SB Nation - Brian Robison

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings, Mid-Season Edition

Gonzo — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:44:23 -0000

I really meant to do one of these back during the pre-season so that we'd have something to compare it to at this point, but I forgot to. I apologize for that. But, as usual, we'll have our mid-season version. . .conveniently designed to go along with the Vikings' bye week. . .and our post-season version to compare.

I've done these for the past couple of seasons, after originally getting the idea from our friends over at Dawgs by Nature. (See the 2007 mid-season and post-season versions, as well as the 2008 mid-season and post-season versions.) These aren't official or anything, and are more designed to spark conversations/debate than anything else. Since the table that these rankings are placed in is pretty huge, I'll put it in after the jump for everyone to have a look at. Enjoy, and tell us what you think!

Player Power Rankings
Rank	Player	Comment
1	Jared Allen, DE	Greatest trade in Vikings' history? If it's not, it's certainly on the short list. In 24 games since coming to Minnesota, #69 has 25 sacks (3 of which have resulted in safeties), 5 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles, and has generally just been the best 4-3 defensive end in the National Football League. He'd probably be the Defensive Player of the Year if the season ended today.
2	Brett Favre, QB	Okay, raise your hand if you thought the guy would be this good. looks around I doubt it was that many, but anyhow. . .in eight games, Favre has turned the ball over all of four times (only one of which. . .against St. Louis. . .could probably be classed as egregiously awful), has a 4:1 TD/turnover ratio, and a quarterback rating of a cool 106.0. Yes, it remains to see how he'll perform over the second half of the year, but the returns have been good so far.
3	Adrian Peterson, RB	You know the bar has been set pretty high for you when you're tied for second in the NFL in rushing yards, averaging almost 5 yards/carry, are second in the league in rushing touchdowns. . .and some folks are under the perception that you're struggling. He's on pace for 40 fewer regular season carries this year than he got last year, and as long as teams still want to defend the Vikings like they have Gus Frerotte at quarterback, his numbers will probably stay low. . .keeping him fresh for the post-season.
4	Percy Harvin, WR	Surprised to see him this high? Don't be. How much of an impact has Harvin had? With him returning kickoffs, the Vikings have the best average starting field position in the NFL. He's also been a big part of the Vikings going from having one of the worst special teams units of the last 20 years to being one of the better units in the league, according to the DVOA rankings from Football Outsiders. Oh, and he's done alright catching the ball, too. Barring an injury, we can probably just stop the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting right now and hand the award to #12. (Oh, and another big thank you to T.J. Houshmandzadeh for signing with the Seahawks. . .because if we had him, we likely wouldn't have Harvin.)
5	Kevin Williams, DT	The best all-around defensive tackle in football has been blowing up interior linemen all season long. He's on pace to have his first double-digit sack season since 2004, and he's still incredible against the run. Oh, and he's thrown in 6 defended passes, too. To borrow a phrase from Eric. . .greatest "missed draft pick" ever? Greatest "missed draft pick" ever.
6	Sidney Rice, WR	Nobody on the Vikings' roster has benefited more from the addition of Brett Favre than El Sid. It's hard to believe that the University of South Carolina produced both Rice and Troy Williamson, since Sidney is pretty much the anti-Williamson. He's on pace to have 1170 receiving yards (and hopefully more than the 2 TDs he has currently), and he has the most ridiculous set of hands this team has seen since Cris Carter left town. Yes, Randy Moss included.
7	Ryan Longwell, K	Ridiculous to put the kicker this high? Perhaps. . .but ponder this: Every time this season a ball that he's kicked has gone past the line of scrimmage, it's gone through the uprights (his only "miss" this season was the block at the end of the first half of the San Francisco game). His kickoffs have been pretty darn good, too. One can't underestimate the importance of a kicker as good as Longwell has been this season.
8	Chad Greenway, LB	The Vikings' leading tackler after the first half of the season, he's also tossed in a couple of interceptions and 4 passes defended. He's really gotten a lot better in coverage over the course of his Viking career, and has become one of the better all-around linebackers in the NFL.
9	Steve Hutchinson, G	Still the best at his position in the National Football League, despite getting called for his first holding penalty in 27 games last weekend against Green Bay. Meanwhile, Nate Burleson is still doing nothing in Seattle. Yeah, I still think the Vikings got the better of that little exchange.
10	Bryant McKinnie, T	McKinnie has been much maligned over the course of the past couple of seasons, and we would lament how he would get abused by speed rushers. However, after making the adjustment to having Brett Favre at QB early in the season (along with the rest of the O-line), McKinnie has done a hell of a job, and is finally really starting to live up to the huge payday he got a couple of years ago. He looks like the tackle the Vikings thought they were getting when they drafted him in 2002.
11	Antoine Winfield, CB	Ordinarily he would be much higher on this list, but his injuries. . .coupled with the fact that the Vikings haven't missed him nearly as much this year as anybody might have thought. . .push him down a little bit. Don't get me wrong, he's still one of the best in the league at his position, but he hasn't had quite the impact so far this season that one would think.
12	Pat Williams, DT	Phat Pat got off to a bit of a rough start in 2009, some of which could possibly be attributed to getting a late start on the pre-season festivities, but has come around over the course of the past few games, and is back to being his usual bad-ass, run-stuffing self. He's even contributed his annual sack with his takedown of Aaron Rodgers in Week 8.
13	Ray Edwards, DE	You know. . .when he's not busy jumping offsides or getting ridiculous late hit penalties, Ray Ray has actually had a pretty solid year thus far, with 26 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks. Sure, he might be the "weak link" on the defensive line, but being the weak link on a defensive line this good is sort of like being a MENSA member with an IQ of "only" 135.
14	Visanthe Shiancoe, TE	Second in the NFL in touchdown catches among tight ends, he gives the Vikings yet another weapon to utilize around the goal line. One could argue that he should be getting more catches, but with the emergence of Harvin and Rice, I'm not sure where those catches would come from. (Yes, I know, "Tahi" is the obvious answer.)
15	Ben Leber, LB	Still the quietest member of the defense, but as always, you don't hear his name called very often, which means he's doing what he's asked to do. Occasionally spectacular, but always solid. Still the only good thing Fran Foley ever did for the Minnesota Vikings.
16	Phil Loadholt, OT	The massive rookie from Oklahoma grabbed hold of the starting RT slot in training camp and, like most things he gets a hold of, he hasn't shown any signs of letting go of it any time soon. He did miss a game because of injury, but overall has provided a level of play that few may have expected from him as a rookie. We'll have to keep an eye on him to see if he hits the "wall" during the course of the year.
17	E.J. Henderson, LB	I'm surprised that he's down this far, too, but really. . .who ahead of him do you move? Frankly, E.J. just hasn't looked like E.J. most of the time this season. A good portion of the Vikings' woes against tight ends can be attributed to him (though there is blame to be spread around. . .give me a bit), and he just hasn't been the beast that he was prior to the dislocated toes that caused him to miss most of 2008. He is getting better, though, and hopefully will continue to do so as the season goes on.
