SB Nation - Ellis Wyms

The 2000's: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team of the Decade

Niko Houllis — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:00:27 -0000

by Chris O'Meara - AP

The one position I don't have to do any thinking about.

As we come up on the last week of the year, it is also fitting to remember, this is the last week of the decade, one in which we won a SuperBowl. Only two NFC teams won a Superbowl in the 2000s, New York GIants and your Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So in doing this Team of the 2000s, I decided not to just pick the best player to played at any time during the decade, I will pick one of those guys if they were that much better than the others, But if someone played a position for most of the middle of the decade, even though not as good as a guy from 2000-2002, Ill go with the longer term guy most of the time. Keeping in mind "Teams of" can be subjective, so feel free to throw in your choices or correct me where you see fit.

Here you go guys...the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team of the 2000's Decade:

Quarterback: Brad Joshnson- He played from 2001 through 2003, and for those three seasons, he completed a high percentage of his passes, was very accurate, and won a Superbowl for us. Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese had good years in the decade too. In a position that has been so volatile, the guy who plays three years dominates the decade.

FullBack: Mike Alstott- For his last 3 seasons, Mike Alstott was truely a blocker, and still toted the ball with good numbers. But no matter what, no. 40 made the Fullback position famous here in Tampa Bay, and the A train is probably the most popular Buc ever. BJ Askew is a good runner up, as is Jameel Cook.

Tailback: Warrick Dunn- Just goes to show you the lack of a dominant rusher here, when a guy who played in the first two years of the decade and came back for his final year ever takes this one, but I just cant give it to Cadillac even though his 2005 year was the best of the decade. Michael Pittman was solid but saved his best for the Superbowl.

Wide Receiver- Joey Galloway- What can you say? 3 consecutive 1000 yard seasons? Thats never happened before in Bucs history. Joey Galloway was Tampa Bays DEEP threat after his first injury plagued 2004 season, and MADE defensive coordinators plan for him in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Wide Receiver- Keyshawn Johnson- He was the dominant WR on the team from 2000 until he was let go after the 2003 season. He made the tough catches over and across the middle, and was the receiver the Bucs needed to catch the attention of defensive coordinators and players. Antonio Bryant is the default franchise receiver, and Joe Keenan McCardell would have taken this one if not for his 2 year only status as WR.

Tight End- Ken Dilger 2002-2004- With all due respect to Jeremy Stevens who I think is the Best overall Tight End we had this decade, Dilger gave the Bucs a legit weapon when we went from Dave Moore after the 2001 season. Alex Smith was a little disappointing, but again, not exactly a spot on the team that was really dominated.

Left Tackle- Donald Penn 2007- Current - I mean who else am I going to pick? Kenyatta Walker? Penn has shut down some great right ends , he will be fine there for some time, as long as the Bucs are smart enough to lock him in.

Left Guard- Dan Buenning- 2005-2006- Dan was injured in the last preseason game of 2006 and believe it or not, is the biggest cause of the poor start of that year. Cadillac Williams made a great percentage of his yards running left in 2005 behind Buenning and Anthony Davis. Aaron Sears should dominate for another decade if his comeback is successful. Special Note for Kerry Jenkins who was brought in and did well during the Superbowl year.

Center- Jeff Faine- 2008-Pres: Will more respects to Jeff Christy who Centered for the first three years, Faine in two seasons has dominated the spot that calls the protections for the QB. In between (03-07) the position was a serious weak spot.

Right Guard- Davin Joeseph 2006 Pres- Joeseph is kind of having a down year, but who isn't this season right? Davin is probably on the verge of a probowl year, or several years, but lets not forget Cosey Colman who played adequately for many seasons.

Right Tackle- Jeremy Trueblood- 2006-Pres- Trueblood and Joeseph came as bookends in 2006, and got the start when Kenyata Walker got hurt. This side of the line does not have a very dominant tackle this decade.

Place Kicker: Matt Bryant- 2005-2008- Gramatica just had too many of his best years before the decade, while Bryant had one of the best kicking years ever last season, and lets never forget the 62 yarder vs the Eagles in 2006. Very Accurate.

Punter: Josh Bidwell- 2004-Present- No other player really dominates the decade like Josh Bidwell, and in a way that is a shame that a Punter holds that honor! While Tupa punted well during the Superbowl, Bidwell came here via Free Agency from the Green Bay Packers after surviving testicular cancer.

Left Defensive End- Greg Spires- 2002-2006: The Crane he was called, Spires dominated the left side with his pressure on the QB and his attacking of the run. Marcus Jones and Chidi Ahanato were bit players until Mr. Spires came to town. SInce he left, only Kevin Carter has any kind of year there. Its a big need heading into 2010 and beyond, as is every spot on the line now.

Nose Guard- Chris Hovan- Booger McFarland was my first choice, but his time is kind of split in During Sapp and after Sapp years, when he had to play undertackle. So I take Hovan's 2005- Present years as the best Nose Guard years of the decade. This is probably Roy Millers spot to lose next decade.

UnderTackle- Warren Sapp 2000-2003: He was so good, that no matter what, he is the guy for this list. Tampa Bay is STILL trying to replace him. Chadrick Darby, Booger McFarland, Ellis Wyms, and Jovan Haye have tried. What can I say. If you don't like my pick, Suh me!

Right Defensive End- Gaines Adams- OK , just seeing if your paying attention! Simeon Rice just dominated this spot since getting him in 2001 until his shoulder gave out in 2006. Even then, he had his last monster game in week 3 vs Carolina when he tried to will the Bucs to a win.

Strong Side Linebacker- Ryan Nece- He was the Sam Backer in 03, 05 and 06. The Bucs had the no.1 defense in 2005, so you could give an argument that Nece has as much playmaking ability than Cato June there. In not for time involved, Ian Gold and Alshermond Singlton would get the nod, with Singlton coming in as the best Sam Linebacker of the decade, but were going to go with Nece, who as you probably know is long time 49er safety Ronnie Lott's son.

