Vikings Fanline: Vikings vs Lions 12-25-25

Eric Nordquist and Ron Johnson take your calls, texts, and talkbacks following the Vikings 23-10 win over the Lions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
The Vikings fan line a Christmas edition. The Vikings win
twenty three to ten over the Detroit Lions at us
Bank Stadium. Place was bouncing. Fan base was loving Snoop
at halftime, loving Jordan Addison long touchdowns. Max brosmer Well,
he did what he could and how about that defense
as the Minnesota Vikings improved at eight and eight. I'm

(00:25):
Nordo from nine to noon. Ron Johnson is with me,
and what we'll start here. I have some texts and
some talkbacks. Kind of a unique situation on a Christmas
fan line. Ron Johnson and I are both operating from
our respective abodes this Christmas evening, and so I have texts,
I have the transcripts from your talkbacks in front of me,
and we're gonna hit on them.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
But let's just kick this off.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
Merry Christmas, Ron, and what'd you think of today's victory
for the Purple.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
Well, Merry Christmas to YouTube Nordo. Definitely it was slow,
So you know I was there at the game. Of course,
you know Snoop Dogg at halftime I think was the
best thing in that first two quarters with Snoop Dogg
at halftime, But it was very remarkable what the Vikings
defense did. I think that's what everybody was. Everybody, like
I was getting text messages. Other people were getting text

(01:12):
messages saying like who is this defense in white?

Speaker 2 (01:15):
And I think it just goes to show that the Vikings.

Speaker 3 (01:17):
I love what Bier Murphy said that our job now
is to just send people home and not allow them
to go to the playoffs. And so that's what they did,
and they did a great job of it.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Yeah, the defense today creating six turnovers, and that was
kind of, you know, an interesting part of this game.
The Lions needing to win out and needing the Packers
as well, needing some help, needing the Packers to lose
out over the final two I had to find their
way into the playoffs, and just kind of the story
of a team in the Vikings defense in twenty twenty

(01:45):
five that was having trouble turning the ball away, taking
the ball away with the six takes. Today, meanwhile, Jared
Goff barely ever gives it to the other team, and
this was one of the I think they had the
fewest turnovers maybe eight or nine on the season. End
of this game, they gave it away six times. And
what a disastrous way for the Lions now to join

(02:07):
the Vikings and being non playoff operations.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, it was crazy.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
They were number one in the NFL with five interceptions
three fumbles, so when you look at the take give
even like they were, that was what.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
Was at least keeping them in the most games.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
And early on it just felt like I think I
tweeted it out that this was like one of those
Oprah you get a turnover, you get a turnover, you
get a turnover type of days, because it just kept
happening and happening and happening, and then even the van
Ginko went at the end, I thought he was down
by con I did not realize that a fumble, even
though Jered Goff had and he was hit, he has
to like complete the catches, they would say. So that

(02:43):
was a new one for me that even though he
had it kind of in his grass, he rolled over
and it looked like it was still loosing Gank was
able to get it. So, yeah, this was not a
very normal Detroit Lions offense. And you could tell by
their players on the sideline they looked dejected. The coaches
looked very like what is going on? And near quarterback
could really get going. I mean, Golf kind of had
to get it going towards this that, you know, towards

(03:05):
the end of the second half we or sorry, third quarter,
but that was it. You know, there was not a
lot of magic going on.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
Well, and that was kind of interesting with the Lions
over the last several years now. And I guess this
is kind of what we're turning this into Lions fan
line just for a moment, is that this is a
fifteen you know, we kind of play this game over
the course of the week. What a difference a year
makes these two teams meeting in the regular season finale
just a year ago with everything on the line, including

(03:33):
the one seed and Vikings fall short Darnold in the
red zone wasn't great, but all the same, a year later,
you're thinking, how does this team, and the Lions specifically,
how do they rebound?

Speaker 2 (03:45):
A product of success.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
As you're losing coordinators, people are stealing your coaches left
and right. There was a mass exodus in some respects,
but chief among them Ben Johnson. Now with the Bears
and you have the play calling shift, you can see
statistically that's yards have gone up and they're actually scoring
about a half point more per game, so I guess,
you know, really measurably not a huge difference, but they're

(04:08):
just in moments, the discombobulation of that offense at times
earlier in the season, lack of execution and now later
in the year not getting all those fourth downs like
they normally do, and just not clicking in certain moments
they have.

Speaker 2 (04:22):
It's crazy. Just a fifteen win team a year ago.

Speaker 1 (04:25):
They have a ton of work to do in this
offseason to figure out how they're gonna find that magic again.

Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, I mean, and and yeah, I was right. Sorry,
the third quarter was the worst quarter for you know,
Detroit passing game. But yeah, I mean, when you think
about David Gibbs or sorry, David Montgomery and jamieer Gibbs,
it was used to be, you know, an easy one
two punch in Montgomery. The last couple weeks, I don't
know if you've seen it, Nordo, but he had some
cryptic Instagram posts where it was just like a picture
of his jersey on his locker and you know, almost

(04:52):
as if like I might as well just put my
jersey on the shelf, and fans are tweeting, you know,
don't leave us, and they're commenting it's okay, you know,
they'll they'll use you a and they continue to not
find ways to get him the ball. And that was
one of the reasons why he wanted to leave the Bears.
And you know, he moved on to the Lions and
had some early success as the Bear struggle. And now
the Bears get you know, Ben Johnson, which is probably

(05:12):
the person that wanted him in Detroit, and Ben Johnson
goes to Chicago and he has their run game going
on all cylinders, and you know, the Lions just can't
get it done. They can't figure it out. You know,
what's his name, Campbell took the play call and duties away.
I got a chance to talk to David Shaw a
little bit before the game. He was my receivers coach
with the Ravens, and Scottie Montgomery as well, who's the
assistant head coach, And you know, I said some stuff

(05:35):
to them, some stuff. I can't say what their response was,
but you know, it just you could tell there's a
little bit of figuring things out this offseason.

Speaker 2 (05:41):
As you said, yeah, I appreciate that.

Speaker 1 (05:44):
I mean just kind of the change, the not the
inability to handle it. And you know, on the Viking
side of things, we've had some ups and downs. Right,
the last four seasons were winning thirteen and sadly losing
a playoff game.

Speaker 2 (05:57):
Then it's Dobbs, Dobbs, Dobbs, Dobbs.

Speaker 1 (06:00):
Next year, Darnold wins fourteen for US, and here we
are an eight and eight team, the ups and downs
of the NFC North as all these teams trying to
be great and finding some roadblocks among the situation here.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
Let's pause and when we come back.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
I do want to continue to laud this defense because Flores,
I don't know if it was a switch that had
to be flipped, what it was, but suddenly you mentioned
Jamir Gibbs. It ain't easy against the Purple for Jamiir
Gibbs these days. And what a job Flores has done,
not just this afternoon, but really over the totality of
this season and specifically the last month and a half.

Speaker 2 (06:35):
It's Vikings fan line.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
The Vikings do win twenty three to ten at US
Bank Stadium. It was a white out a US Bank
Stadium today. Vikings now eight and eight, Lions now eight
and eight. Vikings just kicked the kiddies out of the playoffs.
How about that when we returned continuing this conversation, plus,
I have some textan talkbacks. I want to jump out
there with you with Ron Johnson's heremnordo from nine to noon,

(06:57):
Vikings fan line.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
This is Minnesota Vikings.

Speaker 4 (06:59):
Football, home of the Minnesota Vikings, FM one hundred point
three KFA, Minnesota's home for football.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Welcome back.

