Vikings vs Chargers Game Preview

John Bitz

December 15, 2019

Vikings vs Chargers Game Preview

After a 20-7 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 14, the Minnesota Vikings would find themselves in the playoffs if the regular season had ended last week. The good and bad news for the Vikings is that there are still three weeks left in the NFL regular season. The good news is the Vikings are only one game back of the Green Bay Packers for first place in the NFC North division and the two teams meet in Week 16 at U.S Bank Stadium. If the Vikings win this week and the Packers lose to the Bears, the game will likely be for 1^st place in the NFC North division. However, the bad news for the Vikings is that they are only up by one game on the Los Angeles Rams for the second wild card in the NFC Conference. Should the Vikings lose this week and the Rams win, then the Rams and Vikings would have the same record with only two weeks left in the regular season. For the former to be possible instead of the latter the Vikings must take care of business this week against the Los Angeles Chargers. The game will be played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. There are a few important keys to the game for the Vikings to win this game and setup an important Week 16 matchup with the Packers.

Three Keys to the Game

1. Understand the Chargers are better than their record and have played a lot of close games- The Los Angeles Chargers record may be 5-8, but that is no reason to underestimate them. All eight of their losses have been by 7 points or less. However, the Chargers do have plenty of things that are going well for them. They rank 10^th in the NFL in total offense yards and 4^th in total defensive yards allowed. They are lead on offensive by veteran quarterback Philip River, running back Austin Ekeler, and wide receiver Keenan Allen. On defense, the Chargers are led by defense lineman Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. The Vikings need to be on their game on both offense and defense to be able to win this game as it will a tough test for the entire team.
2. Tough Luck on the West Coast– During Head coach Mike Zimmer’s tenure, the Minnesota Vikings have had major success in many places. However, one place where the Vikings have struggled during Mr. Zimmer’s tenure is on the West Coast. The Vikings are only 1-6 in games in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones during his six seasons as coach. The good news for the Vikings is that this not a prime time game as 5 of their 6 losses in these two time zones had been prime time games. I expect the Vikings to be more prepared this time to play in the pacific time zone because this game is critical for their playoff hopes.
3. The Return of Adam Thielen- This week, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is expected to play for the first time in five weeks. He had previously been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury but that forced him to miss the past four games. I expect the Vikings to be cautious and put Mr. Thielen on a limited snap count. However, getting Adam Thielen back will be great for the Vikings passing game as Kirk Cousins should be able to take a few more deep shots down the field. I also think that getting Adam Thielen back will take some pressure off of Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph to have to get open on their routes after they have seen some tight coverage over the past few weeks with Adam Thielen.

Game Prediction

I expect this game to be a tight game throughout and for both teams to play well. I think the difference in the game will be the turnover battle which I think the Vikings will win. In the end, I think the Vikings end up winning on a late field goal by kicker Dan Bailey and keep their playoff hopes alive at the expense of the Chargers. Vikings 26 Chargers 23

Works Cited

“2019 NFL Schedule.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/schedule.

“2019 NFL Standings.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/standings.

“Los Angeles Chargers NFL – Chargers News, Scores, Stats, Rumors & More.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/lac/los-angeles-chargers.

AP. “Preview: Vikings Can’t Overlook Dangerous Chargers.” FOX Sports, 13 Dec. 2019, www.foxsports.com/north/story/minnesota-vikings-los-angeles-chargers-preview-121319.

Mentor Blog 5

Vikings ESPN Blog picture taken from my IPhone

John Bitz

December 12, 2019

Mentor Blog 5

As I have built up my Minnesota Vikings Country blog over the past five weeks, I have used many mentor blogs as inspiration to make improvements to my writing and the design of my blog. One blog that has given a lot of inspiration is the Minnesota Vikings Espn blog run by Vikings reporter Courtney Cronin and NFL Nation. Seeing this blog has inspired me to do my best to report factual and relevant news about the Vikings organization on a frequent basis.

When I visit this blog, I find that it is well kept up and formatted smoothly. It is very easy to access the newest articles that are posted every 1-2 days during the NFL season. Ms. Cronin and NFL Nation do a good job of reporting factual news about what is going on within the Vikings organization on a consistent basis. For example, they were able to gather information from an NFL source that Vikings WR Adam Thielen is expected to play this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers after missing the Vikings previous four games due to a hamstring injury. This is one of the many reasons why I used this blog as role model for my own blog. They report hands on news they keep their readers engaged and wanting to read more about the Vikings. My hope is someday that I will be able to create a blog about the Vikings that contains consistent, everyday news about what is going on with the team in a similar way that they do it.