Middle Linebacker- Shelton Quarles- 2002-2006: Little known fact, Jon Gruden was the one who recommended to Monte Kiffin that Sam linebacker Shelton Quarles in 2001 would make a great Mike linebacker, and so he did. Barrett Ruud at times appears to be the guy...Im guessing we will find out, as he has put in as much time as Quarles did now. But Quarles played it almost as well as that Nickerson guy in the 90s.

Weak Side Linebacker- Derrick Double Nickle Brooks- 2000-2008!: Well pretty much...but there is no way you could make any effort to pick Geno Hayes over Derrick Brooks, so this is the second easiest position to pick. Brooks defined the Will linebacker in the Tampa Two.

Strong Safety- John Lynch-2000-20003: Lynch has one year less than Jermain Philips, so its a no brainer here. John Lynch could have played more as it turns out, but Phlip did a great job taking over. Lynch was the cornerstone of the Tampa Two, the Safety that snuck in the box and laid the wood on ...well, anyone.

Weak Safety- Tanard Jackson- 2008-Pres: People forget how often Dexter Jackson got burned in 2001. He had a great game in the Superbowl with his two picks, but both picks resulted in a total of 3 points. Rice or Pittman should have been MVP in my book. Jackson played well when we returned in 2005 and the defense went to NO. 1 again.

Corner no. 1- Brian Kelly-2002-2007- BK never had the public's full support like corner no. 2 did. I think its because the public perception of him is his outstretched arms while Ricky Proel catches the TD against us in the Rams NFC Championship game. But Brian Kelly was a great corner, and Aqib Talib is filling the number in properly.

Corner no. 2- Ronde Barber- The Whole Freaking Decade!: Nothing needs to be said here. Even when people call him out for a few bad plays, he makes 2 for each bad one. He even did well in a new defense. Ronde Barber will forever be remembered for his run down the Vet in Philadelphia to put the Bucs in the Superbowl.

Head Coach: I wont even touch this one. Tony Dungy is a B+ Coach and an A+ Man. Jon Gruden invoked energy into a tiring franchise that needed the juice he brought...on top of replacing HALF of the offense. He did NOT win the Superbowl with Dungy's team, but he could not have won the Superbowl without Dungy either.

I hope you enjoyed this article. I had fun remembering all the players Ive enjoyed rooting for during this up, down, up and now down decade. lets hope the next ten years are fondly remembered too. Feel Free to drop in with your opinions on the players I've listed, or maybe, if I forgot one?

Bucs on the verge of a Top 10 Pass Defense!

Niko Houllis — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:45:10 -0000

More photos » by Reinhold Matay - AP

One of the reasons the Bucs have improved in pass defense.

Browse more photos »

Before you go down your own "Life on Mars" checklist of possible causes of this unbelievable headline, know one thing. It is NOT a misprint or typo. Use whatever reasoning you want to in coming up with an explanation, (like the fact we have the 31st rushing defense) but the numbers do not lie. We are currently the 11th Passing defense, at 198.5 yards per game, and that's not the only statistic that the Bucs are better than the average bear in.

In what is exclusively an offensive catagory, the Bucs are tied for 14th in sacks allowed. This is easy to understand, as Josh Johnson is not easilly sacked, and the fact that our Offensive Line is one of our biggest assets.

Then you have probably the only catagory that both sides have to contribute to, the turnover margin. In this realm, the Bucs are a respectable 16th (Tied) at -1, meaning with one more interception by a Tanard Jackson or so, the Bucs will have given the ball away as often as they have taken it.

So what does it all mean? Well speaking of T-jack, it may be no mystery that since his return the Bucs pass defense has improved (along the lines of Jimmy Wilkerson and Styles White increased results in rushing the passers) in passing stats. Rushing stats however, the Bucs are virtually dead last, 31st, at 171.7 yards per game, absolutely absurd for an NFL team. Clearly the Bucs need to invest in their interior defensive line, somthing has really has not been news for several years now, going back to the weekly requests by former Head Coach Jon Gruden calling for more effort from his D line. One by one the stars on the line have gone, and have not been replaced adequately.

Simeon Rice ---> Gaines Adams---> Styles G White...

Warren Sapp--->Chartric Darby---->Anthony McFarland--->Ellis Wyms---->Jovan Haye---->Ryan Simms....

Brad Culppeper---->Anthony McFarland---->Chris Hovan....

Greg Spires---->Kevin Carter---->Jimmy Wilkerson

as you can see, only one, and that is probably debatable, is close to the same level as the guys who rushed the passer in the heyday of Franchise. Luckily, the 2010 draft of which the Bucs are stacked with an ultra high #1 and #2 pick, as well as an extra #2 pick of the Bears for the trade involving Gaines Adams. Expect youngsters like Roy Miller to get serious playing time for the rest of 2009 as Raheem Morris looks to see what he has from the latest picks.

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings: 2008 Final Edition

Gonzo — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:06:32 -0000

Back at the halfway point of the season, I put forth a set of Player Power Rankings for everyone's viewing pleasure. Now that the season is over and we've had a chance to see some of our players grow and mature while some others fell off the map, it's time to take a look at how those have changed since late October. The table comes after the jump. Remember, these are strictly my opinions, and are certainly open for discussion. . .in fact, discussion is encouraged, as I'm sure there will be some disagreements.

