Is the glass half full or... it's a shot, man. Just take it! (5-2)

Hey you can look at the CARDS game however you want.  
Like AP, I am not looking back. It's a W!

But here is a optimist/pessimist check. Which ist-list do you relate to?

Half empty - 

• Ponder had 58 yards. 
• We had penalties. 
• We had turnovers. 
• We got dominated in time of possession.

Half full 

• AP and the line played great, lots of rushing yards. 
• We had 7 sacks. 
• We kept their offense in check.
• 100% in the red zone

The cool thing for me is that the play of the game was by our rookie defender, the INT return by SMITH. Awesome awareness to make the play and then a great run afterwards!  Proved to be the game changer!

That was a cute pass, Skelton

Peterson was in beast mode.  I swear if you made a highlight real of every time some desperate defender ankle or shoe tackled AP it would be like 37 minutes long.  Ok, time for some positive visualizations.  How does 6-2 look?  Mmmmmmmkay?

I know what everyone wants to see tonight. AP get that big TD run. NO INTs from PONDER and the continued success by our defense.  I do not foresee the same kinds of problems we had in the ugly loss to the SKINS.  The BUCS don't have an RG3.  Sure, they've been airing it out lately but they haven't played US.

Y'all know I don't make predictions I just have hopes.  In our loss to the SKINS I said "We can't allow RG3 to have any career scrambles or turn the ball over" haha.  Look what happened.  The BUCS haven't won on the road in the last 9 tries.  Their last road win??  HERE! Will it happen twice in a row??

*Dikembe Mutumbo wave!

SKOL 

PS  I will be AT the game tonight. Section 129 with my brother and two pals. It will be a fun fun fun time.  I will post pics and vids tomorrow!

Let's get 300 yards in the air, FRAZIER!

Oh that deadline... oh wait... fan blog. (4-2) Let us rally ourselves! (WEEK 7)

I mean...

We all know a hot chic that tweets "ImSorryImNotSorry"

then follows it with something lamer then my forthcoming sentiments...

(I will never complain about being 4-2)

Yeah...

Well, I AM sorry.

I hate losing, poorly. Not because I am a super homer and I can't face reality- but because as a screenwriter and life long Skoler, I need to believe in certain universal laws.

(((PS why the hell isn't SKOLER in the urban dictionary by now??! Hello. We all know WTF it is?! No?! )))

Universal Laws... AKA
they don't exist.

that's just PARODY masked as hum drum.

DUDES I said->

"this game will come down to turnovers, not giving up a pick six, or giving up a huge RG3 run... yap yap, if we contain them to no big plays and not make mistakes, we will win."

(when one quotes themselves they are entitled some LEE-WAY no? idk how to even spell lee way yet here you are reading my thoughts! SKOL!)

I did say that though.

But I have no nerve to sit here and bitch like "we should be 6-0" Cuz I am not an asshole.

So here is what your loyal blogger will do.

I'll take a pass, like our Vikes did.  None of us are perfect. I won't even analyze the SKINS game.. it's been done already. (it came down to my "keys" SMH if only the players would follow CROMSCORNER!!!)

I will say this.

We are all fans, we want one thing.

Just BRUSH YOUR SHOULDERS OFF

(WE LOVE YOU)

feed off the crowd

Do your jobs

And enjoy the WIN

On Paper I have us winning big time.

But we all know paper...
there's always scissors... and mildew and rain and fire and wind...

paper sucks.

As a SKOLIFER (new term?)

I will say this, based on the history of sports, and how teams perform after laying eggs, then being at home, and being on somewhat of a hot streak, I expect said collective hot streak to affect our players and collectively for them to perform at a high level.

isn't that exciting?!?

I need to post a picture for this blog.

(see bottom)

Honestly, I feel like we own the CARDINALS...

(I won't mention the NO, no, NOOOOOO moment)

then again, who DOESN'T own the CARDs?

Their 4-2 and ours is totally different... I can't prove it now but I will.

Member how A-ROD went out to the CARDS a few years ago?