Speaker 1 (07:22):
It's Minnesota Vikings fan line reading the transcript of some talkbacks.
Here again, Vikings win twenty three to ten over the
Detroit Lions. Detroit Lions see you later playoffs and they out,
they fall to eight and eight. Vikings improve to eight
and eight. Now, winners of four straight. Are your Minnesota
vikingsmnordo from nine to noon. Ron Johnson is with me

(07:42):
virtually we're in in our respective basements. I'm a Chaska resident.
I believe Ron also lives in the Southwest metro. But
from the talkback machine, Tyler from Wyoming, heck of a
game just got out of the stadium.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
It was awesome.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
Snoop's performance was awesome, defense awesome, A lot of awesome's here. Unfortunately,
he says, I don't think Max Brosmer is a solution,
but still a game, fun game regardless. Merry Christmas, everybody,
Thank you, Tyler. I do want to get to the
Max Brosmer talker just nine to sixteen fifty I believe
it was fifty one or fifty six yards as I'm
jumping around in various west here, it was fifty one

(08:18):
and he was sacked seven times and for a number
of them probably his fault working with well, not the
ideal offensive line in front of him, but that old line,
by the way, did allow or did help and aid
one hundred and fifty eight rushing yards on the day,
one of which, of course Jordan Addison just getting loose
and that was sweet to the house for him. But

(08:39):
Barn with this defense, is there anything in particular that
you've seen from the Vikings on the defensive side of
the ball in recent weeks as part of this four
game I mean, I'm thinking, Okay, I get it.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
Giants are awful. I get it. Commanders are woeful.

Speaker 1 (08:55):
And they were a little more game today against the
Cowboys division Kalie.

Speaker 2 (09:00):
But all the same, it's a bad team.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
And but but Dack in primetime, the ability to shut
down CD and George Pickens and the ability today and
and now twice on the season to really mitigate and
eliminate the explosives and the big opportunities for the Detroit
Lions and this offense that we have a ton of
respect for, and statistically they're second or third in the NFL.
Is there what have you seen from Flores's group in

(09:24):
recent weeks to say.

Speaker 2 (09:26):
Wow, this guy is on one.

Speaker 1 (09:28):
This this this defensive unit is at the top of
their game, albeit sadly in a non playoff run.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (09:35):
I mean we talked about the ability to still drop
you know, six in the coverage and only rush five
at times using those linebackers. You know, I think Jalen
Redman dropped back. You know, you see THEO Jackson go
after the quarterback. You see Harrison Smith got through the quarterback,
and you see Van Ginkle drop.

Speaker 2 (09:51):
You know, It's just he mixes up so many guy.

Speaker 3 (09:54):
I remember at the beginning of the season talking to
THEO Jackson and Josh Mantelis, and the one thing they
both said was, you know, because he kind of and
you know and shout out to the bikers were setting
up that interview. But I got a chance to sit
down with both of those guys, and the one thing
they both kept saying, it's like, man, we can't say
some stuff, but I can say it off camera. You know,
I can't say some stuff, but I except camera. And the

(10:14):
stuff they did say on camera though, was like, Man,
when we look at our iPads, we also look at
each other like wait, how is this gonna work? Because
guys are like literally out of position and their job
is to try to run back as fast as possible
at the last minute without the quarterback knowing. And you
saw it a couple of times a day from Harrison Smith,
you saw it a couple of times with Theo Jackson.
You saw Biron Murphy do it. You know, you see

(10:35):
Blake Cashman go in and out. So I think that's
the key, is like Brian Flores is just coming up
with schemes that are not normal, just like this whole
split coverage thing a lot of coordinators are doing now
where they play cover fod to one side and man
on the other side. You know, it's not a true
covers that everybody's used to, but it's something different that
the quarterbacks have to think about.

Speaker 2 (10:53):
And that's what coordinators are doing.

Speaker 3 (10:55):
They're getting more and more innovative, and they're trying because
quarterbacks are getting smarter and smarter and often are getting
higher explosives.

Speaker 2 (11:01):
So they're like, how do we mitigate this?

Speaker 3 (11:03):
We got we got to confuse them, so they slow
down in just a half a second before they you know,
at the snap.

Speaker 1 (11:08):
So Kyle texted in six four six eighty six bratch
on Brian Kfa and text line bittersweet feeling seeing Harrison
Smith absolutely slay on his farewell tour, knowing he may
not he may not be back next season. All time
Viking future hofr skull vikings. Thank you, Kyle.

Speaker 2 (11:26):
What do you think about hit Man?

Speaker 1 (11:28):
You know, the one thing I was kind of hitting
on today is we've been seeing him at the line
of scrimmage. So I'm not saying that that Hitman is
completely cooked, but there's an aspect to this where over
the last month or so, it's not necessarily the that
hit Man, at his age mid thirties, has just magically

(11:49):
elevated his game, as much as it seems that Flores
has been using him in some different spots more recently
that has allowed him to make some splash plays, including
hammering on jaredy golf today.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
How do you see that with hip man?

Speaker 1 (12:02):
Is it he's magically elevating his game or elevating his game,
Let's let's get.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
The magical part of it out.

Speaker 1 (12:08):
Or is it just Flores has been using him differently
that has allowed him to flourish?

Speaker 2 (12:13):
Yeah? How did he spell sligh?

Speaker 1 (12:16):
First of all? Well, I mean it was just I
mean the standard sleigh. I think, yes, l a y,
I was.

Speaker 3 (12:21):
I was thinking he was gonna be a little bit Yeah,
I thought he was gonna be a little bit more.
You know, it's Christmas time. He could Christmas sl Yeah,
the slag you know, I've seen that, you know, but
it was the proper It was the proper sleigh, all right.
He missed that opportunity there, But no, so uh one.
You know, Harrison Smith, I mean I don't know if
we've been like I heard Pa say, like is this
his last year for real?

Speaker 2 (12:40):
Like he's playing super hard, he's playing well, I mean
we just don't know.

Speaker 3 (12:44):
I mean you never know, Like like I think, what
did Kevin O'Connell say this year, Like he said he
didn't text or talk to Harrison Smith at all, Like
he's like I told him, I don't want to talk
football with you until you're ready. I hope that's maybe
that happens again this offseason. Maybe he says, you know what,
man like, if you don't make me go to training,
you don't make me practice as much, I'll do it
one more year because next year, honestly, JJ McCarthy year

(13:06):
two healthy, potentially a revamped offensive line with maybe one
more addition at center. You know, in the draft, the
defense is where it's at, Like, I think they have
all the pieces of that defense. And to lose Harrison
Smith and cam buying them in back to back years,
that's gonna be really tough. When you think about THEO
Jackson and Josh mntellis, they would have to then go
into the draft and find a third safety to kind

(13:27):
of partner with those two. But if you can keep
Harrison Smith and draft maybe his potential, you know, predecessor,
I think that's that's the formula for, you know, a
great offseason.

Speaker 2 (13:37):
But again, I mean, he's done it all. He's a
Hall of Famer.

Speaker 3 (13:40):
He's gonna you know, his his name should be in
the rafters, you know, with the rest of the Vikings guys,
Purple Ringing, honor guy, you know, yellow jacket. So, you know,
does he want to prolong it for one more year
and then in five years we're talking about this, or
you know, does he want to just walk out right now?

Speaker 2 (13:53):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (13:54):
I mean, but beating the packers, you know, finishing nine
and eight, maybe that is enough for him.

Speaker 2 (13:59):
Well, there's there's part of me. I got a little
bit of tinfoil hat.

Speaker 1 (14:02):
I'm not wearing one right now, but just the conspiratorial
side of me says that it's almost like Flores, because
I'm pretty sure, and there's gonna be somebody who's got
pff for or dip into the analytics, they'll tell me
I'm wrong. It feels like Hitman has blitzed or been
the free running guy on the backside more in the

(14:23):
last month than it was the previous twelve or thirteen
games combined.

