Post-game Vikings Defeat GB 23-7

Repeat of game #1 from last year.

Learn* from it and move on.

(* By Learn, it would behoove ML to play starters for at least 1 game in pre-season as part of that “lesson learned” input)
Two cents
ML talked BS of learning from Saints game did not play starters at all but for a few of the crappy OL guys ML won't play starters next year. League wide most coaches are to scared of paying a multi million dollar starter and having him get hurt in pre-season.
 
I think it's the 3rd time in 4 years that ML has not had the offense ready in week 1.

I'm not sure pre-season is the whole issue. The Vikings didn't play starters in pre-season and they looked ready from the first snap. I think there is something they are NOT doing correctly in practice in the weeks before the season starts. It's like practices are used to just "try things" rather than developing an identity and cohesive gameplan for week one.

Last thing - they need to stop over-thinking the o-line. Put the best 5 guys on the field. They have screwed up a number of times in the past few years by not going with their "best" options rather than their "veteran" options. We keep talking up Steno and ML, but they keep screwing this up. Another lesson they need to learn.
MM teams had that similar disjointed look to them, and I think you have to look to the common denominator. It's not lack of preparation, I think it's just what it looks like when the offense is trying to serve two masters at once. They're constantly trying to balance the Rodgers playbook with the ML playbook based on players available, match ups, flow of the game, etc. Just look at the 3rd quarter this week. They're down 20 but still have a prayer. They score a TD on a nice drive - 5 runs, 2 passes. The O found something. D gets a stop, they get the ball back. They get two nice runs from Jones and Dillon, then go pass happy - 3 pass attempts in a row, once resulting in a sack. Momentum dead, game over.

It's all just so tiresome.
 
Much is made about this being tied to MLF and preseason preparation...I think it has much more to do with #12 and the preseason preparation he goes through each year at this stage in his career - plenty of NFL teams play their starters very little or not at all in the preseason. I think there's something different with how Rodgers goes about his offseason and training camp that just doesn't help the roster gel on the offensive side of the ball.

Much is made about the young receivers and Watson's drop on the 1st play was crushing...but last year the Packers' O looked even worse against the Saints with both Adams and Lazard playing along with a healthier O-line.

2020 was really the one season I can remember recently where the Packers hit the ground running and were in sync offensively from jump on Week 1 - that was the COVID year with no fans and basically no training camp/preseason all over the league...plus it was the year Love got drafted and Rodgers suddenly looked like the player he was 5 years prior.
 
I was initially disappointed in the performance more than the loss. But I've come to realize that Min just caught the Packers at the right time.

A good team catching a vulnerable team at the right time leads to this outcome. The Packers got beat in every phase most important the trenches.

They got out schemed on both sides of the ball which was embarrassing. The Packers were the ones that looked like they were in the first year of a new offense and defensive schemes. They looked lost on both sides of the ball.

I'm just going to chalk this one up to just not being prepared. But if this continues next Sunday and the Bears end up with a surprise victory or even if they give us an competitive game Packers fans will lose their minds.

Anything but a dominant victory next Sunday won't take the stench from yesterday's debacle.
 
ML talked BS of learning from Saints game did not play starters at all but for a few of the crappy OL guys ML won't play starters next year. League wide most coaches are to scared of paying a multi million dollar starter and having him get hurt in pre-season.
Vikes starters didn't play either iirc.
 
I was initially disappointed in the performance more than the loss. But I've come to realize that Min just caught the Packers at the right time.

A good team catching a vulnerable team at the right time leads to this outcome. The Packers got beat in every phase most important the trenches.

They got out schemed on both sides of the ball which was embarrassing. The Packers were the ones that looked like they were in the first year of a new offense and defensive schemes. They looked lost on both sides of the ball.

I'm just going to chalk this one up to just not being prepared. But if this continues next Sunday and the Bears end up with a surprise victory or even if they give us an competitive game Packers fans will lose their minds.

Anything but a dominant victory next Sunday won't take the stench from yesterday's debacle.
We are a successful franchise, teams are gunning for us now, especially in the division. Vikes played above their talent level, on a wave of momentum in their favor for most of the game.

We had a chance to come back after the half, but we couldn't take advantage.
 
I am worried about Sunday Bears won a game against a good 49ers team that took out GB in playoffs. Bears won't roll over and die for GB. GB better get if fixed otherwise Bears will be this Packers team.
 
I rewatched the game and here is what I saw:

Defense

The d-line once again is getting manhandled at the line of scrimmage. This defense is the same defense that cannot stop the run consistently

Quay Walker is going to be a stud. Let's just hope the injury is not long term

We continued to play zone and got our butts handed to us by Jefferson. Then when we played man, we had Stokes on Jefferson. Made no sense to me. Put your best corner on Jefferson all day long. If we would have done that, I doubt Jefferson does much against Alexander.

Stokes was bad. Got beat consistently. I hope this is just first game issues and not things to come. He should be able to take a big jump this year.

Safety play was very average. Savage continues to prove why he should not be extended.

Offense

When we ran the ball and used Dillion and Jones out of the backfield, we moved the football. Cobb and Watson should only be used sparingly. They are old and do not get open very often.

We once again abandoned the run. I realize we were down 20-7 in the 2nd half; however, we still had 5 min in the 3rd and the 4th quarter left. This team will not move the ball unless we are balanced. The offense looked pretty solid when we ran the ball and threw short quick passes and got Jones and Dillion involved out of the backfield.

Rodgers held on to the ball too long at times. The INT at the end of the half was bad. Hopefully the timing gets better as we play more games. That seemed to be the case last year.

For how bad the offense played, if Watkins catches the TD and we kick the FG on the road (like you always should do) we are down 23-17 at the end. The turnovers didn't kill us but again you can't turn the ball over and expect to win.

Hanson & Newman should never be allowed to play again. They were absolutely horrible. Why would you not have started Tom at RT or RG? Makes no sense. Again, it shows ML and some of the idiotic decisions he makes. Just like last year in the playoff game pulling Yosh.

Special Teams

I thought the ST's played well enough. They did not make any splash plays but they did not have any gaffs. That is an improvement, IMO.
 
ML talked BS of learning from Saints game did not play starters at all but for a few of the crappy OL guys ML won't play starters next year. League wide most coaches are to scared of paying a multi million dollar starter and having him get hurt in pre-season.

Nobody played their starters in the preseason. It is not about preseason reps it is about players that want to give 110% and actually play well. Once again, these players looked like they wanted to be at the bar drinking then on the field.
 
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