SB Nation - Maurice Hicks

San Francisco 49ers vs. Houston Texans: A Prospector's Guide

Fooch — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:00:22 -0000

Hallelujah, we've made it through the bye week and we can finally bring you another edition of the "Prospector's Guide." The 49ers face one heck of a challenge coming out of the bye, heading down deep int he heart of Texas to take on the Houston Texans. It's been a rather eventful bye week for the 49ers as they've made multiple lineup changes, potentially culminating in the starting debut of Michael Crabtree. Even if Crabtree doesn't start the game, he'll still get to make his playing debut in his home state. The Texans on the other hand remain a bit of an enigma this season. They're coming off a bit win over the surprising Bengals, but up to this point, the Texans have alternated wins and losses.

The 49ers travel to Houston to face the Texans in what will be the second meeting between the two teams, dating back to 2005. In the only contest played in the series, the 49ers defetated the Texans 20-17 in overtime at Candlestick Park in the 2005 season finale. Prior to 2005, the last time the 49ers had played a regular season game in Houston was in 1996 against the Houston Oilers.

While Houston might not be a familiar place to many current 49ers, Mike Singletary knows the city very well. The 49ers head coach was born there and has a large contingent of family and friends in the area. The 49ers will look to make Singletary’s homecoming a special one after coming off a bye week. San Francisco went 3-0 in the division to start the season and maintains a 3-2 overall record. In each of the past two years, the 49ers have gone 2-2 against AFC opponents. San Francisco enters this week’s game with a current streak of seven consecutive games with at least one interception and has won 8 of its past 12 games, dating back to 2008.

49ers-Texans Connections
Coaching Connections
• 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye coached alongside Texans assistant head coach/offense Alex Gibbs with the Kansas City Chiefs for two seasons (1993-94).
• 49ers QB coach Mike Johnson coached Texans QB Matt Schaub for two seasons (2004-05) with the Atlanta Falcons.
• Texans head coach Gary Kubiak started his coaching in career in the NFL as a QB coach with the 49ers in 1994.
• Texans WR coach Larry Kirksey served in the same capacity with the 49ers from 1994 – 99.
• Texans TE coach Brian Pariani was a 49ers scouting assistant in 1990 and then a offensive coaches assistant from 1991-94.
• Texans senior defensive assistant Ray Rhodes was an assistant secondary coach with the 49ers from 1981-82 before being promoted DBs coach from 1983 - 91. Rhodes also served as defensive coordinator for the 49ers 1994 World Championship team.
• Texans Assistant OL Coach Frank Pollack was a 6th-round pick by the 49ers in 1990 and played for SF from 1990-91, 1994-98

Players
FORMER TEXANS - 49ers FB Moran Norris played with the Texans from 2002-05.

FORMER 49ERS - Texans Director of Pro Personnel Brian Gardner spent 10 seasons as a scout with the 49ers from 1995-05.

HOUSTON TIES – 49ers head coach Mike Singletary, S Michael Lewis and FB Moran Norris are originally from Houston, TX.

RE "U" NITED – 49ers RB Frank Gore ran behind lanes cleared by Texans T Rashad Butler, C Chris Myers, and T Eric Winston when they were all teammates at The University of Miami (Fla.) from 2002-04.

Series Highlights
The 49ers and Texans have only played once. The 49ers lead the series 1-0, with a recap below.

SAN FRANCISCO 20, ST. LOUIS 17 (OT)
At San Francisco, CA, January 1, 2006

The San Francisco 49ers rallied from a 10-0 1st quarter deficit for a 20-17 overtime victory over the Houston Texans to close out the 2005 campaign with two consecutive wins for a 4-12 record. The 49ers dominated the line of scrimmage, gaining 182 rushing yds. and controlling the clock for 44:03. The 49ers used a combination of RB Frank Gore (108 yds.) and RB Maurice Hicks (64 yds.) to take control on the ground.

S Mike Adams was the star of the game on defense after finishing with 2 INTs, one that was returned for a TD and the other that led to the game-winning FG in overtime. Adams, who made his first NFL start at cornerback, intercepted QB Tony Banks at the end of the 3rd quarter and returned it 40 yds. for a TD to tie the game at 17-17. Then in overtime, Banks went deep, but Adams intercepted the pass and lateraled to S Ben Emanuel, who ran 35 yds. to the Houston 21-yd. line. After two short runs, K Joe Nedney nailed a 33-yard FG to give the 49ers a 20-17 victory.