Speaker 2 (14:28):
And so it's the.

Speaker 1 (14:29):
Conspiratorial side of me is ron is like Flores knows
that Hitman might be playing out the string on this thing,
and he's like, let's just let's pat those stats a
little bit, Let's have the resume a little bit, Let's
send them out with a little splash.

Speaker 2 (14:42):
Let's get him at the QB. Let's let's start tacking
on those sacks.

Speaker 1 (14:45):
And he's after that interception today, I think if he
gets one more pick, I mean, how good would that be?
He gets a pick in the finale of the season,
that puts him in that forty twenty club where there's
like two.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
Players two other players all time.

Speaker 1 (15:00):
I think, with with forty interceptions and twenty sacks or
something like that, it's Rendez Barber and another guy. But
but what are the conspiratorial side of me? Just like
I wonder if they're just padding some stats on the
back end of a potential hof career.

Speaker 3 (15:15):
I mean I could see that, but also could be like, hey, look,
we did this at the end of the year, man,
why don't we just do this for seventeen weeks next year?
Like I didn't realize you could get to the quarterback
that well. And I didn't realize, you know, like maybe
maybe that's that's the key, because you know, for the
most part, I think they kept them back because they
didn't have Cam buying them to go back there. But again,
they maybe drafted, Like if they draft a guy and

(15:35):
he hasn't officially retired yet, you know, hey, maybe they
say hey, look we got a guy on the back end.
Now you can play in the box a little bit more.

Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, it's I mean the defense is it's interesting where
you see the splash plays, all the takeaways today. This
is certainly an outlier, along with the five turnovers in
the Bengals game where the rest of the season we're
begging for him Byron Murphy Junior emerges from obscurity and
gets a pick two games in a row. You like
all that, and it's like the third and longs. You

(16:02):
see these weird connections being made and we're just getting
eaten alive in moments. But then when you need the shutdown,
you get the shutdown.

Speaker 2 (16:09):
I dig it.

Speaker 1 (16:10):
Let's pause, and when we come back, I do want
to hit on Max in the quarterback. What we saw
today offensively will weigh in on the old line. We'll
weigh in on what Max was able to do and well,
in most cases, what he didn't do. But that's all
part of the conversation. Here is the Vikings win. They
beat the kiddies, they sweep the Lions. Used to be
difficult to beat Detroit Vikings two for two in twenty

(16:32):
twenty five. As they improved to eight and Aid's Vikings
fan Line. Rod Johnson's here. Max Fuller's at the station
in Saint Louis Park on his birthday. Happy thirty second birthday,
Max Fuller. And we're going to continue with Vikings fan line.
This is Minnesota Vikings Football. I got this from Ryan

(16:59):
and Michigan. Welcome back to Vikings van Line. Nordo, Ron,
Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to you. Merry Christmas to everybody
listening to Vikings fan Line, those of you that tuned
into the game. We're not live in local at least
our shows aren't. We got Gophers football with New Mexico tomorrow.
PJ about to be undefeated in bowl games. That's pretty sweet.

Speaker 2 (17:16):
That'll be live.

Speaker 1 (17:18):
We'll be back with you on Monday though, nine to
noon for sure. I just wanted to say thank you
to everybody that listens to the fan at any point
of all of our shows, weekend, weekdays, whatever. We just
were very thankful for you this Christmas season. Merry Christmas,
but Ryan and Michigan, he says, Ron, we got the
Vikings win, and that feels great. We have to be

(17:38):
done with this, brozmer guy though, right four quarters at
home now against the Packers coming up. Gonna roll that
John Wolford guy or whatever that character's name is. He's
been with KOC, He's got some wins, high leverage spots
with the Rams. Let's go, let's beat the pack Love
you guys, Thank you, Ryan, Max Broseman nine to sixteen
fifty one yards. He was sacked seven times. There were

(18:00):
moments where you felt, Okay, I see where this thing
is going. Run game certainly helped him in some spots,
except it didn't help him. Max Brozmer Signs of Life
the second half of the Giants game. Dreadful in the
Seattle debut and really just not very good again today.

Speaker 2 (18:17):
What'd you think of that? Ron Johnson, Yeah, it just
seemed like he was a little gun shy.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
You know, when you think about the Seattle game, the
Giants game, he didn't have a lot of time to
think about it. But again another game he practiced all
week or you know, three days or whatever, but you know,
kind of thinking about everything that was going to happen
in his game, and it just felt like he was
kind of, you know, gun shy, like he didn't really
want to pull the trigger on some throws.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
Some of the throws were late.

Speaker 3 (18:41):
Some of the arm angles were kind of weird, like
it didn't look like a true, like productive arm angle.
It looked like a side arm kind of deal trying
to get the ball to the drop off. And so
it's it's I mean, he's my guy, he's a gopher.
But yeah, it's kind of tough to watch. You know,
it's tough to watch when you see it. But I
just wonder what type of game plan they gave them, Like,

(19:02):
did they give them a hey, let's trust our defense,
don't force it take the sack, because again last game,
you know, see Seattle game, he didn't want to take
a sack and through one of the worst interceptions. That's
gonna stay on his resume forever. Right, it felt like
this game he tried not to do that. You know,
it felt like every time somebody was around him or close,
he was like, I'm gonna try to get out the pocket.
If I can't get out the pocket, i'm gonna just

(19:24):
take this sack. And that's what it felt like. And
maybe that was the especially like as the game went on,
they're like, look, we're in this man, just don't don't
give them a pick six like, don't do anything detrimental.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
And look at the offensive line though, you.

Speaker 3 (19:37):
Know, like you're with out O'Neil, you're without darrisaw and
without Kelly, Like, can you really say you tried it
out the best offensive line. You didn't have Jordan Mason
either to help you out in the run game, so
you know, it was a very he didn't have TJ. Hockinson.
It was a very bruised and battered offense. And to
come away with a ten to twenty three win over
the Lions again, you just got to say, man, Brian Flores,
you deserve everything you're getting tonight, whatever Christmas gifts were,

(20:00):
whatever sants is bringing you, whatever like bonuses are in
this everything, Like, you deserve whatever gifts you get, whatever
flowers they want to give you for that, whatever interviews
are coming his way.

Speaker 1 (20:12):
He definitely earned it tonight. You know, I I don't
want to dagger the kid because we've just seen him
now in three appearances right and one forced into the mix. Actually,
I would say his most competent appearance has been the
one in which he had not planned on appearing. That
would be last week when McCarthy gets the hand injury. Yep,

(20:34):
and I want to blame it on the old line. Right,
There's there's this this never ending optimist in me where
I want to just keep I just want to get
my chips on the table and put them behind Max Brosmer.

Speaker 2 (20:46):
I can't do it. I can't do it. And he's
going to get another opportunity next week.

Speaker 1 (20:51):
If if McCarthy and this, I think it's a very
very small hairline.

Speaker 2 (20:55):
Fracture on his hand.

Speaker 1 (20:56):
However, it was put by the coach similar to a
bone brew effectively, So is it a contusion, is it
a hairline fracture?

Speaker 2 (21:03):
What is it? Will he play?

Speaker 1 (21:04):
We'll find out, But it's just it's if he plays
next week, you know. I just think at this stage
it's clear as we as we get to the end
of the season here with the quarterback position, we don't
know enough about McCarthy. I think we can confidently say
at this stage Max Brosmer is not an answer to
that question. And then we are going to be spending

(21:28):
segments on the fan and maybe if we have you
on at any point throughout the offseason, you have a
podcast and various things you're doing, You're going to be
putting mental equity into it the the the veteran quarterback
that may be in the mix in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 3 (21:45):
Yeah, and you have to look at like, so let's
go Packers game first, right, you bought that up. There's
a chance the Packers like fold up and just say
there's nothing we can do to do any more, you
know what I mean? Like they're nine to five with
they stuff to play, so you know, if they can
get to ten wins, my guess is the Rams beat
the Falcons, forty nine Ers Bears is gonna be an
interesting one.