Works Cited

ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 12 Dec. 2019, www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings.

“Source: Vikings WR Adam Thielen Likely to Return from Hamstring Injury Sunday.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 11 Dec. 2019, www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28276302/source-vikings-wr-adam-thielen-likely-return-hamstring-injury-sunday.

My Vikings Game Experience

John Bitz

December 11, 2019

My Vikings Game Experience

This past Sunday, I went up to U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to watch the Minnesota Vikings play the Detroit Lions. It ended up being a good game in which the Vikings won 20 to 7 over the Lions. The Vikings defense played an excellent game. The Vikings defense had five sacks, including three sacks by Danielle Hunter, and 2 interceptions. The defense also gave up only 231 yards total yards to the Lions and that played a major factor in how the outcome of the game was decided. The Vikings offense also played well. They only scored 20 points, but they dominated the time of possession battle and did not turn the football over.

The stadium itself was very well built and one of the best sports stadiums I have ever visited. The field looked very good from where I was sitting, and I got a few pictures of it.

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An activity that I did while I was at U.S Bank Stadium was visiting the Vikings official team store and purchasing a small souvenir to remember my first time visiting the stadium. This small souvenir was a mini Vikings helmet and it cost me $5.40 to buy but I knew it would be worth it because it would give me a memory of my first trip to U.S Bank Stadium.

 Something that I thought was unique about U.S Bank Stadium was their section dedicated to Minnesota High School football. They had a huge wall of all the football helmets from every high school football team in the state of Minnesota. It was in this moment that I thought of my time at John Marshall High School in Rochester, Minnesota. I figured that I should see if I could find where my high school’s helmet was hanging. I was able to find it after a few minutes of searching the wall. I later shared it to my Instagram and Facebook pages, and I had a lot of my former classmates in high school like the posts I made on both social media sites.

The best part of going to the game was by far being a part of the famous SKOL chant. The energy that went into this chant at the game was amazing and it demonstrates just how committed Vikings fans are to their team.

I must admit that I had a great time at this game and at U.S Bank Stadium. I was a one of a kind experience that I will never forget. Someday, I hope to come back and enjoy this experience again.

Works Cited

“Lions vs. Vikings – Game Summary – December 8, 2019.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401127926.

Press, Associated. “Defense Delivers as Vikings Sail Past Lions 20-7.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 8 Dec. 2019, www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127926.

Vikings vs. Lions Game Preview

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  Lions

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  vs

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  Vikings

John Bitz

December 6, 2019

Vikings vs. Lions Game Preview

After 13 weeks of NFL regular season play the Minnesota Vikings find themselves in a position where they control their own destiny make the postseason. As of right now, the Vikings hold the second wild card in the NFC Conference with a record of 8 wins and 4 losses. However, they are only up by one game on the Los Angeles Rams, who have a record of 7 wins and 5 losses. This means that the Vikings will need to keep winning to make the playoffs. This week, the Vikings will host the Detroit Lions at U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There are a few keys to the game for the Vikings to win this game and stay in the playoff picture in the NFC Conference.

                                                Three Keys to the Game

1. Taking care of business– It no secret for the Vikings that in order to win this game, they need to take better care of the football on offense and play well on defense. Last week, the Vikings did neither of these in their 37-30 loss to the Seahawks. On offense, the Vikings committed 3 turnovers and lost the time of possession battle to the Seahawks by a whopping 19 minutes and 30 seconds. On defense, the Vikings allowed the Seahawks to get 444 total yards on offense including 218 rushing yards. This cannot happen again if the Vikings want to win against the Lions this week. Even though the Lions have not had a good season and are nowhere near as good as the Seahawks, the Vikings still need to treat them like a regular opponent and play good on both sides of the ball to win the game.
2. Understand the mindset the Lions will be playing with- The Detroit Lions have had a very disastrous season. They own a record of 3 wins 8 losses and 1 tie in a season where they were supposed to show improvement. For this reason, their head coach Matt Patricia is on the hot seat and in danger of losing his job at the end of the year. At this point they have nothing to lose as they have already been eliminated from the playoff picture in the NFC. They will be starting an undrafted rookie by the name of David Blough who is making his second start this season. In his first start on Thanksgiving, Mr. Blough threw for 280 yards and 2 Touchdowns. The Vikings cannot take Mr. Blough and the Lions offense lightly as the Lions have been a team that can put up points in a hurry. The Vikings secondary will be tested by Lions wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr, both of whom are having career years and rank as two of the better wide receivers in the NFL. The Vikings will have to play disciplined defense against the pass and run in order to stop the Lions offense this Sunday.
3. The Vikings offense needs to take advantage of the Lions poor defense- The most important key to a victory for the Vikings this Sunday is for the Vikings offense to take advantage of a poor Lions defense. This season, the Lions defense ranks 30^th out of 32 against the pass, 23^rd out of 32 against the run and 29^th overall on defense. However, the Lions do have one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in Darius Slay. He will likely be covering Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs. This will be a matchup to watch. Besides Mr. Slay, there really is not much to speak of about the Lions defense and the Vikings offense should be able to dominate this game without too much trouble.

