1 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: The Vikings best chance of winning lies with Dalvin Cook's 2 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: legs and getting a big game out of him, and 3 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: let's sell. Let's keep Devanta Adams especially off the field. 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: The thing that we did well against the Packers was 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: jammed the ball down their throats. And I believe in 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: that first game, if we keep giving the ball to 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 1: Alexander Madison, we win that game. Hey, everybody, Welcome to 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings Podcast, episode number fifty nine and more importantly, 9 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: the first episode of the twenty twenty real season Actual 10 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: Football Week one Border Battle. Joining me on the podcast 11 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,959 Speaker 1: as always Chris Corso and Jane Nelson from the Vikings 12 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: Entertainment Network and joining us as friend of the program 13 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: and probably the only time all year because of how 14 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: he and I feel about one another. Ladies and gentlemen, 15 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: King of fantasy and king of guy who gets angry 16 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 1: texts from me on Sundays, paul I Corso, I like 17 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: I talk to Charch who's a close friend of mine 18 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: and someone I love. I talk to him like he 19 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: disagrees with every thought I have. On Sundays, I just 20 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: set him up there. He's he's my bully dummy, and 21 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: I just send him me all day and I really 22 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: appreciate that he takes it. I really appreciate it. Paul, 23 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 1: usually with these texts come in as if it's my 24 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: fault for whatever's happening with the Vikings at that moment, 25 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: and let in, especially when involves Kirk Cousins, because then 26 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: apparently it is absolutely my fault. I am, I'm the 27 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: given what the internet believes that is absolutely your fault. 28 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: But to spin it forward, I actually very high hopes 29 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: for Chris Corso's boy, Kirky Cousins. On week one it's 30 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: border battle. Let's well, I was gonna say, let's not 31 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: waste any time, but let's also not waste any time 32 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: with as we're recording this, we are just receiving breaking 33 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: news that is not gonna be fun to hear for 34 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: Viking fans. We are going to be without Daniel Hunter 35 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: week one against the Packers as well as it looks 36 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: like week two and three is he is going on 37 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: the injured reserve list. Chris, is there anything else I 38 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: need to know? I think, knowing that he's out for 39 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: three weeks and looking at the Viking schedule, it's gonna 40 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 1: be a big hit for this team and everyone talks 41 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: about a Fadio Denibo losing his starting spot, Well, guess what, 42 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: he just got it back. So if Andre Patterson says 43 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: you can't have too many pass rushers, I think this 44 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: is a good reason why charge. Yeah, this is this 45 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: is going to test a defense that's in heavy flux 46 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,119 Speaker 1: before this. This is supposed to be one of the few, 47 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: the few stable elements of the defense with all these 48 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: changes was Daniel Hunter and clearly losing him across with 49 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: all the other problems across the defensive line. When I 50 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: say problems, I guess what I really mean are just 51 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: new places, new faces that we didn't necessarily expect to 52 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: be the case. Michael Pierce loss was really unexpected and 53 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 1: unfortunate for the Vikings. And you know the schedule is 54 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: going to be a little tricky without him. Indianapolis Colts, 55 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: I believe will be one of the most improved teams 56 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: this year. They got to travel to India after this, 57 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: and then they get the Tennessee Titans when the NFC 58 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: Championship game after that, those three games without Daniel Hunter 59 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: is certainly a big loss. And will you know, you 60 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: absolutely feel it against Aaron Rodgers on Sunday, and let 61 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: me be the guy who. Normally how pollenized relationship works 62 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: is I freak out negatively and he spins me back 63 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: the other way. I'm going to be the guy who 64 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: spends positive here no matter what. The first five games 65 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: out the gate with the Packers, the Colts, the Titans, 66 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: the somebody else and the Seahawks. It's the Texans still out. 67 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: They don't even matter, the Texans, which might be the 68 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: most dangerous of all of them. When it's all said 69 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: and done. Those five games were going to be so 70 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: difficult as it is. And now you take Hunter out 71 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: to me, you still have the opportunity. If you can 72 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: go in and you can get this game week one, 73 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: and you can get a couple three, you know, play 74 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: well in the next four if you can get out 75 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: of these first five games. And I know every Viking 76 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: fan and everybody in the building wants to go five 77 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: and oh through those three. But if you are without 78 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: your all world defensive end, you get in there and 79 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: you somehow get this first one and a couple others, 80 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: you have put yourself in a really good position to 81 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: be a successful team this year. Unfortunately, this is just 82 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: how the schedule breaks. Sometimes the Vikings are in a 83 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: situation where the first quarter of their season is going 84 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 1: to have either heavy rewards or heavy consequences. Paul, Yeah, 85 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 1: this is the hardest part of the schedule is upfront, 86 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: and it always was. One through five. We're all difficult matchup, 87 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: so Houston, Seattle, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Green Bay and that's you know, 88 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: it's just made that much harder. I honestly, as a 89 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: lifelong Viking fan, I'd be happy with three wins out 90 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: of those five, and I might have to settle for 91 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: two wins out of those five, depending on how quickly 92 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: the other elements of the defense can come together, which 93 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:14,479 Speaker 1: is my biggest concern, and it's got to be shared 94 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: by you guys. You look at the cornerback position between 95 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: Hughes and Danzler and Gladney and Holton Hill. That's eight 96 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 1: combined NFL starts for three out of those four guys 97 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: that are going to be on the field most plays 98 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: and sometimes four out of four. That has to all 99 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 1: come together really quickly. Shamar Stephan's gonna have to play 100 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: a lot of downs. Julie Johnson's gonna have to play 101 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: a lot of downs. This defense is going to be 102 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 1: challenged in a way that we just have the Viking 103 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: defense of these have had this luxury of consistency and 104 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: its defense for so long. This is the first year 105 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: that we're really going to be testing our coaching staff, 106 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: were testing the front office and their ability to find 107 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: adequate replacements and can get up to speed quickly. So 108 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: many question marks that we're not used to defensively here. 109 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: The other side of that, though, is it's the It's 110 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 1: not the first time Zimmer came in and ripped around 111 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: a defense that was pretty bad the year before, with 112 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: a lot of question marks and almost identical personnel or 113 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: nearly similar. They had elevated Everson Griffin, they'd given him 114 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: that contract. You know, a lot of people had questions 115 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: about that. So you know, I'm I'm not again trying 116 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: to be rosy side up here, but he said it himself. 