Speaker 2 (22:04):
But I just don't see the Packers.

Speaker 3 (22:07):
Again, maybe they do put a little equity in this
Vikings game. They try to get to eleven wins, because
they'd be the eleven five and one, and if the
forty nine ers somehow lose.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Twice, they're eleven and six.

Speaker 3 (22:17):
So that could you know, vault the Packers up, you know,
in seeding wise. But I just if if somehow the
forty nine Ers win, I don't see the Packers feeling
like they need to play anybody, you know, because they're
not gonna jump the Eagles. They can't jump the Bears,
they can't jump the Seahawks. And then from there you know,
the between the Bucks and the Panthers who take that next. See,

(22:39):
neither of those teams can push the Packers out, so
it's just between the Panthers now and the Bucks who
get the four which I still think this is a
stupid mech.

Speaker 2 (22:47):
I hate how they do this, but whatever, who get?
I just hate how they get.

Speaker 3 (22:51):
You know, they're getting in with the worst record, Like
you're you're gonna be eight and eight or nine and
eight and you're gonna be the four seed.

Speaker 1 (22:57):
Well it's I mean, this is eight o'clock on Christmas.
I don't I don't want to verbally joust over or
anything here, but either the division matters or it doesn't true.

Speaker 2 (23:07):
But I just I just I don't like that. I
don't know why.

Speaker 3 (23:10):
I just always I always when I see terrible teams
getting the higher seed and hosting a forty nine Ers
team or something like that, Like, I just that's in
my opinion, that's just always me. I've always thought receded
one through seven, But it's never gonna happen. The division
does matter, uh, and that's not the point of it.
So back to the Packers. Packers may or may not
play the Vikings like so you know what I mean.

(23:31):
So if you're if you're KOC and you know the
Packers aren't putting your best out there because to to
the John Wolford.

Speaker 2 (23:36):
Bit, you let Max Brosemurg get another shot at this.
I mean you're you know what, you know what Wolfer
is gonna give you.

Speaker 3 (23:42):
I think again, we talked about JAJ McCarthy having more opportunities.
Why does Max Broseman get more like it was three
it was three net pass the yards. That's terrible. A
lot of that is sacks, we know that. But also
like the kid needs to see ye kid needs to
see live action though, I mean you might as well
see he's gonna be your back up next year. But
my guess is, yes, you need a veteran presence not

(24:03):
only to push McCarthy, but you need a veteran presence
to push for that number two spot as well.

Speaker 2 (24:07):
I think you got to go into you know, OTA's
at mini camp.

Speaker 3 (24:10):
With probably five quarterbacks just to get, you know, get
a feel for what you're going to keep.

Speaker 1 (24:14):
To go to training camp with four. Yeah, I just
and I ain't trying to kick him off the team.
I agree with you. If JJ can't go it's it's
definitely Max and you want and just again just optimistically,
you want to have him feel some success on the
field just hasn't been nearly good enough. I got a
couple of text lines, Gustin NorCal you need an offensive line. Yeah,

(24:34):
the offensive line is battered, beating, it's injured, and it's
awful right now. They were productive in the run game today,
not so much in protecting Max. But I'm not putting
seven sacks on Max, however, or on the O line.
Max had to make some better decisions. He did not,
and it led to problems for him today. Not trying
to kick him off the team, Ron, I'm just the

(24:56):
idea of potentially going into twenty twenty six as JJ
and Max competing for that opportunity, that's just nonsensical at
this point.

Speaker 3 (25:04):
Do you do you agree with me in that regard. Yeah, no,
you can't do that at this point. But again, I mean,
you talked about the offensive line. You can't put it
on them. But you got you know, Justin's school as
your left tackle. Nothing against him. You got Blake Brandle,
you know. I mean, it's just it's it's just inclusion. Yeah,
it's just not what you know when you look at Jurgons,
you look at school like Brian o'neils, he's just this

(25:25):
is not the offensive line. Kevin O'Connell. Imagine when he
drafted Donovan Jackson. You know, when he got free agents
Kelly and Fries, he drafted Jackson. Everybody we all were like, oh, man,
if Darris Heal can come back healthy, this is gonna
be a great offensive line.

Speaker 2 (25:40):
And the healthy has not been the key.

Speaker 3 (25:42):
I think what is it now, the seventeenth offensive line
combination game?

Speaker 2 (25:48):
In fact?

Speaker 3 (25:48):
Yea, so it's like seventeen or eighteen at this point now,
because we're at fifteen a while back.

Speaker 2 (25:54):
I know that like a couple of games ago.

Speaker 3 (25:55):
So this is now probably seventeen different combinations of offensive linemen.

Speaker 2 (26:00):
Yeah, it's it's it's.

Speaker 3 (26:02):
Not a great like line behind, you know, for for
Max Brosmer or the run game though nothing really worked
besides the Jordan Addison trip. But I mean I think
Aaron Jones did everything he could do, uh, bouncing off tackles,
you know, yards after contact. But Jordan Addison was the
quote unquote offense MVP with that spark plug he did.

Speaker 1 (26:21):
Yeah, I mean you're you're dead on jones By by
volume gets to fifty three volume of Carrey's That is,
it was sub three per Ty Chandler.

Speaker 2 (26:31):
You see him.

Speaker 1 (26:31):
He returns to the mix, of course, because Jordan Mason's
not in the mix three point four a clip. He
just got seven tots himself. So uh, the the the
five point six average is misleading. The buck fifty eight
in general is a bit misleading because of the Addison
big time uh play. But uh, but yes, all in
all the seven sacks, uh, the pedestrian per carry numbers.

(26:52):
You don't get the push up front that you need
because of the battered and beaten group and uh and
then the kid uh still appears to not be ready
for the bright lights.

Speaker 2 (27:01):
But that's why you have a defense. That's why you
have a kicker.

Speaker 1 (27:04):
How about Reker just the season and just the short career,
but productive career he's had as part of this as well,
it's Vikings fan line, Vikings win twenty three to ten.
Ron Johnson's here, Max Fuller's here on his freaking birthday.

Speaker 2 (27:16):
What a saint he is. I'm Nordo from nine to noon.

Speaker 1 (27:19):
Merry Christmas to you, and we'll continue this conversation around
the Corner on KFA N and the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network.

Speaker 5 (27:27):
Wolves Back Here the Hell Live tonight on the Minnesota
Timberwolves channel on the free radio.

Speaker 1 (27:35):
App Vikings fan Line. I got this from Evan in Byron.
He says, Ron, you being a player, you know, what

(27:58):
do you feel like or do you feel like winning?
Potentially going on a five game winning streak to end
a loss season? Does that carry any momentum for the
team heading into next season. I'd love to know your thoughts.
We've talked about this momentum conversation a bit and again
Vikings fan line.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
Well, Merry Christmas.

Speaker 1 (28:17):
Twenty three to ten the final a US Bank Stadium
Vikings beat the Kiddies. Kitties knocked out of the playoffs
because of this loss today and the Vikings are now
eight to eight, winners of four in a row, and
to Evan's point, if they win next week in the
Border Battle, it would be five straight to end the season.

Speaker 2 (28:33):
Ron, We've talked about momentum.

Speaker 1 (28:35):
Momentum maybe for individuals matters, but momentum as a team
is tough because there's so much turnover, right.

