Daily Norseman - 2015 NFL Week 9: St. Louis Rams at Minnesota VikingsThe Purple and Gold Standardhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48653/dailynorseman_fave.png2015-11-11T09:17:41-06:00http://www.dailynorseman.com/rss/stream/94341832015-11-11T09:17:41-06:002015-11-11T09:17:41-06:00Joseph Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week
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<figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>In what should come as no surprise to anyone that watched last Sunday'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="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a>, Vikings' defensive tackle <span>Linval Joseph</span> has been named the NFC's Defensive Player of the Week for Week 9.</p>
<p>Joseph absolutely dominated everything in his path on Sunday afternoon. From his nose tackle position, he collected ten tackles (seven of which were solo tackles), three tackles for loss, two quarterback pressures, and he shared a quarterback sack with safety <span>Andrew Sendejo</span>. He played a central role in limiting star running back <span>Todd Gurley</span> to just 89 yards after the rookie had rushed for at least 125 in each of his first four NFL games.</p>
<p>In his sixth year in the league out of East Carolina University, Joseph was a second round pick (#46 overall) of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> in 2010. He spent his first four years in the NFL with the Giants before signing with Minnesota as a free agent prior to the 2014 season.</p>
<p>Joseph is the fourth Vikings' defensive tackle to collect a Defensive Player of the Week Award. Keith Millard was the first, collecting one of the weekly awards in 1989. John Randle won the award on five separate occasions, and <span>Kevin Williams</span> picked one up in 2004.</p>
<p>Congratulations to Linval Joseph on collecting the Week 9 Defensive Player of the Week Award in the NFC, and for putting together what certainly looks like, at the very least, a Pro Bowl-caliber season thus far.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/11/9712842/linval-joseph-named-nfc-defensive-player-of-the-weekChristopher Gates2015-11-10T10:19:52-06:002015-11-10T10:19:52-06:00Fisher Still Making Excuses For Joyner
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<figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Jeff Fisher, who never met a team that he couldn't coach to an 8-8 finish, is still making excuses for the cheap shot LaMarcus Joyner put on <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> on Sunday afternoon.</p>
<p>In the fourth quarter of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a>' 21-18 overtime victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a>, Bridgewater scrambled for a first down and slid down, giving himself up. Joyner saw an opportunity and launched himself at Bridgewater, intentionally hitting him in the head hard enough to knock him unconscious. Bridgewater eventually got up and left the field, but did not return to the game after going through the league's concussion protocol.</p>
<p>Lest anyone forget, here's what the play looked like:</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Teddy Bridgewater knocked momentarily unconscious by a late hit on a slide by <span>Lamarcus Joyner</span> <a href="https://t.co/D4Sn9TBsLK">pic.twitter.com/D4Sn9TBsLK</a></p>
— The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheCauldron/status/663454983837384705">November 8, 2015</a>
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Per Chris Tomasson of the <a href="http://www.twincities.com/vikings/ci_29095250/rams-fisher-vikings-zimmer-control-your-emotions" target="_blank">St. Paul Pioneer Press</a>, Fisher had this to say about the play.</p>
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<p>"I think a good lesson to be learned from this is control your emotions immediately after the game and go back and look at the tape before you jump to conclusions."</p>
<p>. . .</p>
<p>"Lamarcus made a decision to go hit the quarterback prior to Teddy initiating the slide," Fisher said. "That's what happens. Had Lamarcus not made helmet contact with him, there would have not been a foul. It was penalized on the field. What more can you ask for?"</p>
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<p>Well, Jeff, from looking at the video there, Joyner is a good 3-4 yards away from Bridgewater when Bridgewater starts to go into his slide. At that point, Joyner makes the decision to launch himself. Not to break down and make a tackle, as he would have done if Bridgewater was going to continue running, but to launch himself. And he has to bend to make sure he makes contact with Bridgewater's helmet. If he wasn't going for Bridgewater's head, what exactly was he doing? He damn sure wasn't going to make a diving attempt at Bridgewater from three yards away if he isn't giving any indication that he's going to the turf.</p>
