Questions Answered: Linval to the Enemy, Weird 3rd and 1 Playcalling, Anthony Barr
Dustin Baker
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Questions Answered: Linval to the Enemy, Weird 3rd and 1 Playcalling, Anthony Barr
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the November 16th 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.
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Q: Do you think Linval Joseph will have a big impact on the Eagles?
A: The possibility of a large impact exists, but Joseph isn’t penciled in as an immediate starter or solution.
Rookie Jordan Davis is injured, so Joseph is getting onboarded to “eat up space” in the middle of the Eagles defense. Philadelphia ranks 28th in the NFL — also known as fifth-worst — per rushing defense DVOA, so the Eagles must find answers.
For now, Joseph is a step in the right direction. He’s also the kind of player who could see a spike in snaps when the playoffs hit.
Joseph was loved in Minnesota and played pretty well for the Los Angeles Chargers when he left the Vikings.
Q: On Kevin O’Connell’s 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 playcalling, shouldn’t they try to run the ball?
A: Everybody wants a pass-first coach until the pass-first coach starts doing pass-first-coach things.
But, sure, sign us up. O’Connell loves taking shots on 3rd and 1, knowing he’ll go for it on 4th and 1 with a special play. His problem, though, on Sunday was that neither playcall was for a run — when the Vikings need one measly yard.
It’s a classic example of “if it works, nobody cares,” but “if it doesn’t, folks are mad.”
We’ll see how he adapts. Our money is on handling it to Dalvin Cook next time.
Q: I know Anthony Barr was hurt last week. Will he play against the Vikings?
A: We have a terrible answer here — we don’t know.
Barr missed the game against the Green Bay Packers in Week 10 because of a bad hamstring. His status for Week 11 at the Vikings is totally up in the air.
More will be known when the Cowboys begin releasing the daily injury updates this week.
Barr has played 335 defensive snaps for the Cowboys so far in 2022.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).