EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The obvious question heading into the Minnesota Vikings’ bye week is how the heck will the Vikings come out of their bye week?
A year ago, they went into their bye week with the league’s last unbeaten record. They were 5-0 with the most opportunistic defense, the best special teams and a cautious offense that still hadn’t turned the ball over.
Then everything went kablooey. The freefall began immediately with road losses to Philadelphia and Chicago followed by offensive coordinator Norv Turner quitting at 5-2. When the misery ended, the Vikings had slid to 8-8 and out of the playoffs with a Christmas Eve loss at Green Bay.
Even head coach Mike Zimmer’s personal health fell apart after the loss to the Bears. Multiple eye surgeries for a detached retina left him unable to coach in the two-point home loss to the Cowboys.
This year, the Vikings head into the bye at 6-2. They have a 1 1/2-game lead over the Packers in the NFC North. The Packers are without quarterback Aaron Rodgers for possibly the rest of the season. And Zimmer appears to be in fine health.
So, Mike, do you think this year’s team is better equipped to handle a stretch run than last year’s team?
“You never really know,” he said. “They’ve handled their business pretty good all through training camp, all through the first part of the season. Like all teams, we’ve had some things we had to deal with. I like how they respond to things, but just because I like it doesn’t mean that’s what we’re going to do.”
This year’s team seems more stable because the offense isn’t being dragged along for the ride. And that’s pretty amazing when you consider that backup quarterback Case Keenum, an off-the-radar free-agent signing in the spring, has started six games and played all but six quarters this season.
Keenum has been efficient, cautious (two interceptions) and taken only five sacks in 238 pass plays. Meanwhile, the running game, which ranked last in the league a year ago, is 13th this year (120.0) despite losing rookie Dalvin Cook for the season in Week 4.
A rebuilt offensive line has been the biggest change since last season. Left tackle Riley Reiff has been superb, rookie center Pat Elflein a pleasant surprise and right tackle Mike Remmers better than expected.
“The line has been a strength for us this year,” said Zimmer, who has openly criticized the offensive line in the past, including the day after the 2015 season, when he fired line coach Jeff Davidson “because I wanted to.”
The line also has shown its depth. Three players have started at left guard, including rookie Danny Isadora. Starter Nick Easton, who has missed the last three games with a calf injury, is expected to return following the bye.
“We’re moving the ball well offensively, which I think that’s been big,” Zimmer said. “It’s too early to look at stats, but offensively we’re 13th in (yards), where we were (28th) a year ago. So I think the way that we’ve improved offensively has helped the team.”
–Two days after the Vikings beat the Browns 33-16 in London, players were back in Minnesota being asked about heading into and out of their bye week.
Understandably, some of them were a little nervous to proclaim that a corner has been turned at 6-2. A year ago, the Vikings were 5-0 at the bye and then finished 3-8.
“Who knows how good we can be?” defensive tackle Tom Johnson said. “We’re pressing every week trying to get better. Coach Zim keeps us humble around here. Until the end of the season, and all the things are on the table, we won’t know.”
–It didn’t take long for all eligible receivers to learn that quarterback Case Keenum would bring a different element to the offense than starter Sam Bradford.
While Bradford is the more accurate and better quarterback, the scrappy Keenum is a scrambler who can extend plays outside the pocket.
“That was something he kind of emphasized in practice — ‘Hey guys; make sure you’re staying alive, because I like to get out of the pocket,'” wide receiver Adam Thielen said. “Making sure that (he’s) extending plays and making sure that us as receivers are getting open when he does.”
Targets are getting better at the “scramble drill” because they know Keenum can find them if they scramble into the right area.
“It’s kind of always been a part of my game, the scramble drill,” Keenum said. “Sometimes those are planned, getting out of the pocket. But I think any time those guys have to guard our guys for longer than the two or three seconds … it’s really tough on them.”
NOTES: SS Andrew Sendejo, who was suspended for one game because of his hit to the helmet of Ravens receiver Mike Wallace, returned to the team on Monday. He will start against the Redskins a week from Sunday. … RB Mack Brown was claimed off waivers from Washington to give the Vikings some much-needed depth behind Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon. The 5-foot-11, 213-pound Brown was undrafted out of Florida in 2015. He was released by the Texans and played the last two years with Washington. He has 16 career carries for 111 yards and a touchdown. … WR Rodney Adams, a rookie fifth-round draft pick, was released on Tuesday. Adams was the Vikings’ hopes for replacing kickoff returner Cordarrelle Patterson. But that never materialized. He was active for only one game and didn’t touch the ball. The Vikings also released second-year center Cornelius Edison. … TE Kyle Rudolph, who struggled to stay healthy earlier in his career, has started 41 consecutive games. That’s highest among Vikings players and second among NFL tight ends behind Dallas’ Jason Witten (170). … QB Case Keenum has been sacked only five times in 233 pass attempts. How good is that? Well, Jacoby Brissett of the Colts has been sacked 29 times in 240 attempts.
###
Copyright © 2017
TTWN Media Networks LLC
(photo courtesy of Vikings.com)