The Minnesota Vikings season-ending 17-13 loss to the Chicago Bears felt, and was played like, a pre-season game. There were multiple turnovers, quarterbacks that looked out of their element, botched field goals and scrubs playing late in the fourth quarter. The Vikings defence played well – although it did so without the Bears two top offensive players in the lineup. The offence, the unit we needed to see more improvement from, was horrible.
Joe Webb had a chance today to make a case that he deserves to be considered seriously as the Vikings starting quarterback in 2012. But if the team has to run this stripped-down offence (I think the Vikings ran the same three plays the entire second half) when Webb is playing, they had best turn him into a full-time receiver tomorrow.
At least the Vikings secured the number three overall pick in the college draft with the loss. But there was something unsettling about this affair. A loss in a shootout, with either Christian Ponder or Webb guiding the Vikings up and down the field, would have signaled a ray of hope for Vikings fans that a relatively quick turnaround is possible. But the Vikings two in-house candidates for the #1 quarterback position both struggled today. Webb and Ponder both look a long ways from being able to lead this team back to relevance.
The following months will be as an important an offseason as the Vikings have faced since they last went 3-13 in 1984. There are so many questions facing this franchise, it’s difficult to know where to start. But I’ll try.
Christian Ponder
Is Ponder the Vikings answer at quarterback? Before he got crushed and left the game for good, he didn’t play very well. He looked jumpy in the pocket again, was inaccurate – particularly on the screen pass to wide-open Toby Gerhart that led to a pick-six for the Bears. It was the latest in a disturbing string of poor performances by Ponder. For a guy who is supposed to have a high football IQ, his poor decisions throwing the football was worrying, as were his happy feet in the pocket. But Ponder had some good moments as well and he suffers in comparison to fellow rookies Cam Newton and Andy Dalton, who had outstanding rookie seasons. At this point there are only questions not answers about Ponder. He will have to answer some of them affirmatively in 2012.
Does Leslie Frazier deserve another year?
Yes. He was decisive in getting rid of deadweight like Bryant McKinnie and Bernard Berrian. He handled a tumultuous year (some of it his own doing) with dignity and class. Plus, the team kept playing hard when it could have packed it in. There are also plenty of demerits on Frazier’s resume, too. He frequently seems overmatched making in-game strategic decisions and his push to trade for Donovan McNabb turned out to be a disaster. But I think the Vikings need some stability during a time of instability. Frazier needs some time to implement his grand plan for the team. One year isn’t enough time to do so.
What about Bill Musgrave?
Keep him. Today’s offensive performance doesn’t provide me with much of an argument for keeping Musgrave. But Musgrave didn’t have much to work with. His play calling and personnel groupings left Viking fans scratching their heads at times, but the team also scored 28 points or more in three of its final five games. Musgrave also wisely made Percy Harvin the focal point of the offence after Adrian Peterson went down with a high ankle sprain against Oakland. That evolution should continue as the Vikings find Harvin some help in the passing game.
The Offensive Line
Fixing this unit has to be the Vikings top offseason priority. But it may not require an entire housecleaning. Almost everything I’ve read this season about center John Sullivan was glowingly positive. Phil Loadholt – annoying false starts aside – is fine at right tackle. Drafting USC’s Matt Kalil to start at left tackle is the key. That allows Charlie Johnson to move to guard to replace Anthony Herrera. If Steve Hutchinson retires, the Vikings can plug in Brandon Fusco or go the free agent route. If Hutchinson returns for another season, that’s okay as well. Give this unit a full offseason of working together and we might be surprised by the improvement.
The Wide Receivers
Harvin is a marvel, but other than Stephen Burton, whose size (6’1, 224 pounds) and age (22) warrants a second look next year, the rest of this sorry crew needs to be gone. That includes 30-year-old Michael Jenkins, who could serve as an okay #3 wideout on a contending team, but is a needless luxury on a rebuilding one. Any warm body could provide what Greg Camarillo brings to the table. Devin Aromashodu was a starter for seven games after Berrian was released, but still had backup production.
The Secondary
This unit’s best player – Antoine Winfield – turns 35 in June. Improving Chris Cook might be in jail by then. Clearly, none of the other corners on this team deserve to be back. You could say the same about the safeties. But you can’t get rid of everybody because who is going to replace these guys? The secondary has to be focus in April’s draft after the Vikings select a left tackle. They could draft corners with the rest of their draft picks and I wouldn’t complain.
