Jordan Addison is an elite receiver. What Addison brings to the Vikings offense since coming back is significant.
Justin Jefferson is the best, but Addison would be No. 1 on almost any other team.
Next week is big. Who are they getting back?
The offensive line — c'mon! The Vikings need good news. If their starters as projected get intact, things start to get interesting.
Andrew Van Ginkel may be the key for the D to dominate even more as the schedule gets crazy tough. He gives Brian Flores the flexibility to just play D and be physical.
Is Dallas Turner ready to play pass coverage? Moving him to inside LB gives the team the speed that is currently lacking inside. That is a big ask, but if he could do that, that fixes a glaring hole. Toughest position to play well.
— Gary L. from Florida
Addison has nine catches for 155 yards with a game-winning touchdown in seven quarters. That average of 17.2 per catch is inflated by his 81-yarder against Pittsburgh I Week 4, but his presence has been felt in a short amount of time.
In two games with Addison back in the lineup, Jefferson has gone for 126 and 123 yards.
We didn't get to see McCarthy play with Darrisaw (returned in Week 3) at left tackle or with Addison, which was a bit unfair to the 2024 first-round pick who was showing good rapport with Addison throughout training camp. They had substantial work — and results — together, especially while Jefferson was sidelined for about a month.
Van Ginkel (neck) and Cashman (hamstring) have been missed by Minnesota's defense, which delivered multiple stops in the fourth quarter in Week 5. Turner has been the lead player in filling in for Van Ginkel, who had 2.0 sacks on eight snaps against Cincinnati but did not play in Weeks 2, 4 and 5. Minnesota took a look at moving Turner to multiple spots during his rookie season. He had a career-high seven tackles against Cleveland, by the way.
Cashman has been rehabbing since suffering his injury in Week 1. Eric Wilson has filled in admirably, especially considering Cashman's role as the defense's nerve center before snaps.
Hopefully the coaching staff is reviewing the past couple Philadelphia games for a game plan. Sounds like whatever the other teams are doing works for us.
— The Viking Fan Since 1972
I think that we have a GREAT head coach, who along with his staff have been working hard to create 'good' problems. How many players have we already seen step up when given an opportunity? Who should start at quarterback after the bye is a good problem not a bad one.
If it was my decision — as it's a home game — I think that Carson has earned a shot against his former team. But I would tell him and J.J. that regardless of the final score, a healthy and prepared J.J. would start against Los Angeles. As a more mobile QB on a short week, J.J. should give the Chargers a lot of problems. Best of all (after two wins), the Lions will have no idea which of our two starting-caliber QBs they will be seeing Nov. 2.
I'm interested in your opinion, as well as what Kevin ultimately decides.
The bad problem is the tush push. I feel that the problem is not preventing the play from working, but in making the players running the play to wish that a different play would be called.
My suggestion for goal line situations — the defense should intentionally go offsides. No one likes to get hit first, which is the point of the play … intimidation. The penalty (half the distance to the goal line) should allow for several additional opportunities to repeat the same infraction. Maybe the offense gets jumpy and incurs a penalty that would cause them to be backed up more than the penalty assessed the defense. I also think that some offensive linemen are anxious running it, as evidenced by the missed illegal procedure calls. Even if the offense scores a touchdown, the intimidation factor has been corrected.
I want to be clear that I am not advocating the targeting of a specific position/player on the offensive line, but that is of course the exact purpose of the play as designed — target the nose tackle of the defense.
— Bill Dunn in Fairfield, Connecticut
I watched the Eagles-Giants game on Thursday night and noticed the Eagles linemen were moving a lot right before the snap. Don't linemen have to maintain their stance for one second before the snap? To me it looked like the right guard was constantly moving early because he got down into his stance at the same time as the snap at times.
— Duane Lahti
For Eagles week, two things the Vikings have to do:
First, they're gonna have to score a lot of points.
Second, they're going to have to have Coach Flores find a way to stop the tush push.
— Gill Sorg
Eagles week brings multiple storylines as the defending Super Bowl Champions come to town for the first time since 2019.
Much of the conversation about Philadelphia in the past few years has included how to stop QB push plays, and the best way to do so is to avoid short-yardage-to-gain situations. The Eagles ran four consecutive push plays in their Week 6 game at the New York Giants but wound up not being able to keep pace with rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo.
After opening 4-0, Philadelphia has fallen to Denver 21-17 and New York 34-17.
Regarding Bill's comments, we'll all learn more this week about what approach O'Connell will take. Wentz, for what its worth, was still having his left shoulder evaluated last Monday when O'Connell spoke with media members. I don't know if O'Connell will name a starter early this week or rule anyone out. It's his prerogative if he wants Philadelphia to spend time preparing for multiple options.
We did see Washington in the NFC Championship Game try to jump the snaps on push plays but without much success. We also saw the near elimination of the play this offseason during owners' meetings, but the decision fell a few votes shy, so that means opponents have to counter it somehow.
To Duane's point, I believe we have seen an increase in complaints about Eagles players leaving early and/or lining up offsides, but those instances haven't resulted in flags. I casually watched Thursday's game (honestly I was still trying to catch up on sleep from the international double dip) and believe the Eagles had their right guard helping with silent count, but I also believe those situations require a player to reset in his stance.
Philadelphia has 142 points for and 143 points against. The Eagles have struggled to move the ball at times this season, but they've also protected it, losing just three turnovers on the season, including two at New York.