(I found my pic)

PONDER has yet to look this dumb

We beat them with McNAff last year... they have a rookie runner and some fundamentals going for them but... WE HAVE GAME BREAKERS

ALLEN, PETERSON, HARVIN

they have a poor man's over rated version of HERMAN MOORE

dude was tripping not to sign with us. He's addicted to those holy angels colors.

SMH

Titans Clash (4-1)

VICTORY!

From our friends at ESPN 1500

Great game!  Not perfect, but great.  We did what we were supposed to do.  I finally got to watch the game in it's entirety thanks to NFL rewind. (It's worth the 39$)  I was hoping for a comfortable win and a score around 31-10.  Jared Allen & company delivered.  They did so with something the Viking teams of recent years haven't had... consistency.

What a refreshing trait.  AP runs with it, Ponder passes with it and Harvin jukes with it.  Hell, Even FRAZIER coaches with it. 

Let's take a quick peek at his post game locker talker and see that Ziggy Wilf smile while we're at it.   (PS who the hell does he look like? I can't place it.) Also, take the new poll! --->

Here's a few notes I took while watching what was a pretty boring game at times. (I saw the replay)  I'd rather be bored and up 23 than too nervous to eat tied in the 4th though.  My observations...

• Touchbacks. So many. So lovely.
• Erin Henderson is back. Nice to see, he played well, had a FF.
• We dropped 2 easy INTs... we need to make those plays.
• Too many checkdowns to AP on 3rd down. (We didn't convert)  Was everyone else covered?
• Chris Johnson had 24 yards. HAHA (see MEME below)
• PONDER's INTs - Meh, one a little high and tipped, the other a great route jump by the corner.  It happens.
• AP almost broke that 34 yarder... any play now!
• Beautiful throws by PONDER to HARVIN on the fly and RUDOLPH in the end zone.
• HARRISON makes rookie mistake, gets ejected but there's no drop off in our secondary. That makes me happy.  I love how fast and physical they are.

Over all I know most fans are pleased.  There's always room for improvement but it feels nice to get that 4th win so soon. (How are you pseudo fans feeling about predicting 6 or less wins this year in my poll?)  Here's the box score.   A lot of acceptable stats except for one, we were 3 /11 on 3rd down.  Lots of drive killers like 5 tackles for a loss & penalties contributed to that. Those stats won't float against good teams.

Now for some fun stuff... 

HARVIN's double juke.

I love fan cams.

 How about some MEME's?  Just click to enlarge!

(Via fellow SKOLER @Dswen & our guys at VikingMemes (FB)

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

NEXT WEEK?

_________________________________________________________________________________

CROM made this one!

_________________________________________________________________________________

VIA ESPN 1500 movie posters

Here's a good story on the VIKES keeping it simple.  From our friends at ESPN. 

Here's a story from Kevin Seifert, the NFC north beat writer, 
about the VIKES legitness. "If it walks like a duck..."

That's all for now I will post more fun stuff soon.  

If you're on twitter please follow me! I post & Retweet VIKING related content daily! (And please RT my links)

SKOL!

EDIT

I just found out that Alex Karras, the former Detroit Lion defensive lineman who also played the position of Webster's dad on TV passed away.  My condolences to his family.  

R.I.P.

Here's a real hard hitting scene from Webster - Webster wants to play football.
Awwww. This aired in 1983. 

Harvins and Sherels and Lions, Oh my! (3-1)

FIRST PLACE! ( 3-1)

Well that was as "fun" as I had expected.  The games with the Lions are always close even when we were 12-4 w/ Favre and they were 0-16. This one was no different.  There is always one team that somehow comes back to make the game interesting in the end.  Typical black and blue.

You guys know how I don't like to recap games or say the same things we see in the STRIB or online at NFL.com etc.  I prefer to just share my thoughts.  (E.G. it's WACK that you can't look at a simple box score at NFL.com without seeing a stupid ad/video)

First I'd like to say welcome to our man JEROME SIMPSON.  Good game!  He drew two penalties and hauled in a big first down catch.  One of our few bright spots in the passing game yesterday.

