Vikings Preseason Viewing Guide

So after months of trying to convince yourself that you love baseball you come to the realization that american football controls your life. We’re almost there! Only 4 meaningless football games from the glorious return to the gridiron. Usually you get super amped up to watch your favorite football team finally in uniform, only to be let down 30 minutes in when you don’t care about who’s on the field. There is just no emotional investment when the product on the field isn’t what you watched in January. Well I’m here to help! The Vikings begin the 4 game preseason schedule tonight against the Cincinnati Bengals. Most viewers will leave the second Teddy puts on a hat. Well, I’m here to help you stick around and watch some players and positions to keep interest.

Preseason Schedule

August 28th 6:30pm @ Cincinnati

The first game usually means a drive or two for the starters and that’s it. This game will be the first time coach Zimmer faces his former team whom he was the defensive coordinator before joining the Vikings.

August 18th 9pm @ Seattle

The second game varies depending on health of players and team philosophy, generally the starters will play a few series, sometimes most of the first quarter. This match-up will be the first time these two teams have played each other for quite some time. They definitely did not play in the playoffs last year… that never happened…

August 28th 12pm vs San Diego

The third preseason game is the dress rehearsal and by far the most important preseason game from a fan perspective. The starters usually play well into the second half. The game will be the first official NFL football game at US Bank Stadium. Enjoy watching both the game and the hundreds of soon to come panoramic views of the stadium.

September 1st 7pm vs Los Angeles

The final preseason game will not showcase any of the starters or most of the 2nd string backups. This will be a tough game to follow all the way through and most of the players will not make the team. The new LA Rams are featured on this seasons HBO series “Hard Knocks.” This game will be part of the finale of the series so it will be interesting to see how they include our beloved US Bank Stadium and Vikings.

Players to Watch

Offense:

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/KR

Patterson has had a pretty unsuccessful go at catching footballs in the NFL so far. He showed elite play making with the ball in his hand his rookie season. He leads the NFL in average return yards since joining the league, proving he has the ability to be a difference maker. Unfortunately, he has not been able to use his talent to the best of his potential when it comes to the receiver position thus far. It sounds insane but the former 1st round pick is in legitimate danger of looking for work elsewhere. With the addition of Laquon Treadwell via Draft, the receiver group is deeper and there may not be room for a return specialist on the roster. CP will have to show up this preseason when given the opportunity and prove that he can become the receiver the Vikings were hoping for after making him a first round pick.

Moritz Boehringer, WR

Look at that smile! Look at it! How could they cut a guy with that smile! “MoBo” as he will go from here on out, is the German sensation who came out of nowhere to end up a Viking. He literally fell in love with football watching Adrian Peterson highlights on YouTube, you cant make that story up! He is a complete shot in the dark and we all can’t wait for him to become the Dirk Nowitzki of the NFL. He has great numbers compared to the combine and had he had a successful college career, paired with those numbers would have been a much higher selection. Be sure to always keep an eye on him to see how smoothly he can transition to the NFL level defenders.

John Sullivan, C

You may not see a lot of Sully, as he is returning from an injury that kept him out from last season. Joe Berger filled his role much better than expected, making this an interesting competition. Sullivan was a rock on the line before his injury and should he return to that he would get this job easily. However, should he show he has lost a couple steps he may find himself in an awkward place. They will most likely split a lot of Teddy’s snaps between Sullivan and Berger to see which combination is smoother. Personally I hope Sullivan can be what he used to be, as he is a great leader for the line, and seeing him and Boone in front of Teddy would help me sleep better at night.

Defense:

Trae Waynes, CB

Last year’s first round pick was not given a lot of chances to prove his worth last season. Most of this was due to the great play by veteran Terrance Newman. He needs to use this preseason to prove to everyone that he has grown throughout last season and this off-season and can be a reliable corner for this team. Waynes played well when given the chance last year, including a post season interception. He will be battling for the starting stop opposite Rhodes. He should get plenty of run this preseason so keep and eye on him to blanket what should be mostly inferior receivers.

Jayron Kearse, S

Jayron Kearse is somebody glowing with potential. He has perfect size to be successful in the secondary. He’s proven to be a big time tackler, not to be reckoned with crossing the middle of the field. The question that need to be answered are whether or not he can adjust to the passing defense at this level. The Vikings have had a turntable of players opposite Harrison Smith for most of his career. Kearse is part of a trio on roster we hope can step up and make Smith able to take more chances to make plays. Kearse is 6'4 and 216 pounds. If he can make plays in the passing game this preseason he will make it awfully hard for Spielman and Zimmer to cut him before the season. He will likely need to show that he can be a difference maker on special teams.

How do you make 3rd string football watchable?!

I’ve learned that watching football in the preseason is easier when you focus on smaller parts of the game. Instead of waiting for the snap and watching the play ensue, try watching 1 specific match up for a few plays in a row. Watch how the center rotates on each play to protect a QB or a runner. Watch how well the receiver gets off the line. Watch the defensive end try to beat the tackle for a full series. Its boring because the win doesn't matter and truth be told you don’t care who wins. Make it interesting and watch a part of the game you don’t have time to watch because you’re too focused on the ball when the season starts.

Thanks for reading guys! I hope we win all the games!!! SKOL