<p>What more could we ask for? Honestly, if that hit happens to <span>Peyton Manning</span> or <span>Aaron Rodgers</span> or <span>Tom Brady</span> or a couple of other quarterbacks, Joyner would have been ejected immediately. Shoot, there's a chance that he would not only have been ejected, but he would have been arrested right there on the sideline.</p>
<p>(Okay, that second bit was a stretch. . .but probably not <i>that</i> much.)</p>
<p>I'm going to go way out on a limb and assume that Zimmer had, in fact, looked at the tape on Monday morning. . .and he was still ticked off, quite rightfully so. It might be possible to give some people the benefit of the doubt on something like this, but given the fact that Fisher feels comfortable making excuses for Joyner (and, by extension, the human porta-potty that coordinates his defense), it doesn't appear we can put him into that category.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/10/9704496/jeff-fisher-still-making-excuses-for-lamarcus-joynerChristopher Gates2015-11-09T11:14:58-06:002015-11-09T11:14:58-06:00Vikings Reap Benefit Of Zimmer's Overtime Decision
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<figcaption>ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!? IS THIS NOT WHY YOU ARE HERE!? | Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Given the circumstances of Sunday afternoon's game at TCF Bank Stadium, it didn't seem like <i>that</i> strange an idea for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a>' head coach Mike Zimmer to take the wind rather than the football to start the overtime period against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a>. But it was an incredibly rare decision. How rare? <a href="http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/11/08/minnesota-vikings-overtime-decision-week-9-nfl" target="_blank">How about this tidbit</a> from <i>Sports Illustrated</i>'s Peter King concerning the call.</p>
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<p>In the 42 years since the NFL adopted overtime as a rule, this was the 530th OT game. <b>Only 10 times had a coach not taken the ball if given the choice to start the extra period.</b></p>
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<p>Mike Zimmer, going off of that number, was number 11. That means that, in all the overtime games in NFL history, the team winning the coin toss has refused to take the football a little bit more than two percent of the time. After hearing the decision, lots of people on the Twitters started having flashbacks to former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a>' head coach Marty Mornhinweg.</p>
<p>Mornhinweg's Lions, if you'll recall, won the coin toss in a 2002 game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Chicago Bears</a>, and rather than take the ball, he (allegedly) decided to take the wind and gave the Bears the ball first. The only issue with that is, according to <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200211240chi.htm" target="_blank">Pro Football Reference's boxscore</a> for the game, the wind in Champaign that day was a blustery. . .four miles an hour. The Bears marched straight down the field and got a 40-yard field goal to win the game, and a few weeks later Mornhinweg found himself unemployed.</p>
<p>According to King, the most recent occurrence of this <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201311240nwe.htm" target="_blank">happened two years ago</a> in a game between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">New England Patriots</a> in Foxboro. Bill Belichick won the overtime coin toss and gave Denver the football first. In that case, much like yesterday, the call made a little more sense. . .the wind in Foxboro was blowing at 22 miles an hour and the wind chill was only slightly above zero. The Patriots forced Denver to punt twice, and with less than two minutes left in the extra session, <span>Stephen Gostkowski</span> hit a 31-yard field goal to give New England a 34-31 victory.</p>
<p>Going into the overtime period, 30 of the 36 points that had been scored in Sunday's game were scored by the team with the TCF Bank Stadium wind at their back. . .the exception was Todd Gurley's one-yard touchdown run at the end of the first quarter. Zimmer gave his defense a huge vote of confidence. . .and, quite frankly, probably surprised the Rams a little bit. . .by electing to not take the ball right away. <span>Linval Joseph</span> smothered Gurley on first down, and the Rams were eventually forced to punt. Johnny Hekker blasted a huge punt into the wind, but <span>Marcus Sherels</span> had an answer, taking the ball to midfield and, ultimately, setting the Vikings up for a victory.</p>
