12 Year Cycle October 20,
2020
When the word "STRANGE" is used to describe Kirk Cousins first
offensive play versus the Falcons, you have no choice but to take stock of
everything that has happened up to that very moment. On that play, our offensive line
appeared to be doing its job, where Kirk Cousins was not under duress where what
followed was a forced unforced error. Where you have to ask yourself this
question, "What could be causing this"? Kirk Cousins ball
security has been an issue since he arrived in Minnesota ... and beyond ... but
this appears to be in completely different universe as pieces are moving in ways
that defy explanation.
Imagine that there were some sort of message from the Cosmo's that told you
to do nothing other than get to this very point, as quickly as you can, where
Kirk Cousins would throw it right to you, causing that first interception.
This could only happen if: "A" - we were sold down the river,
"B" - pure coincidence, "C" - Kirk Cousins was providing
some sort of tell that indicated his exact motion, "D" - The Falcons
had some sort of pre-communications & evaluation of the play &
likelihood of where that ball would be placed, or "E" - There is
something this is actually in control that is beyond our control.
To answer these one by one, we need to consider it from the exact opposite
angle. Where someone on the Vikings had someone whisper into his ear, where he
would then go to that exact place however ... in our case ... our defender would have hands of
stone where he'd drop the ball. So option "A" to me makes
no sense.
Option B, pure coincidence, is a possibility, however the net effect that it had
on the team had very little to do with coincidence. What happened before
& what happened after that play was not just coincidental. I know, you
don't get my meaning but think of the NFL's rookie of the year Sammy White
trying to rally his team that was facing its eventual 4th Super Bowl loss.
No, coincidence wasn't at play.
In the case of Option C, the only tell that Kirk Cousins could actually muster,
or the only tool that he has in his holster is in his eventual ability to find
his way to flip the field for his opponents. This has been accomplished by
turning the ball over either by fumbling or by interception or by issuing a
series of 3 & outs. In other words, his weekly foe can rely upon him
to make his teams work load double, or even triple, in being able to accomplish
the goals of this franchise. Although pure coincidence might be possible for 1 play,
where the opponent might
guess something prior to it happening, that would have as much probability as Kirk Cousins
cleating himself. In other words, he's done worse but so have we
all. Again, coincidence doesn't explain what followed.
As for the nefarious Option D, well our contest was with the 0-4 Falcons, &
that just doesn't
measure up to the NFC Championship versus the Giants, where we'd be using those
gold league-wide head sets that were 100% secure & guaranteed to scramble
every possible sideline communication, all the while knowing that our 1999
offensive coordinator was coaching our opposition. The result being 41-0,
sporting players Moss & Carter, etc. Hey, could it be that there was
some sort of code that might be able unscramble that communication in the most
corrupt city in the world (Try getting anything done in Metropolitan New York
- Union). Now, that couldn't happen
... but holding that offense to 0 points just didn't add up ... did it?
So, poo poo to option D.
Sure there could be other options out there for your own personal conjecture but
it's that final option that is most intriguing. Why? Because it
describes the look upon head coach Mike Zimmer's face to a "T" ...
looking like a man caught in quick sand. Of course, now that we find
ourselves in dire straights, it now opens the door for the idiots
representing the other 31 franchises to combine with our very impatient fan base,
to start calling for the firing of both Mike Zimmer & Rick Spielman. However,
before you give 1 second of credence to all that nonsense, you should remind yourself of exactly
what this group has accomplished to date with the heart & bulk of our defense
... that
is no longer out there ... not to mention having a never ending patch work
offensive line due to injury. It was then that some sports writer uttered, "Maybe this
is part of that 10 year cycle where this franchise ends up with a very bad
team", which got me into a very deep mode of "THINK". It's not a 10 year cycle but rather a
12 year cycle (see the Chinese calendar). In other words, are things
happening this way for a reason. So, let's take a look at that 12 year
cycle.
For that 1960 season, there was a definite plan to bring about a new AFL
franchise for Minnesota's twin cities. You might recall that the AFL was
rebuffed in favor of the more established league ... the NFL ... where if we had
waited one year, we'd have a new NFL franchise. This little gem became
part of the foundation in a "COLD WAR", that would soon spiral out of
control. Could the spurning of the
AFL by this franchise in the favor of joining the NFL be the beginning of a some
sort of curse. Well regardless of whether it is true or not, a very potent
curse could be theorized based upon our overall history, which cannot be discounted.
Either way, 1960 could be considered this franchises starting point in the
cosmos. Just because you got married in 1961 didn't have anything to do
with a very public 1960 pregnancy.