Prediction

 I think that the Vikings will likely go with a run heavy approach against the Lions and attempt to dominate the time of possession battle. The Lions really do not matchup well with the Vikings and will endure a tough time in Minneapolis. My thought are that the Vikings will win in dominating fashion, while I get to witness my first NFL regular season game in person at U.S Bank Stadium. Vikings 34 Lions 20

Thank you for reading my blog and be sure to stay tuned as I will be posting soon about my first experience going to an NFL regular season game at U.S Bank Stadium.

Works Cited

“2019 NFL Standings.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/standings.

“Lions-Vikings Preview Capsule.” Detroit Free Press, Associated Press, 5 Dec. 2019, www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/12/05/lions-vikings-preview-capsule/40765461/.

Thompson, Eric J. “Vikings vs. Lions Week 14 Preview: Handle It.” Daily Norseman, Daily Norseman, 5 Dec. 2019, www.dailynorseman.com/2019/12/5/20995214/minnesota-vikings-detroit-lions-preview-2019-week-14-nfl-picks.

“Vikings vs. Seahawks – Game Summary – December 2, 2019.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/game?gameId=401128112.

Vikings vs. Seahawks Game Preview

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  Vikings

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  vs.

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  Seahawks

John Bitz 

November 28, 2019 

Vikings vs. Seahawks Game Preview 

When you win eight of your first eleven games in the NFL, heading into your bye week you need to be feeling good. That is exactly how the Minnesota Vikings feel right now as they have a record of 8 wins and 3 losses coming out of their bye week. The Vikings are currently tied with the Green Bay Packers for first place in the NFC North with only five weeks left in the NFL regular season. This week in Week 13 of the NFL regular season, the Vikings will travel to Seattle, Washington, to play the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. This will be a critical game for both teams as they are fighting for better position in the NFC Conference and in division. There are many important keys that will decide the outcome of this game. 

Five Things to know about the Game 

1. A potential playoff opponent- The most imminent thought the Vikings need to have coming into the game is that this is going to a playoff atmosphere to it. The Seahawks currently hold the first wild card in the NFC Conference with a record of 9 wins and 2 losses and are only one game back of the San Francisco 49ers for first place in the NFC West. If the Seahawks were able to overcome the 49ers and get first place in the NFC West, they could be an opponent the Vikings may see in the playoffs in the wild card or divisional round. I would expect the Seahawks to come into the game very motivated and wanting to win this game just as much as the Vikings want to win. The Vikings will need to be playing at their absolute best to win this game. 

2. The Vikings latest history with the Seahawks has not been good- The Vikings latest history against the Seahawks has not been the best. This will be the 17^th game in the series and the Seahawks have won 11 out of the 16 meetings including the past 5 meeting. The last meeting between these two teams took place during Week 14 of the 2018 Season on Monday Night Football. The Seahawks ended up winning that game by a score of 21 to 7. Fortunately for the Vikings the past is in the past and on Monday, they will attempt to change their fortunes against the Seahawks. 

3. A battle of two of the better quarterbacks in the NFL- If you have read any of my previous articles you will have known that Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has been on a roll this season. He has thrown for 21 Touchdowns and 3 Interceptions while completing 70.6% of his passes and having the 9th highest QB rating at 62.8. On the other side, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been a great year of his own. Mr. Wilson has thrown for 24 Touchdowns and 3 Interceptions while completing 67.3% of his passes and having the 3rd highest QB rating at 74.3. I am expecting this game to be about the quarterbacks, and which one of the two plays the better game will win. 

