Game overview:
A sloppy game, as you would expect, where the backup QBs battled it out…and it was choppy to say the least. All I care is -- this was my best bet for Saturday’s preseason slate, TEN -2.0, and it got me a cup of coffee for Sunday morning.
The Titans looked like the better team, the better backups/depth of the two…but it wasn’t by as large of a margin as I thought (on the scoreboard or on tape). I don’t know what to make of the Titans. It doesn’t look that good right now, but Mike Vrabel seems to thrive in that environment. I’m ‘neutral’ on Tennessee 2023, at this stage.
The Vikings…I watch them play, and I look at their horrific offseason of personnel moves, and I don’t get what they’re doing. I agree with dumping Cook-Thielen, et. al., to move on to the future -- but the players and rookies they backfilled in with…they got worse. Their future doesn’t look as bright. If Kirk Cousins gets hurt/lost, this may be the worst team in the NFL. I thought this new Minnesota HC-GM connection looked very promising last year…I am losing all hope fast with their 2023 plan for the now and future. They don’t know what they want to be -- but I would think, given they have Cousins, that they’d want to be a team ‘going for it’ NOW…but they seem to be half-going for it and half rebuilding, and none of it makes any sense.
Scouting Notes from the game:
-- Malik Willis (10-17 for 85 yards, 1 TD/1 INT, 11-91-0) went wire-to-wire for Tennessee here with the backups v. the Vikings backups.
Positives: Willis looks so much better this year…much more comfortable. He is a right-handed, thicker Michael Vick…superior arm and terrific feet. He put some solid, smart, safe throws on some receivers who dropped them. I think Chig Okonkwo dropped two of his passes. He ran for 91 yards and looked dangerous on the run.
Negatives: Still too many ‘hero’ throws trying to make plays. Just 85 yards passing in a full game against backups is not great (but rushed for 91 yards too).
I walk away thinking: Willis is improving but has a long way to go. He could be just a Vick-esque playmaker that you have to just let do his thing…but that’s not Mike Vrabel’s style of offense. It could be a while, or never, that we get a Dynasty/FF payback here. But if he is ever forced into action…he’s a QB1 threat on running skills alone.
Will Levis is the complete opposite of Willis, as a passer/game manager…he’s what Vrabel and most NFL head coaches want.
-- Titans RB report…
Tyjae Spears (7-57-1, 1-3-0/1) had one of the most gorgeous TD runs (33 yards) of the preseason here. He is so good, and he will play/touch the ball some while working with Derrick Henry in 2023, but it’s still Henry’s backfield…but someday it will be Spears’ backfield. He’s too good to park on the bench or work as just a return man. https://youtu.be/v-TX7OxP2-g
Spears is legit.
Julius Chestnut (13-98-1, 1-1-1/1) may have made a dent in claiming a #3/4 role and thus getting Hassan Haskins booted from this team. We’ll see. Chestnut seemed dead on this depth chart but showed a sign of life here. He’s nowhere as good as Spears, but rare few are.
-- Vikings QB notes…
Rookie Jaren Hall (4-7 for 49 yards, 0 TD/0 INT) was one of the worst draft picks of 2023. I love the Vikings GM saying something like…we went down and saw him at the Senior Bowl and loved what we saw. I saw Hall at the Senior Bowl too…and on tape from college -- he was terrible, to my eye. Either me or the Vikings GM is gonna be right here.
All I know is, I’ve won two preseason FFM alert bets against Minnesota so far this preseason…so, I feel like I’m in the lead right now.
-- The Vikings RB report…
Where the heck is Kene Nwangwu (DNP)? The guy got a mild injury a few weeks ago and hasn’t been seen since. He is totally blowing his chance at being the for-sure #2 RB. I think he still is/is going to be, barring a Kareem Hunt signing, but it’d be nice to see something from him to fortify my hopes.
Ty Chandler (11-24-0) is operating in his place and looks OK…looks like a thousand other NFL RBs roaming the earth. If this is their Plan B…well, then it fits with my Vikings personnel management theme of 2023. The single worst backfield collection in the NFL 2023 = the Vikings.
DeWayne McBride (6-18-1, 1-11-0/1) isn’t the answer either. I don’t care how many 100+ yard rushing games he had against Conference USA defenses in college.
The last four years for leading Conference USA in rushing…
2019 = Brenden Knox
2020 = Sincere McCormick
2021 = Sincere McCormick
2022 = DeWayne McBride
It’s not exactly a list of future NFL Hall of Famers.
In fact, the Vikings just added Richmond rookie RB Aaron Dykes (3-19-0, 1-11-0/1) this past week…and he looked more aggressive and speedier than any of the other RB prospects vying for #2-3 roles. But Dykes is not an answer either…just makes me think Nwangwu is going to be out longer.
-- Vikings 2nd-year TE Nick Muse (3-46-0/4) played solidly here, leading the team in catches and yards. He’s an NFL backup at best.
-- Two IDP notes…
2nd-year MIN SAF Lewis Cine (7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL) finally had a game where he did something. A couple nice tackles…a few gaffes. Some hope at least. He’s part of that vaunted/holy Georgia defensive unit…another one not translating well to the NFL.
2nd-year MIN CB Andrew Booth (3 tackles, 1 PD), who I liked back to the pre-Draft scouting, still looks out of sorts and lacking confidence in the NFL. He’s fallen behind and getting treated like a nobody, because he’s earned that -- but he’s not used to it, being a pampered Clemson defender (similar to the Georgia problem). Every preseason game, I see him make a nice play…and two bad/confused ones.
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