Which brings us 12 years later to 1972 ... THE RETURN OF FRAN TARKENTON. In
1972 we sported a fairly potent offense, which was nonexistent in 1971. In
1971 we posted a 12-2 campaign due in part to a dominant defense, however that
defense magically disappeared in 1972 for some unknown reason. That 72 season marked Shula's
perfect 17-0 season & the arrival of Franco Harris that would propel the
Steelers onto four Super Bowl Championships. It also resulted in a
completely unexplained 7-7 season where this franchise mysteriously missed the playoffs. If you take a quick look at that roster, it was made up
primarily of what would be a dynasty of players that should have taken us to
four consecutive Super Bowls except for a 4th at 22 out-of-bounds catch on
December 28, 1975. What is most interesting to that 72 season
is what followed it, what should have been four consecutive Super Bowl
births. So, before you decide to upset the apple cart you'd be better
served maintaining stability of your leadership core as opposed to hiring new
coaches with a complete new list of players to interface with an old
regime. Said another way, is it the leadership that is at issue or does
this revolve around just one very confused & under performing athlete.
Those four consecutive years that followed, and all those division
championships were the result of Bud Grant firm grasp upon that tiller.
12 years later we arrive at the 1984 Les Steckel one & only 3-13 season,
which was book ended by the retirement & then return of Bud Grant. That
ultimately brought us the linebacker Chris Dolman (rest in piece). The
1984 season, to this day, still carries a stigma as being one of the worst
seasons in franchise history, dating back to when Bud Grant became our head
coach. Oddly enough, from that 84 campaign, it also brought Pete
Carroll to Minnesota in 1985 thru 1989 to be our defensive backs coach under
Grant where Carroll still haunts us still to this day as just another Super Bowl
winning coach that slipped between our fingers.
1996 wasn't without it's mishaps, even though we just made the playoffs at 9-7 under
Dennis Green & Brad Johnson where Warren Moon missed the final 6 games of
the season with a broken collar bone. In 1995, sporting only an 8-8
campaign, this franchise finished 4th in total offense under Moon & finished
12th in 1996 under Moon/Johnson. This does not reflect badly upon Johnson
however what might have happened with a Healthy Warren Moon throughout the
season ... we'll never know.
In 2008, the year prior to Brett Favre's arrival in Minnesota, you need only
begin by looking at our dismal 2008 draft. In that year we paired Tavaris
Jackson with the all world Adrian Peterson who churned out 1,760 yard that
season. After a dismal 0-2 start (6 yards passing in the opener versus the
opening day Fudgies), Jackson was replaced by Gus Ferrotte essentially playing the exact
same franchises that we are playing today with similar results. Ferrotte's play, a former Washington
Redskin, was inspired, where it was very much like watching Joe Kapp again.
Neither were the most gifted athletes but they were both competitors,
knowing only one thing ... how to win games. In that year we battled
to a
record of 5-5, to ultimately get to a division winning 10 - 6 record. Maybe food for
thought sitting at 1-5 today. All that remained of that season was the image of Tavaris Jackson
getting planted in the end zone facing the Eagles in our opening playoff
contest. To this day, I've always wondered if Gus Ferrotte might have
recovered enough after that Chicago contest to be able to lead this team in the
playoffs & what result might have occurred. We'll never know.
Now it's 2020 where we stand at 1-5 having two bitter 1-point losses facing an
onslaught of undefeated teams ... the NFL's best ... sporting a combination of
rookies & a slew of new faces using smoke & mirrors to confound the
teams that we have faced. Sure, at times our defense cannot find a way to
get off the field but overall they have performed much better than anyone
expected knowing these circumstances. What confounds this composition or
drama is an offensive mindset, that is mired in its own pressure cooker,
thinking that they need to do way more than they should. We have been
chasing a fallacy.
Too often Cousin is in a 3 step drop, holding onto a ball, where his offensive
line cannot pass protect, where he's just standing in that spot, which of course
resulted in our 3rd interception on the day. How often do you see Kirk Cousins reaching for an 18 yard
completion, early in the contest, as if he's facing a spent defense in the 4th
quarter? All we need is 4 or 6 yards to secure that first down.
Instead of thinking ... I can do that, he should be thinking I shouldn't be
doing that now. It's called tempering oneself then unleashing your talent
sometime later when the momentum has shifted. How lazy is it that we
aren't thinking of only one thing ... stacking first downs. Facing
Atlanta, in our 1st three possession we had an interception followed by two 3
& outs. When the average Joe commentator states that this Viking
offense looked flat it is a reflection of a leadership mentality. We forgo
getting into a rhythm (stacking 1st downs), as they say, to reach for something
that is nothing more than a fallacy.
Since when is it against the law to run the ball on 3rd down, where instead we
end up with the same result, followed by a punt. Even if we don't make the
line of gain, it still gives the defense something to think about. Even in
failure we find opportunity. Since when is
it acceptable to stop running the ball ... ever ... regardless of the score? Making Kirk Cousins one dimensional within a developmental
offensive line with protection issues is a beyond a recipe for disaster ... it's
the cream of insanity ... rising to the top.
