I’ve been a bit busy at work the past week or so and I haven’t been able to put out as many lengthy post as I would like to. For the sake of trying to get some semi-regular content on Grant’s Tomb this week for the three loyal readers this blog has, I’m writing a very quick post today.
Anyway, Vikings fans – try swallowing this with your morning coffee.
Jeff George wants to play in the NFL again and he thinks he can help out the Vikings. Vikings beat writer Sean Jensen wrote in the Pioneer Press today that George called Vikings play-by-play guy Paul Allen and asked him to gauge Brad Childress’s interest in signing the 39-year-old.
George hasn’t thrown a regular season pass in the NFL since 2001. But he told Jensen he’s quite confident he can still play and he keeps track of NFL teams that have quarterback issues. With Tarvaris Jackson iffy for this week’s game with a broken finger and Kelly Holcomb out for at least the next two weeks with a neck injury, the Vikings fit that description.
The cliché line to insert in here right about now would be “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry that Jeff George thinks he can help the Vikings.” Me? I don’t feel anything. Brooks Bollinger is the only healthy quarterback the Vikings have heading into the San Diego game. The team has to sign some live or semi-live body at that position this week. With names like Aaron Brooks, Shane Matthews and Koy Detmer mentioned as guys that are available, why not bring in George instead? Either way, I don’t really care. The Vikings season is cooked anyway. Bring on the 2008 NFL draft.
Brooks might actually be the best (cringe) option for the Vikes. He’s mobile, has a strong arm, isn't pushing 40 and has at least had a reasonable amount of success as a QB in the league. Expect Childress to sign some West Coasty, noodle-armed guy like Detmer or Matthews instead.
On Deck: QB options for 2008
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
They are who we thought they were
After today's 23-16 loss to Philadelphia and roughly a year-and-half into the Brad Childress regime, here is what we know to be true about Chilly’s Minnesota Vikings.
1. The defence will be stout against the run.
2. It will be sieve-like against the pass.
3. The offence will get horrible play from its quarterbacks.
4. It will get mediocre play from its receivers.
5. The team will struggle to score 20 points per game.
6. The majority of the games will be close.
7. The Vikings will lose a lot more of those games then they will win.
As Vikings bloggers are starting to point out, it’s getting tough to write anything original as the losses pile up for the Childress-led Vikings. It’s not like the team is finding new ways to lose. They lose the same way every week and no amount of game-planning, coaching, cosmetic changes to the lineup (i.e. Charles Gordon replacing Marcus McCauley as the nickleback) or tweaking of schemes is going to change those results for this team this year.
Sadly, the Vikings are who we thought they were coming into the 2007 season – that is, a team without NFL starting caliber talent at quarterback and wide receiver and a squad ill-equipped to win in the modern-day NFL where team’s have to pass the ball as well as they can run it in order to be a winner.
And if Brad Childress does get fired at the end of what is looking like a 4-12 or 5-11 season for the Vikings (and I’m not ready to join the growing chorus calling for Childress’s head just yet) it will be his bungling of the team’s quarterback position that will be the reason. It was Childress who thought that a quarterback trio of Brad Johnson, Brooks Bollinger and Tarvaris Jackson was good enough to make his kick ass offence hum in 2006. It was Childress who thought Jackson, Bollinger and Kelly Holcomb was sufficient in 2007. He was wrong.
A lot of the blame for the Vikings offensive woes has been directed at its wide receivers. Granted it’s not a strong group. But is it significantly worse than the Reche Caldwell, Troy Brown, Jabar Gaffney crew that the Patriots Tom Brady had to pitch to in 2006? Brady still managed to throw for over 3,500 yards and 24 touchdown passes with those guys last season. The Vikings haven’t had a quarterback throw for 200 yards yet this season.
The truth is the Vikings don’t have one quarterback on the roster right now that any playoff team in the NFL would consider starter-worthy - and maybe even back-up worthy. That is what is killing this team right now and it is what will continue to kill it the rest of the season. And for leaving the most important position on the team in this kind of shape, owner Zygi Wilf may be forced to consider firing the man he called, “the elite head coaching candidate,” back in January of 2006, particularly if the team finishes with an even worse record than last year’s 6-10 mark.
On Deck: Quarterback possibilities in 08.
1. The defence will be stout against the run.
2. It will be sieve-like against the pass.
3. The offence will get horrible play from its quarterbacks.
4. It will get mediocre play from its receivers.
5. The team will struggle to score 20 points per game.
6. The majority of the games will be close.
7. The Vikings will lose a lot more of those games then they will win.
As Vikings bloggers are starting to point out, it’s getting tough to write anything original as the losses pile up for the Childress-led Vikings. It’s not like the team is finding new ways to lose. They lose the same way every week and no amount of game-planning, coaching, cosmetic changes to the lineup (i.e. Charles Gordon replacing Marcus McCauley as the nickleback) or tweaking of schemes is going to change those results for this team this year.
Sadly, the Vikings are who we thought they were coming into the 2007 season – that is, a team without NFL starting caliber talent at quarterback and wide receiver and a squad ill-equipped to win in the modern-day NFL where team’s have to pass the ball as well as they can run it in order to be a winner.
And if Brad Childress does get fired at the end of what is looking like a 4-12 or 5-11 season for the Vikings (and I’m not ready to join the growing chorus calling for Childress’s head just yet) it will be his bungling of the team’s quarterback position that will be the reason. It was Childress who thought that a quarterback trio of Brad Johnson, Brooks Bollinger and Tarvaris Jackson was good enough to make his kick ass offence hum in 2006. It was Childress who thought Jackson, Bollinger and Kelly Holcomb was sufficient in 2007. He was wrong.
A lot of the blame for the Vikings offensive woes has been directed at its wide receivers. Granted it’s not a strong group. But is it significantly worse than the Reche Caldwell, Troy Brown, Jabar Gaffney crew that the Patriots Tom Brady had to pitch to in 2006? Brady still managed to throw for over 3,500 yards and 24 touchdown passes with those guys last season. The Vikings haven’t had a quarterback throw for 200 yards yet this season.
The truth is the Vikings don’t have one quarterback on the roster right now that any playoff team in the NFL would consider starter-worthy - and maybe even back-up worthy. That is what is killing this team right now and it is what will continue to kill it the rest of the season. And for leaving the most important position on the team in this kind of shape, owner Zygi Wilf may be forced to consider firing the man he called, “the elite head coaching candidate,” back in January of 2006, particularly if the team finishes with an even worse record than last year’s 6-10 mark.
On Deck: Quarterback possibilities in 08.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
If you can't write anything nice....
I have to admit, the play of Tarvaris Jackson has sucked the life out of me. One week after basking in the national spotlight where the Vikings seemed relevant again thanks to Adrian Peterson, the team seems to be headed nowhere with the overwhelmed Jackson driving the bus. Some people - like Star-Tribune columnist Tom Powers - are even stumping for Brooks Bollinger to get the start against the Eagles on Sunday. That’s crazy talk.
So today, I’m trying to think positive. And rather than write another post moaning about how brutal T-Jack’s been this year or bitching about how Brad Childress uses (or should I say, how he doesn’t use) Peterson, I’ve decided to focus on some of the team’s pleasant surprises so far.
Today, Grant’s Tomb is going to highlight Kenechi Udeze.
Yes, you read that right. The play of Udeze has been a pleasant surprise. Heading into the 2007 season, Udeze was a pariah of sorts among Vikings fans. But that kind of stuff happens when you are the 20th overall pick in an NFL draft - as Udeze was in 2004 – and then as a starting defensive end you post numbers like he did in 2006 (16 starts, zero sacks). And it wasn’t just Vikings fans that thought Udeze was underachieving. Last year USA Today ran an article that had Udeze ranked as the eighth worst first round pick of 2004. Ouch.
But Udeze’s play in 2007 has him threatening to break that “draft bust” label. With three sacks in six games, he’s just one sack behind team leader Brian Robison, and is on pace to get around seven or eight for the year. Granted, that’s not Michael Strahan territory. But Udeze is being productive and could end up putting up sack totals no Vikings defensive end other than Lance Johnstone has been able to produce in recent years.
Udeze also plays the run pretty well from the left end spot, something that fans don’t appreciate much because ends aren’t paid to stop the run. However, if you can find an end that can defend the run and can generate pressure on the opposing quarterback, that’s a nice combination. Knock on wood here – but Udeze seems to be getting there in his fourth year in the league.
Having written that, it doesn’t appear that Udeze is ever going to be the sack machine he was at USC. He just doesn’t seem to be explosive enough to consistently beat tackles to the outside and then close in on the quarterback for the kill. He’s also not so physical that he can run over the guy blocking him every play. But the early returns in 2007 on Udeze have been much better than they were in 2006. In some games, (the loss to Kansas City in week three, for example) he’s been among the Vikings best defensive players. You wouldn’t have caught me writing that last season.
And the best may be to come. Udeze signed a five-year contract as a rookie. In 2008 he will be in the final year of that contract and playing for a big payday heading into free agency. Contract years always seem to bring out the best in professional athletes. Expect Udeze to be even more productive in 2008.
On Deck: Fire Childress now?
So today, I’m trying to think positive. And rather than write another post moaning about how brutal T-Jack’s been this year or bitching about how Brad Childress uses (or should I say, how he doesn’t use) Peterson, I’ve decided to focus on some of the team’s pleasant surprises so far.
Today, Grant’s Tomb is going to highlight Kenechi Udeze.
Yes, you read that right. The play of Udeze has been a pleasant surprise. Heading into the 2007 season, Udeze was a pariah of sorts among Vikings fans. But that kind of stuff happens when you are the 20th overall pick in an NFL draft - as Udeze was in 2004 – and then as a starting defensive end you post numbers like he did in 2006 (16 starts, zero sacks). And it wasn’t just Vikings fans that thought Udeze was underachieving. Last year USA Today ran an article that had Udeze ranked as the eighth worst first round pick of 2004. Ouch.
But Udeze’s play in 2007 has him threatening to break that “draft bust” label. With three sacks in six games, he’s just one sack behind team leader Brian Robison, and is on pace to get around seven or eight for the year. Granted, that’s not Michael Strahan territory. But Udeze is being productive and could end up putting up sack totals no Vikings defensive end other than Lance Johnstone has been able to produce in recent years.
Udeze also plays the run pretty well from the left end spot, something that fans don’t appreciate much because ends aren’t paid to stop the run. However, if you can find an end that can defend the run and can generate pressure on the opposing quarterback, that’s a nice combination. Knock on wood here – but Udeze seems to be getting there in his fourth year in the league.
Having written that, it doesn’t appear that Udeze is ever going to be the sack machine he was at USC. He just doesn’t seem to be explosive enough to consistently beat tackles to the outside and then close in on the quarterback for the kill. He’s also not so physical that he can run over the guy blocking him every play. But the early returns in 2007 on Udeze have been much better than they were in 2006. In some games, (the loss to Kansas City in week three, for example) he’s been among the Vikings best defensive players. You wouldn’t have caught me writing that last season.
And the best may be to come. Udeze signed a five-year contract as a rookie. In 2008 he will be in the final year of that contract and playing for a big payday heading into free agency. Contract years always seem to bring out the best in professional athletes. Expect Udeze to be even more productive in 2008.
On Deck: Fire Childress now?
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Time to take a pass on Jackson?
While there is usually plenty of blame to go around anytime a team loses, as the Vikings dropped to 2-4 with a 24-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, responsibility for this one lays largely at the locker of starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.
On a day when Adrian Peterson couldn’t save the Vikings offence with 50-yard kick off returns and 70-yard touchdown runs, the team’s offence needed its second-year quarterback to do what NFL starters get paid to do – complete passes, move the chains and put points on the board. Once again, Jackson couldn’t do it. For the game, Jackson completed six of 19 passes for 72 yards. In his past two games, he’s completed just 15 passes, or about as many as the Cowboys Tony Romo had at the end of the first quarter against the Vikings.
Certainly Jackson got little support once again from a receiving corps that caught only two of the six throws he managed to complete and often couldn’t get open even though the Vikings offensive line, for the most part, gave the Alabama State product decent time to throw. But as the season drags on, it’s becoming alarmingly clear that Jackson’s problems are more about accuracy, or lack thereof, than it is about the sub par talent coach Brad Childress has assembled to gather in Jackson’s scattershot throws.
In fact, it’s getting to the point where when Jackson drops back to pass, Vikings fans are genuinely surprised when the result is a catch rather than another woefully overthrown deep ball or another short slant or sideline pattern that is either too high, too far ahead, or too far behind the intended receiver to be caught.