Speaker 3 (28:41):
Yeah, and so for a coaching staff, you know, I
think it's more so of the evaluation of the players
is where these wins are coming. You know, they're able
to evaluate these guys to who's coming Like Jalen Redman,
I mean unless I don't know, what could ever, you know,
not solidify him being on that defensive line now, the
way he's playing like guys like that, These those wins
are what I think.

Speaker 2 (28:59):
He gets a guy, don't you think, I mean he might.

Speaker 3 (29:01):
Yeah, I mean he gets a salary, Yeah, like a
big salary. He could probably eliminate one of the big
salaries because they're like, look, we're not paying this guy
as much, and now we can go out and take
one of these big salaries and maybe bring in two
other guys in free agency.

Speaker 2 (29:14):
Yeah, oh that'd be sweet.

Speaker 1 (29:16):
Momentum is tough maybe for the team, but for the
individual it can matter and Jalen Redman's a great example
of it with this season that he's had to my
next question and then we'll pause again.

Speaker 2 (29:27):
The Vikings by winning today.

Speaker 1 (29:28):
It's kind of been a talker throughout the week, and
rubes whether it's texting the text line during nine to noon,
but several have mentioned it as part of even Vikings
fan line six four six eight six. The text line,
here's the issue with winning. So I can't go and
tell veteran players like, hey, if you tank, we'll get
a better draft pick, stuff like that. They're playing for money,

(29:50):
We've talked about this. They're playing for pride, they're playing
for putting good things on tape.

Speaker 2 (29:55):
So the idea of tanking is preposterous. The ill effect of.

Speaker 1 (30:00):
Winning, and some fans are focused on this is the
fact that by winning today, the Vikings improved to third
in the NFC North. Okay, well, the team's won four
in a row. We're feeling good. Merry Christmas, this is awesome,
go home and open some presents. Well, what happens now
is that your schedule changes slightly, so you're still playing
Bears Lions in Green Bay a few times. And I

(30:22):
don't have the full schedule in front of me, but
I know we got the we got Saints and Bucks.
In the NFC South, we got Patriots and Jets. Those
are those are some road games that we're going to
be seen in addition to our divisional games. But the
third place division in the division means that for three games,
for instance, in the NFC West, we could go from

(30:43):
the fourth place team the Cardinals playing those playing them
on the road, to either playing the Rams, Niners, or Seahawks.
Going from fourth to third place in the NFC East
means that instead of playing the Commanders or Giants, maybe
we're playing somebody else. You get where I'm going with
this South, Instead of playing the Titans, we're playing somebody
else in the South. The frustration around or the implications

(31:09):
of a lost season but winning at the end causing
that schedule to maybe look a bit more difficult in
twenty twenty six, where teams like the Patriots, for instance,
have feasted on a fourth place schedule as they find
themselves near the top of the AFC table this season.

Speaker 3 (31:26):
Yeah, so like for the fans at home to kind
of give you those because you said the teams, right,
So three seeds all the way through, you know, depending
on how this schedule shapes out, you got Dolphins, Bengals,
Coach Chiefs, Commanders, Falcons, and you kind of hit the
nail on the head with those, right, And then you
got the and you got the four seeds because you know, sorry,
and you could you could have the Rams, forty nine

(31:47):
Ers or Seahawks. We don't know how that's it's probably
not Seahawks, but could be rammed for forty nine ers.
But then you look at the four seeds and this
is where you talk about okay, and this is more
from our side, media side, Jets, Browns, Titans, Raiders, Saints, Giant, Cardinals.
Sounds like eight wins to me, you know, like that's
our seven wins. That's where From a media perspective, yeah,

(32:07):
you could say that. From a player perspective, no, we
don't care. Like players don't care. They're not thinking about that.
They're like, look, when we come back next year, we're
going to be better. You know, they're looking at like,
whoever is just finished third? Do they want to play
the Vikings next year because of Jaj McCarthy. So I
don't think the players care one bit or even think
about that. But from a media side, yeah, you look
at those potential teams, but also who's going to turn

(32:28):
around and be the Bears? You know, the Bears went
from worse to first? Could that happen to some of
these fourth place teams? I guess we'll see where the
coaching carousel takes us, because we don't know who's gonna
you know, be the head coaches next year some of
these teams.

Speaker 2 (32:42):
Yeah, no doubt about that.

Speaker 1 (32:43):
I appreciate your perspective on that because that's something I mean,
you can't help it. And again I just the rubin
me has never actively rooted for my favorite team to lose.
But I understand the negative implications we've discussed, not just
the draft position. Vikings doing themselves no favors from a
you know, I think they're picking fourteen or fifteen right now,

(33:05):
maybe it's fifteen. Does this mean now that they're picking sixteen,
will they be picking seventeen if they beat the Packers.
I don't really play that, but just enjoying, specifically on
the defensive side of thing, what we saw today at
this stage, what we're gonna do is we're gonna say
good night to the Vikings Greater Audio Network.

Speaker 2 (33:24):
The next time you're going to hear from us next weekend.
So that's gonna be a little bit of a layoff.

Speaker 1 (33:29):
Enjoy the holiday weekend, the Christmas weekend as it is,
but a week from Sunday next weekend, we're gonna have
the border battle and it's Packers coming to town.

Speaker 2 (33:38):
And now the.

Speaker 1 (33:38):
Packers have been secured a playoff spot frankly because of
what happened today, but in the end, the opportunity to
beat Green Bay regardless of records. That's always a fun
time and a great way to end the twenty twenty
five regular season.

Speaker 2 (33:53):
Thanks to Max Buller producing Happy Birthday, Max. Thank you
to Ron.

Speaker 1 (33:56):
We're going to continue this conversation on the flagship one
hunder point three the Fan also via the free iHeartRadio app.
Keep those texts coming to six four six eight six,
Keep those talkbacks coming. I can read the transcripts here
from my basement. It's a Christmas edition of Vikings Fan Line.
Vikings win twenty three to ten over the Detroit Lions.
They are now eight and eight. You've been listening to

(34:16):
Vikings Fan Line on Kfan and the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network.

Speaker 2 (34:31):
The Wolves.

Speaker 5 (34:34):
Vikings Fan Line now continues on FM one hundred point
three Kfan and the Fan Radio Network. Post game coverage
on the Fan is presented by our broadcast partners, by
Will Shier, by Infinity, by TimberTech, and by your local
Chevy Dealers joined the conversation on Vikings fan Line by

(34:56):
sending us a talkback through the iHeart app, text the
studio at six four six eighty six, call eight hundred
and three two oh five three two six, or send
us a message to any of our KFA ins social
channels now continuing to take your talkbacks, direct messages and calls.
This is Vikings Fan Line with Ron Johnson and kfans

(35:19):
Eric Norton Quist.

Speaker 1 (35:20):
Twenty three to ten, the final at us Banks Stadium
today the Vikings improved to eight and eight.

Speaker 4 (35:28):
What up?

Speaker 1 (35:28):
Merry Christmas everybody, Thanks for tuning into the fan. Thank
you for supporting Vikings Football any of our shows on
the fan. I just hope you're having an awesome Christmas Day.
Max Fuller producing Happy birthday to him. By the way,
he turns thirty two today, he looks twenty five. It's unbelievable.
He's ageless. And Ron Johnson joins me, I'm Nordo from
nine to noon. I'm forty one and I look fifty.

