Minnesota Vikings
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NFL Team Column By Scot Acocks |
Vikings Dispose of Lions
At some point in an NFL season a good team is simply expected to do its job and take out the trash. The Lions have been nothing but garbage on the Vikings schedule for years now and on Sunday appeared to be a task that is merely annoying and nothing more than time consuming. The Vikings, who continue to prove themselves worthy of Super Bowl contention, disposed of them just as any good team should with a 27-10 win.
RB Adrian Peterson did a lot of the work with 133 yards rushing (7.4 avg) and two touchdowns. The rush defense only allowed 93 total yards on the ground, displaying their dominant form from the past three seasons. Lions quarterback Matt Stafford was able to throw a nice TD pass in the third quarter to put them within a score of tying up the game but it wasn’t enough as Brett Favre, who completed 20 out of 29 attempts on the day for 344 yards, threw a classic late TD pass to backup tight end Jeff Dugan in the fourth to help seal a win against the lowly Lions.
The Vikings appear to have few weaknesses on their roster and seemingly few peers in the league. With an 8-1 record they host the 3-6 Seattle Seahawks this week. There are some tough games ahead, including road trips to Arizona and Carolina, but a 10 win season and a playoff spot is now well within reach. At the moment it looks like a good bet for the Vikings to get the second seed in the playoffs behind the currently undefeated New Orleans Saints.
Vikings Midseason Report: Harvesting Crucial Wins
With fall in full swing and winter just around the corner many NFL teams around the country are harvesting the fruits of their labors and preparing for a long, hard battle for a playoff spot. The Vikings sit on top of the NFC North after a successful first half to the 2009 season and look to capture a first round bye in the playoffs. That’s exactly what the team had hoped for and nobody can ask for anything more at this point.
Last week the Vikings came away from Lambeau Field with a big win over the division rival Packers. It was the first homecoming of sorts for Brett Favre after leaving Title Town in a tumultuous manner over a year ago and he reminded the fans of Green Bay just why he was so beloved by them for so many years. After the win Favre was choked up with emotion and struggled to keep his composure as he reminisced over his career in America’s Dairy Land. Regardless of all the hoopla surrounding his pseudo-retirements in the past couple years he has reminded us all exactly why he has been so good for the game and I for one am glad to have seen him play.
It’s still a long road ahead and a lot could happen between now and January. Favre’s age may catch with him in the second half of the season and prevent the team from competing at such a high level as it has so far. Hell, there’s so much football left to be played that even the Detroit Lions still have a chance to make the playoffs. Yeah anyway…
Before the second half of the season kicks off let’s take a look back and see how the team has graded out so far.
Quarterback: A- Favre will make the pro-bowl once again and will look to his teammates to help him get through the rest of the season. His leadership, along with his knack for big plays, has been a key component to the team’s success. The only question mark is the backups as they haven’t seen the field.
Running Back: A Adrian Peterson is simply the best running back in the game, averaging nearly 100 yards a game and 4.81 yards per carry. Chester Taylor has been very productive when given a chance as well. There’s really nothing this duo can’t do on the field. Expect them to each get more carries down the stretch.
Receivers: B Sidney Rice has stepped up his game this year with 37 receptions for 585 yards and has become Favre’s favorite target. Visanthe Shiancoe has 6 TD’s. Bernard Berrian hasn’t stood out but he has had his moments. He and will look to take advantage of attention given to other players in the second half of the season. Percy Harvin has also played well as a rookie surprising many people, including myself, who thought he would be a bust. His superior athleticism, along with Favre’s knack for just letting it rip, has allowed Harvin to overcome deficiencies in his route running.
Offensive Line: C+ This unit has been productive but it could do more to protect Brett Favre. He has been sacked 18 times already and will not be capable of taking lots of hits late in the season. Nobody can complain about the 4.1 yards per carry they average as a team though.
Defensive Line: B- They lead the entire league in sacks with 31 and have only given up one rushing touchdown. However, they have not been able to stop the run as well as they have the last three years and allow 4.1 yards per carry. Jared Allen is on a record-setting pace with 10.5 sacks already.
Linebackers: B- It’s nice to have EJ Henderson back at full strength. He leads the team with 57 tackles. He is a formidable presence against opposing running games. Chad Greenway has developed into a dependable defender as well with 51tackles and two fumble recoveries.
Secondary: C The team wishes it had Darren Sharper back at free safety. They’ve only mustered up six interceptions as a unit while Sharper has racked up five by himself in New Orleans. Antoine Winfield is now nursing a foot injury and may be out for a few more weeks.
