https://scout.com/nfl/vikings/Artic...-division-leaders-are-turning-heads-110409712
Vikings on a rare roll that sets up hype for Rams matchup
The NFC in 2017 is being dominated by the dominated in 2016. Suffice to say, the Vikings-Rams game Sunday is going the kick the hype machine into overdrive for each fan base.
John Holler
A year ago at this time, a road loss in Washington finally brought to a completion the sagging momentum the 2016
Minnesota Vikings had, dropping a 5-0 team to 5-4 and taking away every possible tiebreaker advantage it had once owned.
A year later, the Vikings are in just the opposite position. With a road win over Washington Sunday, the Vikings improved to 7-2, solidified their spot in the mix of the elite teams in the NFC and set up a showdown with one of the others next week.
The significance of Sunday’s win is something that can be put into a historical perspective. How good does a Vikings team have to be to start a season 7-2? Pretty good.
The last time it happened was in 2015. With an eerie similarity to this season, the 2015 team started 2-2 through four games before going on a five-game winning streak. They finished the season 11-5 and won the NFC North title.
Prior to 2015, the last time Minnesota had started with a record comparable to this season was in 2009 when import QB Brett Favre led the Vikings to a 9-1 start, on their way to a 12-4 record, an NFC North title and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game.
Before that, you have go back to the glory days of the early
Randy Moss era. In 2000, the Vikings started 7-0, finishing 11-5, winning the NFC Central Division title and playing in the NFC Championship Game against the Giants. Two years earlier, in 1998, the Vikings started 7-0 on their way to a 15-1 record, an NFC Central title and a heartbreaking loss to Atlanta in the NFC Championship Game.
Before that, the Vikings improbably started 7-2 in 1992 – the first year Dennis Green was the head coach and had cleaned house of many veterans from the previous coaching regime. With diminished expectations, the Vikings started 7-2, finished 11-5 and got Green to the playoffs for the first of many times to come in the next decade.
Prior to 1992, you had to go back all the way to the Vikings’ last of four trips to the Super Bowl during their glory years in the 1970s when starting 7-2 or better was the norm.
In the last 40 years of Vikings football, a 7-2 start happened only five times before this year. Depending on how long you’ve been a Vikings fan, those previous five years stick out in your mind for their own reasons. They all set the standard for their era and their achievements were ones – great, good, bad and ugly – that are imprinted on the memories of fans who watched their ascent into contention for a Super Bowl run.
No Vikings team that ever started 7-2 hasn’t won the division title. None of them have ever ended their season with a win, but the Vikings have put themselves in a position to have a say in who goes to the Super Bowl – them or somebody else.
As things currently stand, just nine weeks into the season, there isn’t a significant separation of the teams that are positioning for the top spots in the NFC. New Orleans, whom the Vikings crushed in Week 1, has won seven straight and sit at 7-2.
Philadelphia is rolling at 9-1 atop the NFC East, sporting a three-game lead over Dallas. When the 2017 schedule came out, the only reason the Vikings were playing the
Los Angeles Rams was because both were third-place teams in their respective divisions.
Oh, what a difference a year makes in the NFL.
All four current division leaders finished third or worst a year ago – the Vikings, Saints and
Rams finished third and the Eagles finished fourth. They had a combined record of 26-38.
This year? They have a combined record of 29-7.
Suddenly, Sunday’s game between the Vikings and
Rams has the kind of implication that has only been seen in two eras of the NFL – the coup-style revolution that the Greatest Show on Turf created and the defensive battles of the 1970s, when the
Rams always seemed to have to come the Met Stadium in January when heating coils didn’t exist and flamethrowers had to do.
In the next few days, both the
Rams and Vikings are going to be center stage with the national media. Who knew? The way the dominoes are falling in the NFC, the magnitude of Sunday’s game in the NFC scheme of things can’t be understated.
If history has taught us anything, when a Vikings team starts 7-2, the worst thing that happens is that it wins its division.
With a win over the
Rams, the Vikings would set themselves up for a first-round playoff bye regardless of whether the Eagles stay on their torrid pace. A win over the
Rams Sunday would give the Vikings a head-to-head tie-breaker edge on both of the other current division leaders.
Fans of the
Rams and Vikings know the ins and outs of their respective teams.
The rest of the country is going to find out this week, because, for the first time in a long time, a Vikings-
Rams game is going to have serious implications.
The time to enjoy the win over Washington is just about over.
Now things get serious. The Vikings and
Rams are in unfamiliar territory. So are the Eagles and Saints.
Get your popcorn – and the attention of the national media – ready.
