Where do Minnesota Vikings go from here?

Where do Minnesota Vikings go from here?

Purple Daily is daily Vikings entertainment. I just want the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before we die. I will ride with this group. Seriously, man. Please. And away we go. Well, away we go or away we didn’t go. Um, Purple Access is the show. It’s Jud. It’s Chip Scoggin starts being sports columnist. um does a great job there and of course joins me once a week to talk about the state of the Vikings. And uh Chipper, let’s get right into it. Um okay, November 2nd. November 2nd, I I got to I I mean, it’s incredible. So, November 2nd, we’re expecting JJ McCarthy to start, which would would be a positive. I mean, you need to get him starts. Uh you need to see where he’s at. But here’s what I want from you. What’s your assessment of where this season goes at this point? Because there’s developing the quarterback, but there’s also like what were the expectations? And and I just feel like the back-to-back losses in both of how they went too. Like the Philadelphia loss was a bad loss cuz you should have won the game. The Chargers loss is a bad loss because, you know, showed the game. So, where do you think the season just goes from here along with the McCarthy factor being put in there? Uh, I don’t know. I mean, this is not the team we thought it was going to be. Um, I’m I’m going to write this column later today, Jud, as a follow column and I’ll ask it to you. Seven games in, so not half the season, but right, you know, close to it. Sure. So, you by that time you should have a pretty good feel for a team, right? What do they do well? I Yeah. What’s their identity? What do they do well? I I would say literally nothing. I can’t tell you what they I mean, they have good receivers, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t protect and throw the ball. They don’t run They don’t run the ball well. They don’t stop the run. They don’t stop the pass. They’re undisiplined with their penalties. Um I I I I literally don’t know where this goes, Jud, because uh they’re just not a good team right now. I mean, they’re not obviously the injuries on the offensive line have screwed that thing up completely. Um, but there’s no excuse for the defense to be this bad. And and honestly, it’s giving off 2010 vibes to me. Wow. That you you that you you run it back with veteran court and but this is different in that they went and added veteran pieces and not ran it back completely. But right um last year Quesy hit darn near 100% I would say on his free agents. Mhm. And it it that was an outlier. You’re not going to do that again. And when you’re relying on veterans so much because you have draft failures, they’re going to be times where your your free agents don’t hit the way that you think they are. And I would say that’s the case right now. Yeah. I mean, I can’t think of right right now. I can’t think of of any identity. I can’t think of one thing that they can lean back on and say, you know what, I mean, we’re we’re not playing well, but this is who we are. You know, a year ago that they got off to a good start and and they were tougher. Like, I thought that they were tougher, but that’s for whatever the reason, that’s not close to to being the case. And injuries, injuries can be used to an extent as an excuse, but everybody has them. The Chargers were decimated. So, like and and and the Lions, you know, their secondary is decimated. And so like you can go through teams uh and it seems like the exception not the rule where it’s like oh that team is healthy and the Vikings had you know a a lot of success or a lot of luck there it felt like despite Blake Kman being out last year for a few games. So I can’t answer your question. I don’t know. And the only thing I can think of is well one McCarthy starts to play he needs to stay in. That’s an absolute must at this point in time. But uh yeah it’s disappointing and and here’s my thing too. I think it’s disappointing top to bottom. Like you know that game against the Chargers on Thursday night, Kevin Oonnell took responsibility for a lot of it and he should like what how how are you The Chargers were playing on a Thursday night as well. I hate those games, but they are what they are. How are you that How do you look that unprepared? Cuz they did not look prepared. No, they they the body language was bad and from the get-go it just felt like a team going through the motions. I mean, there was no juice to him, no um spark. Uh and that that falls with the head coach. Um he just didn’t have that team ready to play at all. And you know, the penalties I think reflects the head coach, too. Yep. I mean, when you have Dallas Turner launching at a quarterback, it’s ridiculous. It’s absurd. Like, how did on what planet was that a smart play? Um the pre- snap penalties. Anytime they get a, you know, uh a kick return that’s halfway decent, I expect, you know, to see a flag and it happens. Um jumping off sides. I mean, it’s just having too many