117 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: He doesn't have bad defenses I personally. And the other 118 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: thing is just like fans charged like to react to 119 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: you as if it's your fault, your cousins through an interception. 120 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: There are three things that Viking fans, I believe, you know, 121 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: even the ones I love get too dramatic about Kirk Cousins' 122 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: performances because his contract was so divisive when it was 123 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: first announced. Anthony Barr's performances, which I will continue to 124 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: blow the horn on how insane that is. He is. 125 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: He is the wheel that makes this defense turn and 126 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: I will argue in the streets about it for decades. Now, 127 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 1: here's much I mean, you're gonna go, You're gonna go horse. 128 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: Anthony Barr is gonna be you know, decades from now 129 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 1: he'll be retired. Here's retired. Anthony bar doesn't even care anymore. 130 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: And there you are out on the corner of First 131 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: and Henna Been and you're shouting at nobody. You got. 132 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: I'll be shouting at you. It'll be directed at you. 133 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: But but here's here's the giving. I'll be giving you 134 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: spare change, by the way, confusing you for a for 135 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: a homeless beggar, and I'll need it given the way 136 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: this is going. But everybody last year acted like the 137 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: Vikings through like they bought a clone machine, cloned Wasswa 138 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: Serwonga and threw three of them out on the field. People, 139 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: because Xavier Rhodes was one of the best cornerbacks in 140 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: the NFL for so long that when he became a 141 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: more medium average slightly below you know, elite player, people 142 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: lost their minds. The truth is, you know they got 143 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,679 Speaker 1: targeted a lot, but that secondary didn't very often. And 144 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: so to me, I'm not ready to freak out about 145 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: these young guys until they give me a reason to 146 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: freak out about them week one. If Aaron Rodgers torches 147 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: them and then Philip Rivers torches them, I'm going to 148 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: freak out. But for right now, I just given what 149 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: happened in Zimmer's first year with all those question marks, 150 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: I'm way more concerned about the offensive line progressing and 151 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: Kirk Cousins feeling comfortable than I am the defense. And 152 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: maybe that makes me an insane person, but yes, I'm 153 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: an insane person. We've been used to the defense for 154 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: so long, being the staple of the team. It's been 155 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: the offense has to catch up every training camp. It's 156 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: like coach Zimmers like, ah, the defense is one week 157 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: ahead of the offense. I think this might be the 158 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 1: first year where you look at the offense and you 159 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: say they might have a leg up on the defense 160 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: because those cornerbacks are going to be asked to do 161 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: a lot of things and what these coaches always say 162 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: is the pass rush is what helps those guys get 163 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: an extra second here, an extra second there, And now 164 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: you're missing one of the key guys there. I think 165 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 1: unique and Gockway is gonna have to have like how 166 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: many sacks in the first three year. I'll take like 167 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: seven or eight out of him. But you know, you 168 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: know how I feel. You know, here's how I decide 169 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: whether or not I feel good. Because leaving last season, 170 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: knowing the cap situation that was in place, I think 171 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: a lot of people thought this was going to be 172 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: a transitional year for the Vikings, you know that. I 173 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: think that was the national perspective, right, and they kept 174 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: a lot of players. Kirk got a new contract. Like 175 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: you've added in Gockway, Anthony Harris has stuck around. When 176 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: you have this sort of team, all it takes is 177 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: one thing, one of a couple of things to just 178 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: push that teeter totter the other direction and charge. I'll 179 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: let you speak on this first one. What if Kirk 180 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: Cousins throwing that dart to Adam Feeling is his Phil 181 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: Mickelson moment. There was a point when Mickelson was just 182 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: a chubby golfer that never came through an important moments. Yeah, 183 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,559 Speaker 1: and then he rumbled that put into the hole on Augusta, 184 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 1: jumped up and down like a dad at a softball game. 185 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: And now he's one of the greatest golfers of his era. 186 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: If that throw in the most important moment of his 187 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: career knocks that loose and Kirk, that is, we're talking 188 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 1: about a whole different level of a football team here. 189 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: I think Kirk's already pretty good. I don't think he 190 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: I think he was a good quarterback. Yeah, but you 191 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: have I know you do, but you have to admit, 192 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: not not even admit, you have to understand. I'll put 193 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: it this way. So I'm a stand up comedian, right, 194 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: And I used to audition in Hollywood, and I was 195 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 1: charged one of the worst. I'm a fine actor, one 196 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: of the worst auditioners you have ever seen in your life. 197 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: I'd get nervous, it's not actually like real acting, and 198 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: I would fail miserably. And then a casting director told 199 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: me that a lot of the casting directors knew I 200 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: was bad at auditioning, and so they were they were 201 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: like trying to put me in positions to succeed in 202 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: front of show runners. And the moment I found that out, 203 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: I was like, well, I'm never gonna overcome this. I 204 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 1: just got It's it's weird to know that people think 205 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: about you in a certain way. I think Kirk Cousins 206 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: has been really good with us so far. But if 207 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: he had that moment last year, if he comes out 208 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: Week one and puts up three eighty and three touchdowns 209 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: and the Vikings roll the Packers, if something clicks in 210 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: him where that narrative disappears from the national and local scene, 211 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: That's what I'm saying. I think he's been good, but 212 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: what if that happens. One might be being dramatic about 213 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: his You know how people call you themselves. You've never 214 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 1: been dramatic. I can't even imagine a scenario where that 215 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 1: would happen. Um could Kirk? You? You know, I would 216 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: love to think that that that dagger that he threw 217 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,959 Speaker 1: Adam Feeling against the Saints down to the two yard 218 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: line is going to be a catalyst for even better 219 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: play from Kirk. And maybe it will be. But my 220 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: feeling has been that Kirk's already performing at a really 221 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 1: high level given what he's had around him. Um, I 222 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 1: think he's I think He's performed really, really well, and 223 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: I'm sure everybody can get better. I love it if 224 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 1: he got better. I don't. I to go back to 225 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: what Chris was saying earlier, The continuity here is on 226 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: the offensive side of the ball. I think we just 227 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 1: need this offense perform a lot like it did last year. 228 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 1: Run the ball really well. Give your strategic deep bombs 229 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: to Kirk Cousins, which is fantastic, and I love that. 230 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: I love that he can dagger defenses with the deep ass. 231 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: You know, it's something that we haven't had here since 232 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: Culpepper or Cramer, and um, I just I don't. I 233 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: just think that the offense is in a far better 234 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: spot to control games, and we have a lot of 235 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,079 Speaker 1: continuity on this offense. So you're changing the offensior what 236 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: Lfine flips to the other side. Dozer, who has already 237 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: gotten a fair amount of run, is going to at 238 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: least our starting left guard. That's new, and then OLBC Johnson, 239 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: who got fair amount of run last year in place 240 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 1: of Adam Feelan, is going to start. So you know, 241 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: that's a lot of hunt nuity. Out of eleven guys, 242 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: we only have one really true new starter one and 243 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: a half true new starters. That's it's not bad. Offense 244 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 1: can just go do its thing, Kirk, go play well 245 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: like you usually do, and Vikings have got a chance 246 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: to overcome whatever inconsistencies we get out of this new 247 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: out of this new defense. Yeah, one of the things, 248 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:21,080 Speaker 1: you know, in the past we've talked about is the 249 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: defense being the rock and the offense catching up and 250 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: kind of getting their legs underneath them. It's going to 251 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: be the other way now. They stressed in previous years 252 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: how much you need that offense to stay in the 253 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: field to at least help the defense, you know, not 254 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: be so tired from being on the field all the time. 255 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: I think being able to have an offense where Kirk 256 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 1: and Delvin and the passing game, the screen game, even 257 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: the tight ends down the seams, being able to pick 258 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: up first down after first down and just keep moving 259 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:50,079 Speaker 1: the ball and eating up the clock is going to 260 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: be critical, especially on the early end if we're going 261 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 1: to have some questions not only in the secondary, but 262 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: now on the defensive line at the d end position. 263 00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: So I think that the more that the offense can 264 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: stay on the field and can hopefully click early, that's 265 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: going to be crucial for this team to have success 266 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: at least on the front quarter of the Season's that's 267 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: what I'm talking about. That's not I disagree with I 268 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 1: don't disagree with you. I think you're right. I just 269 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 1: disagree conceptually, and going off of what what Charch said, 270 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: you have all this consistency, right, A lot of these 271 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: guys were here last year. See, you have a lot 272 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: of similarities. It's a lot of the same stuff, added Jefferson. 273 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: Lose A Diggs, who again I love that trade, but 274 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: Diggs is all world. He is a fantastic wide receiver. 275 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: So to me, I do want the team that controls 276 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: the officer, controls the ball, does all this stuff. But 277 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: I personally, selfishly and I believe it's super possible. I 278 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: want to see the sort of offense if if Kirk 279 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: is who we believe he is, and some of these 280 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: guys who are who we believe they are, that it's 281 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: not hard for him to put up thirty eight a 282 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: couple of weeks in a row, and I think they're 283 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 1: right there. And so what I'm looking for is could 284 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: Kirk take Yes, he's good, could he get better? And 285 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: I think he thinks that I think coaches think that. 286 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: I think anybody who believes in Kirk thinks that. But 287 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: then throwing to the guy you mentioned, Paul, what if 288 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: and this is the guy that people argue with me 289 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: about on the internet. What if Pat Elfline finally settles 290 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,119 Speaker 1: in What if after all these years of different positions 291 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: and different coaches and different changes, he returns to being 292 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: in a spot at right guard where he feels comfortable 293 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: and he is some version of what he was as 294 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: a center. We get that level of a guy that 295 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: I mean that changes this team dramatically. And the other 296 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 1: guy you throw on that list is IRV Smith. If 297 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: any of those three guys who are consistent on the 298 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: rosters take a step forward, this might not just be 299 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 1: a ground and pound, control the ball offense. This might 300 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: be an offense that you go, oh boy, no matter 301 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: who we can, we can control the ball. But we 302 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: can put up forty two points on the Houston Texans 303 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,120 Speaker 1: if we need to. Wouldn't that be nice? Yeah? My 304 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: counter to that, I guess is pad Alflyne. It'd be 305 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: great if this is the this turns out to be 306 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: the spot for for him, But we're trying his third 307 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: spot and this is his first game in this spot, 308 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: so we still have a long way to go on 309 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: Pad to prove that this is ultimately going to be 310 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: the spot where he settles in. Can all I need 311 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: from Pad is just average NFL guard play. I mean, 312 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: that's that's all I'm asking here. You know, we really 313 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: we have we have, we have talent on the other spots. 314 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: I just the two guards. If we can just get 315 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: to NFL average levels, I think that would that would 316 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 1: help us offensive ton I mean, I'm a I unapologetically 317 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: I'm a huge pad alflying guy. I think he's the 318 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: glue personality that keeps that group together. I think, I think, 319 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: and I do think he's put in a difficult position. 320 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: I think you come and you play center, you move. 321 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: You've had a lot of different coordinators. He might be 322 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 1: moving positions this year, but he does have consistency. He 323 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: does have consistency from last year. So I'm I'm maybe 324 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: naively charch, but that's exactly right. What if Pat al 325 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: Flying grades out on one of your NERD grade sites. 326 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: What if he grades out as like the fourteenth best 327 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: right guard in the league. Beat that would be fantastic 328 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 1: world changer. Take fourteen Oh, yeah, we gladly take fourteens 329 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: because last year he was grading out in the like 330 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: the fifties and sixties, so that would be fantastic. Charch 331 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: and I agree on something very specific. It's one of 332 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 1: the few things. It's that jumping from hat being thirty 333 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,919 Speaker 1: second at a position to sixteenth at a position is 334 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: just as important as jumping from sixteen to one. It's 335 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 1: still it's still a fifty percent leap up in production 336 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: from where you were the year previously. Is that unfair 337 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: to say, Charch? I think you're with me. I just 338 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: you know, we just don't want to be a liability. 