Hope
I’m hoping for the Vikings to get through this game with no injuries.
Expectation
I expect the offense to be better, but still a work in progress.
Vikings Jerseys
The purple pants were not my favorite at unveiling, but they have really grown on me. I’m in a pink (fuchsia?) shirt and jeans tonight. Just unplanned because it’s preseason and I’m coming from dinner. I wear bright colors by default because I’ve been cheering for a team that fronts purple my entire life.
Seattle Jerseys
Seattle has great colors but the uniform is far too busy! I don’t need white socks between blue pants and green shoes and 12 bird tails down both arms and legs and patterned numbers and triple symbol shoulder pads. My goodness.
First Quarter: 0-0
Alright, let’s do this. I’m excited but it’s preaseason, So I’m trying to stay calm.
3rd and 4 at MIN 45
(11:19 – 1st) (Shotgun) R.Wilson pass deep left to K.Williams to MIN 18 for 27 yards (X.Rhodes)
Wow. Who the heck is Kasen Williams? That’s great coverage by Rhodes and he’s palming that like he’s Odell Beckham? Came out of nowhere.
3rd and Goal at MIN 1
(9:36 – 1st) (Shotgun) R.Wilson pass short right to K.Williams for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. B.Walsh extra point is GOOD, Center-T.Ott, Holder-J.Ryan
What again??? Kasen Williams? Why the crap is he on the first team offense? Why is Sherels in the game right now? Obviously if he can spark against Rhodes, then Sherels doesn’t stand a chance.
1st and 10 at MIN 49
(5:49 – 1st) S.Bradford pass deep left to S.Diggs to SEA 12 for 39 yards (E.Thomas) [J.Reed]
Let’s goooooooooooooo! Sam on the money and Diggs slicks and slides his way open. Great pass, catch, and juke. That’s the big play we needed to see early. We got our glimpse.
4th and 10 at SEA 12
(3:10 – 1st) M.Koehn 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-K.McDermott, Holder-R.Quigley. Penalty on SEA, Illegal Formation, declined
They’re on the board. All in all a solid drive. Great drive by Sam. Great by Stefon. Cook fits in like a glove. The OL held up on pass plays but still needs to open up holes better. I’m noting the lack of TE usage still. Shame that penalties killed them there.
1st and 10 at SEA 25
(3:07 – 1st) R.Wilson pass short middle to D.Baldwin ran ob at MIN 38 for 37 yards (A.Exum)
Mack vs. Baldwin just has to stop.
3rd and 9 at MIN 37
(1:58 – 1st) (Shotgun) R.Wilson sacked at 50 for -13 yards (D.Hunter)
Ohhhhhhh Hunter! My heart flutters every time he does that! I’m so glad he doesn’t have a sack celebration because that would add even more elation and it might break me.
Second Quarter: 3 – 7
Encouraged but they haven’t put it all together yet, probably never will. Hard to see a perfect game, but I would like to see a faster start next week. Dalvin Cook in particular just looks so smooth. So much to like about him.
1st and 10 at SEA 39
(10:34 – 2nd) (Shotgun) R.Wilson pass deep middle to J.Kearse to MIN 41 for 20 yards (E.Lamur)
The middle is exposed. Maybe drop coverage and give up the underneath pass?
4th and 4 at MIN 35
(8:27 – 2nd) B.Walsh 53 yard field goal is No Good, Hit Crossbar, Center-T.Ott, Holder-J.Ryan
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha laugh emoji laugh emoji crying laugh emoji slanted laugh emoji hahahahaha
2nd and 20 at SEA 23
(4:42 – 2nd) (Shotgun) R.Wilson pass deep middle to N.Vannett to MIN 45 for 32 yards (A.Harris; A.Exum) [S.Weatherly]
The announcers tell us a lot of people are waiting for Nick Vannett to show up. I seriously doubt that.
3rd and 4 at MIN 22
(1:57 – 2nd) (Shotgun) R.Wilson pass short left to M.Davis for 22 yards, TOUCHDOWN. B.Walsh extra point is GOOD, Center-T.Ott, Holder-J.Ryan.
I’m a little upset about the bad tackling. I’m not upset about anything else. I want to draw conclusions about how the defense looks weak down the seams, in the mid-range, and at nickel CB. I can’t because it’s a Super Bowl champion QB going up against eventual cap casualties.
4th and 1 at SEA 33
(0:13 – 2nd) K.Forbath 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-K.McDermott, Holder-R.Quigley.
Cobra Kai nails it. Has he missed while in purple? I hope so because I’m extremely uncomfortable with a FG kicker that “doesn’t miss”
Third Quarter: 6 – 14
Defensively I’m satisfied. Room for improvement but it’s crazy Wilson played that much. Offensively, they’re close. They’re at least moving the ball well and letting the D rest. Next step is scoring more. Somebody in my fantasy league is adding Kasen Williams right now.
(15:00 – 3rd) B.Walsh kicks 60 yards from SEA 35 to MIN 5. R.Adams to MIN 18 for 13 yards (C.Carson). FUMBLES (C.Carson), RECOVERED by SEA-D.Bass at MIN 18. D.Bass to MIN 18 for no gain (R.Adams).
