Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress made a drastic change in his starting line-up last Sunday when he announced that 37-year old Gus Frerotte would start over a struggling Tarvaris Jackson. Minnesota would go on to defeat Carolina 20-10 to win their first game of the season. Frerotte put up good-enough numbers for the game (16-28, 204 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT) to help a once immobile Viking offense.
Frerotte improved his numbers a little in Sunday's 30-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans (25-43, 266 yds, 1 INT), and while Minnesota outgained Tennessee in total yards offensively, it was the lack of points put up on the board and the lack of execution at crucial points in the game that ultimately cost Minnesota.
As for Frerotte, who threw a critical interception inside the Minnesota 20 in the 4th quarter and got his hand cut in the process, the question must be raised: how long is Frerotte going to stay the starter?
According to Childress, Frerotte is expected to be the starter for the remainder of the season. So what does that mean really? Is Tarvaris Jackson done? Is there no one else out there for the Vikings to turn to that could possibly aid them if Frerotte struggles to get the Vikings into the endzone like Jackson did?
First off, I'll start by saying that the option for Minnesota to go shopping in the free agent market is probably one the Vikings will save for a very rainy day. Minnesota would have to suffer numerous injuries at the QB position before this staff would consider acquiring another QB. Dante Culpepper is available after having retired before the season started, and while that may seem like a popular choice, chances are the Vikings won't be asking the former Pro Bowl quarterback to return to Minneapolis. Culpepper also is a shadow of what he used to be and Minnesota probably wouldn't want to risk seeing if he could shake off the rust and make plays for the Vikings or if he will continue to look hobbled from wear and tear through the years.
The other thing is, Tarvaris Jackson by no means has been thrown under the bus. I did get the sense that the Vikings organization may have lost some faith in the kid, but in all likelihood, if Frerotte cannot go for one reason or another, Jackson would most likely take his place. He is the most experienced backup Minnesota has. It will be interesting, though to see where the Vikings will go in the offseason next year. Will they look to draft another quarterback perhaps early on in the draft? It will all depend on just how much faith Minnesota has really lost in Jackson being the starter agian. Frerotte is a temporary solution. He will not continue to be the Vikings starter for the next couple of years. This is why it is becoming urgent that Minnesota starts looking at their options if Jackson isn't the guy they want.
The Vikings did draft John David Booty in the 5th round of this year's draft, but early indications have JDB holding a clipboard for the remainder of the year and possibly into next season as well while he grows into his role. He could be the quarterback of the future for Minnesota, but it's gonna take much longer than the Vikings are willing to wait for.
For now it looks like Frerotte is the guy for Minnesota for better or worse. It's not like Minnesota lacks guys who can make plays. It's that there seems to be chemistry issues on offense. Minnesota lacks a cohesiveness on offense and that is affecting their execution. When you can't convert at critical points, especially on third downs, and you turn the ball over at crucial moments it hinders the development of any offense.
But the season is still young and there is plenty of time left for the Vikings to make improvements, so it's still a little too early to hit the panic button just yet.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
NFC North Recap
Tampa Bay 27, Chicago 24 OT- One word comes to mind when you see the highlights of the Buccaneers' overtime win at Soldier Field...Irony. Brain Griese is just a year removed from standing on the opposite side of the field donning the purple and orange as one of the infamous quarterbacks of the Chicago Bears. But Griese left after 2007 leaving just Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman to share the limelight and catch all the flack for the Bears' struggles. Bears quarterbacks have never been known to light it up on the scoreboard or stat sheet, so that's what makes Sunday's score ironic. It is ironic in the sense that Brian Griese, who has also made trips to Denver and Miami along with his stops in Chicago and Tampa Bay, torched the Bears' secondary for 407 yards passing and two touchdowns on 38-for a franchise record setting-67, just three attempts shy of the all-time NFL mark. Griese also threw three picks, but the fact that he orchestrated a late 4th quarter comeback and led his team to a road victory over his former team certainly makes up for it. Tampa Bay is now 2-1 on the year.
Next Game: Philadelphia (2-1) at Chicago (1-2)
San Francisco 31, Detroit 13- The San Francisco 49ers offense proved to be too much for the Lions' defense in what has become a recurring theme over the past several years. Basically insert almost any team where the "San Francisco 49ers" were and you've got your headline. Detroit's defense has not improved at all from last year and their offense is much worse than last year at this time when they were 6-2 after week 9 and talking playoffs. They resemble more of the second-half-of-the-season Lions that went 1-7.
Frank Gore rushed for 130 yards and a score and J.T. O'Sullivan threw for 189 yards and a touchdown to pace the 49ers who improve to 2-1.
Next Game: BYE, Week 5 vs. Chicago
Dallas 27, Green Bay 16- The rivalry renewed. This used to be one of the marquee match-ups in the '90s when Green Bay and Dallas were powerhouses in the NFC. This was back when Favre and Aikman were at their finest. This time around it was Romo versus Rodgers, and Romo won. Marion Barber rushed for a career-high 142 yards and a touchdown and Tony Romo passed for 260 yards with a touchdown and an interception to pace the Cowboys, who put up 453 yards of offense on Green Bay in Lambeau Field. Aaron Rodgers suffered his first defeat as the starter for the Packers going 22-of-39 for 290 yards and a rushing touchdown (the only TD for the Packers). Dallas moves to 3-0 now and looks to be the team to beat in the NFL afer week three.
Next Game: Green Bay (2-1) at Tampa Bay (2-1)
What does it mean for the Vikings?- Minnesota's 20-10 win over Carolina should give new life to this team. Couple that with the fact that every other NFC North team lost and the Vikings aren't in as bad a shape as people once thought. Granted it's still early in the season, but Minnesota can still keep pace with Green Bay as they're only a game back. Right now Minnesota is tied with Chicago in the division and can move into a tie for first with a loss by the Bears and Packers this week (Detroit is off). Neither team has a gimme. Of course nor do the Vikings, who travel to face the Tennessee Titans, but the opportunity is there and Minnesota must seize these kinds of opportunities early if they want to get back to the playoffs.
Next Game: Philadelphia (2-1) at Chicago (1-2)
San Francisco 31, Detroit 13- The San Francisco 49ers offense proved to be too much for the Lions' defense in what has become a recurring theme over the past several years. Basically insert almost any team where the "San Francisco 49ers" were and you've got your headline. Detroit's defense has not improved at all from last year and their offense is much worse than last year at this time when they were 6-2 after week 9 and talking playoffs. They resemble more of the second-half-of-the-season Lions that went 1-7.
Frank Gore rushed for 130 yards and a score and J.T. O'Sullivan threw for 189 yards and a touchdown to pace the 49ers who improve to 2-1.
Next Game: BYE, Week 5 vs. Chicago
Dallas 27, Green Bay 16- The rivalry renewed. This used to be one of the marquee match-ups in the '90s when Green Bay and Dallas were powerhouses in the NFC. This was back when Favre and Aikman were at their finest. This time around it was Romo versus Rodgers, and Romo won. Marion Barber rushed for a career-high 142 yards and a touchdown and Tony Romo passed for 260 yards with a touchdown and an interception to pace the Cowboys, who put up 453 yards of offense on Green Bay in Lambeau Field. Aaron Rodgers suffered his first defeat as the starter for the Packers going 22-of-39 for 290 yards and a rushing touchdown (the only TD for the Packers). Dallas moves to 3-0 now and looks to be the team to beat in the NFL afer week three.
Next Game: Green Bay (2-1) at Tampa Bay (2-1)
What does it mean for the Vikings?- Minnesota's 20-10 win over Carolina should give new life to this team. Couple that with the fact that every other NFC North team lost and the Vikings aren't in as bad a shape as people once thought. Granted it's still early in the season, but Minnesota can still keep pace with Green Bay as they're only a game back. Right now Minnesota is tied with Chicago in the division and can move into a tie for first with a loss by the Bears and Packers this week (Detroit is off). Neither team has a gimme. Of course nor do the Vikings, who travel to face the Tennessee Titans, but the opportunity is there and Minnesota must seize these kinds of opportunities early if they want to get back to the playoffs.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Vikings Pitch Shut Out in 2nd Half, Win 20-10
It was obvious the Minnesota Vikings took the momentum into halftime. Antoine Winfield 
had just scored a touchdown off of a sack on Jake Delhomme in which he forced the fumble and then recovered it and danced into the endzone all in one play to tie the ball game at 10-10. It was the 14th touchdown by the opportunistic Minnesota defense since 2006 (most in the NFL in that time span).
The second half belonged to the Vikings. When I left I said Minnesota was going to get the ball. I said they needed to start getting Peterson more involved. And I talked about how they needed to get the ball into the endzone on the offensive side.