<p>Mike Zimmer's decision on Sunday was a rare one, to be sure. However, as more of this season goes by and the Vikings continue to win football games, Zimmer keeps looking more and more like a rare coach. It's hard to believe that so many other teams passed over him rather than give him an opportunity.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/9/9696672/vikings-reap-benefit-of-zimmers-overtime-decisionChristopher Gates2015-11-09T00:36:23-06:002015-11-09T00:36:23-06:00Stock Market Report: Vikings vs. Rams
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<figcaption>Linval Joseph: The ultimate Blue Chipper on Sunday. | Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Breaking down the good, the bad, and the dirty from a thriller in Minneapolis.</p> <p>There's nothing quite like a series of miniature heart attacks on an otherwise gorgeous Fall afternoon.</p>
<p>The wins never come easy for the 2015 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a>, but fortunately they keep on coming. Our beloved purple and gold have won four on the trot after taking out a tough <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a> squad by a score of 21-18 in overtime at TCF Bank Stadium.</p>
<p>Well, "tough" would be one way to describe the St. Louis. The Rams proved that they are a young, talented team with a bright future. They lived up to the hype they had been getting leading up to the game. Unfortunately, a few bad apples tainted what was an otherwise hard-fought game between two very closely matched opponents. "Tough" quickly morphed into "dirty".</p>
<p>I could spend about 3,000 words griping about how I hate a certain Defensive Coordinator that runs a dirty operation on a new team. I could lament the fact that the health of our quarterback was put in jeopardy by <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/8/9693462/teddy-bridgewater-suffers-concussion-after-cheap-shot" target="_blank">an obvious cheap shot</a>. But that won't change anything.* Instead I'll take the high road and focus more on what the Vikings did.</p>
<p>(* = Don't worry. I'll still bitch about it a little.)</p>
<p>Because when you're facing the upcoming schedule that's ahead of the FIRST PLACE MINNESOTA VIKINGS, there ain't no rest for the wicked.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HKtsdZs9LJo" height="315" width="420"></iframe></p>
<p><i>Oh, there ain't no rest for the wicked<br>Money don't grow on trees<br>I got bills to pay<br>I got mouths to feed<br>And ain't nothing in this world for free<br>No I can't slow down<br>I can't hold back<br>Though you know I wish I could<br>No there ain't no rest for the wicked<br>Until we close our eyes for good</i></p>
<p>And now it's time for the fourth consecutive victory Stock Market Report.</p>
<h4>Blue Chip Stocks</h4>
<p><b><span>Linval Joseph</span>.</b> That was some Defensive Player of the Week stuff from Joseph. Check that--it was some <i>Defensive MVP</i> stuff. <span>Todd Gurley</span> was held in check on Sunday largely because he was wearing Linval Joseph for most of the game. <span>Nick Foles</span> will see a giant purple #98 jersey closing in on him when he closes his eyes tonight. All the talk heading into the game was about the dominant St. Louis defensive line; nobody that set foot on the field Sunday afternoon was more dominant than Joesph. The big man in the middle racked up ten tackles, three tackles for loss, half a sack, two quarterback hurries, and some sweet dance moves.</p>
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<img alt="Joseph TFL Rams" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Iet6QVRQqmHR9XKY3dppa5SObZk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4245465/Joseph_TFL_Rams.0.gif">
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<p><b><span>Blair Walsh</span>.</b> The preseason seems like a thousand years ago. For the second straight week, Walsh was perfect and hit a walk-off field goal. In September we wanted him cut; in November we want him in Hawaii. Keep up the good work, Blair.</p>
<p><b>The offensive line.</b> In a league full of crap offensive lines, the Vikings' front line has been decidedly not crap over the past two weeks. The Rams' vaunted defensive line was kept in check for most of the day and Adrian Peterson had more space to run than he has in past weeks.</p>
<p><span>Mike Harris</span> deserves special recognition for having another stellar game. Coming into the game Harris had allowed seven total pressures on 240 pass blocking snaps according to Pro Football Focus. I'll need to watch the game film to make sure, but I didn't notice any today. And look at the space he cleared out on <span>Adrian Peterson's</span> touchdown run:</p>
