guide-week-16-4/" target="_blank">A Rouge Point</a>, we can tell you that our Canadian friends can find Sunday's game on either TSN or Fox Minneapolis.</p>
<p>Thanks to <a href="http://www.nfluk.com/tv-and-radio/tv-schedule.html" target="_blank">NFL UK</a>, we can inform you that viewers in the United Kingdom are going to have to get this game from NFL Game Pass.</p>
<p>This week's game will not be featured on the <a href="http://www.afneurope.net/TVSchedules/tabid/83/Default.aspx" target="_blank">American Forces Network</a>, as their game for the early slots will be Kansas City/Pittsburgh (AFN Sports), Detroit/Chicago (AFN Prime Atlantic), and Baltimore/Houston (AFN Xtra).</p>
<p><b><i>Radio Info</i></b></p>
<p>If you're traveling or just prefer to hear the Minnesota Vikings' announcers over the FOX crew, you can tune into the Vikings Radio Network. Per NFL rules, the game will not be on the site for KFAN-FM 100.3 (the Vikings' flagship station), but here is the <a href="http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/radio.html" target="_blank">full list of stations</a> that will allow you to see if you have an affiliate in your area.</p>
<p>If you have satellite radio, you have avenues there as well. If you have a Sirius radio, you can hear the Vikings on Channel 138. If you have an XM Radio, you can tune to XM 225, but you're going to be stuck with the Dolphins' announcers as XM only has the home team feeds. If you have access to the SiriusXM Online app or access to SiriusXM Online through the internet, you can find the Vikings' feed on Channel 817.</p>
<p><b><i>Referee Info</i></b></p>
<p>According to the folks from <a href="http://www.footballzebras.com/2014/12/18/12132/" target="_blank">Football Zebras</a>, the head official for this Sunday's contest will be Tony Corrente. We avoid a second straight week of Pete Morelli. . .thank goodness for that.</p>
<p><b><i>Streaming Info</i></b></p>
<p>There are a couple of different methods available for legally streaming this week's contest. First, because this game is on Fox, is to stream it through <a href="http://www.foxsports.com/foxsportsgo/" target="_blank">Fox Sports Go</a>. (There are some caveats to that. . .Awful Announcing covers them all <a href="http://awfulannouncing.com/2014/fox-to-stream-nfl-games-on-fox-sports-go.html" target="_blank">right here</a>.) If you live overseas, you can legally stream the game through <a href="https://gamepass.nfl.com/nflgp/secure/packages?ttv=0" target="_blank">NFL Game Pass</a>. That's what I'm using, and it's pretty sweet.</p>
<p>As far as other streams are concerned, do NOT. . .and I mean not in any way, shape, or form. . .promote illegal streaming sites on The Daily Norseman. Not in the comments, not in the FanPosts, not in the FanShots, not in the Game Thread on Sunday, not anywhere. Don't even hint at them. Trust me on this. If you're that determined to watch the game via an illegal stream, do a Google search and find it on your own. And be sure to enjoy your malware.</p>
<p>And that should give you all the information you need in order to track all of the action from south Florida on Sunday afternoon. As usual, the game thread will be up about an hour before kickoff, and we hope that even if you can follow the game in some other way, you'll join us there as well.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2014/12/20/7427899/minnesota-vikings-miami-dolphins-game-time-channel-radio-streamingChristopher Gates