(35:51):
So just got of different paths I guess we've been taking.
But Ron Vikings win twenty three to ten and through
this conversation on the Greater Audio Network, and I'll bring
it here a few more segments on a Christmas Day
fan Line. I've just been getting a ton of this.
This from the talkback machine, Danny from Jordan. Please give
a blank check to b Flow. We cannot lose him

(36:14):
in my book. This is what Danny says. He's even
more important than Koc and I like Koc, but but
Brian Flores is well, it's a contract here from mister
Flores and what do we do, mister Ron Johnson, what
do we do? And you know this of course is
now on the heels of the six takeaways today and

(36:35):
and just the dynamo defensive performance that we saw from
the Vikings.

Speaker 3 (36:41):
Yeah, the best thing about coaches is there's no salary cap.
So I kind of agree. You pay him like a
head coach, like you are a billionaire organization.

Speaker 2 (36:50):
Paying a coordinator.

Speaker 3 (36:52):
Because we've seen coordinators in the past get paid this
money when they're worth it. You gotta pay him, you know,
I don't know what that number is, two three million.
You got to treat him like a head coach and
really make it worth his while to not take maybe
an offer of two to three million from a you know,
from an organization that he might only be there for
two or three years, because it's not going to go anywhere.
You know, you look at like Robert Salad with the Jets,

(37:13):
you know, like he's right back to the forty nine
ers and Alwa's right back to being one of the
candidates this year. Well that you know, it's gonna get
calls because of his defense. So you know, if you could,
if you could stay around and be a coordinator at
three million dollars, why not? Why why why take the
stress of being a head coach if it's not the
right situation. And when I say right situation, like I
see like a retirement of Mike Tomlin and Flores just

(37:35):
steps into the Steelers role as head coach, Like that's
that's walking into a situation of a stable organization.

Speaker 2 (37:41):
Uh, that's willing to take him on.

Speaker 3 (37:43):
But other than that, some of these other teams looking
for head coaches may or may not be a good situation.

Speaker 1 (37:48):
The you know the way that you and and that
was I've talked about this with you Ron that that
was always my thought when he was the assistant post Miami.
He was the assistant for one season with Tomlin. I'm
just thinking that's just obvious that the baton would be
tossed at some point from Tomlin now to to Flores,
but he comes here just to just to clarify though

(38:09):
from from my standpoint, you mentioned the two three million
You know that that maybe keeps him from peaking too
far over the fence.

Speaker 4 (38:16):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (38:17):
But but we would be in lockstep though ron if
I said, uh, the only the only threat to Flores
not being here, the only threat to the Vikings not
finding terms on some sort of new deal to to
have him remain as the defensive coordinator is a head
coaching job, right. Oh yeah, yeah, I think the concept
of him going to another team is preposterous, as like

(38:39):
a lateral move, the only.

Speaker 3 (38:42):
Like again, the only lateral move that makes sense again,
as a team that wants to give him like the
assistant head coach role or the head coaching waiting role,
and he's the coordinator for like the Chiefs, you know,
with Andy Reid or somewhere like that. Because there are
some teams that have hired some coordinators that probably should
be coordinators because they were head coaches that it didn't

(39:02):
work where they were at. You know that, I know
it happens. It's the recycle of a lot of these
coaches that a lot of people are like, man, why
not give some of these new blood coaches the opportunity.
But you know, I again, if it's a lateral move,
it's a lot or move for a lot of money.
If it's a if it's a five hundred thousand million
dollar increase, I don't, I don't. I don't see that
as lateral, especially when you say, hey, you're gonna be

(39:24):
the assistant head coach as well. You're gonna have this
duty to do X, Y and Z when the head
coach can't do it. That's the only other way if
there's a way to get up. But you know, I
think the other thing, the elephant in the room is
still the Miami Dolphins situation.

Speaker 2 (39:37):
You know, when you're when you're when you have.

Speaker 3 (39:39):
A lawsuit against the NFL, it's gonna be tough for
a lot of owners to turn on another owner and say, hey, look,
let's just give them the money. Let's just make them
our head coach, and we don't care about this lawsuit.
I think, you know, when you have to be deposed
and you have to say a lot of stuff that
happened within organizations in order to win your case, that
that might scare off some teams to one to make

(39:59):
them the head coach. And again, I think we talked
about this before. If a head coach were to say
hey or sorry, an owner, hey, we'll we'll hire you
as head coach, but can you drop the suit. I
don't think you want to be the head the owner
that makes that call, you know, because then your name's
going to end up out there as well from like
you know, Tom Pellisero is going to say, you know,
from a source.

Speaker 2 (40:19):
I've heard that this.

Speaker 3 (40:20):
You know, a team has told Brian Flores they'll hire
them if they you know, if blah blah, and then
eventually that source you know, tells what actually what team
it was. Uh, you don't want to be a you
don't want to be a part of that. You don't
want your your ownership name popping up on Adam Schefter
or Tom Pella Sero's tweets.

Speaker 1 (40:35):
Well, I think given the situation though, people have learned
not to tell Bill Belichick what's going on in their
coaching situations. Given that he texted the wrong the wrong
Brian as part of the Giants.

Speaker 3 (40:50):
White Brian that you gotta sorry he texts black Brian,
you gotta you know he had the wrong Brian, you know,
But yeah, he's got to save their fend numbers in
the phone the right way.

Speaker 2 (40:59):
You gotta know which I ain't got the job, do you?
What kind of dummy are you? People on your phone
like that?

Speaker 5 (41:06):
Ron?

Speaker 2 (41:06):
No, No, I know who.

Speaker 3 (41:08):
I use last names so I know they or I'll
say like so and So's mom or so and So's dad,
so so I know, like, oh, that's that's Emma. But
that's that's that's so and So's mom. That's Emma's daughter
or something, you know, like I just I'm not white
Eric in your phone. No, no, no, you're Nordal. There's
only one Nordo out there in the world.

Speaker 2 (41:27):
But again Nordal. Here's the thing.

Speaker 3 (41:28):
If you interview two Bryan's right, that's how that's how
like off the Giants are you interview two Bryan's Why
would you say, oh, I think Brian's gonna get the
job like Fostros. Why would you do that unless they
were trying to prove that Belichick can't hold water, Like
that's the only other reason, like they they threw him

(41:49):
under the bus in order to like make him look
like he can't hold a secret.

Speaker 1 (41:52):
I don't know that mean and somehow that Giants the
GM there. I think it's Joe Shane somehow he's still around.

Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah, after that Hard Knocks, I don't know how he's
got something on the Mara family.

Speaker 1 (42:04):
He must, I mean, I don't know how he hasn't
talked himself out of that building.

Speaker 2 (42:09):
But that's crazy between.

Speaker 3 (42:10):
Sa Kwan stuff and hard Knocks, like you know, the
the Brian and Brian.

Speaker 2 (42:14):
Yeah, it's it's.

Speaker 1 (42:15):
Bad, unbelievable, but Brian Flores still remains our defensive coordinator
for the moment. I would anticipate the Wolfs and everybody
involved would be efforting his stay here in Minnesota as
he is put together a freaking masterpiece on a Christmas Day,
a masterpiece of a defense. And it frankly the plug

(42:36):
and play pieces, you know, whether it's Jay Ward filling
in in spots. You think about Grenard being out of
the mix now with the shoulder Mittellus, he grinded through
his own shoulder situation. He's done for the season. And
I'm not saying it doesn't completely, it doesn't matter. Certainly
the upgrade and talent and spots plays the part in this,

(42:56):
but his ability to work with what he has and
finds success over in the in the grand scheme, the
global view of it, it's it's just terrific and it's
awesome to have him on our team.

Speaker 3 (43:07):
Yeah, I mean with with the number, like I said,
the number of guys out he take, he does less
with more at times, you know, and we keep talking about,
you know, no Mattella's but THEO Jackson and then Harrison
Smith can't bind them leaves, you know, Garnar goes out,
you know, Dallas Turner, you know, turns it up, Jayleen.
You know, Jalen Redman becomes a star. Yeah, I mean,
he's he's he's put and again the Lions were number

(43:28):
one in the NFL for offensive turnovers and they had
their worst They almost you know, doubled you know, the
production now in one week that they have all season.
Like that's crazy.