Well that's exactly what they did on their opening possession. They marched 80 yards in 5 plays on a drive that was jump-started by a Gus Frerotte deep ball to Bernard Berrian (a former Chicago Bear- more on them later) for a gain of 48 yards on 3rd and 7. 2 plays later Frerotte hit the much-maligned tight end Visanthe Shiancoe on a crossing route and he walked into the endzone from 34 yards out for Minnesota's first offensive touchdown since midway through the fourth quarter of the Green Bay game.
A Ryan Longwell field goal in the fourth quarter added insurance to the lead to give the Vikings a 20-10 cushion which would hold to be the final. However, what was troubling about that drive is that Minnesota had the ball inside the 10 knocking on the door for another TD when back-to-back penalities crushed the drive. Chestor Taylor caught a touchdown pass from 13 yards out, but that was nullified. Carolina even helped out by getting an illegal contact penalty which gave Minnesota a first down, but the Vikes couldn't muster anything and settled for the trusty right leg of Longwell.
What was good about that drive is the amount of clock the Vikings chewed up. A drive that started at the 5:41 mark in the third culminated in a 19-play, 75-yard drive that ended with 9:11 to go in the fourth quarter. Minnesota had taken all the wind out of the Panthers' sails with that drive.
Once the Vikings had the lead the coaches turned the defense loose. It was refreshing to finally see Minnesota's defense be able to pin their ears back for a change, whereas I've been accustomed to opposing teams doing that to Minnesota and making our line and QBs look silly trying to frantically stop or avoid the pass rush.
Delhomme was sacked three times in the 2nd half ( five total) and twice in the 4th quarter. He also lost 2 fumbles on the game one being the critical forced fumble by Winfield that was returned for the game-tying score.
The Vikings had knocked off the previously unbeaten Panthers (2-1) to get their first win of the season (1-2).
Gus Frerotte went 16-of-28 for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his first start of the season. Adrian Peterson looked a little banged up at times and you could tell there might hae been some hesitance due to the hamstring injury he was nursing earlier in the week, but he finished with 17 carries for 77 yards. Chestor Taylor added 44 yards in relief. Bernard Berrian led the Vikings in receiving with 3 catches for 79 yards and E.J. Henderson recorded 12 tackles to lead all defenders.
A few notes from the game:
- The Vikings may have surprised even Carolina by coming out aggressive and pass-happy to start the game. They used the pass to set up the run and it started to work in the second half. Minnesota showed that it wasn't afraid to go down field and by actually completing some of those Carolina had to show some respect. I doubt it will be a continuing trend as Minnesota will always be a run-oriented team, but it sure was a nice change of pace once I saw the way things came together for the offense.
- Frerotte had a solid outing. I was actually kind of impressed by his performance. I expected him to do just enough and let Adrian Peterson lead the team to victory, but it was Frerotte's accuracy and reading ability that was key for Minnesota on Sunday that was the main part of Minnesota's offensive success.
Frerotte is not the quarterback of the future by any means, but the Vikings want to win now and if Head Coach Brad Childress sees that the 37-year old Frerotte gives this team the best chance to win then I'll go with that. What is it with ageless quarterbacks nowadays?
- The defense is coming around. Finally a complete game by the defense. This is what you're gonna get when you have an offense that doesn't sputter and leave the defense out to dry when they take the field again, or in some cases seem like they never left. Minnesota held Carolina to just 204 yards of total offense and just 47 yards rushing. It was the second game the Vikings haven't allowed an opponent to rush for more than 50 yards- they held Indianapolis to just 25.
Green Bay as a team rushed for 139, but the Vikings have not allowed an individual 100-yard rusher yet this season. The prolific Carolina combo of DeAngelo Williams and rookie sensation Jonathon Stewart were held in check rushing for 27 and 15 yards respectively on Sunday.
- The offense needs to stop shooting themselves in the foot. Dear lord this game wouldn't have been as close as it was if Minnesota would've limited the uncharacteristic penalties on the line. Too many drives were killed because of them including the last scoring drive that resulted in a field goal, but should've been a touchdown. The play calling was better this week, so I'll lay off them for now, but hopefully we'll see more of what we got this week against Carolina in the weeks to come. Maybe not so much the pass, but just more creativity and variety instead of run three times and punt or pass three times and punt. But back to what I said earlier, they need to get those penalties out of their system now so it doesn't end up continuously costing them down the road.
The other thing is: Find a way to involve Chestor Taylor. This has become a common topic among sports fans interested in the Vikings. Peterson is the stronger of the two, but Taylor has an elusiveness about him that forces defenses to think differently when he's in there. He can also catch well out of the backfield and make defenders miss, and it's definitely not like he lacks game-breaking speed. After all he holds the franchise record for longest run from scrimmage at 95 yards. The Vikings use him on special teams, but if they can find a way to utilize him more on offense it might be even more benificial to them and could give them one more weapon defenses must worry about. It might also take some pressure off of Peterson to perform every single play.
The Vikings head to Nashville next Sunday to take on the Tennessee Titans, who could again be without Vince Young at quarterback. A win on the road would move Minnesota back to .500 early in the 2008 season. The Vikings can do it. They just need to keep executing like they did on Sunday against the Panthers.
Hawkeyes at the Metrodome- Chad Greenway had another solid performance with nine tackles and a sack against Carolina. Greenway now has 23 tackles on the year (tied for 21st best in the NFL). The former Hawk who surprised me, though, was rookie Charles Godfrey. Godfrey has worked his way up through the ranks after signing on as an undrafted rookie and has earned himself a starting position for the Panthers at cornerback. Godfrey had six tackles and a sack and was all over the place yesterday. It looks like another Hawkeye has a solid career ahead of him in the NFL.
had just scored a touchdown off of a sack on Jake Delhomme in which he forced the fumble and then recovered it and danced into the endzone all in one play to tie the ball game at 10-10. It was the 14th touchdown by the opportunistic Minnesota defense since 2006 (most in the NFL in that time span).The second half belonged to the Vikings. When I left I said Minnesota was going to get the ball. I said they needed to start getting Peterson more involved. And I talked about how they needed to get the ball into the endzone on the offensive side.
Well that's exactly what they did on their opening possession. They marched 80 yards in 5 plays on a drive that was jump-started by a Gus Frerotte deep ball to Bernard Berrian (a former Chicago Bear- more on them later) for a gain of 48 yards on 3rd and 7. 2 plays later Frerotte hit the much-maligned tight end Visanthe Shiancoe on a crossing route and he walked into the endzone from 34 yards out for Minnesota's first offensive touchdown since midway through the fourth quarter of the Green Bay game.
A Ryan Longwell field goal in the fourth quarter added insurance to the lead to give the Vikings a 20-10 cushion which would hold to be the final. However, what was troubling about that drive is that Minnesota had the ball inside the 10 knocking on the door for another TD when back-to-back penalities crushed the drive. Chestor Taylor caught a touchdown pass from 13 yards out, but that was nullified. Carolina even helped out by getting an illegal contact penalty which gave Minnesota a first down, but the Vikes couldn't muster anything and settled for the trusty right leg of Longwell.
What was good about that drive is the amount of clock the Vikings chewed up. A drive that started at the 5:41 mark in the third culminated in a 19-play, 75-yard drive that ended with 9:11 to go in the fourth quarter. Minnesota had taken all the wind out of the Panthers' sails with that drive.
Once the Vikings had the lead the coaches turned the defense loose. It was refreshing to finally see Minnesota's defense be able to pin their ears back for a change, whereas I've been accustomed to opposing teams doing that to Minnesota and making our line and QBs look silly trying to frantically stop or avoid the pass rush.
Delhomme was sacked three times in the 2nd half ( five total) and twice in the 4th quarter. He also lost 2 fumbles on the game one being the critical forced fumble by Winfield that was returned for the game-tying score.
The Vikings had knocked off the previously unbeaten Panthers (2-1) to get their first win of the season (1-2).
Gus Frerotte went 16-of-28 for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his first start of the season. Adrian Peterson looked a little banged up at times and you could tell there might hae been some hesitance due to the hamstring injury he was nursing earlier in the week, but he finished with 17 carries for 77 yards. Chestor Taylor added 44 yards in relief. Bernard Berrian led the Vikings in receiving with 3 catches for 79 yards and E.J. Henderson recorded 12 tackles to lead all defenders.
A few notes from the game:
- The Vikings may have surprised even Carolina by coming out aggressive and pass-happy to start the game. They used the pass to set up the run and it started to work in the second half. Minnesota showed that it wasn't afraid to go down field and by actually completing some of those Carolina had to show some respect. I doubt it will be a continuing trend as Minnesota will always be a run-oriented team, but it sure was a nice change of pace once I saw the way things came together for the offense.