guys on the field, you know. I mean, I know that was right after an injury, Grenard’s injury, but it’s it’s those kind of things where it’s just like nobody on the Viking sideline felt like they were uh ready to go for that or in locked into what they needed to do. And so, um we knew this was going to be a difficult stretch. Mhm. But just the no-show performance by that and particularly the defense. I mean, y uh to not be able to stop the run against a what was it got a third team running back? Yep. Against the offensive line that had injuries. Um now they did get Alt back. Yes. But and and Herbert just absolutely did whatever he wanted to. I mean there he just picked them apart across the middle. Everything across the middle. I mean there was wide open spaces across the middle. So Oh god. Yeah. Uh I I don’t know. I mean, a a loss like that or a performance like that just really makes you step back and take a hard look at like what’s going on with this team. Yeah. And look, the four game stretch started on Sunday with the Eagles is a tough stretch, but really through the first two games, it’s not tough for why I thought it was going to be tough. I like I thought the Eagles defending Super Bowl champions. Well, they they came in struggling and they got well against you and you should have won that game. And look, Carson Wentz had a terrible game. Like Carson Wentz is twofold as well. But nonetheless, like the defense get some stops there. I believe the Eagles converted only only three third downs, but they were like a 15 12 and nine yards. Like that that cannot happen. And and then the Chargers game, I mean, that’s a Vik the Vikings cost themselves that game. The Vikings didn’t show up. We have no idea what the score would have been if the Vikings had uh shown up. And it’s like they got the they thought that they had the Isaiah Rogers pick six. They didn’t. And after that it was sort of like, okay, we’re checking out, you know? I mean, that drive went from Vikings have a pick six, great way to start the game to, I believe, something like a 13play Chargers drive for a touchdown and they never look back. So, like, I thought it was going to be a tough stretch because, oh my god, you’re playing four teams that are really, really good. Well, you have played so poorly in the first two games that you didn’t give yourself a chance. And the Philadelphia game to me is just as frustrating because you should have won that game, you know, showed the Thursday night game. The Philadelphia game you just crapped it away as far as I’m concerned. Yeah. And he gave up uh you can say that against Philly the three third downs, but how many explosive plays did they get? They didn’t need to get the third down, you know, they were getting I think three of the or I think two of the three third downs qualified as explosive plays. Yeah. And you’re right. uh Thursday night against the Chargers, one thing went against them early in, you know, the first series and it was just like, okay, that was our chance. Like, where was the resistance at? Um I I, you know, the offense, you’re right, we can’t make excuses, but uh Carson Wentz had no chance and he was just getting and he was, you know, he held on to the ball too long. He missed receivers. Yep. But I I just think he was so beat up that he just his head space was not where it needed to be and and he was getting hit every time. Yep. Even when he didn’t get hit, he hit his hand on a helmet, you know? I mean, it was like the guy he looked in agony every time he got up off the ground and I couldn’t, you know, KO said he didn’t want to subject Max Bromer to that, and I guess I understand that, but basically that fourth quarter was a preseason game. I think the Chargers were subbing out to keep guys from their injury thing. You’re subbing out. Just treat it like a fourth preseason. The game was over. And the look on Carson W’s face every time. I mean, looked like he was darn near in tears that one time when he came off and threw his helmet. It’s like just make a switch so this guy is not in agony. It was very odd. I I didn’t It’s It’s one of the oddest things Kevin has done. um I didn’t get that and and quite frankly like so it’s not like Wentz was like well he’s hurt but he’s playing so well you can’t take him out. So I was very very confused. I also and I I hearken back to the 2023 season and the litany of backup quarterbacks that played when Kirk got hurt Chipper. I also have real concerns about Okonnell’s ability to adjust when he has to put in a quarterback that he is not completely comfortable with. It it felt it what it felt like to me is that he kept Wentz in because he’s like, “Well, Wentz has a chance to run my offense and I don’t want to adjust it because over the last two games, some of the things he’s asked Wentz to do don’t make any sense.” Like, it’s it’s it’s it’s as if he is bound to determine to I said this on the vent line that we did late Thursday night. It’s a little bit Childresslike. Like, you’re going to run my offense and