Player Power Rankings
Rank	Player	Mid-Season Rank	Change	Comment
1	Jared Allen, DE	4	+3	When you're made the highest-paid defensive player in the National Football League, you'd better be prepared to go out and prove why that was. Jared Allen did that this season, and then some. 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles during the regular season, followed up by two sacks and a forced fumble in the playoff loss to the Eagles, showed the world what Jared Allen was brought here for. He's clean, he's tough, and he's the best pass-rushing DE in football. Oh, and he turns 27 in April.
2	Adrian Peterson, RB	2	0	I know he's getting the ball, you know he's getting the ball, the guys in the booth know he's getting the ball, everyone in the stands knows he's getting the ball, everyone on the other team knows he's getting the ball. . .and he led the NFL in rushing anyway. Sure, he had a case of the yips toward the end of the season. . .but is there a running back in the National Football League that you'd trade him for right now? Yeah, I didn't think so.
3	Kevin Williams, DT	1	-2	Tailed off a little bit at the end of the season, certainly, but still finished with 8.5 sacks and was his usual tremendous self against the run. Albert Haynesworth is going to end up getting paid more than #93 this off-season. . .but given the choice, I wouldn't trade Kevin Williams for him. In my opinion, Kevin Williams is still the best all-around defensive tackle in the NFL.
4	Pat Williams, DT	7	+3	The game against the Giants at the end of the year showed us what a valuable asset Pat Williams is to the Minnesota defense. As a run-stuffer, he's absolutely without peer, and was a huge part of the reason why the Vikings' defense was #1 against the run for the third consecutive year. One has to wonder how many more years we can get out of the big man, but if Ted Washington played at a fairly high level until he was 85 years old, I think Pat Williams can do the same.
5	Antoine Winfield, CB	5	0	The biggest little man in the NFL has finally been rewarded for his high level of play with his first trip to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl. Everyone knows about his ability against the run, but this year the Vikings' pass defense was 5th in the NFL in DVOA against #1 wide receivers, and the #1 guy on the other team almost always lined up against #26. It's about time he got the recognition that he deserves.
6	Steve Hutchinson, G	5	-1	Having the best guard in the NFL this far down on the list isn't so much about how he played in 2008. . .it's more about the high level that the five guys in front of him performed at. He's blocked for a 1,000 yard rusher every year he's been in the NFL, and as long as Adrian Peterson is in Minnesota, that streak should continue for a few more seasons, at least.
7	Ryan Longwell, K	8	+1	Tremendously consistent, and in fact might be getting better with age. He was 6-for-6 from 50+ yards this season, including the kick that put the Vikings into the post-season. Why? Because that's what Ryan Longwell does.
8	Chad Greenway, LB	17	+9	One of the big risers on the list, Greenway was an absolute monster over the second half of the season, despite the absence of fellow LB E.J. Henderson. He led the Vikings in tackles with 115, managed to throw in 5.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and got markedly better in coverage as the season went on.
9	Visanthe Shiancoe, TE	11	+2	Shank has developed into a serious threat at the TE position, particularly over the second part of this season. He was in the top 10 in receiving yards at the tight end position, and averaged 14.2 yards/reception. The only two TEs in the NFL that had more touchdowns than he did are a couple of guys that you might have heard of. . .Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Finally appears to be worth the money that was spent on him in 2006.
10	Bernard Berrian, WR	6	-4	Berrian certainly did what he was asked to do when the Vikings signed him away from the Chicago Bears. Minnesota wanted him to come in and stretch the field, and his 20.1 yards/reception says that he did just that. But he did have a couple of games where he completely disappeared, and is probably more suited to be a #2 guy than a true #1. Hopefully we can find that true #1 here very soon and let Berrian do what he does best.
11	Madieu Williams, S	NR	NA	After he finally got himself healthy, he got on the field and was pretty effective for the most part. With the likely departure of Darren Sharper this off-season, Williams will likely move into more of a free safety/center fielder type of position, with Tyrell Johnson moving into the strong safety spot.
12	Matt Birk, C	9	-3	Another player that has, more than likely, played his last game for the Vikings. While still one of the best at his position, it certainly appears that he's lost a little bit. He'll turn 33 in July. . .he's the last holdover from the 1998 squad. . .and it probably won't be cost-efficient to bring him back at this point. Stranger things have happened, though.
13	Bobby Wade, WR	18	+5	The Vikings caught a lot of flack for signing this guy after the 2006 season, but you know something? This guy can play on my team any time. He led the Vikings in receptions again this season, he makes tough catches, he gets first downs, and he knows what his role in the offense is. I'm quite happy to have him here for another couple of years.
14	Ben Leber, LB	10	-4	Leber was his usual understated self in 2008. He goes out there every week and does his job in a solid, but not spectacular, fashion. He might be someone that the Vikings need to look at replacing in the near future, as he'll turn 31 this season, but he's still a good veteran leader and an asset to the defense at this point.
15	Cedric Griffin, CB	25	+10	Another big riser here, Griffin looked like a completely different player in the second half of the season. It appears that the coaching staff finally realized that Griffin isn't a "lay back and play zone" cornerback. He needs to be allowed to get up in people's faces and be physical. With Antoine Winfield getting up in age, Griffin will probably face more of a burden in the near future. . .oh, and he has a contract year coming this next season, too.
16	Artis Hicks, OL	15	-1	Played well in Bryant McKinnie's stead when he was called upon to do so, and filled in on other spots in the line as well. His versatility makes him a valuable part of the roster, but injuries clearly hampered him down the stretch, causing him to miss some time.
17	Gus Frerotte, QB	12	-5	Gus was brought here to be the backup, and he performed the way a backup quarterback would be expected to. He had some moments of brilliance, coupled with some throws that make you wonder how the heck he's lasted in the league as long as he has. His comments after the Eagles' game were particularly grating, since I really don't think he would have given us any more of a chance than Tarvaris Jackson.
18	Tarvaris Jackson, QB	28	+10	In the last 4 1/2 games of the season, we caught a glimpse of both what's so intriguing about Tarvaris Jackson, and what absolutely drives us crazy about him. Again, he's got all the physical ability in the world, but at this point, I don't think he's going to be able to put it all together as a consistent NFL QB. He gets bumped up the list, though, based on his performance at the end of the regular season when the Vikings were fighting for a division title.
19	Darren Sharper, S	14	-5	The greatest safety in Green Bay Packer history has probably played his last game in purple. As the season progressed, Sharper looked older and slower than he has at any point in his career, and started taking bad angles to the football. He's given us a few great seasons as a member of our secondary, but it doesn't look like he can get it done any more. If Sharper does prove me wrong, he'll more than likely have to do it in another uniform.
20	Chester Taylor, RB	23	+3	He didn't get nearly the number of touches that he got over the past couple of seasons, but Taylor proved why he and Adrian Peterson are still the best 1-2 running back punch in the National Football League. One of the best pass-catching backs in the league and a vital asset on third downs, he's approaching that 30-year old point where running backs tend to start declining, but he hasn't had a lot of carries over his career for the most part. We'll have to keep an eye on him.
21	Bryant McKinnie, OT	16	-5	Paid like an elite LT. Not an elite LT. Not to mention one stupid, drunken incident away from taking a year's vacation from the NFL. There are few players on the Vikings' roster as disappointing as Bryant McKinnie. Need more proof? I listed three other offensive linemen, one of whom is a backup, before I got to him.