Special Teams: B+ Harvin has been outstanding as a kick returner averaging 30.7 yards per return and getting two TD’s. Darius Reynaud is averaging over 17 yards per punt return and Ryan Longwell has only missed one field goal.
Stepping Up and Having a Ball
The Vikings suffered their first loss of the season this past Sunday at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense. Even though Brett Favre threw for 334 yards, he did not throw any touchdowns and gave up one pick. That is typical Favre though. He will wow you one week with impromptu heroics and then kill you the next week when faced by a defense that thrives on his type of risk-taking play. It is simply hit or miss with him. Luckily for the Vikings, it has been more of a hit than a miss this season.
The youngsters in Minnesota are definitely taking advantage of Brett Favre’s ability to turn something out of nothing, something that didn’t happen quite as much in New York last year. This all bodes well for the Vikings now, as well as in the future, as they are learning how to become playmakers. Donald Driver and Greg Jennings learned the same thing catching passes from Favre, and veterans such as Andre Rison, Sterling Sharpe, and Lavernues Coles have all thrived with him as their quarterback.
Here are a few Viking players that have done well all the while taking advantage of Favre’s presence:
- RB Adrian Peterson-It seems as though AP has become the forgotten man in Minnesota as most of the talk has revolved around Favre. The young running back has been the catalyst of the offense, however, rushing for 98 yards per game and scoring 8 TDs through the first seven. It’s really nothing new but for this team to continue finding success it needs its offensive MVP to keep playing like one or it won’t matter who is playing quarterback.
- WR Percy Harvin-To put it simply, playing the way Harvin has as a rookie makes the Vikings scouts and coaches look brilliant. His numbers have been solid with 23 receptions for 265 yards and 2 TD’s. He has been a valuable tool in the Viking offense but his biggest contribution has been on kickoff returns (29.6 avg, two TD’s). I’ve got a sneaky suspicion, though, that he wouldn’t be performing as well on offense if Tavaris Jackson were at the helm. In fact, before Favre joined the team I had Harvin pegged as a bust.
- WR Greg Lewis-He hasn’t exactly been a complete package or a consistent contributor, only bringing in five receptions, but he came up with one of the greatest touchdown catches in NFL regular season history to win one over the 49ers. It was all made possible by one the greatest playmakers at the quarterback position.
- Sidney Rice-This guy has definitely benefitted the most from Brett dressing up in purple. In the previous two seasons the 6’4” 202 lb Rice had a total of 46 receptions for 537 yards and 8 TDs. This season he already has 34 receptions for 545 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a 58 yard hail-mary from Favre late in the fourth quarter against Baltimore for yet another come from behind win.
The fans in Minnesota are not quite used to this kind of balanced offensive ball game. It has been a while since they had the ability to put up 30 points on a consistent basis and nobody really remembers when they’ve had to rely on it because the defense has been so inconsistent. Going into the 2009 season the Viking run defense was expected to continue being the standard at which all other NFL defenses measure themselves. Rashard Mendenhall only rushed for 69 yards on Sunday. The kicker is that he only needed 10 carries to get there. It’s hard to win any contest when you’re giving up nearly 7 yards per carry.
This week the Vikings travel to Green Bay. Ryan Grant is averaging 4.19 yards per carry and Aaron Rodgers is having a solid year completing 66% of his passes for 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions. The crowd will be into it as the Packers look to avenge the loss to the Vikings a few weeks ago in Minnesota. Unless the defense really shows up and puts a stop to the Packers’ running game I don’t see the Vikings winning this one either. I’m calling for them to drop their second game in a row to hit the half point mark of the season and enter their bye week with a 6-2 record.
Hail Mary Saving Grace
The Minnesota Viking defense hasn’t been itself these days. Even though they have been able to get to opposing quarterbacks the team ranks in the bottom half league in total defense and has given up a lot of yards through the air. In the Metrodome on Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens put up 31 points. Joe Flacco threw for 385 yards and two touchdowns. Ray Rice was on the receiving end of 117 of those yards out of the backfield. He also added two more TD’s on the ground.
Brett Favre, however, put up another gutsy display and Adrian Peterson did his job by rushing for 143 on the offensive side of the ball. After the defense melted down and allowed Rice to run 33 yard for a TD with 3:37 left in the game, untouched by the way, Favre launched a hail mary 58 yards to Sidney Rice and put the Vikings into position to kick the game winning field goal.