- Frerotte had a solid outing. I was actually kind of impressed by his performance. I expected him to do just enough and let Adrian Peterson lead the team to victory, but it was Frerotte's accuracy and reading ability that was key for Minnesota on Sunday that was the main part of Minnesota's offensive success.
Frerotte is not the quarterback of the future by any means, but the Vikings want to win now and if Head Coach Brad Childress sees that the 37-year old Frerotte gives this team the best chance to win then I'll go with that. What is it with ageless quarterbacks nowadays?
- The defense is coming around. Finally a complete game by the defense. This is what you're gonna get when you have an offense that doesn't sputter and leave the defense out to dry when they take the field again, or in some cases seem like they never left. Minnesota held Carolina to just 204 yards of total offense and just 47 yards rushing. It was the second game the Vikings haven't allowed an opponent to rush for more than 50 yards- they held Indianapolis to just 25.
Green Bay as a team rushed for 139, but the Vikings have not allowed an individual 100-yard rusher yet this season. The prolific Carolina combo of DeAngelo Williams and rookie sensation Jonathon Stewart were held in check rushing for 27 and 15 yards respectively on Sunday.
- The offense needs to stop shooting themselves in the foot. Dear lord this game wouldn't have been as close as it was if Minnesota would've limited the uncharacteristic penalties on the line. Too many drives were killed because of them including the last scoring drive that resulted in a field goal, but should've been a touchdown. The play calling was better this week, so I'll lay off them for now, but hopefully we'll see more of what we got this week against Carolina in the weeks to come. Maybe not so much the pass, but just more creativity and variety instead of run three times and punt or pass three times and punt. But back to what I said earlier, they need to get those penalties out of their system now so it doesn't end up continuously costing them down the road.
The other thing is: Find a way to involve Chestor Taylor. This has become a common topic among sports fans interested in the Vikings. Peterson is the stronger of the two, but Taylor has an elusiveness about him that forces defenses to think differently when he's in there. He can also catch well out of the backfield and make defenders miss, and it's definitely not like he lacks game-breaking speed. After all he holds the franchise record for longest run from scrimmage at 95 yards. The Vikings use him on special teams, but if they can find a way to utilize him more on offense it might be even more benificial to them and could give them one more weapon defenses must worry about. It might also take some pressure off of Peterson to perform every single play.
The Vikings head to Nashville next Sunday to take on the Tennessee Titans, who could again be without Vince Young at quarterback. A win on the road would move Minnesota back to .500 early in the 2008 season. The Vikings can do it. They just need to keep executing like they did on Sunday against the Panthers.
Hawkeyes at the Metrodome- Chad Greenway had another solid performance with nine tackles and a sack against Carolina. Greenway now has 23 tackles on the year (tied for 21st best in the NFL). The former Hawk who surprised me, though, was rookie Charles Godfrey. Godfrey has worked his way up through the ranks after signing on as an undrafted rookie and has earned himself a starting position for the Panthers at cornerback. Godfrey had six tackles and a sack and was all over the place yesterday. It looks like another Hawkeye has a solid career ahead of him in the NFL.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Halftime: Vikings D Ties the Game
When I left you, Minnesota had just gotten the ball. They hadn't done anything on offense prior to my post and had several costly penalties kill a couple of drives as well. But that all changed when they decided to...give Adrian Peterson the ball.
Having only 3 carries prior to their last posession of the half, the Vikings decided to give their playmaker the ball and he got chunks of yardage that finally got their offense inside the Carolina 30. Mix in a few completed passes and the Vikings were knocking on the door. However once again Minnesota was held out of the endzone and they had to settle for a field goal. 10-3 Carolina.
But then the defense finally made a big play of their own. Antoine Winfield came in on a corner blitz on the Panthers' ensuing possession and, all in one play, got a QB sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown. Not bad. 10-10 tie ball game at half.
Now all we need from the Vikings is to find the endzone on offense. I will be worried, whether they win the game or not, if they are held out of the endzone on offense through 8 quarters of play. Right now that streak is at 6. If the offense can start opening some holes for Peterson and Taylor that streak should end. If they can continue to keep the Panther D guessing after their most recent offensive drive by mixing up the plays with a few completed passes that will also aid in ending the endzone drought. I, for one, am tired of settling for field goals.
Halftime stats:
Minn:
Pass- Frerotte 9/17 87 yds
Rush- Peterson 9 car. 36 yds
Rec- Wade 2 rec. 28 yds
Car:
Pass- Delhomme 9/15 115 yds
Rush- Stewart 6 car. 14 yds TD
Rec- Smith 3 rec. 60 yds
Well second half is about to start so back to the game. Vikings will get the ball to start.
Having only 3 carries prior to their last posession of the half, the Vikings decided to give their playmaker the ball and he got chunks of yardage that finally got their offense inside the Carolina 30. Mix in a few completed passes and the Vikings were knocking on the door. However once again Minnesota was held out of the endzone and they had to settle for a field goal. 10-3 Carolina.
But then the defense finally made a big play of their own. Antoine Winfield came in on a corner blitz on the Panthers' ensuing possession and, all in one play, got a QB sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown. Not bad. 10-10 tie ball game at half.
Now all we need from the Vikings is to find the endzone on offense. I will be worried, whether they win the game or not, if they are held out of the endzone on offense through 8 quarters of play. Right now that streak is at 6. If the offense can start opening some holes for Peterson and Taylor that streak should end. If they can continue to keep the Panther D guessing after their most recent offensive drive by mixing up the plays with a few completed passes that will also aid in ending the endzone drought. I, for one, am tired of settling for field goals.
Halftime stats:
Minn:
Pass- Frerotte 9/17 87 yds
Rush- Peterson 9 car. 36 yds
Rec- Wade 2 rec. 28 yds
Car:
Pass- Delhomme 9/15 115 yds
Rush- Stewart 6 car. 14 yds TD
Rec- Smith 3 rec. 60 yds
Well second half is about to start so back to the game. Vikings will get the ball to start.
Frerotte Starts, Vikings trail Panthers 10-0 in 2nd
I'm watching the game right now from the comforts of my home, but let me tell you it's anything but comfortable watching this game. Minnesota is trailing the Carolina Panthers with 9 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter at the Metrodome.
Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress made a surprising announcement earlier in the week that he was going to start 15-year veteran Gus Frerotte over the struggling Tarvaris Jackson, who started the first two games for the Vikings. Childress hoped that Minnesota would benefit from the experience and leadership that Frerotte brings to the table, but so far it hasn't helped much.
The Vikings have gone to the air much more than I thought they would. Perhaps it's an attempt to keep the Panthers' D honest. The only problem is that you have to complete those passes if you want to keep a defense honest. Frerotte is 4-for-10 for 49 yards and an interception. Meanwhile Adrian Peterson, who was questionable throughout the week due to a hamstring pull, only has 5 carries for 19 yards thus far. The offense needs to get back in rthym and stop getting drive-killing penalties or it's gonna be another long day and an 0-3 start to 2008.
Before I go, I'll add that the defense is playing well against a Panther offense that got a boost from the return of star receiver Steve Smith, but needs to quit giving up the big play and limit penalties if they want to get back in this game.
More to come at half.
Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress made a surprising announcement earlier in the week that he was going to start 15-year veteran Gus Frerotte over the struggling Tarvaris Jackson, who started the first two games for the Vikings. Childress hoped that Minnesota would benefit from the experience and leadership that Frerotte brings to the table, but so far it hasn't helped much.
The Vikings have gone to the air much more than I thought they would. Perhaps it's an attempt to keep the Panthers' D honest. The only problem is that you have to complete those passes if you want to keep a defense honest. Frerotte is 4-for-10 for 49 yards and an interception. Meanwhile Adrian Peterson, who was questionable throughout the week due to a hamstring pull, only has 5 carries for 19 yards thus far. The offense needs to get back in rthym and stop getting drive-killing penalties or it's gonna be another long day and an 0-3 start to 2008.
Before I go, I'll add that the defense is playing well against a Panther offense that got a boost from the return of star receiver Steve Smith, but needs to quit giving up the big play and limit penalties if they want to get back in this game.