22	Brian Robison, DE	29	+7	An interesting study. . .he played well this season, largely when spelling Pat Williams at DT on obvious passing downs. He also played pretty well when called upon against the Eagles as well. If nobody else is brought in this off-season, I firmly believe that he should be starting opposite Jared Allen at DE in 2009, but we'll have to see.
23	Tyrell Johnson, S	13	-10	His drop isn't because he played horribly or anything. . .but with Madieu Williams insertion into the lineup, he simply didn't get to contribute in the same way he did during the early part of the season. I think he's still got some promise as an in-the-box type of safety, and he's likely going to be a starter in 2009.
24	Anthony Herrera, G	19	-5	Still solid against the run, but his pass protection seemed to slip a bit in the later stages of the season. It seemed that whenever the quarterback had pressure on him, it was generally coming from his right. . .although I'm not sure how much of this is a function of Herrera's play as much as the play of someone we'll get to here in a while.
25	Ray Edwards, DE	21	-4	Talked a lot in the pre-season about Michael Strahan's single-season sack record. Came up roughly 17 sacks short of that mark. He's solid at DE, but with the talent that he's playing next to, he should be significantly better. The competition between him and Brian Robison in training camp in 2009 should be interesting.
26	Fred Evans, DT	24	-2	Again, solid, but not spectacular. At least he managed not to get tasered this season, which is always a plus. He is a pretty valuable backup, however, all joking aside.
27	Jim Kleinsasser, TE	27	0	How much fun was it watching ol' Jimmy K rumble downfield with that little slip screen in the Eagles' game? But his purpose here isn't to catch passes, it's to crush people as a blocker, something he still does tremendously well. Hopefully he'll be back next season.
28	Naufahu Tahi, FB	22	-6	I've said it before, and I'll say it again. . .good blocker, but for the love of God, STOP THROWING HIM THE FOOTBALL!
29	Napoleon Harris, LB	NR	NA	Same Napoleon Harris we saw the first time he was in Minnesota. . .solid against the run, can't blitz, can't cover. Good depth, but I really hope we don't have to rely on him to start for any length of time.
30	Charles Gordon, CB	31	+1	Showed some real juice as a punt returner, and was starting to improve as a cornerback as well. . .up until he got his ankle mangled against the Packers. His comeback from that injury is going to be interesting to watch. He really gives us a solid nickel option if he can come back.
31	Cullen Loeffler, LS	35	+4	Hey, let's give the guy some more props. . .again, I ask, when was the last time we saw a bad snap on either a field goal or a punt? It was before Cullen Loeffler came along, that's for sure.
32	Marcus Johnson, OL	30	-2	Played well in the early part of the season, particularly against Indianapolis, when he was asked to play LT (a position he had no experience at). Just didn't get a lot of chances as the season wore on. Still, he's the only member of Minnesota's 2005 draft class that has any chance of being worth anything in the NFL.
33	Benny Sapp, CB	41	+8	He committed some dumb penalties, to be sure, but overall wasn't completely awful or anything like that. He should be back competing for a spot next season.
34	Ryan Cook, OT	20	-14	By far the weakest link on the offensive line. Seems to be good for at least one drive-killing false start penalty a game, and gets beaten far more often than a third-year guy should be getting beaten. He probably won't be starting in 2009, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was off the roster all together.
35	Chris Kluwe, P	26	-9	A very disappointing season for Kluwe, to say the least. After the Eagles' game, DeSean Jackson came right out and basically said, "Man, that guy outkicks his coverage on almost every play." And you know what? He's right. Part of the Vikings' punt-return woes this year came from lack of special teams discipline, but a lot of it came from opposing returners having a lot of space to work with after they catch the ball, too.
36	Husain Abdullah, S	37	+1	Minnesota's leading special teams tackler in 2008. Given the state of the Minnesota special teams, I'll let you decide whether that's good or bad.
37	Vinny Ciurciu, LB	32	-5	This guy, on the other hand, was brought in a few years ago to be almost exclusively a special teamer, and he hasn't been up to snuff. Should be fighting for his job this coming training camp.
38	Marcus McCauley	42	+4	Actually wasn't all that bad when he got on the field. . .but for someone that was a third-round pick and showed a lot of promise a year ago, he should be getting on the field more frequently than he is.
39	Eric Frampton, S	38	-1	Another guy whose main job is to bolster the special teams. Have you noticed that a lot of these "special teams" types are going to be fighting for their jobs next season? Curious, that.
40	Ellis Wyms, DT	48	+8	Hey, at least I noticed he was on the field in the later part of the season. . .that's more than I can say for him over the first half.
41	David Herron, LB	33	-8	Played well in place of E.J. Henderson until Napoleon Harris was brought in. Then we really didn't hear from him much.
42	John Sullivan, C	47	+5	Barring a change via the draft or free agency, this is probably our starting center in 2009. Didn't do much this year.
43	Sidney Rice, WR	36	-7	Like I said on the mid-season list, it absolutely kills me to put Sid the Kid this low, but he had a terrible season. Injured for most of it, and when he did play, he didn't perform terribly well. . .and the route he ran on the play against the Eagles that wound up being a pick-6 was as horribly lazy a route as you're ever going to see. I don't know how much of that was the lingering effects of his knee injury, but he's on the verge of being a bust here.
44	Maurice Hicks, RB	43	-1	I expected nothing, and he delivered. Bravo, Maurice.
45	Otis Grigsby, DE	39	-6	Was actually hoping for big things out of Grigsby this season, but with the way the line rotation set up, he just didn't get a lot of chances.
46	Jeff Dugan, TE	45	-1	Probably should be a little bit higher, but I'm not sure where else I'd slot him at this point.
47	Erin Henderson, LB	44	-3	Has the potential to be more than "E.J's little brother," but didn't get a lot of opportunities to show it this season. He's one to watch for the future, though.
48	Aundrae Allison, WR	34	-14	Another guy that had huge expectations going into the season, and had next to nothing in production. There were questions about his work ethic when he came out of college, and it appears that it might be catching up to him once again. I hope he snaps out of it here soon, or he might find himself without a job.
49	Garrett Mills, TE	40	-9	Again. . .3 catches for 49 yards in the season opener. 2 catches for 16 yards the rest of the way, and spent most of the second half inactive.
50	Letroy Guion, DT	NR	NA	Was expected to be a project, and spent most of the year inactive.
Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete Grades
Rank	Player	Comment
NA	E.J. Henderson, LB	The Minnesota defense was #6 in the NFL in total yardage, #1 against the run, one of the best in terms of DVOA for the season. . .and they played without this guy from Week 5 onwards. I can't wait to see him back next season.
NA	Heath Farwell, LB	Based on the performance of the Vikings' coverage units this year, Heath Farwell may be the greatest special teams player in the history of the universe. Hopefully he'll be back healthy in 2009.
NA	Dontarrious Thomas, LB	He was here. I don't know how many games he was active for, but he was here.
NA	Drew Radovich, OL	Future prospect. Went on IR with a "shoulder injury" early in the year. Should compete for a spot in training camp.
NA	John David Booty, QB	Didn't see the field after the pre-season finale. Thank goodness.
NA	Robert Ferguson, WR	"Veteran leadership" and "downfield blocking" will only get you so far in this league.
NA	Jayme Mitchell, DE	It would have been nice to have him around to work into the line rotation.
NA	Michael Boulware, S	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Kenderick Allen, DT	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Thomas Tapeh, FB	Epic fail. What else can be said, really?
NA	Jimmy Kennedy, DT	Interesting signing, I think. . .brought in late in the year as Pat Williams insurance. Was a first-round pick a few years ago, so he's got some talent. I think he might stick. . .because, hey, if anybody can tap into the talent that he has, it would be Karl Dunbar. Keep an eye on him this off-season.

