Minnesota Vikings fans were very optimistic about the first game of the regular season, with hopes that Teddy Bridgewater would continue his ascent from the end of last season, excitement over Adrian Peterson returning after nearly a full year away from the game, and the promise of speedy new wide receiver Mike Wallace to stretch the field. In a few cases, that optimism might have lasted into the second quarter. Last night was a bad, bad game for the Vikings. The defensive line, supposedly a strength of the team, was giving up first downs like party favours. When the Vikings got the ball, we saw three quick incomplete passes and the punting unit came out. The offensive line was worse than advertised: at one point Teddy basically got sacked by his own right tackle as he ran for his life deep in the backfield (http://streamable.com/p0oa). It was almost as if the preseason had been extended one more game, and nobody in a Vikings jersey seemed to be mentally prepared to play a real football game.
At the Daily Norseman, Ted Glover delivers the Stock Market Report on the game:
Blue Chip Stocks:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, you’re kidding me, right?
Well, Mike Zimmer’s press conference tomorrow might be an all time epic rant. But that’s about it.
Solid Investments:
Mike Wallace, WR: The guy that came over in a trade with Miami has to be thinking what the hell, yo? But he was about the only guy that provided an offensive spark, at least while the game was still competitive–I SEE YOU KYLE RUDOLPH.
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Junk Bonds:
The Offensive Line: One of the big concerns we collectively had coming in to the season was how the offensive line would hold up. If week one was any indication, we should be having a funeral and wake for Teddy Bridgewater sometime about the third quarter in week seven. That was brutal, man. Worse than brutal. I don’t know what’s more brutal–the o-line play in week one, or Trent Dilfer on the mic. We had to endure both.
Adrian Peterson, former Gulag Prisoner: So this is a funny story. Right after my fantasy draft, I damn near traded Aaron Rodgers for AP, straight up. I hedged at the last minute, because of the o-line. I am a genius for not making that trade. Peterson wasn’t able to get anything going, except for one pretty ridiculous catch and pinball wizard run, and overall, he was quieter than than a mute in a soundproof room.
Teddy Bridgewater, QB: Man, I had such high hopes for Teddy coming into week one. But as the game went on, he was running for his life, and making decisions that were more questionable than a drunk teenager. I think this game is an anomaly, but still…Teddy gave me a sad.
Blair Walsh, K: I don’t know about you guys, but personally, I’m going to JUST FREAKING LOVE chewing my fingernails to the bone wondering if, on any given kick this year, Walsh might actually make it, becase right now it’s 50-50, at best. It will give us a lot of excitement in what is looking to be a possibly grim season.
At Viking Update, John Holler discusses the debacle:
The Vikings got dominated both offensively and defensively by the 49ers and it left head coach Mike Zimmer scratching his head.
“Maybe we’re just not ready for prime time yet,” Zimmer said. “The performance leaves me to believe that. Everybody’s been talking up about us for 11 months. Maybe we thought we were a little bit better than what we were. The surprising thing to me is that this team works. They get out to practice, they execute, they do things right. When they don’t, I’m on them pretty good. They perform, but just tonight we didn’t do it.”
One of the concerns coming into the game was the makeshift offensive line that the Vikings were going to be putting out for 60 minutes for the first time this year. With four of the five linemen in different positions than they were for opening day 2014, Matt Kalil was the only constant.
Adrian Peterson was expected to be the storyline of the night. Instead, he finished the game with just 31 yards on 10 carries and was a non-factor for the entirety of the game – more screen time was of Peterson standing frustrated on the sideline than it was of him on the field.
Teddy Bridgewater had it no better. The 49ers were shooting gaps that forced Bridgewater to improvise and make plays on the move. By the second half, the Vikings were calling quick-hitting pass plays, bubble screens and dump-off passes to attempt to take advantage of the aggression of the 49ers defense. Bridgewater was sacked five times and ran three times following a pocket collapse.
Zimmer defended the play of the offensive line – sort of – putting more of the blame on Bridgewater’s jitters when the heat was on.
“I don’t know that it was all about the offensive line,” Zimmer said. “Some of it was Teddy. A lot of it was Teddy tonight. Teddy did not play good.”
Asked to elaborate on his Bridgewater assessment, Zimmer said, “He was stood up, he just looked unsure, he was concerned about all the things that defensively they were doing,” Zimmer said. “It did not look like him.”
