NFC Championship: Vikes at Saints

[Worm Guts]

Sunday at 5:40 central




at

[links]

Should be a great game. It is a night game, but it isn't on NBC, so that helps. I don't want anything to do with NBC ever again.

Hopefully Edwards can play and contribute. A key will be to get early momentum and hopefully take the crowd out of it a little. Getting pressure on Brees like we did Romo wouldn't hurt either. I think we can put up 30+ points. We just need to slow the Saints offense down a little.

[C.lupus]

Just popped over here cause WormGuts asked so nicely. Go Vikes!

btw, does that Viking in the pick have a gull stuck in his hair?

[Worm Guts]

Thanks C.lupus, I appreciate the post. I think that Viking killed the gull and used it's wings as ornaments. Because Vikings are mean.

[buckybadgerfan]

http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/videos/Favre-Sings-Pants-On-The-Ground/1a759034-decf-48a9-b573-218fe0356dd1#?id=5c7db0c8-0224-4172-bcc3-490f7633c3f9

Checkout the Vikings Playoff Kickoff Video if you haven't yet on the Vikings video gallery. It'd be nice to have a new stadium with a large screen so we can display videos like this during team introduction of home games.

[buckybadgerfan]

Hope Reggie Bush and Company brings the wood.
We're bringing our sharpened axes, swords and shields!!

[moss_is_1]

We gotta get pressure on Brees, but I think the cover 2 is really the defense to use against the saints. They rely on their crowd and the big play and the cover 2 can negate that, by not giving up the big play. Their defense has gotten healthy and we can't sleep on it, its opportunistic but they have 3 solid corners and a playmaker at safety.

[cpfsf]

I know Worm Guts really wanted people to contribute to this thread, but I couldn't think of any way to do it.

Does this count?

[links]

The Cover 2 can negate big plays, as long as you have good Safetys. This year the Vikings safetys have been pretty bad. But they did step up against the Cowboys, especially Johnson. Hopefully they can have another good game. Pressure on Brees would really help them out.

[Worm Guts]

I know Worm Guts really wanted people to contribute to this thread, but I couldn't think of any way to do it.

Does this count?

Hey man, it's just good to know people are reading the forum.

[Worm Guts]

Here's some relevant statistics
Saints
Home Record 6-2
Offense: 31.2 pts/gm (1st) 403.8 yds/gm (1st) 272.2 passing yds/gm (4th) 131.6 rushing yds/gm (6th)
Defense: 21.3 pts/gm (20th) 357.8 yds/gm (25th) 235.6 passing yds/gm (26th) 122.2 rushing yd/gm (21st)
Special Teams: Coverage- Kick returns 24.5 ypr (29th) Punts 43.6 (16th) Kick returns 24.4 ypr (5th) Punt returns 4.6 (31st) 22/28 on field goals
Vikings
Road Record 4-4
Offense: 29.4 pts/gm (2nd) 379.6 yds/gm (5th) 259.8 passing yds/gm (8th) 119.9 rushing yds/gm (13th)
Defense: 19.5 pt/gm (10th) 305.5 yds/gm (6th) 218.4 passing yds/gm (19th) 87.1 rushing yds/gm (2nd)
Special Teams: Coverage-Kick returns 22.6 ypr (15th) Punts 43.9 (13th) Kick returns 23.2 ypr (13th) Punt returns 9.5 (11th) 26/28 on field goals

[moss_is_1]

The Cover 2 can negate big plays, as long as you have good Safetys. This year the Vikings safetys have been pretty bad. But they did step up against the Cowboys, especially Johnson. Hopefully they can have another good game. Pressure on Brees would really help them out.

Well we really haven't given up the big play. Plus Sapp seems to be playing very well on the outside, as well as Griffin. Johnson played well last game and lets just hope Madieu keeps tackling well, and our front 4 gets a beastly pass rush.

[Breakdown777]

This is the same thing I posted in the wolves forum, but I thought it would be more fitting here:

I read that Edwards has a sprained MCL but should be ready to go on Sunday. Seriously? That doesn't make a whole lotta sense to me. If he has a sprained MCL and plays a week later, what's the best case scenario? He plays half the game at about 65%, and then reinjures himself in the 2nd half?
What I would give for E.J. Henderson on Sunday...

I gotta say though, I really enjoy being the dark horse team in the playoffs. MN is the team that isn't likely to win, but are so dam talented that if we do win it wouldn't be a huge surprise.

Go Vikes.

[Esohny]

I'd love to see our d-line perform anything like they did vs. the cowboys. That was fun to watch.

Seriously, I'm not just here because Worm Guts is so charismatic.

[The Duke]

Keys to Our Victory:

1) Strong D-Line push from the inside... taking away space & time from Brees. (Lock the midding as much as can be). I don't think there will be alot of sacks on Brees, but I hope there are alot of hurries due to Allen's and Edwards presences. The Williams boys need to keep there hands up as Brees is not tall

2) Our Secondary needs to play over the top, taking away the big play throw. I'm "okie" with giving Brees the middle of the filed, but not okie with opening up the long ball for him.

3)The is setup for a Childress like game. He is an old school coach who likes to run the ball and control the clock. I'd expect them to utilise Peterson and Taylor alot. I'd like to see a few screen passes and alot of delayed handoffs to Peterson (to go wide outside the pocket)

4)They will be covering Rice well... so I'm hopeing that Precy Harvin has a good game. On 3 and very long, I want them to go very long to VS.

Go Vikings

[Worm Guts]

I read that Edwards has a sprained MCL but should be ready to go on Sunday. Seriously? That doesn't make a whole lotta sense to me. If he has a sprained MCL and plays a week later, what's the best case scenario? He plays half the game at about 65%, and then reinjures himself in the 2nd half?


.

As a rookie Adrian Peterson tore his MCL and only missed 3 games. Edwards obviously would be better off with a couple weeks rest, but I'm hopeful that he can be effective.

[links]

If Edwards plays he won't be at 100% or play most of the game. He would still split a lot of time with Robison. Hopefully he can play because Robison can rush the passer and thats about it. Edwards is pretty good againts the run.

I haven't heard a about Shockey. Does it look like he will play? If he does play he wouldn't be 100%, and for a team that struggles with TEs, that would help.

[moss_is_1]

He missed practice yesterday but I'm sure he'll play, he played against Arizona and had a td. I think the key is to just get pressure on Brees, and have good coverage over the top, forcing him to check down and get him frustrated and make sure we make the sure tackle. Then have Kluwe play like he did last week punting and not give up a big return to Bush to get the crowd pumped up. Then on offense I think we have to let Brett decide the game, we can't force then run like we did vs Arizona ,Carolina, Chicago and expect to win if it gets stuffed.

[hermes]

need the defense to slow down the saints a little, get after brees, and get a turnover or two

i think we will be able to score on them, need to get AP going

and no punt returns for tds!

[Worm Guts]

Apparently Harvin missed practice.