Something to Ponder - Minnesota Vikings FOF 7
 

I can't go back in time and make Minnesota not draft Ponder, but I can fix it going forward.

Default - Salary Cap
Injury - 125
Combine - 50

No other house rules at this time as salary cap management and trades seem to be a nit more challenging in this version.

With that, it's time to go to work and trim some fat.

Here's what we have to start with.


Offensive needs are QB, some upgrades on the line and a receiver. AP and Rudolph are my best weapons and Patterson has upside, but we need some help.

On the defensive side we need help at linebacker, especially inside and upfront to take some of the focus off of Allen, who is getting up there. In the secondary we are young and I like the Corners, need some depth at safety though.

I will be making all personnel moves and leave the depth charts and game plans to the coaches, whose jobs are precarious at best right now.

This is going to be a fantastic read!!!!!

Pre-Season transactions

Trades
WR Greg Jennings to the Eagles for QB Nick Foles
Jennings is still solid, but getting up in years and Foles is likely not ready now at only 19/39, but I am hoping he will improve. Regardless, this saves us some money.

DE D'Aundre Reed and a 5th round pick to Green Bay for WR Kevin Dorsey
This trade is basically a throw away as I have a bunch of average DE's, though the Packers scout sees Reed with more upside than ours. Dorsey has big play potential, but is too green to start, just adds depth.

Contracts
Looking to free up cap space (we were 2 million plus over) I restructure the following contracts.
DE Jared Allen - 3 years 25.41 million
DE Brian Robison - 3 years 12.62 million
QB Matt Cassell - 3 years 7.71 million

These moves gets us to almost 9 million under and after releasing 15 players, including QB's Josh Freeman and the bane of my existence, Christian Ponder, we now sit at 15.17 million under, the other most notable money saver being FS Jamarca Sanford, who is horrible and was set to earn 2 million.

No sexy moves here, just looking to get into position for next seasons FA sweepstakes, which could include Matt Ryan, an intriguing possibility, but for now Cassell and Foles will battle for the job in 2013.

Pre-Season

Houston 23 Minnesota 10 - Cassell doesn't play and AP only gets 8 carries
Minnesota 20 Buffalo 10 - AP rips off a 48 yard TD run in limited duty and gets hurt!
San Francisco 17 Minnesota 15 - Foles leads two 4th qtr scoring drives, but we fail going for 2 to tie it
Minnesota 16 Tennessee 13 - AP sits, Foles throws for 233 yards, a Walsh FG wins it in the 4th

2-2 in the pre-season, with the defense generally solid and Foles showing well, but it looks like Frazier is going to go with Joe freaking Webb in the opener!!! I won't interfere, but I hope he changes his mind.

Now the bad news, we have 5 players out to start the season, non long term, but even a couple of games hurt with our lack of depth, especially when AP is one of them.
RB Adrian Peterson - 4 weeks pulled quad (Maybe this is why Webb may start, so Cassell or Foles doesn't get killed)
TE Kyle Rudolph - 2 weeks strained Achilles, as if AP wasn't enough
DT Fred Evans - 2 weeks strained calf
RT Phil Loadholt - 3 weeks hyperextended Knee, keeps getting better
LT J'Marcus Webb - 4 weeks broken Clavicle, he is a backup

So, our defense will have to carry us the first few games, this should be fun!


Thanks vatech, hope you enjoy it. I will add a little detail to games in the regular season as well. :)

2013 Regular Season
 

Week 1

Minnesota 0-0 at Detroit 0-0
We open with a tough matchup against a division rival and thankfully Matt Cassell is named the starter at QB. We ta an early lead on a 24 yard Blair Walsh field goal and that is our highlight. Detroit is up 17-6 at the half as Stafford hits Jeremy Ross with a minute left the that takes the wind out of our sails. We hold Detroit to five 3 and outs in the 2nd half, but with AP we generate no ground game and can't claw our way back. Toby Gerhart nets 38 yards on 18 carries and Cassell is 24-48, 285 yards and 2 picks. A sole bright spot on defense is MLB Erin Henderson's 12 tackles and 2 assists.
Final: Detroit 24 Minnesota 6

Week 2

Minnesota 0-1 at Chicago 1-0
No let up here and we never lead, down 10-0 at half, with our only score coming on a 3 yard run by the returning Adrian Peterson, who is hobbled, but still nets 69 yards on 12 carries (5.75 YPC). The problem is we are behind the whole game and don't want to overwork him right away anyhow. Cutler burns our young secondary twice deep, going 49 yards to Brandon Marshall and 42 yards on Alshon Jeffery on his way to a 22-29, 274 performance. Cassell is again mediocre going 23-40, 153 and another pick and we rarely touch Cutler, getting only 2 hurries and a knockdown.
Final: Chicago 23 Minnesota 7

0-2, both division losses and we are in a hole! On the bright side, Kyle Rudolph is back at 100%, as is Jared Allen, who played through a nagging injury. AP is back, but will not be full strength for 2 weeks still, while we get starting RT Phil Loadholt back next week.

2013 Regular season
 

Week 3

Cleveland 1-1 at Minnesota 0-2
Our home opener and a winnable game that turns from good, to bad, to ugly. We are up 10-3 entering the 4th quarter, then Cleveland hits us for 2 touchdowns as the defense crumbles, on a 27 yard scamper by Montario Hardesty and an 8 yard jaunt by Dion Lewis. But we are not done on this day as Matt Cassell, who finishes 16-30, 181 1 TD, 2 Int, takes us 80 yards in 35 seconds, hitting Jerome Felton from a yard out to tie it with 26 seconds left. We go to overtime, go 37 yards on 8 plays and punt. Cleveland then goes 63 yards on 7 plays and Shayne Graham wins it from 34 yards out. AP is getting stronger with 17 carries for 84 and a TD, but he is not getting much help.
Final: Cleveland 20 Minnesota 17

Week 4

Pittsburgh 3-0 at Minnesota 0-3
Not looking good here, but we manage to keep it close the entire way, but can't take the lead. This is starting to turn into the story of our season. Pittsburgh controls us with a solid running game that sees Felix Jones and Jonathon Dyer get 89 and 72 yards respectively, with Rothlisberger a solid 21-33, 238 1-1. Cassell is again erratic at 18-34, 223 and another pick. He does need another good receiver, but 6 interceptions and 1 TD pass to date? Unacceptable!! Peterson 17-74 is rounding into form and we need to get him more touches.
Final: Pittsburgh 20 Minnesota 13

Frazier is already on the hot seat and he can take OC Bill Musgrave with him, the lease is really short right now. The most important part of our offense right now is punter Jeff Locke and he is now out 4 weeks with a strained Achilles. I cut reserve MLB Michael Mauti 14/27 and sign P Lonnie Carr 44/44 for a cup of coffee and a month of punter groupie fun.

2013 Regular Season
 

Week 5

Bye, so I look around for a receiver that may help us and find nobody better than what we have. This may be a draft priority, along with a MLB and a Guard and a......

With Foles cooling his heels behind a very ineffective Matt Cassel I am beginning to wish I had just kept Jennings and tried to trade him before the draft. Well at least we can get healthy with the week off.