I hate to sound like Stewart Scott but, dude was money

So, yeah, about that offense.  Where the hell was it?  Two field goals? PONDER was pretty gummed up, 16-26-111 yards.  Only three passes travelled more then 7 yards.  He spread it around pretty good but at like 8 yards a completion AVG.  "That's what the defense gave him" so what can you do?  I tip my hat to the DET defense they forced us to run but it didn't work out so well for them.  

Pardon me, bro. Not quite a first down yet.

You know I love my stats, check this out. (via @TomPelissero) 
Of AP's 102 yards, 71 were after first contact.  Pelisserro had him down for 10 broken tackles.  He was in beast mode.

As for RUDOLPH and HARVIN- last weeks heavy lifters?  Five catches for 30 yards combined.  HARVIN also rushed twice for 8 yards.  We didn't do much but we did "just enough." Hopefully we'll learn a lot from the tape. (Via Tom P - 1500 ESPN)
We'll see.  SIMPSON caught 4 for 50 yards and drew those 2 PI calls.  He will only get more action moving forward. 

WALSH was 2 for 3.  He's entitled to miss one now and then but I know a lot of VIKES fans said "UH OH' when he missed and we "only" led by 14.  The negativity amazes me.  He's a great addition to our special teams. Yo, LIONS didn't have 1 kick return yesterday. All touchbacks.  He has 12 for the season. How'd you like to be a gunner on our team? I could do it, shit.

Robison's Prayers for Touchbacks program is working. 

(5 vikings, 5 touchbacks)

How about our returns?  Both were nasty.  One because it was so clean, the other because it was so dirty!  HARVIN's was all scheming, blocks and execution while SHERELS' was all balls, balls and shimmy.  I thought fer sherels we were 'bout to see surm Murf. 

Check out these 2 dope GIFs from SB NATION Minnesota. Sherel's Punt return first.

 PS3 = R stick left, R2, R1, R stick L, Tap X, R2, hold O

I will put HARVINs further below so the screen isn't too busy.

What else... 

• We got tackled for a loss 5 times.  Usually on first down.  We need better 2nd down scenarios to sustain drives.
• Gave up 2 sacks.  OK.  None by KALIL.  
• DET did a great job of keying on HARVIN for those quick outs and bubble screens and they had some timely blitzes.  It was just a hard nosed game.  
• We didn't allow a TD pass which is great.  
• We got 5 sacks on STAFFORD while only blitzing twice the whole game. (via @TomPelissero) 
• JASPER BRINKLEY played great. 13 tackles. 
• We broke up 10 passes (via @Mike Wobschall)
• We gave up five first downs via penalty. OUCH

Coach was real proud at his press conference, not of himself but of his defensive coach, special teams coach, and players.   He felt they prepared and schemed great... Obviously they did.  No one would have predicted no TDs passing for the LIONS or us making MEGATRON look like bumble bee. (5-54) Here is how a LION fan ranked the "big three"

Our secondary played pretty great.  Our whole defense did actually. They didn't give up any big plays and they played hard. Soon H. SMITH will go from reacting to post routes to anticipating and wishing they'd throw it. I have a feeling blssting people is his favorite thing. He's getting more settled every week  What did you think of this penalty on our rook J ROB? I thought it was rubbish.  Check this kid out. He has a future wrestling for sure.

Billick thought it was harsh, coach thought it was too.  On twitter I read they may have called it on Winfield for "piling on" but even that would be wack.  I think our safeties played well.  They each had some good hits. Sanford had 1 PBU, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass defensed, 4 tackles & 1 special teams tackle in relief. Well Done! I don't know about you but I love hearing what the losers have to say.

Here is what KLUWE said about the game, such a good punner!

(click to enlarge view in a lightbox)

In other KLUWE news, here is his response letter to MATT BIRK's defense of the marriage act.  It's direct from his "Out of Bounds" blog at the Pioneer Press.  Here is how I feel.  I won't talk politics on here,  I'll let KLUWE's logic do it for me.

MNunited.org

OH!  Here is HARVIN's kick return

Just so fresh so clean

Don't forget to follow me on twitter. 

https://twitter.com/CromsCorner

SKOL!