18	Bernard Berrian, WR	He's had some injury problems this year, and his average yards/catch is significantly lower than it was in 2008, but he's still providing a pretty steady presence on the outside. He's become pretty much automatic on slant routes thus far this season, and it's only a matter of time before corners and safeties start biting on those and opening up big gainers over the top. He's not the #1 option any more, but he's still solid.
19	Cedric Griffin, CB	This is just my personal opinion, but there isn't a more frustrating player on the Vikings' roster to watch than Cedric Griffin. The guy has a ton of talent, and we know he has the capability to be really good (see the second half of last year), but there are too many times when he forgets how to tackle and gets beaten in coverage. Sadly, he's not even the most disappointing member of the secondary this season.
20	Anthony Herrera, G	Another guy we haven't heard a whole lot from this season, which is a positive. For the most part, he seems to be doing a relatively solid job at the right guard spot.
21	John Sullivan, C	For a guy starting at center for the first time in the NFL to be the pivot on an offense this good says a lot about Sullivan's ability. Has he been great all the time? No. . .but he hasn't been a tremendous drop-off from Matt Birk's play last year, either, and he's still been pretty good, despite a couple of mental errors (like the mis-timed snap in Green Bay).
22	Chris Kluwe, P	Yeah, he had a crappy ~~game~~ half against Pittsburgh, and Joshua Cribbs got a punt return TD against the Vikings in Week 1. . .he does that to a lot of teams. . .but Kluwe has made a lot of strides over last season, in my opinion. The willingness of the Guitar Hero to (finally) sacrifice some distance for hang time has been another part of the Vikings' special teams turnaround.
23	Jimmy Kennedy, DT	If Jimmy Kennedy isn't a testament to the amazing abilities of Vikings' defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, I'm really not sure what is. Kennedy has served the Vikings very well as a rotation player to this point of the season, and may be putting himself in line to be a replacement for Pat Williams in the near future. Yeah, "solid rotation" player isn't necessarily what you want from a guy that was once drafted #11 overall. . .but it's a hell of a lot more than St. Louis, Jacksonville, or Chicago got out of him.
24	Madieu Williams, S	One of the bigger disappointments on the team this year, in my opinion. There have been a few occasions where Williams has just looked completely lost this season, and for a veteran guy like him, that shouldn't happen. He really, really needs to step up his level of play in the second half of the season in order to bring the Vikings' pass defense up to where it needs to be.
25	Tyrell Johnson, S	The other biggest disappointment for the Vikings this year. I know this is his first year as the full-time starter, but he just hasn't been all that good. Nobody questions Johnson's physical ability, to be sure, but he needs to show more of why the Vikings took him in the second round in 2008.
26	Jim Kleinsasser, TE	We just keep putting Kleinsasser out there as a blocker every year, and he just keeps destroying everything in his path. I'm not sure how many years the guy can keep doing this, but he certainly hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.
27	Cullen Loeffler, LS	I'll put the same thing I put next to his entry every year. . .when's the last time you remember the Vikings' special teams units being victimized by a bad snap? Loeffler is solid.
28	Heath Farwell, LB	The Vikings had a lot of turnover in their special teams coverage units between 2008 and 2009, but the return of Heath Farwell has been huge. He's always around the ball on special teams, whether it's kick returns or punt returns, and his tackling is as sure as ever.
29	Jeff Dugan, FB/TE	Remember when most of us thought the only reason the Vikings drafted Jeff Dugan was because he went to Maryland like Mike Tice did? Yeah, that was five seasons ago, and Dugan is still here. He's a solid blocker, and has even gotten a couple of passes this year. One of the more underrated Vikings. . .probably underrated on this list, too.
30	Chester Taylor, RB	This may seem way too low for Chester, but his yards/carry average is way down this year, and I really think we're seeing his last season in Minnesota, as he's in the final year of his contract. With the expansion of Adrian Peterson's role as a receiver and the improvement in his pass blocking, #29 just isn't as vital as he's been in years past.
31	Naufahu Tahi, FB	Good enough blocker, but again, I'll go with something I say every year. . .STOP THROWING HIM THE FOOTBALL. (Although he did have a 30+ yard catch-and-run against St. Louis, which means there are probably more plays in the playbook for him than ever.)
32	Brian Robison, DE	It's not that Robison is bad or anything, because he's clearly not. He just doesn't get a whole lot of opportunities with the guy he has in front of him taking all the snaps. Oh, and Brian. . .the next time a kickoff bounces into your hands, just fall down. . .please?
33	Jaymar Johnson, WR	Another guy that could probably be a few spots higher, he's stepped into the punt return role quite nicely after the injury to Darius Reynaud. Wouldn't mind seeing him get a few more shots as a receiver, but who's he going to displace, barring injury?
34	Kenny Onatolu, LB	I was really rooting for this guy to make the squad after his pre-season performance, and he hasn't disappointed, adding more solid play to the Vikings' special teams units.
35	Greg Lewis, WR	IT'S GREG LEWIS! TOUCHDOWN! OH MY GOODNESS! GREG LEWIS! WELCOME TO MINNESOTA! OH MY HEAVENS!
36	Fred Evans, DT	Twenty-nine taser-free months and counting for Evans. Way to go, #90!
37	Benny Sapp, CB	Could make an argument that he could be higher, I suppose. He's had his moments but, like many parts of the Vikings' secondary this season, he's made a few highlight reels for the wrong reasons, too.
38	Tarvaris Jackson, QB	Hasn't been a disruption, and has actually taken his demotion quite well. Has seen a bit of time in mop-up duty as well. I hope we don't have to see him this year, but if we do, I have confidence that he could do the job for a little while, at least.
39	Letroy Guion, DT	Has bounced back and forth between the active roster and the inactive list, but has done a solid enough job in the time he's gotten.
40	Artis Hicks, OL	Filled in for Phil Loadholt when the big guy was out with an injury, and played pretty well. Still a solid backup at numerous positions.
41	Asher Allen, CB	Has spent most of the year on the inactive list, but has been up for the last two games and has asserted himself pretty well. Easy to see the potential the Vikings seem to think he has.
42	Jasper Brinkley, LB	Hasn't seen much time as a LB, but has been a very good special teamer thus far.
43	Karl Paymah, CB	After watching him get thoroughly abused against Baltimore, it became clear why he was brought in as a special teamer and not a cornerback. He recovered nicely against Pittsburgh, though. . .and, hopefully, will be finding his way back to a strictly special teams role here soon.
44	Darius Reynaud, WR	Was doing an outstanding job as a punt returner before his injury, and now might not get his punt returner spot back thanks to Jaymar Johnson's performance.
45	Eric Frampton, S	Hasn't gotten the opportunity to come alive on defense. . .yes, I continue to murder that joke. . .but has been a good special teamer.
46	Husain Abdullah, S	See above, but without the reference to Peter Frampton.
47	Jamarca Sanford, S	Hasn't been up for all the games, but again has been a solid special teamer in the games that he has been.
48	Ryan Cook, OT	No Ryan Cook on the field makes Gonzo a happy blogger and Vikings quarterbacks much healthier than they may normally be.
Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete Grades
Rank	Player	Comment
NA	Sage Rosenfels, QB	The best-compensated #3 quarterback in the league. Nice work, if you can get it.
NA	Jayme Mitchell, DE	Still pretty talented, but there just isn't room for him in Minnesota's defensive line rotation. Damn shame, too.
NA	Erin Henderson, LB	Heck, I'm not sure if Henderson the Younger is even still on the team.
NA	Jon Cooper, C	Was signed, then released, then signed again, and I don't think he's seen the field this year.
NA	Albert Young, RB	Hasn't seen the field this year, either.