More to come at half.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Pros and Cons to Sunday's Loss
So what can we take away from Minnesota's 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts (1-1)? Well for starters:
1. The quarterback situation is far from resolved. And no I don't mean there's a QB controversy. Minnesota doesn't even have anybody they can turn to with confidence if Jackson went down with an injury or if he just absolutely falls flat on his face from here on out. John David Booty is still gonna ride the pine for a while before he gets a chance to show whether or not he can run Minnesota's west coast offense. Brooks Bollinger makes the Bears' backups (and Orton if you wanna have fun with this) look like the Manning brothers playing on the same all-star team. And Gus Frerotte is just there for the insights and helpful pointers to the young guns. He's not somebody you're gonna build a team around, nor is Bollinger. No, as much as fans can't understand it, Jackson is our best chance at winning games. That is why I disagree with the booin at Jackson. If you're booing the playcalling fine, but we need to give the kid some more time. Although that time is running out with every incompletion and bad pick he throws.
But what I mean by the fact that the QB situation is unresolved is that Jackson still has problems managing this offense on gameday despite praises from the coaches on how he's finally starting to turn the corner on figuring out the West Coast offense. His erly performance in the preseason reflected the coaches' remarks. But for one reason or another, on gameday, Jackson just cannot make the big plays. He still doesn't know when he should tuck the ball and do it himself, and he just can't seem to hit his guys deep down field. Some of it comes from drops; those never help a QB's progress. But a lot of it also stems from playcalling. It sends the wrong message when you decide to run the football five times in a row on your opponent's side of the field. A play action or even a draw might have opened up the defense a little. But then again this is also the same play calling that called for a shotgun pass on a 3rd and one in enemy territory. Why they did that I have no idea.
In my opinion, the coaching needs to improve if they want the player to improve. And Jackson has the talent. A lot of people don't see it. They think he's the worst QB in the NFL. But he's got the potential to be much more reliable than he is right now. It's just gonna take some patience by a lot of people, fans included.
2. Defensive effort deserved a win. They weren't gonna hold off Manning forever. Even though Peyton Manning still doesn't look like his old self, he's still not some second-rate backup thrwoing meatballs up for grabs. And when you have a guy like Anthony Gonzalez, who has really come on as of late for the Colts and had 9 catches for 137 yards on Sunday, it's gonna be hard to keep them out of the endzone. Minnesota played opportunistic defense and picked Manning twice and could only muster a field goal for it. They stuffed Indianapolis' run game for 25 yards on the day and held them to 6-of-15 on third-down attempts. Yet the Viking offense, as it has so many times before, could not return the favor for the hard work put in by the defense. It's disappointing because this isn't something that happens on occassion. Minnesota has one of the best defenses in the NFL, but they're human. They get tired too. If they're on the field all the time and if the offensive struggles become frustrating to the team, it subsequently will affect the team as a whole in one way or another, mostly in the momentum factor. It seems like almost every time Minnesota loses it is because a stagnant offense wasted away a strong defensive effort.
3. Running game is still dominant, but needs support if the Vikings want to make it a four quarter dimension of their offense. No offense in the NFL can have a running game last four quarters if you can't find ways to move the ball through the air. Defenses will eventually stack the line and find ways to fill the gaps and blow up any run play a team throws at them, especially if they aren't willing to go downfield. Adrian Peterson had his eighth career 100-yard rushing performance (29 carries for 160 yards- most of which came in the first half) which moved him to fourth all-time already on the Vikings' list. He still has a ways to go to catch Robert Smith. But Smith also played a while before he got to eight 100-yard games. Peterson is a monster, a genuine superstar on a team that desperately needs one. Yet he cannot carry the offensive load entirely. No back in the NFL can. Not Tomlinson, not Barber, not Parker and not even Larry Johnson, who does take on a lot of the offensive load for the Chiefs.
The Vikings need to get this kid some help in a hurry. For one thing it will help to prolong his health. Sure he's got a great offensive line. But as a running back your still gonna get hit almost every single play. And if more happen like where Robert Mathis went VERY low on Peterson, his health won't remain in good shape for long.
1. The quarterback situation is far from resolved. And no I don't mean there's a QB controversy. Minnesota doesn't even have anybody they can turn to with confidence if Jackson went down with an injury or if he just absolutely falls flat on his face from here on out. John David Booty is still gonna ride the pine for a while before he gets a chance to show whether or not he can run Minnesota's west coast offense. Brooks Bollinger makes the Bears' backups (and Orton if you wanna have fun with this) look like the Manning brothers playing on the same all-star team. And Gus Frerotte is just there for the insights and helpful pointers to the young guns. He's not somebody you're gonna build a team around, nor is Bollinger. No, as much as fans can't understand it, Jackson is our best chance at winning games. That is why I disagree with the booin at Jackson. If you're booing the playcalling fine, but we need to give the kid some more time. Although that time is running out with every incompletion and bad pick he throws.
But what I mean by the fact that the QB situation is unresolved is that Jackson still has problems managing this offense on gameday despite praises from the coaches on how he's finally starting to turn the corner on figuring out the West Coast offense. His erly performance in the preseason reflected the coaches' remarks. But for one reason or another, on gameday, Jackson just cannot make the big plays. He still doesn't know when he should tuck the ball and do it himself, and he just can't seem to hit his guys deep down field. Some of it comes from drops; those never help a QB's progress. But a lot of it also stems from playcalling. It sends the wrong message when you decide to run the football five times in a row on your opponent's side of the field. A play action or even a draw might have opened up the defense a little. But then again this is also the same play calling that called for a shotgun pass on a 3rd and one in enemy territory. Why they did that I have no idea.
In my opinion, the coaching needs to improve if they want the player to improve. And Jackson has the talent. A lot of people don't see it. They think he's the worst QB in the NFL. But he's got the potential to be much more reliable than he is right now. It's just gonna take some patience by a lot of people, fans included.
2. Defensive effort deserved a win. They weren't gonna hold off Manning forever. Even though Peyton Manning still doesn't look like his old self, he's still not some second-rate backup thrwoing meatballs up for grabs. And when you have a guy like Anthony Gonzalez, who has really come on as of late for the Colts and had 9 catches for 137 yards on Sunday, it's gonna be hard to keep them out of the endzone. Minnesota played opportunistic defense and picked Manning twice and could only muster a field goal for it. They stuffed Indianapolis' run game for 25 yards on the day and held them to 6-of-15 on third-down attempts. Yet the Viking offense, as it has so many times before, could not return the favor for the hard work put in by the defense. It's disappointing because this isn't something that happens on occassion. Minnesota has one of the best defenses in the NFL, but they're human. They get tired too. If they're on the field all the time and if the offensive struggles become frustrating to the team, it subsequently will affect the team as a whole in one way or another, mostly in the momentum factor. It seems like almost every time Minnesota loses it is because a stagnant offense wasted away a strong defensive effort.
3. Running game is still dominant, but needs support if the Vikings want to make it a four quarter dimension of their offense. No offense in the NFL can have a running game last four quarters if you can't find ways to move the ball through the air. Defenses will eventually stack the line and find ways to fill the gaps and blow up any run play a team throws at them, especially if they aren't willing to go downfield. Adrian Peterson had his eighth career 100-yard rushing performance (29 carries for 160 yards- most of which came in the first half) which moved him to fourth all-time already on the Vikings' list. He still has a ways to go to catch Robert Smith. But Smith also played a while before he got to eight 100-yard games. Peterson is a monster, a genuine superstar on a team that desperately needs one. Yet he cannot carry the offensive load entirely. No back in the NFL can. Not Tomlinson, not Barber, not Parker and not even Larry Johnson, who does take on a lot of the offensive load for the Chiefs.
The Vikings need to get this kid some help in a hurry. For one thing it will help to prolong his health. Sure he's got a great offensive line. But as a running back your still gonna get hit almost every single play. And if more happen like where Robert Mathis went VERY low on Peterson, his health won't remain in good shape for long.
4. This is not a playoff team...yet. For all the hype this team got in the offseason, I am just not seeing it right now. I'm seeing the same product I saw on the field at the end of last season when the Vikings had a mini-collapse and just missed the postseason with an 8-8 record. There are still too many kinks to be worked out before I can label this team a playoff contender. Not to mention their schedule is much tougher now than it was at the start of the season when it still looked pretty daunting. With that said, however, people need to lay off of Minnesota. How many teams would just love to trade for the talent the Vikings have at several positions. I'm sure some teams wouldn't mind taking a few of our Pro Bowl linemen, offensive and defensive alike. I'm sure Antoine Winfield would be a fine edition to almost any secondary looking to make an upgrade there. And what about Adrian Peterson. Does your team have one? Well the Bears do. But there are several teams that wouldn't mind picking up Peterson if a managebale trade came up. It'd be a monster deal involving big names and lots of cash, but it could be done if a team was willing and believe me there are. So before you decide to label this team bad, look at your own team and see if you wouldn't benefit from adding a couple of Vikings to your roster.
