NFL GDT: 2019 NFC Divisional Round: (1) San Francisco 49ers vs (6) Minnesota Vikings - Saturday, 4:35 EST

[StreetHawk]

Yeah the bye helped them tremendously and how they won that game probably took as little out of them as you could expect for a playoff game. I don't think there was any injuries suffered and it didn't seem like they got tired out at all.

Weird this year in that both NFC wildcard games were on a Sunday, so the Vikings game in on a short week against a team on a bye. Had not seen that before. They normally had 1 Conference game each on each day, thus the winner on Saturday would play the team with a bye on Saturday, giving them a full week off. And in the WC game, both teams playing on Saturday, would be playing on a short week.

For all of the teams that want to establish the run early like Min, SF, SEA, Bal, etc. you need to have a Plan B ready to execute if your run game is only getting 1-2 yards per attempt early vs the 4-5 that you had hoped for.

Vikings didn't have an answer when their running attack never got traction. Tried a couple of screen passes but that netted them only a few yards. Nothing was getting them 7-8 yards on early downs.

 

[Foppberg]

Seahawks versus 49ers please...

 

[MMC]

 

[TheGooooch]

Michael Thomas feels a certain way about that performance

 

[Trap Jesus]

Does Thomas think that makes him look good? Lmao what a moron

 

[Avs_19]

That sucked. Vikings just got completely dominated up front on both sides. I'll give the DL more of a pass because they were clearly gassed as the game went on but still not a good showing. Vikings had no chance once they couldn't get Cook going. Niners defense, especially the DL, was ridiculously good today.

Cousins didn't lose the game but like most of his teammates, he wasn't good either. Checked down a bunch and missed a couple of throws in the first half that you just can't miss because you don't get those opportunities often. The biggest one was to Diggs that would've resulted in a first down inside the 10.

Just too much for the Vikings to overcome with the main thing being that the Niners are really good so credit to them. **** Bosa though. For a variety of reasons we don't need to get into but today because of the unnecessary cheap shot that concussed O'Neill. He's one of the few unlikable players on that team.

 

[kovacro]

I love MT but just shut up. You lost to the Vikings last week at home, no less. I don’t care if your hand was busted or cut off.

The Vikings were playing this week and the Saints were not. Enough said.

 

[Troy McClure]

 

[Sharks2020]

How about Them Niners.

 

[Avs_19]

They'll make it work because of how some of the expensive contracts are structured but it'll obviously be tough to improve the team.

They save over $8M from cutting Rhodes alone and I'd be shocked if they didn't go that route. He played like a replacement level CB this season so they won't miss him. They'll only have two CBs under contract though so that's a problem. They get big savings from cutting/restructuring Griffen, Joseph, and Reiff as well but that'll be tougher because those guys are still productive.

Cousins is the big one. Do you commit to him with an extension? If so, any cap problems for next season would likely go away pretty quickly because they'll get his number down. However, you're then committing to Cousins for big guaranteed money for a few more years.

 

[Didalee Hed]

They'll make it work because of how some of the expensive contracts are structured but it'll obviously be tough to improve the team.

They save over $8M from cutting Rhodes alone and I'd be shocked if they didn't go that route. He played like a replacement level CB this season so they won't miss him. They'll only have two CBs under contract though so that's a problem. They get big savings from cutting/restructuring Griffen, Joseph, and Reiff as well but that'll be tougher because those guys are still productive.

Cousins is the big one. Do you commit to him with an extension? If so, any cap problems for next season would likely go away pretty quickly because they'll get his number down. However, you're then committing to Cousins for big guaranteed money for a few more years.

As a packers fan, oh please god let them extend cousins. I cannot think of a vikings starter over the last couple decades I would prefer being at their helm. Ponder, maybe?

Edit- I wiki’d it:

moon, culpepper, johnson, favre, Cunningham, bridgewater I take over “kirk”. Only guys considered were guys given multiple years.

no to ponder, and that’s it.

 

[Trap Jesus]

As a packers fan, oh please god let them extend cousins. I cannot think of a vikings starter over the last couple decades I would prefer being at their helm. Ponder, maybe?

Edit- I wiki’d it:

moon, culpepper, johnson, favre, Cunningham, bridgewater I take over “kirk”. Only guys considered were guys given multiple years.

no to ponder, and that’s it.

That's insane. In this decade, Favre was better but it was a one-off season. Culpepper could put up yards and TDs but his turnover rate was absolutely astronomical. It wasn't even the interceptions, the guy would fumble at least once a game. Cousins is easily the best combination of managing the game while still providing big play ability. Not that the Vikings have had good QBs, but he's easily the best they've had in a long time.

 

[StreetHawk]

Cousins is a fully guaranteed contract. I can’t imagine them giving him more years. Anything they can do would just mean that they are borrowing future cap space for next season by pushing some guaranteed money to 2021 and beyond.

vikings need OL and CB help in the draft. May need to replace vets that they opt to cut for cap savings.