Perhaps Jackson might be a bit more accurate if he kept still once in a while. But he panics quickly in the pocket. On many pass plays against the Cowboys (and this was noticeable against Chicago and Detroit, as well), Jackson barely had his feet set after dropping back to pass before he was shuffling every which way. It’s a lot easier to throw the ball accurately with your feet planted than it is when they are on the move. And Jackson sure throws a lot of inaccurate passes. Hmmmm.
Can Jackson ever become an accurate passer – one whom consistently hits the 60 per cent completion percentage that is generally required to be a successful NFL starter? I’m starting to wonder. You would think accuracy is something that could be improved with practice. But as inexperienced as Jackson is, if he can only complete 31 percent of his passes (as he did against Dallas) after thousands and thousands of throws in practice and in games, after studying hours of film, after participating in every off-season OTA and working with coaches on technique, maybe he never will.
Look, there’s no shame in losing to the Cowboys, who are now 6-1 and are a better overall team than the Vikings. But the problem is that with the team getting next-to-nothing from Jackson as the starter, as long as he remains the starter, the Vikings are always going to be a threat to lose - whether it’s playing the Cowboys or the Rams or the Dolphins.
After a performance like Jackson’s against Dallas, that’s usually when the talk show hosts, beat reporters and fans start calling for the hotshot backup to take over. But Chilly’s dilemma, of course, is that the Vikings have no hotshot backup to take over now that Jackson is proving he can’t handle the job. Kelly Holcomb went 0-2 as the substitute starter for the injured Jackson. And the mere thought of Brooks Bollinger replacing Jackson should lead to vomit-inducing visions of an 0-10 finish for Vikings fans.
So, there’s not much point clamouring for a switch. But even though Holcomb may give the Vikings a slightly better chance of winning than Jackson right now, don’t expect Chilly to make any changes this week, or next week, or the week after that. He sees something in his young pupil and it looks like he intends to stick with him through thick and thin.
Interestingly enough, the Philadelphia Eagles come to town next Sunday to play the Vikings. And Childress, who coached Eagles starter Donovan McNabb back in the day, has sometimes compared the young McNabb with Jackson. I don't know. It’s early in his career, but Jackson is starting to look a lot more like Aaron Brooks than McNabb.
On a day when Adrian Peterson couldn’t save the Vikings offence with 50-yard kick off returns and 70-yard touchdown runs, the team’s offence needed its second-year quarterback to do what NFL starters get paid to do – complete passes, move the chains and put points on the board. Once again, Jackson couldn’t do it. For the game, Jackson completed six of 19 passes for 72 yards. In his past two games, he’s completed just 15 passes, or about as many as the Cowboys Tony Romo had at the end of the first quarter against the Vikings.
Certainly Jackson got little support once again from a receiving corps that caught only two of the six throws he managed to complete and often couldn’t get open even though the Vikings offensive line, for the most part, gave the Alabama State product decent time to throw. But as the season drags on, it’s becoming alarmingly clear that Jackson’s problems are more about accuracy, or lack thereof, than it is about the sub par talent coach Brad Childress has assembled to gather in Jackson’s scattershot throws.
In fact, it’s getting to the point where when Jackson drops back to pass, Vikings fans are genuinely surprised when the result is a catch rather than another woefully overthrown deep ball or another short slant or sideline pattern that is either too high, too far ahead, or too far behind the intended receiver to be caught.
Perhaps Jackson might be a bit more accurate if he kept still once in a while. But he panics quickly in the pocket. On many pass plays against the Cowboys (and this was noticeable against Chicago and Detroit, as well), Jackson barely had his feet set after dropping back to pass before he was shuffling every which way. It’s a lot easier to throw the ball accurately with your feet planted than it is when they are on the move. And Jackson sure throws a lot of inaccurate passes. Hmmmm.
Can Jackson ever become an accurate passer – one whom consistently hits the 60 per cent completion percentage that is generally required to be a successful NFL starter? I’m starting to wonder. You would think accuracy is something that could be improved with practice. But as inexperienced as Jackson is, if he can only complete 31 percent of his passes (as he did against Dallas) after thousands and thousands of throws in practice and in games, after studying hours of film, after participating in every off-season OTA and working with coaches on technique, maybe he never will.
Look, there’s no shame in losing to the Cowboys, who are now 6-1 and are a better overall team than the Vikings. But the problem is that with the team getting next-to-nothing from Jackson as the starter, as long as he remains the starter, the Vikings are always going to be a threat to lose - whether it’s playing the Cowboys or the Rams or the Dolphins.
After a performance like Jackson’s against Dallas, that’s usually when the talk show hosts, beat reporters and fans start calling for the hotshot backup to take over. But Chilly’s dilemma, of course, is that the Vikings have no hotshot backup to take over now that Jackson is proving he can’t handle the job. Kelly Holcomb went 0-2 as the substitute starter for the injured Jackson. And the mere thought of Brooks Bollinger replacing Jackson should lead to vomit-inducing visions of an 0-10 finish for Vikings fans.
So, there’s not much point clamouring for a switch. But even though Holcomb may give the Vikings a slightly better chance of winning than Jackson right now, don’t expect Chilly to make any changes this week, or next week, or the week after that. He sees something in his young pupil and it looks like he intends to stick with him through thick and thin.
Interestingly enough, the Philadelphia Eagles come to town next Sunday to play the Vikings. And Childress, who coached Eagles starter Donovan McNabb back in the day, has sometimes compared the young McNabb with Jackson. I don't know. It’s early in his career, but Jackson is starting to look a lot more like Aaron Brooks than McNabb.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Friday two minute drill
Here’s some stats I don’t like. The Dallas Cowboys have lost seven straight regular season homes games to the Vikings. Dallas has never beaten the Vikings at Texas Stadium except for the 1996 playoff game. And you have to go back, wayyyyyyyy back, to 1968 to find the last time the Cowboys beat the Vikings at home.
I know games are won and lost on the field but these kinds of stats always worry me. Think the Cowboys are due?
Snap to it
Against the Bears last weekend, Vikings sack leader Brian Robison barely saw the field. He was in for just 13 plays and wasn’t happy about it. It turns out the return of Erasmus James severely cut into Robison’s playing time. James did nothing with that playing time against the Bears, so it’s worth watching how many snaps Robison gets as he returns to his home state.
Nobody disputes the fact the Vikings will have to get some pressure on Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and force him into making turnovers if the team has any shot at beating the NFC’s top team on Sunday. Vikings defensive line coach Karl Dunbar ought to think long and hard about getting Robison more snaps in this game to spice up the Vikings flagging pass rush.
Cold Rice
And while we’re on the subject of promising Vikings rookies who saw their playing time reduced against Chicago, wide receiver Sidney Rice wasn’t on the field much last Sunday, either. This was a strange development considering Rice was coming off a career-best game against the Packers. No matter - the coaching staff stuck with Troy Williamson starting opposite Bobby Wade and even had Robert Ferguson getting PT over Rice. The South Carolina alum didn’t help matters by dropping two routine passes when he did get in the game.
Still, Rice seems the most talented of bad bunch of receivers. The conventional wisdom is that the Vikings will need to pass the ball some to make the Cowboys pay for stacking the line of scrimmage in its attempts to stop Adrian Peterson and Chet Taylor. Rice has the speed, size, hands and leaping ability to be the team’s primary wide receiving threat against the Cowboys suspect secondary. Now all the coaching staff has to do is get him on the field and let him do his thing.
Check this out
If you’re interested, there’s an excellent analysis by blogger Dave Halprin at www.bloggingtheboys.com (my apologies, I still haven't figured out how to add links to my posts) on what the Vikings do on offence and defence and what the Cowboys will need to do to stop it. He breaks it down really well here and the post is well worth your time.
And finally...
The Vikings go into this game as the underdog. But there is hope among the fan base that the Vikings can win this one after getting a W against Chicago. I don’t know though - this game doesn’t seem like a great matchup for the Vikings. You’ve got a team that doesn’t do very well defending the pass (the Vikes) going up against a team that likes to pass and is pretty good at it (the Cowboys).
Best case scenario for the Vikings: The defence finds a way to put pressure Romo and forces him to throw under duress, Peterson and CT run effectively and Tarvaris Jackson completes enough passes to keep the Dallas defence honest and the Vikings go into the fourth quarter tied or up by three.
Worst case scenario for the Vikings: Peterson and CT get stuffed early, the Vikes offence has a lot of three-and-outs, the Cowboys get up by two touchdowns midway through the second quarter, forcing the Vikings to abandon the run and put the game in Jackson’s hands. Yikes!
Predictions, anyone?
On Deck: Cowboys/Vikings post mortem
I know games are won and lost on the field but these kinds of stats always worry me. Think the Cowboys are due?
Snap to it
Against the Bears last weekend, Vikings sack leader Brian Robison barely saw the field. He was in for just 13 plays and wasn’t happy about it. It turns out the return of Erasmus James severely cut into Robison’s playing time. James did nothing with that playing time against the Bears, so it’s worth watching how many snaps Robison gets as he returns to his home state.
Nobody disputes the fact the Vikings will have to get some pressure on Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and force him into making turnovers if the team has any shot at beating the NFC’s top team on Sunday. Vikings defensive line coach Karl Dunbar ought to think long and hard about getting Robison more snaps in this game to spice up the Vikings flagging pass rush.
Cold Rice
And while we’re on the subject of promising Vikings rookies who saw their playing time reduced against Chicago, wide receiver Sidney Rice wasn’t on the field much last Sunday, either. This was a strange development considering Rice was coming off a career-best game against the Packers. No matter - the coaching staff stuck with Troy Williamson starting opposite Bobby Wade and even had Robert Ferguson getting PT over Rice. The South Carolina alum didn’t help matters by dropping two routine passes when he did get in the game.
Still, Rice seems the most talented of bad bunch of receivers. The conventional wisdom is that the Vikings will need to pass the ball some to make the Cowboys pay for stacking the line of scrimmage in its attempts to stop Adrian Peterson and Chet Taylor. Rice has the speed, size, hands and leaping ability to be the team’s primary wide receiving threat against the Cowboys suspect secondary. Now all the coaching staff has to do is get him on the field and let him do his thing.
Check this out
If you’re interested, there’s an excellent analysis by blogger Dave Halprin at www.bloggingtheboys.com (my apologies, I still haven't figured out how to add links to my posts) on what the Vikings do on offence and defence and what the Cowboys will need to do to stop it. He breaks it down really well here and the post is well worth your time.
And finally...
The Vikings go into this game as the underdog. But there is hope among the fan base that the Vikings can win this one after getting a W against Chicago. I don’t know though - this game doesn’t seem like a great matchup for the Vikings. You’ve got a team that doesn’t do very well defending the pass (the Vikes) going up against a team that likes to pass and is pretty good at it (the Cowboys).
Best case scenario for the Vikings: The defence finds a way to put pressure Romo and forces him to throw under duress, Peterson and CT run effectively and Tarvaris Jackson completes enough passes to keep the Dallas defence honest and the Vikings go into the fourth quarter tied or up by three.
Worst case scenario for the Vikings: Peterson and CT get stuffed early, the Vikes offence has a lot of three-and-outs, the Cowboys get up by two touchdowns midway through the second quarter, forcing the Vikings to abandon the run and put the game in Jackson’s hands. Yikes!
Predictions, anyone?
On Deck: Cowboys/Vikings post mortem
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Too much, too soon for T-Jack
On some football show on some channel last Sunday, video of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning flashed across my TV screen. The announcer then started to talk about how lucky football fans are to be watching not one, but two, in-their-prime guys playing quarterback as well as anybody has ever played the position.
What was ignored in this piece though is the overall crappy state of quarterbacking in the rest of the league. It’s gotten so bad that on many teams, coaches don’t talk about their starting QB winning games for them, but rather, not losing them. Often, quarterbacks aren’t quarterbacks anymore – they’re game managers.
The Vikings have found themselves in this situation ever since Daunte Culpepper’s knee was shredded back in 2005. The man who replaced him, Brad Johnson, was a game manager. The man who replaced Johnson, current starter Tarvaris Jackson, fits that mold as well at this point in his career – or at least he would like to.
And that’s the problem with Jackson and the Vikings as they prepare to even their record at 3-3 and get back into the NFC playoff race with a win against the Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings have a lot of the elements that should make for a reasonably successful NFL team: an excellent running game, a solid defence, good kickers and an offensive line that – on paper at least – should be among the league’s best. With those building blocks, the Vikings could be a playoff team this year in the weak NFC as long as its quarterback’s simply managed the game properly. But Jackson’s play (and Kelly Holcomb’s too, when he subbed for Jackson for two games) has not approached even that middling level.
Barring some massive improvement from Jackson in just about every aspect of his game, his play is going to cost the Vikings a chance at winning the division and a decent shot of at least reaching the NFC title game. But I won't blame Jackson for this. This is Brad Childress's doing. And the decision to go with Jackson and not acquire a proven veteran at quarterback during the off-season will prove to be Chilly's most fatal coaching decision of 2007.
But perhaps more important than what this does to Jackson this season, Vikings fans should be very concerned that Chilly’s stubborn belief that - two years removed from Alabama State - Jackson is ready to start in the NFL, could be doing irreparable damage to Jackson’s career and set the franchise back several years. The NFL is littered with quarterbacks who were rushed into starting roles before they were ready, failed miserably and faded away. It’s still early for Jackson – but thanks to Childress – his career could be headed that way.
However, if Childress wants to see an example of the proper way to develop a young, raw quarterback, he might want to take a look at how the Jacksonville Jaguars handled David Garrard.
In many ways, Garrard, who arrived in the NFL in 2002, was almost a carbon copy of Jackson. Back then; Garrard was a big quarterback with an even bigger arm and good running ability. He’d been a star in college and put up big stats. But he did it at a small school (East Carolina) against somewhat inferior competition. He was green and needed seasoning. And so he sat on the sidelines for three seasons. But eventually Garrard got more playing time. He started five games in 2005 and 10 in 2006, with mixed results, before being named the starter over incumbent Byron Leftwich on the eve of the 2007 NFL season.
Did the Jaguars patience with Garrard work out?
You bet it did. In his first year as a starter, Garrard has thrown for 1,069 yards, completed 66.2 per cent of his passes, thrown for six touchdowns and has not been intercepted. He also has an excellent quarterback rating of 104.7 – the fourth-best rating in the NFL. Oh yes, Jacksonville also sports a 4-1 record and is in second place in the NFC South behind the 5-0 Super Bowl champion Colts.
The Vikings may have their own David Garrard in Tarvaris Jackson. But we may never get to witness it. Childress’s decision to rush Jackson into the starter’s role before he was ready could be disastrous for Jackson this year and prove to be even more disastrous to him and the Vikings further down the road.
What was ignored in this piece though is the overall crappy state of quarterbacking in the rest of the league. It’s gotten so bad that on many teams, coaches don’t talk about their starting QB winning games for them, but rather, not losing them. Often, quarterbacks aren’t quarterbacks anymore – they’re game managers.
The Vikings have found themselves in this situation ever since Daunte Culpepper’s knee was shredded back in 2005. The man who replaced him, Brad Johnson, was a game manager. The man who replaced Johnson, current starter Tarvaris Jackson, fits that mold as well at this point in his career – or at least he would like to.
And that’s the problem with Jackson and the Vikings as they prepare to even their record at 3-3 and get back into the NFC playoff race with a win against the Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings have a lot of the elements that should make for a reasonably successful NFL team: an excellent running game, a solid defence, good kickers and an offensive line that – on paper at least – should be among the league’s best. With those building blocks, the Vikings could be a playoff team this year in the weak NFC as long as its quarterback’s simply managed the game properly. But Jackson’s play (and Kelly Holcomb’s too, when he subbed for Jackson for two games) has not approached even that middling level.
Barring some massive improvement from Jackson in just about every aspect of his game, his play is going to cost the Vikings a chance at winning the division and a decent shot of at least reaching the NFC title game. But I won't blame Jackson for this. This is Brad Childress's doing. And the decision to go with Jackson and not acquire a proven veteran at quarterback during the off-season will prove to be Chilly's most fatal coaching decision of 2007.
But perhaps more important than what this does to Jackson this season, Vikings fans should be very concerned that Chilly’s stubborn belief that - two years removed from Alabama State - Jackson is ready to start in the NFL, could be doing irreparable damage to Jackson’s career and set the franchise back several years. The NFL is littered with quarterbacks who were rushed into starting roles before they were ready, failed miserably and faded away. It’s still early for Jackson – but thanks to Childress – his career could be headed that way.
However, if Childress wants to see an example of the proper way to develop a young, raw quarterback, he might want to take a look at how the Jacksonville Jaguars handled David Garrard.
In many ways, Garrard, who arrived in the NFL in 2002, was almost a carbon copy of Jackson. Back then; Garrard was a big quarterback with an even bigger arm and good running ability. He’d been a star in college and put up big stats. But he did it at a small school (East Carolina) against somewhat inferior competition. He was green and needed seasoning. And so he sat on the sidelines for three seasons. But eventually Garrard got more playing time. He started five games in 2005 and 10 in 2006, with mixed results, before being named the starter over incumbent Byron Leftwich on the eve of the 2007 NFL season.
Did the Jaguars patience with Garrard work out?
You bet it did. In his first year as a starter, Garrard has thrown for 1,069 yards, completed 66.2 per cent of his passes, thrown for six touchdowns and has not been intercepted. He also has an excellent quarterback rating of 104.7 – the fourth-best rating in the NFL. Oh yes, Jacksonville also sports a 4-1 record and is in second place in the NFC South behind the 5-0 Super Bowl champion Colts.
The Vikings may have their own David Garrard in Tarvaris Jackson. But we may never get to witness it. Childress’s decision to rush Jackson into the starter’s role before he was ready could be disastrous for Jackson this year and prove to be even more disastrous to him and the Vikings further down the road.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Regarding A.P. - Smith protests too much
NFL writers, insiders and pundits have been singing Adrian Peterson’s praises pretty heavy since his 224-yard, three-touchdown performance Sunday against the Chicago Bears. But Fanhouse’s Michael David Smith isn’t one of them.
In a post today Smith wonders if everyone isn’t jumping the gun a little bit in anointing Peterson as the league’s next great force of nature. While Smith may have written the article to be deliberately provocative, (and if that is the case, he succeeded, as his post generated the third-most reader responses of the day at the widely read site) I still had a hard time stomaching his argument that Peterson is currently an “overrated player.”
Smith’s critique of Peterson can be summed up thusly: He did it against a defence that’s not very good, his offensive line opened up holes for him that D.J. Dozier could have run through, he has durability issues, AND there are too many plays where he is stopped for no gain or negative yardage.
I guess you can’t really take issue with Smith’s first point – the Bears defence hasn’t been very good so far. There’s also little doubt Peterson’s offensive line did a nice job blocking for him on Sunday. But it’s one thing to be given those holes, it’s quite another to have those holes and do what Peterson did to Chicago. And it’s not like this was the first game he’s pulled this off, either. There’s a rather long list of starting running backs in the NFL that would have simply had nice 10 to 15-yard runs to show for the plays where Peterson galloped for 67, 73 and 35-yard touchdowns. How many running backs in the league could have taken it to the house like Peterson did on those plays? LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook and Maurice Jones-Drew come to mind. But that’s about it.
Smith also points out that on eight (it was actually nine) of Peterson’s carries against the Bears, he gained no yards or was stopped for negative yardage and adds that, “a running back who fails to pick up a single yard in 40 per cent of his carries has some work to do.” Interested in whether this was the norm for Peterson, I checked game logs that listed the result of every carry he has had in his short five-game career.
It turns out of his 96 carries, 24 of them have gone for no gain or negative yardage, which works out to roughly 25 per cent. That seems fairly high. But it’s still no 40 per cent and it would be interesting to see how that percentage compares to the other top backs in the league. Alas, I didn’t quite have the time today to crunch those numbers.
And then there is the other side of the coin with Peterson – a very good side if you cheer for the Vikings. He is tied for the league lead with Tomlinson among running backs with plays – both running and receiving – that have gone for gains of 20 or more yards. Of the league leaders in this category, only Westbrook and Jones-Drew, who have six each, have had fewer touches than Peterson.
So if Smith is pooh-poohing Peterson on the basis that he is a high risk, high reward type of player, that seems a bit lame. If the Jerome Bettis and Eddie George, three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust type running backs are what he prefers, he can have them. I’m pretty sure most Vikings fans are happy with the rewards they are getting from Peterson so far.
The media tends to froth at the mouth anytime a player – especially a rookie – has a game like Peterson had on Sunday. That’s no doubt what bothered Smith the most. He couldn’t stand all the apparent hyperbole and decided to go about debunking Peterson. But there’s no need to go about debunking A.P. Vikings fans know he’s the real deal. Unless he has a short career due to some catastrophic injury, there’s little doubt in my mind Peterson will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame someday. And I plan on enjoying every second of that career.
Unless the Vikings trade him, in which case I will no longer give a shit.
On Deck: Educating Tarvaris
In a post today Smith wonders if everyone isn’t jumping the gun a little bit in anointing Peterson as the league’s next great force of nature. While Smith may have written the article to be deliberately provocative, (and if that is the case, he succeeded, as his post generated the third-most reader responses of the day at the widely read site) I still had a hard time stomaching his argument that Peterson is currently an “overrated player.”
Smith’s critique of Peterson can be summed up thusly: He did it against a defence that’s not very good, his offensive line opened up holes for him that D.J. Dozier could have run through, he has durability issues, AND there are too many plays where he is stopped for no gain or negative yardage.
I guess you can’t really take issue with Smith’s first point – the Bears defence hasn’t been very good so far. There’s also little doubt Peterson’s offensive line did a nice job blocking for him on Sunday. But it’s one thing to be given those holes, it’s quite another to have those holes and do what Peterson did to Chicago. And it’s not like this was the first game he’s pulled this off, either. There’s a rather long list of starting running backs in the NFL that would have simply had nice 10 to 15-yard runs to show for the plays where Peterson galloped for 67, 73 and 35-yard touchdowns. How many running backs in the league could have taken it to the house like Peterson did on those plays? LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook and Maurice Jones-Drew come to mind. But that’s about it.
Smith also points out that on eight (it was actually nine) of Peterson’s carries against the Bears, he gained no yards or was stopped for negative yardage and adds that, “a running back who fails to pick up a single yard in 40 per cent of his carries has some work to do.” Interested in whether this was the norm for Peterson, I checked game logs that listed the result of every carry he has had in his short five-game career.
It turns out of his 96 carries, 24 of them have gone for no gain or negative yardage, which works out to roughly 25 per cent. That seems fairly high. But it’s still no 40 per cent and it would be interesting to see how that percentage compares to the other top backs in the league. Alas, I didn’t quite have the time today to crunch those numbers.
And then there is the other side of the coin with Peterson – a very good side if you cheer for the Vikings. He is tied for the league lead with Tomlinson among running backs with plays – both running and receiving – that have gone for gains of 20 or more yards. Of the league leaders in this category, only Westbrook and Jones-Drew, who have six each, have had fewer touches than Peterson.
So if Smith is pooh-poohing Peterson on the basis that he is a high risk, high reward type of player, that seems a bit lame. If the Jerome Bettis and Eddie George, three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust type running backs are what he prefers, he can have them. I’m pretty sure most Vikings fans are happy with the rewards they are getting from Peterson so far.
The media tends to froth at the mouth anytime a player – especially a rookie – has a game like Peterson had on Sunday. That’s no doubt what bothered Smith the most. He couldn’t stand all the apparent hyperbole and decided to go about debunking Peterson. But there’s no need to go about debunking A.P. Vikings fans know he’s the real deal. Unless he has a short career due to some catastrophic injury, there’s little doubt in my mind Peterson will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame someday. And I plan on enjoying every second of that career.
Unless the Vikings trade him, in which case I will no longer give a shit.
On Deck: Educating Tarvaris
Monday, October 15, 2007
Vikings win - Bearly
Even as Vikings fans were tearing their hair out and having visions of their team executing another one of its patented collapses, they had to take comfort in the fact Adrian Peterson was probably going to touch the ball again.
And Peterson did. After Chicago Bears quarterback Brian Griese had hit Devin Hester on a 81-yard touchdown pass to tie the score with 1:35 left in the game, it looked like overtime was a certainty and another loss was sure to follow for the Vikings. But Peterson had other plans, as he stood in the end zone ready to return the ensuing kick off. And Peterson – as he had all game – gashed the Bears by ripping off a 53-yard return. It helped set up a 55-yard Ryan Longwell field goal as time expired. Vikings 34 Chicago Bears 31.
And while a win’s a win and one should really be upbeat about beating Chicago on the road for the first time since 2000, any Vikings supporter who watched this game will know it shouldn’t have been this hard. When you run for 311 yards, are plus-four in the usually all-important turnover department, only commit two penalties and hold a two-touchdown lead with just 4:10 left in the game, you shouldn’t need a career-long last second field goal from your kicker to win the game.
But be positive, right? The Vikings won. The team is 2-3. It snapped a three-game losing streak. The football gods finally threw the team a bone. So, let’s look at what went right for the Vikings in this game.
Obviously a lot went right for Peterson. Five games into his NFL career we’re already running out of superlatives for this kid. The stats are impressive: 224 yards on 20 carries; touchdowns runs of 67, 73 and 35 yards and a 32-yard kick off return average? Just a monstrous game. Let’s just hope he keeps them coming because this offence desperately needs them.
The Vikings offensive line also deserves a fair bit of praise. The unit had its best game of the season. Yes, it opened up some large holes for Peterson and Chester Taylor (who had a solid game with 83 yards on 22 carries) but just as important - its pass protection was excellent against the vaunted Bears pass rush. Even more encouraging was the play of tackles Ryan Cook and Bryant McKinnie, normally two favourite whipping boys of Vikings fans.
Cook gave up one sack but most of the time neutralized the tenacious Alex Brown. As for McKinnie, he bounced back from his horrible play against the Packers and had the kind of dominating performance you would expect from one of the highest-paid left tackles in the league. The trick now will be for Cook, McKinnie and the rest of the O-line to repeat what they did against the Vikings upcoming opponents. The assignments certainly aren’t going to get any easier.
In the next three games the Vikings face Dallas, Philly and San Diego - three teams whose defensive modus operandi is pressuring the quarterback. If the Vikings are going to win those games – and they have to take two of three to have any shot at the playoffs – the offensive line will have to play like it did against the Bears – maybe even better than it did against the Bears.
There were also some positives to take from Tarvaris Jackson’s play. Connecting on the 60-yard bomb with Troy Williamson was as necessary at that early point in the game as it was surprising. But in the big picture, Jackson’s key contribution was he didn’t turn the ball over. In fact, he never came close to throwing an interception against a defence that normally excels at creating turnovers. He also showed none of the bad decision-making that led to his four-interception meltdown against Detroit in his last start. It wasn’t all good for Jackson on Sunday, and I’ll get to that later, but Jackson certainly earned himself another start against the Cowboys.
Finally and perhaps most shockingly, Brad Childress and his offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell probably deserve a game ball for making most – if not all – the right moves in this game.
Early in the contest, Fox analyst Brian Baldinger mentioned that Chilly had a reminder in his play chart to get the ball to Peterson 25 times. Including kick off returns, Peterson got the ball in his hands exactly 25 times. Beyond that, Chilly also didn’t make the mistake for the fourth game in a row of having his only offensive playmaker stewing on the sidelines at critical junctures in the game.
Chilly also showed he is actually capable of making adjustments from game-to-game. One critical change they made against Chicago: The decision to often keep six and sometimes seven guys at the line of scrimmage to pass protect on obvious passing downs. Against the Bears and realizing Jackson does not react well when facing a heavy pass rush, Chilly and Bevell had Jim Kleinsasser and fullback Tony Richardson helping out blocking against the Bears pass rush. This tactic had worked well when the Vikings used it against the Packers two weeks ago. It worked well again versus the Bears.
But what would a Vikings game be without some disturbing trends? Certainly Jackson’s 9 for 23 passing numbers are worrisome on a day when he enjoyed great pass protection. Those numbers would have looked better had his receivers not dropped five balls (two each by Williamson and Sidney Rice) but Jackson’s biggest problem is still how inaccurate he is on his throws, whether they are long passes or short ones.
On many of the short slant routes that are this offence’s bread and butter, Jackson’s throws are often behind his intended target or slightly ahead of them. As for the long balls – the Williamson TD pass aside – touch is not in Jackson’s vocabulary yet. Once again, he twice overthrew open receivers on deep balls that could have gone for big gains. He also missed a wide-open Richardson down the right sideline late in the second quarter by misfiring high on a pass that any NFL QB should be able to make blindfolded. Jackson continues to show flashes of competence. But he still hasn’t put together a solid game or even a solid half in his short career. At some point it has to happen if the Vikings want to win consistently in this league.
Further hampering Jackson’s development is that no one from the wide receiver or tight end corps has established themselves as the go-to-guy in the passing game. One game Rice and Bobby Wade show flashes. In another game Visanthe Shiancoe shows you something. But most of the time nobody does. If that continues, expect Jackson or whoever is quarterbacking the Vikings to struggle throwing the ball, and the offence to remain one-dimensional.
On the defensive side of the ball there were several troubling trends as well. The team’s lack of a pass rush is rearing its ugly head again. The team has just three sacks in its last three games and the unit is not generating nearly enough pressure on opposing QB’s - whether it rushes four or blitzes. The Vikings lone sack was by linebacker Ben Leber and oft-dumped on defensive end Kenechi Udeze was the only lineman able to get any pressure on Griese – a disturbing notion considering Udeze’s only managed two sacks in his last 21 games.
Also of concern was the Bears success at running wide on the Vikings league leading run defence. Although he ended up with just 67 yards and 18 carries, Cedric Benson had several big gains when the Bears pitched the ball wide and had him run to the outside edges of the Vikings defensive line.
This kept Benson away from Pat and Kevin Williams and put the onus on the Vikings ends and Will and Sam linebackers to beat their blockers and blow up plays. Unfortunately, they did a poor job of it against Chicago. And if Benson enjoyed success on these types of running plays, imagine the damage Brian Westbrook or LaDainian Tomlinson will do. Expect the Cowboys, the Chargers and the Eagles to copy this strategy when they play the Vikings.
Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier might also have to consider turning starting safety Dwight Smith into a non-starter for the good of the team based on his play of late. For the second week in a row, Smith was victimized on crucial touchdown passes while supposedly defending the deep part of the field from his safety position. Whether Smith’s hamstring woes are slowing him down or he’s lost four or five steps, (New Orleans reportedly released him last season because he was a liability in coverage) Smith is being picked apart by opposing teams. It might be time to give Mike Doss a look.
On Deck: Three down and out
And Peterson did. After Chicago Bears quarterback Brian Griese had hit Devin Hester on a 81-yard touchdown pass to tie the score with 1:35 left in the game, it looked like overtime was a certainty and another loss was sure to follow for the Vikings. But Peterson had other plans, as he stood in the end zone ready to return the ensuing kick off. And Peterson – as he had all game – gashed the Bears by ripping off a 53-yard return. It helped set up a 55-yard Ryan Longwell field goal as time expired. Vikings 34 Chicago Bears 31.
And while a win’s a win and one should really be upbeat about beating Chicago on the road for the first time since 2000, any Vikings supporter who watched this game will know it shouldn’t have been this hard. When you run for 311 yards, are plus-four in the usually all-important turnover department, only commit two penalties and hold a two-touchdown lead with just 4:10 left in the game, you shouldn’t need a career-long last second field goal from your kicker to win the game.
But be positive, right? The Vikings won. The team is 2-3. It snapped a three-game losing streak. The football gods finally threw the team a bone. So, let’s look at what went right for the Vikings in this game.
Obviously a lot went right for Peterson. Five games into his NFL career we’re already running out of superlatives for this kid. The stats are impressive: 224 yards on 20 carries; touchdowns runs of 67, 73 and 35 yards and a 32-yard kick off return average? Just a monstrous game. Let’s just hope he keeps them coming because this offence desperately needs them.
The Vikings offensive line also deserves a fair bit of praise. The unit had its best game of the season. Yes, it opened up some large holes for Peterson and Chester Taylor (who had a solid game with 83 yards on 22 carries) but just as important - its pass protection was excellent against the vaunted Bears pass rush. Even more encouraging was the play of tackles Ryan Cook and Bryant McKinnie, normally two favourite whipping boys of Vikings fans.
Cook gave up one sack but most of the time neutralized the tenacious Alex Brown. As for McKinnie, he bounced back from his horrible play against the Packers and had the kind of dominating performance you would expect from one of the highest-paid left tackles in the league. The trick now will be for Cook, McKinnie and the rest of the O-line to repeat what they did against the Vikings upcoming opponents. The assignments certainly aren’t going to get any easier.
In the next three games the Vikings face Dallas, Philly and San Diego - three teams whose defensive modus operandi is pressuring the quarterback. If the Vikings are going to win those games – and they have to take two of three to have any shot at the playoffs – the offensive line will have to play like it did against the Bears – maybe even better than it did against the Bears.
There were also some positives to take from Tarvaris Jackson’s play. Connecting on the 60-yard bomb with Troy Williamson was as necessary at that early point in the game as it was surprising. But in the big picture, Jackson’s key contribution was he didn’t turn the ball over. In fact, he never came close to throwing an interception against a defence that normally excels at creating turnovers. He also showed none of the bad decision-making that led to his four-interception meltdown against Detroit in his last start. It wasn’t all good for Jackson on Sunday, and I’ll get to that later, but Jackson certainly earned himself another start against the Cowboys.
Finally and perhaps most shockingly, Brad Childress and his offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell probably deserve a game ball for making most – if not all – the right moves in this game.
Early in the contest, Fox analyst Brian Baldinger mentioned that Chilly had a reminder in his play chart to get the ball to Peterson 25 times. Including kick off returns, Peterson got the ball in his hands exactly 25 times. Beyond that, Chilly also didn’t make the mistake for the fourth game in a row of having his only offensive playmaker stewing on the sidelines at critical junctures in the game.
Chilly also showed he is actually capable of making adjustments from game-to-game. One critical change they made against Chicago: The decision to often keep six and sometimes seven guys at the line of scrimmage to pass protect on obvious passing downs. Against the Bears and realizing Jackson does not react well when facing a heavy pass rush, Chilly and Bevell had Jim Kleinsasser and fullback Tony Richardson helping out blocking against the Bears pass rush. This tactic had worked well when the Vikings used it against the Packers two weeks ago. It worked well again versus the Bears.
But what would a Vikings game be without some disturbing trends? Certainly Jackson’s 9 for 23 passing numbers are worrisome on a day when he enjoyed great pass protection. Those numbers would have looked better had his receivers not dropped five balls (two each by Williamson and Sidney Rice) but Jackson’s biggest problem is still how inaccurate he is on his throws, whether they are long passes or short ones.
On many of the short slant routes that are this offence’s bread and butter, Jackson’s throws are often behind his intended target or slightly ahead of them. As for the long balls – the Williamson TD pass aside – touch is not in Jackson’s vocabulary yet. Once again, he twice overthrew open receivers on deep balls that could have gone for big gains. He also missed a wide-open Richardson down the right sideline late in the second quarter by misfiring high on a pass that any NFL QB should be able to make blindfolded. Jackson continues to show flashes of competence. But he still hasn’t put together a solid game or even a solid half in his short career. At some point it has to happen if the Vikings want to win consistently in this league.
Further hampering Jackson’s development is that no one from the wide receiver or tight end corps has established themselves as the go-to-guy in the passing game. One game Rice and Bobby Wade show flashes. In another game Visanthe Shiancoe shows you something. But most of the time nobody does. If that continues, expect Jackson or whoever is quarterbacking the Vikings to struggle throwing the ball, and the offence to remain one-dimensional.
On the defensive side of the ball there were several troubling trends as well. The team’s lack of a pass rush is rearing its ugly head again. The team has just three sacks in its last three games and the unit is not generating nearly enough pressure on opposing QB’s - whether it rushes four or blitzes. The Vikings lone sack was by linebacker Ben Leber and oft-dumped on defensive end Kenechi Udeze was the only lineman able to get any pressure on Griese – a disturbing notion considering Udeze’s only managed two sacks in his last 21 games.
Also of concern was the Bears success at running wide on the Vikings league leading run defence. Although he ended up with just 67 yards and 18 carries, Cedric Benson had several big gains when the Bears pitched the ball wide and had him run to the outside edges of the Vikings defensive line.
This kept Benson away from Pat and Kevin Williams and put the onus on the Vikings ends and Will and Sam linebackers to beat their blockers and blow up plays. Unfortunately, they did a poor job of it against Chicago. And if Benson enjoyed success on these types of running plays, imagine the damage Brian Westbrook or LaDainian Tomlinson will do. Expect the Cowboys, the Chargers and the Eagles to copy this strategy when they play the Vikings.
Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier might also have to consider turning starting safety Dwight Smith into a non-starter for the good of the team based on his play of late. For the second week in a row, Smith was victimized on crucial touchdown passes while supposedly defending the deep part of the field from his safety position. Whether Smith’s hamstring woes are slowing him down or he’s lost four or five steps, (New Orleans reportedly released him last season because he was a liability in coverage) Smith is being picked apart by opposing teams. It might be time to give Mike Doss a look.