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<p>It's very encouraging to see weekly improvement from a unit that was considered one of the team's biggest weaknesses.</p>
<h4>Solid Investments</h4>
<p><b><span>Chad Greenway</span>.</b> With Eric Kendricks out this week, we knew that Greenway would be called upon more on Sunday. And if you were like me, you probably cringed at the thought. But you know what? The crafty old vet still has a little something left in the tank. Greenway tied with Joseph for the team lead in tackles (10) and blew up a couple Rams plays before they could get started. It was easily the best game Greenway has played this season, and it came right when the Vikings needed it the most.</p>
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<p><b>Adrian Peterson.</b> AP won the ballyhooed battle of the backs, racking up 125 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries while chipping in 2 grabs for 18 more yards. If it wasn't for his back-to-back fumbles that took at least eight years off my life, he'd be in the Blue Chips section. Either way, the champ isn't ready to give up the title just yet.</p>
<p><b><span>Trae Waynes</span>.</b> The first round pick acquitted himself well after <span>Terence Newman</span> went down with an injury. Foles and the Rams went right after Waynes when he came in but he was equal to the task. Waynes had a great tackle in punt coverage as well. This 2015 Vikings draft class is shaping up to be something very special.</p>
<p><b><span>Tom Johnson</span>.</b> Joseph stuffed the stat sheet but Johnson made the sting of missing <span>Sharrif Floyd</span> again barely noticeable. Johnson remains one of the best backup defensive linemen in the league.</p>
<p><b><span>Audie Cole</span>.</b> Football can be a cruel game. Cole was the starting middle linebacker at the beginning of camp only to be relegated to third string due to the emergence of Kendricks and Gerald Hodges. Cole was undoubtedly disappointed but you never heard a peep of dissent from him. But then Hodges was traded and Kendricks was ruled out and suddenly Cole was starting again this week. He did himself proud on Sunday up until <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/8/9693648/audie-cole-suffers-fractured-ankle-season-over" target="_blank">suffering a season-ending ankle injury</a>. Dammit. Get well soon, Audie. You'll be back to your "OMGAUDIECOLE" self in no time.</p>
<h4>Junk Bonds</h4>
<p>Gregg Williams, Jeff Fisher, and <span>Lamarcus Joyner</span>. In <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/5/9664070/minnesota-vikings-st-louis-rams-preview-nfl-week-9-picks" target="_blank">my Week 9 preview</a> I made this very prescient joke:</p>
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<p>And remember, the Rams defense is run by Gregg Williams, whom Vikings fans should be intimately familiar with thanks to the 2009 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfc-championship-game">NFC Championship</a> Game. (Fun fact: the extra G in Gregg stands for GODDAMN CHEATER.)</p>
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<p>And boy was I proven right. Every time the Vikings go against a Williams defense, something bad happens to their quarterback. There's a line between playing hard and playing dirty, and Williams' defenses habitually cross that line. He will forever be coordinator non grata in these parts and it's a well-deserved reputation.</p>
<p>Jeff Fisher didn't help matters by shrugging off the hit as no big deal:</p>
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<p>It is not the first quarterback that has been hit while going into a slide.</p>
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<p>Sure, Jeff, but most of the time it doesn't result in the quarterback being <i>knocked out cold</i>. And now this is not the first time your team will finish right around 8-8 and miss the playoffs.</p>
<p>We can blame the coaches all we want but it's still up to the players to carry out the dirty plays. And before you even <i>think</i> about defending Joyner by saying he didn't have time to react to Bridgewater's slide, take a look at this gif:</p>
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<p>Joyner was practically doing the limbo to make sure his elbow connected with Bridgewater's head. Joyner tried to explain that he is buddies with Teddy and would never intentionally knock him out, but that's not going to prevent him from getting a hefty fine handed down during the course of the upcoming week.</p>
<p><b><span>Cordarrelle Patterson</span>.</b> He had one decent kick return in the second half, but that might be the last we see of Patterson for a while. <span>Marcus Sherels</span> handled the final kick return and I don't think anyone would complain if he took the rest of them going forward. Patterson has exactly one job on this team and he isn't very good at it anymore. He lollygags around and moseys halfheartedly up to the 15 yard line before falling down at first contact. I take faster cuts on the elliptical machine at the gym.</p>
