Editing Episode 614 (section)

== Mailbag ==

* '''Tank B''' — How will the Bears spin Caleb's injury as the city of Chicago's fault, and what will Indiana offer to help? Arif: the city of Chicago's fault is obvious — outdoor stadium, natural grass, rain, no billion-dollar roof because the city declined to fund one. Indiana will offer the entire city of Gary, which is worse than Chicago in most measurable respects but does have the potential for a roof.

* '''Skolobites''' — Was Garrett Bradbury the best Vikings offensive lineman on the field? Arif: he was doing significant work for Minnesota — multiple penalties, multiple pressure giveups, worst PFF grade on the offensive line. Christian Darrisaw was great. Also from Skolobites: given the Baldy tape breakdown, how good should Vikings fans feel about Caleb Banks after Sunday? Arif: the positive clips are real and the plays happened. The grade reflects that negative plays outweighed positives. He should not be playing 60 snaps. Continue to be excited about potential, do not expect him to start.

* '''Arif's Midlife Crisis''' — Can Flores be the first to blitz 100%? Arif: 27 of 32 dropbacks were blitzes against the Bears. What was he thinking on the other five? There has to be a game at some point where an opponent simply does not drop back to pass often enough to give Flores the opportunity to be tested, and every single dropback becomes a blitz.

* '''Wentz Messiah Complex''' — Were the Bears just le tired from scoring too many points last week? Arif: the emotional hangover is documented. The Dolphins scored 70 in week three of 2023, then gave up 48 to the Bills in week four. The Vikings' 2-0 record reflects getting the right side of two coin flips with a backup quarterback. With Kyler, these are not close games.

* '''Wentz Messiah Complex''' (also) — Which punter won the head-to-head, Thorson or Taylor? Taylor: two punts inside the 20 vs three for Thorson; 50% return rate conceded. Thorson: better hang time, 25% return rate conceded, 100 more pure punting yards. Thorson probably had the better game. Taylor is still probably the better punter. He probably should not have been called a weapon when they drafted him in the fourth round.

* '''Paul''' — Reasons for optimism given that two first wins felt like coin flips? Arif: the Vikings defence is very good, probably heading toward a top-three finish. The quarterback situation is improving with Kyler's return. They are likely favoured in the next two games. Getting the right side of two coin flips is not a bad starting position. This is not a team that deserves to be 0-2.

* '''Raul''' — Pick your defensive mind: Zimmer or Flores. Is 2017 still the gold standard? Arif: the 2017 Vikings defence had the best third-down conversion rate allowed on record going back to 1991, and is legitimately in the conversation for one of the better defences of the decade — behind the 2013 Seahawks, 2015 Broncos, and arguably 2019 Patriots. In his head, peak Zimmer is probably better. In his heart, Flores is what is happening right now and it is insane. Also from Raul: who is the GOAT of blocked kicks? Pro Football Journal's data historian lists Ted Hendricks first in combined punt and kick blocks (22.5 with seven punt blocks). Alan Page is second with 27 combined, 26 of which are kick blocks — the most straight kick blocks on record. Of modern players: Sean Rogers (17), Julius Peppers (13), Calais Campbell (10). Three Vikings in the top 30: Carl Eller (28th), Matt Blair (5th), Alan Page (2nd).

* '''Damian Barrett''' — Tampa or Miami: which is the bigger trap game? Arif: Miami, easily. They are bad at nearly every position. The Vikings will be emotionally relaxed going in, which is dangerous. The 2018 game — Vikings were 18-point favourites, lost the biggest regular-season upset in NFL history at that point — was invoked as mandatory reminder. Harrison Smith is the ideal messenger for that warning. Tampa has real players: Baker is volatile but capable of going off, Mike Evans is Mike Evans, Vita Vea and Antoine Winfield are legitimate. Miami is just bad.

* '''Antatek''' — Which upcoming opponent is most likely to crack the Flores blitz? Arif: Brock Purdy (highest EPA per play against the blitz over three years, week 11, Shanahan can scheme it) and Josh Allen (highest success rate on deep balls against the blitz, second or third best scrambler in the NFL, can outrun the secondary if the edge is unblocked). Weeks 8 (Goff), 9 (Allen), and 11 (Purdy) flagged.

* '''Nolan Kehler''' — Wagner corner: Is Carson Wentz more of a Siegfried, a Parsifal, or a Lohengrin? Arif: Parsifal passed purity tests including virginity, which may be how Wentz sees himself, not how the evidence suggests he should. Lohengrin has superhuman charisma and fighting ability — antithetical. Siegfried, per Wagner's own letter to Uhlig: "a boy so stupid, he had never learned to be afraid." Case closed.

* '''Room Temperature''' — Same Name, Different Job corner: averaging love for the player and celebrity of the same name — Harrison Smith (safety) vs Harrison Smith (InfoWars host), Paul Allen (play-by-play) vs Paul Allen (Microsoft co-founder), Jay Ward (cornerback) vs Jay Ward (Rocky and Bullwinkle creator and also a baseball player), Fran Tarkenton (quarterback) vs Fran Tarkenton (host of That's Incredible, loan company shill, Tony Robbins associate). Arif's clarification: those are all the same Fran Tarkenton. Winner: Jay Ward — his Wikipedia page has no controversy section, and mild anti-Russian sentiment during the 1960s compares favourably to co-founding Microsoft and running InfoWars. Jay Ward, Jay Ward, Jay Ward.