Oh no. I’m angry at Adams but we know what this means given the camp and preseason he’s having. Really sad.
1st and 10 at MIN 18
(14:54 – 3rd) (Shotgun) T.Boykin sacked at MIN 28 for -10 yards (T.Bower).
And BOOM Bower disrupts AGAIN! He is the ANTI-ADAMS
3rd and 20 at MIN 28
(14:11 – 3rd) (Shotgun) T.Boykin sacked at MIN 34 for -6 yards (I.Odenigbo). Penalty on SEA-R.Odhiambo, Offensive Holding, declined.
OK Let’s go let’s eat. A mimicry of the first team defensive line! What a camp competition.
4th and 26 at MIN 34
(13:56 – 3rd) B.Walsh 52 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-T.Ott, Holder-J.Ryan.
And the Blair Walsh Seattle long con begins. Dear Seattle fans, please know that if this ends in disaster, this is the moment where he fooled you. And now I see Blair Walsh taunting. I remember him crying in the locker room. His emotional swings sure are something.
2nd and 8 at SEA 4
(9:11 – 3rd) M.Davis left end to SEA 42 for 38 yards (J.Kearse; E.Robinson).
Ugh that scamper to the outside erases the field position advantage. Bower lost containment and it was off to the races after that.
4th and 4 at MIN 34
(5:19 – 3rd) B.Walsh 52 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-T.Ott, Holder-J.Ryan.
This comeback crumble is going to feel so good guys! Like Russell Wilson TD drives against backups, long Blair Walsh field goals don’t worry me. The D is holding up. A bad play here, a bad play there, but overall really solid.
Fourth Quarter: 6 – 20
So Blair Walsh is a villian in Seattle now. We’ve gone from John Randle and Kevin Williams to Percy Harvin and Blair Walsh. This team is CLEARLY moving in the right direction! That’s what the 3rd quarter of the second preseason game of 2017 taught me.
1st and 10 at MIN 44
(10:34 – 4th) (Shotgun) T.Heinicke pass short left intended for I.Fruechte INTERCEPTED by T.Thompson at SEA 46. T.Thompson to SEA 43 for -3 yards (Z.Kerin).
Oh. That interception was Heinicke’s fault. Bad decision to throw. Bad placement. It didn’t deserve to get tipped and picked, but it was a bad throw…so maybe it did?
3rd and 13 at MIN 39
(4:33 – 4th) (Shotgun) T.Boykin pass incomplete deep right to R.Smith. PENALTY on MIN-S.Brown, Defensive Pass Interference, 28 yards, enforced at MIN 39 – No Play.
OK fine I get it. The Seattle 4th team offense is better than the Minnesota 4th team defense. Let’s get this over with then.
1st and 10 at MIN 19
(4:27 – 4th) (Shotgun) A.Collins up the middle to MIN 6 for 5 yards (I.Odenigbo). FUMBLES (I.Odenigbo), RECOVERED by MIN-E.Wilson at MIN 3. E.Wilson to MIN 19 for 16 yards (T.Boykin). FUMBLES (T.Boykin), ball out of bounds at MIN 19.
Ball’s on the ground!!!!!!!! Odenigbo disrupts then Eric Wilson flashes then Eric Wilson bursts downfield annnnd fumbles! Out of bounds phew.
1st and 10 at MIN 46
(3:19 – 4th) (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Heinicke pass deep middle to B.Hodges to SEA 21 for 33 yards (T.Thompson; M.Cromartie).
A strike to Climbing The Pocket favorite Temuchin and here we go!
1st and 10 at SEA 21
(2:49 – 4th) (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Heinicke pass deep middle to B.Hodges for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN. M.Koehn extra point is GOOD, Center-K.McDermott, Holder-R.Quigley.
OH my WOWWWWW HODGES LEVELS UP in one drive! Contested catch in traffic defeats the defender and scores the TD. I’m about to cry. WOAHHHH. Vikings sputter offensively all game then succeed during hurry up. That scores an EIGHT on the “That’s So Vikings” scale.
Final: 13 – 20
Hope
SKOL! No serious injuries! If so the sadly biased announcers did not pay attention to it. Gedeon returned right? I do feel for George Fant.
Expectation
SKOL! Offense did look better. I’m bitter to see penalties kill that first drive, but we got a deep strike later on.
Special Teams
Not good enough. They need a better return game. I saw a deep punt from Symmank which was nice. No missed FGs. Do they miss Cordarelle Patterson?
Offense
Still a work in progress. Coley continued to look good. Bad game from Adams. The offensive line grew with time and Sam started going deep, while maintaining rapport with Stefon. Cook is all of a sudden the most reliable part of the offense. So good to see Hodges flash late.
Defense
How can you cut ANY defensive lineman? Move Bower and Odenigbo to LB. Switch to 3-4. Run a 6-1 base set. Anything to keep all those playmakers. I have to mention concern about the mid-range pass defense and Mack Alexander in particular.
Final Statement
On to next week, healthy!