Offense, Offense, Offense. For the Vikings to be better than last season, which we still can be, we need to win out and run the table. If we go 13-2-1, we will technically improve upon from last season. This team has the potential to become the up and coming premiere passing team in the league.

Here are my thoughts on last Thursday’s offensive shootout between The Mighty Vikes and The Hollywood Rams.

Our receiving core will continue to progress, and with zero run game, aerial attack will be the main staple of the offense. As I said in my last article giving my analysis about the upcoming game, our offense needs to rush for at least 200 yards a game for us to win. Well, 100 yards would be a good start. Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray have to find other ways to be useful such as blocking, screen passes, and punching the ball down the field for one or two yards. The Vikings are failing to realize that Dalvin Cook is bitten with the injury bug. Getting hurt like that as a rookie does not help a career. Look at how mediocre Deshaun Watson is with the Houston Texans.

Make Latavius Murray our number one running back. He used to be a star with Oakland, so let him be a star here. Let him run the ball, and make Cook a passing option until he can figure out in his head how to be a great tailback again.

With that, our offensive line needs to create bigger holes for our running backs. Did you see how big the holes the Rams O-line made for Todd Gurley?

With the way the NFL has changed the game, don’t expect for the Vikings to win games with their defense anymore. For us to be competitive, we need to change our mindset to be an offensive team. The emergence of our offense has confused our identity, and with the struggling start to the season we’ve had this is the change we need.

Defensively, ever since the NFC Championship game last year (2017) we have been playing as if a ghost has haunted us. Doug Pederson exposed us last year, and the rest of the league has used that game as a blueprint to crush our defense.

With the unfortunate loss of Everson Griffin, we have lost an emotional leader in the locker room. Danielle Hunter needs to step up in a leadership role this season. Last, why is Anthony bar so damn slow? Since 2016, he has now shown us that he will have a good year (2015), then a bad year (2016), then another great year (2017), then another mediocre season (2018 thus far).

Barr got picked on by Cooper Kupp and Jared Goff all night last Thursday, like a skinny snot-nosed nerd on the playground in front of his hometown in LA. To be put simply, Barr is not playing with any pride and has become complacent, which is the best word to describe our defensive play.

Last, Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo need to step up and make their tackles. Look to see George Iloka more in the mix. He has been a starter his whole career, and he is the player with that type of hunger in which we need on the field.

Let’s go bird hunting on Sunday. Fly Eagles, crash and burn. This is America’s game of the week on Fox and the most pivotal point in our season. No team has gone 1-3-1 to start the season and has made the playoffs. No team. Let me repeat, no team.

Stefon Diggs has historically had big games under big stages on National television. Look to see him do the same this Sunday.

If and when the Vikings avenge their NFC Championship game from last year, looking at the remainder of their schedule, they will run the table and win the rest of their games. I am calling it. But, that is if and only if they beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Moreover, play with an offensive mindset. When we run the ball, two yards are better than none. Defense, figure it out.

Vikings 28- Eagles 21.

Boom. Boom. SKOL.

Remember,

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

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