Week 6

Carolina 3-1 at Minnesota 0-4
Who the hell are these guys? Matt Cassel connects on a 66 yard bomb to Kevin Dorsey 4 minutes in and we just explode. By the time Carolina finally scores on a Derek Anderson to Greg Olson pass late in the 2nd quarter, we already have 31 points! The defense gives us short fields twice in this span, recovering 2 fumbles (both by Jared Allen) inside the Panther 30 and Cassel is a very efficient 14-21, 220 and 3 TD's for the day. Adrian Peterson chips in 124 yards on only 13 carries and we hold Jonathon Stewart to 42 yards.
Final: Minnesota 41 Carolina 10

That was the tonic we needed and we come out of the game healthy, with Locke now probable and AP (strained rotator cuff, which will not result in any missed time) our only casualties.

Checking in the "Sage of the Gridiron" he rates the 10 best deep passers in the NFL as follows.

Ranked 1-10
Aaron Rodgers
Eli Manning
Tom Brady
Drew Brees
Peyton Manning
Ben Rothlisberger
Tony Romo
Jay Cutler
Philip Rivers
Alex Smith

2013 Regular Season
 

Week 7

Minnesota 1-4 at New York Giants 3-3 (Giants favored by 5)
For 3 quarters it is a dog fight and we trail 10-9 (on a missed XP by Walsh) entering the 4th. Then the wheels come off as Eli Manning hits Brandon Myers with a pair of TD passes. One comes after a 97 yard drive and the other after a Cassel pick gives them the ball at our 6. Peterson's 130 yards on 26 carries are wasted as Cassel nails his own door shut with his 2nd pick of the game in the end zone with 2 minutes to play. Manning keeps our secondary busy, picking on CB Josh Robinson, who makes 11 tackles and has 5 assists, giving up 8 catches.
Final: New York 24 Minnesota 12

Week 8

Green Bay 5-1 at Minnesota 1-5 (Packers favored by 8)
Eight point home dogs tell you bad it is getting and we don't disappoint, falling behind 21-3, before a 4th quarter rally makes it look closer than it is. The epitome of our ineptitude comes when we intercept Rodgers on each of Green Bays first two drives and do nothing with it, fumbling the ball back after the second pick in Packer territory. Once again Peterson does his part with 16 carries for 87 yards, but he isn't going to get the touches needed staring at deficits all the time. To be fair Cassel plays well once he gets rolling clocking in with 27-38, 278, 2 TDs, 0 Ints and Patterson and Simpson each catch 6 balls.
Final: Green Bay 24 Minnesota 18

Kyle Rudolph strains his Achilles again and is out another 2 weeks. Nothing else major, just bumps and bruises. I also get word that DT Letroy Guion, SS Mistral Raymond and LT J'Marcus Webb are upset about PT. Really, Webb is 17/23, be happy you are on an NFL roster...for now.

Just for fun I go looking for my old buddy Ponder, who I now slightly regret letting go. The Eagles picked him up to back up rookie Matt Barkley after we got Foles from them, somewhat ironic.

2013 Regular Season
 

Week 9

Minnesota 1-6 at Dallas 4-4 (Cowboys favored by 3)
God our offense is anemic, Peterson again does well 24-97, but Cassel only passes for 115 yards on 19-26 and our last two drives end in a fumble and you guessed it, interception. For the season Cassel is now 154-265 (58.1%) for 1641 yards, 8 TD's and 9 Int's. Not the stuff NFL QB's are made of, add to that Jared Allen with only 2 sacks through 8 games and you can see why we are struggling. Oh yeah, in this game our two leading tacklers were our safeties.
Final: Dallas 19 Minnesota 10

Week 10

Washington 2-6 at Minnesota 1-7 (We are favored by 5)
Another fast start leads to another big win as Peterson scores the first 3 TD's of the game (2 rushing, 1 receiving) despite a pedestrian 72 yards on 22 carries. Toby Gerhart is the leading rusher with 95 yards on 14 carries. Cassel is 13-20, 195, 1 TD, 1 Int and DE Brian Robison has 3 sacks.
Final: Minnesota 34 Washington 7

Add TE Rhett Ellison to the list of pissed off about playing time guys, yeah, like you are expecting to play over Rudolph when he is healthy.

Injuries
WR Jerome Simpson - Out 4 weeks with a dislocated elbow
C John Sullivan - Out 2 weeks, strained foot ligament
WLB Gerald Hodges - Out 3 weeks with a strained abductor

I activate Joe Childs to take Simpson's place, and sign veteran C Dan Koppen 29/29 as current backup Joe Berger is rated 17/17 and will be inactivated when Sullivan comes back.

Fun facts from the "Sage of the Gridiron"

Ten smartest players, ranked 1-10
Matt Hasselbeck
Will Allen
Reed Doughty
Carson Palmer
Derrick Johnson
Michael Griffin
Louis Delmas
Kaluka Maiava
Colin McCarthy
Bryce Osterhaus

Reading this makes my work day go by fast. Can't wait to see how you do in the offseason. Draft time will be super fun!!!

2013 Regular Season
 

Week 11

Minnesota 2-7 at Seattle 5-5 (We are favored by 4?)
Not sure why we are road favorites here, but as the game plays out we earn it. The Seahawks are geared up to stop Peterson and they do it well, holding him to 25 yards on 26 carries. Matt Cassel steps up big time, completing 31 of 40 for 310 yards, 2 TD's and no interceptions. We lead 22-14 with 1:26 to go, but Seattle goes 80 yards in 5 plays, makes the 2 point conversion and we are going to OT. After an exchange of punts, Marshawn Lynch (16-160, 2 TD's) pops a 20 yard run for the winning TD. We lost this on coaching, as Frazier went for 2 after a 4th quarter TD and failed. If we had kicked they would have never been able to tie it!
Final: Seattle 28 Minnesota 22

Week 12

Minnesota 2-8 at Green Bay 9-1 (Pack favored by 11)
We play turnover free football, but the running game is anemic for the second week in a row as Peterson is held to 64 yards on 23 carries and Cassel can't repeat the magic from last week, going 18-35, 136. Rogers double checks our secondary to the tune of 341 yards, with 7 catches by Jordy Nelson. Cordarrelle Paterson has 6 catches for us, but they only amount to 36 yards, we need to get him deep! Safety Harrison Smith leads our D with 9 tackles, 4 assists and a sack.
Final: Green Bay 27 Minnesota 17

New signee C Dan Koppen is now disgruntled with PT since John Sullivan is back from injury. You are happy someone picked you up, right Dan?

WR Jarius Wright is out 5 weeks with a broken ankle, hurting our already thin and untalented receiving corps. I sign free agent rookie Elijah Winslett 18/40 out of Stanford for depth and activate Jerome Simpson who is healthy enough to play.