QB Alex Smith helped lead the 49ers to a TD at the end of the 1st half by converting a key 3rd-and-13 situation with a 14-yd. strike to WR Brandon Lloyd, and then three plays later ,threw his first NFL TD pass when he rolled to his right and found Lloyd in the back of the end zone for a 14-yard score. The 49ers took the 2nd half kick and went on a 14-play, 56-yd. drive that ended with a 42-yard FG by Nedney to tie the game at 10-10. Houston responded when Banks fired a 31-yd. pass to WR Corey Bradford to get into San Francisco territory followed by a 25-yd. TD pass to Bradford to retake the lead at 17-10. Houston took advantage of good field position in the 1st quarter to take the 10-0 lead. P Andy Lee struggled in the 30-mile per hour winds, shanking a punt that allowed Houston to start a drive at the San Francisco 21-yd. line to set up a FG. The 49ers next drive ended when Lee’s punt from his own 25-yd. line was blocked, allowing Houston to begin a drive at the 49ers 17-yd. line. Houston responded with a 3-yard TD run by RB Vernand Morency.

2009 Statistics

49ERS (rank)		TEXANS (rank)
3-2 (t-1st NFCW)	Record	3-3 (t-2nd AFCS)
22.4 (t-15th)	Points per game	23.8 (t-12th)
267.0 (29th)	Total Offense	369.5 (8th)
106.2 (16th)	Rushing Offense	77.3 (30th)
160.8 (28th)	Passing Offense	292.2 (3rd)
29:32 (18th)	Possession Avg	31:23 (8th)
19.6 (t-12th)	Points allowed/gm	22.8 (22nd)
322.6 (15th)	Total Defense	351.8 (20th)
88.6 (7th)	Rushing Defense	125.0 (24th)
234.0 (20th)	Passing Defense	226.8 (19th)
11 (t-21st)	Sacks	7 (t-29th)
47.5 (5th)	Punting Avg (Gross)	41.5 (28th)
+4 (t-8th)	Turnover Differential	+2 (t-11th)

Bills to host free agent RB Maurice Hicks

Brian Galliford — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:50:36 -0000

Alex Marvez at FOXSports.com is reporting that the Buffalo Bills will meet with free agent running back Maurice Hicks. The meeting will take place Monday, March 30.

Buffalo has courted three free agent running backs this off-season in anticipation of a likely suspension of starter Marshawn Lynch. Fred Taylor, Kevin Jones and DeShaun Foster have all passed through the doors at One Bills Drive either with a contract elsewhere or without an offer from the Bills.

Hicks, who will turn 31 in July, spent the 2008 season in Minnesota, where he did not register a carry playing third fiddle to Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. He picked up 869 yards (at 4.2 yards per carry) with six touchdowns in his first four years in the league, which he spent with San Francisco. Hicks is also considered a solid receiving threat and has extensive experience returning kicks.

With Lynch and Fred Jackson on board, Hicks would ultimately play the third back role again were he to sign with Buffalo. During a Lynch suspension, however, Hicks' utility would be much higher, as his skills complement Jackson's well.

Special Teams: Long look back, brief look forward

Fooch — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:00:13 -0000

If this is the first post you're seeing today, just a quick heads-up that there was a lot of little things happening yesterday afternoon/evening that I threw up in various posts/promoted FanPosts. So, if you want to discuss the potential franchising of Terrell Suggs, the 49ers just saying no to Vick or the new uniforms for 2009, head to the appropriate link.

We now reach the final position in our review of 2008 and brief look to 2009. If you missed any of the previous editions, here are links: QB, RB, FB, WR, TE, OL, DL, OLB, ILB, CB, S.

Amidst all the turmoil in the organization, this last area might be the one area of the game where the 49ers have succeeded pretty consistently the last few of years: special teams. They're not the flashiest group at times, but they have gotten the job done rather consistently. It'd be nice if they were getting that job done in bigger situations, but I won't quibble for the purposes of this review.

Andy Lee: He may look young (although not nearly as young as former punter Tommy Thompson, but it's safe to say the man is a beast with a cannon for a leg. His numbers decreased this year, but that was due in part to the relative improvement of the 49ers offense, as compared to last year. His numbers went down across the board, but he still finished 3rd in the NFL gross average and 8th in net average. His best highlight was his NFL high 82 yarder against the Patriots. Lee signed a 6-year deal prior to 2007 after the 49ers matched the Steelers offer sheet and I could not be happier. The remaining 4 years on his contract (and any additional years) will only cement his legacy as the best punter in 49ers history (with due respect of course for Tommy Davis).