4. The Seahawks ball hawking defense- This season the Seahawks rank among the best at taking away the ball from opposing offenses. They are tied for second in the league with 24 Takeaways only behind the Patriots. In their last six games the Seahawks defense has forced 16 turnovers, including eight in the past two against San Francisco and Philadelphia. The Vikings will have to be careful and smart with the football on offense knowing they will be facing a defense that has been on a roll lately. 

5. Experienced coaches on both sidelines- Coach Mike Zimmer of the Minnesota Vikings and Coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks are easily to of the more experienced Head Coaches in the NFL. Mr. Zimmer is in his sixth season as the Vikings head coach and has a record of 55-35-1. Mr. Carroll is in his 10^th season as the Seahawks head coach and has a record of 98-56-1. Both are defensive minded coaches who are going to be looking to shut the opposing sides offense. This should make for an even more thrilling game on Monday Night Football in Seattle.  

Game Prediction 

If you are a football fan, this a game, you will want to watch because this matchup is as good as it gets. Two playoff caliber teams doing battle on Monday Night Football. I think the game will be a tightly contested game that will come down to the wire. As much as I hate to say it, I do not expect the Vikings to win this game. I think the Seahawks will win because the game is in Seattle, it will be played outside in the cold and the fans of the Seahawks will be out in force to disrupt the Vikings as the Seahawks win on a late field goal. Seahawks 24 Vikings 21 

    Works Cited 

“2019 NFL Player Passing Stats.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/stats/player/_/view/offense/table/passing/sort/adjQBR/dir/desc. 

“2019 NFL Standings.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/standings. 

“Coaches, Records, and Coaching Totals.” Pro-Football-Reference.com, www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/. 

“Minnesota Vikings vs. Seattle Seahawks Live Score and Stats – December 2, 2019 Gametracker.” CBSSports.com, 2019, www.cbssports.com/nfl/gametracker/preview/NFL_20191202_MIN@SEA/. 

“Pete Carroll.” Pro-Football-History.com, pro-football-history.com/coach/56/pete-carroll-bio. 

Peters, Craig. “Game Preview: Vikings at Seahawks.” Minnesota Vikings, 29 Nov. 2019, www.vikings.com/news/game-preview-vikings-at-seahawks-2019. 

“Vikings vs. Seahawks – Game Summary – December 10, 2018.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nfl/game?gameId=401030867. 

U.S Bank Stadium

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  U.S Bank Stadium

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  Ouside

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  Inside

U.S Bank

John Bitz

November 28, 2019

U.S Bank Stadium

On November 25, 2019, I went to the cashier’s office and purchased a student ticket to the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions game on December 8, 2019 at U.S Bank Stadium. I am very excited to go to this game as it will be the first NFL regular season game that I have ever been to. I have been to multiple preseason NFL games and while those were fun experiences, nothing can beat the excitement and thrills of an NFL regular season game. This will also be the first time that I get to go and see U.S Bank Stadium.

When it comes to U.S Bank Stadium, I heard much about it from my friends and relatives. Most of them have been to at least one event at the stadium. When I have talked to them about it they have all recommended that I take a trip up there to see it. From reading about it on the internet there are many things that I learned about the stadium. The capacity of the stadium estimated to be around 66,000 for football games, with the capacity to expand to 73,000 for soccer and concerts. The total cost to build the stadium has still not been completely determined but it was estimated to be anywhere from 1.027 to 1.061 billion dollars. The roof of U.S Bank Stadium is sloped to keep snow off of the roof and the roof itself is made of 60% ETFE and the remaining 40% is hard deck roof. U.S Bank Stadium was the first stadium to incorporate LED lighting which will consume 75% less energy than normal lighting. Even if you need get up to get some food or go to the restroom you still will be able to follow the game without any problems. U.S Bank Stadium will have two of the largest HD video boards in the league by the east and west end zones. About 2,000 HD flat-screen televisions will be spread throughout the stadium, plus 1,300 Wi-Fi access points. This is a lot of facts about U.S Bank Stadium to take in but it makes me even more excited to go to the game.

