There is no doubt that bigger challenges than the St. Louis Rams are in our near future, but for now the Vikings are enjoying their first win of the 2014 regular season, a 34-6 blasting that resulted in a Gatorade bath for coach Mike Zimmer. Before we move on to next week’s matchup against the Patriots, here are a few post-game quotes and comments to enjoy:
Mike Zimmer on winning road games after the Vikings 2013 struggles:
I actually heard a couple of the players talking about it today before we went on. I’ve said it all along: If you play smart football, if you play good techniques and good fundamentals, you can go out in the parking lot and do good. It’s more about how you play than where you play.
Center John Sullivan on the conservative play calls today:
Yeah, that’s the thing, we know the Rams have a great defense. They make it tough on you to score, make things a little chaotic. We just stuck with it.
Mike Zimmer on Josh Robinson’s performance (1 tackle, 2 defended passes, one INT):
I’ve never been down on [Robinson], other than when he wasn’t practicing. Great athlete, a lot of speed. All these guys really, they have to do the techniques we’re trying to teach them to do. Saw [Robinson] a few times in the ball game when I was trying to watch the corners, thought he did some good things. The interception was a big play, obviously.
Adrian Peterson on Cordarrelle Patterson’s 67 yard touchdown run:
As soon as he got that pitch, I saw a great block by (Matt) Asiata and I threw my hands up because I knew he had the ability to take it the distance. I’m happy for him and we got the win most importantly. I’m going to sleep well on the flight back.
Cordarrelle Patterson on his big run:
When I get the ball in my hands, I want to be special. Running that run play, I think I’m 3-for-3 now in two years. Coach says nobody runs that play like we, the Minnesota Vikings do. It’s special to be back there.
Mike Zimmer on what this win means for the future:
I assume there won’t be many of these [lopsided games]. There’s some good things to take off this tape and a lot of things we have to correct.
Matt Cassel on playing the first week away from home:
“We got to that point in this game where the game was under control, we continued to pound the ball and we made some big plays. Then the crowd started to calm down, and at that point you feel pretty good about being able to go up (to the line) and everybody can hear the cadence and go from there.
Mike Zimmer on his gatorade shower after the victory:
I told them I don’t want any more until I win the big one.
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Thanks Adam, I like to read quotes after a game. Fun day, a great start to the season. We all know there is a long ways to go, but I think this team will turn some heads in the weeks to come. The points are great, but when a defense plays well... today we would have won with 14, 24, or 34. Congratulations on #1 Coach Zimmer.
Is it too early to start wanting Touchdown Teddy? Cassel didn't loose the game, but he didn't do much to win it either. If he is rushed at all he is inaccurate. Play calling was very vanilla.
Nice to see the defense play much better.
A nice start to the season.We made some mistakes but they are fixable.The defence looks so much superior to last year and didn't give up any big plays,got off the field on 3rd down,and no TDs allowed.Still a work in progress though.
Offensively,the play calling wasn't as bold as I thought it would be,2 botched snaps looked really ugly,but it was loud in that dome I guess.The sooner David Yankey is ready to start the better it will be.Adrian looked a bit off at times but it is his first live action of the season.
Special teams was good,with some excellent coverage on a couple punts.
We have the monkey off our back by winning an away game,and although there are bigger challenges ahead,this at least should give players and fans confidence that Viking Nation is headed in the right direction.
It was SO nice to see a coach show a little emotion, corners smacking WR's at the line scrimmage, half time adjustments being made, no more of that cover 2 crap and just a plain, fast, mean and aggressive defense.
I remember kind of cringing on draft day 2 years ago when CP said "I'm just special when I get the ball" I thought wow, that's weird thing to say. Well, turns out the guy knew what he was talking about.
Percy who?
You gotta love Zimmer "I'll rest well on the plane" he is very down to earth. In this manner he reminds me a little of (don't pounce on me) Mike Tice. While it will probably never happen I think Tice and he would get along on the same staff.
Zimmer is much more prepared to be a head coach, than Tice was. Both good men.
oops sorry that was AD talking --- my bad but the TICE connection still holds.
Zimmer got to love his "eye on the prize". No more baths until the big one.
Can't ever remember a Viking coach saying something like that.
pre-season game no. 5 for us, facing their no. 2 and 3 QBs. won't be like that next week, but we can beat pretty boy and his idiot TE, and i guarantee that zim won't be gushing over billy bellycheek
Big challenge coming up next week. Fred Evans (before our ugly break up), gave me the password to the nutritionist's menu planner for the chef who cooks for Gisele and Tom.
If all goes according to plan, Gisele will be eating rabbit food, per usual. Tom, however, will be joining the radical proctitus foody movement. He should expect a steady diet of chocolate dipped cherry flavored popsicles this upcoming week. I'm guessing Tom will start out with single servings then "work" his way up to double servings. We need an insider to administer the popsicles. Any volunteers?
I heard a lot of people after the game get down on Peterson and how boring the plays were. I think, even though it eventually was a blow out, that StL should still get credit for making it look boring.
They're supposedly one of the best D fronts in the league, so even though it's AD, grinding out 75 on a well respected defense is still pretty good. I don't feel it validates the 'AD is in decline notions' what-so-ever.
What's incredibly refreshing is the in game adjustments and set-up plays. Even though a play can look boring, with this staff, there's an obvious bigger picture. They don't run weird plays at the wrong time just for the sake of being creative. This is evident with the CP touchdown. That play went to the opposite side as the previous end arounds and to the opposite side of the motion. And, the previous end arounds, if I remember right, didn't have CP motioning. This staff saw something, even though those previous plays were quite succesful, and housed Fischer's defense. Thing of beauty.
As far as the first half goes: sure maybe a little jittery and bad at dealing with noise, but for pete's sake it's the first game. I have to admit when Hill started 5 for 5 I was like 'omg here we go', but once they figured out how to get pressure that was all she wrote. Even though it was looking like a 12-6 final, they played well and made game changing plays at the end of the first half on both sides of the ball. Don't recall how start of 2nd half started.
All in all very encouraging, and hopefully the Fins exposed the o-line of the Pats. If our d-line gets pressure similar to the Fins, I think we have a shot.
SKOL VIKES!!!!
Excellent comments CSlinde.
I do have to disagree with one thing you said though;
We have way more than just "A shot" to beat the Pats
I said it weeks ago and I'll say it again, this team is WAY better than anyone thinks.
We're going places.