Current Standings We are in running for the top pick

2013 Regular Season
 

Week 13

Chicago 7-4 at Minnesota 2-9 (Bears favored by 3)
Our defense is lights out, allowing only 1 drive over 35 yards (missed FG) and giving up only 280 total yards, with the favored Bears managing only a pair of field goals. Unfortunately our offense is worse, gaining only 203 yards from scrimmage and it takes AP 29 carries to get his 82 yards, with Cassel only passing for 150 yards (14-18). He does deliver one big drive however, taking the offense 80 yards on 4 plays late in the 2nd quarter, culminating in a 6 yard Peterson TD run FTW!
Final: Minnesota 10 Chicago 6

Week 14

Minnesota 3-9 at Baltimore 5-7 (Ravens favored by 3)
The defense is again stellar, bending but not breaking, as four long Raven drives end in Justin Tucker field goals. The offense again struggles gaining only 252 yards, but we take advantage Joe Flacco pick at the Ravens 14 to score on a 9 yard AP run in the 2nd. Trailing 12-7 in the 4th, Cassel leads a 68 yard drive, hooking up with backup TE Brett Ellison from 2 yards out with 20 seconds left. Peterson is again our best offensive weapon with 25 carries for 99 yards.
Final: Minnesota 13 Baltimore 12

Break up the Vikings, 2 straight wins and in perfect step with a frustrating season, we are playing ourselves out of a top draft pick! Peterson goes over 1000 yards in this game, but he has earned every one of them, averaging only 4.03 behind a mediocre line.

2013 Regular Season
 

Week 15

Philadelphia 6-7 at Minnesota 4-9 (We are favored by 3)
Let's give CB Chris Cook the game ball! After a Walsh field goal on our first drive, Cook negates a huge kickoff return, intercepting Matt Barkley and going 89 yards to paydirt. A second Cook pick on the Eagles next drive sets up FB Jerome Felton's 3 yard plunge and the rout is on! We churn out 408 yards of offense led by Adrian Peterson's 111 yards on 31 totes (still below 4 YPC) and Matt Cassel, who turns in an 18-26, 262 yard performance, with 1 TD. Peterson also adds 5 catches for 154 yards, while the D-line, despite just a single sack, hurries Barkley 8 times and knocks him down 9 times.
Final: Minnesota 41 Philadelphia 17

Week 16

Minnesota 5-9 at Cincinnati 4-9-1 (Bengals favored by 1)
Attention Blair Walsh fantasy owners, you're welcome. Our kickers right foot got more action than a Pier side Brothel as we settle for 5 field goals, while our defense holds the Bengals to a paltry 177 total yards. The rebirth of the Purple People Eaters forced three and outs on 6 of Cincinnati's first 7 possessions, with Chad Greenway getting a pair of sacks and another interception for Chris Cook. Cassel was a game time scratch for no apparent reason and Frazier gave Joe Webb the start, with Webb going 16-27, 159 and a pick, while AP had 28 carries for 117 yards.
Final: Minnesota 15 Cincinnati 0

Week 17

Detroit 9-6 at Minnesota 6-9 (Lions favored by 3)
Detroit has a wildcard spot wrapped up, but plays all it's starters and we make a statement. AP starts the scoring with a 20 yard jaunt, but the Lions score the next 13. Joe Webb 14-20, 163 yards in his second straight start responds with a pair of TD strikes to Kyle Rudolph (7 yards) and Cordarrelle Patterson (23 yards) which sandwich an 89 yard punt return by Harrison Smith. Adrian Peterson runs for 112 yards on 25 carries and we prevail for our 5th straight win, despite being outgained by 100 yards.
Final: Minnesota 28 Detroit 13

Quite the turnaround to finish the season, though a lot of ugliness was mixed in, I will take it. A very curious decision by Leslie Frazier to start Webb the final two games, when Matt Cassel has led us to 3 wins in a row. Webb's contract is up and I have no intention to bring him back so maybe Frazier was allowing him to audition for other teams. The larger question that looms, is did Frazier do enough to keep his job with that late season surge?

Final Standings
 

Green Bay defeats New England 37-34 in the Superbowl


My final rating from ownership is 45, good considering our roster strength rating was 27.

Minnesota Post Season Awards
FS Harrison Smith 1st team All-League

Others
Gary Kubiak wins Coach of year
Aaron Rodgers wins player of the year
Peyton Manning named Legend of the Game

I am mad at you as I was going to do this exact dynasty!!! But I will follow along faithfully...

LOL, hey we can do parallel's, see who resurrects the pride of the Norse first :)

2013 Off season
 

Stadium
Stadium is upgrade already in progress, so nothing to do here, on to staff retention!

Staff
Bill Musgrave’s contract is up, so he is gone. We are middle to bottom third in every category but rushing attempts, no thank you. DC Alan Williams will stay, but I will be looking for upgrades everywhere else.

I decide to take a gamble and in the head coach phase I bypass known names who are available (Mike Shanahan, Jim Haslett) and take 46 yr old Tom Quinn, Assistant Head Coach of the Giants to return the Vikings to glory. He is 2 to 3 ½ bars in every category, could be a steal. Our new OC is 37 year Sean Stone, focus on TE’s and pretty solid in all areas but interviewing. I keep Alan Williams to lead the Defense and after much thought select Carlton Malone to replace Mike Singletary as Asst Head Coach. I round it out by replacing Tom Kanavy with Darnell Butler, a near complete house cleaning.

Raise ticket prices slightly, no franchise tag.

Free Agency
31 million under the cap and we need a starting QB, OG and MLB as our top three needs, with a starting WLB and WR up there too. Before we start I renegotiate with Adrian Peterson, 4 years, 37 million, but his cap number drops from 14 mil to 10, then I renegotiate Chad Greenway and shave 2 million off his cap number with a 3 year deal worth 15.5 million. I try Jared Allen, but he wants more, so on to free agency with 37 million under the cap.

The draft is deep at DT, has a couple of QB’s that will be gone when I pick and 2 good guards that may be around. MLB is weak and the two receivers I like may be gone as well, so MLB, WLB and WR will be my top free agency targets.

Free agents signed
WR Percy Harvin (60/60) 3 yrs 9.13 mil (Welcome home Percy!)
WR DeSean Jackson (59/59) 4 yrs 24.63 mil
RG Jamon Meredith (47/49) 2 yrs 3.25 mil
RB Darren Sproles (51/51) 2 yrs 3.32 mil
WLB Wesley Woodyard (44/44) 3 yrs 6.14 mil
MLB James Laurinaitis (62/62) 4 yrs 28.83 mil (Game changer with Greenway)

Free agents lost
RB Toby Gerhart – Atl
DT Fred Evans DT - Pit
SLB Marvin Mitchell - Mia
DE Everson Griffin – Ari (Goes home to Arizona)
RG Seth Olsen - STL

Draft (Graded at a B)
1: T Andres Castillo (24/47) Oklahoma – Top rated player I interviewed left, 2 reds, 3 blues, couldn’t pass him up, will push Phil Loadholt at RT.
2: DT Cosey Anthony (26/40) Humboldt St – 2 blues, almost went QB, but there are plenty left, so won’t reach for one. He will replace Evans.
3: QB Maximus Roaf (8/31) Missouri – 3 blues, three QBs were higher than him, but I love his 4.58 40, scouted numbers are disappointing
4: DE Silas Ogden (23/38) Clemson – Depth, decent combine numbers, could be a sleeper
5: No Pick
6: RB James Houston (27/36) Arkansas St – Agile, but only a 4.65 40, did well in position drills
7: WR Archie Schulz (18/30) UNLV – Nothing special, blacks all the way across

Not ecstatic with my draft, as it doesn’t look like anyone will push to start, though Castillo sure tested well, guess we will see after camp. I do like the free agency pickups, our defense got a boost and I have some weapons to throw to outside now!