<h4>Buy/Sell</h4>
<p><b>Buy: Everything about Mike Zimmer.</b> Every week the Vikings fan base falls more in love with their head coach with good reason. Once again the Vikings made great halftime adjustments, holding the Rams to only three points after the break. The choice to defer in overtime was a vote of confidence in his incredible defense as well as a smart strategic choice to make sure Walsh kicked with the game winner with the wind at his back. And Ted already covered Zimmer's post-game brilliance in <a href="http://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/8/9693552/your-post-game-zim-tzu-special-edition" target="_blank">his Zim Tzu article</a>. "If we were out on the street, we probably would have had a fight," and there is no coach in the world we'd want on our side more in that fight.</p>
<p><b>Sell: Thinking the Vikings would have won any of the last three games with the old regime.</b> Zimmer and his staff have given the Vikings the testicular fortitude needed to win these close games that the Vikings have fallen short in so many times in recent years. The Vikings are tied atop the NFC North because of the man in charge on the sidelines.</p>
<p><b>Buy: The Vikings against the screen pass.</b> The Rams had some success moving the ball with misdirection and end arounds with <span>Tavon Austin</span>. They had very minimal success with screens despite trying many, many times. <span>Anthony Barr</span> and <span>Captain Munnerlyn</span> have been screen destroyers all season, which was a big part of holding St. Louis to only 160 yards passing on the day.</p>
<p><b>Sell: Teddy Bridgewater's deep ball. </b>Once again, Teddy missed a bunch of throws downfield that he needed to make in order to maintain drives. The Rams are a solid team, but the opponents only get tougher in the next month. I hate to sound like a broken record, but he'll need to make those passes in order for the Vikings to keep winning and make the postseason.</p>
<p><b>Buy: Bridgewater spreading the wealth.</b> Nine different players caught passes Sunday, to go with seven different pass catchers last week and eleven the week before that. The gaudy passing numbers still aren't there but he's still finding enough guys open to keep the ball moving.</p>
<p><b>Sell: The Teddy Bridgewater to <span>Mike Wallace</span> combo.</b> I don't know what it is about these two, but they aren't even on the same chapter, much less the same page. When Teddy's accurate, Wallace half-asses his route. When Wallace get open, Teddy does his best <span>Donovan McNabb</span> impression. They need to be simpatico before the Vikings offense can take the next step.</p>
<p><b>Buy: <span>Aaron Rodgers</span> a new Surface tablet.</b> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/11/8/9693392/aaron-rodgers-packers-official-tablet-of-the-nfl-tm-buy-a-surface-from-nfl-shop-dot-com#ooid=h2b3VweDpfB6ZW-UswqI-j1neDapsNkm" target="_blank">Because he apparently didn't like this one!</a> I guess that's what happens when you realize that you missed a wide open receiver.</p>
<p>And when you realize your division rivals just caught you in the standings.</p>
<h4>Gemma Thompson Quote of the Day</h4>
<p>My wife let me get out of the house today for the game as I met a buddy at <a href="http://www.joeandstans.com/" target="_blank">Joe & Stan's</a> just down the road from my place. (Great Vikings bar, by the way. Cheap beer, lots of TVs, and free food at halftime.) So I didn't get any good quotes during the game. However, I was able to get a new Twitter avatar picture before the game with myself, Gemma, and her little sister dressed in Vikings garb:</p>
<p><img src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12235083_10153814444919208_5956187595862389035_n.jpg?oh=c27c4edc2d29d9d60f02b1a5fe588d65&oe=56C094C1"></p>
<p>And when I returned home after the game, Gemma ran to meet me and exclaimed:</p>
<p><i>"The Bikings won Daddy! Yayyyy! Now we watch </i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4148744/" target="_blank">PJ Masks</a><i>?!"</i></p>
<p>Of course we can, little one. After a Vikings win like that, I'll put up with any amount of mundane kids shows. SKOL!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/9/9694354/minnesota-vikings-st-louis-rams-week-9-stock-market-reportEric Thompson2015-11-08T17:00:53-06:002015-11-08T17:00:53-06:00Audie Cole Suffers Season-Ending Ankle Injury
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<p>One of the cult favorites on the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a>' roster has had his 2015 season come to an end because of an injury.</p>
