CBS Sports predicted that the Vikings will clinch a 2020 playoff berth in Week 17, by beating the Lions in a close matchup.
CBS Sports predicted each game on the Vikings’ 2020 schedule, and though the outlet projected the young secondary to get burned multiple times, it still had Minnesota finishing with a winning record.
The Vikings will finish 9-7 in 2020, CBS Sports predicted, which could very well be good enough for a playoff spot. In fact, CBS Sports has the Vikings doing just that, in late-game fashion against the Lions.
Here’s what the outlet said about the Lions-Vikings game in Week 17:
“Faced with an opportunity to clinch one of the NFC’s extra wild card spots, the Vikings go down to the wire with Patricia’s Lions, who get another boost from Stafford’s big arm. In the end, Cousins is ultra-efficient down the stretch to capitalize on Detroit’s ailing secondary, with Dan Bailey securing Minnesota’s trip back to the playoffs on a late field goal. Vikings win 27-24.”
Overall, a Vikings’ playoff berth, even if the team gets knocked out early, would be a fine outlook for a Minnesota team that is relatively young.
The Vikings special teams unit performed well in several different aspects in 2019. Here’s how it can stay that way.
Minnesota has been tormented with inconsistent kicker play for years, but Dan Bailey’s resurgent 2019 helped ease some worries.
Bailey, after making 75% of his field goal attempts for two seasons in a row, went 27-29 last season for the Vikings. If he stays at or near that sort of production, the Vikings won’t have to worry about the kicker position.
The return game is more up in the air, though.
On punt returning, Mike Hughes led the team with 14 attempts in 2019. Hughes, however, might earn a bigger role on the defense after departures in free agency at cornerback.
The team also used Marcus Sherels, who had six returns. Sherels has a 50-50 chance of retiring, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
On kickoffs, the Vikings mostly utilized Ameer Abdullah, who they re-signed this offseason. Abdullah led the team with 13 attempts.
The Vikings special teams unit looked good at times in 2019. Here is what should stay the same and what else needs to happen, in order for the Vikings to find success in that area.
The NFL has made its archival video service free through May; here’s a season’s worth of Dallas games worth revisiting to pass the time.
It’s football withdrawal season. Sure, there’s the free agency frenzy to keep track of, there are mock drafts to dissect, there are contract clauses and salary caps to crunch. But for the fan who just wants to park it on the sofa for an afternoon and take in an honest-to-goodness game, with running and throwing and tackling and after-further-reviewing and all, the pickings are pretty slim this time every year.
In 2020, though, that drought is compounded heavily by COVID-19. Whether on genuine lockdown, practicing some common-sense self-quarantining, or doing a little basement social distancing from the rest of your family and their never-ending Disney+ marathon, the phrase, “Are you ready for some football?” may elicit a slightly more visceral reaction these days.
And while one can satisfy their pigskin craving with tons of original programming like A Football Life, Hard Knocks, and Mic’d Up, nothing restores a sense of normalcy (at least temporarily) like making some snacks, putting on a jersey, and cueing up a regular season game.
The archives go back to 2009, offering over a decade’s worth of football on various viewing platforms. Games are available in several different flavors: full broadcast (best for enjoying Tony Romo’s crystal-ball commentary, Troy Aikman’s no-nonsense stylings, or Booger McFarland’s head-shaking buffoonery), condensed versions (when you need a quick fix just to pass the time during Frozen 2), and even from the All-22 “coaches’ angle” (for maximum nerding out over the Xs and Os).
Cowboys fans, here’s a collection of games worth going back and re-watching, a full 17-game schedule (because there are no bye weeks in quarantine) to keep you cheering (mostly) while you’re under couch arrest.
2009 (finished 11-5, 1st in NFC East)
Week 15: Cowboys 24, Saints 17
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
It was the team’s first season in what is now called AT&T Stadium, but for this ’twas-the-week-before-Christmas tilt, the 8-5 Cowboys traveled to the Superdome to battle the undefeated Saints in primetime.
Dallas jumped out to a 17-3 halftime lead on a touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Miles Austin and a scoring run by Marion Barber. Barber would score again in the second half, but the hero of the night was DeMarcus Ware, who caused a pair of Drew Brees fumbles, one of which ended a late potentially-game-tying drive by New Orleans.
[lawrence-newsletter]
Wild Card Weekend: Cowboys 34, Eagles 14
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Dallas had swept the regular-season series with Philadelphia by a combined score of 44-16. After a scoreless first quarter, the Cowboys blew things open with 27 points in the second and never looked back. Tashard Choice, Miles Austin, Felix Jones, and John Phillips all found the end zone in what was the Cowboys’ first playoff victory since 1996 and coach Wade Phillips’s first-ever postseason win.
Referee Ed Hochuli got loads of airtime in this one, as the two clubs set a league record for the most penalty yards (228) in a playoff game. Sloppy? Yes. But a win over the Eagles is a win over the Eagles. And a win over the Eagles in the playoffs is even sweeter.[lawrence-newsletter]
The Vikings announced that they have agreed to terms with kicker Dan Bailey Thursday. At least he isn’t leaving…
Dan Bailey is coming off a great 2019-20, and the Vikings decided to lock him in.