339 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,679 Speaker 1: So you know, right now the way he hadn't played 340 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: was we had a liability at guard. Now hopefully on 341 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 1: the right side, maybe there's going to be the thing 342 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 1: that clicks. He was able to win the job. It 343 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:59,640 Speaker 1: was an open competition. He won the job, so there 344 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: was a reason and proptimism there. Join me Paul Allen 345 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 1: along with former Vikings linebacker and current radio analyst Ben 346 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:10,640 Speaker 1: Leeber after every Vikings game as we host Between the Lines, 347 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: analyze the game, break it down from all angles, and 348 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: discuss what it means for your favorite team moving forward. 349 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: Watch each week via Vikings dot com, the Vikings app, YouTube, 350 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: and all of the team's other digital and social platforms. 351 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:29,640 Speaker 1: For information, visit vikings dot com. Slash between the lines, Well, 352 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: let's flip to the other side of the ball. The 353 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,439 Speaker 1: Mike Hughes injury. Injuries like that are two year injuries. 354 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 1: We all know that. Then you know you might come 355 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: back and start playing, but it takes you a while 356 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 1: to get everything underneath you and feel like the guys 357 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 1: you used to be. What if Mike Hughes is a stud. 358 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: What if we're sitting here going because then on a defense, 359 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,639 Speaker 1: we know that with Xavier we watch Belichick do it forever. 360 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,919 Speaker 1: What if one of these guys is a shutdown, a 361 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: guy who can chase Julio Jones, your entire season changes 362 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: almost immediately. If Cameron Danzler is the guy in reality 363 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 1: and real NFL pads on regular season action that he 364 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: looks like he has been in training camp, that might 365 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 1: be our guy. I mean he might be. He might 366 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,640 Speaker 1: he might be our next stand out cornerback. And even 367 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:17,120 Speaker 1: though he went two rounds after Jeff Gladney, Danzler has 368 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: been the guy who's been eye popping. Let's you know, 369 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: maybe he is that guy, And honestly, I don't think 370 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 1: it takes that much to be better than Wayne's and 371 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: Rhodes were last year. Sure they're super green, but by 372 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: the time they get half a season into their careers, Danzler, 373 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: Gladney and deer Point, maybe Hughes, maybe even holding Hill, 374 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: although I don't think so. Maybe one of the maybe 375 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: those guys are are operating at a level that's even 376 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: better than what we were getting out of Waynes and 377 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: wrote that's possible. I was about to say, I think 378 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: of the Dallas game last year. That's the game that 379 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: stands out as Mackenzie, Alexander, Xavier Rhodes, Trey Waynes that 380 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: they were not good that game, and we found a 381 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: way to win that game. And now you got a 382 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: bunch of guys who are young. You have good things 383 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,919 Speaker 1: coming out of training camp consistently. Kirk Cousins said the 384 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,959 Speaker 1: other day, he said none of them made any blown 385 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,879 Speaker 1: coverages all of the practices in camp. A bunch of 386 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:12,719 Speaker 1: them intercepted him a time or two, which is something 387 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: that he even had to admit. So I think that 388 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: there's a chance that this group could also be better 389 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,880 Speaker 1: than the group we had last year, and a guy 390 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: like Mike Hughes. I mean, he has a pick six 391 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,919 Speaker 1: in his first career NFL game off of Jimmy Garoppolo. 392 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,360 Speaker 1: Then he suffers a torn acl and then the next 393 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: year he has whatever neck injury that he had. So 394 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: this is going to be the first year he's coming 395 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: into where he's one hundred percent healthy. Do you think 396 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: that that gives him a chance to be an elite 397 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: sort of corner? It leads a long way to go 398 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,400 Speaker 1: from where we've gotten to this point where what we've 399 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: seen to this point, you know, the college the college 400 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 1: taper status suggests so, but I'm not ready to I'm 401 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: not ready to go there yet. Let's I'm gonna pump 402 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: the brakes on that. Let's just say that he's got 403 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: room to improve in the second year off as a CEO. 404 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 1: You know, this is totally my faults. Before this show, 405 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: we sat in the Zoom room and we're like, let's 406 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: jump right into the Packer game. And then I got 407 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 1: on the show and the roster came up, and I 408 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: lost my mind because charges here. But now let's get 409 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 1: right into the Packer game. Because as we started this 410 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 1: tangent we're without Daniel Hunter to me, and I'd be 411 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:24,959 Speaker 1: curious what each of you guys think to me this. Normally, 412 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: I think the Packers, what makes the pack what is 413 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: going to make the Packers world go round, is their 414 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 1: running game. Which is why when everybody laughed at them 415 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: for drafting a running back in the second round, I 416 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: was like, you guys are all going to feel real 417 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: dumb for that laughter, because clearly Lafleur is pulling a Shanahan. 418 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: He wants three different backs, he wants to put the 419 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,199 Speaker 1: tune he wants to he wants to beat people up 420 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: that way. So normally I would think as their running 421 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: game goes, so go the Packers. But in this specific game, 422 00:21:55,640 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 1: week one in the season, to me, knowing that Daniel 423 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,439 Speaker 1: is out and we have those young cornerbacks, is Aaron 424 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:07,639 Speaker 1: Rodgers going to be the Aaron Rodgers from the past 425 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: or from last year? And whatever the answer is to 426 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: that question is probably the answer to the outcome of 427 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 1: the first week of the season. I agree with a 428 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: lot of what you said, which is not something I 429 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: normally say. That the Vikings got Vikings lost the two 430 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: games the backers last year because they got run through 431 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: it wasn't because of Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers over the 432 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: past two years has averaged two hundred and twenty eight 433 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: yards and one touchdown against the Vikings. That's it. That's 434 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,719 Speaker 1: You don't win many games throwing two twenty eight and 435 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: one unless your running game is fantastic. And Aaron Jones 436 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:45,640 Speaker 1: ran through our Vikings last year, and I think they'll 437 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 1: certainly try to take that same approach this time. I 438 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 1: don't I don't know if it'll work. AJ Dillon's gonna help. 439 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: He is. Have you guys seen this guy. He's a 440 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: freaking monster. He is a monster. And when you say, 441 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,239 Speaker 1: as a fantasy guy who pays more attention to this 442 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: sort of thing than than other people, isn't it a 443 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,960 Speaker 1: terrifying when you set him next to Jones? Isn't it 444 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:12,679 Speaker 1: a terrifying change in just styles? And I hated that 445 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:16,239 Speaker 1: old thunder and lightning garbage, you know from the who 446 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:22,679 Speaker 1: was It? Ron Dane and Tiki Barber. I think lightning, um, 447 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: you would never want to be the thunder and that 448 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: that's never a good feeling. You never want to be 449 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: the thunder. But it's a very diverse skill set. M No, 450 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:35,879 Speaker 1: it is um and by the way, I've already come 451 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: up with a nickname for AJ Dillon. Are you ready 452 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: for this? Yeah? You guys? Remember you guys, remember Christian Nikoya. 