“You Expect a Reward”: Dalvin Cook is Still Without a New Contract as Week 1...
The contract standoff between the Minnesota Vikings and Dalvin Cook has been about as friendly as one could hope — in the public eye, at least. Through months of negotiations, both sides have remained...
View ArticleFOOTBALL MACHINE: Danielle Hunter to IR, Season Predictions & Week 1 Gambling...
Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman preview the Vikings’ first game of the season against the Green Bay Packers. Topics include: –Danielle Hunter officially moved to the IR. What is the impact? -How...
View ArticleYannick Ngakoue is Learning to Rush the Vikings’ Way
Mike Zimmer has certain words he often comes back to when describing his players. A sure-tackling linebacker might be a “thumper.” A quick tight end has some “wiggle” to his game. And a smart offensive...
View ArticleWill Irv Smith Jr. Become an Elite Tight End? His Second Season May Tell Us
Just over a year ago, Irv Smith Jr. was “swimming,” according to then-offensive consultant Gary Kubiak. Smith, a second-round pick, was 20 years old and trying to pick up the complexities of Kubiak and...
View ArticlePackers Carve Up Vikings 43-34 in Opener
The Minnesota Vikings had few answers for the Green Bay Packers offense and fell feebly, 43-34. Mike Zimmer and Co. sounded optimistic all preseason about their younger defense, but the Packers put the...
View ArticleA Punchless Vikings Pass Rush Let Aaron Rodgers Have His Way
Sunday’s Week 1 loss contained several firsts for head coach Mike Zimmer, and not positive ones. The prideful defensive mind had spoken confidently about his defense’s ability to withstand the loss of...
View ArticleFOOTBALL MACHINE: Reaction to Packers’ Week 1 Dominance Over Vikings
Sam Ekstrom and Luke Inman react to Minnesota’s 43-34 Week 1 loss. -How weird was the viewing experience inside the stadium without fans? -What was the game’s turning point? -How concerning were the...
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Second Look: How Aaron Rodgers Rendered the Vikings’ Safeties Ineffective in...
The Minnesota Vikings chose to invest heavily at the safety position this offseason, extending the franchise tag to Anthony Harris at over $11 million while continuing to pay Harrison Smith over $10...
View ArticleAfter Sharpening Thielen’s Game, Xavier Rhodes Will Try to Lock Him Down
Xavier Rhodes ended his Minnesota career as an oft-pilloried scapegoat for their defensive woes. The “Rhodes Closed” credo that the corner made prominent in his prime was meme’d against him (Rhodes...
View ArticleFOOTBALL MACHINE: More Vikings-Packers Reax, Colts Trivia & Preview, Dalvin...
Sam Ekstrom and Arif Hasan are joined by Locked On Vikings host Luke Braun to discuss Week 1 and look ahead to Week 2. Topics include: -Who were the biggest scapegoats in Week 1 in the Vikings’ loss to...
View ArticlePass Interference is No Longer Reviewable, But Referees Called it Abundantly...
Considering teams had mere weeks to prepare, the quality of play in the NFL’s opening week looked fairly clean to the naked eye, potentially aided by an overall reduction in penalty flags. That...
View ArticleInstant Reaction: Vikings Fall to 0-2 With Second Straight Debacle
For the first time in Mike Zimmer’s Vikings tenure, his team is 0-2. And the fashion in which the Vikings fell to that record only magnifies the level of concern. Indianapolis wore Minnesota down and...
View ArticleOffseason Concerns About the Vikings Offense Were Justified
Skeptical Minnesota Vikings fans can confidently say, ‘I told you so’ after watching the team’s first two games, both of which would’ve resulted in 17-point defeats if not for a loosely-defended...
View ArticleFOOTBALL MACHINE: Another Clunker Against the Colts
Sam Ekstrom and Tom Schreier react to Minnesota’s second straight blowout loss: -Did the Vikings overestimate their ability to avoid a rebuild? -What’s up with Cousins? -When will Hunter rejoin and...
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We’re About to Find Out Exactly How Important Anthony Barr Is
The Minnesota Vikings were counting on their defensive veterans to keep the unit strong as young corners and defensive linemen took their lumps. But they’ve played the first two games without Danielle...
View ArticleFOOTBALL MACHINE: Solutions Instead of Panic, the Loss of Barr and...
Sam Ekstrom is joined by The Athletic’s Arif Hasan to discuss the latest in Vikings football. Topics include: -What are the symptoms of the team’s 0-2 start and how can they be fixed? -What can Kirk...
View ArticleFor Vikings to Succeed on Third Down, They’ll Have to Do Better on Second Down
Faced with a third down on their opening drive in each of the first two games, the Vikings rose to the occasion. Against the Packers, Dalvin Cook took a 3rd and goal at the 1-yard line behind a...
View ArticleDon’t Overlook the Todd Davis Signing For the Vikings
It’s rare that a team can swing a midseason signing for a four-year starter and former Super Bowl champion, yet that’s exactly what the Vikings did Thursday by signing Todd Davis, a 28-year-old that...
View ArticleInstant Reaction: Late Titans Field Goal Spoils Justin Jefferson’s Breakout Game
The first two Minnesota Vikings losses were over by the end of the third quarter. This one came down to the final play and stung the most. Despite huge offensive games by Justin Jefferson and Dalvin...
View ArticleHow the Final 10 Minutes Ended in a “Complete Disaster” For the Vikings
Given their first opportunity to win a football game in the 2020 regular season, the Vikings faltered thanks to a lack of execution in the fourth quarter. Considering it was the first competitive...
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