Questions Answered: Philly’s Jittery Loss, Vikings National Attention, What to Do about the Kicker?
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the November 15th 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: How important was the Eagles loss on MNF for the Vikings homefield advantage hopes?
A: Massive.
From here on out, the Vikings only need to finish one game better than the Eagles via win-loss standings — and homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs can go through U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minnesota can’t do anything about the Week 2 loss in Philadelphia, so it needed the Eagles to begin losing some games. They did precisely that on Monday night.
The Vikings can now realistically focus on homefield advantage, as just one loss to the Washington Commanders opens up the dialogue. Plus, five of the next six Vikings will occur at U.S. Bank Stadium. All the Vikings must do is win — while cheering for a couple more Eagles losses.
Q: Did the Vikings finally receive rightful national kudos after defeating the Bills on Sunday?
A: Sort of.
Much of the national media banged the drum for a Green Bay Packers resurgence after the Dallas Cowboys lost at Lambeau Field in Week 10. They remain convinced, generally speaking, that Green Bay can go on a run and seize the sixth- or seventh-seed in the NFC. We shall see.
Still, per national power rankings, Minnesota climbed to about No. 3 — up to spots from last week. The world believes the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are better than the Vikings, which is actually quite fair.
And that’s what happens when a team topples the Bills in Buffalo — respect.
Q: Would you endorse the Vikings signing a new kicker or sticking it out with Greg Joseph?
A: We suggest giving it until the beginning of December.
There aren’t many good kickers waiting for employment, so the Vikings would embark on a large “maybe” quest with any free agent who’d theoretically replace Joseph.
The last time the Vikings prematurely jettisoned a kicker, he went on to become the second-best kicker on the planet, Daniel Carlson.
Joseph is firing up crucial extra-point and FG misses, but we still want to believe there’s a clutch kicker inside there somewhere.
Give it a few more games to even out.
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).