453 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 1: They're Nigerian Nightmare? Right, So AJ Dillon another monstrously large 454 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: back playing in Green Bay on the tundra. How about 455 00:23:52,440 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: the Siberian Nightmare like that? That's that's just out of 456 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: an endorsement as you can possibly get. Charge I left 457 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: at you sigh So, No, that's how I know I'm 458 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:14,360 Speaker 1: screwing up of Courso. You. This is what Corso does 459 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 1: every every time Corso has a chance to talk about 460 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 1: the Packers game, he spent like weeks last year jinxeen 461 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: the fact that the Packers had never won in us 462 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: Bank Stadium. And now now without fans, what are we 463 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,880 Speaker 1: going to see on Sunday from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers? 464 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: Chris Corso. Right, when Matt Laflour decided to draft Jordan Love, 465 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: I think that just awoke another Aaron Rodgers. And normally 466 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 1: you wouldn't hear me say this because I've said this 467 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: for years on this podcast and others, that Matt Stafford 468 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 1: has been the quarterback in the in the division that 469 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:51,960 Speaker 1: has hurt the Vikings the most the past couple of years. 470 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: We heard those stats from Charge just a second ago. 471 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: But I think Aaron Rodgers might come out this season 472 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: and be ready to just be Aaron Rodgers, the discount 473 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: double check. I see him getting having that attitude this year. 474 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 1: I saw that that Kyle Brant podcast and he was 475 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: sipping on some tequila talking about how he's ready to 476 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: go this season. I mean, I hate that they had 477 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: to anger their own player because I think that that 478 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: hurts us. I really do, yes, I to him, petrified 479 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: of the fact of Aaron Rodgers being a motivated, surly, 480 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 1: upset quarterback over in Green bay Land. But the thing 481 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,199 Speaker 1: about it for me is that one of the reasons 482 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:34,920 Speaker 1: why he is so surly is because they really didn't 483 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: address the wide receiver position. You know, they lost funches 484 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 1: due to the COVID opt out, and so he's still 485 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:44,479 Speaker 1: dealing with I mean, he's got Davanta Adams, who's one 486 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: of the best in the league period. But then when 487 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: you start looking at everybody else, you've got your Saint 488 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,239 Speaker 1: Brown and Lazard. A lot of those guys in the 489 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:55,880 Speaker 1: past are people that have been criticized on the Green 490 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: Bay side where they're looking at it saying if Aaron 491 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,199 Speaker 1: Rodgers had anybody but Davanta items that they might just 492 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: be a juggernaut and you can't stop them, which is 493 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 1: part of the reason why I think they've had to 494 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: rely on their running game more. And the fact that 495 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 1: four of their five offensive linemen are coming back. Yes, 496 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 1: they lost Bolag at right tackle, but they put Billy 497 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 1: Turner in there. They brought in Rick Wagner from Detroit. 498 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: Like for me, if their success last year was on 499 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 1: the ground, testing our defensive line and making our linebackers 500 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:26,879 Speaker 1: in secondary half to make a play, and now you 501 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 1: come into this week where you're losing a Daniel Hunter. 502 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: I think, if I'm them, I'm going back to that 503 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: same recipe and let An Aaron try and pick you 504 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: down the field periodically. But I think again AJ Dillon, 505 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: and I just I think adding him to that potent 506 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: running game is going to be something that's going to 507 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 1: be really, really difficult this weekend. And this is very 508 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: out of my character, but I am I'm done being scared, 509 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,640 Speaker 1: you know. I think when I saw the Viking schedule 510 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 1: this year and maybe other schedules are really difficult but 511 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: it is so shockingly hard. It starts so hard, it 512 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: finishes so difficult. It is an incredibly, incredibly difficult schedule. 513 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,640 Speaker 1: So to me, I'm leaning all the way in on 514 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 1: the whole. Like, if, yeah, do I want to go 515 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 1: to the playoffs? Do I want to win the division? Well, 516 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: then yeah, I might have to beat Aaron Rodgers week 517 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: one without Daniel Hunter. I'm leaning into Like, as a 518 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:24,359 Speaker 1: basketball coach, you used to go, we have to do 519 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:26,199 Speaker 1: what we have to do with what we have in 520 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: front of us, and if the other team hits thirty 521 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 1: five threes, congratulations you did it. So to me, I'm 522 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 1: leaning in on what we do. I think one of 523 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: the most interesting pieces will be when the Packers beat 524 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 1: us last year when we flip sides of the ball, 525 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: because Church you were talking about them running really effectively 526 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: against us. We're without Delvin in that second game. We 527 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 1: did not run the ball particularly well in that game 528 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 1: against them and their defensive ends in their line, but 529 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:56,439 Speaker 1: they were in the backfield all day. So I'll be 530 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: curious in week one what this O line and running 531 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: game looks like against that Packers defense. Yeah, this a 532 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,879 Speaker 1: Packers run defense that was bad last year. And they 533 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: did virtually nothing to change it, which really surprised me. 534 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: You know, this is another area in the draft that 535 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: we thought that they would they would they would make 536 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,119 Speaker 1: some improvements. They actually probably downgraded at linebacker, going from 537 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: Blake Martinez to Christian Kirksey um at linebacker, and this 538 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:26,639 Speaker 1: is a this is a bad defense. They allowed the 539 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 1: six highest yards per carry run defense, seventh most rushing yards, 540 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: fifth most rushing touchdowns. And Cook torched the pack for 541 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: one hundred ninety one yards in a score last season, 542 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: So I know, I got it. I really think that 543 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: if the Vikings um, the Vikings best chance of winning 544 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 1: lies with Dalvin Cook's legs and getting a big game 545 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: out of him. And let's sell let's keep Davante Adams, 546 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: especially off the field. We're talking all this time about 547 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers Vant Adams. Who would you put on Davante 548 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: Adams from from the Vikings. That's that's a that's a I. 549 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: You know, none of our cornerbacks of proving to be 550 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: near the caliber of Davante Adams, who is one of 551 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: the five or six seven best receivers in the league. 552 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: And Adams last year to one yard games against the 553 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: Vikings year before that, touchdowns in each game. I mean, 554 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: the Vikings have struggled to stop him anyway. Um, I 555 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: think I might go Houlton Hill and try to be 556 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: more physical with Adams. But there's not a great answer. 557 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: He's a big six foot one receiver. He's got plenty 558 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: of meat on the bone. Maybe you can, maybe you can, 559 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 1: Maybe you can play physically with him. I don't. I 560 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: just don't think there's there's an easy one on one matchup. 