The Raven’s offense wasn’t quite finished though as they then drove down the field to get into field goal range. It took a classic choking by kicker Steve Hauschka, missing a 44 yard field goal as time ran out, to seal the deal for Minnesota.
It is not far-fetched to say that the Vikings are at least partially lucky to be undefeated going into week seven.
Overall, it was a fun game to watch and it showed some spirit on the part of the Viking offense. The sad thing is that the defense continues to have trouble keeping the team in games. The last three years it has been the foundation of the team’s success. Hopefully it won’t become an Achilles heel.
We will find out a little more about this team on Sunday as they travel to Pittsburgh to play the defended Super Bowl champs. That’s always a tough trip and you know the Steelers will be looking to make a statement on their own turf. The crowd will be hostile. It’s nothing Brett Favre hasn’t encountered before though and his experience will be the key.
It is hard to say how the defense will play so the offense needs to continue putting up lots of points. Without a nice cushion this team will in serious danger. That is a tall in order in Pittsburgh so I’m calling for them to drop their first game.
Speed Bumps Ahead
So the Vikings are 5-0 going into their week six matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. They have looked extremely good at times as the Brett Favre experiment has thus far been very successful. In the first five weeks he has shown some of the heroics that make him one of the game’s most beloved quarterbacks. However, all this has come with the reality of facing NFL clubs with a combined record of 7-18. It is obvious to see that the next three weeks will tell us all a lot about this Viking team.
The Ravens come to town with a 3-2 record. They have more to prove than the Vikings. Quarterback Joe Flacco has been solid in his sophomore campaign but the defense has not been as good as usual. They rank 26th in total defense. Favre and company should be drooling at the opportunity to put up more points en route to going 6-0.
The formula for success against the Ravens, as well as the rest of their opponents, is based around the Vikings ability to keep their offense balanced. Being both a threat in the running and passing games will dictate their play deep into the season. The Vikings will no doubt hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson a lot this Sunday but Childress should not hesitate to let Favre take some shots downfield on a good pass defense as well. In order for this team to continue finding success offensively they really need to keep opening up the playbook.
The Vikings’ defense ranks 10th against the run and 18th against the pass. They are in pretty good shape at the moment but they could stand to improve. They should be able to put some pressure on Flacco with the NFL’s best pass rush so far this year (18 sacks) and the interior has continuously proven itself to be the standard in run defense. To say the Vikings need to focus on defense in the upcoming draft may sound ridiculous…but I believe the Vikings will focus on defense since it has been a calling card of theirs for a few years now. All the great Super Bowl teams are known for their stout defenses. The Vikings know that and they’ve got a good thing going. They want to see it continue well into the future.
Southern Cal safety Taylor Mays is an interesting prospect that will get a lot attention this winter. Mays brings a lot of size to the secondary at 6’3” and 230lbs and he covers a lot of ground with some good speed and athleticism. He doesn’t necessarily play as tough as his size might suggest but he’s no softy either. He simply makes a lot of tackles. He has gotten at least 53 stops in each of the last three seasons. Supposedly he can run the forty in the 4.3 range but that will be put to the test during pre-draft workouts. How fast he does run may determine whether or not he’s a top 10 pick or not. At this point he looks like a sure bet to go in the top 20. So far this season Mays has 28 tackles and one interception and USC is 4-1. Keep an eye on #2 this Saturday as USC travels to South Bend, IN to play Notre Dame.
Safeties have become more of a commodity in the NFL with the emergence of Ed Reed and Troy Palamalu (a USC grad) as bona fide stars. Former Cowboy Roy Williams has also helped put some life into the Cincinnati Bengals defense from the strong safety position. Expect more attention to be paid to the position in the NFL as better athletes are continually being put at that position in order to stop the spread offenses in college. No safeties were selected in the first round in 2009. The first one taken was Louis Delmas by Detroit with the first pick in the second round. So far this season he has been one of the Lion’s best defensive players. Don’t be surprised if more than one is taken in this year’s draft with Mays most likely going in the top 20.
Minnesota Vikings: On Top of the Game
First Quarter Report
The Minnesota Vikings could not have opened the season any better than they did this year. Going 4-0 the team is looking as good as it had hoped while ranking first in the league in touchdowns (13) and first in the league in sacks with 17.
Brett Favre has been putting up more Hall of Fame-type numbers (85 att 125 comp, 837 yds, 8 TD, 1 INT) and completed one of the most miraculous comebacks in NFL history against the 49ers. Wide Receivers Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, and Sidney Rice have done their jobs on the receiving end of Favre’s passes, combining for six TD’s.