Joe Nedney: In four seasons with the 49ers, Nedney, a product of San Jose State, has quietly amassed an 87.83% completion percentage on field goals. That's significant because the NFL career leader in percentage is Nick Folk at 86.79%. Nedney has never been a flashy, well-known kicker. However, for 49ers fans that have dealt with the likes of Jeff Chandler and Jose Cortez, this is a welcome respite. Although Nedney is certainly not perfect, he is usually pretty money, and any misses are usually made up later in the game. He's signed through 2009 and given the care management has taken in maintaing cap space, I'd hope they could spare a few bucks to resign Nedney before he hits free agency.

Allen Rossum: Over the last few years, 49ers fans have dealt with the likes of Maurice Hicks, Arnaz Battle, Brandon Williams and Michael "Beerman" Lewis returning kicks and punts. Not the worst options in the world, but definitely nowhere near the best. Delanie Walker has been mixed in as well and had some success. However, one of the biggest impact signings last offseason turned out to be Allen Rossum. He had injury issues that kept him out for a month, but when healthy, he was a potential home-run hitter every time he returned a kick.

He had one return touchdown, but I recall quite a few instances where he set up the 49ers offense quite nicely with a big return. Now, the offense didn't always convert those opportunities, but that's not his fault. He finished the season 6th in kickoff return average, and although he didn't qualify with only 15 punt returns, he finished 7th among everybody with a punt return. The 49ers have lacked that kind of punch for some time and it was much appreciated, and one of the bigger surprises (at least for me) of the season. Of course, that directly leads to our Looking Forward question in just a moment.

Brian Jennings: The best thing we can say about Jennings is that he was rarely mention. Jennings is signed through 2009 and I'd imagine the only way he's not back is if he gets a bigger offer from somebody else. Given how specialized he has become, I don't know if that should be expected.

Looking Forward
Let's get right to the point. Kicker and punter are clearly fine going forward. The big question is in the return game. Allen Rossum is a free agent and the 49ers have to decide if they want Rossum back, or if they want to work on developing a returner of the future. They signed Michael Spurlock, a man who became the first Buccaneer to return a kickoff for a touchdown, to reserve/futures contract. If they want Rossum back, or they want to grab somebody in the draft, that sort of contract will not get in their way.

The two biggest names as potential return men right now would probably be Jeremy Maclin and Percy Harvin. We discussed Maclin in the scouting report and speed is certainly his forte. Harvin, a WR out of Florida, appears to be a more snake-bitten version of Maclin. He's got crazy speed but had injury issues this past season that might give teams a strong enough reason to wait on him. I'm not a huge fan of taking Maclin in the first round. However, if the 49ers addressed pass rush or offensive line in the first round, I would certainly be a little more intrigued if a guy like Harvin fell a bit into the second round.

So what is the best way for the 49ers to address the return game? They've got some potential candidates on the current roster, but none has proven themselves on the level of Allen Rossum. Of course, Rossum isn't getting any younger, so maybe it's time to develop the younger talent. Given that free agency opens before the draft, we should know what's up with Rossum pretty quickly.

Poll

What should the 49ers do at kick/punt returner

Re-sign Allen Rossum

201 votes

More Delanie Walker

7 votes

Draft Jeremy Maclin

48 votes

Draft Percy Harvin

39 votes

Someone else currently on the roster

11 votes

Another free agent out there (please specify)

4 votes

Another draftee (please specify)

10 votes

320 votes | Poll has closed

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.

Looking Back at the Vikings' 2008 Acquisitions

Gonzo — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:37:22 -0000

The Beloved Purple made many, many splashes over the course of the 2008 off-season. Some of those acquisitions made some pretty big splashes in the regular season for the Vikings as well. It's time to take a look back at the names the Vikings picked up prior to this season and see if their contributions were worth the time, effort, and money that Minnesota spent on them.

This list undoubtedly has to be kicked off with Jared Allen. A lot of folks thought that the Vikings were crazy to give the Chiefs the bounty that they did (the Vikings' first round pick and their two third round picks in the 2008 draft) and to give Allen the contract that they did (making him the league's highest-paid defensive player), particularly when Allen's well-documented off the field problems were taken into consideration. However, a couple of days later at the NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars gave up even more (their first round pick, two third round picks, and a fourth round pick) to trade up to the #8 spot in the draft and take Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey. . .and then gave him $17 million in guaranteed money on top of it.