Vikings 28, Packers 27: A Reversal of Fortune

Gonzo — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:28:17 -0000

We don't win games like this.

We never win games like this.

Other teams are the teams that win games like this.

Admit it. . .when Adrian Peterson got in for that last touchdown (and pimp-slapped Atari Bigby right across the face in the process), the first thing you did was look at the clock and realize that there were still two minutes and change remaining. You remembered that Brad Childress was 0-5 against the Packers going into today's game. You remembered that the Vikings' special teams, who had been great in kick coverage all afternoon (not on punt coverage, but on kickoff coverage) was due to give up a decent return. And they did.

And when a pass that had been tipped by Ellis Wyms landed in the hands of Donald Driver for a 19-yard gain, you knew that the game was going to come down to a last-second field goal attempt for the Packers. And it did.

And you were prepared for Brad Childress' record against the Packers to go to 0-6 and for our playoff chances to, effectively, be circling the bowl.

And it. . .did. . .NOT.

No, rather than having to hang our heads for another week and listen to the whooping and hollering from the other side of the Mississippi, Mason Crosby pushed his 52-yard field goal attempt wide to the right, and the Vikings held on for a 28-27 victory in a game that, by all rights, shouldn't have been anywhere near that close.

The Vikings were the better team on the football field for the majority of today's contest, and anyone that watched the game from start to finish would readily admit as much. 17 of the Packers' 27 points were basically gifted to them by Gus Frerotte. Their longest drive of the day. . .the drive where they scored their only offensive touchdown after Frerotte's first interception. . .netted them 48 yards. The Packers had 184 yards of total offense as a team. . .Adrian Peterson had 225 all by himself. The Vikings held the ball for just over 36 minutes to just a shade under 24 for Green Bay.

Defensively, Jared Allen was using his one healthy arm to beat Chad Clifton like a drum all afternoon long. The Vikings as a team racked up five sacks, including two that resulted in safeties. (And people can whine all they want to. . .the officials made the right call when Aaron Rodgers stupidly tried to shovel the ball forward from the end zone on the first safety. It's not the referee's fault that Rodgers has no field awareness.) The Packers didn't have a single play all afternoon that went for 20 yards or more. The Vikings held allegedly great wide receiver Greg Jennings to 3 catches for 37 yards, effectively taking away Green Bay's most effective pass play (i.e. "throw the ball as high as you can and see if Jennings can come down with it"). Aaron Rodgers ran scared all afternoon, and the Vikings' defense played like the all-world unit we knew all along they were capable of being, despite not having E.J. Henderson available.

But at the end, we were locked in a dogfight because. . .well, Gus doth giveth, and Gus doth taketh away. Actually for most of the afternoon, Gus gaveth away. . .and he damn near gaveth the Packerth Packers the football game. When it counted the most, however, the Vikings knew what they had to do to get themselves a victory. Everyone on the Green Bay sidelines knew. Everyone in the stands knew. Everyone watching on TV knew.

And it simply didn't matter. Observe (from NFL.com):

1-10-MIN 31	(5:50) 28-A.Peterson left tackle to MIN 35 for 4 yards (50-A.Hawk).
2-6-MIN 35	(5:18) 28-A.Peterson left guard to MIN 40 for 5 yards (79-R.Pickett).
3-1-MIN 40	(4:33) 12-G.Frerotte pass short right to 19-B.Wade ran ob at MIN 45 for 5 yards.
1-10-MIN 45	(4:28) 28-A.Peterson left guard to MIN 47 for 2 yards (55-D.Bishop).
2-8-MIN 47	(3:53) 12-G.Frerotte pass short middle to 28-A.Peterson to GB 37 for 16 yards (20-A.Bigby).
1-10-GB 37	(3:06) 12-G.Frerotte pass short right to 28-A.Peterson to GB 29 for 8 yards (55-D.Bishop).
2-2-GB 29	(2:30) 28-A.Peterson right tackle for 29 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Green Bay challenged the runner broke the plane ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #2 at 02:22.)

69 yards on the drive. 64 of them accounted for by Adrian Peterson, including the aforementioned 29-yard run to tie the game for Minnesota. Oh, and notice where that long run went? Right tackle. . .right behind Ryan Cook, and right at allegedly great defensive end Aaron Kampman.