One other thing I'd like to point out is that Minnesota got out to a 2-5 start to the season last year. The Vikings won 5 in a row and finished with a .500 record. Just because they're down 0-2 doesn;t mean they're dead. They just need to show signs of improvement much quicker this year or things are going to get ugly.
How 'bout that Hawkeye- Chad Greenway continues to have himself a solid 2008 campaign as he, E. J. Henderson and Cedric Griffin recorded six tackles to lead the Vikings against the Colts on Sunday. Greenway registered six solos. He now leads the team with 14 tackles, 12 of those solo, and two for a loss. On the other sideline, Sunday, was former Iowa teammate Bob Sanders, 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Sanders had four tackles in the game before leaving with an ankle injury in the third quarter. Former Hawkeye tight end Dallas Clark, a vital member of the Colts' offense, was out for the game with a knee injury he suffered in last Sunday night's opener against the Chicago Bears.
Minnesota's next opponent sports two former Hawkeyes. Undrafted rookie Charles Godfrey is listed as the starting Free Safety for the Panthers. Godfrey graduated from Iowa last season collecting a career high five interceptions and racking up 63 total tackles his senior year. Jason Baker, an 8th year veteran at punter, is also an Iowa alum and is in his fourth season with the Panthers.
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Loss that I Saw Coming
Well now that I have had time to collect my thoughts on Minnesota's most recent attempt to send me into a frenzied rage, I think I'll calmly break down the Vikings' very disappointing 18-15 come-from-ahead loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
All game long, or at least before I went to Buffalo Wild Wings to eat lunch and watch the fourth quarter -which was a mistake because there were just a ton of Packers fans there (geez I never knew there were that many in Iowa City)- I was checking the stat line and various message boards and blogs and people kept talking about how Minnesota was dominating the game fom a defensive standpoint. Adrian Peterson was tearing it up. Indy suffered a few more injuries to key players, and Ryan Longwell was perfect on the day. The only thing that worried them was whether or not the passing game would make an appearance to help keep the pressure off the run game.
Well, the passing game was MIA, Indianapolis found another playmaker on offense, and Ryan Longwell missed his first field goal of the day with 7:15 left to play in the game when it was still 15-7 Minnesota. That's one of the reasons I knew Minnesota was going to lose this game even before Manning rallied his troops. But of course I had that feeling way back in the second quarter as well.
When your offense has golden opportunities to blow out an opponent and you settle for field goals you are just begging for them to hang around and see if they can come back and sting you in the rear.
The Vikings did just that. Three field goals in the first half and another two in the third including one very discouraging drive where Visanthe Shiancoe dropped a sure touchdown pass from Tarvaris Jackson. Sure he had to dive for it a bit, but it wasn't the toughest catch in the world. Shiancoe hit the turf and the ball popped out like wet soap and the Vikings would squander away their last chance at getting six on the board. Instead Ryan Longwell booted his fifth field goal of the game, and if there's one positive you can take from this loss it's that Ryan Longwell is like fine wine (sorry for the old cliche) he gets better with age. Longwell booted a sure-thing 53-yard field goal at the end of the first half and for the California Golden Bear alum (and former Green Bay Packer might I add) in his 12th NFL season he is a reliable scoring option for an offense that has become somewhat unreliable. Though it would've helped certainly, Longwell's only miss (his sixth attempt of the day) was not what lost the Vikes the game.
No, instead it was the lack of creativity on offense once again. It is becoming way too predictable the way Minnesota loses football games anymore. The Vikings have a lead or fight back to tie it. Then fall apart on offense. They set the opponent up with good, if not great, field position, and the team makes one or two key plays to get in line for a game-winning field goal with little or no time on the clock.
Minnesota's offensive play calling almost suggested that they were playing not to lose and in 95% of those cases (numbers are strictly opinion) the team that plays like that will lose.
When it was apparent by the end of the third and into the fourth that Indianapolis had figured out how to slow down the Vikings' ground game did the Offensive Coordinators try and open things up in the passing game? Nope. They just ran it some more. The "stop us if you can" mentality can only last so long in a one-dimensional offense.
When the Vikings had the ball at the Indianapolis 47 with 10:30 to go in the 4th, they decided to milk some time off the clock so here's the sequence of plays:
-Peterson for 4 yds to Indy 43; the Colts looked a little susceptible there so let's run it again
-Peterson for 7 yds to Indy 36; nice run and a first down. now do we keep running or mix it up, maybe a play action?
-Peterson for -3 yds to Indy 39; okay not a good call to run it three times I guess. 2nd and long we need to pick up some yards here
-Peterson for 8 yds to Indy 31; same play for the third time to the right side, sets up for a 3rd and 5, would've preferred a pass there but hey it's manageable now, may need to mix it up this time definitely
-Chestor Taylor for 1 yd to Indy 30; off right guard for the 4th time in a row....maybe they weren't expecting Indianapolis to play the run on a 3rd and 5...well they did and for that you squander your last chance to score as Longwell misses his first field goal of the day.
Five running plays in a row. Four went off the right side, three off right guard. Two got decent yardage. One had Chestor Taylor running the ball...and that happened to be on a critical 3rd and 5. The Vikings were doomed from there on.
Manning then marched his team down the field on the ensuing possession and helped his team tie the ball game at 15-15. Just like clockwork. Just as I figured would happen when you can't find the endzone against a team as dynamic as the Colts.
Indianapolis then played field position and the Vikings lost. That set up for more Manning heroics when he hit Reggie Wayne on a 3rd and 9 to give Adam Vinatieri more than an adequate chance at the game-winning 3-pointer. Sure he missed one before, but this one was too easy a set-up. Vinatieri drilled it down the center and the Vikings dropped to 0-2 after coming into the season with such promise and hype.
I could get into the officiating, like how several times the Colts got favorable spots or how that touchdown run by Joseph Addai looked to be just short of the goal line by an inch, but the Vikings had plenty of chances to put this game out of reach well before that and couldn't do it. So here's to hoping they can get their act together before next week because the road only gets tougher. Next they get the surging Carolina Panthers at home, and given Minnesota's track record for losing close ball games (and Carolina's for winning them recently), I'm thinking I might not even want to watch this next one...but I will because I'd rather watch the game than do homework on a Sunday afternoon.
All game long, or at least before I went to Buffalo Wild Wings to eat lunch and watch the fourth quarter -which was a mistake because there were just a ton of Packers fans there (geez I never knew there were that many in Iowa City)- I was checking the stat line and various message boards and blogs and people kept talking about how Minnesota was dominating the game fom a defensive standpoint. Adrian Peterson was tearing it up. Indy suffered a few more injuries to key players, and Ryan Longwell was perfect on the day. The only thing that worried them was whether or not the passing game would make an appearance to help keep the pressure off the run game.
Well, the passing game was MIA, Indianapolis found another playmaker on offense, and Ryan Longwell missed his first field goal of the day with 7:15 left to play in the game when it was still 15-7 Minnesota. That's one of the reasons I knew Minnesota was going to lose this game even before Manning rallied his troops. But of course I had that feeling way back in the second quarter as well.
When your offense has golden opportunities to blow out an opponent and you settle for field goals you are just begging for them to hang around and see if they can come back and sting you in the rear.
The Vikings did just that. Three field goals in the first half and another two in the third including one very discouraging drive where Visanthe Shiancoe dropped a sure touchdown pass from Tarvaris Jackson. Sure he had to dive for it a bit, but it wasn't the toughest catch in the world. Shiancoe hit the turf and the ball popped out like wet soap and the Vikings would squander away their last chance at getting six on the board. Instead Ryan Longwell booted his fifth field goal of the game, and if there's one positive you can take from this loss it's that Ryan Longwell is like fine wine (sorry for the old cliche) he gets better with age. Longwell booted a sure-thing 53-yard field goal at the end of the first half and for the California Golden Bear alum (and former Green Bay Packer might I add) in his 12th NFL season he is a reliable scoring option for an offense that has become somewhat unreliable. Though it would've helped certainly, Longwell's only miss (his sixth attempt of the day) was not what lost the Vikes the game.
No, instead it was the lack of creativity on offense once again. It is becoming way too predictable the way Minnesota loses football games anymore. The Vikings have a lead or fight back to tie it. Then fall apart on offense. They set the opponent up with good, if not great, field position, and the team makes one or two key plays to get in line for a game-winning field goal with little or no time on the clock.
Minnesota's offensive play calling almost suggested that they were playing not to lose and in 95% of those cases (numbers are strictly opinion) the team that plays like that will lose.