Has E.J. Henderson played his last game as a Viking?
Yes. Henderson has been a great Viking, and as we saw in this game (eight tackles and one forced fumble) there’s no doubt he can still be a productive two-down player. But the team needs to get younger and find a long-term replacement at this vital position. Perhaps that replacement is Jasper Brinkley. The Lions Stephen Tulloch is a free agent. He’s had a fine season and is just 27. I’m not sure why he’d leave a playoff team for a rebuilding one, but money talks in the NFL.
What about Visanthe Shiancoe?
See above.
Should the Vikings trade Jared Allen?
No. After a 22-sack season, Allen’s value will never be higher. He turns 30 and would bring in a healthy of haul of draft picks for the Vikings. But keeping Allen could also jumpstart the rebuilding process and the example he sets on the field is going to be valuable for a team that will be very young next year.
Jim Kleinsasser – a true Viking
The 13-year veteran didn’t score a touchdown in the final game of his career. He didn’t even register a catch or a carry. But that seems like a more fitting way for Kleinsasser to go out. He did today what he’s done for a number of seasons now. He blocked and did it with gusto. Throughout his career he was the anti-Randy Moss, the anti-Fred Smoot, the anti-Chris Cook. He made no waves off the field. He did his job and let his play speak for itself. Well done, Jim.
Pacifist Viking
I feel the Vikings fans that read the blogosphere have been poorer this year without the observations of Pacifist Viking. It’s been a year since he decided to pack it in. Maybe the misery he experienced following the Vikings in 2011 will inspire him to write again in 2012. Or maybe not.
Rage, Vikings Fans, Rage
It’s been a brutal year. Feel free to vent about it here today. I’ll promise to vent with you.
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5 comments:
very tough season to watch...with the multiple 2nd half meltdowns and the failed mcnabb experiment defining the first 6 games, i still can't believe i didn't throw a hammer thru my bigscreen...the first packer 'loss' was the highpoint of the season, showing peterson's power and the potent potential of ponder...after that though, for every time he looked like a seasoned veteran in command of the entire field, he'd follow up quickly with a bonehead pick...still, i believe he and webb are solid and our future at qb...the ONLY thing our secondary could stop is US from winning...god, we need new blood and a secondary coach worth his money...3-13 - wow...the only two things i remember about our last 3-13 season is les steckel and archie manning...enough said...
Hal:
Luckily I only had two TV channels back in 1984 and they weren't showing many Vikings games. So I can only relive that season through the memories of others.
I was pretty encouraged by Ponder's play but he was terrible after the Denver game. Maybe the hip problem was bothering him more than we imagined. I'm sure secondary Joe Woods won't be back after this debacle, like much of the defensive staff. But he wasn't exactly dealt a great hand.
The Vikings need to draft a left tackle and two corners early in the draft and pick up a receiver in free agency – if there is anyone who could serve as a #2 behind Harvin. At least we can spend several months now thinking about the future instead of the present.
I personally thought Webb looked pretty good. I liked how he shook off Julius Peppers, then instead of running, he set up and threw a ten yard strike for a first down. Considering how meaningless this game was, how come the Vikings didn't go for it towards the end of the first half? It was forth and one from the Bears ten yard line. An athletic QB like Webb can't convert a one yard QB sneak?
I disagree about dumping the wide receivers. Improve the O-line and they will look better, more time to get open. Michael Jenkins is better than people think and knows the offense. A-do seems to be coming on and is developing a rapport with Webb.
Anon:
Webb had his moments but for every pass he zipped in there, he was off target just as often. His shake off of Peppers was impressive. I've never seen anybody else do that before. I was most discouraged though by the fact the Vikings seemed to run the same plays over and over again. The Bears were sitting on those bootlegs all day. Doesn't Webb know the offence a bit better by now. Or are these the only plays he's capable of running?
I doubt Jenkins will be let go. He's got a history with Musgrave and he's not a bad player. The Vikes won't be able to find replacements for everybody. Aromashodu shows flashes of ability then disappears for long stretches of games. I can't figure him out.
This was a very good Chicago defense. Most plays Webb was running for his life. As for knowing the plays, maybe it will help to get more meaningful snaps as a starting QB. Webb has spent most of his time with the Vikings running the scout team. How much time has he spent in the receiver position? How much time have they wasted in that worthless blazer package? Its hard enough to play one position in the NFL, and the Vikings are jerking Joe all over the place.
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