On Deck: Three down and out
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Dear Diary: Bryant McKinnie
We’re launching a new feature here at the Grant’s Tomb headquarters in The Great White North. It’s called “Dear Diary.” Every week this site will highlight a different member of the Vikings organization or a member of the Vikings opponent’s organization. The subjects will be given a pen and notepad and then tasked with posting an online diary of their deepest desires and darkest secrets leading up to the big game that week.
I’ve lined up an impressive group of diary writers for this new feature. As long as they don’t wuss out on me, it should be quite a ride the rest of the season. And up to bat first is one of Grant’s Tomb’s favourites – Vikings left tackle Bryant (The Turnstile) McKinnie. Ladies and gentleman, enjoy edition #1 of "Dear Diary".
Sept. 30, 10 a.m., Gameday: Packers vs. Vikings
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
10:37 a.m.
Thank God! My cell phone was on. Coach Morris just called and he’s yellin’ and all that. He says he and Childress be looking for me. Guess I slept in. I didn’t tell ‘em I was out late clubbin’ last night. That ain’t how I usually roll. I’m a professional. But I’m facing KBG today, so I’m not worried. I own that dude.
Man, I’m hungry. There’s not much in the fridge. Hey - there’s a tuna sandwich with mayo that’s been lying by the kitchen window in the sun for a week. I bet it’s still good.
11:30 a.m.
Made it to the Metrodome (what a dump) but Morris and Coach Mustache weren’t too happy. I told ‘em I had some “family business” to attend to. That excuse always works on the coaches. Suckas.
Better get dressed....
1:30 p.m. (Halftime)
Damn! Who is that dude wearing KGB’s Packers jersey? That ain’t KGB! He’s exposing my slow, fat ass. This game isn’t being televised is it?
I’m hungry, too. I sure could use a big plate of barbeque ribs right now. And a couple of foot-long turkey subs – I can’t be eating junk food all the time. Gotta keep my weight below 400 pounds.
But I didn’t get time to order any food. I was too busy pretending to listen to Childress and his state trooper mustache’s lame halftime speech. Man, I’ve got 48.5-million reasons why I don’t need to listen to no Major Dad look-a-like. Doesn’t this cracker realize I never gave up a sack when I played at the U. of Miami back in the day?
2:30 p.m., shortly after KBG blows by the Turnstile and takes down Kelly Holcomb for his second sack of the game.
What the f**k? Childress just took me out of the game. He just benched my multi-millionaire ass and put in Artis Hicks. Artis Hicks???? Man, that ain’t right. What am I gonna tell my momma? What am I gonna tell my home boys back in Jersey? What am I gonna tell those strippers I’m bringing up for the rookie party during the bye week?
Wait a minute, I got an idea.......
Oct. 1, 12 p.m.
Whewwwww., That was pure genius. Thought up that food poisoning excuse on the spot. Good thing I did, too, cause I couldn’t have people knowing I got benched for Artis Hicks. Now it’s all good – even if we lost. At least I still have my reputation intact as one of the league’s best left tackles.
Now everybody thinks I was sick and that’s why I was so brutal against Green Bay. I see in his Star-Trib blog that even that prick Kevin Seifert bought it and was defending me. Good thing he didn’t see me jamming my fingers down my throat on the bench, so I’d puke in the trash can to make it look all real and shit.
Oct. 2, 4:06 p.m.
Ooops. I just realized we’re playing the Bears after the bye week. Now I need to come up with another excuse when Alex Brown and Mark Anderson start owning my fat ass. This is where my University of Miami education is going to come in handy.
Oct. 3, 2:00 p.m.
I can’t believe it. None of the boys are interested in holding a bye week rookie party this year. What a bunch of pussies!
We chilled last year for obvious reasons. But it’s been two years since that Love Boat stuff went down. Everybody in Minnesota has forgot about that by now. Anyway, I figure the real problem with that party was we held it on a boat. This time we’ll just have it on land at some player’s crib. We won’t invite anybody other than players and the strippers, too. We’ll be all discreet. That way we won’t have to worry about no boat crew snitchin’ on us. Professional football players alone with a bunch of naked women in a house – nothin’ bad has ever come out of a situation like that, right?
Besides, I learned my lesson at the last party. If I want to perform oral sex on naked women or get a blow job in a deck chair, I’ll just do it behind close doors - with no one else looking. Bryant McKinnie don’t make the same mistake twice (except being slow out of my stance and letting defensive ends blow by me time-after-time.)
Too bad this party ain’t gonna’ happen. Mewelde says he ain’t going to any party I help organize ever again. I couldn’t even get some of the Love Boat alumni (did I spell that right?) to get in on it. Smoot says he ain’t setting foot in Minnesota again unless he’s got a game to play and Daunte and Lance Johnstone aren’t returning any of my calls.
Oct. 4, 11 a.m.
Coach Morris just called me on my cell phone telling me not to believe the stories I’ll be reading in the papers today.
Read??? Does this cracker think I went to Harvard?
My boy Chet Taylor did tell me that there’s some stories in the Tampa paper saying him and me are going to be traded to the Buccaneers. Man, if that’s true, bring it on. Living in Florida instead of Minnesota? Are you kidding me?
I’ve had enough of the winters. And I’ve had enough of living around all these white, uptight, Norwegians, or Swedes or Finns or whatever they hell these people are. And Florida chicks versus Minnesota chicks? Why do you think we flew in out-of-town strippers for the ’05 rookie party? Even the strippers are ugly here. I can’t believe Prince still lives around here. That cat is crazy.
Oct. 8, 8:30 a.m.
Damn. Bye week’s over. Now I’ve got to practice instead of eating and partying all the time. And I still haven’t come up with any new excuses I can feed the coaching staff and the media in case I suck ass against the Bears. The game is only six days away. University of Miami education – don’t fail me now!
Oct. 11, 6 p.m.
I think I got me an excuse for Sunday!
So, I was just minding my own business after practice, checking out the latest Swank magazine and eating my fourth Big Mac, when my boy Chet and that useless Erasmus James get in a fight. I think it started when Chet asked James what game in 2010 he would be ready to play in. James didn’t like that and mentioned Adrian Peterson and some Wally Pip dude and then things got hot. Then James sucker punched CT and CT threw a chair at him and BAM! the chair hit me.
It hit me in the ass, so I was okay. I didn’t feel nothin’. But I’m a smart cat. I made sure I went down and rolled around the floor and acted all hurt and stuff. Jamie Foxx woulda’ been proud. I told the training staff to put me down on the injury report with an “ass contusion.” But they said they couldn’t do that.
Ah, who cares anyway? I’m still milking this for all it’s worth. And if Alex Brown and Mark Anderson start to go all Osi Umenyiora on me and shit this Sunday, I’ll be taking a knee and pointing at my ass and getting the hell out of there. Now all I need to do is to think up some new excuse for when I face Demarcus Ware.
Man, take it from Mount McKinnie - playing in the NFL takes as much out of you mentally as it does physically. Now if you don’t mind, I gotta quit this diary thing and fix me something to eat.
I’ve lined up an impressive group of diary writers for this new feature. As long as they don’t wuss out on me, it should be quite a ride the rest of the season. And up to bat first is one of Grant’s Tomb’s favourites – Vikings left tackle Bryant (The Turnstile) McKinnie. Ladies and gentleman, enjoy edition #1 of "Dear Diary".
Sept. 30, 10 a.m., Gameday: Packers vs. Vikings
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
10:37 a.m.
Thank God! My cell phone was on. Coach Morris just called and he’s yellin’ and all that. He says he and Childress be looking for me. Guess I slept in. I didn’t tell ‘em I was out late clubbin’ last night. That ain’t how I usually roll. I’m a professional. But I’m facing KBG today, so I’m not worried. I own that dude.
Man, I’m hungry. There’s not much in the fridge. Hey - there’s a tuna sandwich with mayo that’s been lying by the kitchen window in the sun for a week. I bet it’s still good.
11:30 a.m.
Made it to the Metrodome (what a dump) but Morris and Coach Mustache weren’t too happy. I told ‘em I had some “family business” to attend to. That excuse always works on the coaches. Suckas.
Better get dressed....
1:30 p.m. (Halftime)
Damn! Who is that dude wearing KGB’s Packers jersey? That ain’t KGB! He’s exposing my slow, fat ass. This game isn’t being televised is it?
I’m hungry, too. I sure could use a big plate of barbeque ribs right now. And a couple of foot-long turkey subs – I can’t be eating junk food all the time. Gotta keep my weight below 400 pounds.
But I didn’t get time to order any food. I was too busy pretending to listen to Childress and his state trooper mustache’s lame halftime speech. Man, I’ve got 48.5-million reasons why I don’t need to listen to no Major Dad look-a-like. Doesn’t this cracker realize I never gave up a sack when I played at the U. of Miami back in the day?
2:30 p.m., shortly after KBG blows by the Turnstile and takes down Kelly Holcomb for his second sack of the game.
What the f**k? Childress just took me out of the game. He just benched my multi-millionaire ass and put in Artis Hicks. Artis Hicks???? Man, that ain’t right. What am I gonna tell my momma? What am I gonna tell my home boys back in Jersey? What am I gonna tell those strippers I’m bringing up for the rookie party during the bye week?
Wait a minute, I got an idea.......
Oct. 1, 12 p.m.
Whewwwww., That was pure genius. Thought up that food poisoning excuse on the spot. Good thing I did, too, cause I couldn’t have people knowing I got benched for Artis Hicks. Now it’s all good – even if we lost. At least I still have my reputation intact as one of the league’s best left tackles.
Now everybody thinks I was sick and that’s why I was so brutal against Green Bay. I see in his Star-Trib blog that even that prick Kevin Seifert bought it and was defending me. Good thing he didn’t see me jamming my fingers down my throat on the bench, so I’d puke in the trash can to make it look all real and shit.
Oct. 2, 4:06 p.m.
Ooops. I just realized we’re playing the Bears after the bye week. Now I need to come up with another excuse when Alex Brown and Mark Anderson start owning my fat ass. This is where my University of Miami education is going to come in handy.
Oct. 3, 2:00 p.m.
I can’t believe it. None of the boys are interested in holding a bye week rookie party this year. What a bunch of pussies!
We chilled last year for obvious reasons. But it’s been two years since that Love Boat stuff went down. Everybody in Minnesota has forgot about that by now. Anyway, I figure the real problem with that party was we held it on a boat. This time we’ll just have it on land at some player’s crib. We won’t invite anybody other than players and the strippers, too. We’ll be all discreet. That way we won’t have to worry about no boat crew snitchin’ on us. Professional football players alone with a bunch of naked women in a house – nothin’ bad has ever come out of a situation like that, right?
Besides, I learned my lesson at the last party. If I want to perform oral sex on naked women or get a blow job in a deck chair, I’ll just do it behind close doors - with no one else looking. Bryant McKinnie don’t make the same mistake twice (except being slow out of my stance and letting defensive ends blow by me time-after-time.)
Too bad this party ain’t gonna’ happen. Mewelde says he ain’t going to any party I help organize ever again. I couldn’t even get some of the Love Boat alumni (did I spell that right?) to get in on it. Smoot says he ain’t setting foot in Minnesota again unless he’s got a game to play and Daunte and Lance Johnstone aren’t returning any of my calls.
Oct. 4, 11 a.m.
Coach Morris just called me on my cell phone telling me not to believe the stories I’ll be reading in the papers today.
Read??? Does this cracker think I went to Harvard?
My boy Chet Taylor did tell me that there’s some stories in the Tampa paper saying him and me are going to be traded to the Buccaneers. Man, if that’s true, bring it on. Living in Florida instead of Minnesota? Are you kidding me?
I’ve had enough of the winters. And I’ve had enough of living around all these white, uptight, Norwegians, or Swedes or Finns or whatever they hell these people are. And Florida chicks versus Minnesota chicks? Why do you think we flew in out-of-town strippers for the ’05 rookie party? Even the strippers are ugly here. I can’t believe Prince still lives around here. That cat is crazy.
Oct. 8, 8:30 a.m.
Damn. Bye week’s over. Now I’ve got to practice instead of eating and partying all the time. And I still haven’t come up with any new excuses I can feed the coaching staff and the media in case I suck ass against the Bears. The game is only six days away. University of Miami education – don’t fail me now!
Oct. 11, 6 p.m.
I think I got me an excuse for Sunday!
So, I was just minding my own business after practice, checking out the latest Swank magazine and eating my fourth Big Mac, when my boy Chet and that useless Erasmus James get in a fight. I think it started when Chet asked James what game in 2010 he would be ready to play in. James didn’t like that and mentioned Adrian Peterson and some Wally Pip dude and then things got hot. Then James sucker punched CT and CT threw a chair at him and BAM! the chair hit me.