561 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: I'm inclined to say I'm gonna double Adams and go 562 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: make Alan Lazar beat me. I think that might be 563 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 1: that might be your best your best chance. Yeah, and 564 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: we're so used to having we're so used to having 565 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: you know, Xavier Rhodes here and lining him up on 566 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: our you know, our best, their best wide receiver for 567 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: years and years. I mean, I don't think you can 568 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 1: overlook the fact that with a platoon of young cornerbacks, 569 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: I don't think we know exactly how Mike Zimmer and 570 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 1: his defense if staff is going to approach superstar wide receivers. 571 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 1: I don't think necessarily the past dictates what we'll see 572 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: in the future. So you could see a lot of 573 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: different things thrown at Davante Adams a week one who 574 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 1: I think it'd be pretty hard to guess. Jay. The 575 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: one thing to think about, too, is if you're going 576 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 1: to do that, you might do what other teams have 577 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: done in the past, even with some of our big 578 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: guys with Diggs and Feeling, and you could even spy 579 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: a safety over the top, and so you have that 580 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: guy one on one down below with Davante, but you 581 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 1: have a Harrison Smith or Anthony Harris over the top 582 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 1: keeping an eye on him, and that might be the 583 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: way to do it. But the problem is is Aaron Rodgers. 584 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 1: He can make all those throws. So if you're almost 585 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 1: playing a mini bit of a zone against him like that, 586 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: Aaron finds ways to pick you apart. So I just 587 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:44,520 Speaker 1: I feel like, yeah, the double team might be the 588 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 1: way to go because of inexperience. At the same point, 589 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 1: if they feel like some of these guys in training 590 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: camp have been making all the moves and have not 591 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: broke coverage at all, they might actually just roll the 592 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: dice here and say good luck and let's see if 593 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 1: we can get some blitzes up the middle to make 594 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: Aaron uncomfortable. I watched a lot of the Packers last year, 595 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: you know are set up last year. Well, our set 596 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 1: up had the multi TV setup, so they were always 597 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 1: on one of the other TVs. And the truth is 598 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: the reason the Packers running game was so successful is 599 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 1: they would get up. If the Packers get up a 600 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: score early and they can dictate the pace with their 601 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:24,440 Speaker 1: running game, they're really successful. So the other thing to 602 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: look for on Sunday is I'm always fascinated with the 603 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: coin flip. You know who I am, But dude, I am. 604 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: You're throwing it to the coin analysis. How do you 605 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 1: feel about the game? Chris? You can, you can poke 606 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,360 Speaker 1: fun of me, but let's talk about it for a second. 607 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: You had word that I'm not allowed to say on 608 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:49,479 Speaker 1: this podcast. Both of these teams like to control the 609 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 1: pace and dictate the game. Both of these teams are 610 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 1: extreme given past history when either of these teams struck 611 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 1: early and struck out to lead. And I know that's 612 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: across the NFL, but specifically with what the Minnesota Vikings 613 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 1: want to do, they want to run the ball really well, 614 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:06,680 Speaker 1: they want to control the clock, and they want to 615 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: dagger you with play action. With what the Vikings want 616 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:12,960 Speaker 1: to do, if you can get up early and I 617 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 1: watch that same thing with I mean, they're not very 618 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 1: different offenses. We know that these are pretty similar offenses. 619 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 1: So whichever team, I'll be curious to see what the 620 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 1: mentality is. If the Packers get the flip, are they 621 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: trying to get out and score and run ahead. I 622 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 1: also think if the Vikings get the flip, I'll be curious. 623 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 1: I think it says a lot about and make fun 624 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 1: of me all you want, but the way a team 625 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: decides whether they'll return or kick to start a game 626 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 1: says a lot about the way the team approaches the 627 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 1: game and approaches their season. I mean it's a pretty 628 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,960 Speaker 1: consistent You know who you want on the field first, 629 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 1: You know what the best foot forward is. I don't 630 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: know that I can say that this year. If I 631 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 1: asked all three of you, what do you hope happens 632 00:32:58,040 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 1: to start the game? Do you think that do you 633 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:01,719 Speaker 1: hope they get the ball or do you hope they 634 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: kicked the ball? I don't know that there's a consensus 635 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 1: no brainer here, is there? Chris Corso, guy who made 636 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 1: fun of me for a point that I think is good. 637 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I want the ball first, because we fell 638 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: behind pretty early last year in both games. I remember 639 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 1: against the Packers and the thing that we did well 640 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,640 Speaker 1: against the Packers was jammed the ball down their throats. 641 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:23,280 Speaker 1: And I believe in that first game, if we keep 642 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 1: giving the ball to Alexander Madison and Kirk doesn't make 643 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: that mistake in the back corner of the end zone, 644 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,320 Speaker 1: we win that game. And as you said before, Charged, 645 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:34,760 Speaker 1: I mean, Dalvin Cook had one hundred and ninety one yard. 646 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 1: I mean, we were just that was the one thing. 647 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: I mean, it looked like the Green Bay defense was 648 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 1: absolutely beaten up, tired. We finally had them grinded down. 649 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,800 Speaker 1: So I want to see Alexander Madison in this game too. 650 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: I want to see what he can do as the 651 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 1: second fresh leg back because that was when we were 652 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: really starting to pepper that not so great run defense 653 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 1: last year. And most of those guys are the same 654 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: players and a downgrade at linebacker. So um, Charge, I mean, 655 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: what do you see for a guy like Alexander hold On, 656 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:09,239 Speaker 1: hold On Chris so Hey. Just to go back to 657 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 1: my point there, that's different than it was in the past. 658 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:15,919 Speaker 1: That's you know, in the in the past three four years, 659 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: if you would have asked Minnesota Viking fans, what do 660 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: you want? Do you want the ball or do you 661 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:22,359 Speaker 1: want to put your defense on the field. It had 662 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,840 Speaker 1: been a no brainer. Stick my defense out there. I 663 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:28,440 Speaker 1: want the ball at half time, so that's what. Then, 664 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: don't make fun of my question. It was a good question. 665 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,600 Speaker 1: Then it was a good thought. Charge. You're allowed to 666 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:35,759 Speaker 1: make fun of my thought if you bring evidence that 667 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 1: contradicts it. Chris just supported me after making fun of me. Well, 668 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 1: we make fun of you even we agree with you. 669 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 1: That's half the that's the reason you're on this show. 670 00:34:45,960 --> 00:34:51,720 Speaker 1: I am insecure and I can't handle criticism despite dishing 671 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:54,799 Speaker 1: it out to the people. I care about. Which side 672 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:56,240 Speaker 1: of the ball do you want to see on the field? 