Questions Answered: Vikings against Rookies, Playoff Picture, Wyatt Davis and Kyle Hinton
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today’s is the December 22nd edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
And then — an apology. Adam Thielen was trending all day to play against the Chicago Bears — he had custom cleats and everything — but the team decided to hold him out right before kickoff. We led you to believe he would probably give the night a whirl. He did not, and we are sorry.
Q: Zimmer seems to have success against rookie quarterbacks. Is that correct?
A; It is absolutely correct — it’s the backup quarterbacks who give the Zimmer Vikings fits. Figure that one out.
Against rookie quarterbacks as head coach of the Vikings, Zimmer is 8-2. Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press said it best:
For now, Justin Fields is terrible, so that helped matters on Monday night. Fields will still have the Trubisky leash to develop, but it is evident that Fields is not a right-away superstar like Patrick Mahomes or Justin Herbert. Not even close.
And Zimmer will get another showdown with Fields, barring injury, in three weeks.
Q: Are the Vikings in a good spot for the playoffs after they won and Washington lost?
A; No, not really.
That answer will surprise you, but Minnesota is in no type of driver’s seat. a) Unless you believe the Vikings will beat the Rams, Packers, and Bears [again]. Should they win the next three, yes, the Vikings will be fine and dandy. b) Minnesota would be in wonderful shape if they did not lose to the Detroit Lions. That game will always be “blamed” if Minnesota misses the dance by a game because it was the most unforgivable meltdown. Why? It was the Lions.
Minnesota holds 29% odds to reach the 2021 playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight.com. Mathematically, that is less than ideal. But again, if they just win three games, they’re in. Winning two out of three is favorable, too, but then the Vikings need assistance via other 7-7 teams losing a game or two.
Q: We never hear about Kyle Hinton and Wyatt Davis or any other practice squad players progressing. Can you give us some info on them?
A: Very little is known about Kyle Hinton, a 7th-Round draft pick from 2020. He could be a player who gets a shot at a reservist role in his third season with a good training camp — or you might never hear about him again. He’s a mystery.
Davis will eventually get a shot, considering his draft stock out of the 3rd Round last April. But to put it bluntly, he isn’t ready. Luke Braun from Zone Coverage said this on Tuesday:
Mason Cole didn’t perform well against the Bears, temporarily dampening the enthusiasm on his long-term RG forecast. Yet, that could be good news for the 2022 edition of Davis, especially after Oli Udoh flopped out of the assignment, too.
A total unknown maybe on Hinton — a probably-next-year look at Davis.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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