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Around SBN: 2012 Africa Cup Of Nations Final

Ask Gonzo from The Daily Norseman - Playoffs Edition!

Good afternoon, Philadelphia faithful.  Congratulations to your team on making it to the real NFL season!

I am Gonzo, the head blogger over at SBNation's Vikings' site, The Daily Norseman.  I'm happy that my team managed to fight their way into the post-season, but I certainly hope that they're more than just happy to be there.  I think we're going to see a damn fine football game between our two teams.

If there's anything about the Vikings that you'd like to ask me, go ahead and feel free to do so here, and I'll answer your questions as time permits me to do so.

Enjoy the week, ladies and gentlemen!

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I have a question for ya...

Whats the deal with 15-10 thousand tickets that are flying around? Is this the sign of a SLOW economy or is this sort of the norm in Minnesota?

Cuz if it is, consider youself somewhat blessed because it would be IMPOSSIBLE to find tickets to this game if it were in Philly

Thanks for swingin buy man!

side note:
December 28, 1996 – Dallas’ last playoff win
February 10, 1997 – Mario Kart for Nintendo 64 is released

by 700 Level on Dec 30, 2008 4:13 PM EST reply actions  

wow sorry about the bad typos

15-10 =15-20
buy=by

side note:
December 28, 1996 – Dallas’ last playoff win
February 10, 1997 – Mario Kart for Nintendo 64 is released

by 700 Level on Dec 30, 2008 4:14 PM EST up reply actions  

As I'm not actually in the Twin Cities

I’m not exactly sure what the deal is up there, to be honest. I’m sure that some fans were anticipating the standard Viking flameout and were cautious about buying post-season tickets before knowing whether or not there would actually BE a post-season.

I’m a bit discouraged that there are so many tickets readily available for the Vikings’ first home playoff game since the 2000 divisional round. If I didn’t have to work next week, I’d hop a flight from GPT to Minneapolis without thinking twice.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Dec 30, 2008 9:29 PM EST up reply actions  

What is

The biggest weakness on offense and biggest weakness on defense?

How about biggest strength on offense and defense?

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!

by Joe_D on Dec 30, 2008 4:45 PM EST reply actions  

Well, the strengths are easy

Our strengths are running the football and stopping the run. For the third consecutive season, the Vikings finished #1 in rushing yards allowed, and that was with Pat Williams missing the last two games of the year against the #1 and #2 rushing offenses in the NFL. Now, we’re hoping that Phat Pat will be back for the post-season, but 2 weeks is the absolute minimum for healing time for the injury he sustained (broken scapula), and it usually takes closer to 6 weeks. Then again, Andy Reid seems to have some kind of allergy to running the football sometimes, and maybe he’ll have it again this Sunday.

The offensive strength is Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, and the road graders on the offensive line. Not a whole lot that needs to be said there.

As far as the weakness, the pass defense still isn’t great in terms of yardage, but as far as one of your guys already pointed out in another FanPost, DVOA-wise they’re way better than they have been. They do very well against #1 and #2 receivers. . .they tend to have problems with backs and TEs, and that’s why Brian Westbrook, quite frankly, scares the hell out of me.

The pass offense is a bit weak, too, but I’ll address that more in a question I see down the track on Tarvaris Jackson.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Dec 30, 2008 9:40 PM EST up reply actions  

One question

how is your defense going to stop the screen passes to West and Buck?

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant

by NJBammer on Dec 30, 2008 4:56 PM EST reply actions  

hopefully

not as well as everyone else has this year lol

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!

by Joe_D on Dec 30, 2008 5:01 PM EST up reply actions  

Frankly, if it was me

Here’s what I’d do.

I’d make the nickel set my base set all game (particularly if Pat Williams is back), go with Greenway and Leber at LB (one of whom, probably Greenway, would hang with the TE), stick S Madieu Williams on Westbrook or Buckhalter all game, and let the rest of the secondary fight it out with Philly’s receivers.

That’s just me. . .there’s probably a reason I’m not an NFL defensive coordinator. (-: But I don’t want a LB on Westbrook all game, and unless you’re going to go ultra crazy and put Antoine Winfield on Westbrook all game or something like that, Madieu Williams is probably the best alternative.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Dec 30, 2008 9:45 PM EST up reply actions  

A lot higher than it was a month ago

Jackson looks like a totally different quarterback than he did in the first two starts of the year. He looked almost completely lost and frazzled in his starts against Green Bay and Indianapolis. He looks more relaxed and confident in the pocket, he’s finally not afraid to make plays with his legs when he has to, taking advantage of his outstanding mobility (an attribute I’m afraid he’s going to need a LOT this weekend), and it looks like the game is finally starting to “slow down” for him.

Tarvaris Jackson probably needed two full seasons on the bench to get the hang of things. People like to compare him to Donovan McNabb for some reason, but while McNabb played in more of a pro-style offense in college (and granted, Syracuse isn’t exactly a football factory, but still). . .Tarvaris Jackson played at I-AA Alabama State, and ran more of a spread type of attack. Quite frankly, benching him earlier on this season might have been the best thing that could possibly have happened to him.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Dec 30, 2008 9:53 PM EST up reply actions  

Yeah, his legs worry me!