And there you have it. I'm pretty sure that I haven't missed anybody. . .if I have, let me know, and I'll work them into the rankings at the appropriate place.

Favre Wins in Homecoming, but Harvin Steals the Show

Anthony21 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:39:37 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

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Percy Harvin is ridiculous.

If there's any conclusion to be made from The Game Of The Year, it's that there are many teams who should be ashamed of themselves for deciding against selecting The Steal Of The Draft last spring. This game was supposed to be the Brett Favre Show, and to a large extent, it was. He lived up to the occasion -- I hardly need to elaborate on the pressure he was under and his skill at maintaining poise throughout a roller coaster of a game.

But Favre is hardly the headline from this game. That distinction belongs to Percy.

Anyone who watched even part of the Vikings' encounter with the Packers in Lambeau immediately understood the extent to which Harvin can change a game in an instant. Down three early in the first quarter, discouraged after a boneheaded play in which John Sullivan inexplicably snapped the ball when Brett wasn't expecting it? No matter. Harvin pulls off a huge kickoff return and the offense uses the short field to take a 7-3 lead.

Green Bay is storming back after a painful-to-watch fumble by Brian Robison on a kickoff? A commanding lead has been cut to 24-20 in the third quarter? No worries. After pulling to within four, the Packers dumbfounded an audience of millions by putting the ball in Percy's hands on the ensuing kickoff. A return into Packers' territory gives the Vikings offense another short field, and Favre tosses a touchdown to Jeff Dugan to complete the drive.

Indeed, this game was the Percy Harvin Show. Despite the defense's best efforts to melt down once again in the second half, the magnificence of Harvin was too much for the Packers to handle.

Of course, that leads me into the downers of this game. Leslie Frazier, in his infinite wisdom, once again took his foot off the acceleration when the Vikings pulled ahead by three scores. His defense had been absolutely slaughtering Aaron Rodgers in the first half, but as Frazier has proven, he can't pass up a golden opportunity to become complacent and let a dying team back into the game. The Robison fumble can't be blamed on the defense, and that play undeniably swung the momentum in Green Bay's direction. But if that play gave the Packers some much-needed momentum, the Vikings defense ensured that the momentum would remain with Green Bay.

Frazier deserves a head-coaching gig? At times this season, I've wondered if he even deserves to be the defensive coordinator for this team. Granted, that's little more than a knee-jerk reaction to a host of late-game defensive meltdowns, but this isn't the first time the defense has been atrocious this season when given a big lead.

In addition to the embarrassing lack of pressure imposed on Aaron Rodgers in the second half, the players themselves have no excuse for the carnival of missed tackles we witnessed. Frazier bizarrely took the defense's pace down way more than he should have, but the poor tackling hardly helped matters.

And yet, the Vikings still pulled it out. Adrian Peterson was slowed down early on but he became progressively more productive. Sidney Rice was a dependable target for Favre, as was the phenomenal Percy Harvin.

Really, you can't say enough about what Harvin accomplished out there today. 261 all-purpose yards later, we were seeing comparisons of Harvin's performance to Randy Moss' breakout performance in Lambeau. Not a topic I care to explore too deeply, but the mere fact that the comparison was made speaks volumes about Harvin.

So despite the disappointing defensive effort in the second half, the Vikings persevered. An unflappable veteran quarterback leading his team to a pair of key fourth quarter touchdowns (we can't thank Teddy T. enough). An electrifying rookie giving the Vikings momentum boosts at the right moments. There's a lot to be happy about.

That's how we head into the bye -- with some concerns but lots to be excited about. This team's inability to put teams away has been a consistent theme in the first half of the season. But Percy Harvin is unquestionably The Steal Of The Draft and your early-season favorite for Rookie of the Year honors. And the old man has been great. How sweet is it that, after getting booed by the classy Lambeau fans, Favre left with the last laugh?

7-1. A memorable eight games. Here's to a strong finish.

Okay, That's Over. . .So Now What?

Gonzo — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:42:40 -0000

More photos » by Tom Olmscheid - AP

Are you not entertained? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!? (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)

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EDITed to add poll. . .enjoy!

Honestly, folks, is there a better time than right now to be a fan of Minnesota sports? We got to watch the Minnesota Twins win five consecutive must-win games (starting with Thursday's series finale in Detroit and concluding with Tuesday's play-in victory), and sandwiched in-between was the Vikings defeating their cross-border rivals in what was, quite possibly, the most hyped and most heavily promoted regular-season game in the last couple of decades. Now, at the quarter pole of the 2009 NFL season, the Beloved Purple are one of only five teams in the National Football League whose record remains unblemished (along with the Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, and New York Giants).

Yep, it's a pretty good time to be cheering for teams that call Minnesota home. So let's go into what happened on Monday night. . .oh, and if you want to re-live everything again, the NFL Network will be re-playing the Packers/Vikings game at 8:30 PM Central time. I'll be flipping back and forth between that and the new episode of South Park from 9 to 9:30. Hey. . .man's gotta get away every once in a while. (-:

Last season, had you come out before a Vikings game and said that Adrian Peterson would rush for 55 yards, average around two yards/carry, and that he'd lose a fumble that was taken back for a touchdown, the only question you would have gotten from a Vikings fan would have been along the lines of "So, did we lose by three touchdowns, or did we manage to keep it within two?" Over the last couple of years of the Brad Childress era, when Adrian Peterson has had a bad game, the Vikings have gotten beaten (with a couple of exceptions). But watching Monday night's game, you knew things were going to be different. . .and you didn't know how you knew, you just knew.

On a night when the best running back in the National Football League just couldn't get himself going, a guy that will turn 40 years old on Saturday put his new team on his back and showed his old team. . .and the rest of America's doubters. . .that he's still plenty capable of getting the job done. After he connected on a beautiful 31-yard rainbow to Bernard Berrian in the third quarter to make the score 28-14, he was 18-for-21 for 226 yards and three touchdowns. For a team. . .and, specifically, a secondary. . .that allegedly knew everything there was to know about Brett Favre, #4 spent a lot of time making the guys in green and yellow look foolish. On the touchdown pass to Berrian, Al Harris looked about as lost as he did on a certain touchdown pass in a certain playoff game a few years ago, as he thought he had deep help that simply wasn't there, and Berrian slipped untouched into the end zone.