you’re saying to yourself, “But this guy can’t, Kevin.” And and so like the whole WZ thing to me, I I know what the explanation was postame and he said he could he could go back in and all that, but it felt very odd to me about why you continued to to do that. Uh and not just adjust and not just adjust and say, you know what, we’re going to put Max in and now I am now I am going to adjust. Yeah. We have to dumb this down. You because we can’t run off. Yeah. And to your point, the it the game’s done. So like like it’s not like let’s have a fourth quarter rally. I mean you thought you’re crazy. Yeah. I mean it was more self-preservation for the guy who had one arm basically. I mean he he definitely ran off holding his left arm. It was unbelievable. And I know um yeah it’s it’s you know I know they don’t run the ball but it again the first third and one put Jefferson in the back field and you do a play action and it’s like that play was doomed from the beginning and and like you went out and got Jordan Mason for a reason like those situations and yes you could say well look how poor they run the ball that they don’t but it still had to be a higher percentage. is in that play, you know, like that’s the stuff that still I I I don’t understand uh the play calling in some of those situations where it’s just trying to trick him or or catch them with a, you know, a unique play. I just line up and pound the ball at him, you know, and see. And I know you’re down your third team tackles at at some sports, but I I don’t know. Uh but you’re right. Yeah. It’s like, and we saw it that year with with KO and when he had cycled through four quarterbacks that didn’t really matter who came in, he’s going to run the same offense and and vertical pass game. We know he wants the shots and all that, but these slow developing plays when you have an offensive line they can’t hold up is just asking for trouble. Yeah. I I actually thought mistakenly, foolish me for a second, when the first third one you’re talking about, when Jefferson was in the back field, I thought they were going to find a way to get him the ball and and instead it just became a you know, I’m it was just a pass and there there was what I think there there was a third and two where they should have run again in the red zone. They decided to pass and then there was like a third and 12 where they decided to run. It is I mean look, I get it. Play calling is tough. We probably dumb it down too much. But that being said, given your personnel, the other thing I don’t get is in a game like that, explain this to me. Okay, so I don’t even know who was left as far as the backup lineman on Thursday night, but in a game like that, why don’t you either get if if you don’t have one, get one. And I’ve been saying this for weeks, just go heavy. So like if it’s third and one, go heavy. Uh Pittsburgh extra offensive lineman. Philadelphia was doing it. Philadelphia actually hit some explosives with an extra lineman in the game. Why not do that? Make yourself tougher like like if you’re like, you know what, we got two we got two tackles in that are backups, which they did. Why not, you know, bear down a little bit, get another lineman out there, hand the ball to Mason, and say, “Let’s at least take a shot with this.” But they won’t do it. They don’t do that. No. I mean, you don’t see that. It’s it’s they’d rather try to throw the ball down the field and get a big uh chunk play on third and short to try to catch them off guard. So, yeah, it’s it’s you know, I’m sure there are a lot of people screaming at their TV on that first third and one. Um but it, you know, that thing was such a crossboard no show that um nitpicking a third and one. I mean it it it’s what do you say to them or do to get back the you know just the confidence and the competency that they played with last year. I mean it this just looks like not even remotely the same team that we saw last year and it’s so many of the same players. The thing that the thing that concerns me about this is, you know, you go through 20 thou, you go through Okonnell’s first year, but especially last year, and there wasn’t, in my opinion, a ton of adversity, right? Like there wasn’t Dar got hurt. You you went out and immediately acquired and he’s not good now, but Cam Robinson came in for a while and played pretty well. And so, like, you did have you had limited adversity, but this season’s been filled with it and it just doesn’t feel like they have an answer for it. And it’s like this is football. Like like you should expect adversity. This should be the norm. Yes. In this league, this is like like if you’re not prepared for, okay, I’m not going to tell you what, but if I tell you in August, all hell is going to break loose. We’ve covered this sport a long time. You’re not going to be like, oh my god, all hell is going to break loose. What’s going to happen? You’re like, okay, yeah, it’s football. So that’s that’s what concerns me a little bit. And again, that’s from the top. from the top. There doesn’t seem to be an answer for okay, what is your plan if everything starts to go wrong? Well, that’s where I think the draft failures come in from Quy. Like, when you miss this much on your draft, your roster gets imbalanced. It gets t, you know, you’re relying so much on older veterans. And when it the injuries pile up, you just don’t have uh the complete roster that you need. And I think we’re seeing that and and not only injuries, just ineffectiveness. I mean, I was looking at the uh the PFF grades. I mean, going into that game, Jonathan and uh Harra or Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, I mean, they’re ranked in the 90s amongst defensive linemen. I mean, they just have not made the impact that you thought. Um I think they have what maybe four sacks between them in seven games. I mean, um and Harve had two opening night, right? Two opening night. And you know, Allan got the one in garbage time last night. Um but or Thursday night, but um yeah, it’s it’s um I I just feel like it does start at the top because when you have this many draft failures. Yeah, it catches up to you, Jud. And it feels like it’s catching up to them right now. Yeah. No, it it is. I I mean, their depth is definitely taxed. Well, I mean, heck, you know, look look at this. They signed and it’s a small thing, but it’s not. They signed Justin School as a free agent because they’re like, “He started games of tackle before. He’s going to and he’s not any good. Like, he’s not he he’s not good.” And so, yeah, they’re they’re constantly trying. It feels like they’re trying to to plug leaks that they created by not having plugs of, you know, you look at the quarterback position. Like, what is Jeff Okuda doing out there? He doesn’t play much. And when he does, Justin Herbert’s eyes lit up like s like like his eyes got biggest saucers. He targeted before the touchdown to Lad Makanki. He had targeted him twice before that immediately. Like he saw eight out there and he’s like, “We’re going right at him.” And and it worked. So, and that’s another one where Andrew Booth works out. Guess what? Uh Okuda is not on your team. Uh Mia Blackman, who you traded away, works out. Guess what? Okuda is not there. Like, so I I agree completely. But the other thing that concerns me is just how things are sort of like just from an internal standpoint, how poorly it feels like they’re being handled as far as processing, okay, we’ve lost a lot. This is a good, this is a tough year. This is a trying year. And it doesn’t feel like there’s a push back of screw it, this is football. Here’s what we’re going to do. Yeah. There was no resistance last night. And that that was the the disappointing part where it’s just like, yeah, they’re beat up. Yeah, things aren’t perfect. Yeah, they’re not ideal, but you got to fight through it, right? I mean that’s um the Chargers I mean they how long was their injury report coming into the game? uh that’s you know and they lost their safety and so y um I don’t know I I go back to what do they do well right now and I just I really struggle you know if if they get protection all that yes Jefferson and Addison are good right but we’re not they’re not even giving them a chance to see that right yeah if you had to pick like what is their calling card what’s their identity what is their like what do they what can they sort of at the end of the day when everything else has gone wrong what do they have the ability to rely eye on. It’s nothing right now and that’s concerning. Uh, hey, I’m going to tell you something that you can rely on. Chipskgins, that’s a Padres’s beer. Padres’s brewing. And here’s why. They make beer that is beer. They’re not trying to be cute. They’re not trying to make cocktails here and beer there. No, no, no. 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We are talking about National Football League College Survivor pools. We’re talking about spreads, player props, and in-game lines all under one roof. Again, uh check them out at mybbookie.ag Ag mybookie.ag. It’s the perfect time to jump in and play mybookie.ag. All right. Where do you go from here now with the expect expectation that McCarthy I think is going to play against Detroit? Like what what do you what do you want to see not just from him but like what do you want to see if there is going to be an identity developed around him in in a short time knowing he’s going to struggle at times too. So, he’s not going to save the season. What do you want to see this look like? I want to see if he can settle into the speed of the game. Um, I want to see him develop uh I want to see if he gives him a spark kind of his presence and energy and all that that he brings. If that can kind of shake this uh the cobwebs from this team, which it seems like they have right now. Um, I want to see if if the offense can find a rhythm between running the ball and and throwing the ball. Um, but really more than anything, this to me becomes get him acclimated and comfortable to the speed of the game where his decision- making is quicker than we saw the first two games that he’s not as indecisive about where he needs to go with the ball. Um, we saw him hold the ball way too long, which led to some of the sacks that he was taking. Um, so I think more than anything, it’s just about getting him comfortable with how fast the game goes and and catching him up to speed that way. how much of a role not just off the field, not just as far as the actual uh uh weekday coaching goes too, but what is your your thought process seeing what we have seen with both McCarthy for two games and and then probably just as importantly Wentz also Kevin O Kevin Oonnell the play caller here. Yeah. Because I I feel like if he gets in there and he’s like JJ, you know what you’re doing now. run the offense. Run my offense. I I feel like he’s setting him up to fail, which which which would be especially sort of rich considering that he is very aware of what happens when a young quarterback fails. But but how much do you think he is on on game day? How much do you think there is a direct correlation to how he calls plays? Because if he gets over his skis as a play caller chipper? Yeah. Um I don’t know this goes well. Well, let’s start with the offensive line. Like Darasaw did two series and then was done and obviously the quick turnaround. He’s just, you know, he’s at the timeline where he’s probably should be coming back, right? And he’s just not there. Brian O’Neal, don’t know what his situation is. He is he have to sit now for a while after um Well, the Thursday game is so tough. Thursday. Yeah, I assume, right? I do too because he played hurt on Sunday and then to expect him to turn around and and I think Okonnell said that he actually had swelling in the other knee trying to compensate. But I mean that Thursday turnaround for a guy who’s hurt like that is so difficult. But you basically get a mini buy, right? So let’s assume both tackles are back for Detroit. Um that gives them at least a fighting chance. you know, last night it just or Thursday night it just felt like WZ had no chance when you have 13 right tackles. I mean, it’s just it was a mess. He was getting obliterated. So I think Okonnell has to adjust how he how he calls this game to to not, you know, force feed this scheme into u a young guy who’s, you know, played two games. So yes, this may not be his ideal situation, Okonnell’s, in terms of what he wants to do. I mean, you he has to adjust to it and and give uh JJ the best chance to succeed. And and to me, part of that, too, is what do we say going into this season? He went out and got a running game to take some of the pressure off him so he doesn’t have to do that. And it’s just it’s non-existent right now, you know. Um, so or it was non-existent Chargers. Yeah. I don’t know. Yeah, I that’ll be cur I’m curious to see what Okonnell’s approach is with with having JJ back. And I have to assume he’s back, right? They keep saying he’s close. I mean, this would be seven weeks after it, right? Yeah. If if he’s not if if he’s doesn’t play against Detroit, he has to play. It’s an entirely The conversation changes at that point. Yeah, he has to play. I mean, you can’t put WZ back out there. So, yeah. I’m curious, Jud, does he adjust? Does he alter? Does he um streamline it to uh fit? To me, the most important thing is you have to get him settled into the game because those first two games, it he never looked comfortable. It felt like he was on a highway and everybody was speeding right by him, right? And and he was trying to figure out, you know, just the timing of it. So, um, that to me is is, you know, and here’s the problem, Jud. You’re going against a Lions offense that can put up, you know, crazy points really fast. Yep. Is that is that going to get you out of if that happens now, does all you throw what your original plans out the window because you’re trying to keep pace? I mean, how do you handle that situation? Because now, are you going to ask him to drop back 50 times? I don’t think you can do that to him. I I don’t think that you can do that to him. My Well, off of that point, too, and and again, it’s it’s very weird here. We’re on two different tracks, right? We’re on the McCarthy track once he comes back, but we’re also on the Vikings track. And on the Vikings track, my question is, can you shore up at all what’s gone wrong defensively? And and you know, the interesting thing about the defensive decline, Chipper, and I don’t know if you agree with this or not, but I kept telling Phil this when when the statistics were still pretty good. Okay. I kept telling Phil, I feel like I feel like the eye test and the statistics aren’t matching. Jud, I looked this up the other day because I it it’s the damnest thing. I I was doing my football across Minnesota and I may have it reversed, but in scoring defense and run defense, they were eighth and tenth in the NFL. Yeah. No way did I feel like that. I thought they were going to be middle of the pack. Yeah. And I my my word was going to be