Overall, I think that I am going to enjoy my trip to U.S Bank Stadium. It seems to be a well-constructed stadium which should keep me warm and calm. I will finally be able to tell my friends and relatives that I went to U.S Bank Stadium to take in the sight and sounds of a Vikings game and I will be able to feel what it is like to be a part of the famous SKOL chant.

Thank you for reading my article today and stay tuned for my Vikings-Seahawks game preview coming out later this week. I hope you all have a good Thanksgiving holiday!

Works Cited

Murphy, Brian. “U.S. Bank Stadium: What It Cost and by the Numbers.” Twin Cities.com Pioneer Press, Twin Cities Pioneer Press, 31 July 2016, www.twincities.com/2016/07/31/u-s-bank-stadium-by-the-numbers/.

Press, Associated. “Wilfs Pledge $19.5M More to Stadium.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 27 Mar. 2015, www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/12566029/wilf-family-pledges-195-million-more-minnesota-vikings-stadium?ex_cid=espnapi_public.

Quintal, Becky. “U.S. Bank Stadium: A Game-Changing, Multi-Purpose NFL Stadium.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 28 Mar. 2016, www.archdaily.com/784289/us-bank-stadium-a-game-changing-multi-purpose-nfl-stadium.

Mentor Blog 2

sportsrants.com

John Bitz

November 22, 2019

            Mentor Blog 2

Most recently, I have been searching for sports blogs on the internet that can give me an idea of how I can improve my own blog about the Minnesota Vikings. Now I know there are many kinds of sports blogs out there ranging from Espn to Sporting News. However, recently I visited a sports blogging website that has flown under the radar and is very impressive in my opinion. This blog is called (sportsrants.com).

I really like how they have set up their homepage because it has an easy way of finding their newest posts right away. They write about news surrounding almost all the professional sports leagues in the world including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. They write new posts every 1-2 days and they have an individual page for each of the major professional sports in North America and a few from other native countries. They also write articles about some lesser followed sports such as NASCAR and Cricket. Yes, I did not make that up, they do in fact have a page dedicated to Cricket and it is kept up to date well. If you are a Cricket fan, you should go and visit this page.

Something that makes this blog even more interesting is that it contains information about video games and how some famous athletes are investing in video games. For example, I found an article on this blog about how Kevin Garnett was investing in Triumph Esports. There are no other blogs that I know of that can make relevant news on real sports and video games go together smoothly like this one. If you get some time, I would recommend that you go and visit this blog because you may be able to learn some good information about what is happening in the wide world of sports and video games.

                                                            Works Cited

“Cricket.” Cricket | Sports Rants, 20 June 2019, sportsrants.com/category/cricket/.

DiMoro, Anthony. “Kevin Garnett Invests in Triumph Esports.” Sports Rants, 13 Aug. 2019, sportsrants.com/2019/08/kevin-garnett-invests-in-triumph-esports/.

“Sports Rants.” Sports Rants | The Online Home of Sports Nation, 22 Nov. 2019, sportsrants.com/.

Vikings Broncos Game Preview

John Bitz

Robinson

English 1117

November 16, 2019

Vikings vs. Broncos Game Preview

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  Vikings

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  Vs.

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  Broncos

So far things have gone very well this season for the Minnesota Vikings at home. They are 4-0 (3-1 ATS) at U.S. Bank Stadium and have outscored their opponents by a 119-55 combined count. They will be able to enjoy a well earned bye week in Week 12. However, first the Vikings must take on the Denver Broncos at home in Week 11. There are some important keys to this game for the Vikings to win this game and head into their bye week feeling good.