Fill in the bare spots on my roster and we are set for 2014, minus the fact there were no answers at QB to be found.

Wow, fantastic end to the season. Way to ruin your chance for a top, top draft pick ;)

Ain't that the truth and the #2 overall pick was a 31/68 QB too. The guard I was really hoping would fall AJ Ricketts went at #11 and he scouted out at 48/70. :mad:

Question for you in regards to what i highlighted in BOLD. Where does one find these colors when interviewing? What do they mean exactly?

They aren't from the interview. They are from the combine scores. When you are looking at the draft screen the scores will be in different colors. Red is best, Blue is good, Black is meh and Green is sucks.

This, which is why I was surprised Castillo rated out so low, hopefully my scouts just suck :)

Pre-season 2014
 

We sit 6.9 million under the cap and I am happy with what we have going into the season, so I do not pursue any trades. LeTroy Guion is set to start at DT, but is still demanding a trade, going to ignore him for now.

Here is our roster heading into the pre-season, looks like the rookie Castillo will get a chance to win the RT job over Loadholt, there will be competition at receiver between Harvin, Jackson and Patterson for playing time, most other spots are probably set, though CB could be a battle as well.


Pre-season games
Minnesota 16 New York Jets 7 - Rookie Roaf 7-9, 61 yards, AP 9-77
Minnesota 12 Kansas City 9 - Battle of field goals, Walsh wins it with 4 seconds left
Miami 20 Minnesota 12 - Can't punch it in again, Cassel 13-21, 119 yards
Minnesota 24 Oakland 21 - Roaf starts at QB, 6-6, 94 yards including a 56 yard TD to AP

3-1 Pre-season, offensive stalling too much in the red zone, but moving well between the 20's, line play seems much better. We are ranked 14th in power points heading into the season, I hope we can compete for a wildcard spot.

Injuries
MLB Erin Henderson - Out 4 weeks, strained abductor, back up to Lauriniatis anyway.
CB Jacob Lacey (concussion) and FS Andrew Sendejo (Knee) questionable
OLB Chad Greenway (Knee) and DE Silas Ogden (Ribs) probable.

Overall in great shape heading into the season.

I haven't picked this up yet. I might tonight.

2014 Regular Season
 

Week 1

Detroit 0-0 at Minnesota 0-0
What a difference a year makes! Our defense shuts down the Lions and Stafford, holing him to 13-31, 141 and picking him off 3 times. Cassel is money (despite being sacked 3 times by Ziggy Ansah) going 17-19, 171 yards and 2 TDs. Sproles and Peterson both add TD runs, with AP gaining 95 yards on 21 carries and Percy Harvin makes a successful homecoming with 5 grabs for 79 yards.
Final: Minnesota 31 Detroit 0

Week 2

Minnesota 1-0 at New York Jets 1-0
The Jets jump out to a 3-0 lead, but we score 13 in the 2nd quarter, highlighted by a 12 yard Cassel to Harvin hookup, and never look back. With the upgraded receiving corps preventing the Jets from loading the box, Adrian Peterson goes off for 127 yard on 27 carries and snags a TD pass from Matt Cassel. Off to a much better start than last season, Cassel is 17-26, 175 and 2 more TD's. He has now thrown 4 TD's no picks to start the season. Defensively MLB Laurinaitis is emerging as a leader and forces a fumble to go with 5 tackles.
Final: Minnesota 23 NY Jets 10

Much better start to our 2014 campaign as Cassel now has some toys to throw to. MLB Erin Henderson and WLB Wesley Woodyard are disgruntled. I get Henderson, since he got displaced but Woodyard is a starter. Upon further investigation it seems his issues stem from a conflict with Laurinaitis. He better learn to play nice real fast.

No majors injuries, just the usual nicks and bruises.

2014 Regular Season
 

Week 3

Minnesota 2-0 at Washington 0-2 (We are favored by 3)
We jump out to a quick 10-0 lead on a chip shot by Blair Walsh and a 49 yard pick 6 by FS playmaker Harrison Smith. Unfortunately the offense never really gets untracked, amassing just 218 yards, with AP being held to 57 on 23 carries and Cassel failing to stretch the field. Cordarrelle Patterson has 7 catches, but again on home runs as he only averages 9.57 per catch. Desean Jackson has a total of 2 catches through 3 games, not a good return on investment. On defense Laurinaitis has 9 tackles and 4 assists, but the defense falters at the end.
Final: Washington 16 Minnesota 13

Week 4

Minnesota 2-1 at Green Bay 2-1 (Pack favored by 2)
Looks like the curse of Lambeau will continue as we fall behind 14-0 in the 1st quarter on the strength of 2 Aaron Rodgers TD passes. But on this day we are not done and rally to take a 16-14 lead into the 4th, before the Packers charge back to go up 24-16. With hope waning, Percy Harvin, held to just 15 yards to this point, hauls in a 45 yard pass from Cassel (22-35, 216 yds, 2 TD, 0 Int) and we get the 2 point conversion to tie it! AP, who finishes with 126 yards on 28 carries, then brings it home in overtime with a 3 yard plunge!
Final: Minnesota 30 Green Bay 24

3-1 and a huge win after the meltdown against the lowly Redskins. We are now 2-0 in the division, which is vital as the North will again be competitive. Four games, we are still completely healthy and Wesley Woodyard has apparently sorted out his issues with Laurinaitis.

Ponder watch
He is now in Detroit backing up Stafford after attempting just 7 passes in Philadelphia last season. It appears the former regime here was the only one stupid enough to give him the keys to car.

Sage of the Gridiron says
10 best possession receivers are
Julio Jones – ATL
Sidney Rice – NO
Larry Fitzgerald – Ari
Michael Crabtree – SF
Dez Bryant – Dal
Brandon Marshall – Chi
Mike Williams – TB
Jordy Nelson – GB
DeAndre Hopkins – Hou
Vincent Jackson – TB

2014 Regular Season
 

Week 5

Tampa Bay 0-4 at Minnesota 3-1 (We are favored by 9)
This is why you have to play the game. We lose two fumbles and Matt Cassel’s first interception of the season goes back 28 yards to the house as a brilliant effort by Adrian Peterson (21 carries, 181 yards, 2 TD’s) is wasted. We don’t help ourselves as we make Dan Orlovsky look like Peyton Manning, as he goes 24-36, 230 and a TD toss. FS Harrison Smith contributes 11 tackles and 3 assists, while DE Brian Robison chips in 2 sacks for the defense.
Final: Tampa Bay 23 Minnesota 21

Week 6

Minnesota 3-2 at Atlanta 4-1 (Falcons favored by 3)
This squad is tough to figure out and I have come to the conclusion we just can’t play bad teams. We hold a 14-6 lead into the 3rd quarter on two Peterson TD runs (43 and 3 yards), then give up 12 unanswered to trail 18-14 with 2:12 left. Matt Cassel proceeds to lead a 12 play, 80 yard drive that culminates in a 22 yard game winner to Percy Harvin (9 catches, 90 yards) with 6 seconds left. On the day Cassel is 22-29, 232 yards, 1 TD and Peterson logs 20 carries for 126 yards. Laurinaitis accounts for 8 tackles and 2 assists to lead the defense.
Final: Minnesota 21 Atlanta 18

Nothing major on the injury front, so let’s take a look at how our rookies are doing after six games.