<p>Middle linebacker <span>Audie Cole</span>, who was starting today for the Vikings because of an injury to starter <span>Eric Kendricks</span>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Audie_Coles_season_is_over_with_a_fractured_ankle110815">suffered a fractured ankle</a> during Sunday's 21-18 overtime victory over the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Rams</a>. He was pursuing a play and got rolled up on. He wound up getting carted off, and one of the media folks that was covering the game from TCF Bank Stadium said that Cole's foot was "pointing in a direction it wasn't supposed to."</p>
<p>Cole was a seventh-round pick of the Vikings in the 2012 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NFL Draft</a> out of North Carolina State. He burst onto the scene in a 2012 pre-season game against the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buffalo Bills</a> when he returned interceptions for touchdowns on consecutive plays. (Well, as much as one can "burst" onto the scene in a pre-season game, anyway.) He has gotten a few starts over the years, but was serving as a backup this season.</p>
<p>In Cole's absence, <span>Brandon Watts</span> saw some time at linebacker late in the game, with veteran <span>Chad Greenway</span> moving into the middle linebacker spot.</p>
<p>Cole is in the final season of the rookie contract he signed back in 2012. With his season over, he may have played his last game as a Viking, although I'm sure that's going to be largely determined by how his rehab from this injury goes. He's been a good special teamer and has had some big moments when he's gotten the opportunity, and it couldn't hurt to have have a guy like him around.</p>
<p>Best of luck to Audie Cole in getting healthy again after a pretty nasty injury.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/8/9693648/audie-cole-suffers-fractured-ankle-season-overChristopher Gates2015-11-08T16:15:43-06:002015-11-08T16:15:43-06:00Bridgewater Suffers Concussion After Cheap Shot
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<p>In the fourth quarter of their 21-18 overtime victory over the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Rams</a> on Sunday afternoon, the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a> got a truly scary moment when <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> rolled out of the pocket and started to scramble downfield.</p>
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<p>That was Rams' cornerback LaMarcus Joyner delivering the hit, which was clearly late (after Bridgewater had given himself up) and clearly targeted at Bridgewater's head. Joyner was penalized 15 yards, but the replay on television clearly showed that Bridgewater was out following the hit.</p>
<p>Not "shaken up". . .out.</p>
<p>That's the sort of thing you have to teach your defensive players to do, ladies and gentlemen. . .and, with that in mind, it won't surprise you to learn that the Rams' defensive coordinator is none other than Gregg Williams, who we last saw paying <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New Orleans Saints</a>' players extra money to cripple Vikings' players in the 2009 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfc-championship-game" class="sbn-auto-link">NFC Championship</a> Game.</p>
<p>It appears that nothing has really changed since then. Gregg Williams is still a gutless pig. He was a gutless pig in New Orleans, and he continues to be a gutless pig in St. Louis. And, apparently, I'm not the only person that feels that way.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"If we were on the street, we probably would have had a fight." Zimmer also references the "history" of "their defensive coordinator.</p>
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeifertESPN/status/663475301314236416">November 8, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vikings?src=hash">#Vikings</a> H.C. Mike Zimmer: "I agree that it was a cheap shot. [Gregg Williams'] defenses are all like that." <a href="https://t.co/dWVGWEaLHs">https://t.co/dWVGWEaLHs</a></p>
— KFAN1003 (@KFAN1003) <a href="https://twitter.com/KFAN1003/status/663473535780687872">November 8, 2015</a>
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Seifert also noted that Zimmer did a "<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/SeifertESPN/status/663469593235558400">drive-by handshake</a>" with Rams' head coach Jeff Fisher, who was apparently trying to say something to Zimmer. Zimmer is too smart to buy what Fisher was going to try to sell anyway. The Vikings' head coach was angry about the hit from the moment it happened to the moment he got to the podium for his post-game presser. . .heck, he's probably <i>still</i> angry. . .and he had every reason to be that way.</p>