Three Keys to the Game for the Vikings

1. Do not underestimate the Broncos because of their record– This season has not gone as expected for the Denver Broncos. They have had a disappointing season with a record of 3 wins and 6 losses. However, they do have a very good defense lead by Von Miller and Chris Harris. The Broncos defense is tied for sixth in the NFL in points against (18.9) and rank fourth in yards allowed per game (309.7), 17th in rushing yards allowed per game (107.6) and fourth in passing yards allowed per game (202.1). Moving the ball on offense will not be a piece of cake for the Vikings especially though the air. This has the makings of a potential trap game for the Vikings if they are not sharp and on their game.
2. Continue to lean on the running game– For the Vikings the key on offense for this game must be running the ball efficiently. Dalvin Cook who leads the NFL in rushing yards must have another good game for the Vikings to win. Unfortunately for Mr. Cook, Josh Kline, the right guard on the Vikings offensive line will miss the game due to a concussion. However, I still believe without Josh Kline, and with a backup right guard, Dalvin Cook should be able to find plenty of room to run against an average Broncos run defense and make his impact on the game.
3. The Vikings defense must take advantage of the Broncos offensive situation– The Vikings defense is in prime position to have a good game. They are facing a Broncos offense that is enduring a transition. The Broncos will be starting a young quarterback named Brandon Allen who will be making only his second career start in the NFL. In his first career start against the Cleveland Browns in Week 9, Mr. Allen, completed 12 of 20 passes for 193 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. That is a solid performance especially coming from someone who made his first career start. However, the Vikings have a much better defense than the Browns and should be able to generate some pressure on Mr. Allen because of the Broncos poor offensive line. Additionally, the Broncos have a good up and coming running back in Philip Lindsey who could pose a serious threat as Vikings star defensive tackle Linval Joseph will miss the game due to a knee injury. This may leave the Vikings defense weaker than usual against the run. However, I believe that knowing how coach Mike Zimmer runs this Vikings defense. He and his defense will find a way to stop, Mr. Lindsey, and the Broncos offense tomorrow.

Game Prediction

When I see the line for this game, I find that the Vikings are favored by a lot. However, I think this is going to be a much closer game than expected. The Vikings are without a few of their key playmakers on both offense and defense which should give the Broncos an opportunity to stay close in what I would consider a potential trap game for the Vikings. First year Broncos head coach Vic Fangio knows how to play the Vikings from his time as the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. He will have a game plan in place for how defeat the Vikings on Sunday. Despite this my belief is that the Vikings will find a way to win in a close game that the defenses will reign supreme. Vikings 20 Broncos 13

Works Cited

Jensen, Chad. “Broncos Reveal Final Injury Report for Week 11 at Vikings.” SI.com, Mile High Huddle, 16 Nov. 2019, www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/denver-broncos-reveal-final-injury-report-for-week-11-at-minnesota-vikings.

Larking, Roy. “Minnesota Vikings-Denver Broncos Betting Preview.” Sports Illustrated, 14 Nov. 2019, www.si.com/gambling/2019/11/14/nfl-week-11-betting-preview-minnesota-vikings-denver-broncos.

Peters, Craig, and Organization. “Game Preview: Vikings vs. Broncos.” Minnesota Vikings, 11 Nov. 2019, www.vikings.com/news/game-preview-vikings-vs-broncos-2019.

RotoWire Staff. “Broncos’ Brandon Allen: Victorious in First NFL Start.” CBSSports.com, 4 Nov. 2019, www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/broncos-brandon-allen-victorious-in-first-nfl-start/.

Finding Success

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  Mike Zimmer

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  Gary Kubiak

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  Dalvin Cook Receiving Carry

John Bitz

Robinson

English 1117

November 14, 2019

With a record of 7 wins and 3 losses in 10 games, this season would be considered a successful start for the Minnesota Vikings. There has been some highs and lows along the way to get to this point but right now things are looking up for the Vikings. Head Coach Mike Zimmer, who has endured many ups and downs during his time as coach recently gave high praise to assistant head coach and offensive advisor Gary Kubiak. He said hiring Kubiak was “the best thing that’s ever happened to me since I’ve been here.” This is a rare bold statement from Mr. Zimmer. However, it is true statement and the statistics prove it. Since Gary Kubiak joined the Vikings staff this season, the Vikings rank ninth in points scored and eighth in offensive yards after finishing 19th and 20th in those metrics last season. A further testament to why Coach Zimmer is very high on Mr. Kubiak.

Still, where would they be without the main person who is the focal point of the offense on the field. The main person who has been responsible for this uptick of offensive production on the field is none other than running back Dalvin Cook. Currently, Dalvin Cook leads the NFL in rushing yards with 991 yards and has scored 10 rushing touchdowns. For Dalvin, the main key has been staying healthy. In his first season he suffered a torn acl and had his rookie year cut short. In his second season, he suffered a hamstring injury that made him miss a few games and hindered his ability to be an elite running back. However, this season he has stayed healthy and has showed why the Vikings commitment to him as the focal point of their offense was a smart decision. I believe that if he maintains this production he will be able to not only lead the Vikings to the playoffs but also go to the Pro Bowl and be a first or second team all-pro at the running back position.

