Now more than a year since the grand opening of U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings new home continues to receive attention across the league and beyond.
Recently, Business Insider's Sam Belden **included U.S. Bank Stadium** in his list of "25 North American stadiums that should be on every sports fan's bucket list." Belden opined that with the development of facilities today, "the on-field action is usually only half of the fun of attending a live event." He wrote:
But as good as most facilities have become, some stadiums stand out. Whether because of their amenities, their history, their design or simply the quality of the events they host, these venues go above and beyond to give attendees a great experience almost every time their doors open.
Belden assembled his list alphabetically rather than in any sort of ranking. He said of the Vikings digs:
The lowdown: Located in downtown Minneapolis, U.S. Bank Stadium is a sleek and striking homage to modern architecture. There are other new NFL stadiums, but none look nearly as cool, and besides, Vikings fans are some of the most passionate in the game. If you're hungry, check out Andrew Zimmern's Canteen for some bizarre (or not-so-bizarre) foods.
U.S. Bank Stadium was one of four NFL venues included on Belden's list, joining Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs), CenturyLink Field (Seattle Seahawks) and Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers).
Keenum's pocket presence under pressure
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer said during his podium session with media on Monday that Sam Bradford's is "probably day-to-day" and that he feels confident in Case Keenum if the backup quarterback is called on in any more games.
ESPN's Courtney Cronin on Tuesday delved into Keenum's performance at Pittsburgh, his first as a Viking, and **how he fared under pressure**. She wrote:
Keenum faced substantial pressure against Pittsburgh's fast, physical defensive scheme, which limited him to 2-of-8 passing for 39 yards when pressured. He was better when he had time to formulate his throws, completing 18 of 29 passes for 128 yards when not under pressure, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
Cronin quoted Zimmer, who on Monday said that he "didn't see a lot of protection issues" against the Steelers but rather than multiple factors affected the pocket. Cronin wrote that "there's always an adjustment" for offenses, especially the offensive line, when a quarterback swap is made.
According to Cronin, the pocket was kept clean on approximately 54 percent of Keenum's dropbacks. He was sacked twice but didn't place the blame on his linemen.
"Sometimes my feet were not as good in the pocket as they should have been," Keenum said postgame. "I think some of the sacks were because of me being out of the pocket and not where I need to be in the pocket."
So it goes both ways. While the offensive line has to do a better job protecting Keenum against defenses, Keenum needs to watch where he's dropping back and how long he's holding onto the ball.
Tampa Bay pressured Chicago quarterback **Mike Glennon* on 17 percent of his dropbacks and blitzed the Bears 28 percent of the time in Week 2. If Keenum plays, there's a chance the pressure he'll face will feel similar to how it did in Pittsburgh.*
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*Early success by punter Ryan Quigley
After winning the punting battle through the preseason, veteran Ryan Quigley is looking so far, so good.
While it's very early in the season, Chris Tomasson of the *Pioneer Press *pointed out that Quigley has impressed with a **net average of 44 yards** over the first two regular-season games. That number ranks Quigley fifth in the league. Tomasson wrote:
Quigley beat out rookie Taylor Symmank for the job despite Symmank having a stronger leg. But Quigley, a five-year veteran, is a better directional punter, and that's a better fit in Priefer's system, which relies on ball placement to avoid long returns.
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Quigley ranked 13th in the NFL with a net average 39.9 for the Jets in 2014 before he fell back to 36.5 during his rough 2015 campaign. He seems, though, to have found his niche in Priefer's system.
"I'd say I'm more on the throwback side of things," Quigley told Tomasson. "I'm not going to be (Oakland's) Marquette King or some of those other guys that bomb it 60-some yards. I can hit big balls when needed, say if we're backed up in the end zone. For us, the goal is just hitting consistently, staying away from those big misses and putting the ball where it needs to be put."