Minnesota announced that it has agreed to terms with Bailey on Thursday. There’s no report regarding the years or money on his contract just yet. Vikings Wire will update this article when that information is released.
Bailey made a little more than 93% of his field goals in 2019-20, which ranked fourth in the NFL. He was also more than 90% on extra points.
Minnesota’s kicker and punter will both return to the team for 2020, according to reports. Britton Colquitt and the Vikings reportedly agreed to a new deal earlier in the offseason.
After Bailey had two seasons where he made just 75% of his field goals, one of which was with Minnesota, the Vikings kept with him and were rewarded for it with his performance in 2019-20.
“He’s just a quiet demeanor, with confidence,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told the team in regards to Bailey. “He doesn’t get too high or too low about anything.”
“Every time I talk to him, he’s steady as a rock,” Zimmer said.
One of the biggest mistakes the Cowboys couldn’t admit to was their game plan on special teams. In 2017, long-time kicker Dan Bailey began to falter thanks to leg injuries. A big-leg camp body named Brett Maher ended up getting the job in training …
One of the biggest mistakes the Cowboys couldn’t admit to was their game plan on special teams. In 2017, long-time kicker Dan Bailey began to falter thanks to leg injuries. A big-leg camp body named Brett Maher ended up getting the job in training camp, shocking Cowboys Nation. The team decided that they made their bed and were going to lie in it, sticking with Maher despite horrid performances simply because he was setting records for longest kicks in team history.
Finally, after Maher had sunk the momentum and hope out of one too many 2019 contests, the team moved on. In his place, they brought in Kai Forbath, a journeyman kicker who was once the camp leg competition for Bailey with Dallas. He just proceeded to go 10 for 10 in field goals and 10 for 10 in extra points, pouring salt on the wounds of games Dallas remained just out of reach in after Maher misses. Not willing to make the mistake of kicker purgatory again, Dallas has inked Forbath to a new deal on the first day of the 2020 league year.
Cowboys to re-sign K Kai Forbath to a 1-year deal, source confirms to @usatodaysports.
His career Dallas line: 10 of 10 FGs. 10 of 10 XPs.
Early in the offseason, the club brought in ST coach John Fassel, who comes with an exciting reputation for being a risk taker with kick and punt fakes and all-around quality teams units from his days with the Los Angeles Rams. So it’s interesting the club decided to return to Forbath instead of Fassel’s longtime kicker Greg “The Leg” Zeurlein, who is also a free agent this offseason.
Bailey is also a free agent this year after returning to form in Minnesota in 2019, but the team still chose Forbath.
There’s reason to believe Forbath will continue to be a solid kicker. Since a really bad 2015 when he made just 67% of his kicks for New Orleans and Washington, he’s nailed over 89% of his field goals since.
The downside is he has just an 86% extra point conversion rate over that time. He also doesn’t have a high percentage of touchbacks on kickoffs and ranked 43rd with a 3.91 average hangtime.
That means Fassel’s group will have to consist of quick pursuits and solid tackling to keep Dallas from being on the bad end of field-position battles.
Regardless though, if he brings a similar level of consistency as he did for the final stretch of the season, a team that is less inclined to rely on kicking field goals (head coach McCarthy is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Jason Garrett when it comes to fourth-down chutzpah) should have plenty of confidence whenever the situation calls for one to be made.
Bailey struggled for two seasons before he had his breakout season in 2019-20. He made just 75% of his field goals for two consecutive seasons. Then, in this most recent season, he made over 93% of his field goals. It will be interesting to see if Bailey comes back and has a year like he just did, or starts to fall off.
Bailey is 32 years old, so the Vikings could always go out and find a younger kicker. But Minnesota has struggled with young kickers in the past and the team knows what Bailey is capable of when he’s in rhythm. You can read this piece for more on Bailey’s outlook.
Dan Bailey had a resurgent 2019. But should Minnesota re-sign him?
In 2018, Adam Vinatieri showed the Colts he still had it.
The Indianapolis kicker went 23-27 (85.2%) on the year. Vinatieri’s 2018 marked the sixth consecutive time he had a field goal percentage of more than 85%. It wasn’t the version of Vinatieri that went 90% from field goal range, but he could still be competent, and he had never proven otherwise.
Then, 2019 happened. Vinatieri hit a wall and ended the year 17-25, just 68%. It seemed like there was no build up to it: for the first time in his illustrious career, Vinatieri’s age started showing.
What does this have to do with Dan Bailey? Hopefully, if you’re the Vikings, absolutely nothing. But it’s hard to say whether Bailey’s resurgent 2019 was a sign of more to come or a bright spot before a decline.
After Bailey had two seasons — one with the Cowboys and one with the Vikings — of making 75% of his field goals, the Vikings kept with him and were rewarded for it. Bailey finished last season 27-29, including 3-3 on kicks from 50 yards or more.