Favre's performance was good enough to earn him the NFC's Offensive Player of the Week for Week 4, as he finished up with a stat line of 24/31, 271 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. More importantly, he didn't take a single sack during the entire evening after taking nine in the first three weeks, and was rarely even pressured by Green Bay's front seven.

This was a pretty stark contrast to his counterpart on the other side, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers spent his night under constant pressure from the Vikings' defensive line, and the pressure came almost exclusively from the outsides, as Jared Allen, Ray Edwards, and Brian Robison continuously made the Packer offensive tackles on both sides look silly. Allen wound up with 4.5 sacks on the evening, half a sack shy of tying the Vikings' single-game record of five, and that included a forced fumble by Rodgers on the opening drive of the game, and Allen's third safety in the last two Viking/Packer games at the Metrodome, as he took Rodgers down in the end zone after a beautiful Chris Kluwe punt in the fourth quarter. At first, it appeared as though it was another fumble by Rodgers that Allen recovered at the Green Bay 1-yard line, but the Packers challenged it, and replay confirmed that #69 had taken Rodgers down in the end zone before the ball came loose. Overall, the Vikings wound up with eight sacks on the evening, and seven of them came from defensive ends (4.5 for Allen, 1.5 for Robison, and 1 for Ray Edwards). Jimmy Kennedy was the lone interior lineman to register a sack for Minnesota on Monday night.

Not everything about Monday night's game was all sunshine and lollipops, however. On the rare occasions that Rodgers did get time to throw, he ripped the Vikings apart pretty good, finishing the game with 347 yards passing and two touchdown passes of his own (along with his first interception of the season, a pick by Antoine Winfield that led to another Minnesota touchdown). The Vikings also got mauled by a fast, strong tight end again, just as they did by Vernon Davis against the 49ers the week before, as Jermichael Finley caught six passes for 128 yards, including the 62-yard touchdown pass that answered the Vikings opening score.

I'm not the world's biggest Aaron Rodgers fan. I don't think he's the next Johnny Unitas or anything crazy like that. But after the absolute beating the Vikings subjected him to on Monday night and for him to answer the way he did, it's really, really hard to question his toughness at this point. That guy put his big boy pants on this Monday night, and it was darn near enough for him to lead his team to a victory even after getting sacked eight times and spending his evening running for his life almost every time he dropped back to pass.

Speaking of quarterbacks, much was made of the quarterback makeover that the NFC North underwent this season. Rodgers is the only quarterback starting for an NFC North team this year that started for the same team last year, with the Lions, Bears, and Vikings all bringing in new starters. At the quarter point of the season, how do those quarterbacks compare? Well. . .see for yourself:

Player	Team	Comp	Att	Comp %	Yards	TD	INT	Sacked	Rating
Jay Cutler	CHI	83	129	64.3	901	8	5	8	89.3
Brett Favre	MIN	85	125	68.0	837	8	1	9	104.6
Aaron Rodgers	GB	77	127	60.6	1,098	6	1	20	101.1
Matthew Stafford	DET	79	139	56.8	894	3	6	10	65.5

Yep. . .the old guy seems to be living up to the hype after all, I'd say. Will he be able to maintain his current pace? Well, I don't think he's going to end the season with a 32/4 TD-to-INT ratio or anything, but I think he's still going to have a significantly larger number in the TD column than he'll have in the INT column. In any event, it sure as heck has been fun to watch so far, hasn't it?

So, what do we have to look forward to in the second quarter of the season? Well, only one of Minnesota's next four games will be in the comfy confines of the Metrodome, for starters. They'll start this stanza with a trip to St. Louis. . .a potential trap game if there ever was one. . .for a date with the Rams before hosting the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 in what should be an extremely physical, hard-hitting contest. No rest for the Vikings after that, however, as they travel to the House that Ketchup Built in Week 7 to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and then make the annual pilgrimage to Lambeau Field to take on these same Packers before heading into their bye in Week 9.

As far as the rest of the NFC North, since we should be tracking them, too, both Chicago and Green Bay have Week 5 off. The Packers will host the Lions and travel to Cleveland before hosting the rematch with the Vikings. Chicago has a Sunday night date with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6, followed by a trip to Cincinnati to take on the surprising Bengals and a home game against Cleveland. Detroit has the defending world champions at home this Sunday, followed by a trip to Green Bay, a bye week of their own, and a home contest against St. Louis.

It's been a great start to the 2009 season, ladies and gentlemen. . .and I'm happy as heck as you've spent it here with DN. Don't go anywhere the rest of the year, since we'll still be here providing the best Vikings coverage you'll find anywhere. Have a good rest of your evening, ladies and gentlemen. . .go Twins, and SKOL Vikings!!!!

Poll

Vikings MVP through the first four games. . .WHO YA GOT?

DE Jared Allen (18 tackles, 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles)

477 votes

QB Brett Favre (104.6 QB rating, 8 TD, 1 INT)

874 votes

RB Adrian Peterson (84 carries, 412 yards, 5 TD, 2nd in NFL in rushing)

219 votes

CB Antoine Winfield (28 tackles, 1 INT)

52 votes

Someone else (specify in comments)

12 votes

1634 votes | Poll has closed

Vikings Complete Cuts; Final 53-Man Roster Announced

Gonzo — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:09:15 -0000

We'll get cut together
So now it's farewell
And maybe we'll come back
To the league, who can tell?
The coach wants to see me he said
"Bring your playbook"
Well I'll still get paid I hope because. . .

IT'S THE FINAL CUTDOWN!!
DUH NUH NUH NUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. . .DUH NUH NUH UH UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Stupid Youtube making me put this below the video rather than right next to it. Took me half an hour to realize that you apparently can't do that like you used to.

Anyway, let's hit the jump here and we'll compare the Vikings' roster to what I had envisioned them doing.

Quarterback

Gonzo's Prediction (3): Brett Favre, Sage Rosenfels, John David Booty
Actual Roster (3): Favre, Tarvaris Jackson, Rosenfels

I didn't think they'd cut Booty, but I'm guessing they'll try to get him to the practice squad. Whether that actually happens or not is another matter. However, based on what we've seen from him the last two pre-seasons, I don't think I'll be terribly disappointed if he slips through our grasp.

By the way, the order in the "actual roster" list there reflects how I think the depth chart should look. Jackson clearly outplayed Rosenfels for most of the post-season, which means we spent a fourth-round pick and gave a three-year extension to a guy that should be inactive most Sundays. Peachy.

Running Back

Gonzo's Prediction (4): Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Albert Young, Naufahu Tahi
Actual Roster (4): Peterson, Taylor, Young, Tahi

No real suspense here. The coaching staff has liked Albert Young since last year, and Ian Johnson just couldn't overcome that. I honestly don't think that he'll get through to the practice squad, which is a real shame.

