By Jeff Diamond, former Vikings GM who is co-hosting Monday Night Purple with "Mr. Phunn" Joe Anderson this season on News Talk 830 WCCO. They talk to players live each week from B-52 Burgers and Brew in Inver Grove Heights. It's presented by Select Minnesota Buick GMC Dealers and live guests so far this season have included Harrison Smith, Anthony Harris and Eric Kendricks.
It’s always a challenge for players, coaches and fans to move on after a disappointing loss, especially to a division rival as is the case this week.
I had a 24 hour rule during my NFL career. After that period, it was time to think about next week’s opponent, in this case the Raiders coming to U.S. Bank Stadium at noon on Sunday. The players and coaches know they can’t afford to dwell on last Sunday’s missed opportunity to knock off the Packers.
At our Monday Night Purple show earlier this week, safety Anthony Harris put it this way:
“We take it one week at a time and whether that’s getting a win or getting over a loss quickly and not letting that run over into the following week. We believe in our talent. We believe we have the preparation and mindset to come together and I think guys are really excited to get on to this week and get back on the field and play some football.”
Here are a few things that the Minnesota players hopefully learned from the loss at Lambeau Field as they shift their attention to Oakland:
1. Get off to a better start on defense so you don’t fall behind 21-0 early in the second quarter before stopping the Packers on their last 11 drives.
2. Remember not to take your helmet off when you’re on the field after a touchdown, Stefon Diggs. And for all Vikings involved in the passing game, don’t even appear to push off so the officials can call offensive pass interference, which happened four times to the Vikings last week.
#Vikings coach Mike Zimmer on penalties, including Stefon Diggs for removing helmet. "We had some dumb penalties. The penalty after the touchdown. Just selfish.''
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) September 15, 20193. Don’t throw into double coverage, Kirk Cousins, especially off your back foot on first-and-goal from the opponents’ 8 yard-line late in the game when you’re down 21-16. Cousins has been saying the right things this week about that play and how he knows better. Now he needs to prove he can avoid costly mistakes as he had in Green Bay with the two interceptions and a lost fumble.
Kirk Cousins explains his end-zone interception that potentially cost the #Vikings a victory. pic.twitter.com/iJf58VlrjS
— Zone Coverage (@ZoneCoverageMN) September 15, 20194. Keep feeding the ball this week and every week (if he hopefully stays healthy) to the NFL’s leading rusher-Dalvin Cook, who has 265 yards gained and a 6.5 yard average per carry with 3 TDs in two games. And while you’re at it, hit him a few more times with screens and other passes out of the backfield.
Now it’s on to the Raiders.
Vikings’ keys to beating the Raiders (hint: bottle the formula from the domination in the Atlanta opening day win):
1.On offense, Minnesota must continue to run the ball effectively although the Raiders rank fifth in rushing defense thus far, but that’s partially due to teams having success throwing against them. Cook needs to have 20 carries with rookie back Alexander Mattison pitching in. Mattison also is off to a good start, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
The Raiders are last in the league in pass defense, allowing 343 yards per game and gave up an NFL-high 36 TD passes last season. Cousins needs to play with confidence and be on the move to buy time in play action to find Adam Thielen along with Diggs and Kyle Rudolph (who are both off to quiet starts with just three catches each so far). It’s likely time for talented rookie tight end Irv Smith Jr. to be targeted more often. The offensive line must improve in pass protection to help Cousins while continuing their excellent run blocking.
Last year’s top pick—corner Mike Hughes—has been a full participant in Vikings practices this week as he prepares to return from his ACL injury. So he could see action as the third corner against the Raiders with Mackensie Alexander likely out with an elbow injury.
3. On special teams, Dan Bailey needs to convert all his field goals inside 50 yards (he had a 47 yard miss last week).
4. In all phases, the team must cut down on penalties as Minnesota has been hit with 19 penalties for 200 yards, second worst in the league over the first two games. This has been a key point of emphasis this week by Coach Zimmer.
This should help...Brutal Vikings penalties over Titanic Music.. pic.twitter.com/Pm6siVEGCZ
— Luke Inman (@Luke_SpinmanNFL) September 17, 2019Around the NFL Observations:
1. Cousins wasn’t the only veteran QB who made a fatal mistake by throwing a late pass into double coverage last week. The Chargers’ Philip Rivers made a similar terrible decision by throwing an interception with 1:10 left in the game while facing third and 19 from the Detroit 28 while in field goal range and with a three point deficit. Darius Slay picked off the pass and had safety help over the top. The upset win for the Lions over the Chargers—a playoff team last year—gives Minnesota’s NFC North foe a 1-0-1 start and a confidence boost, which is not good news for the Vikings, Bears and Packers.
2. Backup quarterbacks will be in the spotlight this week in Pittsburgh and New Orleans with future Hall of Fame QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees out with significant injuries. Roethlisberger is out for the season as he faces elbow surgery and Brees will miss 6-8 weeks with a torn ligament in this throwing thumb. Last year’s third round pick Mason Rudolph takes over in Steeltown and faces the 2-0 49ers on the road while ex-Viking Teddy Bridgewater is expected to start for the Saints in Seattle with Taysom Hill sharing snaps in the wildcat. It’s a great opportunity for Rudolph and Bridgewater to boost their stock as NFL starting QBs as they take the reigns.
Most Steeler and Saints fans are feeling doom and gloom with their star QBs out but I’ve seen several Vikings teams where our backup QBs have stepped in and led the team to great seasons. When Fran Tarkenton broke his leg in mid-season of 1977, Bob Lee directed the team to the NFC title game. Wade Wilson replaced an injured Tommy Kramer in 1987 and led a terrific playoff run with wins in New Orleans and against top seeded San Francisco. And Randall Cunningham relieved an injured Brad Johnson and wound up league MVP in our 15-1 season in 1998 that ended in the NFC Championship loss.
Then there’s Earl Morrall who replaced the injured Bob Griese and won 11 straight games in the Dolphins’ perfect season in 1972. Jeff Hostetler was a backup turned Super Bowl champ when he stepped in for Phil Simms with the Giants in 1990.
And there’s that sixth round pick in New England who replaced the injured Drew Bledsoe in 2001 and all Tom Brady did was lead the Patriots to his first of now six Super Bowl titles.
So it can be done by the backup QB.
3. Speaking of No. 2 QBs moving up, Giants Head Coach (and ex-Vikings offensive coordinator) Pat Shurmur announced that two-time Super Bowl winner Eli Manning is being replaced as starting QB by first round pick Daniel Jones beginning Sunday at Tampa Bay.
Jeff Diamond was the NFL Executive of the Year in 1998 after the Vikings' 15-1 season. He also is former president of the Tennessee Titans. He does sports/business consulting, media and speaking work including corporate and college speaking on Negotiation, Management, Leadership and Sports Business--contact him at diamondj4@comcast.net
The next Monday Night Purple show is Monday, September 23 live from 6-7 pm at B-52 Burgers and Brew in Inver Grove Heights with the Vikings leading tackler the past four seasons—linebacker Eric Kendricks—as the player guest following Sunday’s home game vs. Oakland. Jeff also co-hosts Purple Sunday Postgame with Henry Lake which will follow the coverage of Twins-Royals on News Talk 830 WCCO this Sunday afternoon.
