The Vikings will be facing one of the top offenses in the NFL on Sunday, and the best offense in the NFC. A team with enough firepower to score 27 points against the Patriots defense and a team, that, prior to last week, was on pace to break the 1998 Vikings' record for points scored in a season (they are currently on pace for 540 points). This is a team with the third best DVOA in overall offense (23.8%, behind only New England and Indianapolis), the third best passing DVOA (38.6%) and the fifth best running attack by DVOA (12.1%). They have a running back, Marion Barber III with the highest DVOA for a back (39.4%-for comparison, All Day's is 25.0%) and the ability to break any tackle.
Their quarterback has the 6th highest DPAR in the NFL, ahead of such big names as Brett Farve and Carson Palmer, despite throwing seven interceptions in the last two games. He also picks up more big name females than anyone outside of the Fertile one in New England. He is, however, as you can tell from the interceptions, a "gun slinger", so there is hope for Antoine Winfield, Darren Sharper and the rest of the secondary, provided they don't let the ball hit them between the "3" and the "1".
And it's not like Tony Romo is throwing to untalented hacks. Patrick Crayton has blown up in his fourth year. He has already had the second best season of his career, and is well on pace to set career highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Not to mention the fact that he's hauling in 62% of the passes thrown his way and is eighth in DPAR amongst receivers. His bigger name compatriot, Terrell Owens, isn't doing quite as well, largely due to a case of the drops. Owens' has only caught 48% of passes thrown his way, which would be the lowest of his career.
Neither Crayton nor Owens is leading the team in receiving this year, however, which is yet another reason for Vikings' fans to worry. The Cowboy's tight end, Jason Witten, is leading the team in receptions, yards and is tied for the lead in touchdowns. Witten also has the second highest DPAR amongst tight ends, behind only Antonio Gates, and the fifth highest DVOA. You may remember the tight end who's in third in DPAR, seeing as how Tony Gonzalez had seven catches for 96 yards against the Vikings. Witten becomes even scarier when one considers that the Vikings have had problems defending tight ends this year, giving up a DVOA of 24.4%.
Quite simply, the Cowboys have the most potent offense the Vikings will face this year, and it will take the Purple Jesus performing another miracle for their offense to keep up with the Cowboys. There's some solace to be found, however, in the fact that the Vikings do not necessarily need to win this game to make the playoffs. Definitely wouldn't hurt if they did, but realistically, this is not a must win game, like last Sunday's was.
Showing posts with label Threats to '98. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Threats to '98. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
Looking Around and Looking Forward
The Gunslinger Personified:
First off, congratulations are in order for one Brett Favre. I'm sure it was hard for him, what with all the hype surrounding his chase for the record and being in front of his home fans, all of whom where pulling for him, but he was able to over come all of that and tie George Blanda's record for most interceptions thrown. Blanda has held the record for more than 20 years, but his mark has withstood assaults by gunslinger after gunslinger, but Favre is the gunslinger personified, and now he's only one interception away from setting a record that may never be broken, something he'll have a chance to do in front of his home crowd on Sunday against Washington.
Beat Up Bears:
I'll be reassing the Vikings schedule tomorrow, something that's necessary because of teams like da Bears. Mark Craig of the Star Tribune has already made the point that I was going to, which is that da Bears are missing a lot of key players on defense and their offense is no better than the Vikings, whether they have Sexy Rexy, Brian Griese or Kyle Orton under center. Da Bears may be the best team for the Vikings to play this week, in what pretty much amounts to a must win game if they want to contend for the playoffs this year.
Mewelde Would Prefer to Live, Thank You Very Much:
Another Tampa Bay running back went down on Sunday, leaving the Buccannears with Ernest Graham and....well, actually, Graham was all the Bucs were left with. Think Tampa might up their offer for Mewelde Moore? Think Moore actually wants to go to Tampa, where he's almost guaranteed to suffer some kind of horrific injury? Considering he's always been somewhat fragile, it wouldn't surprise me if Moore preferred to stay here, at least until he becomes a free agent.
Two Threats to '98:
Through their first four games, the Cowboys are currently on pass to shatter the '98 Vikings' record for most points in a season. If they keep up their average of 37.8 points per game (ppg), they would, over 16 games, score 604 points, almost 50 points more than the 556 the '98 Vikings scored. They aren't the only team on pace to pass the '98 Vikings either: the Patriots are averaging 36.4 ppg, which puts them on pace for 582 points. The Cowboys have four games left against teams currently in the top ten in points allowed: one against New England (3rd-13ppg) and Minnesota (5th-14.8ppg) and two against Washington (3rd-13ppg). The Patriots have a slightly easier schedule, only having to play three games against top ten defenses: against Washington, Indianapolis (10th-17.6ppg) and Pittsburgh (1st-9.4ppg). They also have to play Dallas, who is just outside the top ten (11th-18ppg) and who may move into the top ten after playing Buffalo tonight, who is currently last in the NFL in points per game with an average of 10.2 ppg.
First off, congratulations are in order for one Brett Favre. I'm sure it was hard for him, what with all the hype surrounding his chase for the record and being in front of his home fans, all of whom where pulling for him, but he was able to over come all of that and tie George Blanda's record for most interceptions thrown. Blanda has held the record for more than 20 years, but his mark has withstood assaults by gunslinger after gunslinger, but Favre is the gunslinger personified, and now he's only one interception away from setting a record that may never be broken, something he'll have a chance to do in front of his home crowd on Sunday against Washington.
Beat Up Bears:
I'll be reassing the Vikings schedule tomorrow, something that's necessary because of teams like da Bears. Mark Craig of the Star Tribune has already made the point that I was going to, which is that da Bears are missing a lot of key players on defense and their offense is no better than the Vikings, whether they have Sexy Rexy, Brian Griese or Kyle Orton under center. Da Bears may be the best team for the Vikings to play this week, in what pretty much amounts to a must win game if they want to contend for the playoffs this year.
Mewelde Would Prefer to Live, Thank You Very Much:
Another Tampa Bay running back went down on Sunday, leaving the Buccannears with Ernest Graham and....well, actually, Graham was all the Bucs were left with. Think Tampa might up their offer for Mewelde Moore? Think Moore actually wants to go to Tampa, where he's almost guaranteed to suffer some kind of horrific injury? Considering he's always been somewhat fragile, it wouldn't surprise me if Moore preferred to stay here, at least until he becomes a free agent.
Two Threats to '98:
Through their first four games, the Cowboys are currently on pass to shatter the '98 Vikings' record for most points in a season. If they keep up their average of 37.8 points per game (ppg), they would, over 16 games, score 604 points, almost 50 points more than the 556 the '98 Vikings scored. They aren't the only team on pace to pass the '98 Vikings either: the Patriots are averaging 36.4 ppg, which puts them on pace for 582 points. The Cowboys have four games left against teams currently in the top ten in points allowed: one against New England (3rd-13ppg) and Minnesota (5th-14.8ppg) and two against Washington (3rd-13ppg). The Patriots have a slightly easier schedule, only having to play three games against top ten defenses: against Washington, Indianapolis (10th-17.6ppg) and Pittsburgh (1st-9.4ppg). They also have to play Dallas, who is just outside the top ten (11th-18ppg) and who may move into the top ten after playing Buffalo tonight, who is currently last in the NFL in points per game with an average of 10.2 ppg.
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