Bengals @ Vikings 9/21/25

[Mike Sixel]

8 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

I think this is, more or less, my thinking as well. KOC is a great coach. He motivates his players well, he is a good offensive mind, his teams are, more or less, complete. Where he is weakest though is on Sundays. He doesn't adjust well. Packer fans have stated this for a few years as well. He doesn't stick with the ground game, his PA calls can be pretty obvious, pre-snap. And his passes routinely takes the longest to develop across the NFL. Say what you will about Cousins, but he was tough. He took serious hits. So did Darnold. 

KOC play-calling was my biggest concern coming into the season. I had really hoped he would hire another offensive mind from somewhere other than the McVay family to help him but he didn't. I know this sounds stupid but I think it would be a good idea for the Vikings to bring in someone to audit the offensive side of the ball and push back a bit on the play-calling. 

That said, I think this is still stuff that the Vikes can figure out and fix. Like, I think KOC will win a super bowl with us. But he's not perfect, yet.

All this. And, no, they did not set up McCarthy to fail. If anything,. they went all in too much (on D anyway). They rebuilt the whole OLINE, they traded for Thielen and Mason. They drafted a WR in round three, and have two highly paid TEs. 

It is the injury last year (and losing all that practice), not playing in the preseason, and the playcalling. I'm a KOC believer (still not sold on the GM), but he needs to adjust to the QB he has, and that's a rookie that literally didn't play last year at all. 

[Mike Sixel]

All that said, I have no idea if McCarthy is good or not. I am in the slight doubter camp, but he has the arm. And appears to have the confidence. He's not Ponder or TJack.....but he's a rookie who we should expect to struggle this year. 

[TheLeviathan]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

All that said, I have no idea if McCarthy is good or not. I am in the slight doubter camp, but he has the arm. And appears to have the confidence. He's not Ponder or TJack.....but he's a rookie who we should expect to struggle this year. 

I love the moxie.  That 3rd and 19 throw is one we wouldn't have seen Cousins make.  His willingness to run has been nice.  

I see the talent.  I see the "it" factor.  What I need to see is play-calling change.  (Which needed to change last year too)

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

I love the moxie.  That 3rd and 19 throw is one we wouldn't have seen Cousins make.  His willingness to run has been nice.  

I see the talent.  I see the "it" factor.  What I need to see is play-calling change.  (Which needed to change last year too)

He's certainly more willing to take chances than Cousins......but that's a low bar. 

I will say that the week 1 stats would have been pretty good, w/o all the third down drops. Last week? Ugh. 

[Aggies7]

5 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

All this. And, no, they did not set up McCarthy to fail. If anything,. they went all in too much (on D anyway). They rebuilt the whole OLINE, they traded for Thielen and Mason. They drafted a WR in round three, and have two highly paid TEs. 

It is the injury last year (and losing all that practice), not playing in the preseason, and the playcalling. I'm a KOC believer (still not sold on the GM), but he needs to adjust to the QB he has, and that's a rookie that literally didn't play last year at all. 

All I meant by set up to fail is that it’s a lot to ask of a guy who hadn’t played a competitive game in 20 months to step in and give even an equal performance to what they got out of Darnold last year. It would have been remarkable had he stepped in and immediately performed even average. Not giving up on the guy in the least, I’m just not surprised it’s gone how it has.

[DocBauer]

On 9/16/2025 at 4:33 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Cam Akers back? Really? 

Come on! He's not great, but he's pretty solid in all phases of the game. Honestly, if they weren't going to draft a RB this past draft, he should have just been re-signed.

He's had a solid career when healthy. 

At least this time he doesn't cost a draft pick.

[DocBauer]

I think KOC is a hell of a good coach and team leader. But I also think he's learning. And I'm OK with that. I'd rather that than a stubborn curmudgeon know it all like Zimmer was. He admitted the comeback win over the Bears was changing how he called plays and letting McCarthy run the offense. 

I understand and appreciate the "new age" of approaching preseason games with all the offseason camps and even practices against other teams. But McCarthy was really a rookie this year. I think KOC was overly protective of him not playing preseason games based on his injury last year. The kid needs to play! But then again, when let loose, he had that great comeback against the Bears and showed what he might be.

His high ankle sprain is not some benching. It's real. Skule not playing well is real. Thielen not producing in 2 games is real. The injuries are real.

But getting back to basics is something OKC can do. Run the ball. Set up screens for Scott. For goodness sake, get the TE back in the game plan!

While Wentz is not a GREAT QB, he's got years of experience. Give him a little time and a game plan that makes sense, he can help keep the team on track. 

[Parfigliano]

Hope Vikes look better tomorrow then TC today.

[nicksaviking]

Getting Darrisaw back will be huge. That’s almost certainly the biggest roster upgrade they’ll have all season.

[Vanimal46]

Still don’t understand why every week we have 3 or 4 healthy CBs. If Murphy or Rodgers gets injured we are in big trouble. 

I do feel confident that Wentz elevates the floor of the offense because it can’t get much worse. 

Battle of the backup QBs. Just like the NFL wants in week 3… Vikes win a tight one I’ll say 20-17. 

[Aggies7]

Following on the espn app blows. I have rams eagles 

[Aggies7]

No way Wentzylvania isn’t winning us a Super Bowl 

[Vanimal46]

2 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

No way Wentzylvania isn’t winning us a Super Bowl 

He’s here to save the season! The offense looks so much better with Darrisaw back 

[Aggies7]

Eagles jump offsides on the push play, not called. Leads to a TD

[Vanimal46]

Excellent start so far. Felt like Price had a lot more open space to gain yardage on that punt return, no?

[Vanimal46]

4 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

Eagles jump offsides on the push play, not called. Leads to a TD

I’m all for banning that play next year. QB sneak, sure. But that play is just cheating. 

[Aggies7]

No way wow 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

LOVE IT

[Aggies7]

[TheLeviathan]

Great start.  Defense is playing like they should be - aggressive.  LDR had the pressure that forced that pick.

Lots of running and quick throws.  Wentz needs to throw that 3rd down away, otherwise you can't ask for a better start.

[Aggies7]

Rams kind of taking it to Philly right now 

[Vanimal46]

this is what the defense was built for. Get a lead and then tee off on the opposing QB. 

[Aggies7]

Offensive line still doing offensive line things I see 

[Aggies7]

3 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

this is what the defense was built for. Get a lead and then tee off on the opposing QB. 

Looks that way

[Vanimal46]

First virtual measurement of the season for us?

[Aggies7]

Was going to pick on the bengals for only having 25 yards this quarter until I saw that we only have 44

[Vanimal46]

Holy cow that was a 5 min delay

[Aggies7]

1 minute ago, Vanimal46 said:

Holy cow that was a 5 min delay

Thought my app froze 

[Aggies7]

Rodgers passes Favre for 4th all time TD passes

[Aggies7]

How does wentz look? Seems like a lot of short stuff