1st rounder Andres Castillo ended up behind Phil Loadholt when all was said and done and has only appeared in 1 game, going 0 for 2 in key run blocks. 2nd round pick DT Cosey Anthony has played in all 6 games, has 8 tackles and 1 assist. The only other draftee to have played is 4th round selection DE Silas Ogden, who has also appeared in all 6 games and has 3 tackles and 3 QB hurries.

2014 Regular Season
 

Week 7

Carolina 2-4 at Minnesota 4-2 (We are favored by 9)
The stars are seemingly aligned as we race our to a 17-0 lead, highlighted by a 67 yard burst to pay dirt by Adrian Peterson. Then Lee Corso shows up with his famous catch phrase as we are outscored 44-3 the rest of the way!!! The main culprit is the suddenly inconsistent Matt Cassel, who tosses 4 interceptions, 2 of which are returned for touchdowns and turns in a horrid stat line of 17-41, 203 yards and no TD’s to go with his generosity to the Panthers. Peterson carries 28 times for 208 yards in vain as we can’t stop giving Carolina the rock.
Final: Carolina 44 Minnesota 20

Week 8

Chicago 4-2 at Minnesota 4-3 (we are favored by 5)
Looking to rebound, the offense is dynamic in the 1st half, staking us to a 27-10 lead and this time the wheels stay on! Our inability to finish is still a concern as we have to settle for Blair Walsh field goals on 4 drives, but Cassel bounces back with a big day, going 24-34, 318 yards and a 23 yard TD strike to Harvin, who tallies 9 grabs for 123 yards. Adrian Peterson is held out after hyper-extending his Elbow against Carolina and the running game suffers takes a drop, though Darren Sproles still gives us a respectable 59 yards on 13 carries, while FB Jerome Felton logs a career high 17 carries, but only gains 38 yards.
Final: Minnesota 33 Chicago 16

Another all important division win and we sit at 5-3, one half game behind the Packers at the halfway point. Despite missing this last game, Adrian Peterson sits at 917 yards and a stellar 5.46 per carry. Maurice Jones-Drew and Arian Foster are the only 2 backs with more yards at 1026 and 984 respectively.

2014 Regular Season
 

Week 9

Minnesota 5-3 at New Orleans 4-4 (Vikings -3)
The defense makes big plays in this one as we race to a 17-0 lead highlighted by rookie DT Cosey Anthony’s 5 yard fumble return for 6. Drew Bree’s leads the Saints back with a pair of 2nd quarter TD drives, but we put the clamps on him in the 2nd half. Bree’s finishes 19-43, 185 yards, 1 Int, 1 TD and is eventually replaced by Ryan Griffin. Matt Cassel turns in a 20-30, 244, 3 TD, 1 Int performance and AP gains 92 hard fought yards on 26 touches.
Final: Minnesota 31 New Orleans 21

Week 10

Bye – Backup SE Jarius Wright (Elbow) and WLB Gerald Hodges (Achilles) are both out and 3 weeks from full strength, with Harvin, C John Sullivan and RG Jamon Meredith nursing bumps and bruises. All three will be good for week 11.

Week 11

Minnesota 6-3 at Detroit 2-7 (Vikings -4)
Our record of performing to the level of our opponents holds true to form as we find ourselves in a Dogfight with the lowly Lions. Peterson runs for 134 yards on 25 carries and Matt Cassel is a respectable 22-34, 220 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int, but we continue to stall in red zone. The usually dependable Blair Walsh misses 2 field goals, including the potential game tying kick from 47 yards out with 7 seconds left. Our first division loss.
Final Detroit 19 Minnesota 16

Week 12

Miami 3-7 at Minnesota 6-4 (Vikings -6)
We play the role of favorites this time, ripping off 39 unanswered points after giving up a the first score on a Tannehill to Meachem strike. Despite our offensive outburst, all is not well as 21 of those points come on 7 Blair Walsh field goals (1 short of the NFL record) and another TD is tallied on a Harrison Smith pick 6, which it seems he is good for twice a season. All in all we have 4 takeaways (2 Interceptions by CB Chris Cook) while Adrian Peterson tops the century mark again 24-114 and Cassel is an efficient 15-23, 217 yards with no TD’s or picks.
Final: Minnesota 42 Miami 21

We sit at 7-4 and tied with Green Bay atop the North, currently holding the tie breaker, but a high December matchup looms with the Pack in week 15 at home. We also have some key injuries entering the stretch run with two starters going down. DE Brian Robison is done for the season with a severe Hamstring pull and FS Andrew Sendejo is like done for 2014 as well after breaking his Tibia. If he does come back it would be late in the playoffs, if we make it. I sign 4 year DE Marcus Dixon 29/29 and cut 7th round draft pick WR Archie Schulz 21/31 to make room for him. I also activate 6th round pick, RB James Houston (now scouted at 31/41, +4) to bring us to 47 players active.

2014 Regular Season
 

Week 13

Arizona 3-8 at Minnesota 7-4 (Vikings -5)
Once again it is the foot of Blair Walsh as we continue to struggle in the red zone. Walsh hits from 24, 25, 25 and 30 yards out, with Cassel adding a pair of TD tosses (Harvin an Patterson) en-route to a 14-26, 169 day. Adrian Peterson 27-100 has his eighth 100 yard game of the season and third in a row. He continues to rank 3rd in the NFL in rushing, while Blair Walsh leads in field goals (30 of 35). Defensively we pick off #2 overall pick Charles Hawkins 3 times, with Josh Robinson nabbing 2 of them.
Final: Minnesota 26 Arizona 10

Week 14

Buffalo 5-7 at Minnesota 8-4 (Vikings -7)
We lose a 21-10 lead in the 2nd half as Kyle Orton leads the Bills to the upset win, hitting us for 205 yards through the air on 20-32 passing and two TD’s, with CJ Spiller going off for 145 yards on 27 carries. AP’s string of 100 yard games is snapped as he only gets 17 carries for 79 yards. Cassel cannot stretch the field as his 22 completions (38 Att) net only 174 yards. We are determined to screw this up, but luckily Green Bay has lost 2 straight and sits a game back of us. Week 15 will be huge!!
Final: Buffalo 30 Minnesota 21

