Daily Norseman
Recapping the Recap
First, a note on my last article. Born out of necessity due to being swamped early in the week, I decided to try something different and offer some quick “snap judgments.” It seemed to be a mixed bag.
The benefits of this approach are simple: you catch the raw, the visceral – the sentiments that define being a fan. Of course, as a follower of the Minnesota Vikings, this often is accompanied by feelings of perpetual dread, worst-case scenarios unfolding, and the predictable sense of, “Here we go again.”
It puts a spotlight on the emotional rollercoaster. From crashing down from the high of J.J. McCarthy’s brilliant fourth-quarter comeback in Week 1 to the prospect of being 2-2 during the “easiest” stretch of the schedule, with uncertainty over the status of our center and right tackle moving forward, to suddenly having more question marks than the décor at the Riddler’s house, we run the gamut.
(NOTE: In typical Vikings’ fashion, we get good news on O’Neill’s injury (no IR) but then hit with the Van Ginkel neck injury news. My wife and I joke that many of the funny, awkward, and uncomfortable situations in everyday life can be traced to an episode of Seinfeld. So too can bad football news and Vikings precedent. I surely wasn’t alone in being instantly transported back to 2020, Zimmer’s infamous, dismissive “tweak” comment about Danielle Hunter’s neck issue, and the subsequent zero snaps Hunter ended up taking that season.)
The downside of this “snap judgment” approach? You draw conclusions from incomplete data, which is always a perilous proposition. Upon reviewing more detailed game clips, content here at the DN, and posts from other Vikings-related social media accounts, the picture becomes clearer. Or, should I say, “balanced” — as in there’s plenty of blame to go around.
Whatever narrative one wishes to embrace as to our struggles, there’s video evidence to support it. Is Carson Wentz holding the ball too long, too frequently? Yes. After review, were there indeed quick, shorter routes open? Yes. Were some rendered ineffective as primary read(s) were longer developing? Sure. Has KOC been criticized too harshly? Perhaps. Has the offensive line played poorly? Yes. Are they still struggling to block stunts? Absolutely. Have there been inexcusable breakdowns in basic protections? Yes. Have injuries exacerbated all of these factors? Duh.
Just the Facts
These are the statistical realities:
