Monday, October 28, 2013

Vikings Continue to Offer Great Numbers

Some interesting numbers from Sunday's Vikings' loss to the Green Bay Packers and for the season.  First, the Sunday stats:

Christian Ponder averaged more yards per rush (7.6) than yards per pass attempted (6.9).

Fourteen NFL running backs rushed for more yards on Sunday than did Adrian Peterson (60).  Among those were Andre Ellington (154), a quarterback (Terrelle Pryor), Kendall Hunter (84), Maurice Jones-Drew (75), Peyton Hillis (70), and Pierre Thomas (65).  Other than Peterson, only Jones-Drew was on the losing side.

Twenty NFL quarterbacks threw for more yardage than Christian Ponder (145).  Among those were Jason Campbell (293), Mike Glennon (275), Thaddeus Lewis (234), Geno Smith (159), and Matt Barkley (158).  Like Ponder, each was on the losing side.

Of the seven quarterbacks with fewer passing yards than Christian Ponder on Sunday, three were garbage time replacements, one was knocked out with an injury, and two won their games.

Only five starting quarterbacks did not pass for a touchdown--Christian Ponder being one of the five-- and ten starting quarterbacks had multiple touchdown passes.

Twenty-two NFL teams had at least one receiver with more receiving yards than the Vikings' receiver with the most yards receiving, Kyle Rudolph (51), and 35 receivers bested Rudolph's figure.  Cordarrell Patterson was second on the Vikings in receiving yardage with 26 yards receiving, good for 73rd best on the day.

On the season, the Vikings have allowed more points (30/game) than all but three teams, and the Vikings are within 1.5 points of all three.

On the season, only three teams are allowing more passing yards per game than is Minnesota (288).  Despite the ease with which teams are able to pass against Minnesota, Minnesota still concedes over 100 yards rushing per game.

Only six teams have converted fewer field-goal attempts than the Vikings.

Only one team has a worse net punting average than the Vikings (37.5).

Only one team has allowed a higher average on kickoff returns.

Only one team has allowed a higher average return on punts.

In short, this team is a mess in all areas.  Everyone looks bad because nobody is doing well.  The quarterback play is awful, blocking is bad, protection is negligible, rushing has disappeared, the defense does not exist, and special teams is mostly bad.  When it can be debated whether the offense or the defense is the cause of the others' problems, the answer probably, as here, rests with each.  That's not very satisfying, but it certainly helps foster decisions on this team.

Up Next:  Four Moves The Vikings Need to Make to Save Next Season. 

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