When it was apparent by the end of the third and into the fourth that Indianapolis had figured out how to slow down the Vikings' ground game did the Offensive Coordinators try and open things up in the passing game? Nope. They just ran it some more. The "stop us if you can" mentality can only last so long in a one-dimensional offense.
When the Vikings had the ball at the Indianapolis 47 with 10:30 to go in the 4th, they decided to milk some time off the clock so here's the sequence of plays:
-Peterson for 4 yds to Indy 43; the Colts looked a little susceptible there so let's run it again
-Peterson for 7 yds to Indy 36; nice run and a first down. now do we keep running or mix it up, maybe a play action?
-Peterson for -3 yds to Indy 39; okay not a good call to run it three times I guess. 2nd and long we need to pick up some yards here
-Peterson for 8 yds to Indy 31; same play for the third time to the right side, sets up for a 3rd and 5, would've preferred a pass there but hey it's manageable now, may need to mix it up this time definitely
-Chestor Taylor for 1 yd to Indy 30; off right guard for the 4th time in a row....maybe they weren't expecting Indianapolis to play the run on a 3rd and 5...well they did and for that you squander your last chance to score as Longwell misses his first field goal of the day.
Five running plays in a row. Four went off the right side, three off right guard. Two got decent yardage. One had Chestor Taylor running the ball...and that happened to be on a critical 3rd and 5. The Vikings were doomed from there on.
Manning then marched his team down the field on the ensuing possession and helped his team tie the ball game at 15-15. Just like clockwork. Just as I figured would happen when you can't find the endzone against a team as dynamic as the Colts.
Indianapolis then played field position and the Vikings lost. That set up for more Manning heroics when he hit Reggie Wayne on a 3rd and 9 to give Adam Vinatieri more than an adequate chance at the game-winning 3-pointer. Sure he missed one before, but this one was too easy a set-up. Vinatieri drilled it down the center and the Vikings dropped to 0-2 after coming into the season with such promise and hype.
I could get into the officiating, like how several times the Colts got favorable spots or how that touchdown run by Joseph Addai looked to be just short of the goal line by an inch, but the Vikings had plenty of chances to put this game out of reach well before that and couldn't do it. So here's to hoping they can get their act together before next week because the road only gets tougher. Next they get the surging Carolina Panthers at home, and given Minnesota's track record for losing close ball games (and Carolina's for winning them recently), I'm thinking I might not even want to watch this next one...but I will because I'd rather watch the game than do homework on a Sunday afternoon.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Halftime: Vikings 9 Colts 0
It hasn't been pretty, but the Vikings have a 9-0 lead over the surprisingly struggling Indianapolis Colts. Minnesota still has offensive issues in the passing game, but the defense is stepping up today after an inconsistent outing against the Green Bay Packers in last week's regular season opener.
Adrian Peterson continues to dominate having outgained the Colts in total yards in the first half. Manning and the Colts have managed to get their passing game going in the second quarter, but the Colts run defense is still trying to figure out ways to stop the 2007 Rookie of the Year. Peterson has 118 yards rushing on 14 carries for an 8.4 yard per carry average.
Minnesota got on the board early in the first quarter after Antoine Winfield picked off a Peyton Manning pass. The Vikings' drive stalled and Ryan Longwell booted a 45-yard field goal to make it 3-0.
Another stalled drive in the second quarter resulted in a Longwell field goal from 27 yards and then the Vikings got another, this time from 53 yards, at the end of the half to make it 9-0.
Minnesota continues to be inconsistent on offense however, as they will begin to muster up drives on either big runs by Peterson or by chip passes from Tarvaris Jackson that chew up yardage. But then for one reason or another, Minnesota's momentum just drops and a stuffed run here, a sack there, and an incompletion kills the drive. The Vikings also need to keep working the ball downfield in the passing game. Jackson has taken a few shots, but I believe the Colts defense is ready to give up a big play through the air. They've been stacking the line to stop Peterson and he still racks up yardage. The coaches have to recognize this and set up Jackson with the opportunity to make a play deep downfield.
With the way the defense is playing right now, they can afford to risk it a few more times.
Anyways, I better get back to watching the game. Hopefully Peterson continues to find holes and the passing game opens up as a result of it. And hopefully the defense keeps on getting after Peyton Manning to keep the pressure on the Colts.
Adrian Peterson continues to dominate having outgained the Colts in total yards in the first half. Manning and the Colts have managed to get their passing game going in the second quarter, but the Colts run defense is still trying to figure out ways to stop the 2007 Rookie of the Year. Peterson has 118 yards rushing on 14 carries for an 8.4 yard per carry average.
Minnesota got on the board early in the first quarter after Antoine Winfield picked off a Peyton Manning pass. The Vikings' drive stalled and Ryan Longwell booted a 45-yard field goal to make it 3-0.
Another stalled drive in the second quarter resulted in a Longwell field goal from 27 yards and then the Vikings got another, this time from 53 yards, at the end of the half to make it 9-0.
Minnesota continues to be inconsistent on offense however, as they will begin to muster up drives on either big runs by Peterson or by chip passes from Tarvaris Jackson that chew up yardage. But then for one reason or another, Minnesota's momentum just drops and a stuffed run here, a sack there, and an incompletion kills the drive. The Vikings also need to keep working the ball downfield in the passing game. Jackson has taken a few shots, but I believe the Colts defense is ready to give up a big play through the air. They've been stacking the line to stop Peterson and he still racks up yardage. The coaches have to recognize this and set up Jackson with the opportunity to make a play deep downfield.
With the way the defense is playing right now, they can afford to risk it a few more times.
Anyways, I better get back to watching the game. Hopefully Peterson continues to find holes and the passing game opens up as a result of it. And hopefully the defense keeps on getting after Peyton Manning to keep the pressure on the Colts.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Former Hawkeyes Shine in Opener
As I have mentioned before I am a huge Iowa Hawkeyes fan. I go to school there after all. I love to watch Iowa play in any sport really. An Iowa victory just makes my day a little better. A Vikings win makes my day a bit better too, but we're going to have to wait until Week 2 to get that chance again.I support all Hawkeye athletes, even after their time at the University of Iowa has past. I always wish for former Iowa players to find success at the professional level, especially in the NFL. That is why I was jumping out of my skin with excitement when I first heard Chad Greenway was drafted as the 17th pick overall in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Finally, a recognizable Iowa football player was going to the pro team I had been rooting for for almost as long as I've been rooting for the Hawks. I was also thrilled when the Vikings acquired former Iowa running back Albert Young as an undrafted free agent after this year's draft. Though Young was eventually cut, he is still a part of the team's practice squad.
Greenway was receiving all sorts of buzz at linebacker as a rookie in 2006, but unfortunately his season was ended after one play. Greenway was on special teams for the first time in the Vikings' first preseason game when he suffered a serious knee injury that forced him to miss his entire rookie season. Greenway vowed to come back, though, stronger than before and even got the attention of his teammates and coaching staff with his work ethic. Chad held true to his promise and in his second chance at a rookie season, he showed his potential on the field racking up 105 total tackles, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown. Not bad for a (2nd-year) rookie. Greenway finished second on the team in tackles behind veteran linebacker E.J. Henderson. In 2008 he hopes to take his game even further and hopefully be an anchor on defense for a potential playoff run for the Purple and Gold.
In Monday night's 24-19 opening loss to the Packers, Greenway proved that he's ready as he and cornerback Antoine Winfield led the team with eight tackles each. Greenway was big in the fourth quarter with four tackles; one for a loss and a touchdown saver after Ryan Grant juked Vikings defenders all the way to the 2-yard line. Greenway was a positive to a rather negative performance by the Vikings defense.
Meanwhile, another former Hawkeye was leaving his mark on the football field that Monday night. Aaron Kampman, a 7th-year defensive end for the Packers, registered five tackles (four solo) and a sack. Kampman entered 2008 as one of the league's top pass-rushers having picked up 27.5 sacks in the last two years ranking him among the best in the league. Kampman continued is reign of terror on opposing offenses reeking havoc all night forcing running backs Adrian Peterson and Chestor Taylor to changes directions and forcing QB Tarvaris Jackson to scramble for his life and make plays sooner than he wanted to.
Kampman was taken by the Packers as the 156th pick in the 5th round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
Minnesota's next opponent also has a couple of former Hawkeyes who are now stars at their respective positions. Dallas Clark, a 2002 Mackey Award winner at Iowa (Best TE in the nation), is one of the best tight ends in the National Football League and one of the best in franchise history for the Colts. Bob Sanders, a first team All-Big Ten and All-American at Iowa, was named the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year as a safety. Both could have an impact on the outcome of this Sunday's game as the Vikings get their home-opener at the Metrodome against the Indianapolis Colts.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Big Plays, Breakdowns Doom Vikings in Opener
The Minnesota Vikings opened their season with a tough 24-19 loss to heated division rival Green Bay in the first regular season Monday Night Football game of the 2008 NFL season. Throughout the whole off-season, the question surrounding this game was how would Aaron Rodgers handle the pressure in his first career start. Would he be able to handle the stout Minnesota defense? Would he get much leeway from the fans? Is he ready to take this team to the same level that Brett Farve had it at, or perhaps push it further beyond?