Week 15
Green Bay 7-6 at Minnesota 8-5 (Packers -1)
This game could very well decide our playoff fate and we respond to the pressure. Darren Sproles makes the most of his limited contribution (7-18) by scoring twice, with Adrian Peterson once again in form with 25 carries for 112 yards and a score of his own. Kyle Rudolph and Cordarrelle Patterson both contribut5 5 grabs, while rookie DE Silas Ogden does admirably filling in for Robison, with 4 tackles and a sack. We do take another hit on defense as back up WLB Gerald Hodges is done for the year with a broken Ankle.
Final: Minnesota 35 Green Bay 20

Week 16
Minnesota 9-5 at New England 5-9 (Vikings -3)
The Pat’s are not going to make the playoffs and seem to be in disarray in the worst season of Bellichek’s tenure. We are not about to let them up as James Laurinaitis starts the scoring with a 16 yard interception return for a TD, one of 5 times we will intercept Tom Brady on the day. Giselle tries to blame everyone else for his woes, but this one is all Tom, sorry. Our defense sets us up so nicely that we are able to overcome limited outputs from Peterson (25-87), Sproles (18-23) and Cassel (13-17, 147 yds, 2 TD) to cruise to the win.
Final: Minnesota 36 New England 10

Week 17
Minnesota 10-5 at Chicago 8-7 (Even)
With the division clinched I am hoping we play it safe here, but momentum is still a nice thing to carry into the playoffs. Our offense completely fails to show up for this one, but luckily we have the leg of Blair Walsh and safety Robert Blanton adds yet another pick 6 to our ledger, this one going 32 yards. It is enough to overcome Peterson’s worst game of the season, 16 carries 20 yards, and an overall anemic performance of 170 yards total offense, to Chicago’s 448. Plus 4 in the turnover battle is the difference though as we head into the playoffs.
Final: Minnesota 19 Chicago 6

A very rewarding season, with the only real disappointment being DeSean Jackson who only had 13 catches. On a positive note, Harvin, Patterson and Rudolph combined for 75,74 and 65 catches respectively as it does not look like Jackson is a fit in Minnesota. Our record is only good enough for a 3 seed, so we will play in the Wildcard round hosting 10-6 Philadelphia.

In case you were “Ponder”ing – Christian finished the season with the Lions appearing in one game and going 6-14, 27 yards, 1 TD and 2 Int. In two seasons since I let him go he is a combined 8-21, 49 yards, 1 TD, 2 Int in two games.

2014 Post-Season
 

Wildcard Round
Philadelphia 10-6 at Minnesota 11-5 (Eagles -4)
This one is a battle back and forth as the Eagles ride Shonn Greene's 2 TD's (1 rushing, 1 passing) to a 17-13 early in the 4th. We respond with a 9 play 80 yard drive that ends in a 30 yard hook up between Cassel and Harvin. The Eagles drive down to inside our 30, then CB Xavier Rhodes picks off Barkley at the 18 and guess where he is going, yep, Home!!! The pick 6 seals the deal as Walsh adds a FG for good measure and we are moving on. Peterson was the work horse with 34 carries for 144 yards, Laurinaitis had 10 tackles and 2 assists.
Final: Minnesota 30 Philadelphia 17

Divisional Round
Minnesota 12-5 at Dallas 12-4 (Cowboys -7)
Starting SS Andrew Sendejo is questionable, but with this much on the lone will play coming back from his broken Tibia. This is a defensive slugfest as both teams fail to reach 300 yards on total offense. We stall twice and have to settle for field goals in the first half and in the 2nd half our longest drive is 28 yards and we do nothing but punt. Dallas only manages a single field goal in the first half, but then put the only real drive together in the 3rd quarter, an 80 yard march that is culminated in an 8 yard TD pass form Romo to Dez Bryant. AP does manage 103 yards on 26 carries, but Cassel continually dumps it short and passes for only 127 as our season comes to an end.
Final: Dallas 10 Minnesota 6

San Francisco scrubs Dallas the next week 55-3, but is upset in the Superbowl by the surprising Houston Texans 21-17.


Our final grade for the season is 61 and my job is safe for another year!

Great season! In spite of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Cassel.

2014 Off Season
 

Stadium
Nothing needed here

Staff
Completely happy with the staff, none are in the last year of their contracts, going to keep them all.
HC – Tom Quinn
Asst HC – Carlton Malone
OC – Sean Stone
DC – Alan Williams

Crap, Alan Williams is hired away by Miami to be their new HC, I snag assistant HC Bill Kollar from Houston, a slight downgrade, but he will be just fine.

Raise ticket prices slightly 1 to 5 dollars and increase boxes a thousand. I slap the franchise tag on TE Kyle Rudolph, I look to sign him to a 3-4 year deal before the season.

DE Jared Allen retires, not his best season, but he certainly had a couple good years left. He will be hard to replace.

Free Agency
23.3 million under the cap and I need a started DE, an OG and an upgrade at WLB. The staff wants a new starting MLB, but Laurinaitis is 60/60 and I am happy with him. As usual will ponder (no pun intended) picking up a QB if there is a fit. Next I release C Dan Koppen (1.4 mil), DT Kevin Williams (1.0 mil), SLB Ty McKenzie (800K) and FS Robert Blanton (700K).

I trade WR DeSean Jackson to Baltimore for a 3rd round pick, freeing up another 4 mil plus. This leaves us 31.6 million under the cap heading into free agency. In looking at the draft, the top 10 evaluations include four stud DE’s, all run a 4.6 or better. I am set to pick 27th, so trading up will be a priority to hopefully snag one to replace Allen.

Free agents signed
WLB Connor Barwin (47/47) – 3 yrs 13.32 mil
DT Sammie Lee Hill (48/48) – 2 yrs 4.07 mil
FS Tavon Wilson (49/49) – 3 yrs 4.9 mil
LG Joe Looney (46/62) – 3 yrs 5.62 mil

Free agents lost
DT LeTroy Guion (44/44) to NY Giants
MLB Erin Henderson (35/35 ) to St. Louis
RG Brandon Fusco (32/37) to Detroit

Nobody sexy this year, but what I like to think of as some solid role players, who will fill/upgrade parts of the puzzle. Hill is a slight upgrade over the disgruntled and departed Guion, who I was happy to let go. Looney shores up the line and will bump Charley Johnson from the top of the depth chart, while both Barwin and Wilson should displace last year’s starters at their spots as well (Wesley Woodyard and Andrew Sendejo respectively)

Draft
1.5: (Via New England) DE Jessie Walter (41/70) Delaware – 4.63 40, 2 reds, 3 blues, costs us our 1st round pick (27) this season and our #1 next year, but he looks like the real deal. Had to snag him as the 2 DE’s that were a bit better went quick.
2.59: CB Chris Finnegan (22/42) Adams State – Another small school kid, solid in all areas of coverage and runs a 4.41
3.91: DT Kerry Atkins (17/38) Indiana – 1 red, 1 blue, solid player who will make the roster and back up Sharrif Floyd at RDT.
3.93: QB Marc Clayton (9/31) New Mexico – A 39 on his Sole and 82 at position drills. One of these young guys needs to be ready to take over for Cassel soon, will see of his smarts help him develop.
4.123: C Spencer Ramsey (18/41) LSU – 3 blues and a green and skipped position workout, but I only have one Center on the roster now. Does have some upside and adds depth.
5.155: DE Tyrell Jefferson (24/31) Michigan State – Average all across the board, but best available that fit a need position.
6.187: T Ray Erdmann (6/39) Alabama – Real raw, but had decent combine numbers, we will see if he can develop
7.219: WR Chris Alcott (15/30) Nebraska – 4.49 and a couple of blues in other areas, longshot.

