2016 Minnesota Vikings

Freethinker

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In his 3rd season as the Vikings head coach, Mike Zimmer hopes to build off of an 11-5 NFC North Division Title. Before the season start, the Vikings were a trendy pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this year. Now that melon-headed Teddy Bridgewater has been lost for the season, many DWFs and DSWs (drunk sports writers) have been put on suicide watch as many tears have been shed for Ted. The reality is that all is not lost and losing the game manager QB is really not a big deal. One could even argue the team could be more dangerous offensively with either Sam Bradford or Shaun Hill behind center. In week 1, Hill looked strong and the Viks easily beat the Titans. Tonight will be a bigger test as they host their arch-rival Packers in a preview of the likely battle for the division's title. Zimmer is making the change at QB in this game to Bradford. Bradford needs to perform well this year as he has a lot of talent around him. One of the only White quarterbacks in the league who is overrated, this could be the last shot he gets as a starter if he doesn't put up.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Vikings have a strong rushing attack anchored by a 4/5ths White line. Peterson is a great talent but this very good line opens big holes for him. LT Matt Kalil is the star of the line while guards Alex Boone and Brandon Fusco do an admirable job. Center Joe Berger is getting long in the tooth but is still holding down the starting job. WR Adam Thielen is running as the 3rd receiver but is arguably the number 2 behind Stefon Diggs. The UDFA from tiny Minnesota State - Mankato has continued to out perform highly drafted affletes year after year. This year, the Vikings drafted lead-footed Laquon Treadwell to supplant him but gosh darn it, that pesky honkey just keeps making play after play. Thielen will also return punts some times and he's dangerous in that role as well. Kyle Rudolph is the pro-bowl caliber starting TE. He's battled injuries the last few years and needs to stay healthy. If he can, he's got alot of "upside" as a pass catching big play threat. Rhett Ellison and David Morgan II provide solid depth at the position. Former star college running back Zach Line is the starting FB. I suppose we should just be happy that the UDFA has a starting gig and collects a nice pay check, but it's infuriating that a talent-less slug like Matt Asiata gets to run the ball while Zach just serves as a blocking battering ram.

On defense, the Vikings have one of the Whitest units in the league! They are also the only team to have a White safety tandem. Harrison Smith is a superstar and consistently grades out as a top FS every season. The hard hitting, ball hawking, tackling machine is definitely among Watt and Keuchly as most fun defensive player to watch. The SS is Andrew Sendejo who held off negro challengers to his starting spot. He'll have to have another strong season as a non-star White's grip on starting taboo positions is always tentative at best. Chad Greenway once again starts at WLB, but the vets snap count is diminishing. Entering his 10th season, Greenway has 6 seasons of over 100 tackles and 2 seasons over 90. He is saying he will retire after this year so I hope he's able to churn out 1 more good one. Veteran Brian Robison starts once more at DE. Backup MLB Audie Cole has talent but the Vikings will not permit him to be anymore than a reserve / STer.

Roster

QB - Sam Bradford, Shaun Hill
TE - Kyle Rudolph, Rhett Ellison, David Morgan II
WR - Adam Thielen
OL - Matt Kalil, Alex Boone, Joe Berger, Brandon Fusco, Zac Kerin, Nick Easton, Jeremiah Sirles
FB - Zach Line

DL - Brian Robison, Justin Trattou*
LB - Chad Greenway, Audie Cole
DB - Harrison Smith, Andrew Sendejo

K - Blair Walsh
P - Jeff Locke
LS - Kevin McDermott

Practice Squad

WR - Moritz Boehringer, QB - Joel Stave

11 White Starters, 22 or 23* out of 53

Grade C
 

Freethinker

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One less starter as Matt Kalil goes on IR and is being replaced by a sumo.
 

Don Wassall

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Kyle Rudolph finishes 2016 with 83 receptions for 840 yards and 7 TDs, far and away his best season. He'd never surpassed 500 yards in any of his five previous years, another reason the Vikings need to keep Sam Bradford as their starter.

The White TE-WR duo of Rudolph and Adam Thielen is second in the league only to Gronk and Edelman.
 

Leonardfan

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It's a shame that Zach Line was never incorporated into the running game for the Vikings. Like the Redskins they depended on under qualified non-whites. The immortal Jerrick McKinnon and an islander - Asiata to run the ball rather than see what Line could do. The lack of balance on offense really hurt them down the stretch but their ignorance and blind practice of the caste system may have very well cost them a playoff spot.
 

Don Wassall

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No offense meant to Aaron Ripkowski, but there's no doubt Zach Line is a more accomplished runner and if Ripkowski can get carries, Line deserved his shot at running back on a team whose running game was painful to watch all season. The offensive line deserves a fair amount of the blame, but what did they have to lose by giving a standout college runner a shot? McKinnon has some speed but is small and poor at reading blocking. Asiata is a straight ahead bruiser, a poor man's version of the beefed-up NFL version of Zach Line.

And Minnesota ranks with New England and Green Bay as the three "white friendliest" teams in the NFL, with no other teams particularly close ("least anti-white" is a more accurate way to phrase it than "white friendly"; in no way is the NFL a "white friendly" corporation). That's why yesterday's anomaly, with Zenner and Burkhead playing because of injuries to multiple black running backs and Ripkowski unexpectedly getting carries, was like a Halley's Comet event in a league that purged the White running back over 30 years ago.
 
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