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<p>It's nice to know that, despite the cheap shot, the Vikings were able to rally and silence the Rams anyway. Bridgewater was undergoing concussion protocol after the hit, and was held out for the remainder of the game. Whenever we get word about his status going forward, we will pass it on to you.</p>
<p>Gregg Williams' status, on the other hand, won't change. Ever.</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/8/9693462/teddy-bridgewater-suffers-concussion-after-cheap-shotChristopher Gates2015-11-08T15:52:43-06:002015-11-08T15:52:43-06:00Vikings Outlast Rams In OT, 21-18
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<p>The new, more resilient <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Vikings</a> may take a little bit for fans to get used to, but if Sunday afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium is any indication, they're going to really like it after a while.</p>
<p>Fighting through wind issues and the loss of their quarterback following one of the most gutless cheap shots you'll ever see. . .or, as Rams' defensive coordinator Gregg Williams may refer to it, a normal occurrence. . .the Vikings got a 40-yard field goal from Blair Walsh in overtime to walk away with a 21-18 victory over the St. Louis Rams at TCF Bank Stadium.</p>
<p>Minnesota drew first blood, as they took advantage of a short punt from St. Louis punter Johnny Hekker and drove close enough to allow <span>Blair Walsh</span> to hit a 34-yard field goal to give the Vikings a quick 3-0 lead. They extended that lead on their second possession, as they marched 80 yards for a touchdown, capping the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run from <span>Adrian Peterson</span> to put themselves ahead 10-0.</p>
<p>St. Louis cut into the lead late in the first quarter, as <span>Todd Gurley</span> went across from one yard out to give the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams" class="sbn-auto-link">Rams</a> a touchdown. For some reason, Jeff Fisher decided to roll the dice and go for two, but Gurley got stuffed by <span>Harrison Smith</span> and <span>Linval Joseph</span>, keeping the Minnesota lead at 10-6.</p>
<p>St. Louis chipped away in the second quarter, and eventually pulled out in front thanks to kicker Greg Zuerlein. Zuerlein deposited three field goals in the second quarter, one of which came from a ridiculous <i>sixty-one</i> yards away, and went into the locker room with a 15-10 halftime lead. The Vikings' offense really struggled in the second quarter, with <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> having several bad misses that could have extended drives.</p>
<p>The Vikings turned the ball over on their first drive of the third quarter on a play that was originally called defensive pass interference, but the officials switched to offensive pass interference after discussing what happened. After forcing a three-and-out, the Vikings got the ball into the end zone on the next drive, with Bridgewater running it in himself from six yards out for a score. The Vikings elected to go for a two-point conversion, and Bridgewater ran that one in as well to extend Minnesota's lead to 18-15.</p>
<p>Early in the fourth quarter, Rams' cornerback LaMarcus Joyner laid an absolute cheap shot on Bridgewater as he went down for a slide. Joyner went right after Bridgewater's head, and Bridgewater was out cold on the field for a moment. He eventually went back to the locker room and got evaluated for a concussion, necessitating the Vikings bringing in <span>Shaun Hill</span> for the remainder of the game.</p>
<p>St. Louis had an opportunity to tie the game just after the two-minute warning, as they brought on Zuerlein again for a 48-yard field goal attempt. However, he could not keep his hot streak going, as he pushed the attempt wide to the right, giving the Vikings the ball back on downs and keeping them ahead 18-15. After a disastrous series for the Vikings, including an 11-yard sack of Hill, the Vikings had to punt the ball back away to the Rams with 1:14 left on the clock. St. Louis got themselves into position for Zuerlein to attempt a 53-yard field goal to tie with time running out, and he made the kick. . .but the Vikings called time out prior to the kick taking place, so Zuerlein had to kick it again. Unfortunately, Greg the Leg put it through the uprights on the second attempt to tie the game at 18 and send it into overtime.</p>
<p>The Vikings won the coin toss for overtime, but rather than take the football, they decided to play defense and have the wind at their backs. It worked out pretty nicely for them, as they immediately forced a three-and-out from the Rams' offense and <span>Marcus Sherels</span> brought the ensuing punt back to midfield. Minnesota matriculated the football down the field and got Blair Walsh in position for a 40-yard field goal. Walsh hit the field goal, his 15th in a row. . .not in this game, that would be a record. . .to give the Vikings their fourth straight victory, 21-18.</p>
