Watching preseason games can be a bore, However, Football Outsiders writer Mike Tanier gives you a few reasons why exhibition games can be worth watching.
I’m with Tanier on this one. I find it refreshing to watch the Vikings play and not feel like I’m about to throw up (that sensation comes from nervousness during games, although the Vikes play does occasionally make me sick.) I also pay attention to position battles, how the draft picks do and if any rookie free agents flash some promise.
The problem with the preseason is it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not. Teams are only running basic offensive and defensive schemes and there are many, many scrubs in the game who will never play in the NFL. You’ve got to be careful putting too much stock in a strong performance by a rookie or no-name player during the preseason.
For example, during the 2007 preseason, Adrian Peterson looked dynamite and when the regular season started, he was dynamite. What we saw from A.P. that preseason was real. On the flip side, during the 2008 preseason Tarvaris Jackson looked like a vastly improved quarterback. But when the regular season started, we saw the same guy we had watched in 2007, with the same limitations, making the same mistakes. What we saw from T-Jack in the exhibition games was not real. So you never know.
One thing we do know is that Sage Rosenfels will start at quarterback tonight against the Colts. But if Rosenfels does very well, I don’t know how much we can take out of it (see above.) Also, the Colts seem to be holding out their entire first-team defence in this one. If Rosenfels stinks against a posse of Colts second-teamers, my hopes for a competent Vikings passing game this year will take a significant hit.
Injuries
In the first preseason game of 2006 Chad Greenway sustained a season-ending knee injury.
In the first preseason game of 2008 Heath Farwell sustained a season-ending knee injury.
Stay healthy tonight, Vikings.
Football Outsiders talks Vikings
Just ran across a great post at the Daily Norseman where site kingpin Gonzo got to ask Football Outsiders writer Bill Barnwell 10 questions about what FO’s analysis says about the 2009 Vikings.
Most of the news is reasonably good. Pay close attention to Barnwell’s answer to Gonzo's question regarding the quarterback situation, where he makes a couple of key points about Jackson’s supposed improvement in 2008.
About tonight’s game
Unlike you lucky people in the Minnesota area, I will not be able to watch the Vikes-Colts game live. I’ll have to wait until whenever the NFL Network shows it to watch any of it. I’m also in the middle of buying a new house and selling an old one. And my mother-in-law is coming up this weekend. So I’m not sure when I’ll post my thoughts on the game. But I plan on getting something up here.
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4 comments:
I'll have a beer in your honor while I watch the game tonight, DC.
I happen to be in the process of closing on a house having sold my old one early last month, and I know how hectic that can be. But at least I live where they broadcast the games now!
Are the Colts really holding out the whole D? I read it was just the starting secondary.
I've also read that Manning won't spend much time in the game and that Sorji's got a sore hamstring, meaning Minnesota will be beating up on a 3rd string QB for 3+ quarters.
Read the FO and DN articles before I saw this post, but yeah, I really appreciated them. Especially Gonzo's. Can't wait to start gauging what the 2009 regular season Vikings could look like.
Ahhhhhh, how thoughtful of you, Peter. Just make sure it's a Canadian beer.
No, scratch that. If they sell Canadian beer at all in the Twin Cities, it's probably the big brand names – Molson and Labatt's Blue, which both taste like cat's piss. I don't want you to get a bad impression about Canadian booze.
I'm looking forward to watching Harvin. And Loadholt is going to tested tonight as he'll face Robert Mathis, Raheem Brock and maybe even Dwight Freeney on some plays. If he holds up well on his passing block against quality players like that, it'll bode well for his 2009 season, I think.
Yeah, Loadholt vs. Mathis/Freeny should be telling. I'm trying not to expect too much. So long as he has fewer false starts than Cookie, it'll be something to be thankful for.
I like to drink local brews when I'm traveling, because I know what the most popular American beers are abroad and they all suck.
If you've got any lesser-known Canadian beer recommendations I'll keep an eye out at the liquor stores with good selection. Who knows, maybe I'll find a good Canadian beer midseason and start spelling 'offense' and 'defense' with the letter 'c'.
I'll dig up some recommendations for you.
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