Today's game affirmed a few things for us. First off, nobody runs the ball like we do. For the second season in a row, Adrian Peterson is the first back in the NFL to reach the 1,000 yard mark, and currently leads the NFL with 1,015 yards, 20 more than Washington's Clinton Portis. (Nobody else in the NFL is over 900 yet.)

Second, when our defensive line is on, there are very few (if any) defensive lines that can hang with them, and even fewer offensive lines that can actively handle them.

Third, that Chester Taylor guy is a pretty damn good football player, and needs to see more touches. Oh, and has anybody found Desmond Bishop's jock strap? He lost it when #29 faked him out of it on his 47-yard TD catch.

Fourth, the Packers are not a better team than we are. They're certainly not more talented and. . .boy, it's going to be weird to say this. . .they're not better coached than Minnesota is, either.

(Yeah, that's right. Mike McCarthy is no better a head coach than Brad Childress. I said it.)

Fifth. . .if you're going to go on NFL Network to run your mouth and do a big ol' dissertation on how the Vikings' secondary can be exploited. . .it would be nice of you to go out on Sunday afternoon and do better than 3 catches for 37 yards. Yes, Greg Jennings, I'm looking at you. (Yes, I know that Bernard Berrian was held without a catch today. He also managed to accrue one more victory this afternoon than all of Green Bay's receivers combined. He also wasn't dumb enough to think that he could go on TV and give away his team's gameplan and not think anybody would notice.)

So now we're 5-4. . .but four of the next five games are on the road, including two trips to Florida in the next two weeks to face off with the Buccaneers and the Jaguars. We'll look more at those over the course of the next week, but for the first time in the history of The Daily Norseman, I can leave you with the following words:

The Vikings beat the Packers today.

How sweet it is.

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings, Mid-Season Edition

Gonzo — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:14:16 -0000

If you'll recall, I did this last year at the mid-season point and at the end of the season. Yes, I know we're not "technically" at the mid-season point yet, but we're pretty close to it, and I don't think one game is going to change these that much anyway.

Now, these aren't "official" or "scientific" or anything like that. They're my take on how the players that the Minnesota Vikings have put on the field this season have performed. I'm anxious to hear what some of you folks think about these. . .should be a good topic for discussion.

So, without any further ado, here are your mid-season Minnesota Vikings Power Rankings:

Player Power Rankings
Rank	Player	Comment
1	Kevin Williams, DT	The beast is back, and he's again showing why he's considered by many to be the best all-around DT in the National Football League. He's the team leader in sacks with 6, which also puts him in a tie for #6 in the league in that category, and he's again an anchor of what will be the NFL's best run defense.
2	Adrian Peterson, RB	With LaDanian Tomlinson finally showing some signs of wear, the mantle of "Best Running Back in the NFL" now rests squarely on the shoulders of All Day. He's on pace to eclipse the numbers from his outstanding rookie season, and only two running backs in NFL history reached 2,000 career yards faster than he did. And he's only going to continue getting better.
3	Antoine Winfield, CB	After some. . .including myself. . .questioned some of his ability last season, he's come back this year with a vengeance. He's got two sacks that forced two fumbles and led to two momentum-changing touchdowns in Viking victories, and he's been playing lights-out coverage for most of the year.
4	Jared Allen, DE	Has he been everything that he was advertised to be? Well, almost. . .he has five sacks on the season, and has been demanding the double teams that have opened Kevin Williams up to have the monster season that he's been having to this point. He's also among the league leaders in QB pressures, which are always helpful. Look for him to pick it up even more in the second half.
5	Steve Hutchinson, G	Another Viking, along with Williams and Peterson, that carries the title of best in the NFL at his position. This is his third season as a member of the Vikings, and he's still worth every penny. Meanwhile, Nate Burleson is still a glorified kick returner and went on IR after Week 1 this year. Boy, the Seahawks sure got us good with that poison pill, didn't they?
6	Bernard Berrian, WR	After the first two games of the year, I didn't think that #87 would be anywhere near this high on the list. However, as of now, he's on pace for nearly 1,200 yards and has given the Vikings a couple of huge plays since the quarterback switch took place. He's another guy that will look like a bargain in a couple of seasons.
7	Pat Williams, DT	Phat Pat has been fairly quiet this season. . .of course, for him, "quiet" is a relative term. He's still the Immovable Object to Kevin Williams' Irresistible Force, and continues to make every play he's asked to make in the running game.
8	Ryan Longwell, K	He's still amazingly consistent, he still doesn't miss from 45 yards and in, and he might still be the Vikings' most consistent offensive weapon that doesn't have the name "Peterson" on his jersey. With the way Brad Childress' "Kick Ass Offense" runs most weeks, you have to be happy to have a reliable guy like Longwell to turn to.
9	Matt Birk, C	Still among the best in the league at his position, and still makes pretty good calls at the line. You have to wonder whether or not this will be his last season with the Vikings. I have a sneaky suspicion that it just might be.
10	Ben Leber, LB	Going into his third season as Minnesota's most overlooked, most unheralded defensive player. Has been a leader on the defense since he's been here, and that role has only increased with the injury to E.J. Henderson. You won't hear his name much, but that's pretty much because he never gets beaten or finds himself out of position.
11	Visanthe Shiancoe, TE	Surprised to see him this high on the list? Me, too, quite frankly. It only took him about 20 games or so to get himself established, but since the change at quarterback, he's catching more passes and been infinitely more effective. He could be developing into a real weapon for the Vikings' offense.
12	Gus Frerotte, QB	Since becoming the starter, Gus has been basically the same quarterback he's been his entire career. He has moments and games where you think he's capable of being the guy for the long haul (see the New Orleans game), and then he has moments and games that remind you of why he's been a backup for most of his NFL career (see the Chicago game). Sadly, that still makes him more consistent than Tarvaris Jackson, and that's what the Vikings need at the QB position right now.
13	Tyrell Johnson, S	Another nice surprise for the Vikings. With Madieu Williams being out, teams have largely avoided Darren Sharper and tried to go after the rookie from Arkansas State, and he's been equal to the task thus far. He'll make a nice replacement for Sharper, who will probably be gone after this season.
14	Darren Sharper, S	As I said above, this is probably the last season in Minnesota for the best safety in Green Bay Packer history. He may have finally lost that step that Packer fans have been convinced that he lost three years ago. No interceptions this season yet for #42, but I can't help put think that will change as the season goes on.
15	Artis Hicks, OL	You know, considering the guys he was lined up across from in the Vikings' first four games, he really didn't perform that badly. He wasn't great or anything, but then again, you could say the same thing about. . .
16	Bryant McKinnie, OT	. . .the guy he was standing in for. Seriously. . .have I been the only one that's noticed that the offense really hasn't been THAT drastically different with McKinnie at LT than it was with Hicks lined up over there?
17	Chad Greenway, LB	Still a fine athlete with a knack for the big play. . .but, strangely enough, there are still times where the guy looks completely lost in coverage. He's in his third year. . .he really needs to cut down on those sort of incidents.
18	Bobby Wade, WR	Actually leads the Vikings in receptions this season with 30, and his on his way to eclipsing his stats from last season when he was the "#1 wide receiver." Still a very good YAC receiver, and can be counted on most times to the a first down when the Vikings need one.
19	Anthony Herrera, G	To be honest, I haven't heard his name very many times this year, either. For an offensive lineman, this can only be considered a good thing.
20	Ryan Cook, OT	Same for Cook. . .he's certainly not an elite right tackle by any stretch, but he's not getting regularly abused, either. Still, you can't help but have the nagging feeling that both parts of the right side of the line could use an upgrade.
21	Ray Edwards, DE	Only needs to average about 2.5 sacks per game from here on out to break Michael Strahan's single-season record. "It will be interesting to see if he can do it," the author said sarcastically.
22	Naufahu Tahi, FB	With as many times as he's thrown to in this offense, you'd think that he'd be the Vikings' leading receiver. He's averaging an amazingly low 2.2 yards/catch, but he has provided decent blocking to this point. And his name is still fun to say.
23	Chester Taylor, RB	It saddens me that I have to put Taylor this far down on the list. However, for reasons that I'm really not sure of, he's not being used in the offense this year nearly as much as he should be. He's only had 10 carries or more in two different games this year, and hasn't rushed for more than 44 yards in a game this season. He's still catching the ball well, but I still think he needs to be used more frequently. I love Adrian Peterson as much as anyone, but #29 shouldn't be getting ignored like this.
24	Fred Evans, DT	Has provided some pretty decent relief for the Williams' boys when he's rotated in. Had the bonehead play in Chicago that made a end-of-half field goal attempt five yards closer than it needed to be, but otherwise has been relatively solid.
25	Cedric Griffin, CB	When you think of somebody being "lost in coverage," Griffin is the first guy that should come to mind. Part of the reason that Antoine Winfield is having the season he is comes from the fact that, when Griffin is on the field, teams have no reason at all to throw Winfield's direction. I still think that Griffin could be an elite NFL safety, but it looks like the Vikings want to have Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams at the position for the long haul. It will be interesting to see what Griffin's Vikings future holds.
26	Chris Kluwe, P	You have to wonder if the guy's head isn't completely messed up at this point. The punt returns for TDs, the bungled snap in Chicago, Brad Childress bringing in punters to try out during the week. I still think he's a pretty decent punter, but he may have had more screw-ups this season than in his entire Minnesota career, and we're not even to the half way mark.
27	Jim Kleinsasser, TE	North Dakota's favorite son is still a killer in-line blocker, and his 34-yard reception against the Lions a couple weeks ago flashed us back to what he used to be capable of. One of the guys that I hope that this franchise always has room for in some capacity.
28	Tarvaris Jackson, QB	Well, what can I say. . .except that I was wrong about this guy. I doubt that he'll ever take another meaningful snap for the Minnesota Vikings, which in a way is kind of sad. He's still got a world of physical ability, and he appears to be relatively smart. He just got thrown into the fire way too soon. It will be interesting to see if he catches on with another team (because I don't think he'll be here next year) and, if so, how he does under the direction of a real NFL coach.
29	Brian Robison, DE	Another guy that really, really needs to get on the field more often. There's a very good chance that he's better than Ray Edwards, although Edwards remains the starting DE across from Jared Allen. I like Robison's intensity, and hope he starts seeing more playing time in the near future.
30	Marcus Johnson, OT	Has actually been pretty good when called upon, making him the only member of Minnesota's 2005 draft class to be worth a damn at the NFL level.
31	Charles Gordon, CB	Has performed ably as the nickel back this season, but hasn't shown much as a punt returner, other than an inability to get the hell away from the football when it's going to bounce inside the 10-yard line. Yeah, I'm still miffed about that play.
32	Vinny Ciurciu, LB	Actually didn't perform too horribly as MLB when called upon, other than getting penalized on a 4th and goal play against the Bears for getting pushed down by Desmond Clark. But, honestly, we don't want him out there at MLB.
33	David Herron, LB	Had two games where he started in place of E.J. Henderson, and then got hurt. Wasn't terrible, but wasn't great either. Good depth, but probably won't ever be a full-time guy.
34	Aundrae Allison, WR	Hasn't gotten quite the chances I had hoped that he would this season, and has inexplicably been stripped of his returner duties. I, personally, don't understand. . .but that's probably why I don't run an NFL franchise or anything.
35	Cullen Loeffler, LS	Hey. . .when's the last time you remember seeing a bad snap? And don't say "last week against Chicago." That snap was perfectly fine.
36	Sidney Rice, WR	Yes, it pains me to put him here. But, the reality is that he's missed 4 or 5 straight games with a knee injury. He's been alright when he's been on the field, but he's developing a reputation for being soft. The Vikings NEED him on the field, and he hasn't been there.
37	Husain Abdullah, S	Looks like he might be our team leader in special teams tackles. For a guy that I didn't even project to make the roster, that's pretty good.
38	Eric Frampton, S	Hasn't come alive the way I had hoped. Yes, I will run that joke completely and thoroughly into the ground. Thank you for asking.
39	Otis Grigsby, DE	Haven't really noticed him much this season. Not surprising, since he only has one tackle through seven games and has been inactive a couple of times.
40	Garrett Mills, TE	Was the Vikings' leading receiver in the season opener with 3 catches for 49 yards. Has 1 catch for 10 yards since. Maybe we bought into the hype too quickly.
41	Benny Sapp, CB	Decent enough in coverage, but I wonder what, exactly, it is that he does that. . .
42	Marcus McCauley, CB	. . .couldn't do. McCauley looked like he was really starting to come on at the end of last season, but has spent most of this year on the inactive list. Another one I don't understand.
43	Maurice Hicks, RB	I remember why I hated the Hicks signing now. It's because he didn't make us appreciably better at any spot on the field. He's not a great kick returner, he doesn't return punts, and he's not a very good RB. Other than that, great signing by Minnesota.
44	Erin Henderson, LB	The thing that people remember about Henderson the younger this season is seeing him get absolutely clocked on one of Reggie Bush's punt returns for a TD against the Saints. I really have nothing else to add here
45	Jeff Dugan, TE	Spent most of the year inactive. . .really hasn't done a whole lot when he's been on the field. Not a lot to say.
46	Robert Ferguson, WR	Yes, I know. . .veteran leadership, blocking, yadda yadda yadda. Seriously, we could have kept Martin Nance here.
47	John Sullivan, C	Has been active for every game this year. Can't say that I've noticed. Have you?
48	Ellis Wyms, DT	I know he's been on the field, but he's yet to register any sort of a stat this season. I haven't seen anyone do that since the glory days of Chris Hovan.
Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete Grades
Rank	Player	Comment
NA	E.J. Henderson, LB	With the level he was playing at prior to his injury, he probably would have been #1 on this list if he was still healthy. The guy's a monster in the middle, and is already sorely missed by the Minnesota defense.
NA	Madieu Williams, S	Williams says that he "hopes to play" against the Texans coming out of the bye. I've been hoping to see him play since we signed him in March. Hopefully he can help shore up the pass defense a little more.
NA	Heath Farwell, LB	If you don't think losing a special teams leader can make a big difference, look at the special teams coverage last year WITH Farwell, and then this year without him. A bigger loss than even we could have imagined during the pre-season.
NA	Dontarrious Thomas, LB	Well, he's familiar with the system, so it will be interesting to see how the Vikings use him.
NA	Napoleon Harris, LB	Same story as Thomas. Started at MLB against the Bears and got worked over pretty good. We'll have to see if he's better adjusted after the bye week.
NA	Drew Radovich, OL	Appeared to be stricken with "Hey, we want you on the team, but we really don't have a spot for you at the moment, so hang out on IR"-itis. That's my diagnosis, anyway. I'm not a doctor or anything.
NA	John David Booty, QB	Inactive all season as the #3 QB. With the way he looked in the pre-season, I can only consider this a blessing in disguise.
NA	Letroy Guion, DT	Inactive most of the season. Hasn't done much.
NA	Jayme Mitchell, DE	It would have been nice to have him around to work into the line rotation.
NA	Michael Boulware, S	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Kenderick Allen, DT	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Thomas Tapeh, FB	Pretty much epitomizes the Brad Childress era to this point. Signed a 5-year contract, played in exactly two games, was inactive for a month, and then got cut. Epic fail. Probably wouldn't have been signed if the knee surgery he had in the off-season had been discovered. Whether that's Tapeh's fault or Minnesota's fault is up for debate, but the end result is still bad for the Beloved Purple.

