Gästeboard » The buzz surrounding the Minnesota Vikings a year

ago was unmistakable William Perry Jersey , after the addition of the best available quarterback to a roster that reached the NFC championship game.Even for an experience-hardened team directed by a no-nonsense coach, though, the widespread belief that the Vikings were poised to finally win a Super Bowl inevitably penetrated their normally narrow focus. Such infiltration was naturally for the worse, however slight, and not for the better."You kind of have a feeling when you're around a team that thinks about expectations or talks about it a lot in the locker room or to the media, what have you, I think that's when you're not playing your best football," wide receiver Adam Thielen said. "I think teams that usually win Super Bowls or are playoff teams consistently, they're just coming out here and busting their tail. They're not worried about that, and I think that's the mindset of this team."Conveniently for coach Mike Zimmer http://www.thebearslockerroom.com/authentic-mike-ditka-jersey , quarterback Kirk Cousins and everyone else in purple attempting to pivot from the 8-7-1 record in 2018, punctuated by a lackluster loss at home to division champion Chicago that kept them out of the playoffs, the Vikings have long had their best years amid lowered external expectations.Their odds to win it all are merely 13th best in the league. The Bears have the defense coming off the more dominant season, and the NFC North title is in their possession. Still, there will be plenty of heat on general manager Rick Spielman, Zimmer and Cousins this fall, given the investment Vikings ownership has made in them — and the lack of postseason success on each of their resumes. They're pushed hard against the salary cap after keeping the core of the team intact."I hope the people on the outside say, 'Boy, they better be good this year, or else Womens Richard Dent Jersey ,'" Cousins said. "I mean, is that pressure? Yeah, but we're professionals. We're living a dream, and we should have pressure on us, and there should be expectations. I hope we get to play here for a lot of years where people really are putting a lot on us because they expect a lot out of us, because we've shown that we can do it. That should be the goal."Here are some key angles to the 2019 season, which begins for the Vikings at home on Sept. 8 against Atlanta:NEW LOOKKevin Stefanski has taken over as offensive coordinator, directing a scheme with significant influence from new offensive adviser Gary Kubiak that's heavy on play-action passing and more familiar to Cousins from his time with Washington. With wide receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs established as one of the NFL's best duos, the Vikings will seek a better run-pass balance and again try to make running back Dalvin Cook a prominent weapon after his first two seasons were shortened by injuries. Rookie Irv Smith Jr. will join in frequent two-tight end formations with Kyle Rudolph, the longest-tenured offensive player on the team.BETTER BLOCKINGThe offensive line remains a concern until proven otherwise Dan Hampton Jersey , but first-round draft pick Garrett Bradbury ought to be able to provide a reliable presence in the middle. His arrival at center allowed Pat Elflein to slide to left guard, and Josh Kline was signed to be the new right guard. Cousins could use more consistent protection, but the first priority is to re-establish the ground game. The Vikings were 25th in the NFL in yards per rush and 30th in rushing yards last year.SPECIAL DELIVERY?:The kicking game has grown increasingly unstable — and problematic — over Zimmer's tenure, which has entered a sixth season. The Vikings have turned the long snapper role over to rookie Austin Cutting and acquired Kaare Vedvik to likely be the new punter. Dan Bailey is the incumbent kicker, but if he were to struggle, Vedvik, who spent last year on the injured list with Baltimore, could ultimately replace him.HIGH BARROne of the most important offseason developments was the re-signing of linebacker Anthony Barr, who initially agreed to join the New York Jets before changing his mind. He couldn't bring himself to leave a tight-knit group that finished in the top four in the league in yards allowed in each of the last three years. Barr and college buddy Eric Kendricks will start their fifth straight year together manning the middle of Zimmer's defense.ON THE SLATEThe Vikings have a late bye in Week 12, a welcomed respite during a difficult second half of their schedule. Their last four road games (Kansas City http://www.thebearslockerroom.com/authentic-brian-urlacher-jersey , Dallas, Seattle, Los Angeles Chargers) are all against teams that made the playoffs last year, with a combined record of 44-20, and both trips to the West Coast are for night-time kickoffs. The upside to the tough stretch? The Packers and Bears must visit U.S. Bank Stadium over the final two weeks.For more AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL This is a really good hoodie!"Being who you thought we were since 2005!Log In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsBearsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Latest NewsThe Bears DenNotesXs and OsSuperfansEventsFrom The Desk Of...Chicago Bears Product Review: FOCO HoodeezNew,5commentsThis is a really good hoodie!CSTShareTweetShareShareChicago Bears Product Review: FOCO HoodeezFrom time to time we get emails or messages from companies or marketing/PR firms that want us to check out their stuff or their client’s stuff. We’re always being sent links to NFL Draft simulators, or we’re being offered advanced copies of books on football to review, we’re also asked to check out analytical sites to give our expert take on, and every so often we’re asked to give our thoughts on some Chicago Bears merchandise. FOCO recently asked me to check out one of their products, and the product they suggested piqued my interest and freaked me out in a ‘big brother is watching’ kind of way. I was recently online searching for an oversized hoodie to get as a gift for my wife and daughter Womens Leonard Floyd Jersey , so when FOCO showed me their Chicago Bears Reversible Big Logo Hoodeez product I immediately cleared the cookies in my browser. That was just a coincidence right? Regardless, the big-ass hoodies I was looking at were no where as cool as the one at FOCO. I’d love to give a more detailed review of the product, but as soon as I opened the package my wife took it. From what I can gather, the hoodie is warm and comfy, and there is a smaller Bears logo on the white (fluffy) side. Needless to say I’ll need to get one for my daughter now...