Speaker 2 (43:37):
Uh, let's do this the Uh.

Speaker 1 (43:40):
The Vikings win twenty three to ten over the Detroit
Lions at US Bank Stadium today. Two more segments of
fan Line to Go. When we were return, I'm gonna
give you our local Chevy Dealers drive of the game.

Speaker 2 (43:52):
Hint, hint.

Speaker 1 (43:53):
It was a short drive and it was an awesome
play that led to seven points and maybe the dagger
of the game for your minute to Vikings. As they
beat the Lions, they kicked the kiddies out of the playoffs.
How about that on a Christmas and the Vikings improved
to eight and eight. Ron Johnson's here on Nordo. We'll
continue Vikings fan line next on the fan. Welcome back

(44:20):
Vikings fan line to the text line six four six
eight six Bradshaw and Brian KFA text line people checking
in on Christmas. Merry Christmas to all of you, Thanks
for listening to the fan. And I'm looking at a
text from Paul here. As the Vikings beat the Lions
twenty three to ten, they improved to eight and eight,
and they if they finished the season with a five

(44:41):
game win streak that will include a Border Battle victory
next weekend, that would be five consecutive for the Purple,
which leads to Paul's text, and he was quick to
note happy birthday to Max by the way, so yes again,
happy birthday to Max. Appreciate him working on Christmas with
us on his b day, So hype. Paul notes if

(45:01):
the Vikes beat the Packers next Sunday, and if they
would have beaten the Bears at home weeks ago by
not making in all caps.

Speaker 2 (45:09):
He's yelling at me one stupid special team's mistake.

Speaker 1 (45:12):
Ron. That means they would finish ten and seven. Would
they be in this season's playoffs? And that's Paul and Fridley. Well,
I'm looking at this thing and I didn't want to
do this, Paul, and I don't want to do this.
Ron to run through this exercise and you get this.
You played this game, Ron at a high level for
a long time. That one play or one game, you

(45:35):
can never look at it that way because of how
many different people are participating in this game and all
the factors into it. But he is actually correct. So
if the Vikings had beaten the Bears, they would be
nine and seven at this particular point. The Green Bay
Packers at nine to five and one. Let's say, if

(45:56):
the Packers lose to the Ravens this weekend, this is
where correct they got to lose to this to the
Pack to the Ravens this weekend, they'd be nine six
in one. Well, if you beat them, you're ten and seven,
and they would be nine seven and one. The Minnesota
Vikings would be in the playoffs. If Devin Duverney had

(46:17):
not returned that kick fifty six fifty eight yards whatever
it was, and then their kicker, I forget his name.
I think a young kid, maybe a rookie, walked off effectively.

Speaker 2 (46:27):
On the purple.

Speaker 1 (46:28):
So that's how close these seasons go. I don't want
this is silver lining season, ron. I don't want to
make it that in this case, given the fact that
we've made a meal of the quarterback situation in twenty
twenty five, there have been myriad injuries. If we did
get into the dance, it's chip chair and chance season, certainly,
but in the sense of making a run, very difficult

(46:51):
to prognosticate that given everything that we've seen. But technically,
as to Paul's point, if we don't let Devin Duverney
do his thing and you get out alive with a
win against the Bears, the fact that or is it Piniero,
or is it Cairo.

Speaker 3 (47:08):
Santos Heros, it is Kyros. So, Yeah, he made a
forty eight yard field goal.

Speaker 2 (47:13):
He made a forty eight yard field goal. Thank you.

Speaker 1 (47:15):
I I filibustered long enough for you to find that
particular stat the that's how that's how these seasons roll
sometimes ron is one play or one game can turn
a non playoff team into a postseason run potential, or
a playoff team into a watching everybody from your couch.

Speaker 3 (47:36):
Yeah, I mean so, yeah, we can't say because you know,
we know we talked about the butterfly fed right the
whole what happens.

Speaker 6 (47:43):
As special team's his fault, that's what that's what, Yeah,
because it could have been other stuff like like anything
else could have happened, Like I get it, but but
to the same token of that, like you kick it
because we were talking about that, right, kick it out
of bound, you put it at the forty or something
like that, or you don't give him a chance to
return it.

Speaker 2 (47:58):
But now, what is it?

Speaker 3 (48:00):
I think we said it was at thirty yards put
them in the field goal range.

Speaker 2 (48:03):
So two explosives. Yeah, we could.

Speaker 3 (48:06):
We could play that game too, because then if they
kick it out of bounds, so let's see, let's kick
it out of bounds at the forty, they get two
big plays and they kick the field goals. Then we're
all saying, like, man, the special team sucks. Why did
you kick it out of bounds? So I think it's
one of those double edged swords. Like, I think either way.
I just think the way the fate would have happened
this year with the Bears, they would have won that game.

Speaker 2 (48:25):
I just think at that moment, whether.

Speaker 3 (48:27):
You kick it out of bounds, you kick it to
the guy at the end of the day, just kick
it and cover like kick it and cover like that.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
That's that's where you kind of wonder.

Speaker 3 (48:35):
And I don't know why, but we talked about like
lack of explosive plays with this new kickoff rulee, I
still see teams actually finding ways to get some plays
out of this, So I don't I don't know what
else fans can say to that, but it's I think
either way, that game was going to be a loss.
Like the season is going the way it was going
to go. The Bears are having a historical magic season.

(48:57):
You know, nobody expected Kleb Williams have a turnaround like
he did and they're going to the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (49:02):
No, I agree with you in the regard, and it
can't be this simple, But in some ways, it's just like,
did we have we earned it? If I told you
that the Vikings were a playoff team, would that make
sense based off of what we see and it's my
favorite team. I want them in the postseasons obviously, but
it's just like, yeah, I don't know if they earned

(49:23):
it in twenty twenty five. You know who earned it today,
Our local Chevy dealers, who have supported us via fan
line all season long. Love our local Chevy dealers. They
do a bit local Chevy dealers drive of the game,
get it well. Jordan Addison got it in the fourth
quarter as it was a thirteen to ten game, and

(49:46):
I believe it was a Bates field goal just about
a minute prior to that made it thirteen to ten
in favor of the Vikings. All Right, late stages of
the fourth quarter. It's Christmas Day, people got stuff to do.
Let's not tie this thing up and send it to
ot potentially, Let's find our way to the finish line.
It was a two play drive and a great answer
and a dagger on the game that ended with a

(50:08):
play like this.

Speaker 2 (50:09):
All right, Brozemer takes it's.

Speaker 1 (50:11):
A trick play and here comes Jordan Edison's teaming to
the party to the.

Speaker 7 (50:17):
Thirty, get to the five close to the end zone
PNCY signal, and I said cut in front of believably
sneaky play by the Minnesota Vikings.

Speaker 1 (50:35):
Yeah, that's your local Chevy Dealers drive of the game.
If you can do me a favor, Max, and just
play the very beginning of that where Pa is like.

Speaker 2 (50:42):
I all right, Brozman, that's the late.

Speaker 1 (50:50):
Stages of a of a Christmas Day game in which
really neither team and in the end, now the kiddies
are sitting alongside.

Speaker 2 (50:58):
The purple all right, here's what's going on. It's Brosburgh. Wow,
here we he's loose.