Adrian Peterson is averaging 4.9 yds/carry and backup Chester Taylor has offered up some offense of his own with 18 catches. This is the most dangerous offensive backfield in the league.
The defense is going about its usual business and shutting down opposing running games and getting to the quarterback. No Viking fan could ask for anything more.
It’s extremely difficult to find a weak link on this team. They will be challenged in the next few weeks, however, with the upcoming schedule including a visit from the Ravens and road trips to Pittsburgh and Green Bay. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and the team continues its tough play up front.
Vs St Louis
In week five the Vikings did exactly what a really good team should do to weaker competition: dispose of them early and put up big numbers.
In the 38-10 win Favre threw for 18/24, 232 yds, and a touchdown. Wide receiver Percy Harvin continued a strong rookie campaign with 4 catches for 66 yds. Adrian Peterson punched in a couple scores while Chester Taylor put one in as well. Visanthe Shiancoe also caught one on top of his 49 yards.
St Louis couldn’t get anything going consistently on the Viking defense but what else is new. The Viking D has been good for years. Now the offense has come around and is running like a well-oiled machine. This is one of the top teams to watch in the next month.
Key Players Come Through for the Vikings
Against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Brett Favre didn’t do anything great but played like a steady veteran who knew he only had to do one thing: keep handing the ball off to Adrian Peterson. AP, who is my early pick for MVP honors, rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Brett Favre threw one TD to rookie Percy Harvin and did not throw any interceptions. You throw in the Williams Wall to stop opposing running games on defense (number one in the league against the run the last three seasons) and you’ve got the recipe for some winning football.
Overall, however, this team didn’t really look too different than it has for the last three years. To just be good they didn’t really need to improve too much but for this team to really take the next step and become a factor come January Favre needs to be able to push the ball deep downfield. The Vikings were unable to do that against the Browns as Bernard Berrian nurses a sore hamstring but if that does happen then things should only open up more for guys like Visanthe Shiancoe and Percy Harvin to make plays. In the meantime the team will get by with Peterson running wild and the defense playing its brand of football. At the very least Favre should not wear down late in the season like he did last year with the Jets.
Judging by the overall makeup of this roster and what the biggest needs of this team may be I’d be willing to bet that this team makes a move to find an eventual replacement for Pat or Kevin Williams in the 2010 draft. This team has thrived on these two guy’s ability to clog running lanes for several seasons now and it is a trend that has served the team well. It would be in their best interest to keep up that sort of tradition if they want to continue having success in the future.
There are some defensive tackles working the college gridirons right now with the size and strength to fill in for either one of the Williams down the road. One such guy who has caught the eyes of NFL scouts is Alabama’s Terrence Cody. This guy is listed as standing at 6’5” 365 lbs and the word is that he can move well and even dunk a basketball. If he actually proves to put up some decent numbers this year and the Crimson Tide do very well against SEC running games then the big guy will get first round consideration.
The biggest question mark concerning Cody, however, may be his greatest asset. His size will no doubt come into question and a good showing at the combine would crucial to his draft status as teams will be curious to know exactly what type of work ethic and diet he possesses. If all goes well it would not be a surprise to see the Vikings taking such a player somewhere near the end of the first round.
Just as I will be doing in my Detroit Lions column each week during the 2009 season, we will continue to analyze the Minnesota Vikings needs throughout the season and look at possibilities to correct those problems in the upcoming draft.
Key Players Come Through for the Vikings
Against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Brett Favre didn’t do anything great but played like a steady veteran who knew he only had to do one thing: keep handing the ball off to Adrian Peterson. AP, who is my early pick for MVP honors, rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Brett Favre threw one TD to rookie Percy Harvin and did not throw any interceptions. You throw in the Williams Wall to stop opposing running games on defense (number one in the league against the run the last three seasons) and you’ve got the recipe for some winning football.
Overall, however, this team didn’t really look too different than it has for the last three years. To just be good they didn’t really need to improve too much but for this team to really take the next step and become a factor come January Favre needs to be able to push the ball deep downfield. The Vikings were unable to do that against the Browns as Bernard Berrian nurses a sore hamstring but if that does happen then things should only open up more for guys like Visanthe Shiancoe and Percy Harvin to make plays. In the meantime the team will get by with Peterson running wild and the defense playing its brand of football. At the very least Favre should not wear down late in the season like he did last year with the Jets.
