The new normal

Actually, make that the new, old normal.

As Pacifist Viking points out, the 2010 Vikings offence looks eerily similar to the one Brad Childress and his offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell ran from 2006-2008.

There’s an over reliance on the running game to keep the offence humming, an inability to score offensive touchdowns, and each completed pass seem like a mammoth accomplishment.

Did anyone out there have any faith the Vikings would pull this one out with a game-winning touchdown at the end – even with Brett Favre at quarterback? I didn’t.

The loss of Sidney Rice has proven to be more devastating than most of us predicted. We thought with Harvin and Shiancoe still around, and Berrian taking up some of the slack, and Favre and Adrian Peterson still in the fold, that the Vikings offence would still be strong.

But Rice’s absence has resulted in players assuming roles they appear not to be suited for.

With Rice out, Percy Harvin now assumes the #1 receiver role instead of the #2 he filled so nicely last year. Berrian – while being paid to be a #1 – is being asked to be a #2 instead of the #3 guy he was last year. And Harvin and Berrian aren’t holding up their end of the deal.

The Vikings are really feeling the loss of Rice inside the opponent’s 20 – where Favre and the ’09 Vikes were so deadly.

After today’s offensive performance, the Vikings interest in Chargers holdout wide receiver Vincent Jackson has likely increased substantially. At 0-2, the Vikings cannot wait for Rice to get healthy. They need a wide receiver to make plays down the field and in the red zone. It appears that no such player is currently healthy and on the roster.

Other stuff
– I was in favour of the signing of Lito Sheppard this spring. But the guy looks cooked as a player who can play cornerback at the NFL level right now.

_ Dan Dierdorf made some big noise in the first half of this game about the Dolphins getting the better of the Vikings defensive line. It sure looked like it was true. You didn’t see a lot of times where the Vikings D-line pushed back the Miami O-line on run or pass plays. But the unit’s play seemed to improve in the second half. That, and Peterson’s performance, are the only encouraging sings I take out of this loss.

– I noticed Erin Henderson playing linebacker during the second half of the game where Ben Leber would normally be. According to Access Vikings, Leber had a back injury.

Leber’s been a solid and often unsung player for the Vikings since joining the team in 2006. If he was out for an extended period of time, that would not help the Vikings climb out of their current situation.

– Is this a lost year already? Should we give up caring?

By now you’ve likely heard the stats. Only 13 percent of teams that start out 0-2 make the playoffs.

Remember 2008, Vikings fans. Remember 2008.