Harvey had 3.5 sacks in 11 games after an extended holdout. Jared Allen had 14.5 in 16 games. Which team was crazy again?

How good is Jared Allen? In 2007, without a whole lot on the defensive line to help him out, Allen had 15.5 sacks for the Kansas City Chiefs despite missing two games. In 2008, the Chiefs had 10 sacks as a team. Yes, that's ten. That's 1.5 more as a team than Kevin Williams had all by himself. Allen stepped into the Minnesota defense and, despite injury concerns and his self-admitted "problems" getting used to playing with new teammates, he gave the Vikings the best play at defensive end they've seen since Chris Doleman left town. He put constant pressure on quarterbacks, he opened things up for other Vikings' defenders in the pass rush, and he helped to elevate the Vikings' pass defense to a pretty decent level. Oh. . .and he gave us this. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

But you know what the best part is? The fact that Allen turns 27 this April. He averages 11.5 sacks a season. He's tougher than a two-dollar steak. And he's going to be a Viking for a very long time.

It won't be long before we're seeing the Steve Hutchinson effect with Jared Allen throughout the NFL. . .much like Hutchinson, the time is going to come very soon when guys that play the same position as Allen at a lesser level than Allen will start getting paid more than Allen. And when that happens, his contract is going to look like a bargain.

Not just content to make big noise in the trade market, the Vikings went and hit the free agent market as well, signing wide receiver Bernard Berrian, formerly of the Chicago Bears. Berrian was brought in to stretch the field and provide the Vikings' offense with a legitimate deep threat, and it's tough to say that he didn't do what he was advertised to do. He averaged over 20 yards a catch, the most for any NFL receiver with more than 30 catches, and provided us with one of the most exciting plays in Vikings' history.

Yeah, not the highest quality video of it, but it was the best that YouTube had to offer.

While he may have gotten off to a slow start and had a couple of games where he disappeared entirely, it's still tough to say that Berrian wasn't worth the money. He might not be a #1 receiver, but he's been very effective in the Minnesota offense to this point.

The Vikings also needed a quarterback and a mentor for Tarvaris Jackson for this season, so they talked Gus Frerotte out of retirement to be the backup. Frerotte took over the starting role in Week 3 and led the Vikings to an 8-3 mark in the games that he started. . .and I use the word "led" quite loosely, because the Vikings won as many games despite the presence of Frerotte as they did because of it. While Gus probably won't be back in 2009 because of the comments he made after the playoff loss to the Eagles, he played his role well in 2008, despite all of the ups and downs.

I was puzzled by the signing of Maurice Hicks when it happened. I was puzzled by it when the season started. I was more puzzled when I saw him actually return kicks. For a guy that was brought in almost exclusively to be a kick returner, the guy had an amazing propensity for taking the kickoff, going straight ahead, and running into a wall of defenders. No real moves, no great returns. . .and, to be honest, no reason to think that he'll be a Minnesota Viking next season. Darius Reynaud looked much better as a return guy than Hicks did, and could probably serve a dual role as punt returner as well.

Benny Sapp played adequately in most of the situations he was in last year. He started the season as Minnesota's #4 CB, and was elevated to the nickel role when Charles Gordon got his ankle turned to mush against Green Bay. He's probably best remembered by Vikings fans for getting a stupid penalty that negated a third down stop against Chicago just before the goal line stand/99-yard TD sequence. But he's at least earned the chance to come back in 2009 and compete for a roster spot.

Linebacker Derrick Pope got cut by the Vikings before the season even began. And that's the end of that chapter.

I'll say one thing about the Thomas Tapeh fiasco. It helped me to realize the value of Naufahu Tahi, particularly his value as a lead blocker. In fact, Tahi is so valuable as a lead blocker that I firmly believe that all plays that put him in a position to potentially catch the football should be removed from the playbook immediately.

(Seriously. . .dude averaged 2.3 yards a catch this year. He's over 6' tall, so if he catches the ball and falls down, you'd have to figure that's good for 2 yards, isn't it?)

Overall, there are more good things to be said about Minnesota's 2008 off-season acquisitions than there are bad things, in my opinion. Hopefully the Vikings can have the same level of success this off-season as well.

