Game Thread: Week 11: Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings

[fightinredantz]

We are back to Broncos football after a bye week and it seems to have potentially paid dividends as Callahan, Lock, and Parks are all supposed to return to practice today.

Here are how each team ranks going into this weeks match-up:
Denver Broncos:
Offense:
Total: Ranks 27th with 311.4 yards per game.
Rushing: Ranks 16th with 111.9 yards per game.
Passing: Ranks 28th with 199.6 yards per game.
Scoring: Ranks 28th with 16.6 points per game.

Defense:
Total: Ranks 4th with 309.7 yards per game.
Rushing: Ranks 17th with 107.6 yards per game.
Passing: Ranks 4th with 202.1 yards per game.
Scoring: Ranks tied for 6th with 18.9 points per game.

Turnover Differential: Ranks tied for 23rd with -3 turnover differential.

Minnesota Vikings:
Offense:
Total: Ranks 8th with 384.4 yards per game.
Rushing: Ranks 3rd with 153.0 yards per game.
Passing: Ranks 17th with 231.4 yards per game.
Scoring: Ranks 9th with 26.2 points per game.

Defense:
Total: Ranks 13th with 333.1 yards per game.
Rushing: Ranks 7th with 91.2 yards per game.
Passing: Ranks 18th with 241.9 yards per game.
Scoring: Ranks 5th with 18.2 points per game.

Turnover Differential: Ranks tied for 5th with +5 turnover differential.

 

[iknowftbll]

Tough game. In fact it’s a tough stretch ahead. They’re not going to win them all in one week so here’s to winning this one!

 

[SpiritOf77]

I like what the Vikings do in the run game with Cook and Mattison, and the way they use the FB : it's a no BS / old school style of running the ball, and obviously has been very effective with Cook leading the NFL in rushing .. Both Cook and Mattison are big and powerful backs, and I think stopping the run will be key in this game ..

There's also a lot of familiarity here with Kubiak having his signature all over the Vikings offense, plus Vic having been with the Bears in that division ...

Cousins will panic if pressured .. During his rough period earlier this season, he held the ball for an average of 3.1 seconds .. and in a recent three game win streak in which he seemed to turn it around, he held the ball for - you guessed it - 3.1 seconds ..

So what was the difference ??

During that win streak, Cousins was pressured on only 28% of this throws, and taking 4 sacks in the three games …. In other words, teams were failing to put pressure on him ..

I watched the game vs the Cowboys and the number of short, middle of the field dunks he completed was insane .. He'd get someone to find the soft spot in the zone coverage and just turn and catch it ..

This is a big game for AJ in both stopping Cook and forcing Cousins to do more than just dunk the ball

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[fightinredantz]

I think if we can get pressure on Cousins and limit Cook and we should be in the game. I will not say win the game but have a chance. Turnovers would be the wild card. We can't turn over the ball.

 

[MileHigh64]

Broncos are a 10.5 point underdog in this game. I hope that gets this team fired up. I think it will be tough to win in Minnesota but I'm betting the Broncos can keep this game a helluva lot closer than that betting spread.

 

[Nosferatu]

Broncos are a 10.5 point underdog in this game. I hope that gets this team fired up. I think it will be tough to win in Minnesota but I'm betting the Broncos can keep this game a helluva lot closer than that betting spread.

I think the Broncos defense can do alright against the Vikes offense, I just think the Vikes defense will be the difference in this one, if it were in Denver it would be different.

Vikes 20
Broncos 13

 

[fightinredantz]

One thing our offense has going for it is there is still a bit of unknown with the QB change. We will see if Allen can have another solid outing. That would go a long ways toward giving us a chance to win.

 

[58crash]

Allen has a reasonably good pocket presence and can run.

That will go a long way for our team

 

[Mingo]

Statement game.

It's actually hard for me to pick the Broncos to win this week, but I will.

 

[iknowftbll]

Statement game.

It's actually hard for me to pick the Broncos to win this week, but I will.

I can understand it. The Vikings have a top shelf ground game and defense. We have a functional ground game and top shelf defense. Cousins is serviceable at QB, but he can shine in the right circumstances. Allen is facing a tough gauntlet in his 2nd nfl start.

Cousins will also lay an egg from time to time, and the offense did play inspired after the change at QB. Maybe the circumstances are just right for the Broncos to pull the upset. It’ll be the best 4-6 team ever if they do!

 

[megalodon30]

Statement game.

It's actually hard for me to pick the Broncos to win this week, but I will.

I don't see why not. Both teams have good D's and questionable QBs. There's no reason we can't win this game. Just a matter of going out and performing how we're capable.

 

[BigKen]

Minnesota has struggled to win nearly every week. They've been lucky in some of their games and other teams have just plain screwed themselves. I think the Broncos have become ugly dogs and Minnesota is like ham bone.

It could be gnarly, but I honestly think the Broncos are going to win this one going away in the fourth quarter.

See y'all Sunday night.

 

[Duffman]

Well Adam Thielen is out so that should make it easier for our Defense. Put Harris on Diggs all game and that should help.

 

[iknowftbll]

Well Adam Thielen is out so that should make it easier for our Defense. Put Harris on Diggs all game and that should help.

I will never complain about stuff like this. You don’t want to see players miss time because of injury but we all know it happens. We are missing guys too so...

 

[megalodon30]

Well Adam Thielen is out so that should make it easier for our Defense. Put Harris on Diggs all game and that should help.

Hopefully, Harris is up for a bounce back game after struggling against OBJ.

 

[Mingo]

It's pretty simple in my book - if the Broncos can run on this Viking Defense - the Bronco defense is good enough and Allen will hit enough play action to win the game. Allen kind of opens up the run game - by being a threat to run himself.

 

[Duffman]

Broncos inactives:

T Calvin Anderson, DE Jonathan Harris, TE Jeff Heuerman, T Ja'Wuan James, CB Cyrus Jones, DE DeMarcus Walker, WR Juwann Winfree

 

[Duffman]

Back to back touchdown drives for the Vikings has me a little nervous.

 

[PickleRick]

God damn, get some stick um on those hands.

 

[Duffman]

Make that three drives in a row with the Vikings touchdown. After an amazing first half I don’t know if I have confidence in this defense to hold out especially with the offense struggling now too.