673 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:58,560 Speaker 1: First charge? I want to see the offense on the field, 674 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 1: and I can't believe for five minutes in a breaking 675 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 1: down the coin toss, but I want it for the 676 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:04,759 Speaker 1: same reasons Chris said, I trust our offense more right now. 677 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 1: I don't want to fall behind. I want I want 678 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 1: to get Kirk on the field first, score points, make 679 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 1: them play catch up, and let's go. Let's go with that. 680 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: Last year I would have given you the opposite answer. Charge, 681 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 1: I'm not breaking down the coin toss. I am breaking 682 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,879 Speaker 1: down game strategy. Get out of the way, Chris, let's 683 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:26,239 Speaker 1: have them on here more often. I like, hey, guys, 684 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:28,920 Speaker 1: why don't you do the MVP podcast anymore? Well, they 685 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:31,120 Speaker 1: started having charch on every week and it was just 686 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:35,600 Speaker 1: sigh and charge fighting like maniacs. Go ahead, Jay. Part 687 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:38,239 Speaker 1: of it is, teams always want that double dip at halftime. 688 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:40,120 Speaker 1: They want to be able to have the ball last, 689 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:41,840 Speaker 1: and then they want to be able to score again. 690 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:45,440 Speaker 1: And that's that is always the key onto why teams 691 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:49,520 Speaker 1: try to defer. Typically I understand that, but but I'm 692 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 1: just saying, on any team, whenever it turns into kind 693 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:55,320 Speaker 1: of a there's almost kind of an ego check at times, 694 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:58,239 Speaker 1: and it's like, listen, we don't care about any of that. 695 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 1: We want the ball first because we want to send 696 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 1: a message and we want to set the tempo. And 697 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 1: here's the thing. If you can do that, you can score, 698 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:07,240 Speaker 1: you can control the clock, and you can show people 699 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: like hey, at least you know for the first drive 700 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 1: we've got this, then great. That helps set the tempo. 701 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:16,640 Speaker 1: If you don't and you take it first and then 702 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:19,439 Speaker 1: you go three and out, or you have a non 703 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,439 Speaker 1: sustained drive that at times then could be a killer 704 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 1: not only on the front end but also at halftime. 705 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:28,239 Speaker 1: So for me, yes, I think you're probably going to 706 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,880 Speaker 1: see them say why wouldn't you want to have it 707 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:33,160 Speaker 1: on offense first to try to get up on them 708 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:36,080 Speaker 1: and be able to dictate it. But still that double 709 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:38,839 Speaker 1: dip at second half is why everyone always makes that change, 710 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 1: and I think I don't fault teams for making that 711 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:45,800 Speaker 1: change this year, especially if your offense, you know, possibly 712 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: ahead of your defense. After every Vikings game this season, 713 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:51,320 Speaker 1: make sure to log onto the team's digital and social 714 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:55,160 Speaker 1: platforms to watch Vikings Postgame Live, a new streaming postgame 715 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:58,960 Speaker 1: show providing fans with highlights, postgame sound from head coach 716 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: Mike Zimmer, and player analysis and much more. Fans can 717 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:04,960 Speaker 1: watch live or on demand via Vikings dot com, the 718 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:10,360 Speaker 1: Vikings mobile app, Vikings Now, the team's connected TV app, YouTube, Facebook, 719 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:14,960 Speaker 1: and Twitter. For more, visit Vikings dot com slash postgame Show. 720 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 1: I will never back down. I thought this was a 721 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 1: great topic, but let's move in. Let's close the show 722 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:25,759 Speaker 1: with something Charches is good at and just everybody else 723 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 1: can get out of the way Charch, Well, first of all, 724 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,319 Speaker 1: I want to mention Guillotine Leagues before the show. You're like, 725 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: you don't have to mention it. Well, too bad, I'm 726 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 1: gonna mention it. I think anytime anybody puts a new 727 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:40,279 Speaker 1: spin on a very difficult to spin concept, do they 728 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 1: deserve a ton of credit. And Guillotine Leagues they are. 729 00:37:43,719 --> 00:37:46,680 Speaker 1: It's so cool. It's such a as somebody. I'll be honest, 730 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:50,560 Speaker 1: I don't love fantasy football. I really really don't, because 731 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:54,200 Speaker 1: it turns out I hate like all the other teams 732 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: and all their players. As a Viking fan, I'm like, 733 00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:01,040 Speaker 1: I'm not putting a seahawk on my team. I have 734 00:38:01,160 --> 00:38:04,239 Speaker 1: like damage that goes back to being like twelve years old. 735 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm gonna I'm not gonna put a raider 736 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:10,840 Speaker 1: on my team. So I normally cannot stand it. But 737 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:15,440 Speaker 1: the idea behind guillotine Leagues is so fun and competitive 738 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:21,600 Speaker 1: and kind of interestingly frantic that I'm I'm very much considering. 739 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 1: I'm very much considering doing one with my friends and family. 740 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:29,839 Speaker 1: But let's not get carried away. It's it's very anxiety inducing, 741 00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:32,120 Speaker 1: and you know you've got a lot of anxiety already. 742 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 1: I don't know if this is don't you dare talk 743 00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:37,120 Speaker 1: about my mental health on this show charts, don't you 744 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:42,040 Speaker 1: don't you dare? But anybody who's premise goes by anybody's 745 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 1: not familiar. Yeah. Yeah. You start with seventeen teams in 746 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 1: a fantasy league, and unlike most leagues, um, you don't 747 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:50,319 Speaker 1: play at all head to head. Every week, the low 748 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,759 Speaker 1: scoring team from that week gets cut and their entire 749 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:55,400 Speaker 1: roster goes the waiver wire, where everybody else gets to 750 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:58,680 Speaker 1: feast on those guys. Normally, your waiver wire is like, oh, 751 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:02,000 Speaker 1: this fourth string running back might be able to move 752 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:05,479 Speaker 1: the third string. I'll go get him now. Instead, Dak 753 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:07,880 Speaker 1: Prescott has a bad game, and all of a sudden, 754 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:11,560 Speaker 1: here's Dak Prescott on the waiver wire, along with a 755 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:15,520 Speaker 1: whole draft of players, and Austin Eckler and Mike Evans 756 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 1: and all the whole roster players in the waiver wire. 757 00:39:17,719 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 1: So it's it's waiver wire pandemonium. And every week a 758 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:23,120 Speaker 1: team gets cut, the last team standing wins the whole thing. 759 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:26,359 Speaker 1: You are the survivor, and the best part is sy 760 00:39:26,719 --> 00:39:29,840 Speaker 1: you don't have to play to win. You just have 761 00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 1: to play to not finish last, and that's kind of 762 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:36,040 Speaker 1: a model for your life. Well, I mean, I don't 763 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:38,360 Speaker 1: really feel like you needed to take such an aggressive 764 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 1: shot at my existence at the end of it, but 765 00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:43,640 Speaker 1: I do agree with that. It is very fun and 766 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:45,520 Speaker 1: I very much like that. Let's get out of here 767 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:49,400 Speaker 1: with this. I want to know four Viking fans and 768 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 1: for people like me, if I were to play fantasy, 769 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:55,879 Speaker 1: I'd probably be loading up on Vikings. Give me, give 770 00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:58,319 Speaker 1: me your no brainers and give me your sweepers on 771 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 1: this Vikings roster. Well, you know brainer for sers, Dalvin 772 00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:04,000 Speaker 1: Cook typically going off the board at pick number five, 773 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:07,040 Speaker 1: which is very high, and I think there's every reason 774 00:40:07,640 --> 00:40:10,440 Speaker 1: unless you believe Dalvin Cook's ultimately going to hold out, 775 00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:12,440 Speaker 1: and at this stage it sure doesn't look like it, 776 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:16,359 Speaker 1: then there's that's an appropriate spot for Dalvin Cook to go. 777 00:40:16,719 --> 00:40:19,839 Speaker 1: Adam feeling, I think it's going to have a good 778 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:22,000 Speaker 1: season just on suer volume. He will get a lot 779 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:23,759 Speaker 1: of balls his way. But some defenses are going to 780 00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:25,919 Speaker 1: play to just stop feeling no matter what. A little 781 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:28,000 Speaker 1: bit like we talked about with Davante Adams, who I 782 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,640 Speaker 1: would play to just take him off the field and 783 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:33,359 Speaker 1: make other players beat you. I think some defenses are 784 00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:35,319 Speaker 1: gonna do that with Theeland. They're gonna play to just 785 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:39,640 Speaker 1: take theland away and force other vikings to go win battles. 