Official Giants/Vikings Injury Reports

Gonzo — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:43:48 -0000

Well, for the last time this regular season, it's time to take a look at the bumps and bruises that will affect this weekend's game. In this case, those bumps and bruises could control how our opponents this weekend approach the task at hand.

Man, there is absolutely, positively no way in heck I'm getting a lot of sleep tonight. I've thought about this game pretty much non-stop since Monday.

Anyway, let's start with this tomorrow's opponent, the New York Football Giants.

New York Giants Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Fred Robbins	shoulder	12.26.2008
Justin Tuck	lower leg	12.26.2008

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Kareem McKenzie	back	12.26.2008
Barry Cofield	knee	12.26.2008
Brandon Jacobs	knee	12.26.2008

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Kevin Boss	ankle/concussion	12.26.2008

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Osi Umenyiora	knee	8.25.2008
Sammy Knight	hip	11.29.2008
David Tyree	hamstring	11.5.2008
Anthony Wright	back	8.30.2008
Reuben Droughns	neck	12.16.2008
Guy Whimper	foot	8.30.2008
Kay-Jay Harris	ankle	8.21.2008
Jonathan Goff	hamstring	12.17.2008
Robert Henderson	ankle	8.10.2008

NFL.com has two players listed as "Out" that aren't on our report above, and those players are CB Aaron Ross (concussion) and LB Gerris Wilkinson (knee). Both of those players are starters for the Giants, so we definitely won't be seeing those two tomorrow afternoon.

Of the remaining players, TE Kevin Boss, DT Barry Cofield, and RB Brandon Jacobs are listed as not having participated in Friday's practice. Boss has already been pretty much ruled out for Sunday, but there's a chance that Cofield and/or Jacobs could see some action. I, personally, would be surprised to see Jacobs out there, however. OT Kareem McKenzie has also been pretty much ruled out, from my understanding. DE Justin Tuck and DT (and former Viking) Fred Robbins will probably see limited action.

The bigger question for the Giants. . .well, for the Vikings concerning the Giants, I guess. . .is how they're going to treat the guys that are not on the injury report. Most of the New York media, from what I've read, seem to think that the Giants' starters are going to be out there for a quarter, possibly a half at the most. But this IS Tom Coughlin we're talking about, and he hasn't given any true indicator of how he's going to handle things, so I guess we'll find out the same time everybody else will.

And, now, on to the injuries for the Beloved Purple.

Minnesota Vikings Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Gus Frerotte	back	12.26.2008
Jared Allen	knee	12.26.2008
Darren Sharper	knee	12.26.2008
Cedric Griffin	illness	12.26.2008
Maurice Hicks	back	12.26.2008

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Artis Hicks	elbow	12.26.2008
Bernard Berrian	ankle	12.26.2008
Darius Reynaud	foot	12.26.2008

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 on this report, but we know he's still going to be out with the shoulder injury.

Everyone on the Vikings' injury list had limited participation in Friday's practice with the exception of Cedric Griffin, who didn't practice at all. Marcus McCauley, apparently, took the majority of the first team snaps in Griffin's absence. . .pretty impressive move up the depth charts for a guy that didn't even get to suit up for the better part of the first half of the season.

Other than that, I'm going to guess that the guys that have been inactive for most of the season will be inactive again this week. Gus Frerotte is firmly back into the backup QB role. No word on whether or not Artis Hicks is going to be available, but Brad Childress has said that Ryan Cook will be getting the start at RT regardless. Reynaud will probably be out again as well.

That's it for tonight, ladies and gentlemen. We'll see you here for the game thread tomorrow. Incidentally, the game thread will get broken up into parts. . .at least by halves, and maybe more if the traffic warrants. Good luck trying to get any sleep tonight, folks.

Frerotte and Hicks Listed as Doubtful for Sunday

Gonzo — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 01:53:05 -0000

Yes, the official injury reports are out for this weekend's clash in the desert, so let's take a look at what they hold for both teams. As we always do, we'll start out with the road team, so for the last time this season we'll look at the Vikings' injuries first.

Minnesota Vikings Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Kevin Williams	legal/disciplinary	12.12.2008
Pat Williams	legal/disciplinary	12.12.2008

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jared Allen	knee	12.12.2008
Brian Robison	knee	12.12.2008

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Gus Frerotte	back	12.12.2008
Artis Hicks	elbow	12.12.2008

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

Well, we already know that the law firm of Williams & Williams will be on the field this Sunday. Nothing "doubtful" at all about that.