optics. The offensics don’t tell me this is a top 10 defense right now. Great minds right there. Yep. Um, how do you shore that up? Well, offense, you can say, well, you get guys healthy now. Van Ginkle’s out, but other than that, this is your defense. Like, I I don’t know how you shore it up. Other than Here’s part of what I think happened, too. And I I think Hubertus got the best of them a little bit here. Um, I think when and and because we all question this one. Okay, so Brian Flores was pretty or was very certain that Isaiah Rogers coming in was going to be good and and I think he’s been fine. I don’t know what what the PFF grades say, but I think he’s been fine. But I think we all questioned the Okuda move and we’re all like, are you really going to have him as the nickel? I mean, are you really? And and then, you know, they’ve had so much success, you’re like, okay, I guess so. But I think part of the thing and the Chargers exposed this. I think part of the problem is you now are playing three safeties so much and trying to keep Okuda off the field that you have found the one thing Josh Matelis ain’t great at. And so so to your point on Thursday night, you think about the amount of just, you know, soft zones that guys settled into the receiver right across the middle. Yeah. Yeah. And so I think what happened was, you know, you you want to keep Okuda off the field for obvious reasons, which by the way is your fault. You kept him and and you’ve got uh you’ve got Mattelis trying to defend the pass and he can do it occasionally, but it feel and I felt the same way on Sunday against Philadelphia. It feels like you are putting him in a position to fail because you think, okay, he he still has a better chance than Okuda. And the question now is, can you fix that? But yeah, it’s I don’t know the answer. I’m looking up the the the snaps right now, Jud from the Chargers games. Okuna played 11 snaps. 15% of the snaps. Three consecutive ones. He just got to Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that’s the thing. It’s like they went right at him. Judo Jackson played 35 snaps, that’s 48%. Harrison Smith played 60, that’s 82%. and Josh Mattel’s played all 73 snaps. So, they’re basically in in three safety the whole time. And you’re right. I mean, they went out thinking Jeff Akudo is going to be their um you know, their nickel. And against a good passing offense, he was on the field for 12% of the plays. So, Chargers are well coached. They figured that out and they and they found that stuff. Yeah, quarterbacks are good, but quarterbacks are good. Like like that’s the thing. They they find these mismatches. They find where you’re vulnerable. And you saw it over the middle time and time again. Like these guys are just running, you know, had lots of space over the middle. So that’s a personnel thing. Um that that’s the one you chose. And so um I don’t know. I mean it they’re just not affecting the quarterback in the ways that we’ve seen before, too. I mean we’ve seen quarterbacks get rushed and hurried. I mean, did did you’re just not seeing it or against good quarterbacks? I mean, think about Rogers, Herz, and Herbert. Good quarterbacks, right? Yes. Um, they didn’t have a problem. I mean, they just they they knew how to get the ball out and where to go. There’s no there’s no question Van Ginkle is missed and Dallas Turner is not a suitable substitute for him. And so, and and that’s a whole different thing because you’re right, like what was he doing launching himself at Herbert? If if if Justin Herbert hadn’t gotten rid of that ball, I I mean, it was worse because he did and then he got hit. But if he had held on to the ball and you and you launch yourself like that, it’s still a penalty. Uh but but that being said, I also agree with you, which is you you can’t just say, “Well, we’re without Van Ginkle. What are we supposed to do?” And it’s it’s sad, too, because everything we thought that we knew that this defense was going to be, they basically have not been. No. I mean, that is the thing, Jud. And and maybe I’m I fell victim to the the um age-old quandry that you have in the NFL. We looked at it on paper and we thought about past results and didn’t think about enough Yeah. about, hey, these guys are on the wrong side of 30. They’ve had injury history and the on paper has not materialized the onfield. You know, you’re right cuz we mentioned it in we mentioned it in passing like well they are older but then we chose to see you know we we we results put on our purple glasses and said but hold on a second here. They’ve had so much success. So uh I got one more topic for you. But before that guys I want to talk to you about a subject that many of us older guys like myself like to avoid but there’s no reason to be embarrassed about it. That is ED. And ED happens when there’s not enough blood flow often combined with decreased arousal signals from the brain. And it’s not about your age. It’s not about the fact that you’ve lost your competitive edge. It’s biology