Wide Receiver

Gonzo's Prediction (6): Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, Bobby Wade, Jaymar Johnson, Darius Reynaud
Actual Roster (6): Berrian, Rice, Harvin, Wade, Johnson, Reynaud

Kevin Seifert said in his "Three and Out" about the Vikings that they "suddenly have the deepest group of receivers in the NFC North." That became obvious today when, for the first time in the Brad Childress era, the team chose to keep six wide receivers instead of five. With this group of receivers and Brett Favre behind center, I can't help but think that this might be the year that the "Kick Ass Offense" finally starts. . .you know. . .kicking ass.

Tight End

Gonzo's Prediction (3): Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Jeff Dugan
Actual Roster (3): Shiancoe, Kleinsasser, Dugan

Dugan is technically listed as a fullback. Meh. Garrett Mills has, indeed, been released, so he's now free to be injured and take up an inactive roster spot for one of the other 31 NFL teams.

Offensive Line

Gonzo's Prediction (8): Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson, John Sullivan, Anthony Herrera, Phil Loadholt, Drew Radovich, Artis Hicks, Ryan Cook
Actual Roster (8): McKinnie, Hutchinson, Sullivan, Herrera, Loadholt, Hicks, Cook, Jon Cooper

Cooper over Radovich is a small surprise, since Cooper is strictly a one-position backup at this point (as Mike Mayock pointed out last night). I'm not sure how much versatility Radovich had, but he didn't look spectacular last night by any means. No other surprises along the rest of this unit, although I'm sure that some people will still be surprised that the Vikings only kept eight offensive lineman rather than nine.

Defensive Line

Gonzo's Prediction (9): Jared Allen, Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, Fred Evans, Letroy Guion, Jimmy Kennedy, Jayme Mitchell
Actual Roster (9): Allen, Williams, Williams, Edwards, Robison, Evans, Guion, Kennedy, Mitchell

Again, no surprises here. The team will no doubt try to slide Martail Burnett back to the practice squad, and it remains to be seen whether he gets that far. That's a disadvantage that teams like the Vikings have. . .they have to cut some really talented guys, and as a result their potential practice squadders tend to get "poached" more frequently than those from some other teams.

Linebacker

Gonzo's Prediction (7): Ben Leber, E.J. Henderson, Chad Greenway, Heath Farwell, Erin Henderson, Jasper Brinkley, Kenny Onatolu
Actual Roster (7): Leber, Henderson the Elder, Greenway, Farwell, Henderson the Younger, Brinkley, Onatolu

I guess Erin Henderson's injury isn't all that serious. Sorry, David Herron. . .if Bill Belichick wants to "steal" you back again, he can have at it. I'm actually really excited to see this group in action, particularly with the return of the man beast wearing #56 in the middle again.

Defensive Back

Gonzo's Prediction (10): Antoine Winfield, Cedric Griffin, Madieu Williams, Tyrell Johnson, Asher Allen, Karl Paymah, Benny Sapp, Jamarca Sanford, Husain Abdullah, Eric Frampton
Actual Roster (10): Winfield, Griffin, Williams, Johnson, Allen, Payman, Sapp, Sanford, Abdullah, Frampton

They. . .and by "they," I mean "some of you guys". . .thought I was crazy to suggest the Vikings would keep ten defensive backs. Well, lo and behold, there they are. There was just too darn much talent there to cut guys from this portion of the team. . .which is a nice problem to have, considering that the Vikings are going to have a lot of leads this year and opposing teams are going to have to throw a lot.

Special Teams

Gonzo's Prediction (3): Chris Kluwe, Ryan Longwell, Cullen Loeffler
Actual Roster (3): Kluwe, Longwell, Loeffler

Duh.

Okay. . .so, I went 51 for 53, which is a pretty decent percentage, I think. Just missed on a backup offensive lineman and how the QB battle would shake out. I don't see any huge surprises in the final 53 man roster. How's about everybody else? Any major heartburns or problems with what Rick Spielman, Brad Childress and company have done here? Have at it!

Gonzo's Fearless 53-Man Roster Projection for the 2009 Minnesota Vikings, Part II

Gonzo — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 05:32:37 -0000

by Paul Battaglia - AP

Will Vikings' seventh-round choice Jamarca Sanford (#33) be a member of Minnesota's 53-man roster? We'll know for sure by 5 PM Central time Saturday.(AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

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So on Wednesday, I took a look at who I thought would stay on the Vikings' roster for Opening Day on the offensive side of the ball. If you'll recall, I had 27 of the 53 spots on the roster reserved.

QB (3) - Brett Favre, Sage Rosenfels, John David Booty
RB (4) - Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Albert Young, Naufahu Tahi
WR (6) - Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, Bobby Wade, Jaymar Johnson, Darius Reynaud
TE (3) - Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Jeff Dugan
OL (8) - Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson, John Sullivan, Anthony Herrera, Phil Loadholt, Ryan Cook, Drew Radovich, Artis Hicks
Special Teams (3) - Ryan Longwell, Chris Kluwe, Cullen Loeffler

So we need 26 more names in order to fill out the roster, and unlike the offense, there's a chance that this could potentially change due to injuries, since DE Brian Robison and LB Erin Henderson were both carted off of the Metrodome field this evening. But, assuming their injuries aren't that serious, here's who I'd go with if I were in charge of things at Winter Park. Believe me. . .I do not envy Rick Spielman right now.

Defensive Line

Starters: Jared Allen, Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Ray Edwards
Backups: Fred Evans, Letroy Guion, Jimmy Kennedy, Brian Robison, Jayme Mitchell
Cut: Otis Grigsby, Antoine Holmes, Tremain Johnson, Martail Burnett

Kennedy is pretty much here for insurance as far as the whole StarCaps saga is concerned. If it were to come out between now and 5 PM Central tomorrow that the trial of the Williams' brothers wouldn't affect their availability for the 2009 season, you can scratch Kennedy off the list. He just hasn't done enough this pre-season, in my opinion, to warrant keeping him around in the event that #93 and #94 are going to be around all season. I originally had Martail Burnett on the big roster, but he unfortunately got caught up in a bit of a numbers game. The Vikings might be able to sneak him back onto the practice squad again, though.

Mitchell has made pretty good progress coming back from a torn ACL that ended his 2008 campaign in the pre-season, and Evans and Guion have shown themselves to be serviceable in the middle of the defensive line. Ten defensive linemen may seem like a lot, but with the way this team likes to rotate players around, particularly at defensive tackle, it might not be such a bad idea.

Linebackers

Starters: Ben Leber, E.J. Henderson, Chad Greenway
Backups: Heath Farwell, Jasper Brinkley, Erin Henderson, Kenny Onatolu
Cut: David Herron

If Erin Henderson's injury is serious enough to put him on IR, then Herron makes the team. I think he'd be a bit of a downgrade from Erin Henderson, but hey. . .injuries happen.

