An earlier blog in the week the fact was stated that the Vikings are on an 11 game NFC North losing streak. The fact in the middle of this is the Vikings have lost 3 in a row to Detroit.
This 2012 Vikings team has 2 wins already and last year won 3 all year. This is a big day in Detroit with the Vikings offense having a chance to build on from last week.
I would like to look at the Vikings offense and what I would like to see happen starting with the leader Christian Ponder. He has looked so sharp early in the season and avoiding the interception. This Lions defense will come in with something to prove especially at home after the Tennessee Titans scored 44 points last week against Detroit.
Titans quarterback Jake Locker finished 29 for 42 and 378 yards. I was surprised what they gave up to Tennessee, but the one stat that stood out to me was the sack column that showed 0 for the Lions defense. Ponder has got to be feeling good but has to be careful. It is a division game and these each year these NFC North games are a dog fight. Ponder has weapons and needs to rely on them continuing to make plays. He just needs to continue to play within himself and will be fine.
Ponder in last week’s big performance against the 49ers was not sacked once with a huge credit to the young Vikings offensive line. This week’s opponents, the Lions, have a very strong front line maybe in the top 5 in the NFC. The defensive ends, both Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch will be very tough for Matt Kalil and Phil Loadholt. This will be a great test to see what we really have for tackles with 2 weeks in a row going up against the 49ers and now the Lions. I am a believer in this team and know Kalil and Loadholt can do it. The Lions also have what many consider the best defensive tackle in football besides Kevin Williams is Ndamukong Suh. John Sullivan and the guards will have their hand full. The no sacks against Tennessee will bring an even more fired up Lions front four. The other tackle the Lions have, Corey Williams is out after having surgery. He will have backups Sammie Lee Hill and Nick Fairley as his replacements.
The Lions defense gave up a 61 yard touchdown to Titans tight end Jared Cook. Kyle Rudolph could be in line for another big game. The Vikings finally used Rudolph last week and look what happened. My wish is it happens over and over until he gets stopped. Kyle is such a big target and with great hands.
Jerome Simpson returns finally after serving the 3 game suspension. The number 378 yards which Tennessee had last week included a 71 yard touchdown to wide out, Nate Washington. The nation will finally get to see what I saw in Mankato. The speed and the connection Simpson had with Ponder was both amazing and fun to watch. It is time for what fans have been hoping for, the bomb. Let it fly, Christian, Simpson will flag it down for six. I am so excited; I even picked up Simpson last week in my fantasy league.
Another weapon for the offense with Simpson could really pay dividends for Percy Harvin. Teams are going to try to shut him down already. You might be able to defend Percy, but once the ball is in his hands he creates havoc out there as teams try to tackle him. I believe this early part of the season he is on a mission and defenses had better be prepared to pay the price. He is delivering more punishment to the defense than they can get on him.
Adrian Peterson is getting stronger every week. It just seems each game he is just that close to breaking the big one. The Lions is one of the teams in the NFL he has some bigger games against.
I love what the offensive line is looking like early on not giving up sacks and with a healthy Peterson behind them there is no limit to what the team can be. Look for Peterson to have his first 100 yard game of the season.
Confidence is good but also need to be careful and take it a game at a time. A win and the Vikings team go to 3-1 and the Lions 1-3 with essentially a 3 game lead over the Lions.
The excitement of talking to people around town is fun again. I find I am finally finding believers in Ponder, Frazier and the rest of the team. It has been a tough last 2 seasons so early on we are seeing encouraging signs.
Next up: Vikings defense against Lions offense
Vikes Win 31-21
Thanks for reading
Purplestick
No comments:
Post a Comment