Rodgers answered most of those questions on Monday night.
Rodgers was very effective against a Minnesota defense that at times looked lost out on the field, leaving receivers wide open in the middle of the field. The Packers' newest starting quarterback since 1992 completed 18 of 22 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. While his passing numbers aren't necessarily Farve-esque it was apparent that the guy has spent some time in the Brett Farve School for Quarterbacks. The way Rodgers was able to read the field and command the offense at times and make the big play probably had Packer fans thinking Brett Farve just switched jerseys for a game. One such moment was Rodgers' first touchdown pass of the regular season.
On a third and goal, Rodgers backed up to pass and was flushed from the pocket by a mad rush from the Vikings defense. Scrambling for his life it looked as though a sack was inevitable, much the same way Brett Farve looked on a similar play against the Jets on Sunday only his touchdown pass was on 4th down from the 22-yard line. About to be pulled down by defenders, Rodgers rifled a pass towards the endzone in between the outstretched arms of two Vikings defenders and right into the hands of Green Bay fullback Korey Hall.
Rodgers also was able to show Green Bay fans a few tricks of his own. With youth on his side, Rodgers was able to scramble for 35 rushing yards many of which were first down runs where he had to tuck and run after not being able to find anyone open down field. Rodgers also recorded Green Bay's only rushing touchdown of the game on a one-yard plunge and then proceeded to spike the football and bolted towards the fans to partake in his first ever "Lambeau Leap". After all, that score had essentially iced the game for the Packers right?....not quite yet.
It was up to Tarvaris Jackson to try and bring his team back from a 24-12 deficit with 6 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Jackson orchestrated an 11-play drive down the field, in which he showed much more poise in such a situation than he had in his first two years as the Vikings starter. Adrian Peterson capped it off with a 3-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 24-19.
The Vikings missed a golden opportunity, however, on the ensuing onside kick as it took a perfect hop but was deflected off a player's hand and out of bounds giving the ball back to the Packers. Though it was mostly irrelevant as the Vikings' D stuffed Green Bay and forced them to punt.
Jackson again went out to try and lead his team to a game-winning score. Unfortunately, this time Jackson was not as poised in the pocket and threw a ball over his intended receiver's head and into the waiting arms of Packer safety Atari Bigby for the game's only turnover. Jackson appeared to be hobbled a bit after the play but how much that affected his pass is unknown. A few kneel downs later and Aaron Rodgers had his first win as an NFL starting quarterback.
A few thoughts as a Vikings fan watching this game:
- The defense has a lot of work to do if they want to live up to the hype they got in the off-season. It wasn't that Green Bay overpowered Minnesota by any means (in fact the Vikings out gained the Packers in rushing yards and total yardage and were even in passing yards). But it was the lack of consistency in the defense and giving up the big play that hurt the Vikings in the long run. Rodgers connected on a number of deep balls including a 56-yard pass to Greg Jennings that set up Green Bay's first touchdown in the second quarter.
Minnesota and Green Bay were at a 0-0 stalemate after one quarter and the defensive battle would continue throughout the night. It was Green Bay, however, that took more advantage of Minnesota's weaknesses. Whether it was leaving receivers open for big gains, or failing to recognize Rodgers' scrambling ability until it was too late, the Vikings defense was exposed somewhat on Monday night. Hopefully they can improve as the season goes on. And speaking of exposed: Jared Allen- zero sacks, zero tackles, zero rating in his debut with the Vikings.
Allen said after the game that he was displeased with himself and says an effort like that won't happen again. Let's hope he's right.
- Adrian Peterson did not miss a beat. If anything it almost look like Peterson is two steps ahead of his own offense. Peterson touched the ball 20 times (19 rushes, 1 reception 114 total yards and a touchdown), however that's just not gonna cut it. When you have a play maker like Peterson and an offense that is struggling to move the football in other ways, you need to find more than one way to get him the ball. The fact that Peterson's only reception came midway through the fourth quarter is a telling sign that this offense is still in need of major development. The line actually did a decent job giving Jackson plenty of time to throw, and early on were able to open some holes for Peterson to run through. However, once Green Bay began loading the box the Vikings began to see too many consecutive rushing plays work for less than 3 yards a play.
- Tarvaris Jackson was consistently inconsistent. There were times when Jackson actually looked like a solid quarterback out there, and despite what outsiders may think, he does have the capability to be one. Jackson also threw for 178 yards and a touchdown, but completed 16 of 35 passes with one of those incompletions being the game-ender. The thing that showed me that Jackson had improved was his ability to tuck and run when there was nobody within 10 yards of him. In his first two seasons he failed to recognize this enough and would ultimately either get sacked of have to throw the ball away when he could have just as easily picked up several yards or even a first down.
Jackson rushed for 65 yards on nine carries and showed that he can scramble as well, but he still needs work on his field vision, which includes knowing when to tuck and run and pick up that gain by himself.
Jackson's negatives were also noticeable. He continues to have accuracy issues, none more apparent than his last pass which was picked off after being thrown over the head of his intended receiver. Jackson missed his target high a number of times. And unlike Rodgers, failed to hit the home run ball downfield overthrowing even the coverage most of the time, which was probably a good thing since the ball probably would have been intercepted. Jackson needs to develop a little touch on his passes and that should take care of his overthrowing problem. That and if he can stay healthy (Jackson wore a knee brace during the game) he should continue to progress as the season goes on and get to where Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress wants him to be.
- The last thing I want to comment on is the offensive play-calling. Childress was an offensive coordinator under Andy Reid at Philadelphia. He helped Donovan McNabb progress into the quarterback that he has become. Yet, despite his track record there are times when Minnesota runs play where you just scratch your head wondering what were they thinking. From calling runs when the situation would've been better suited for a pass to lining up in shotgun formation on a 3rd and 1 and passing the Vikings hurt themselves just as much as Green Bay's aggressive defense did. Perhaps it was the fact that Green Bay was more the aggressor on Monday night that was the cause for some of the playcalling, and it is as much the fault of the playcalling from the coordinators as it is Jackson not throwing the ball to Adrian Peterson on screens and dump passes. There were a few times Jackson could've checked down to Peterson to get him the ball so he could make a play, but most of it came by design from the OC. As I said earlier, it's really no secret that the offensive playcalling needs Peterson to be able to both run the ball and make plays catching the ball. You just can't restrict an athlete like that to one part of your offense.
Hopefully, the Vikings can improve their gameplan for next week's home opener against an Indianapolis Colts squad that was disappointed with their effort in a Sunday night loss to the Chicago Bears.
Rodgers answered most of those questions on Monday night.
Rodgers was very effective against a Minnesota defense that at times looked lost out on the field, leaving receivers wide open in the middle of the field. The Packers' newest starting quarterback since 1992 completed 18 of 22 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. While his passing numbers aren't necessarily Farve-esque it was apparent that the guy has spent some time in the Brett Farve School for Quarterbacks. The way Rodgers was able to read the field and command the offense at times and make the big play probably had Packer fans thinking Brett Farve just switched jerseys for a game. One such moment was Rodgers' first touchdown pass of the regular season.
On a third and goal, Rodgers backed up to pass and was flushed from the pocket by a mad rush from the Vikings defense. Scrambling for his life it looked as though a sack was inevitable, much the same way Brett Farve looked on a similar play against the Jets on Sunday only his touchdown pass was on 4th down from the 22-yard line. About to be pulled down by defenders, Rodgers rifled a pass towards the endzone in between the outstretched arms of two Vikings defenders and right into the hands of Green Bay fullback Korey Hall.
Rodgers also was able to show Green Bay fans a few tricks of his own. With youth on his side, Rodgers was able to scramble for 35 rushing yards many of which were first down runs where he had to tuck and run after not being able to find anyone open down field. Rodgers also recorded Green Bay's only rushing touchdown of the game on a one-yard plunge and then proceeded to spike the football and bolted towards the fans to partake in his first ever "Lambeau Leap". After all, that score had essentially iced the game for the Packers right?....not quite yet.
It was up to Tarvaris Jackson to try and bring his team back from a 24-12 deficit with 6 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Jackson orchestrated an 11-play drive down the field, in which he showed much more poise in such a situation than he had in his first two years as the Vikings starter. Adrian Peterson capped it off with a 3-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 24-19.