Overall, there are many more people who deserve credit for this successful start. However, while starting off strong is great being able to finish the season strong is of much greater importance. The Vikings will attempt to defeat the Denver Broncos this week before heading to on their bye week. Be sure to follow my blog this week as I will be doing a Vikings and Broncos game preview soon. Have a good rest of your week.

Works Cited

Alper, Josh. “Mike Zimmer: Gary Kubiak Probably the Best Thing to Happen since I Came Here.” Mike Zimmer: Gary Kubiak Probably the Best Thing to Happen since I Came Here, NBC Sports, 13 Nov. 2019, www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/mike-zimmer-gary-kubiak-probably-the-best-thing-to-happen-since-i-came-here/ar-BBWHOYr.

Smith, Eric, and Organization. “Presser Points: Zimmer Says Hiring Kubiak Is ‘Best Thing That’s Ever Happened to Me’.” Minnesota Vikings, 13 Nov. 2019, www.vikings.com/news/presser-points-mike-zimmer-says-hiring-kubiak-best-thing-ever-happened.

“Statistics.” National Football League Stats – by Player Category | NFL.com, 2019, www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?seasonType=REG&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&d-447263-s=RUSHING_YARDS&tabSeq=0&season=2019&experience=&Submit=Go&archive=false&statisticCategory=RUSHING&conference=null&qualified=false.

“Statistics.” National Football League Stats – by Player Category | NFL.com, 2019, www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&season=2019&seasonType=REG&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&statisticCategory=TOUCHDOWNS&d-447263-s=TOUCHDOWNS_RUSHING.

Minnesota Vikings Week 10 Postgame Report

Kyle Rudolph Touchdown

John Bitz

Robinson

English 1117

November 11, 2019

Well, I must say that I am very impressed by the way the Vikings played last night in their 28-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys. This was a game that I did not expect them to win. I must give a lot of credit to the players and head coach Mike Zimmer and his coaching staff. They had a good game plan and they stuck to it throughout the entire game which lead them to a great victory.

Key Takeaways:

1. Zimmer’s Revenge- Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer wasn’t about to lose this one, not against a Dallas organization he was with for 13 seasons. Many times over the years, I have been very critical of him because of his clock management and play calling costing the Vikings many games. However, I was pleased with how he called the game last night. In fact, I would say that this was one of his best wins as the Vikings head coach and I think he put the narrative of people wanting him fired to sleep for the time being.
2. Clutch D, Dalvin Cook give huge boost to Vikings’ playoff prospects– A key player that has played a huge part in this season is running back Dalvin Cook. Mr. Cook was at his best again in last night’s game. He along with quarterback Kirk Cousins formed a good connection that allowed the Vikings to move the football at an easy rate against a usually stout Cowboys defense. The biggest part of the game for the Vikings was when they faced a 4^th and 5 at their own 14-yard line. Eric Kendricks came up with a huge pass deflection against Ezekiel Elliott of the Cowboys to help the Vikings seal the victory. This win leaves the Vikings at 7-3 with the second wild card in the NFC and only one game back of the Packers for first place in the NFC North.
3. Cousins played great once again- Kirk Cousins has been playing great over the past month and a half and proving why he is worthy of the guaranteed contract he got from the Vikings last season. Mr. Cousins threw for 220 yds and 2 Touchdowns while throwing no interceptions. This is what Vikings fans were hoping for when the Vikings signed Mr. Cousins during the 2018 offseason. Their only hope now is that he can continue to keep up this production throughout the rest of the season.

What’s Next?

Next up for the Vikings is heading back home to prepare for a Week 11 matchup with the Denver Broncos. Be sure to follow my blog during the week as I give more insights on the Vikings and how they are planning to defeat the Broncos. I hope you all have a good week ahead.

Works Cited

Cronin, Courtney. “Clutch D, Dalvin Cook Give Huge Boost to Vikings’ Playoff Prospects.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 11 Nov. 2019, www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/29159/clutch-d-dalvin-cook-give-huge-boost-to-vikings-playoff-prospects.

Smith, Eric, and Organization. “5 Takeaways: Zimmer’s Gutsy Call Pays Off in Vikings Win.” Minnesota Vikings, 11 Nov. 2019, www.vikings.com/news/5-takeaways-zimmer-s-gutsy-call-pays-off-in-vikings-win.

“Vikings vs. Cowboys – Box Score – November 10, 2019.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 11 Nov. 2019, www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=401128041.