If you're of the mindset that the Vikings' special teams will be much improved in 2009. . .and I am. . .then this unit is probably going to be at the heart of that transformation, and that's what you're looking for when you're deciding the back half of the roster. We know that Henderson, Leber, and Greenway are outstanding, and I don't need to drum it into your heads any further. But we saw what losing Heath Farwell did to this team in 2008, and his presence will definitely be felt in 2009. Jasper Brinkley has been regarded as one of the bigger steals of the draft, and his combination of size and speed make him a good candidate to be a special teams demon as well. Henderson the Younger played on special teams last year as well, and should only get better with another season.

The guy that intrigues the heck out of me, however, is Kenny Onatolu. Having played his college ball at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, he went undrafted by the NFL and spent two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League and was signed by the Vikings after the 2008 season. If you saw the final pre-season game, you saw #55 flying all over the place and hitting everything in sight. He might be a little raw, but I think the guy could be great on special teams for the time being and eventually develop into a pretty good outside linebacker as well.

Defensive Backs

Starters: Antoine Winfield, Cedric Griffin, Tyrell Johnson, Madieu Williams
Backups: Asher Allen, Benny Sapp, Karl Paymah, Eric Frampton, Husain Abdullah, Jamarca Sanford
Cuts: Marcus McCauley, Marcus Walker, Colt Anderson, De'Von Hall

I know that keeping ten defensive backs might be a bit excessive, too, but there's also a lot of special teams impact to be had here as well. Frampton was one of the team's leading special teams tacklers last year, and Abdullah is also a capable special teamer. Paymah was brought in, at least in part, because of his special teams prowess as well, and Jamarca Sanford has too much speed and heart (in my opinion) to warrant cutting him. Now, if the team has to flip a coin as to whether to keep an extra DB or keep a d-lineman line Martail Burnett on the roster, I think they'll probably lean towards keeping the extra lineman. In that case, I think either Abdullah or Sanford is most likely to find themselves on the chopping block.

This also closes out the fairly disappointing Marcus McCauley era in Minnesota. After looking promising as a rookie in 2007, the third-round pick out of Fresno State couldn't even get on the field in 2008, and has spent most of this season playing too soft in zone coverage and getting beaten on a fairly regular basis by backup wide receivers on opposing teams. He's officially a disappointment, and it's time for the Vikings to cut their losses with him and move on, in my opinion. Asher Allen has looked really good, and looks to be taking after current Vikings' CB Antoine Winfield when it comes to sticking his nose into the running game and mixing things up. He could certainly have a worse role model, that's for sure.

There you have it. . .my 53-man Vikings' roster prediction for the 2009 season. Obviously there are some unanswered questions after tonight's pre-season finale, and we'll look over those tomorrow before the final cuts come down. Also, we're still awaiting word on the injuries to Erin Henderson and Brian Robison, and we'll pass that info along as soon as we've got it.

Vikings Fall to Cowboys 35-31 in Pre-Season Finale, and the Crowd Goes Mild

Gonzo — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:48:25 -0000

by Paul Battaglia - AP

"Okay, so with the way I looked this evening, I can drop my playbook off. . .right over there, huh?" (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

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The fourth pre-season game of the year was pretty much what you'd expect. . .a fairly entertaining football game played largely by people that we'll be seeing on practice squads and UFL rosters from coast to coast in a couple of weeks. In the end, it was a special teams blunder that cost the Beloved Purple a chance to go 4-0 in the pre-season in a 35-31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys struck first, as Jon Kitna led his new team on a 12-play, 71-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Ogletree to give Dallas a quick 7-0 lead. After a three-and-out for the Vikings, Kitna proceeded to fumble a center/quarterback exchange, and Letroy Guion jumped on the loose ball at the Dallas 36. Two plays later, Tarvaris Jackson took a snap, rolled to his right, and lofted one downfield for a 36-yard touchdown pass to. . .Jeff Dugan?

Well, it is the pre-season, after all.

That tied things up at 7-7, and the teams exchanged punts. Dallas drove down the field again, and reached the Minnesota 34-yard line.

On a 1st and 20 play for the Cowboys, Brian Robison came steaming around the edge and knocked the ball away from an unsuspecting Kitna. The ball bounced off of a Dallas offensive lineman, and into the arms of Letroy Guion. In his march downfield, Guion had a moment of thinking that he was Adrian Peterson or Chester Taylor, and fumbled the ball without being touched as he tried to swtich hands. (Dude. . .you're a defensive lineman. Let's be serious here.) Fortunately, Kenny Onatolu was trailing the play and jumped on the fumble, and the Vikings set up shop at the 25-yard line. Six plays later. . .all runs. . .Ian Johnson blasted into the end zone to give the Vikings a 14-7 lead.

After the Cowboys went three plays without getting a first down, Mat McBriar punted a line drive to Darius Reynaud. Reynaud broke a tackle, made a couple of nice moves, and before you knew it he was standing in the end zone celebrating an 82-yard punt return and the Vikings were up 21-7, a score they took into the locker room. The Vikings really dominated the first half of football, and looked to be rolling along.

And then the second half started.

On the Vikings' first offensive play of the second half, Rosenfels threw a 25-yard touchdown strike to Patrick Watkins. This is unfortunate, because if you look at Minnesota's roster, you won't see a Patrick Watkins on it. There is, however, a Patrick Watkins on the Cowboys roster. So, you can probably figure out why the Cowboys narrowed the gap from 21-7 to 21-14 at that point. So, on the next offensive series, Rosenfels was replaced by John David Booty. After getting a first down on three straight running plays, Booty decided that he didn't want to feel left out, so he hit Dallas linebacker Steve Octaiven in the chest with a pass. Octavien returned the ball 44 yards for a touchdown, and after being the dominant team in the first half of football, the Vikings found themselves tied with the Cowboys at 21.

Rosenfels came back in, and I'm not sure if Mrs. Gonzo had a rerun of the Benny Hill Show on BBC America in another room, but I'm pretty sure I heard "Yakkety Sax" coming from somewhere.

After a fumble by Cowboys' running back Julius Crosslin, the Rosenfels-led Vikings engineered a six-play, 30-yard drive that culminated in Ian Johnson's second 1-yard touchdown run of the night to take a 28-21 lead, and added a 41-yard Ryan Longwell field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 31-21. That would end the Vikings' scoring for the evening.

Not wanting to just roll over, the Cowboys and quarterback Rudy Carpenter. . .a rookie out of Arizona State that I was fairly impressed with this evening. . .marched 77 yards in 14 plays, ending with a 4-yard TD pass to tight end Scott Chandler to cut Minnesota's lead to 31-28. After the Vikings moved the ball to the Dallas 35-yard line, Chris Kluwe came in to punt.

Kluwe's kick went over the head of Cowboys' return man Willie Reid, and took a Cowboys' bounce. . .right into the hands of Dallas receiver Jesse Holley. As the Vikings inexplicably decided not to down the ball as soon as it started travelling the wrong direction, Holley was able to take the ball on the bounce, slip a tackle, and race 82 yards for the deciding score.