and it’s treatable. Rouette is the 3in-1 ED treatment that actually prepares you for the moment. It’s designed to prime your brain, boost blood flow, and it’s going to start to work quickly. Uh just check out their their website, rouette.com. I’ll spell that for you. That’s ruie t and get your game plan from a licensed doctor. Use the promo code purple at checkout for a special offer. treatment is going to ship discreetly to your door. Again, that’s rouette.com, rugg.com, and promo code purple. Um, all right. What’s your expectation now? Like, like what’s your expectation? You you’ve gotten the stew. You’ve gotten the seven game stew. It’s been very mixed, but what what is your expectation about the opportunities at three and four for not even a playoffs, recovery? Yeah, you know, I think uh that loss last night was so deflating. Um I I just, you know, maybe they can get to the playoffs. I I I don’t know. I I doubt it right now. I would say no. I sit here today. Um uh I don’t know. There’s so many problems right now, Jud, uh defensively and uncertainty at quarterback and and with their health of their offensive line. I just there aren’t not a lot of high expectations for me right now. Um that was a sobering loss against the Chargers and it’s two tough losses, two different back to back. Yeah, it it’s different flavors of losses, but they’re they’re both gut punches. I I would say that I was um the Chargers loss is just so disappointing because they didn’t show up. But the Philadelphia loss, again, I go back Chipper, that game was right there. Like I literally thought they were going to win that game almost the entire time because Philadelphia was like stick around. Yeah, stick around. So that’s a tough one. I mean Jud Jud they’ve beaten the Bears on a miracle comeback with with the Bears you know basically choking. They beat a bad Cincinnati team which basically gave them you know threw it away and it beat Cleveland a bad team. Mhm. So, they’ve had they’ve beaten two bad teams and had needed a miracle fourth quarter comeback slashchoke by the Bears to get the three wins. I mean, h how does that inspire confidence? And against good teams, they just, you know, they they aren’t good enough and they have not played a and they have not played a really good team in my opinion yet. No. No. Like a really good like like this is going to be the test. But but like how many really good teams are there? There aren’t that many. you know, everybody has flaws or injuries. Um, yep. And so it’s it’s like I think they’re going to play when I think that I think Detroit, even though they’re beat up, I think they’re really good. I think their offense is so good that Yeah. they can, you know, um, so I I don’t know, Jud. Uh when you watch a performance like that and a loss like that and just to see how uncompetitive they were. I know it’s Thursday night, you know, those are those games are weird and you’re you never know what to expect there, but I just I I there’s such little push back that it was like I I I don’t know. I don’t know where this team goes. The Falcons loss and that loss to me are very disheartening losses because the Falcons loss was also a horrendous performance and you know I I know that McCarthy had a bad game but it was a horrendous performance. You know the Pittsburgh the Pittsburgh game and the Philadelphia game there is a good case to be made that they blew those games that you could have won those games. Yeah. Um because again Pittsburgh in that game Pittsburgh’s like hang around hang around. We’re not gonna we’re not going to dagger you. You you go ahead and win this and the Vikings like we can’t. But, you know, the Falcons game and Chargers game, Falcons game, the home opener was awful. And the Chargers game was probably I think the Chargers game, you know, they got smoked by Dallas in was that November of 22, 40 to3, and then I think 40 to 17 in in January of the 22 season, they got smoked by Green Bay. I think last night’s the worst Kevin Oonnell game I’ve seen. I do too. Just how uncompetitive it was. And, you know, going back to the ones they could have won. I mean, heck, I’m sure the Bears are kicking themselves over that opener, you know? I mean, that’s a game the Bears absolutely should have won. And, you know, so we if they had lost that one, we I mean, you’d be sitting here thinking the sky is fallen, you know. So, yeah, that to me that was the worst uh performance by a Kevin Oonnell team. Okay, on that very upbeat note, we will have a good weekend, folks. Say goodbye. Yeah, you got you have a great Saturday and Sunday while we debate what the worst performances of the KOC tenure. He’s Chip. I’m Jud Purple Access. We’ll talk to you later.

Judd and Chip discuss the Vikings’ no-show performance on Thursday night against the Chargers, Kevin O’Connell’s role in that defeat and what has happened to the defense. What are the expectations now that J.J. McCarthy is expected to start on Nov. 2 in Detroit?

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