And there they are, folks. . .my take on the Vikings' roster to this point of the 2008 season. Feel free to discuss, debate, agree, disagree, or whatever it is that you feel like doing with these.

Official Carolina Panthers/Minnesota Vikings Injury Reports

Gonzo — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:14:45 -0000

Well, folks, it's Friday, and that means it's time for a check of the injury reports for both of the teams involved in this Sunday's clash at the Metrodome. Oh, and there's one name on the injury reports that Vikings fans probably aren't going to like too terribly much.

We'll start with the visiting Carolina Panthers.

Player	Position	Injury	Friday Practice	Game Status
Matt Moore	QB	Fibula	DNP	Out
Travelle Wharton	G	Knee	DNP	Out
Ryne Robinson	WR	Knee	Limited	Doubtful
Chris Harris	S	Thigh	DNP	Questionable
Tyler Brayton	DE	Ankle	Limited	Questionable
Na'il Diggs	LB	Shoulder	Limited	Questionable
Chris Gamble	CB	Shoulder	Limited	Questionable
Ma'ake Kemoeatu	DT	Illness	Limited	Questionable
Richard Marshall	CB	Thigh	Limited	Questionable

That's a LOT of folks to have listed as "Questionable." I'm trying to find a little more information on which of those guys are going to play and which are going to sit out, and as soon as I can find something I'll pass it along to everybody.

Now, on to the Beloved Purple. The injury list is significantly longer than it has been over the past few weeks, and that's never a good sign when you're preparing to play a team as physical as the Panthers.

Player	Position	Injury	Friday Practice	Game Status
Madieu Williams	S	Neck	DNP	Out
Adrian Peterson	RB	Hamstring	Limited	Questionable
Sidney Rice	WR	Knee	Limited	Questionable
Maurice Hicks	RB	Foot	Full	Probable
Ellis Wyms	DT	Concussion	Full	Probable
Aundrae Allison	WR	Foot	Limited	Probable
Bernard Berrian	WR	Foot	Limited	Probable
Artis Hicks	OL	Elbow	Limited	Probable
Darren Sharper	S	Shoulder	Limited	Probable
Tarvaris Jackson	QB	Coaching Ignorance	Limited	Doubtful

Hey. . .any names stand out to anybody there? (Besides that last one, which I may or may not have made up.)

Yes, folks, Adrian Peterson is going to be a game-time decision with a hamstring injury that he got in last week's loss to Indianapolis. If I were a betting man, I would guess that he was going to play and that they're just being cautious with him, but at this point I know just as much as you do.

More on this game over the course of this evening and into tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the rest of your Friday, and we'll see you back here again soon!