And there you have it. . .the fourth pre-season game of the year, and just eight days separating us from real football. Cutdown day is tomorrow, and the other half of my roster preview is forthcoming, so stay tuned for that. Enjoy the rest of your night, folks!

Wednesday's Notebook: The Troubling Absence of Antoine Winfield

Anthony21 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:00:21 -0000

Winfield a No-Show at OTAs

For a brief period last Friday, Antoine Winfield's absence at minicamp was met with a flurry of speculation that he was protesting the lack of any progress between the team and his agent on a new contract. Chilly soon cleared things up at a news conference by stating that Winfield was attending the funeral of a friend's mother, but that sudden surge of speculation underscores the uneasy nature of Winny's relationship with the team at the moment.

But while last weekend's Winfield rumors were a false alarm, it's hard to mistake the meaning of his absence from the OTAs that began on Tuesday. Granted, these aren't required practices, but when Chilly says that all players are invited, he means that you'd better get your butt over to Winter Park for this week's four practices.

While many veterans are expected to attend this week's OTAs, Winfield had other ideas. You think he would have skipped these optional practices if talks between his agent and the team were still ongoing, or if he had already been awarded a new contract? After participating in the Vikings' offseason conditioning program while both sides were still at the bargaining table, it's distressing that Winfield has vanished from Winter Park since talks broke down.

Like the Favre drama and the courtroom battles still being fought by Pat and Kevin Williams, it's easy to see the distraction potential in the Winfield contract standoff. Not just for the team as a whole, but for Winfield himself. This can't become a source of bitterness for him, because if it does, we could see that spill over to the football field.

Contract battles such as these are business matters, to a great extent. I get that. I don't blame Winfield for wanting a new contract after the season he had in 2008, and look, it's also difficult to blame the Vikings for haggling over the contract they want to give a cornerback who will turn 32 later this month. Perhaps there isn't really anyone to blame for the contract talks coming to a stop, but it's clear that progress needs to be made, and it needs to be made soon.

The Persistence of Kenechi Udeze

Great story from Kevin Seifert on Kenechi Udeze, who has received lots of well-deserved media attention after making his return to the field during these past weeks. Well-worth a read, but here are some quick highlights:

His leukemia was in remission. Doctors had given him permission, albeit grudgingly, to embark on an NFL comeback. So Kenechi Udeze lined up to run this winter with a group of athletes near his home in Los Angeles.

He wasn't prepared for what happened next.

"I took two steps," Udeze said. "And I fell."

Whoa...just, whoa. Remember, we're not far removed from the scene Seifert and Kenechi described -- it happened this winter. The fact that he's participating in minicamp and the OTAs, my friends, is an absolute triumph.

Still, even if Udeze's story has become a favorite topic of mine, the Vikings are ultimately a team interested in assembling the best group of guys they can for the 53-man roster. I'm admittedly uncomfortable about dealing with his chances of making the team, but it's something that should nevertheless be mentioned:

Once you get past Udeze's medical improvement, however, you realize he faces a challenge to make the Vikings' regular-season roster. You figure at least three defensive ends are locks to earn roster spots ahead of him -- Jared Allen, Ray Edwards and Brian Robison -- and there is no telling how the team will have to configure its depth chart to compensate for the possible suspensions of defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams.

As inspiring as Udeze's story has been, the concern about his ability to be in "football shape" for the season is legitimate. He's physically healthy, but that's not the same thing as being ready to suit up for week one. Again, though, this just isn't something I'm interested in dwelling on, as the far more important point is that he conquered leukemia. One thing's for sure: We're all rooting for him, even if his chances of making the roster are unclear.

And Finally...

Rodney Harrison will announce his retirement and join the cast of NBC's Sunday Night Football, becoming the network's 10,000th NFL analyist...You hear about that Warroad pitcher who threw 13 innings and 201 pitches, and then hit a walkoff homer?...I didn't even think it was physically possible to throw over 200 pitches in a single outing, much less hit a homer after doing so...A day after throwing in the towel on trying to convert Roderick Rogers from safety to receiver, the roster is back up to 85 players after the Vikings signed former North Alabama WR Bobby Williams...Vince Young wants out of Tennessee if he can't be the Titans' starting quarterback...

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.

Why the Minnesota Vikings Have Every Reason to Be Optimistic In 2009

Gonzo — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:09:38 -0000

It's been about 24 hours since the Minnesota Vikings' 2008 season ended. . .and about eight days since the season ended for Green Bay and Chicago (because, apparently, some people still need to be reminded). . .and in typical Viking fan fashion, we've already started looking forward to the 2009 NFL season. Even with as disappointed as we are after the loss yesterday, it stands to reason that we have every reason to be optimistic about this team next season as well.

For starters, many folks have dismissed the Vikings as the team that simply was the best team in the "awful" NFC North. While the NFC North wasn't the greatest division in the NFL in 2008, it was far from the worst (just look at either division with the word "West" in the name, if you don't believe me). The three lead teams in the NFC North all went 4-2 within the division, so that's pretty much a wash. Take those away, and the Vikings won 6 games outside of the division, the Bears won 5, and the Packers won a whopping 2. Yes, all of those teams got different opponents from the NFC West and the NFC East. Those opponents were. . .

-Minnesota: Arizona (NFC West Champion) and New York (NFC East Champion), both Viking wins
-Chicago: St. Louis (picking #2 overall in this year's draft) and Philadelphia, both Chicago wins
-Green Bay: Seattle (picking #4 overall in this year's draft) and Dallas (who destroyed them)

Take into consideration that the Vikings played five games all season against teams that were below .500 in 2008. . .and four of those games took place within the division. The only non-NFC North team the Vikings played this season with a sub-.500 record was the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Vikings also defeated the champions of the other three NFC divisions, a claim that I don't believe any team in either conference can make (meaning no AFC team beat the other 3 AFC division champions, either). So, to anyone that says that the Vikings "have to play a first place schedule in 2009," guess what? I guess the fact that we beat the other three division champions pretty much means we played a first-place schedule THIS year, doesn't it?

Also take this team's roster into consideration. We've heard from the "experts" that this team had horrible play all season out of the most important position on the field (which was, by and large, true) and that the team was led by an awful head coach (which may or may not be true). Despite both of those things, which are both very important, this team managed to go 10-6 anyway. Man, I don't know about you, but that tells me that this team has got to have some talent on it someplace. Teams don't go 10-6 while overcoming "horrible quarterback play" and "awful coaching" to go 10-6 unless they've got some serious talent.

So where is the talent located?

For starters, I'll put Minnesota's front seven on defense against any other front seven in the National Football League. And remember, this team played its last three games (including the playoff game) without the best run-stuffing defensive tackle in the league, and the last 13 games of the year without one of the best middle linebackers in football. They still led the NFL in rush defense for the third consecutive year. . .the first team in the NFL to do that since the merger. . .were in the top 5 in the league in quarterback sacks, and were markedly better in pass defense than they've been at any point in the last decade.