786 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:43,040 Speaker 1: And sometimes it'll work. Sometimes that won't work, and that's 787 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:45,600 Speaker 1: going to be I think a lot of a lot 788 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:47,439 Speaker 1: of the challenge for Theeland or the up and down 789 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 1: games when that happens. I'm really excited to see that 790 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:53,040 Speaker 1: because I think when he went on that record streak 791 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:56,160 Speaker 1: a couple of years back, the first team we really 792 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:58,880 Speaker 1: saw do that go okay, we think you shouldn't be 793 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:02,439 Speaker 1: allowed to hurt us was New England Patriots, and it's 794 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:05,759 Speaker 1: been you know, teams kind of adapted that way, but 795 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:08,600 Speaker 1: it's always been tough with digs. So it'll be really 796 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:11,319 Speaker 1: interesting to see how that plays out this year. Yeah, 797 00:41:11,520 --> 00:41:14,560 Speaker 1: BC Johnson is a deep sleeper. A little bit of 798 00:41:14,600 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 1: interest there. There's I think you may be able to 799 00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 1: pick your spots with him. Justin Jefferson. Let's see how 800 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:20,279 Speaker 1: much he's on the field in Week one and is 801 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:22,400 Speaker 1: he playing almost universally from the slot or has he 802 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:26,160 Speaker 1: got other places We can identify some slot mismatches later 803 00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 1: in the season if we have opportunities for Justin Jefferson, 804 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:32,440 Speaker 1: the tight ends. I think to some degree they're going 805 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:34,440 Speaker 1: to cannibalize each other a little bit like they did 806 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:36,440 Speaker 1: last year. We all think Herb's gonna be better in 807 00:41:36,520 --> 00:41:39,239 Speaker 1: year two, but Kyle Rudolph's coming off arguably the best 808 00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:41,560 Speaker 1: year of his career, So you know, I just I 809 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 1: think Rudolph deserves to be on the field plenty as well, 810 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:46,279 Speaker 1: And I don't know if there's enough two tight end 811 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:48,759 Speaker 1: sets to keep to keep both of those guys fed 812 00:41:48,840 --> 00:41:51,920 Speaker 1: from a fantasy standpoint. All right, well, charge, I care 813 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:54,200 Speaker 1: about you a great deal despite the way you speak 814 00:41:54,239 --> 00:41:58,080 Speaker 1: to me. Nice Thank you, Viking fans. A couple announcements 815 00:41:58,080 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: here to get you up. But first I'm gonna point 816 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:04,440 Speaker 1: something out. I know, A I want to give a 817 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:08,319 Speaker 1: big shout out to the entire team, and I think 818 00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:10,719 Speaker 1: it's important for fans to hear the entire team at 819 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:14,799 Speaker 1: the Vikings Entertainment Network. You know, everybody has accepted the 820 00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 1: reality and we're all doing the best we can. I mean, 821 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:20,919 Speaker 1: we're doing this podcast on Zoom during the pandemic and 822 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:25,799 Speaker 1: to put out quality content and to continue to cover 823 00:42:25,880 --> 00:42:29,759 Speaker 1: the team in such an impressive and efficient way, given 824 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:31,799 Speaker 1: all the rules and the way that we have to 825 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:34,399 Speaker 1: live right now. I've been just to be a part 826 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:38,640 Speaker 1: of it. I have been so incredibly impressed with Van Chris, 827 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:40,759 Speaker 1: with the stuff you've done, Jay, with the stuff you've 828 00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:44,040 Speaker 1: done in the endless team of people over at Vikings 829 00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:47,840 Speaker 1: dot Com. And that's not going to stop with the 830 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:51,440 Speaker 1: preseason and training camp here, It's gonna roll right. I know, 831 00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:55,200 Speaker 1: everybody's busting their butts to get ready for Sunday and 832 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:58,160 Speaker 1: we're going to be rolling out some great content on 833 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:01,640 Speaker 1: Vikings dot Com on all of our social media platforms. 834 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:05,040 Speaker 1: Stay tuned to all that stuff. Again, it's hard to 835 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:09,000 Speaker 1: underscore the effort that's been put in by this group, 836 00:43:09,239 --> 00:43:13,680 Speaker 1: and and I'm gonna double down on that. You know, 837 00:43:13,719 --> 00:43:17,320 Speaker 1: I think when this thing really started to spiral and 838 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:21,319 Speaker 1: sports were not existing, I think there are a lot 839 00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:23,800 Speaker 1: of people who didn't think we would be at this moment. 840 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:26,400 Speaker 1: We wouldn't be sitting if you're ready to have a 841 00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:29,600 Speaker 1: first week. So, given everything that's going on the new 842 00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:33,960 Speaker 1: reality we're living in, I think it's super appropriate just 843 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:37,160 Speaker 1: for a moment as a diehard Vikings fan and a 844 00:43:37,160 --> 00:43:40,960 Speaker 1: football fan, just be we have week one football, and 845 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,319 Speaker 1: it's it's Week one football when it was supposed to 846 00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:47,239 Speaker 1: be Week one football. The league is ready to go. 847 00:43:47,840 --> 00:43:51,680 Speaker 1: I am so excited. I can't wait to see what happens, 848 00:43:51,719 --> 00:43:53,799 Speaker 1: even without fans. I hope we get fans in at 849 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:57,040 Speaker 1: some point, but even without fans, we should all be 850 00:43:57,120 --> 00:44:01,880 Speaker 1: walking around virtual distance high five in each other because 851 00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:07,279 Speaker 1: we're gonna get professional football on Sunday, and so many 852 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:09,920 Speaker 1: of us are so excited for it. I will the 853 00:44:10,040 --> 00:44:14,560 Speaker 1: game as always. Tune in KFA N Paul Allen with 854 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:19,399 Speaker 1: the call Bursitch Lieber. I'm gonna give you guys each, 855 00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:21,920 Speaker 1: will give you guys each a minute here. What is 856 00:44:21,960 --> 00:44:25,000 Speaker 1: the thing that you are most looking forward to on Sunday? 857 00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:27,839 Speaker 1: Start with you, Chris. I think the most important thing 858 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:31,240 Speaker 1: for this team is starting out fast, and we haven't 859 00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:33,560 Speaker 1: done that in recent years. I think we need to 860 00:44:33,600 --> 00:44:37,239 Speaker 1: score on the first drive, hopefully a touchdown when we 861 00:44:37,280 --> 00:44:42,440 Speaker 1: win your coin toss, sigh. I think we need to 862 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:46,600 Speaker 1: score a touchdown on the first on the first drive. 863 00:44:46,640 --> 00:44:49,920 Speaker 1: I want to see Kirk Cousins in a play action, 864 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:52,480 Speaker 1: just throwing the ball down the field. I remember a 865 00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:55,680 Speaker 1: ball down the field to Digs as we were trying 866 00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:57,800 Speaker 1: to come back against the Packers last year, so I 867 00:44:57,840 --> 00:44:59,840 Speaker 1: want to see us take some shots and score on 868 00:44:59,880 --> 00:45:03,120 Speaker 1: the first drive. Jay Nelson, I'm an old lineman. I 869 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:05,600 Speaker 1: want to see controlling the line of scrimmage on both 870 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:07,000 Speaker 1: sides of the ball. I want to see what really 871 00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:09,840 Speaker 1: happens with this defensive line, especially with Denil out. But 872 00:45:09,920 --> 00:45:12,840 Speaker 1: the offensive line, there's been the questions all offseason. I 873 00:45:12,840 --> 00:45:14,560 Speaker 1: want to see them start to answer that. Give Kirk 874 00:45:14,640 --> 00:45:17,880 Speaker 1: some time to make some passes downfield and just control 875 00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:19,759 Speaker 1: the clock, control the line of scrimmage, and put up 876 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:23,160 Speaker 1: some serious points against the Packers. Archie, what you got 877 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:27,320 Speaker 1: for me heid the game? Stopping the other Aaron Aaron Jones. 878 00:45:27,719 --> 00:45:31,480 Speaker 1: This Viking struggled mightily, and then then the loss of 879 00:45:31,719 --> 00:45:35,040 Speaker 1: Michael Pierce was a real blow. I'm nervous about. I'm 880 00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:38,239 Speaker 1: nervous about containing a very very good running attack, and 881 00:45:38,239 --> 00:45:40,959 Speaker 1: not just him, but AJ Dillon as well. And let's 882 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:43,360 Speaker 1: make Aaron Rodgers go win this game. And he's certainly 883 00:45:43,360 --> 00:45:45,520 Speaker 1: capable of doing that. Obviously, he's a Hall of Fame quarterback. 884 00:45:45,600 --> 00:45:48,360 Speaker 1: But I would rather have the ball in his hands, 885 00:45:48,600 --> 00:45:53,799 Speaker 1: oddly enough, than Aaron Jones. Guys, Enjoy Sunday. Enjoy football. 886 00:45:53,880 --> 00:45:57,200 Speaker 1: We'll see you soon next week when hopefully this team 887 00:45:57,360 --> 00:46:04,640 Speaker 1: is talking positively. Enjoy the first week of football. Goodbye,