It hit me in the ass, so I was okay. I didn’t feel nothin’. But I’m a smart cat. I made sure I went down and rolled around the floor and acted all hurt and stuff. Jamie Foxx woulda’ been proud. I told the training staff to put me down on the injury report with an “ass contusion.” But they said they couldn’t do that.
Ah, who cares anyway? I’m still milking this for all it’s worth. And if Alex Brown and Mark Anderson start to go all Osi Umenyiora on me and shit this Sunday, I’ll be taking a knee and pointing at my ass and getting the hell out of there. Now all I need to do is to think up some new excuse for when I face Demarcus Ware.
Man, take it from Mount McKinnie - playing in the NFL takes as much out of you mentally as it does physically. Now if you don’t mind, I gotta quit this diary thing and fix me something to eat.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Cloak and dagger tactics pointless for Vikings
One of the many roll-your-eyes aspects of the Brad Childress Era has been his attempts at subterfuge in recent weeks when it comes to announcing who his starting quarterback is going to be: the inexperienced, injured and woeful Tarvaris Jackson or the experienced, healthy and slightly-less woeful Kelly Holcomb.
Chilly was at it again this week and with the Vikings less than two days away from facing Chicago at Soldier Field, he still hasn’t named a starter for Sunday’s game. When pressed on the issue, Chilly’s resorted to coach speak, using words like “protocol” in explaining why he’s decided to tell us he won't be telling us who will play the most important position on his football team. But in listening to his mangled answers to this simple question, it sounds like Chilly is being non-committal because he isn’t sure Jackson is healthy enough to start.
However, it’s more likely – just as Chilly has told the press in previous weeks – that he’s attempting to gain some kind of competitive advantage against the Bears with his little guessing game. The logic here is that if Chicago has to gameplan for two quarterbacks instead of one, its defence will be less prepared to play against whomever the Vikings run out there. That, in turn, could lead to more success for the Vikings offence at Soldier Field – not that it would take much success to achieve that.
This tactic didn’t work in the Vikings previous two games though, as the team lost to the Chiefs and Packers despite those opponents being kept in the dark over whether Jackson or Holcomb would play. So much for Chilly’s competitive advantage.
And that’s what is so annoying about the cloak and dagger routine – the pointlessness of it all. Everyone – from Lovie Smith, to the Vikings mascots and cheerleaders, to even Sid Hartman – knows this team’s quarterback situation is bad. Whether it’s been Jackson or Holcomb playing, neither player has done much on the field to give opposing defensive coordinators any sleepless nights. And no amount of disguising whom the Vikings quarterback is going to be matters much when Holcomb and Jackson are your options. So Chilly, just cut the b.s. – it isn’t working.
What’s more, the Bears coaching staff and players can probably read. They’ve no doubt heard about the stories on websites like Viking Update that report Jackson got more first team reps than Holcomb during the practices on Wednesday and Thursday. That sounds like a tip off that Jackson will be the starter on Sunday. But you won’t hear any of that from Chilly. He can’t afford to lose that competitive advantage.
On Deck: Third down and out
Chilly was at it again this week and with the Vikings less than two days away from facing Chicago at Soldier Field, he still hasn’t named a starter for Sunday’s game. When pressed on the issue, Chilly’s resorted to coach speak, using words like “protocol” in explaining why he’s decided to tell us he won't be telling us who will play the most important position on his football team. But in listening to his mangled answers to this simple question, it sounds like Chilly is being non-committal because he isn’t sure Jackson is healthy enough to start.
However, it’s more likely – just as Chilly has told the press in previous weeks – that he’s attempting to gain some kind of competitive advantage against the Bears with his little guessing game. The logic here is that if Chicago has to gameplan for two quarterbacks instead of one, its defence will be less prepared to play against whomever the Vikings run out there. That, in turn, could lead to more success for the Vikings offence at Soldier Field – not that it would take much success to achieve that.
This tactic didn’t work in the Vikings previous two games though, as the team lost to the Chiefs and Packers despite those opponents being kept in the dark over whether Jackson or Holcomb would play. So much for Chilly’s competitive advantage.
And that’s what is so annoying about the cloak and dagger routine – the pointlessness of it all. Everyone – from Lovie Smith, to the Vikings mascots and cheerleaders, to even Sid Hartman – knows this team’s quarterback situation is bad. Whether it’s been Jackson or Holcomb playing, neither player has done much on the field to give opposing defensive coordinators any sleepless nights. And no amount of disguising whom the Vikings quarterback is going to be matters much when Holcomb and Jackson are your options. So Chilly, just cut the b.s. – it isn’t working.
What’s more, the Bears coaching staff and players can probably read. They’ve no doubt heard about the stories on websites like Viking Update that report Jackson got more first team reps than Holcomb during the practices on Wednesday and Thursday. That sounds like a tip off that Jackson will be the starter on Sunday. But you won’t hear any of that from Chilly. He can’t afford to lose that competitive advantage.
On Deck: Third down and out
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Darrion's done
The Vikings took their first real injury hit of the season on Tuesday when the team put fourth-year backup defensive end/tackle Darrion Scott on IR with some sort of foot injury. The timing of the injury couldn’t suck more for Scott. He’s only had three tackles and one quarterback hurry this season and had lost playing time to Brian Robison, Spencer Johnson and even Jayme Mitchell. Last year, after Erasmus James went down for the season with a knee injury, Scott became a starter, led the team in sacks and looked like he was blossoming into a solid player. I even figured the Vikings might try to sign him to an extension.
But management didn’t do that. Instead it tendered the restricted free agent a one-year, $850,000 deal that Scott wasn’t happy about but signed. Now heading into free agency in 2008, Scott is a guy who will likely hit the open market with little to brag about stat-wise and a season-ending foot injury to explain to interested teams. It’s highly doubtful the Vikings will make any effort to keep him. Scott doesn’t really have what the Vikings are looking for from its ends – speed off the edge – and when moved inside he doesn’t plug up the middle or find a way to cut through the trash and make tackles near the line of scrimmage like Kevin Williams does.
Losing Scott hurts the Vikings depth at defensive line but it’s difficult to view his loss with anything more than a shoulder shrug and a yawn. If you can remember a single play Scott’s made this year, you’ve got better eyes and a better memory than I have. Scott's been a non-factor. His spot on the active roster will now be taken by another 2007 non-factor: Erasmus James.
And Scott probably isn’t the last Vikings draft pick from the Class of 2004 that will be bolting Minnesota. At one time this draft crop looked pretty promising. But number one pick Udeze has been utterly disappointing and needs a big 2007 to stick with the team beyond that. Second-rounder Dontarrious Thomas is a back-up linebacker and special teamer who will be looking for a starting gig and greener pastures next year (good luck with that, DT.) There’s no future for Mewelde Moore here with Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson under contract. And the Vikings ship sailed a long, long time ago for Nat Dorsey, Rod Davis and Deandre Eiland.
When the Vikings suit up to play in 2008, what player could be the sole holdover on the roster from the Class of 2004?
Why it will be none other than tight end/fullback Jeff Dugan, the Vikes last pick in that draft. Dugan signed a five-year contract extension late last season. He doesn’t make much money and doesn’t produce much on the field, which makes him a perfect fit for the Vikings offence. Enjoy him. He isn’t going anywhere else.
But management didn’t do that. Instead it tendered the restricted free agent a one-year, $850,000 deal that Scott wasn’t happy about but signed. Now heading into free agency in 2008, Scott is a guy who will likely hit the open market with little to brag about stat-wise and a season-ending foot injury to explain to interested teams. It’s highly doubtful the Vikings will make any effort to keep him. Scott doesn’t really have what the Vikings are looking for from its ends – speed off the edge – and when moved inside he doesn’t plug up the middle or find a way to cut through the trash and make tackles near the line of scrimmage like Kevin Williams does.
Losing Scott hurts the Vikings depth at defensive line but it’s difficult to view his loss with anything more than a shoulder shrug and a yawn. If you can remember a single play Scott’s made this year, you’ve got better eyes and a better memory than I have. Scott's been a non-factor. His spot on the active roster will now be taken by another 2007 non-factor: Erasmus James.
And Scott probably isn’t the last Vikings draft pick from the Class of 2004 that will be bolting Minnesota. At one time this draft crop looked pretty promising. But number one pick Udeze has been utterly disappointing and needs a big 2007 to stick with the team beyond that. Second-rounder Dontarrious Thomas is a back-up linebacker and special teamer who will be looking for a starting gig and greener pastures next year (good luck with that, DT.) There’s no future for Mewelde Moore here with Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson under contract. And the Vikings ship sailed a long, long time ago for Nat Dorsey, Rod Davis and Deandre Eiland.
When the Vikings suit up to play in 2008, what player could be the sole holdover on the roster from the Class of 2004?
Why it will be none other than tight end/fullback Jeff Dugan, the Vikes last pick in that draft. Dugan signed a five-year contract extension late last season. He doesn’t make much money and doesn’t produce much on the field, which makes him a perfect fit for the Vikings offence. Enjoy him. He isn’t going anywhere else.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Captain America for MVP? ESPN's experts think so
Hating on Brett Favre seems to be a sport all its own among Vikings fans. Well, if I’m right in that assessment, the four not-so-wise men of ESPN’s NFL Countdown provided more grist for that mill on Sunday.
As host Chris Berman quizzed the show’s panel of experts – Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson, Tom Jackson and Emmitt Smith – for the weekly “Two Minute Drill” segment of the show, the first question fired at the panel by Boomer was this: Who is the NFL’s MVP so far?
Ditka, without hesitation, said it had to be Favre. Johnson, obviously favouring his wide receiver brethren, went with Randy Moss. Jackson, unable to pick a Denver Bronco without being laughed off this set, agreed with Iron Mike and chose Favre. It was left to Smith - of all people - to restore some sanity to the debate. He decided Tom Brady was his MVP.
I don’t want to spend much time knocking Captain America in this post. He’s having a very good year and the Packers are a pleasant surprise (unless you’re a Vikings fan, of course) at 4-1. But when fans complain that the media is madly in love with Favre, well, this is the kind of stuff they’re talking about.
Right now, any so-called football expert that picks Favre over Brady as MVP should be fired on the spot.
Currently Brady is the lynchpin of a 5-0 Patriots team that has yet to be challenged by any team. He’s got a 128.7 QB rating, tops in the league. He’s completing 74.1 per cent of his passes. He’s thrown 16 touchdowns, only been intercepted twice and thrown for 1.383 yards – only Captain America has thrown for more yards. Is there anyone on the planet playing better football than Brady right now?
Some would argue Peyton Manning is and I could see their point. Some might have even argued (before tonight’s performance against Buffalo, that is) for Tony Romo and I would have cut them some slack. But Brett Favre? Captain America? Sorry, no dice.
Favre fans will point out he’s has been putting up his numbers this year without the supporting cast Brady enjoys. While the Packers don’t have a player like Moss on the roster, its receiving corps of Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and James Jones is a pretty solid group. Plus, much like Brady, Captain America has an offensive line that keeps him protected and upright the vast majority of the time. So, it’s not like Favre is running for his life when he’s making these plays whereas Brady gets to sit comfortably in the pocket. Both players enjoy solid pass protection from their O-lines.
And let’s not bring up Green Bay’s lack of a running game as evidence that Favre is doing more with less and therefore is more MVP worthy. Didn’t Brady just throw six touchdowns the past two games with career backup Sammy Morris as his feature back?
Again, Favre’s playing well, I’m not arguing that. But how could Ditka and Jackson pick him with straight faces over Brady? Because they’re blinded by their Captain America mancrushes, that’s how.
And another thing
Sticking with the boys at ESPN, during the same “Two Minute Drill” segment, the panel was also asked what player they felt was the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year thus far. Johnson and Jackson went with Adrian Peterson – the right choice. But Ditka and Smith picked Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.
Ditka and Smith have seen these guys play, right?
No disrespect to Bowe, who looks like he will be a fine player, but it's hard to see how you could pick any rookie other than Peterson. Bowe’s stats were boosted by one monster game against San Diego (eight catches, 164 yards, one touchdown). Furthermore, at least the Chiefs have some other formidable weapons that the opposition has to account for besides Bowe - those weapons being All-Pros Tony Gonzalez and Larry Johnson.