We get a solid B and we filled our biggest position of need, Ramsey could be a sleeper at C and I like Finnegan as well.

Late Free Agency we sign 13 yr veteran SS Troy Polamalu (44/44) for 1 year at 1.34 mil. We are set with Harrison Smith as the starter, but Troy can play in nickel and be a mentor. We also snag long snapper Blaine Mitchell (20/20) for 2 years at 1.19 mil total.


Thanks, hopefully keeping him doesn't backfire.

2015 Pre Season
 

Training Camp changes
DE Jessie Walter (41/70) > (48/70)
CB Chris Finnegan (22/42) > (26/46)
DT Kerry Atkins (17/38) > (21/36)
QB Marc Clayton (9/31) > (11/28)
C Spencer Ramsey (18/41) > (22/44)
DE Tyrell Jefferson (24/31) > (26/32)
T Ray Erdmann (6/39) > (10/38)
WR Chris Alcott (15/30) > (18/31)

WR Percy Harvin, set to make just over 3 million this season is a holdout and wants a package that adds 2 years and pushes it to over 5 mil this year. I am going to make him stew a bit, though it might be worth it to give in.

TE Kyle Rudolph wants a 5 year 44.9 million dollar deal that back loads his cap numbers to over 10 million the last 2 seasons. I offer 41.1 with numbers under 10 mil the last 2 years, they don’t bite, so I will try later, but may have to risk losing him to free agency.

Here is our roster coming in, we are 15.1 million under, so renegotiating with Harvin would make sense, will have to give serious thought to Rudolph. He is an elite TE, but is he that important to our offense? Looks like all my FA pickups, as well as 1st round pick Jesse Walter will be starting.


Pre Season games
Minnesota 16 Pittsburgh 13 – Darren Sproles goes off for 176 yards on 34 carries, Foles 9-13, 70 yards.
Houston 13 Minnesota 3 – Foles is horrid 8-24, 72yds, 1 pick, FA signee WLB Connor Barwin nets 12 tackles
Minnesota 15 Cleveland 14 – Barwin’s safety the difference, AP 11-77 yards, four over 10.
Minnesota 15 Jacksonville 7 – Another safety (Woodyard gets this one) and Cassel is 9-13, 108 yards and a TD

Injuries
The injury bug hits us hard, not in quantity but in thin areas as Cassel goes down in the Jacksonville game for the year, plus we lose our best lineman!!
QB Matt Cassel – Out 31 weeks, rupture Elbow tendon
LT Matt Kalil – Out 26 weeks, MCL tear
DE Ogden Silas – Out 2 weeks, Achilles strain

I give in and sign Harvin to a 4 year 22.9 million deal, worth it if he performs like last season, not if his chronic injury issues flair up. Rookie Ray Erdman and journeyman Willie Smith will fight for Kalil’s job. With no viable pickups on the FA market at this spot and no willing trade partners, it’s going to be ugly there! Looking like Foles will start at QB.

2015 Regular Season
 

Week 1

Green Bay 0-0 at Minnesota 0-0 (Packers -11)
We trail 9-7 at the half on the strength of our defense and they come out even stronger after the break, shutting the Pack down and forcing 3 turnovers. Foles manages the game going 17-30, 158 yards and 2 TD’s, while Adrian Peterson and Darren Sproles rush for 73 and 62 yards respectively. CB Xavier Rhodes snags 2 picks and SS Harrison Smith records 13 tackles.
Final: Minnesota 23 Green Bay 9

We lose DE Lawrence Jackson for the year with a ruptured Achilles and Laurinaitis could be out 3 weeks with an Achilles strain. We sign MLB Cayden Scarbrough to replace Jackson.

Week 2

Minnesota 1-0 at San Diego 1-0 (Vikings -3)
My biggest worry is allayed somewhat as we pile up 403 yards in offense and are dominant on the ground as Peterson goes 29-173 and a TD, plus 111 receiving yards. Foles again does what is asked of him, 13-20, 208 yards 2 TD, 0 Int. We intercept Philip Rivers 4 times as CB Chris Cook grabs 2 with FS Andrew Sendejo and SS Harrison Smith getting 1 each.
Final: Minnesota 40 San Diego 16

The injuries pile up as we lose starting RG Jamon Meredith for 6 weeks, strained abductor and starting CB Xavier Rhodes for 5 with a broken Ankle. Laurinaitis sat this one out, but I hope he can come back for game 3.

Week 3

Minnesota 2-0 at Atlanta 2-0 (Falcons -4)
The injuries finally take their toll as the Matt Ryan (30-37, 371, 3 TD) led Falcons shred us for 474 yards of total offense, with Roddy White and Julio Jones combining for 18 catches and almost 190 yards. Nick Foles is only 18-34, 192 with 1 TD and 2 Int, while Peterson gains 25 yards on 8 carries as we fell behind 17-0 early and had to abandon our ground and pound game. In a twist of irony, Toby Gerhart scored the Falcons first TD on a 3 yard run and was the game’s leading rusher (14-48).
Final: Atlanta 45 Minnesota 13

Straight up ass kicking, but nobody else got hurt. Our #1 pick Jessie Walter has 7 tackles, 2 assists and 2 sacks through 3 games.

Week 4 – Bye

Ponder watch – He is now a Dallas Cowboy as his quest for a home continues. Has appeared in 2 games and is 1-2 for 8 yards.

Week 5

Seattle 2-1 at Minnesota 2-1 (Vikings by 3)
Our fourth game and we rebound from the week 3 debacle nicely, as our defense plays pissed off. Though we are outgained 285 to 258 we start inside Seahawk territory 5 times and they only start on our side of the 50 once. New FS Tavon Wilson takes a Kellen Clemens pass back 48 yards for a score and Laurinaitis looks his old self racking up 7 tackles, 7 assists and intercepting a pass. Adrian Peterson carries 20 times for 125 yards, with Sproles adding 50 yards on 15 carries.
Final: Minnesota 37 Seattle 10

It probably helped that Russell Wilson missed this game for the Seahawks with sore knee, but that’s Football. Everyone will be back next week on our side except out 3 IR players (Kalil, Cassel and Jackson). We trail the Packers by 1/2 a game in the North.

