The NFL playoff race is heating up, and nine teams have playoff berths or seeds to play for in Week 15. Here are the playoff scenarios for this week, as distributed by the NFL: NFC CLINCHED: Los Angeles Rams-NFC West New Orleans Saints-NFC South NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-2) (at Carolina (6-7), Monday night, 8:15 PM [more]
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If favored teams win, 9 of 12 playoff teams will be set this week
So far we know three of this year’s 12 playoff teams. If everything goes as expected, that number will triple by the end of the week. The Chiefs have already clinched an AFC playoff berth, and the Rams and Saints have already clinched their divisions. If all of the favored teams win in Week 15, [more]
For Mike Zimmer, loyalty is a two-way street
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is a big believer in loyalty. Until he isn’t. This week’s dismissal of offensive coordinator John DeFilippo can be viewed several ways, but going back to some of Zimmer’s own words makes it an interesting personnel move, to say the least. In March, Zimmer explained his decision to block quarterbacks coach Kevin [more]
Ryan Tannehill dealing with ankle injury
Ryan Tannehill threw the pass that led to the Dolphins’ spectacular touchdown on the last play of Sunday’s game, but he didn’t come out of the game unscathed. Tannehill suffered an ankle injury during the game and needs to be monitored this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. It appears that Tannehill will be [more]
Vikings run-pass ratio on third-and-five (or shorter) was out of whack
A commitment to running the ball manifests itself in a variety of ways. One key aspect of the run-pass mix comes on third and short. When the distance to earn a first down is relatively small (for these purposes, five yards or less), the offense can run or it can pass. The possibility that it [more]
Monday Night Football ratings are the lowest for Week 14 since 2011
Monday night’s game between the Vikings and Seahawks didn’t have many points. Which means that it didn’t draw many eyeballs. Via Austin Karp of SportsBusiness Daily, the Week 14 Monday night game generated an overnight rating of 7.9. That reflects a seven-percent drop from last year’s Week 14 Monday night contest between the Patriots and [more]
Mike Zimmer on John DeFilippo firing: I don’t want the season wasted
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer held a conference call on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the decision to fire offensive coordinator John DeFilippo with three games left in the season. Zimmer said that he didn’t think any one person deserved all the blame for the team’s offensive struggles, but he felt “a sense of urgency here [more]
Kyle Rudolph: Something has to spark this offense
The Vikings lost to the Seahawks 21-7 on Monday night and fired offensive coordinator John DeFilippo on Tuesday after 13 games of frustrations on the offensive side of the ball. During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio Tuesday, Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said that he feels “terrible” that he and the rest of the [more]
December offensive coordinator change worked well for Baltimore in 2012
On the surface, it looks like a desperate move. But that doesn’t mean the firing of Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo won’t work. Indeed, six Decembers ago, another team that wears purple made the same move, on almost precisely the same day. December 10, 2012. Ravens coach John Harbaugh fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, replacing [more]
Vikings announce John DeFilippo out, Kevin Stefanski in as offensive coordinator
Monday night’s loss was the last straw for Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. The Vikings announced Tuesday morning that DeFilippo has been fired and Kevin Stefanski will take the reins of the offense for the rest of the season. “The Minnesota Vikings have relieved John DeFilippo from his duties as Offensive Coordinator,” the team’s statement [more]
Vikings fire John DeFilippo
John DeFilippo apparently was too worried about getting his next job to properly exercise the duties of his current job. And now it’s his former job. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Vikings have fired the first-year offensive coordinator, with three games left in the regular season. The former Eagles quarterbacks coach, pegged [more]
Eric Kendricks laments not converting Russell Wilson pick into six
Last in the first half on Monday night, Russell Wilson attempted a very different kind of no-look pass. And his close-your-eyes-and-hope-for-the-best effort nearly resulted in a disaster. It should have. With the ball hanging in the air and Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks in position to grab and go (he had a trailer to the left [more]
Russell Wilson: Defense was “really special” on Monday night
The Seahawks came into Monday night’s game against the Vikings on a three-game winning streak and quarterback Russell Wilson‘s play had been a big driver of that run. Wilson threw for 749 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions while posting passer ratings of at least 110.3 in each of the three games. Monday night’s sledding [more]
Kirk Cousins: If offense brought it “we would be pretty dangerous”
The Vikings spent $84 million for Kirk Cousins to lead them in games like this. And once again, he didn’t come through in prime time. Cousins’ struggles were on center stage again last night, as he fell to 0-7 all-time on Monday Night Football (he’s 5-13 overall in prime time) in a flaccid 21-7 loss [more]
Adam Thielen: Blame the players, not the offensive coordinator
Another lackluster offensive showing against the Seahawks has sparked fresh criticism of Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, the presumed future NFL head coach who is struggling in his first year coaching all of an NFL offense. Vikings receiver Adam Thielen said after the 21-7 loss in Seattle that the criticism shouldn’t be directed at the [more]
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