Minnesota Sports Forum

http://www.1500espn.com/news/2016/01/zulgad-not-reading-much-into-vikings-decision-to-interview-shurmur-you-should-be/

This is getting interesting. I would be very impressed if Zimmerman moved on from Turner. I don't think it would be a knee jerk reaction at all. I would think it would be showing his growth as a HC and knowing what he wants.

Instead of approaching the Viking with the exuberance of your avatar Marty Gelner, you seem kind of glass half empty.

I can sum up everything wrong with the Vikings on one play: The first play from scrimmage in the home game against GB. TB throws a wide receiver screen which results in a good but not great gain. Called back because of holding on Kalil. First of all, how big of a moron do you have to be to not realize that you WANT the DE standing next to TB as he throws it, so holding him in the spot is actually counterproductive even if he wasn't caught. That's got nothing to do with Norv.

Now, here's the part that might have something to do with Norv: How about running that play with CP? I have no doubt he is having problems learning the offense. He played against inferior competition his first two years of college and not a lot his 3rd. The reps just aren't there. But he can't learn a WR screen?!?!??! Have we not seen enough of this guy now to know that when he has the ball he is hard to tackle? The Vikings have two guys who are VERY hard to tackle. One is 30 and overworked, the other is 24 and never sees the field. And a bad OL.

If Shumer can fix that, then I'm on board. If not, then leave it alone.

I wonder if CP could play RB or even be a 3rd down back. I am sure he would suck at blocking, but I would think once he sees daylight he would be a homerun threat. I felt like he should have been used some in the passing game. If he breaks a one WR screen which is likely he becomes a threat the defense needs to watch. He helps the OL then too because they have to be worried when he is on the field. He might be stupid, but he certainly is very talented. Wouldn't you hate to see him end up with the Patriots and have a huge season.

bleedspeed177 wrote:I wonder if CP could play RB or even be a 3rd down back. I am sure he would suck at blocking, but I would think once he sees daylight he would be a homerun threat. I felt like he should have been used some in the passing game. If he breaks a one WR screen which is likely he becomes a threat the defense needs to watch. He helps the OL then too because they have to be worried when he is on the field. He might be stupid, but he certainly is very talented. Wouldn't you hate to see him end up with the Patriots and have a huge season.

He must not completely suck at blocking because I am pretty sure most of his offensive snaps were as a WR on those run blocking heavy formations.

monsterpile wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:I wonder if CP could play RB or even be a 3rd down back. I am sure he would suck at blocking, but I would think once he sees daylight he would be a homerun threat. I felt like he should have been used some in the passing game. If he breaks a one WR screen which is likely he becomes a threat the defense needs to watch. He helps the OL then too because they have to be worried when he is on the field. He might be stupid, but he certainly is very talented. Wouldn't you hate to see him end up with the Patriots and have a huge season.

He must not completely suck at blocking because I am pretty sure most of his offensive snaps were as a WR on those run blocking heavy formations.

I am thinking blocking a DB is different then picking up a LB or DE. I think he would struggle, but would be much worse than AP.

bleedspeed177 wrote:

monsterpile wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:I wonder if CP could play RB or even be a 3rd down back. I am sure he would suck at blocking, but I would think once he sees daylight he would be a homerun threat. I felt like he should have been used some in the passing game. If he breaks a one WR screen which is likely he becomes a threat the defense needs to watch. He helps the OL then too because they have to be worried when he is on the field. He might be stupid, but he certainly is very talented. Wouldn't you hate to see him end up with the Patriots and have a huge season.

He must not completely suck at blocking because I am pretty sure most of his offensive snaps were as a WR on those run blocking heavy formations.

I am thinking blocking a DB is different then picking up a LB or DE. I think he would struggle, but would be much worse than AP.

I think the problem with the idea of CP at RB (I am not against it) is that McKinnon while not as explosive (he is no slouch though) showed himself to be much more legitimately versatile down the stretch this season. It seems odd they couldn't find some way to get CP the ball this year (Musgrave was such an idiot...wait) but I am not at practices I don't know what they are trying to accomplish etc. I don't want to give Norv a free pass and I don't think I have but there is a lot I don't know as just a fan. It will be interesting to see how things play out. Its weird to have so much faith in a coach but I basically have complete trust in Zimmer.

Ben Goessling ?@GoesslingESPN 8m8 minutes ago
No word on the position for Shurmur yet. Mike Zimmer still has to sort things out on staff. But I'm told it won't lead to further changes

I don't know much about Shurmur, but I'm off the Turner train. His offense sucked this year and he got the league's rushing champ back. How do you have the league's worst passing attack with such a good running attack? Teddy wasn't terrible. He was just pretty average this year. McKinnon is perfect for what Norv wants to run, but AP likely isn't going anywhere so we need an OC who has an offense better suited under the center than in the shotgun.

khans2k5 wrote:I don't know much about Shurmur, but I'm off the Turner train. His offense sucked this year and he got the league's rushing champ back. How do you have the league's worst passing attack with such a good running attack? Teddy wasn't terrible. He was just pretty average this year. McKinnon is perfect for what Norv wants to run, but AP likely isn't going anywhere so we need an OC who has an offense better suited under the center than in the shotgun.

It comes back to the likely problem of Teddy and AP working best out of different formations. Maybe Zimmer told Norv "We gotta figure this out how to vet AP and Teddy on the same page" and Norv agreed and said he had some ideas and Zimmer said what about bringing in another top offensive mind and see if they can help us.

I'm obviously purely speculating but something like that could be the case. If that was the job offer sort of "Hey come in here help us figure out this offense you can try out some stuff and you will have a good job title with real significant input" that might be an appealing job with the offensive players you would get to work with. The bottom line is the Vikings are loading up with top level coaches on the offensive side of the ball. That seems like a good thing.

monsterpile wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:I don't know much about Shurmur, but I'm off the Turner train. His offense sucked this year and he got the league's rushing champ back. How do you have the league's worst passing attack with such a good running attack? Teddy wasn't terrible. He was just pretty average this year. McKinnon is perfect for what Norv wants to run, but AP likely isn't going anywhere so we need an OC who has an offense better suited under the center than in the shotgun.

It comes back to the likely problem of Teddy and AP working best out of different formations. Maybe Zimmer told Norv "We gotta figure this out how to vet AP and Teddy on the same page" and Norv agreed and said he had some ideas and Zimmer said what about bringing in another top offensive mind and see if they can help us.

I'm obviously purely speculating but something like that could be the case. If that was the job offer sort of "Hey come in here help us figure out this offense you can try out some stuff and you will have a good job title with real significant input" that might be an appealing job with the offensive players you would get to work with. The bottom line is the Vikings are loading up with top level coaches on the offensive side of the ball. That seems like a good thing.

Or we hired Norv's replacement ahead of time and he has a short leash to turn it around next year. I've never heard of a co-offensive coordinator type situation working out well for both parties. I would imagine Zimmer isn't gonna put up with the same level of offense next year given the level of defense he is putting out on the field. He knows the window is now while all the pieces are either still good or still on rookie deals. I would bet Norv has until the bye week to get it right or be out.