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https://scout.com/nfl/vikings/Board...S-VS-RAMS-what-a-game-of-match-ups--110421625
VIKINGS VS RAMS, what a game of match ups
This is going to be an intense game. So many great matchups going on, with the potential of the winner to separate from the pack (Rams and Saints face off later this year). I believe the next two games will determine this season as two wins would make us 9-2 with tie breakers all over the place, strong control of the division and 10 days to put the nail in last years NFC representative the Falcons (who Zim kinda owns). But back to the matchups:
Zim vs McVay, hot young offense versus the crusty old defensive guru. While Goff has played well, and seen some things, he’s hasn’t seen this defense yet playing at home in the loudest stadium in football
Their weapons matchup well with ours:
Watkins vs Rhodes, big strong #1 vs big strong #1
Austin vs Waynes, speed speed speed not always consistent performance. Both getting better
Whitworth vs Griffen, two All Pros going at it
Joseph vs Sullivan, Big Man vs Little Man
Woods vs Newman, crafty play
Gurley vs Barr and Kendricks, a premier RB vs a premier LB group
The only name missing from all of this is Harry, who I believe will be the difference for us. His ability to confuse, mask, and dominate will help stifle Gurley, confuse Goff and be a huge difference maker
On the other side of the ball you have
The Rookie facing off versus Donald, big test for the young kid
Trumaine covering Stefon, 2 top 10s at their position
Barron and Rudy, one is a big lumberjack, the other brings the lumber
Reiff vs Quinn, another underrated matchup of Pro Bowl talents
The difference on this side, who is going to cover AT19 and which 3rd WR can make a difference (Treadwell and Floyd have great size over Joyner)
The ST nod goes to LA as they have the best duo in the business.
This game is more exciting than a matchup vs the Saints, Lions, Cowboys, or even Falcons
Vikings 31
Rams 23
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I couldn’t agree more last week we faced a battle ship this week we face a real aircraft carrier. Case has to take care of the football because like all aircraft carriers this team has the arsenal to make you pay. Discipline will be the key along with good sound tackling.
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Couple of other things that the Viking's must watch for:
Rookie Cooper Kupp seems to have become their possession receiver and Goff loves to go to him. The guy has great hands and is highly regarded for his route running skills.
Gurley as a receiver out of the backfield. He is, or was until yesterday, second on the Rams in receptions and I believe I heard yesterday he was leading the league in total yards and maybe even touchdowns.
The Rams have been using Tavon Austin as a running back primarily this season either spelling Gurley or with both in the backfield. Have to disrupt those plays in the backfield as he's dangerous with the ball in the open field.
The Rams are the only team in the entire league this year that has started the same offensive line every game. They seem to have solidified one of the Rams biggest weaknesses in recent years. Viking need to penetrate their line and knock Goff and Gurley on their behinds early and often.
I feel that whichever team does the best job of putting pressure on the other teams QB and RB's in the backfield is going to with this game. The Vikings have to double up on Aaron Donald on pretty much every play. The guy is an absolute beast and seems to be pressuring the opposing QB and RB in the backfield time and time again.
We already know that the Rams have several things to worry about in facing us too so I don't think I have to spell it all out. I just wanted to point out a few things that I've noticed with this week's opponent while catching a few of their games this year.
All that said.....I am very confident the Vikings have got this. I think we have the personnel, confidence, home crowd, hunger, etc, all in our favor and not only do we send the
Lambs home with a loss but I think the Vikings win this one going away. Wish I could be at this one! It's going to be a wild time!!!
Vikings - 41
Rams - 16
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Containing the Rams' base D pass rush and forcing them to blitz to create pressure will be critical. The Vikings also need to be able to run the ball well enough to at least force the Rams to respect play action.
This one might come down to star players neutralizing each other, leaving the lunch pail guys, role players, and ST to figure out who's the better team. And it will be the hardest test of the season for Zimmer and his staff.
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I hope the Rams forget all about Danielle Hunter too!
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I think the Rams are built very similar to us on D with a stud or multiple studs at all 3 levels...Rams are a sneaky team...they'll try fakes punts and gadget plays at any time and are pretty good at it...Vikes D and special teams will have to be on their toes for this game.
Key match up the OP listed is gonna be our LBs and D in general containing Gurley and making Goff beat us...we do that I think the Vikes win this one not easily by any means, but I think @Wash was a tougher test. Purple are playing good ball right now and bring it for four quarters...can the rams win a slugfest against a tested slugfest style winning team...just don't think so
27-17 Purple....SKOL
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One more weapon that needs to be heavily utilized...... Will Zimmer reach out to the fans in attendance and ask them to start drinking early?