<p>Before the cheap shot that took him out of the game, Bridgewater had completed 13-of-21 passes for 144 yards and an interception. In relief, Shaun Hill was. . .not good, completing 2-of-6 for 15 yards. Adrian Peterson carried the load for Minnesota for the most part, carrying the ball 29 times for 125 yards and a touchdown. <span>Stefon Diggs</span> was Minnesota's leading receiver on the day, even though he did only manage three catches for 42 yards.</p>
<p>For St. Louis, <span>Nick Foles</span> completed 18-of-33 passes for 168 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Vikings held Todd Gurley mostly in check, allowing him just 89 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. <span>Kenny Britt</span> was the leading receiver for the Rams, hauling in three passes for 87 yards.</p>
<p>The Vikings move to 6-2 with their fourth consecutive victory, and have a trip out to Oakland next week to take on the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Raiders</a>. St. Louis drops to 4-4 on the year, and will host the <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Bears</a> next weekend.</p>
<p>The Minnesota Vikings move to 6-2 on the season following a 21-18 overtime victory over the St. Louis Rams. Thank you to everybody that got their coverage of this week's game right here at The Daily Norseman!</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/8/9691000/st-louis-rams-minnesota-vikings-recapChristopher Gates2015-11-08T14:30:12-06:002015-11-08T14:30:12-06:00Rams at Vikings: Fourth Quarter Open Thread
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<p>To start the second half against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> got the football first, finding themselves facing a 15-10 deficit. For the first time all season, <span>Cordarrelle Patterson</span> got a great return away, as he brought the ball all the way out to the Minnesota 42-yard line. <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> then found <span>Kyle Rudolph</span> for a gain into St. Louis territory at the 38. Bridgewater then went deep for <span>Stefon Diggs</span>, and there was originally a flag for pass interference on the Rams. However, the officials discussed the play, and then decided it was <i>offensive</i> pass interference on Diggs, meaning the interception stood and the Rams got the ball back at their own 20-yard line.</p>
<p>The Minnesota defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing Rams' possession, keyed by a big sack that was split between <span>Andrew Sendejo</span> and <span>Linval Joseph</span>, the latter of whom is having a monster game this afternoon. After a pair of punts. . .there was a penalty on the first one. . .Minnesota took over from their own 40-yard line.</p>
<p>Minnesota quickly moved back into St. Louis territory thanks to a 31-yard pitch-and-catch from Bridgewater to <span>Stefon Diggs</span> that moved the Vikings to the 26-yard line. <span>Adrian Peterson</span> then had a 12-yard burst down to the St. Louis 14-yard line, and the Vikings were in the red zone again. Bridgewater found <span>Jerick McKinnon</span> to get the ball down to the 6-yard line, and Bridgewater did the rest himself, as he ran it in from six yards out for a Minnesota touchdown. Bridgewater enjoyed running for the touchdown so much, he decided to do the same thing on the two-point conversion, running it in to give the Vikings an 18-15 lead.</p>
<p>The Rams started their next drive at their own 20-yard line after a <span>Blair Walsh</span> touchback. The Minnesota defense quickly forced a three-and-out, including a nice pass break-up by rookie <span>Trae Waynes</span> on the third down attempt. Johnny Hekker punted the ball away, and <span>Marcus Sherels</span> called for a fair catch at the Minnesota 28-yard line.</p>
<p>Minnesota picked up a quick first down on their next drive, but failed to advance across midfield, and <span>Jeff Locke</span> had to come in and punt it away. He did a nice job, as the Vikings' defense was able to swarm Tavon Auston at the 20-yard line. The Rams wound up punting the ball back to Minnesota, and as we move to the fourth quarter, the Vikings are looking at a 2nd-and-16 from their own 5-yard line.</p>
<p>As we move to the final fifteen minutes of play from TCF Bank Stadium, the Minnesota Vikings lead the St. Louis Rams by a score of 18-15. Can they hold on and push their record to 6-2 on the year?</p>
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2015/11/8/9690998/st-louis-rams-minnesota-vikings-fourth-quarter-open-threadChristopher Gates