Now, part of this is me having lived through the horrors of being a Ram fan during the late 60s and early 70s. It's always hard for me to feel confident against the Vikings. And by the way … I live in the Twin Cities and have done since 1972!
As for this year … I dunno. I really don't.
I think we're the "better" team, but not by a wide margin. And our CB injuries don't match well with the Viking WRs, one of their strengths. I do feel our strengths are wider and more balanced. But the Vikings are a damn good team.
I dunno how to think about last week's BUF loss. They will be focused and intense. The question is, are they beginning to doubt? That question is unanswerable until tonight. I could see it going either way, or even both directions at once.
The big thing in a game like this is how teams are prepared and led. I see Zimmerman and McV as being excellent coaches of different types.
Z is an old school, top-flight coach. Everything about the Vikings is solid.
McV is a brilliant coach and visionary leader. I think his vision might well lead to a special level beyond being wholly solid. He is also very young and hasn't made enough mistakes yet to be fully mature as a leader.
Last year, Z's mature solidity beat McV's limited maturity. And, of course, the team and its QB had to mature as well. We weren't ready for that game or, later, PHI and ATL.
Which brings us to tonight. Are McV and the team ready for the Viking test? I think signs so far indicate we are stronger, but are we ready for the Z test? I dunno.
At the same time, Z's team has not this year really lived up to its reputation for being solid. Is that just a couple of anomalous games? Or is Z's grip less secure than it seemed?
I just don't know what to think.
I believe McV is showing that he can handle enough league challenges to be a serious title contender, something not true last year. But are we ready for the first really serious test of the year?
I guess we will see.