Speaker 1 (51:04):
Beautiful moment there for Jordan Addison and the Vikings and
they put the game on ice. That's our local Chevy
Dealer's drive of the game, and that's where we'll pause.
Final segment. Vikings fan line. Vikings win twenty three to
ten over the Detroit Lions, kick the Kitties out of
the playoffs. It's four in a row for the Minnesota Vikings.
Ron Johnson is here here virtually. He's in his basement

(51:27):
Southwest Metro I Nordo from non to noon. I'm in
my basement out here in Chaskaway, and Max Fuller is
in studio. He's gonna put us on pause. We're gonna
come back and put a rap on this thing. It's
Vikings fan Line.

Speaker 2 (51:41):
On the Fan.

Speaker 1 (51:49):
Final segment, it's a Christmas edition of Vikings Fan Line
on the Fan, your home for Vikings football, by the way,
late tip off tonight nine fifteen and then, and I'm
hoping Max can correct me, it's nine to fifteen pre game,
nine to thirty tip off your Wolves and the Denver Nuggets.

Speaker 2 (52:10):
It's a Christmas Day finale. Vikings got the w.

Speaker 1 (52:13):
Hopefully Anthony Edwards and company can beat Joker Jamal Murray
at all and the Nuggets. So that's gonna be right
here on the fan. But the Vikings win twenty three
to ten. They're now eight and eight. They kick the
Lions out of the playoffs. So those are some positives,
just kind of rounding things out here. Ron Johnson with
me Nordo from nine to noon. Four catches thirty yards.

(52:33):
I mean again, your QB only throws for fifty one
all day. So let's just say, not a lot of opportunities.
Nine completions for Max Brosmer today. But he passes Randy
Randy Johnson, what are we talking about?

Speaker 2 (52:47):
Baseball?

Speaker 1 (52:48):
He passes Randy Moss as the most receiving yards for
any for any receiver in the first six years of
their career in NFL history. So you dig that. And
in today's game, it was Operation eighty three. He needed
eighty three receiving yards to eclipse one thousand yards, and
now it's Operation fifty three in the border battle. If

(53:10):
you're jeff Haffley in the Packers' defense next weekend, you're
trying to shut down Jefferson, do you not care because
you already now have an invitation to the postseason dance.

Speaker 2 (53:21):
Is Jefferson gonna get to one thousand yards this year?
I don't know. I don't know if you will.

Speaker 3 (53:26):
But if I'm the Packers decord, I mean, I don't.

Speaker 1 (53:30):
Know what evidence over the last month and a half
would would lead you to.

Speaker 4 (53:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (53:36):
I think there's a pretty good chance. It's been tough
nothing Nordal. Here's the thing.

Speaker 3 (53:40):
His very first touchdown of the season started the very
first game against the Bears. His next touchdown came against
the Lions November second. He's not scored a touchdown in
you at this is the last week to score a
touchdown in US Bank Stadium. I don't think the Vikings
not I don't think there's never been a season where
the fans haven't got to see a greedy But yes,
if I'm the Packers coordinator, yeah, I'm oh, I'm being

(54:01):
super petty. There's no way I'm doubling trip. I'm going
to the playoffs regardless of what happens in this game.
I am going to be petty. I want you to
go home upset, Like, take your ball and go home.
I'm gonna make Kevin O'Connell go to Jalen Taylor, go
to Jordan Nadisen. I feel like this could be a
game now again, I don't know who's gonna be a quarterback,

(54:21):
but we guess it's Max Brosmer. I feel like this
is a game where one of those two guys get
eighty yards eighty to ninety yards. And here's another thing
though that kind of makes me mad. Why not make
that a shovel pass to Jordan Nadison just to boost
up the passing stats, Like I get the reverse run
makes it a trick play, but you could have done
shotgun and tossed it forward and made it a running play.
Passes play, Yeah, a little pop pass to Jordanassen coming

(54:44):
through the backfield. But yeah, no, I'm I'm definitely doubling
and tripling justin Jefferson. I'm gonna press him and I'm
gonna have a safety over the top. Just why not,
Like there's nothing else we have to do. We're not
gonna go any higher in the seedings. I'm gonna shut
your guy down so that we don't on our watcher.
We're gonna give up one thousand yards.

Speaker 2 (55:02):
Well, there's part of me.

Speaker 1 (55:04):
I mean, if he scores a touchdown in the border battle,
will there be like a fifteen yard taunting penalty? And
then multi what is the penalty if the entire team
comes onto the field and starts doing gritties and there's
just this five minute soak in of we're a non
playoff team.

Speaker 2 (55:23):
The whole season sucks.

Speaker 1 (55:25):
But Jefferson finally got into the end zone after what
feels like an eternity is first touchdown at US Bank Stadium.
As you said, can the entire team go and celebrate.
We'll take all the flags that we don't care about.
That delay of games doesn't matter. We'll kick off from
our own five. It doesn't matter. We're going to spend
five minutes celebrating and just this collective release of the

(55:48):
stress and the frustration of a twenty twenty five. Would
you be cool of that if he gets into the zone. Yeah,
I don't care at that point.

Speaker 3 (55:55):
But I mean, I feel like we're gonna get a
sire relief gritty, Like it's gonna be some type of
like and then he's getna gritty.

Speaker 2 (56:01):
But I go back to this.

Speaker 3 (56:02):
In the red zone though, why not throw four fay
routes to Justin Jefferson? Like I don't like, I don't
understand that too. Like, if you can spread five guys
out and see that they're gonna go man coverage in
the red zone on JJ, throw the fade route like
that's That's the one thing that I've always wondered is
I would force the ball to him at least twice,
just to see if they're covering him. Man, give him
a fifty to fifty ball, you know, treat it like

(56:23):
Randy Moss. And we haven't seen a lot. We haven't
seen that this year really, I mean the times great.

Speaker 2 (56:28):
Did you see that it was first or second down? Yeah?
Or the bangate? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (56:33):
Well yeah, I made that cut and he got inside
and just just I think he had an opportunity there
and it was about three.

Speaker 5 (56:40):
He did.

Speaker 3 (56:40):
There is a defender in front, but that's more of
just it should have been thrown soon. You know it's
a bang gate. You know that the defender is up
towards the like goal line. Just layer it. Make a
layer throw so Justin can keep running to the back
of the end zone versus a laser beam that goes high.
And that's again that comes with playing more downs in
the NFL and realizing the game goes faster. We've seen

(57:00):
Max make that throw to Daniel Jackson in the Michigan game.
He can make the throw, but this was not that
type of throw. He threw the same type of ball.
It has to be a layered, softer, earlier throw. And no,
just like you just have to know Justin Jeffson's gonna
win and that was the key there.

Speaker 1 (57:15):
Well, let's end it there because this offense in twenty
twenty five, Ron is it's a mystery wrapped and enigma
that is put in Pandora's box and we will hopefully
just get to move on from it and expect something
better in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 2 (57:32):
Merry Christmas, Ron, thanks for hanging out man. Merry Christmas,
thanks for hanging out with me as well. Thanks to
Max Fuller. Happy birthday to Max, Merry Christmas Birthday, Max.

Speaker 1 (57:41):
And Merry Christmas to all of you for listening to
Vikings Fan Line. Vikings win twenty three to ten over
the Detroit Lions. Vikings Now eight and eight week from
Sunday or next weekend, we're gonna have the Border Battle
Packers in town a US Bank Stadium, chance to end
the season on a five game win streak.

Speaker 2 (57:58):
Who's gonna play QB?

Speaker 1 (58:00):
Don't ask me, I have no idea, And thank you
so much for listening to the fan tonight. Merry Christmas.
Next in about fifteen minutes, you're gonna have pregame for
the Wolves as they are playing the Denver Nuggets tonight
tip off shortly after nine thirty. Thanks for listening to
Vikings fan Line Kfan Fan Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (58:18):
Have a great night.