This team does not have to take either an early or a commanding lead. All
they have to do is keep it close. Can Kirk Cousins win at any time &
in any situation? Yes! In other words, the thought of winning
shouldn't be made to follow an exact script. Regardless of any thought process
this franchise must never abandon the run with or without Dalvin Cook. Your only focus
should be to allow your skill players to secure 1st downs. The
"Sea-Holes" didn't win a game ... they found a way to survive a brutal
smack-down ... at our hand. Win or lose, I was very proud of that
accomplishment. Losing that contest took the absolute perfection of maybe
the best player in this league. There is no shame in that ...
We are losing because we think that we can punch ourselves in the face, over
& over again, instead of applying misdirection & all those lovely dinks
& dunks that made players like Tom Brady. Taking what they can't stop
versus reaching.
The bottom line here is that the world moves in cycles & that things happen
for a reason. From time to time everyone, including this franchises owners
need to take their lumps like the rest of us however it is in how you respond to
it that makes all the difference. The one question that our ownership has
to ask itself is has this season been entertaining. Well except for our
2nd contest, I've been glued to the television trying to figure this thing
out. Is Kirk Cousins capable of over riding the deficiencies of this team,
like other quarterbacks have done? Well ... the answer is no. He is
not, nor will he ever be A. A. Ron or Wilson. What that ultimately means
is that Kirk Cousins should not try to overcome what he might see as a potential
deficiency, as in time these
weak links will learn what is necessary to win. Kirk Cousins is better
suited toward focusing back upon his efficiencies & upon reasonable
objectives & playing with the players around him. The primary reason
for our first half success versus the "Sea-Holes" may have been that
their defense was wretched but was more likely was that Cousins spread that ball
around to multiple targets ... trusting them to do their part to win the
game. Kirk Cousins needs to understand that he doesn't have to make up for
team weaknesses but instead understand that if his play was efficient &
without error, we'd probably be 4 & 2 now instead of 1-5. In other
words, playing within himself is the key where you cannot worry about things
that are beyond your control.
Stop making excuses for this defense as they are much better than you think even
though they are still making mistakes. Mistake free football doesn't
exist. Our youth needs to understand that veterans make mistakes too ...
even bigger than your own. Listen closely to Zim ... hear his words in
your dreams & question its meaning ... and press yourself to understand the
depth of its meaning. I was very impressed with Hand & I'd be
comfortable with the trio of Hand, Dantzler & Gladney, with whatever
learning curve that results, from hear on out. Hand immediately made
an impression where he willing to mix it up. Keep in mind that Alexander,
Waynes & Rhodes weren't just simply cast out, they learned the skills that
have kept them working as integral parts of other defenses. All you need
is time & experience ... don't waist your opportunities.
One final point. Versus Atlanta, Xavier Rhodes consistently shut down
Julio Jones by sticking to him like glue. It became a personal clash between
them. Our defeat may be directly attributable to the loss of Xavier as
that clear message was clearly overlooked by youth. Can anyone tell me
where was New York, bussing in on Julio's touchdown catch, as he was clearly
blocking (offensive pass interference & pushing off) on his second touchdown
catch. It applied in Green Bay against us so it should have applied to
Julio's catch too. You didn't need a flag on the field to take away 7
points from us, did you.
All those leaky holes in the boat are a direct function
of being in salary cap hell. It's not coaching,
Metaphorically speaking, if someone had kicked Kirk Cousins in the nuts after
that opening interception ... from that moment forward ... would you have describe
the team going forward as being flat ... or would there have been an entirely
different result. We'll never know. Go on son ... tell me that
you have another dead car battery ... I dare you, metaphorically, of course.
Leadership & actions,
not metaphors, are what is now warranted to send a pristine message of what is
& what is not acceptable. For that first offensive play we shall
huddle 6 offensive lineman, plus two tight ends (Rudolph & Conklin) &
Full back C.J. Ham, with Alexander Mattison in a shot gun formation (assuming
Dalvin Cook can't go). Standing directly beside our side line will be Kirk
Cousins & Irv Jr. On Coach Zimmer's signal, Kirk Cousins will step off
the field & one second later Irv Jr will then motion toward the offensive
line ... to be followed by a shot gun snap directly to Alexander Mattison where
he will either find that hole or he'll be forced to give up his man card ... a
choice really. Of course Kirk Cousins will play ... just not the first
snap. Only then will the message be clear where a foundation can once
again be built ... Flat!!! ... my ass!
The Viking Ghost Writer
http://MyVikingBlood.org
Date: October 20, 2020