One semi-biggie that's not listed on the above report is that Darius Reynaud is OUT with a foot injury, according to NFL.com. For the love of everything good and holy, I hope that doesn't mean that we're back to Maurice Hicks returning kickoffs. . .or punts. . .or really being on the field in general. Honestly, can we not just cut him already and bring in someone that isn't awful? I'm guessing that Aundrae Allison will handle kick return duties, and Bernard Berrian will be returning punts again (even though I still absolutely hate that Childress has him doing that).

Artis Hicks is listed by NFL.com as having not participated in practice on Friday, so it looks like he's a scratch for this Sunday. The other three players on the injury report. . .Frerotte, Robison, and Allen. . .are all listed as having limited participation. At this point, I think if Jared Allen had one of his legs amputated at the hip, he would probably still be listed as questionable for Sunday.

So, with the injury situation with Gus Frerotte, it would appear that we're one solid hit away from the NFL debut of John David Booty. If there is a football deity up there, he won't let anything happen to Tarvaris Jackson this Sunday.

Now, on to the Cardinals' injury report:

Arizona Cardinals Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Matt Ware	head	12.12.2008
Bertrand Berry	shoulder	12.12.2008

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Sean Morey	shoulder	12.12.2008
Steve Breaston	ribs	12.12.2008
Alan Branch	cheek	12.12.2008

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Clark Haggans	foot	12.12.2008
Pago Togafau	knee	12.12.2008

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Scott Peters	knee	8.1.2008
Ali Highsmith	knee	11.4.2008

Haggans, Togafau (TOGA!! TOGA!!), and RB Terrelle Smith are listed as not having participated in Cardinals' practice on Friday. Smith is listed on NFL.com as being questionable with a "not injury related" problem. It appears that he had a death in the family he's attending to. Our condolences go out to Smith and his family.

Of the other players listed on Arizona's injury report, only Morey isn't listed as having fully participated in Friday's practice, and Morey had limited participation. I'm not sure who the regular members of the Cards' inactive list are, but it appears as though they're relatively healthy for this point in the season.

49ers - Cowboys: A "special" key to the game

Fooch — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:00:05 -0000

Earlier this week, the folks at Blogging the Boys broke down some of the key matchups for this weekend. Their difference maker matchup was special teams and specifically the 49ers return game versus the Cowboys kick off and punt coverage units.

Last season the 49ers put together a solid special teams unit, but lacked a home run threat in the return game. Maurice Hicks was decent but never really inspired fear. That has changed this year with the addition of Allen Rossum. Rossum is getting a little long in the tooth but he is currently having the best season of his career, with career highs in kick and punt return average.

Special teams can be the place a bad team hangs tough and even Maiocco pointed this out today in his look at the various matchups:

KR/PR Allen Rossum vs. Cowboys coverage units: If the 49ers hope to hang tough, they'll have to get a bunch of hidden yards in the return game from Rossum and Co. The 49ers rank sixth in the league in punt-return average and ninth in kickoff returns. The Cowboys' coverage units are 18th (punts) and 13th (kickoffs), so they will have their hands full against Rossum, who is having an outstanding season.

The traditional stats certainly show a 49ers advantage. I'll even steal a page out of Florida Danny's book to show you an even greater disparity. In their special teams rankings, Football Outsiders breaks down the kick and punt coverage, as well as the kick and punt return performance. Overall the 49ers are currently ranked #1 in weighted special teams and the Cowboys are ranked 30th. A breakdown of the coverage units versus the return units shows this is clearly a matchup the 49ers HAVE to exploit tomorrow.

Situation	SF Rank	Dal Rank
SF KR vs. Dal Kicking	3	32
SF PR vs. Dal Punting	9	27

If the 49ers are going to win tomorrow they obviously have to do a lot of things right. However, all of this could be set up especially well by special teams. If Allen Rossum can set the 49ers up in good field position, it makes life a lot easier for Shaun Hill and company. The closer they are to the Dallas endzone, the fewer chances they need to take. Of course Allen Rossum's punt return capabilities are predicated on the 49ers getting stops on third downs. I make few guarantees in life, but if the 49ers pull the upset, it will be due in no small part to the return game Allen Rossum.

Although they ended up losing to Arizona, it was Rossum's game-opening touchdown that sent the Cardinals staggering early on. Something along those lines would certainly be much appreciated by 49ers fans.

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!