It looked like Bailey had figured it out once again and returned to a skill level that was reminiscent of his earlier seasons with Dallas. However, it’s so hard to predict when a player, especially a kicker, is going to fall off all of sudden. It happened to Vinatieri, it happened to Peyton Manning, it has happened to so many great players who stayed in the NFL and continued to compete against players younger than them.
Determining whether Bailey’s good seasons are behind him or not has even higher stakes for the Vikings this offseason, because Bailey is entering free agency. It’s hard to say whether the Vikings will go with Bailey for more year(s) or take a chance on a younger kicker with a worse resume.
Monetarily, Bailey likely wouldn’t break the bank, even for a team that is as strapped for cash as the Vikings. Spotrac doesn’t have a market value for Bailey right now, but his age mixed with past seasons that were inconsistent, would probably not command a huge salary. My guess is around $2 million, and probably not more than $3 million, a year.
It’s not a big dent in the salary cap, but if the Vikings sign him, he will be the No. 1 option for the foreseeable future, and that could spell trouble if he hits a wall. The Vikings might not be able to tell that Bailey isn’t the kicker he used to be before he has missed kicks early in the season. I don’t have to tell those who have watched Vikings kickers, that a miss can change a season. So should the Vikings re-sign a kicker who is coming off a good year, or find someone else? It’s hard to say right now, but I think the team should at least be looking for other options.
Here are four free agent kickers the Jets should target in free agency.
After a revolving door of kickers came through One Jets Drive in 2019, New York is in the market for a legman once again.
The Jets planned on Chandler Catanzaro being their starting place kicker last season, but he decided to retire during training camp. Then came Kaare Vedvik, who lasted all of one game for the Jets. They finished the season with Sam Ficken, who had his ups and downs and is now an impending free agent.
Kicking was a huge problem for the Jets in 2019 and they need to find stability at the position. They can’t lose games because of their kicker missing an extra point or field goal.
So, let’s take a look at what kickers New York can target in free agency.
Ka’imi Fairbairn
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Ka’imi Fairbain is one of the youngest available kickers and he has been pretty consistent over his three-year career.
Fairbain has made at least 80 percent of his field goals in three seasons with the Texans. His best season came in 2018 when he went 37-42 on field goal attempts. Last season, Fairbain didn’t get as many opportunities, but was 20-25.
The only concern with Fairbain is kicking from 50+ yards out. In 2019, Fairbain made 50 percent of his field goals from 50 or more yards. He was better from that distance the two previous years at 66.7 and 75 percent.
At 26 years old, Fairbain would be a solid get for the Jets. He won’t come cheap, but if the Jets want to have a consistent kicker, then they should pay Fairbain what he’s worth.
Which players were most missed due to injury in 2019, and in what ways did their absence effect the Cowboys?
Despite seemingly operating at near full strength, the 2019 Cowboys fell well short of expectations, en route to missing the playoffs for the third time in five seasons. Every year, every team is affected by injuries, and how well each team adapts generally determines how far they ultimately reach. Dallas might’ve been spared injuries to their most prominent names, but they also felt subtle losses from key depth players throughout the season.
Which Cowboys players were most missed due to injuries in 2019, and how did their absences contribute to the year’s disappointing results?
5. DE Tyrone Crawford
The seventh-year Canadian had a very busy 2019, just not on the football field. Crawford’s status was in doubt from the very beginning, as his involvement in a Panama City bar fight opened the door for the NFL to hand down punishment.
However, it was a lingering hip injury that eventually ended his season, after he appeared in only four games. Previously, Crawford had missed just four games total over his first six seasons, during which he was a reliable presence along the Dallas defensive line. A versatile, veteran leader, Crawford had recorded at least four sacks and 27 tackles in each season from 2015 through 2018, yet managed only one sack and three total tackles in 2019.
But perhaps even more impactful than the loss of Crawford’s modest production was the ripple effects his absence caused. Would the Cowboys still acquire DT Micheal Bennett if Crawford were healthy? Or how differently would Trysten Hill’s rookie season be viewed, had he not been pressed into action too early after Crawford first went down? Oftentimes, the secondary effects of losing a player make a bigger impact than the player’s actual loss.
In his second season with the club, Dan Bailey was 27-for-29 on field goals, connecting at a 93.1 percent clip.
Remember when we thought the answer to the Vikings’ kicking problem was Kaare Vedvik?
Ah, memories.
For all the ups and downs the Vikings have had at kicker through the years, the 2019 season was a pretty smooth ride.
In his second season with the club, Dan Bailey was 27-for-29 on field goals, connecting at a 93.1 percent clip, just 0.7 off of his career high. That mark also ranked fourth in the NFL.
Bailey, 31, is a free agent this offseason but it would be a huge surprise if the Vikings didn’t bring him back — or at least try to. Bailey doesn’t have the biggest leg and he did miss four extra points in 2019, but for a team that has gone through so much at the position, we can look past all of that.
It would seem silly to draft a kicker considering the Vikings are already down a fifth-round pick for acquiring Vedvik last August.