This week from the “Sage of the Gridiron”
Top 10 run defenders
Ndamukong Suh
Geno Atkins
Brandon Williams
Dion Jordan
Michael Brockers
Cameron Heyward
Sheldon Richardson
Corey Liuget
Robert Ayers
Jason Pierre-Paul

Edit: Can't tell you how much I am enjoying this version of the game, the most immersed I have ever been in the Pro version (TCY 2 please) :)

2015 Regular Season
 

Week 6

Minnesota 3-1 @ Arizona 2-3 (Vikings -2)
We march 71 yards and score on a 26 yard pass from Foles to Jarius Wright, then bog down and trail 13-10 at halftime. The 2nd half sees three drives of 60 yards or more, though two end in field goals, and a blocked punt recovered in the endzone by reserve DE Silas Ogden. The O-Line opens some nice holes as Peterson finishes with 109 yards on only 19 carries, while Nick Foles is 18-29, 282 yards and a TD. Harvin leads the team in catches with 6 for 88, while SS Harrison Smith and MLB James Laurinaitis both total 11 tackles.
Final: Minnesota 30 Arizona 13

LG Joe Looney goes down early with a foot injury, but should only miss a game or two. We still trail Green Bay by a ½ game in the North, DE Brian Robison is tied for second in the league with 13 QB hurries.

Week 7

St Louis 2-4 at Minnesota 4-1 (Vikings -10)
Red zone struggles are the story of the first half as we only convert one of three, scoring on a 6 yard run by Peterson and missing two field goals. Second year QB Ben Shannon, who came into the game with only 3 TD passes and 8 interceptions, shreds our secondary going 21-28, 305 yards, 2 TD as the Rams enter the 4th quarter up 27-7. We stage a late rally, but it is far from enough against the underdog St Louis squad. Foles has a good game going 26-38, 267 and a TD, but we fail to convert key plays early in the game.
Final: St Louis 27 Minnesota 17

We play well enough to win offensively, but our defense sleepwalks for 3 quarters. No new injuries and I hope LG Joe Looney might make it back next week.

Week 8

Chicago 1-4-1 at Minnesota 4-2 (Vikings -8)

The defense responds after a poor week 7 effort and Blair Walsh gets his groove back, which is good as we have six three and outs as we struggle to consistently gain yards on first down. Nick Foles finishes with a pedestrian line of 17-23, 106 yards, while AP runs for 86 yards on 21 carries, his lowest output since the game three loss to Atlanta. We make life hard on the Bears FA QB pickup (Who I considered pursuing) intercepting Derek Anderson twice, holding him to 20-40, 207 yards and limiting Matt Forte to 3.04 yards per carry. Laurinaitis has 8 tackles and an assist, while LB Chad Greenway and CB Chris Cook get the picks.
Final: Minnesota 16 Chicago 3

DT Sammie Lee Hill goes down for 7 weeks with a broken clavicle. 2013 1st round pick Sharrif Floyd update. After a disappointing 2014 season (26 tackles, 14 assists, 1 sack) is on pace to match his 2013 rookie numbers, with 17 tackles, 13 assists and 1.5 sacks through 7 games, despite starting only 4.

Week 9

Minnesota 5-2 at San Francisco 5-2 (49ers -6)
A big test and after scoring first on a 9 yard Foles to Patterson strike, we give up 24 straight points, including TD runs of 22 yards to Jonathan Dwyer and 51 yards to feel good story Marcus Lattimore. Foles finds Patterson again on a 52 yard bomb in the 4th, but it is not enough as Foles only totals 127 yards passing on 14-24 and a pick. Peterson only gets 11 carries, gaining 58 yards, with San Francisco killing us in time of possession 37:58 to 22:02 and running 24 more plays.
Final: San Francisco 30 Minnesota 14

More injury woes as DE Brian Robison is out up to three weeks with a hyper-extended knee. Fellow DE and #5 overall pick Jessie Walter has 17 tackles, 7 assists, 2 sacks and 7 hurries halfway through his rookie season. At the halfway point we are holding a wildcard spot, 1 game back of the Packers in the North. Oakland is on pace for an epic season!

2015 Regular Season
 

Week 10

Minnesota 5-3 at Green Bay 6-2 (Packers -7)
This is a crucial game and it is a dog fight from the opening kickoff. We strike first on a 31 yard pass from Foles to Jarius Wright, but Aaron Rodgers throws a pair of 2nd quarter TD passes and we trail 14-13 at the half. We struggle in the 3rd and trail 20-13 before 48 yard drive that is capped by an Adrian Peterson (22 carries, 130 yards) TD run with 3:12 left and we are headed to OT. We go 3 and out and Dan Bailey wins it for the Pack with a 48 yard FG on their first drive. Nick Foles is 20-28, 221 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int. Cordarrelle Patterson has 8 catches, while CB Chris Cook has 8 tackles and 3 assists.
Final: Green Bay 23 Minnesota 20

We cover the spread, but that doesn’t get us a tie for 1st in the North, another divisional game next week and we are in must win territory now.

Week 11

Detroit 3-5-1 at Minnesota 5-4 (Vikings -7)
This is just a beatdown as we race out to a 20-0 halftime lead and hold Detroit to 236 total yards for the game and while we only manage 246, our defense sets us up with 6 sacks and 4 turnovers. Adrian Peterson carries the offense with 28 carries for 116 yards, with three runs of 10+ yards. Foles is not asked to do much and completes 12 of 17 for only 77 yards. OLB Connor Barwin and DE James Robison both tally 2 sacks, with Robison also returning a fumble 25 yards for a score.
Final: Minnesota 26 Detroit 0

Week 12

Minnesota 6-4 at Oakland 0-10
We visit the hapless Raiders and jump out to an early lead, before allowing Oakland to draw to within 13-10 after the third quarter. We have a much better offensive showing, outgaining Oakland 359 to 235, with AP gaining 95 yards on 20 carries and scoring twice. Foles is a mixed bag, going 26-39 for 250 yards, but he also throws 2 interceptions. Peterson also leads the team with 9 catches for 121 yards, while Chad Greenway, Chris Cook and Andrew Sendejo each contribute an interception.
Final: Minnesota 23 Oakland 10 (Vikings -9)

No new injuries outside of our three long term injuries (Cassel, Kalil and DE Lawrence Jackson)

Week 13

Dallas 5-6 at Minnesota 7-4 (Vikings -6)
This turns into a bend but not break battle with neither team having a turnover and moving the ball, but the defenses stiffen in the red zone. Blair Walsh is our main weapon again, nailing field goals of 31, 36, 28 and 39 yards. The one big play is an 80 yard rocket from Foles to Jarius Wright, who is showing a knack for big plays. Foles 15-22, 186, 1 TD is outplayed by Tony Romo 30-41, 297, 1 TD, but the only stat that matters is the W. Peterson goes for 117 on 31 carries and SS Harrison Smith has 7 tackles, 2 assists and a sack.
Final: Minnesota 19 Dallas 10

Three of four in this stretch and we currently hold a wild card spot, but still trail Green Bay by two games. Through 12 games Nick Foles is 207-321, 64.5% for 2172 yards, 13 TD, 9 Int. Adrian Peterson has carried the rock 252 times for 1203 yards, 4.77 YPC, 9 TDs. The receivers are led by Peterson as well with 54 catches for 442 yards, While Cordarrelle Patterson has 40 grabs for 474 yards, 6 TD, 6 drops.