the official **** the vikings thread

[Thom Yorke]

^ And then he got bottled up on every other play. The guy's unbelievably dangerous with that straight-line speed, but he's way too inconsistent and reliant on his blocking for my liking. Even on that run, he made one slight cut and then it was clear sailing.

It was a nice gesture with his shoes though. He gets respect for that, even though almost everything else points to him not being the best teammate.

[FRED HALE SR.]

Originally Posted by Forward To Death

The players today are better. They're trained brtter, they are faster, stronger, quicker, and much more intelligent in a football sense, because the schemes are more complex.

For example, DEs are running 4.4 40s now, and they can have 35 inch verticals, so they can create pressure and block passes (see JJ Watt and Brian Robison).

Seriously, OL even run 4.6 40s, and there are way more WRs hitting 4.25-4.3, and these guys are 6'4 and 6'5. The tall receivers back in the day were running the 40 in 4.5 or 4.6.

FBs are able to run, catch and block. TE's are freak athletes, and more and more dual threat QBs are emerging. The league has evolved at an insane rate, and I'd say the worst teams today could destroy the Dolphins or Bears teams that everyone claims are the best.

With that said, I don't see any point really conparing eras, and I'd still consider the Dolphins or Bears the two best teams ever.

A d-lineman running a 4.4 40? Which one? Bob Hayes was running 4.25 40's in the 60's. fb's were able to do all of those things moons ago, i'd suffer and take Tom Rathman as my Fullback. TE'S were freak athletes 30 years ago, Kellen Winslow anyone? What team was gonna walk in and hand the Bears their ass in 1985? Also only one offensive lineman has ever run a 4.6 40 it happened at the combine last year. Most lineman can still run a passable 4.7 but those guys are typically guards not tackles that weigh in at 330. Anything else I need to know?

[FRED HALE SR.]

Originally Posted by Thom Yorke

^ And then he got bottled up on every other play. The guy's unbelievably dangerous with that straight-line speed, but he's way too inconsistent and reliant on his blocking for my liking. Even on that run, he made one slight cut and then it was clear sailing.

It was a nice gesture with his shoes though. He gets respect for that, even though almost everything else points to him not being the best teammate.

I think he showed hes certainly reliant on his blocking but what running back isn't. He was getting bottled up for most of the night with his straight lunges into the tackles backs. I wouldn't break the bank on a Chris Johnson, he just doesn't have those tangibles I want in a back, and he can;t block a gnat.

[Forward To Death]

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR.

A d-lineman running a 4.4 40? Which one? Bob Hayes was running 4.25 40's in the 60's. fb's were able to do all of those things moons ago, i'd suffer and take Tom Rathman as my Fullback. TE'S were freak athletes 30 years ago, Kellen Winslow anyone? What team was gonna walk in and hand the Bears their ass in 1985? Also only one offensive lineman has ever run a 4.6 40 it happened at the combine last year. Most lineman can still run a passable 4.7 but those guys are typically guards not tackles that weigh in at 330. Anything else I need to know?

Dwight Freeney ran a 4.4, and he's 6'1 and 270 lbs. Everson Griffen, Julius Peppers, and others are right behind that mark in the 4.5s.

Let's assume Winslow is as athletic as Rob Gronkowski, Vernon Davis, or even his son. Okay, there's one TE as athletic (maybe) as the guys today.. Except almost every team has a freakishly athletic TE who can catch the ball.

And okay, Bob Hayes ran 4.25 in the 40. Randy Moss ran it in 4.29, and he's 6'4. Calvin Johnson runs a 4.35, and is 6'5 and 240 lbs.

Every single position is significantly advanced, that's what you need to be knowin'.

[Sparky]

not to mention modern day performance enhancing drugs

[FRED HALE SR.]

Originally Posted by Forward To Death

Dwight Freeney ran a 4.4, and he's 6'1 and 270 lbs. Everson Griffen, Julius Peppers, and others are right behind that mark in the 4.5s.

Let's assume Winslow is as athletic as Rob Gronkowski, Vernon Davis, or even his son. Okay, there's one TE as athletic (maybe) as the guys today.. Except almost every team has a freakishly athletic TE who can catch the ball.

And okay, Bob Hayes ran 4.25 in the 40. Randy Moss ran it in 4.29, and he's 6'4. Calvin Johnson runs a 4.35, and is 6'5 and 240 lbs.

Every single position is significantly advanced, that's what you need to be knowin'.

Are Defensive Lineman regressing then because the fastest combine time in the 2012 combine was 4.5 and nobody was even close at 4.68 clocking second?

I assure you Winslow was as athletic as Gronk and Davis, I watched him play live about 20 times. Dude was amazing at catching the ball, had great ability to run after the catch and was one of the best blockers on the bolts. And my point earlier was that the top tier guys from any era could hold up to todays talent not every single player.

Its not only Bob Hayes, go back to 86 the fastest guy ever timed in the 40 was Darrel Green at 4.09. The second fastest guy Deion Sanders in 1989 at the combine. I think i'd be happy with either guy guarding Moss or CJ as they are both Hall of Famers.

Every single position isn't significantly advanced.

[Thom Yorke]

AP's gonna drop 300 on the Texans.

[Sparky]

My gut prediction: AP has less than 200 and the vikings lose

I'm usually wrong though

[Thom Yorke]

Do you think we have a good shot to make it? Even if we win-out, which is going to be unbelievably difficult against these two teams, the other teams' schedules are ridiculously more favourable, whether that's due to them playing bad teams, or playing against each other, giving one of them a guaranteed win.

I'm hoping for the best, but I'm kind of at that point where I already think the season has been a success. I thought we were going to win 6 games tops this year.

[Sparky]

I could see a re-inspired cardinals take on a tumbling bears. Seattle could certainly lose to San Francisco. Anything possible. I would really be interested to see just how competitive this vikings team would be in the post season.