Many of the guys that this defense is built around are still fairly young. Shoot, the only greybeard on the defense next season will be Pat Williams, and he certainly hasn't shown any signs of slowing down yet. Jared Allen is one of the best pass rushers in the league, and he's just hitting his prime. Kevin Williams is still in his prime, as are E.J. Henderson, Chad Greenway, and Madieu Williams. Ray Edwards and Brian Robison were solid at DE, and we could potentially have big (?) Kenechi Udeze back in the fold next season, too. (I wouldn't necessarily count on that last one, but there's nobody out there that isn't rooting for the guy.)

I'll also take our RB combo over any other pair in the league. Sure, there are some combos out there that might be "sexier" picks. . .but when you get to start off with the best pure running back in the National Football League and pair him up with the guy that could, possibly, be the most underrated back in the league, and I'll take those two guys into battle ahead of any other pairing that anyone would care to offer up.

We saw Visanthe Shiancoe develop this season into a weapon at the tight end spot. We saw Bernard Berrian be worth the money he was given to stretch the field, averaging 20+ yards/catch. We saw Cedric Griffin go from a guy that was a guaranteed first down allowed whenever QBs went his way to a guy that got up in people's faces and stuck to them. Next year, E.J. Henderson will be back roaming the middle. . .Pat Williams will be back destroying running backs. . .and the coverage units will welcome back Heath Farwell. Farwell, if the way the punt coverage has looked this season is any indication, might be the single greatest special teams player in the history of the National Football League. . .the coverage units with him were pretty good. Without him, they were a disaster.

(Yes, Bills fans, no Steve Tasker e-mails. . .I know that Tasker is the greatest special teams player ever. Hyperbole for the sake of emphasis is your friend.)

Is this team perfect? No. Does this team have holes? Certainly.

Does every other team in the NFC North have more holes to patch this off-season than the Beloved Purple? You're damn right they do. That's why they're behind us right now.

Do any of those teams have the best cap guy in the business working their books? Nope.

Do those teams have owners that have shown the willingness to go out and get what their teams need to patch the holes? Not as far as I can tell.

So, as things sit right now, there's no reason to think that 2009 won't be an even better season than 2008. Remember, despite the coaching and the QB play, this team has improved two games a season for the last couple of years, and they're going to continue to get better.

Poll

24 hours after their playoff loss to the Eagles, are the Vikings still the best team in the NFC North?

Of course they are. Only a complete idiot would question that.

563 votes

563 votes | Poll has closed

Official Falcons/Vikings Injury Reports

Gonzo — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:57:39 -0000

Alrighty, folks. . .got back late from our funeral detail today, so I'm just now getting the chance to put these things up here. When my 3-month rotation is done (and before my next 3-month rotation starts), I'll have to do a bit of off-topic work here about the honor guard experience, because it really is something cool.

And, hey, by that time, it'll be March. . .or, as I call it, "we're not quite to the draft so Gonzo is reaching for material" time.

So, since the Falcons are the guests of the Beloved Purple this weekend, we'll start out by taking a look at their injuries first.

Atlanta Falcons Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
John Abraham	thigh/shoulder	12.19.2008
Sam Baker	hip/back	12.19.2008
Brian Finneran	calf	12.19.2008
Grady Jackson	knee	12.19.2008
Ovie Mughelli	hamstring	12.19.2008
Todd Weiner	knee	12.19.2008

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ben Hartsock	back/toe	11.26.2008
Von Hutchins	foot	7.29.2008
Robert James	head	8.5.2008
Thomas Brown	groin	8.30.2008
David Irons	knee	12.16.2008
Pat McCoy	knee	8.30.2008
Laurent Robinson	hamstring	12.16.2008
Antoine Harris	groin	12.9.2008

Comparing this to the NFL.com injury reports (as I always do), all of the players listed on Atlanta's injury report are shown as having limited participation in Friday's practice. Don't even worry about John Abraham. . .he'll be out on the field. Much like Jared Allen, there's no way Abraham is going to miss a game like this where there's so much on the line.

Sam Baker, the promising young rookie tackle, missed seven straight games before returning last week against Tampa. If he can't go, Quinn Ojinnaka will start in his place. In either case, I'd expect the Falcons to have a lot of help for their LT against big #69. Finneran is way down on the depth chart, so I'm not sure he'll even be active for this one (NFL.com's depth chart for the Falcons shows 5 WR at 2 different spots, and none of them are named Brian Finneran). Grady Jackson hasn't missed a game all year, and with All Day and All Night lining up in the Minnesota backfield, I'd be willing to wager that he won't miss this one, either.

On to the Vikings' injuries:

Minnesota Vikings Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Adrian Peterson	ankle	12.19.2008
Brian Robison	knee	12.19.2008

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jared Allen	knee	12.19.2008
Gus Frerotte	back	12.19.2008

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Artis Hicks	elbow	12.19.2008
Darius Reynaud	foot	12.19.2008

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
E.J. Henderson	foot/toes	10.6.2008
Heath Farwell	knee	8.11.2008
Kenderick Allen	wrist	8.19.2008
Drew Radovich	shoulder	10.13.2008
Jayme Mitchell	knee	8.11.2008
Michael Boulware	wrist	8.30.2008
Charles Gordon	ankle	11.13.2008

Pat Williams isn't shown on the injury report, but we all know he's out until the post-season, and we've already discussed the injury at length. I think it's a big injury for the Vikings, but it's also something that they can overcome. Anyone that thinks that the Falcons are going to come into the Dome and put up 200+ yards rushing just because big #94 isn't in the middle is in for a bit of a rude awakening, I think.

Hicks and Reynaud didn't participate at all in Friday's practice, and neither of them are going to be "up" on Sunday afternoon. Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson? Yeah, like they're going to miss this game. Robison had full participation in Friday's practice, and it's going to be interesting to see how he gets used this week. He's been coming in for Phat Pat a lot on passing downs thus far as it is, but with Williams being out and the Falcons (likely) throwing the ball a lot on Sunday, I think we're going to see a lot of field time for Robison.

Apparently Gus Frerotte is a bit miffed about losing his starting job, even though he claims to be 100%. First of all, there's no way in hell that Gus is 100% already. He's an almost 40-year old man with a back injury. No way that thing healed up in less than two weeks. Second, I'm not sure if Gus recalls this or not, but he was one half of football away from the Detroit Lions moving from 0-12 to 1-12 at our expense again. Again, let me remind everybody. . .the Lions have 4 interceptions this season through 14 games. Take out Gus Frerotte's contributions, and that number drops from 4 to 1.

Yes, I know that guys aren't supposed to lose their jobs because of injuries and all that. Well, guys also aren't supposed to lose their jobs after a game where they throw four touchdown passes, either. So, I guess it all evens out.

And those are the injuries that could have an effect on this Sunday's game. More on the game tomorrow. . .until then, keep enjoying your weekend, and if your Christmas travels begin over the weekend, stay safe out there, especially in the Upper Midwest where the weather is already turning crappy, by all accounts.