Peterson enjoys no such luxury playing for the Vikings. He’s rushed for almost 400 yards at 5 yards a pop. He’s doing some damage as a pass receiver, too. And he’s doing all this even though defences can key on him because there is no other player on the Vikings offence they really have to fear or pay special attention to. Take into account his contributions returning kick offs and I don’t see what more Peterson would have to do - other than blowing up the game balls before the opening kick off - to convince Ditka and Smith that he is the NFL’s best offensive rookie.
As host Chris Berman quizzed the show’s panel of experts – Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson, Tom Jackson and Emmitt Smith – for the weekly “Two Minute Drill” segment of the show, the first question fired at the panel by Boomer was this: Who is the NFL’s MVP so far?
Ditka, without hesitation, said it had to be Favre. Johnson, obviously favouring his wide receiver brethren, went with Randy Moss. Jackson, unable to pick a Denver Bronco without being laughed off this set, agreed with Iron Mike and chose Favre. It was left to Smith - of all people - to restore some sanity to the debate. He decided Tom Brady was his MVP.
I don’t want to spend much time knocking Captain America in this post. He’s having a very good year and the Packers are a pleasant surprise (unless you’re a Vikings fan, of course) at 4-1. But when fans complain that the media is madly in love with Favre, well, this is the kind of stuff they’re talking about.
Right now, any so-called football expert that picks Favre over Brady as MVP should be fired on the spot.
Currently Brady is the lynchpin of a 5-0 Patriots team that has yet to be challenged by any team. He’s got a 128.7 QB rating, tops in the league. He’s completing 74.1 per cent of his passes. He’s thrown 16 touchdowns, only been intercepted twice and thrown for 1.383 yards – only Captain America has thrown for more yards. Is there anyone on the planet playing better football than Brady right now?
Some would argue Peyton Manning is and I could see their point. Some might have even argued (before tonight’s performance against Buffalo, that is) for Tony Romo and I would have cut them some slack. But Brett Favre? Captain America? Sorry, no dice.
Favre fans will point out he’s has been putting up his numbers this year without the supporting cast Brady enjoys. While the Packers don’t have a player like Moss on the roster, its receiving corps of Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and James Jones is a pretty solid group. Plus, much like Brady, Captain America has an offensive line that keeps him protected and upright the vast majority of the time. So, it’s not like Favre is running for his life when he’s making these plays whereas Brady gets to sit comfortably in the pocket. Both players enjoy solid pass protection from their O-lines.
And let’s not bring up Green Bay’s lack of a running game as evidence that Favre is doing more with less and therefore is more MVP worthy. Didn’t Brady just throw six touchdowns the past two games with career backup Sammy Morris as his feature back?
Again, Favre’s playing well, I’m not arguing that. But how could Ditka and Jackson pick him with straight faces over Brady? Because they’re blinded by their Captain America mancrushes, that’s how.
And another thing
Sticking with the boys at ESPN, during the same “Two Minute Drill” segment, the panel was also asked what player they felt was the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year thus far. Johnson and Jackson went with Adrian Peterson – the right choice. But Ditka and Smith picked Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.
Ditka and Smith have seen these guys play, right?
No disrespect to Bowe, who looks like he will be a fine player, but it's hard to see how you could pick any rookie other than Peterson. Bowe’s stats were boosted by one monster game against San Diego (eight catches, 164 yards, one touchdown). Furthermore, at least the Chiefs have some other formidable weapons that the opposition has to account for besides Bowe - those weapons being All-Pros Tony Gonzalez and Larry Johnson.
Peterson enjoys no such luxury playing for the Vikings. He’s rushed for almost 400 yards at 5 yards a pop. He’s doing some damage as a pass receiver, too. And he’s doing all this even though defences can key on him because there is no other player on the Vikings offence they really have to fear or pay special attention to. Take into account his contributions returning kick offs and I don’t see what more Peterson would have to do - other than blowing up the game balls before the opening kick off - to convince Ditka and Smith that he is the NFL’s best offensive rookie.
Pack sacked, Bears back?
It was Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend (winter arrives earlier up here, so we can’t afford to wait until November) and with the Vikings enjoying a bye this week, I had to figure out another way to fill my Sunday morning/afternoon.
Parenting? Nope. Watch the CFL? Out. Help the wife with Thanksgiving dinner? You cannot be serious. Watch Ole’ 84, Brady and the Pats rip the Browns a new one? The anguish would be too great.
I ended up just surfing every game being televised because I couldn’t decide what game I wanted to watch the most. But with the Lions getting pasted by Washington and the Packers losing to Chicago, it was time to consider the fallout from week five of the NFL season and whether Vikings fans could take solace from the results of those two games.
Certainly it was encouraging to see Detroit looked more like paper tigers than legitimate playoff contenders as it was embarrassed in D.C. And the fact Green Bay was unable to take care of business at home, on a night when it actually got decent contributions from its running backs, calls into question how good the 4-1 Packers really are.
However, what should be disconcerting for the Vikings - as it gets ready to face Da’ Bears at Soldier Field this Sunday - is the five-turnover performance Chicago pulled off Sunday night against a hot Green Bay team. A key ingredient in Chicago’s success over the past two seasons has been the defence’s ability to create turnovers that either snuffed out its opponents scoring chances or set up its own marginal offence with a short field and easy scores.
That opportunism was missing as Chicago limped to a 1-3 start. But perhaps the team found it’s mojo as Brett (Captain America) Favre was picked off twice, Charles Woodson stripped once on a punt return and with Da’ Bears Charles Tillman poking the ball away from Packers rookie wide receiver James Jones twice for fumbles that Chicago recovered and which killed two first half drives just as the Packers were threatening to blow the game wide open.
Chicago is very good at this turnover thing. The team’s defenders don’t just try to tackle you, they try to tackle and strip the ball from you at the same time. If its defence regained its swagger thanks to the win against Green Bay, playing in front of a home crowd and knowing another win evens the record at 3-3 and gets Da’ Bears back in the playoff race could have the Vikings entering a real hornet’s nest on Sunday.
This will also be the game Brad Childress says Tarvaris Jackson – he of the league-worst 40.0 quarterback rating – should return to claim the starting job after missing the last two games with a groin injury. I’m no Kelly Holcomb fan but I think it’s legitimate to wonder if he might give the Vikings the best chance of winning this game. Yes, he’s immobile and, yes, he has been unimpressive subbing for Jackson the past two games. But he’s also only thrown one interception (I know, I know, he was a bit lucky he wasn't picked off more times than that) and that’s a key stat considering how much Chicago lives off of tunrovers.
With Chicago’s running game looking horrid with Cedric Benson as the feature back and Brian Griese scaring no one as the new number one quarterback, the Vikings have a great chance of winning this game as long as whoever is its quarterback doesn’t become a turnover machine. When we last saw Jackson, he had just thrown four interceptions against a so-so Detroit defence. On three of those four interceptions, it was not a case of a Detroit defender making a play but rather a case of Jackson getting rattled under pressure and making horrendous decisions to throw the ball in the first place.
Facing a Chicago defence that can get at the quarterback and that has ball hawks like Tillman, Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher (who always seems to play out of his mind against the Vikes), does anyone want to bet Jackson won’t panic and make more ill-advised decisions that snatches defeat from the jaws of victory against Da’ Bears?
On Deck: ESPN loves Favre. Dear Diary debut
Parenting? Nope. Watch the CFL? Out. Help the wife with Thanksgiving dinner? You cannot be serious. Watch Ole’ 84, Brady and the Pats rip the Browns a new one? The anguish would be too great.
I ended up just surfing every game being televised because I couldn’t decide what game I wanted to watch the most. But with the Lions getting pasted by Washington and the Packers losing to Chicago, it was time to consider the fallout from week five of the NFL season and whether Vikings fans could take solace from the results of those two games.
Certainly it was encouraging to see Detroit looked more like paper tigers than legitimate playoff contenders as it was embarrassed in D.C. And the fact Green Bay was unable to take care of business at home, on a night when it actually got decent contributions from its running backs, calls into question how good the 4-1 Packers really are.
However, what should be disconcerting for the Vikings - as it gets ready to face Da’ Bears at Soldier Field this Sunday - is the five-turnover performance Chicago pulled off Sunday night against a hot Green Bay team. A key ingredient in Chicago’s success over the past two seasons has been the defence’s ability to create turnovers that either snuffed out its opponents scoring chances or set up its own marginal offence with a short field and easy scores.
That opportunism was missing as Chicago limped to a 1-3 start. But perhaps the team found it’s mojo as Brett (Captain America) Favre was picked off twice, Charles Woodson stripped once on a punt return and with Da’ Bears Charles Tillman poking the ball away from Packers rookie wide receiver James Jones twice for fumbles that Chicago recovered and which killed two first half drives just as the Packers were threatening to blow the game wide open.
Chicago is very good at this turnover thing. The team’s defenders don’t just try to tackle you, they try to tackle and strip the ball from you at the same time. If its defence regained its swagger thanks to the win against Green Bay, playing in front of a home crowd and knowing another win evens the record at 3-3 and gets Da’ Bears back in the playoff race could have the Vikings entering a real hornet’s nest on Sunday.
This will also be the game Brad Childress says Tarvaris Jackson – he of the league-worst 40.0 quarterback rating – should return to claim the starting job after missing the last two games with a groin injury. I’m no Kelly Holcomb fan but I think it’s legitimate to wonder if he might give the Vikings the best chance of winning this game. Yes, he’s immobile and, yes, he has been unimpressive subbing for Jackson the past two games. But he’s also only thrown one interception (I know, I know, he was a bit lucky he wasn't picked off more times than that) and that’s a key stat considering how much Chicago lives off of tunrovers.
With Chicago’s running game looking horrid with Cedric Benson as the feature back and Brian Griese scaring no one as the new number one quarterback, the Vikings have a great chance of winning this game as long as whoever is its quarterback doesn’t become a turnover machine. When we last saw Jackson, he had just thrown four interceptions against a so-so Detroit defence. On three of those four interceptions, it was not a case of a Detroit defender making a play but rather a case of Jackson getting rattled under pressure and making horrendous decisions to throw the ball in the first place.
Facing a Chicago defence that can get at the quarterback and that has ball hawks like Tillman, Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher (who always seems to play out of his mind against the Vikes), does anyone want to bet Jackson won’t panic and make more ill-advised decisions that snatches defeat from the jaws of victory against Da’ Bears?
On Deck: ESPN loves Favre. Dear Diary debut
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Free Mewelde - but only if the price is right
According to the Tampa Tribune, the Buccaneers have been asking the Vikings about the availability of third–string running back Mewelde Moore. With Cadillac Williams out for the year, the Buccos need a running back and it didn’t take them long to realize Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham probably aren’t going to do the trick.
If they can pry Moore from the Vikings, they’ll be happy they did. But the Vikings reportedly have asked for a first-day draft pick for Moore. The Bucs countered that a sixth or seventh round pick was all it would be willing to part with. And so Moore remains a Viking – for now.
Moore’s a favourite of the staff at Grant’s Tomb. We like him because of his great quote back in 2005 when asked about the shenanigans on the Love Boat (“Sex. What are you talking about? That’s crazy. Sex? Look, I’m engaged. That would put me in trouble.”) We like him because he was an unheralded little guy who came out of Tulane and not one of those football factories like Ohio State or Florida. But mostly we like him because when given the chance to play, he’s been very productive for the purple.
But Brad Childress doesn’t like Moore. He’s never figured out how to use Moore properly and has seemingly done all he can to marginalize this talented offensive player. This season Moore’s even been inactive for two of the Vikings four games and if not for Chester Taylor’s hip injury that shelved him for two games, Moore might not have been active at all this season.
It’s clear Moore is not in the Vikings plans beyond 2007. Jesus, he isn’t even in the team’s plans now. And with him becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season and with Adrian Peterson and Taylor ahead of him on the depth chart and on the pay scale, there’s no future for Moore in Minnesota. He’ll be gone at the end of the season.
Which is why trading him before the Oct. 16 trade deadline passes is tempting. The rationale is that the Vikings might as well get something of value for Moore rather than watch him bolt at the end of the season and get nothing.
I have no problem with that rationale – as long as the Vikings do get something of value. And something of value would be a fourth round pick, at the very least, and preferably a third or second round pick. If the Vikings can’t swing that, it is better off keeping him. Because based on the Vikings recent draft history, if management settles for the sixth or seventh round pick Tampa Bay is offering, it will have given him away for nothing anyway.
Yes, when it comes to second-day draft picks, the Vikings have not done well. Since 2000, with any pick past the fourth round, the Vikings have whiffed badly. That’s particularly true of its picks in the sixth or seventh rounds. Remember Mike Malano? Carey Scott? Chad Beasley? Deandre Eiland? Adrian Ward? None of those names rings any bells? Well, all those stiffs were sixth or seventh round picks by the Vikings since 2000.