Judging by the overall makeup of this roster and what the biggest needs of this team may be I’d be willing to bet that this team makes a move to find an eventual replacement for Pat or Kevin Williams in the 2010 draft. This team has thrived on these two guy’s ability to clog running lanes for several seasons now and it is a trend that has served the team well. It would be in their best interest to keep up that sort of tradition if they want to continue having success in the future.
There are some defensive tackles working the college gridirons right now with the size and strength to fill in for either one of the Williams down the road. One such guy who has caught the eyes of NFL scouts is Alabama’s Terrence Cody. This guy is listed as standing at 6’5” 365 lbs and the word is that he can move well and even dunk a basketball. If he actually proves to put up some decent numbers this year and the Crimson Tide do very well against SEC running games then the big guy will get first round consideration. The biggest question mark concerning Cody, however, may be his greatest asset. His size will no doubt come into question and a good showing at the combine would crucial to his draft status as teams will be curious to know exactly what type of work ethic and diet he possesses. If all goes well it would not be a surprise to see the Vikings taking such a player somewhere near the end of the first round.
Just as I will be doing in my Detroit Lions column each week during the 2009 season, we will continue to analyze the Minnesota Vikings needs throughout the season and look at possibilities to correct those problems in the upcoming draft.
Five Questions The Vikings Need to Answer
With the 2009 NFL pre-season in full swing teams all over the league are diligently preparing themselves for the ensuing battle that is the regular season. Last year the Minnesota Vikings were good enough to win the NFC North Division but got dismantled by the Eagles in the playoffs. With the addition of a few players at some key positions the team’s fan base has high expectations this year.
As far their running game and run defense goes the Vikings have very few peers. It’s the passing game that has given the Twin City fits and had them sitting at home come late January the last few years. The team has made some moves in an attempt to shore up those troubled areas but at first glance they seem more like acts of desperation than adding significant pieces to the puzzle.
I believe Head Coach Brad Childress is on the hot seat even though his team has shown improvement in the win column over the last three seasons. In order for him to keep his job this team needs to make a run at the conference championship and in order for them to do that some big questions need to be answered. Some of them are obvious but as always, in a league filled with parity and x-factors, some questions are not so obvious.
- Can Brett Favre take the team to the NFC Championship game after coming out of semi-retirement once again?
The number one question surrounding this team now is the most obvious one of them all. Despite the addition of Brett Favre and Sage Rosenfels at quarterback the selection of talent, that also includes returning starter Tarvaris Jackson and second year man John David-Booty, is mediocre at best. If the team was going for quantity over quality they have succeeded. Favre is no longer a miracle worker and Rosenfels has thus far been known more for his follies over his ability to make plays (Did anybody in Minnesota see his game against the Colts last year?) At this point it basically is Favre’s job to lose as many in Minnesota believe he could be the key to a championship. If Favre can develop good chemistry with WR Bernard Berrian and TE Visanthe Shiancoe then they have a chance. Berrian has the speed that Favre’s receivers were lacking in New York last year. I believe it’s all a shot in the dark, however, and I believe it will not end happily for all of those involved.
- Q: Can Adrian Peterson continue to be the standard for other running backs in the NFL?
He is the best running back in the league and can win games for the team behind a solid group of blockers. He will make life easier for whoever is at quarterback but he would greatly be helped if Bernard Berrian and new first round pick Percy Harvin provide some big plays at wide receiver on game days. While playing college ball at Oklahoma AP had a reputation of being fragile and he has held up well thus far in his first three seasons in the NFL. He has already reached over 3,000 rushing yards in his career and won the rushing title last year with 1,760 yards. If the team does lose him to any type of long term injury they have a capable backup in Chester Taylor, but this offense would obviously lose any sort of identity it has at this point and struggle mightily as a result.
- Can the receivers get open and make plays on the ball for whoever is throwing passes?
Berrian will drop some balls but he can be a difference-maker in games. He showed he was worth the contract the Vikings dished out to him last off-season. All eyes are on Percy Harvin to see if he can adjust to playing a new position in the NFL. He often lined up at running back for the Gators. Running precise routes and not playing in a spread offense are two things that will hurt him for sure. Look for Childress to try to get creative at getting Harvin the ball with screens and swing passes. To me he has bust written all over him and nobody else on the Viking’s roster scares anybody so an injury to Berrian could be just as devastating as losing AP.
- Can the defense continue to be the best run stoppers in the league?