The Vikings missed a golden opportunity, however, on the ensuing onside kick as it took a perfect hop but was deflected off a player's hand and out of bounds giving the ball back to the Packers. Though it was mostly irrelevant as the Vikings' D stuffed Green Bay and forced them to punt.
Jackson again went out to try and lead his team to a game-winning score. Unfortunately, this time Jackson was not as poised in the pocket and threw a ball over his intended receiver's head and into the waiting arms of Packer safety Atari Bigby for the game's only turnover. Jackson appeared to be hobbled a bit after the play but how much that affected his pass is unknown. A few kneel downs later and Aaron Rodgers had his first win as an NFL starting quarterback.
A few thoughts as a Vikings fan watching this game:
- The defense has a lot of work to do if they want to live up to the hype they got in the off-season. It wasn't that Green Bay overpowered Minnesota by any means (in fact the Vikings out gained the Packers in rushing yards and total yardage and were even in passing yards). But it was the lack of consistency in the defense and giving up the big play that hurt the Vikings in the long run. Rodgers connected on a number of deep balls including a 56-yard pass to Greg Jennings that set up Green Bay's first touchdown in the second quarter.
Minnesota and Green Bay were at a 0-0 stalemate after one quarter and the defensive battle would continue throughout the night. It was Green Bay, however, that took more advantage of Minnesota's weaknesses. Whether it was leaving receivers open for big gains, or failing to recognize Rodgers' scrambling ability until it was too late, the Vikings defense was exposed somewhat on Monday night. Hopefully they can improve as the season goes on. And speaking of exposed: Jared Allen- zero sacks, zero tackles, zero rating in his debut with the Vikings.
Allen said after the game that he was displeased with himself and says an effort like that won't happen again. Let's hope he's right.
- Adrian Peterson did not miss a beat. If anything it almost look like Peterson is two steps ahead of his own offense. Peterson touched the ball 20 times (19 rushes, 1 reception 114 total yards and a touchdown), however that's just not gonna cut it. When you have a play maker like Peterson and an offense that is struggling to move the football in other ways, you need to find more than one way to get him the ball. The fact that Peterson's only reception came midway through the fourth quarter is a telling sign that this offense is still in need of major development. The line actually did a decent job giving Jackson plenty of time to throw, and early on were able to open some holes for Peterson to run through. However, once Green Bay began loading the box the Vikings began to see too many consecutive rushing plays work for less than 3 yards a play.
- Tarvaris Jackson was consistently inconsistent. There were times when Jackson actually looked like a solid quarterback out there, and despite what outsiders may think, he does have the capability to be one. Jackson also threw for 178 yards and a touchdown, but completed 16 of 35 passes with one of those incompletions being the game-ender. The thing that showed me that Jackson had improved was his ability to tuck and run when there was nobody within 10 yards of him. In his first two seasons he failed to recognize this enough and would ultimately either get sacked of have to throw the ball away when he could have just as easily picked up several yards or even a first down.
Jackson rushed for 65 yards on nine carries and showed that he can scramble as well, but he still needs work on his field vision, which includes knowing when to tuck and run and pick up that gain by himself.
Jackson's negatives were also noticeable. He continues to have accuracy issues, none more apparent than his last pass which was picked off after being thrown over the head of his intended receiver. Jackson missed his target high a number of times. And unlike Rodgers, failed to hit the home run ball downfield overthrowing even the coverage most of the time, which was probably a good thing since the ball probably would have been intercepted. Jackson needs to develop a little touch on his passes and that should take care of his overthrowing problem. That and if he can stay healthy (Jackson wore a knee brace during the game) he should continue to progress as the season goes on and get to where Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress wants him to be.
- The last thing I want to comment on is the offensive play-calling. Childress was an offensive coordinator under Andy Reid at Philadelphia. He helped Donovan McNabb progress into the quarterback that he has become. Yet, despite his track record there are times when Minnesota runs play where you just scratch your head wondering what were they thinking. From calling runs when the situation would've been better suited for a pass to lining up in shotgun formation on a 3rd and 1 and passing the Vikings hurt themselves just as much as Green Bay's aggressive defense did. Perhaps it was the fact that Green Bay was more the aggressor on Monday night that was the cause for some of the playcalling, and it is as much the fault of the playcalling from the coordinators as it is Jackson not throwing the ball to Adrian Peterson on screens and dump passes. There were a few times Jackson could've checked down to Peterson to get him the ball so he could make a play, but most of it came by design from the OC. As I said earlier, it's really no secret that the offensive playcalling needs Peterson to be able to both run the ball and make plays catching the ball. You just can't restrict an athlete like that to one part of your offense.
Hopefully, the Vikings can improve their gameplan for next week's home opener against an Indianapolis Colts squad that was disappointed with their effort in a Sunday night loss to the Chicago Bears.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Introduction to a New Season
Hello, my name is Alex Nagel. I am a senior and a journalism major at the University of Iowa. I am a die-hard Vikings fan, which coexists with my passion for Iowa sports, particularly football. Football is perhaps my favorite sport. I can talk for hours about anything football-related. But for the purpose of this blog, I am going to entertain you with facts AND opinions about the 2008 version of the Minnesota Vikings. Also don't be surprised if I find the time to talk about past and present Vikings players who were former Iowa Hawkeyes, and throw in a little bit of Vikings trivia knowledge as well. Somebody has to educate people on the Vikings' history and it would definitely be a better waste of time than learning about the Green Bay Packers or Chicago Bears.The 2008 NFL season is just days away as teams wrap up their preseason and make their final roster cuts. The Vikings went just 1-3 in the preseason with a win over Baltimore and losses to Seattle, Pittsburgh, and Dallas. Fans might find that a bit worrisome considering the hype surrounding the Vikings entering this season as they will return several All-Pro athletes at key positions on both sides of the ball, including Rookie of the Year Adrian Peterson at running back. Peterson actually saw very limited action throughout the preseason. He did not play at all in the first game against Seattle.
A more focused point of worry for the Vikings is, and has been for some time now, the quarterback position. Fans and media alike have been at odds as to whether Tarvaris Jackson is the main guy for the Vikings. Jackson posted mediocre numbers at best completing 171 of 294 passes for 1,911 yards and nine touchdowns while throwing 12 interceptions in 2007. Jackson struggled at times with the offense last year and heading into the offseason his improvement became a focal point for 3rd-year head coach Brad Childress.
Things were looking good out of the gates. Jackson looked much better in the pocket during the Vikings preseason opener against Seattle, and though he only played in two quarters Jackson was 8 of 11 for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns, and more importantly no interceptions. Jackson continued where he left off completing 7 of 11 passes for 82 yards and a score against Baltimore in preseason week 2 when he suffered a knee contusion, according to Coach Childress, in the first quarter. Childress stated that the injury was not too serious, but they decided to hold out their starter for the remainder of the preseason.
This left open the door for the other quarterbacks on the depth chart to make a move, including former USC quarterback and 5th round pick John David Booty. But the Vikings had little to show offensively in their next two preseason games scoring just 10 points in both losses and the quarterback play did nothing to ease any troubled mind on that position.
The Vikings lack depth at quarterback. Aside from Jackson and Booty, who is still a few years away from being a capable starter, the Vikings have two veteran QBs in Brooks Bollinger and Gus Ferotte. Ferotte is past his prime, though his knowledge of the game helps the younger guys, however he is no longer capable of guiding a team to the playoffs. Bollinger isn't that old, but just never had the tools to be a decent NFL starter. Jackson is the only guy with youth, and now experience, on his side. If his injury were to linger it could definitely be a severe detriment on any potential hopes the Vikings have of making a playoff push in 2008.
Minnesota will open the 2008 NFL season in primetime fashion. The Vikings will take on their arch-rival the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field for the first Monday Night Football game of the regular season. The main note is that this game will feature two playoff contenders predicted to finish one-two in the NFC North Division race. The question is who will get an early leg up. The other note is that this game will mark the first time since 1992 that the Packers start somebody other than Brett Favre at the QB position (behind closed doors I am laughing almost triumphantly). Aaron Rodgers will make his much-anticipated NFL starting debut next Monday. Kick off time is slated for 6 p.m. Central, 7 p.m. EST on ESPN.
News and notes: After a tough competition, basically for third place, Albert Young, a former University of Iowa running back was cut from the final roster by the Vikings at the end of the preseason. The Vikings opted to take on Maurice Hicks, who will be used more for special teams duties than anything, as the third-string running back behind Peterson and Chester Taylor. Young was picked up by the Vikings, just a day after being cut, as a member of the team's practice squad.
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