I’m hoping we rattle him early. If he takes off on a couple long ones, we’ll have to spy him or something similar. You’re O-line is great regarding the run, how are those big boys against speed rushers? As you saw against Dallas, we burn the fatsos!

I bleed green and I piss silver and blue

by oldasquick on Dec 30, 2008 10:10 PM EST up reply actions  

What’s up Gonzo?! I noticed that the Vikings kick-ass offense made some strides recently. How has Tavaris Jackson grown since his benching earlier this season or what changes has he made to be more effective?

"....It is more about them than it is about the team. Cannot play with them. Cannot win with them. Cannot coach with them. Can’t do it. I want winners!" - Mike Singletary

by DennardC on Dec 30, 2008 8:05 PM EST reply actions  

Well, obviously he's worked hard

And he’s gotten some time on the sidelines to watch a veteran run the offense, and get more of a feel for the game. He’s always, from all accounts, one of the last guys to leave the Vikings’ team facility after practices, always watching extra film and stuff like that.

However, the biggest obstacle he had to overcome was probably off the field, as his young son Tarvaris (who is now 15 months old) had a pacemaker put in back in May, and got sick again in October. He won’t come out and say that it affected him on the field. . .but seeing how he’s performed since young T.J. got a clean bill of health compared to what he did earlier on in the season, I think it’s kind of obvious that it did.

So, here’s to young Tarvaris, and here’s to his daddy continuing the progress he’s shown over the last month or so.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Dec 30, 2008 9:58 PM EST up reply actions  

who do you think will win this game.. bias and all…

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 30, 2008 9:12 PM EST reply actions  

It depends on who shows up

Because both of these teams are a bit inconsistent.

Are we going to see the Vikings that blew out the Bears and the Cardinals? Or are we going to see the Vikings that struggled twice against the Detroit Lions?

Are we going to see the Eagles that beat the Giants in New York and destroyed the Cowboys? Or are we going to see the Eagles that scored 3 points against Washington and played that ugly tie against Cincinnati?

Now, with this being the playoffs, I don’t expect the “bad” Eagles to show up, and I don’t anticipate the “bad” Vikings showing up at home. . .though I think the latter is more likely than the former.

But if I had to pick one right this very second. . .I’m afraid I’d have to give into my inherent bias and take the Vikings on a last-second Ryan Longwell field goal.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Dec 30, 2008 10:04 PM EST up reply actions  

on a last-second Ryan Longwell field goal.

A last second field goal to beat the Eagles … ugh I’ve read this book.

"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"

by Whodie126 on Dec 31, 2008 8:38 AM EST up reply actions  

If...

…Adrian Peterson is held to 70 rushing yards like the last time we played you, can Tavaris Jackson win this game with his arm? I know Kelly Holcomb couldn’t, but can Jackson? Is the Vikings offense as one-dimensional as ESPN analysts seem to think?

My prediction by the way: Eagles 24, Vikings 14.
Funny how no one has picked against their team yet… :-)

by ajay on Dec 30, 2008 10:36 PM EST reply actions  

Whoops

That was a different thread that had the predictions on it. Oh well. Let’s increase it to Eagles 34, Vikings 14.

by ajay on Dec 30, 2008 10:37 PM EST up reply actions  

I have a question gonzo…. why do your bloggers treat outside teams bloggers like total dicks and tell them he “fucked my mom?” cough lovehate cough

Who wants to play Leapfrog with Trent?

by anuj on Jan 1, 2009 9:00 AM EST reply actions  

1 word

classless … I don’t go over to other blogs it’s just not what I do. That said I was never more tempted to then when I read Lovehates insane posts, not only is he a jackass he is probably the biggest hypocrite ever … not even the idiot Giants/Cowboys fans are that dumb. I might venture over there before tomorrow … right now I’m nursing a hangover, Happy New Year to all.

"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"

by Whodie126 on Jan 1, 2009 10:30 AM EST up reply actions  

hahaha

cold cup of coffee whodie… and take a cold shower ;)

Who wants to play Leapfrog with Trent?

by anuj on Jan 1, 2009 10:45 AM EST up reply actions  

depending on how bad your hangover is....

the BEST cure is Pedialite. yup thats right. The child medicine. Its for babies/kids to ensure they arent dehydrating. Its loaded with electrolites and is like a Super gatorade!!! I shit you not….
make sure to get the flavored kind. The un-flavored tastes like sweaty water. Cherry is pretty good.

by GreenInBaltimore on Jan 1, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions  

running

is my hangover remedy … nothing gets rid of a hangover like sweating it out.

"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"

by Whodie126 on Jan 1, 2009 4:47 PM EST up reply actions  

This is the point...

…at which I criticize them for starting this post but then not answering the questions. You know, like they do.

by ajay on Jan 1, 2009 1:59 PM EST up reply actions  

Taking into consideration

That I’ve answered pretty much every question that your fellow Eagle fans have asked in this thread, this seems appropriate:

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Jan 1, 2009 2:33 PM EST up reply actions  

hahahahahahahahaha

nice Gonzo… he was just crackin a joke from your forums. i started a post like yours and they were hating that i didnt comment.

Who wants to play Leapfrog with Trent?

by anuj on Jan 1, 2009 2:59 PM EST up reply actions  

To be honest

I couldn’t tell you. There’s only one person’s posts that I have control over.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Jan 1, 2009 2:31 PM EST up reply actions  

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