This unit has been the best NFL run defense over the last three years. Defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams are huge contributors in the middle of the line and they both face four game suspensions for the use of a banned substance. Without them the defense could take on a whole new shape as the depth behind them is not that great in Fred Evans and Letroy Guion. Luckily for them the NFL schedule makers did them a favor and put Cleveland, Detroit, and San Francisco up first so the Vikings shouldn’t find themselves in too big of a hole by week five. Defensive end Jared Allen doesn’t help much in the running game and he could also struggle with more double teams coming his way.
- Can the offensive line hold up with the loss of center Matt Birk?
The Vikings could still really use Birk at the helm of the offensive line. He was a smart, instinctive player who made the pro-bowl six times while in a Viking’s uniform. 2008 sixth round draft pick John Sullivan better be up to the challenge, as well as 2009 second round pick Phil Loadholt. Loadholt’s huge frame (6’8” 343 lbs) could really help the running game if he can claim the right tackle job. No doubt he his is a monster of a human being but the NFC North is a far cry from the Big-12 Conference. Opposing pass rushers, such as Chicago’s Adewale Ogunleye, Green Bay’s Aaron Kampman, and Detroit’s Julian Peterson may expose his inexperience and wreak havoc in the Minnesota backfield as a result.
It’s really easy to doubt the team’s chances at repeating as division champs, considering that the quarterback talent is far better on all three of the other teams in the NFC North. As far as I’m concerned, even the hapless Detroit Lions have Minnesota beat with former Viking Daunte Culpepper, rookie first overall pick Mathew Stafford, and the scrambling Drew Stanton all looking to compete for the starter’s position down there.
At the very least it doesn’t seem like Minnesota has any real plans for the future as the pieces are in place to make an immediate run for the playoffs. If things don’t work out then there will be some changes very quickly. In my opinion anything short of a division championship and at least one playoff win will cost Childress his job. I’m putting my money on defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier taking over the head coaching job before February.
Questions and Answers:
By Dan Skogen
Question and answer session with Minnesota Viking insider Dan Skogen. Dan from Albert Lea, Minnesota and has been closely following the Vikings since the early 70s, is still a die-hard fan and has kept current with their daily activities since.
Q1: Dan welcome to NFL Draft Dog and thanks for taking the time to do this. Most fans think Brett Favre can still be a good quarterback, but do you think his late signing and him skipping camp will be a distraction or cause any animosity in the Vikings locker?
A1: I doubt there is too much discord but there is bound to be some. It probably matters more how well he interacts with his new team and also how well he performs.
Q2: The last Brett Favre question and then we will move on. From the outside it looks like Coach Childress either got duped or was in on the whole Brett Favre deception. Either way, there are many that feel that Childress has lost credibility with his team over this. Will Childress’ coaching life now live or die on the shoulders of Brett Favre?
A2: I believe the issue of his credibility was more media driven than anything. I’m sure he informed the team as to where he stood during this whole process. His coaching life will live or die on how far the team progresses. There are high expectations so they need to perform or he will be gone.
Q3: How is lead foot Loadholt doing at right tackle. At what, 6’ 8” 380 pounds he doesn’t have the quickest feet, how will he be able to block the speedy NFL pass rushers when he struggled doing it in college. Will Loadholt even beat out Ryan Cook?
A3: Loadholt has done fine so far. He was a left tackle in college but was drafted to be a right tackle in the pros. Left tackle is where you see the premium pass rushers. His lead feet shouldn’t be as much of a problem at right tackle. His shear mass will make him more of an asset than a liability. He will beat out Ryan Cook.
Q4: How do you see the Vikings using rookie Percy Harvin this year and do you think Harvin would be a good fantasy pick?
A4: They will use Harvin all over the place. Still haven’t seen much of him in the preseason. He might be worth a late flyer on draft day. As a niche player and a rookie, I don’t know if it’s reasonable to expect more than four or five touchdowns from him. He should however make special teams interesting.
Q5: Who are your top five Vikings that you would select in a Fantasy Football Draft?
A5: Peterson, Shiancoe, Berrian. Favre, Harvin
Q6: The 2008 NFL Draft looks a little slim at this point but it looks like you have two starters from that draft class. You drafted safety Tyrell Johnson early in the second round and center John Sullivan in the 6th round. Both of those guys are replacing legends, how do you think they will do?
A6: Johnson’s going to be a good one. He started seven games last year as a rookie and the Vikings liked him enough to let Sharper go. He’s fast and will knock your shoes off. Sullivan actually has bigger shoes to fill. The coaches have loved how he has been able to handle all the line calls and protections. Just like Birk, he’s smart and the thinking is that he’ll do fine. Time will tell.