So, Rick Spielman. Brad Childress. Listen up. Resist the urge. Don’t make a trade just so you can say, “Well, we didn’t let him go without getting something for him.” Moore is a valuable player and if traded, the Vikings deserve to get something of value for him. If they can’t and Moore still gets traded, shame on them.
On Deck: Dear Diary debut
If they can pry Moore from the Vikings, they’ll be happy they did. But the Vikings reportedly have asked for a first-day draft pick for Moore. The Bucs countered that a sixth or seventh round pick was all it would be willing to part with. And so Moore remains a Viking – for now.
Moore’s a favourite of the staff at Grant’s Tomb. We like him because of his great quote back in 2005 when asked about the shenanigans on the Love Boat (“Sex. What are you talking about? That’s crazy. Sex? Look, I’m engaged. That would put me in trouble.”) We like him because he was an unheralded little guy who came out of Tulane and not one of those football factories like Ohio State or Florida. But mostly we like him because when given the chance to play, he’s been very productive for the purple.
But Brad Childress doesn’t like Moore. He’s never figured out how to use Moore properly and has seemingly done all he can to marginalize this talented offensive player. This season Moore’s even been inactive for two of the Vikings four games and if not for Chester Taylor’s hip injury that shelved him for two games, Moore might not have been active at all this season.
It’s clear Moore is not in the Vikings plans beyond 2007. Jesus, he isn’t even in the team’s plans now. And with him becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season and with Adrian Peterson and Taylor ahead of him on the depth chart and on the pay scale, there’s no future for Moore in Minnesota. He’ll be gone at the end of the season.
Which is why trading him before the Oct. 16 trade deadline passes is tempting. The rationale is that the Vikings might as well get something of value for Moore rather than watch him bolt at the end of the season and get nothing.
I have no problem with that rationale – as long as the Vikings do get something of value. And something of value would be a fourth round pick, at the very least, and preferably a third or second round pick. If the Vikings can’t swing that, it is better off keeping him. Because based on the Vikings recent draft history, if management settles for the sixth or seventh round pick Tampa Bay is offering, it will have given him away for nothing anyway.
Yes, when it comes to second-day draft picks, the Vikings have not done well. Since 2000, with any pick past the fourth round, the Vikings have whiffed badly. That’s particularly true of its picks in the sixth or seventh rounds. Remember Mike Malano? Carey Scott? Chad Beasley? Deandre Eiland? Adrian Ward? None of those names rings any bells? Well, all those stiffs were sixth or seventh round picks by the Vikings since 2000.
So, Rick Spielman. Brad Childress. Listen up. Resist the urge. Don’t make a trade just so you can say, “Well, we didn’t let him go without getting something for him.” Moore is a valuable player and if traded, the Vikings deserve to get something of value for him. If they can’t and Moore still gets traded, shame on them.
On Deck: Dear Diary debut
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
No need to dodge this draft
To be honest, I had planned on waiting until the midway point of the season to rate the Vikings 2007 rookie class. But with it being a bye week and Vikings news being a little slow, I couldn’t wait.
So far, it’s looking like the pundits were right and the Vikings had a nice draft. Four of the five picks that made the team (seventh rounders Tyler Thigpen and Chandler Williams were cut) are playing key roles for the Vikings with Adrian Peterson looking like the early favourite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. That’s the kind of drafting that can build a solid foundation for a team. Admittedly, it’s a small sample size. But here is how Grant’s Tomb grades the Vikings freshman class based on each player’s performance so far.
Adrian Peterson
Yep – Peterson’s pretty good. He’s basically been the entire Vikings offence thus far. Peterson came to the Vikings billed as a ridiculously talented but brittle player. The knock on him was he ran too high, which subjected him to too many hits in college. Four games into his NFL career, it’s Peterson who is doing most of the hitting - when a defender is lucky enough to catch him. You know you love Peterson’s game-breaking speed and slick moves. But you also have to love the fact Peterson will run over you if he can’t run by you.
So far, Peterson’s the team’s best runner, best receiver and best kick off returner. Too bad he can’t play quarterback, offensive line or call plays. I never thought I’d see the Vikings draft another player as physically gifted as Ole’ 84, Randy Moss. Peterson is looking like that kind of player. Can’t say I’m disappointed the Vikings took this guy instead of Brady Quinn, even with the team’s QB situation as bad as it is. How about you?
Grade: A-plus, plus
Sidney Rice
I was pretty leery of Rice when the Vikings drafted him. They passed on the better-known Dwayne Jarrett to take him and there were other red flags. The pre-draft scouting rundown on him was disconcerting, labelling him as immature and a player who thought he was better than he actually was. There was also the fact he was a product of South Carolina – that's where Troy Williamson learned to play.
But after an uneventful preseason, Rice is winning me over. He seems to run crisp routes. He’s got a good set of mitts. He has enough speed to beat defenders deep. He will go over the middle and fight for yards after the catch. And his touchdown catch against the Packers was a thing of beauty - the kind of play not seen around these parts by a Vikings wide receiver since Moss was run out of town in 2005. Rice’s grade here might be higher if only Chilly and Darrell Bevell hadn’t waited until game number four to realize Rice might be of some use to them. After his six-catch, 75 yard performance Sunday, Rice better be starting alongside Bobby Wade when the Vikes face the Bears on Oct. 14.
Grade: C-plus
Marcus McCauley
The buzz coming out of training camp was that third-round pick McCauley was playing as well as any Vikings defender, producing interceptions and breaking up passes when he didn’t. But that was in practice. During games, Vikings fans have yet to see McCauley show off any of those playmaking skills.
McCauley got burned badly on both of Green Bay’s touchdowns in Sunday’s loss. While he’s been deemed good enough to be the Vikings nickel back, there’s no denying he has looked quite tentative and unsure of himself so far. He’s also been a less than reliable tackler. However, the Vikings don’t have any better alternatives behind him, so expect Leslie Frazier to keep running McCauley out there. McCauley does have ideal size and speed for the corner position. If he is as good as the coaching staff thinks he is, expect him to learn from his early season mistakes and improve as the season progresses.
Grade: D
Brian Robison
The Vikings haven’t gotten many second day steals in recent drafts. Robison might be one. In his brief career, the fourth-round pick has provided what the Vikings have been trying to find for years - a defensive end with speed off the edge who can put pressure on the quarterback. Robison goes all out, all the time and never gives up on a play. He will go sideline-to-sideline in pursuit of whatever opposition player has the ball. I’ll admit it now, I’ve got a bit of a mancrush on Robison.
However, there are some holes in his game. Robison has disappeared at times (he was invisible against Kansas City) and he’s no hell as a run defender yet. But the Vikings didn’t draft him to be a run stopper. Furthermore, he’s usually on the field only for passing downs, so his run stopping deficiencies aren’t a big issue anyway. Key stat: He leads the team with three sacks. The only concern is whether Robison can hold up for 16 games and remain effective once the league gets enough game film on him and figures out what he likes to do and attempts to neutralize that.
Grade: B
Aundrae Allison
After picking him up in the fifth round, the Vikings sold Allison as a first-day talent who fell to them on the second day. Players like this are always hit or miss gambles. So far, Allison hasn’t done much other than return one kick off against Detroit for 60 yards. Last week he was inactive against the Packers.
Expectations are usually low for fifth-round draft picks. But considering Allison is a wide receiver on a team sorely lacking NFL caliber bodies at that position, the opportunity was there for Allison to impress and get some snaps. It hasn’t happened yet and I suspect it won’t this season.
Grade: D-minus
Rufus Alexander
Rufus, we hardly knew ya’.
Alexander was put on the IR after a knee injury in the first preseason game against St. Louis. Not a big loss though. Had he made the team, Alexander wasn’t going to play much except on special teams anyway.
Grade: Incomplete
On Deck: Trade winds blowing?
So far, it’s looking like the pundits were right and the Vikings had a nice draft. Four of the five picks that made the team (seventh rounders Tyler Thigpen and Chandler Williams were cut) are playing key roles for the Vikings with Adrian Peterson looking like the early favourite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. That’s the kind of drafting that can build a solid foundation for a team. Admittedly, it’s a small sample size. But here is how Grant’s Tomb grades the Vikings freshman class based on each player’s performance so far.
Adrian Peterson
Yep – Peterson’s pretty good. He’s basically been the entire Vikings offence thus far. Peterson came to the Vikings billed as a ridiculously talented but brittle player. The knock on him was he ran too high, which subjected him to too many hits in college. Four games into his NFL career, it’s Peterson who is doing most of the hitting - when a defender is lucky enough to catch him. You know you love Peterson’s game-breaking speed and slick moves. But you also have to love the fact Peterson will run over you if he can’t run by you.
So far, Peterson’s the team’s best runner, best receiver and best kick off returner. Too bad he can’t play quarterback, offensive line or call plays. I never thought I’d see the Vikings draft another player as physically gifted as Ole’ 84, Randy Moss. Peterson is looking like that kind of player. Can’t say I’m disappointed the Vikings took this guy instead of Brady Quinn, even with the team’s QB situation as bad as it is. How about you?
Grade: A-plus, plus
Sidney Rice
I was pretty leery of Rice when the Vikings drafted him. They passed on the better-known Dwayne Jarrett to take him and there were other red flags. The pre-draft scouting rundown on him was disconcerting, labelling him as immature and a player who thought he was better than he actually was. There was also the fact he was a product of South Carolina – that's where Troy Williamson learned to play.
But after an uneventful preseason, Rice is winning me over. He seems to run crisp routes. He’s got a good set of mitts. He has enough speed to beat defenders deep. He will go over the middle and fight for yards after the catch. And his touchdown catch against the Packers was a thing of beauty - the kind of play not seen around these parts by a Vikings wide receiver since Moss was run out of town in 2005. Rice’s grade here might be higher if only Chilly and Darrell Bevell hadn’t waited until game number four to realize Rice might be of some use to them. After his six-catch, 75 yard performance Sunday, Rice better be starting alongside Bobby Wade when the Vikes face the Bears on Oct. 14.
Grade: C-plus
Marcus McCauley
The buzz coming out of training camp was that third-round pick McCauley was playing as well as any Vikings defender, producing interceptions and breaking up passes when he didn’t. But that was in practice. During games, Vikings fans have yet to see McCauley show off any of those playmaking skills.
McCauley got burned badly on both of Green Bay’s touchdowns in Sunday’s loss. While he’s been deemed good enough to be the Vikings nickel back, there’s no denying he has looked quite tentative and unsure of himself so far. He’s also been a less than reliable tackler. However, the Vikings don’t have any better alternatives behind him, so expect Leslie Frazier to keep running McCauley out there. McCauley does have ideal size and speed for the corner position. If he is as good as the coaching staff thinks he is, expect him to learn from his early season mistakes and improve as the season progresses.
Grade: D
Brian Robison
The Vikings haven’t gotten many second day steals in recent drafts. Robison might be one. In his brief career, the fourth-round pick has provided what the Vikings have been trying to find for years - a defensive end with speed off the edge who can put pressure on the quarterback. Robison goes all out, all the time and never gives up on a play. He will go sideline-to-sideline in pursuit of whatever opposition player has the ball. I’ll admit it now, I’ve got a bit of a mancrush on Robison.
However, there are some holes in his game. Robison has disappeared at times (he was invisible against Kansas City) and he’s no hell as a run defender yet. But the Vikings didn’t draft him to be a run stopper. Furthermore, he’s usually on the field only for passing downs, so his run stopping deficiencies aren’t a big issue anyway. Key stat: He leads the team with three sacks. The only concern is whether Robison can hold up for 16 games and remain effective once the league gets enough game film on him and figures out what he likes to do and attempts to neutralize that.
Grade: B
Aundrae Allison
After picking him up in the fifth round, the Vikings sold Allison as a first-day talent who fell to them on the second day. Players like this are always hit or miss gambles. So far, Allison hasn’t done much other than return one kick off against Detroit for 60 yards. Last week he was inactive against the Packers.
Expectations are usually low for fifth-round draft picks. But considering Allison is a wide receiver on a team sorely lacking NFL caliber bodies at that position, the opportunity was there for Allison to impress and get some snaps. It hasn’t happened yet and I suspect it won’t this season.
Grade: D-minus
Rufus Alexander
Rufus, we hardly knew ya’.
Alexander was put on the IR after a knee injury in the first preseason game against St. Louis. Not a big loss though. Had he made the team, Alexander wasn’t going to play much except on special teams anyway.
Grade: Incomplete
On Deck: Trade winds blowing?
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