Q7: The performance of the young starters Loadholt, Johnson and Sullivan are the keys to your success this year in my opinion. Do you agree with that, and if not, what are your keys to success?
A7: Those are certainly important issues but from a team standpoint it will be more important to get improved play from the quarterback position and special teams. Last year, special teams gave up seven touchdowns and the return game was mostly horrid.
Q8: What is your prediction for the 2009 Vikings’ season?
A8: As a homer, I hate to think of anything less than a march to the Superbowl. Objectively, I think the season would be a huge disappointment if they didn’t make it to the NFC Championship game.
Vikings Pre-Camp Roster Grades
Here’s a roster that is decently balanced and capable of competing for the playoffs every year. However, some key holes remain at some key positions, namely quarterback, and as a result the Minnesota Vikings are at risk of falling behind their division rivals.
All the talk in the Twin Cities, as well as the rest of the professional football world, is centered around Brett Favre’s retirement plans. Apparently he is not quite ready to give it up again. He played well early in the season for the Jets last year but things fell apart later.
Running Back: A+ Adrian Peterson is considered by many as the best running back in the league. He is a true game-breaking player with the ability to beat people in a variety of ways. He’ll get the majority of touches and should have an opportunity to rush for 2,000 yards. Chester Taylor is a great backup who has plenty of experience and he will give Peterson a break often. Rookie receiver Percy Harvin has the ability to play running back as well and may see time here on third and long situations if he can show that he can withstand the punishment dished out by opposing defenses.
Defensive Line: A- Last season right end Jared Allen come on and provided the spark in the pass rush that this defense was sorely lacking and he quickly became a fan favorite as a result. Defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams are immovable objects in the running game and require a lot of attention by opposing offensive lines. They will each miss four games due to suspensions for using banned substances. The depth is not that great at the moment so the Vikings may sign somebody before training camp begins. Defensive end Ray Edwards will man the left end spot opposite Allen. He can stop the run and occasionally provide pressure on the quarterback.
Linebackers: B EJ Henderson is a formidable middle linebacker and Ben Leber is solid at one of the outside spots. Chad Greenway hasn’t blown up the league with his play but he hasn’t done anything to make the front office regret drafting him in the first round a few years ago. Rookie Jasper Brinkley is a great prospect who may eventually cause one of the current starters to be expendable. He should prove to have been a late round steal. Overall, this is an above average group that moves well and takes full advantage of the league’s best defensive line in front of them. It will be interesting to see how they perform while the Williams tandem serves their suspensions.
Kicking: B Kicker Ryan Longwell and Punter Chris Kluwe are both experienced and will do their jobs well.
Offensive Line: B- Guard Steve Hutchinson is as good as it gets at the position and he teams with tackle Bryant McKinnie to provide the Vikings with a formidable pair on the left side. Rookie Philip Loadholt is a giant (6’8” 335lbs) who may be able to play either tackle spot. He’ll get a chance to provide the same type of push in the running game that Korey Stringer once did at right tackle. Right guard Anthony Herrera is decent but nothing special. Center John Sullivan is no Matt Birk but he’ll have to do his best impression of the former Viking pro-bowler to win and keep the starting job.
Cornerbacks: B- Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield form a tough, hard-hitting pair of corners who know how to tackle. They may not be the best cover corners in the league but they will get the job done. The problem though is Winfield is 32 years old and unsigned. Negotiations broke down in May and he has been a no show at the Vikings' mini camps and OTA's this off-season. There is not much proven depth behind the starters in Karl Paymah, Marcus McCauley, Asher Allen, Charles Gordon and Benny Sapp. Keep an eye on McCauley, he could be a gem.
Tight Ends: C+ Jim Kliensasser is big and can block well while Visanthe Shiancoe is capable of 50 receptions. Together they form a decent duo that is above average but nothing too special.
Safeties: C- Second year man Tyrell Johnson and veteran Hamza Abdullah will battle for the starting free safety position. Both have decent size and athletic ability but neither seems to be a threat to be a huge difference maker in the secondary. Veteran Madieu Williams will be decent but doesn’t make a lot of big plays either. Overall this unit needs to make more tackles and create more turnovers, particularly INT’s.
Wide Receivers: C- Bernard Berrian came over from Chicago and proved to be worth the money for the Vikings. In fact, he provided the big-plays the Vikings needed in order to beat the Bears at home late in the season. He will continue to be the deep threat this team has needed since Randy Moss left. Bobby Wade isn’t special but he can catch 50 balls and help keep the chains moving occasionally. The addition of Percy Harvin is intriguing to say the least. He was a versatile play-maker in college with the speed to compete against anybody. He will have to work hard to become a legit wide-out in the NFL as his route-running skills, durability, and commitment have been questioned. He may be a great option to return kicks as well so expect the Vikings to get milk whatever they can out of him. Sidney Rice hasn’t done much since joining the team a couple years ago.
Quarterbacks: D+ The addition of Sage Rosenfels provides some healthy competition for the starting job with young holdover Tavaris Jackson. Rosenfels has more experience and should win the job but he is not the long term answer that this team needs. Jackson has struggled in his short career which led to the trade for Rosenfels. Second year man John David Booty is still in the developmental phase of his career but there is hope for him in the future. If Brett Favre did sign with this team he’d only raise the grade to a C+ as his age is catching up to him and his erratic behavior concerning his retirement has been too much of a distraction.
This team is close to contending for an NFC Championship as the roster is solid across the board. However, the lack of leadership and talent at the quarterback position is severely dampering their chances to win big games down the stretch. Somebody needs to step up and take the reigns. At this point it does not seem apparent that any of the QB’s on this roster will be able to do that. Without a good signal-caller Minnesota is at risk of falling behind the other teams in the division, including Detroit.
Going for Gold in the 2009 NFL Draft
Looking to take the next step the Minnesota Vikings were really only looking for a couple things going into this draft. Depth on defense and the offensive line, as well as a playmaker in the passing game were high priorities going in and they may have fulfilled those needs overall.
However, the one position that didn’t get addressed and probably should have been may be the most important one of all. The jury is still out on whether one of the current quarterbacks on their roster, being Sage Rosenfels, Tavaris Jackson, or John David-Booty, can get the job done.
It is a safe bet to assume that if one of the top three quarterbacks fell to them in the first round they would have jumped at the chance to draft them. The guys that they did get may help them get over the hump and compete for a NFC Championship.
#22: Wide Receiver Percy Harvin, Florida – The Vikings may have taken a gamble on Harvin but it is a gamble that could pay off big. This guy has the speed to go the distance every time he touches the ball and is versatile enough to return kicks and play running back on passing downs. With Bernard Berrian establishing himself on the other side and Adrian Peterson breaking records in the backfield this offense has the potential to be as good as any in the league. Harvin won’t have to do too much. If he can get the ball five to eight times a game and score touchdowns in a variety of ways as he did in college then chances for the other guys to make plays will only become more abundant.
#54: Offensive Lineman Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma – Minnesota needed a big body on the OL and they got one. The massive (6’ 8” 335 lb) Loadholt may do very well paving the way for the Vikings running backs. He was once thought of as a potential first round pick due to his size and ability, but there seems to be something lacking in his game. He will be tried at right tackle and he may have to play guard. It all depends on whether or not he can protect the quarterbacks from getting destroyed on passing downs. #86: Cornerback Asher Allen, Georgia – This was another need area as the Vikings were looking for somebody to add depth and compete for the nickelback job. Asher has the skills to develop into a quality contributor on defense even though he does not have elite speed. At the very least he should bolster the special teams coverage and return games a bit. He ranks third all-time in kickoff return yards for the Bulldogs.
#150: Linebacker Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina – The hope is that Brinkley provides quality depth at the position with his large body (6’ 2” 250 lb) and ability to hit with authority. He’s not the fastest prospect but he has enough speed to compete at the next level. Came back very nicely after destroying his knee as a junior. Turned some heads in the weeks leading up to the draft having a good workout at his pro day: Brinkley (6-1 5/8, 249) looked very quick and fluid in all positional drills. Brinkley ran a 4.39 short shuttle, a 6.92 three-cone. At the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine he ran a 4.67 forty.
#231: Safety Jamarca Sanford, Mississippi – Sanford will have to throw his weight (214 lbs) and strength (29 reps) around on special teams in order to stick around on the active roster. This is a great pick in the seventh round as he was the SEC’s leading tackler over his four year career with 287. Head Coach Brad Childress neglected his own policy of avoiding receivers in the first round, but he did take what many considered the best players on the board. In any case, the depth of the team was improved and the Vikings should be in the playoffs again in December. It may simply only be a matter of one of the team’s quarterbacks stepping up to the plate and delivering sound game management skills and leadership. Those are the key components that have kept this team from being considered elite.
