SB Nation - Sage Rosenfels

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.

And On the Ninth Week, They Rested.

ericj69 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:56:19 -0000

It appears only one NFC team stands in the Vikings' way at the halfway point of the season. Here are their cheerleaders.

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If you gave every NFL team the option of when they wanted their bye week, I'm guessing most teams would pick Week 9 because it is the precise median of the 17-week NFL season. Thankfully, the Vikings get that perfect weekend off to kick back and enjoy their perch atop the NFC North. Of course I don't know any of the players personally, but here's how I envision some of them spending their free time this week:

Jared Allen: Hunting at least four species of wild animal using a variety of weapons: bow, shotgun, rifle, his bare hands, and his mullet. The nice thing for Jared is that he doesn't have to change his wardrobe at all when he goes hunting. (Speaking of hunting, I'm heading up to Warroad for my annual deer hunting trip in a few hours, which is why my weekly picks are coming out a day early. Didja see da turdy pointer?)

Brad Childress: Working the drive-thru at McDonald's. (What, you didn't think Mickey D's was just going to give him that headset did you? He has to work it off!) Childress also plans to watch his favorite DVD, "Awesome Beards in History, narrated by Chuck Norris" about five or six more times.

Adrian Peterson: Destroying brick walls and large construction equipment by simply lowering his shoulder into them. You know, just to stay sharp.

Percy Harvin: Making room in his trophy case for the 2009 NFL Rookie of the Year Award. And thinking up more mysterious illnesses to get out of practice during the week.

Asher Allen: Hopefully throwing away his "How to Tackle, by Deion Sanders" book.

Antoine Winfield: Miraculously healing his sprained foot in time for next week's game. (Please?!)

Chris Kluwe: Finally beating "Through the Fire and Flames" on Expert in Guitar Hero III and upgrading his Dark Elf Mage to Level 50 on World of Warcraft.

Brett Favre: Finally choosing that TV at Sears.

Tarvaris Jackson: Watching game film from last year's Arizona game alone in his house and quietly sobbing. "I had FOUR TOUCHDOWNS! FOUR! I CAN DO IT TOO!"

Sage Rosenfels: Finish writing his novel titled "The Easiest Money I Ever Made: My Time with Brett and the 2009 Vikings."

Pat Williams: Eating. A lot. Duh.

Bryant McKinnie: I actually know this one. He went through the "ESPN Car Wash" yesterday, appearing on roughly 42 ESPN radio and TV segments. This is a much better alternative to his original plan of ~~fighting in parking lots~~ clubbing in Miami.

(More bye week thoughts and my Week 9 picks after the jump.)

Obviously, the Vikings are in great shape halfway through the 2009 season. They're 7-1, they already have 5 road games out of the way, they pick up after the bye with three home games, and if that wasn't enough, the first one is against the Lions!

But as The Wolf uttered one of my favorite lines of all time in Pulp Fiction, "Let's not start sucking each other's d---- just yet."

We all remember the team that our quarterback was on last year, right? The Jets started 8-3, then Favre got hurt and the wheels fell off. Yes, I know, this team is different, and undoubtedly better overall. I'm just sayin', OK? Of any fan base, we Vikings fans should know that a season can turn at any time without warning. We have a looong way to go before we start seriously talking about that February game in Miami, especially with that team in New Orleans putting up 40 points a game at will. But so far, so good, right?

Let's just hope that the Vikings take this most opportune time to rest, recharge, and be ready to make the second half of the season even better than the first.

Now for my Week 9 NFL picks (home team in CAPS):

FALCONS over Redskins: My Eliminator pick this week (still going at 8-0). I have always loved Clinton Portis' wild characters and costumes he thinks up during press conferences. This year, he's even wearing them on the field! Although I'm not sure "Washed-up NFL Malcontent Running Back" is quite as funny as "Dolla Bill."

BEARS over Cardinals: I wouldn't bet your money on this game. Have two teams ever looked so good and bad on a week-to-week basis? I'm taking the Bears here, but I wouldn't be surprised by a 40-point blowout either way in this one.

Ravens over BENGALS: Big-time revenge game here; Baltimore had their first meeting locked up until they went all penalty-happy. Fun drinking game if you're watching this one: drink every time the announcers mention "leader", "motivator", or "intensity" when referring to Ray Lewis. You should be bombed halfway through the second quarter.

COLTS over Texans: It only took Houston seven and a half years to get two games over .500! Congratulations! I'm a little worried about Indy's rushing attack, but the Colts are in the "not picking against them until they lose" category with New Orleans.

JAGUARS over Chiefs: If I was Maurice Jones-Drew and my team fell behind early to Kansas City on Sunday, I would strip the ball from David Garrard and run it myself every time a pass play was called.

PATRIOTS over Dolphins: Like I'm going to pick against Bellichick at home when he's had two weeks to prepare for a gimmick offense.

Packers over BUCCANEERS: Give the Packers credit--they have looked AMAZING against awful teams this year. Good work Pack! You're 4-1 against teams not named the Vikings!

SAINTS over Panthers: It looks like John Fox is finally figuring out that his rush offense is approximately 48 times more efficient than his pass offense...but it's hard to run the ball a lot when the Saints are putting up Arena League scores.

SEAHAWKS over Lions: Hey, T.J. Houshmandzadeh: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! How's choosing Seattle over Minnesota working out for you?

GIANTS over Chargers: The Chargers are 0-3 against teams with winning records. Believe it or not, the Giants still have a winning record.

49ERS over Titans: Although the Niners seem to have mastered the art of "How to Look Good and Still Lose", I think they'll get a big enough lead in this game to not have to worry about their new skill.

EAGLES over Cowboys: I'm rooting for only one thing in this game: lots and lots of injuries. Worst two fan bases in football? Worst two fan bases in football.

Steelers over BRONCOS: Like Christina Hendricks and Lindsay Lohan, these two teams seem like they're heading in opposite directions.

Last week: 8-5

Season so far: 83-33

Moats vs. Slaton: Let’s Take an Unbiased Look

Mike Kerns — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:25:53 -0000

More photos » by Dean Duprey - AP

Ryan Moats has made a good case to get more opportunities from out of the Houston backfield.

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It is no big secret that Steve Slaton has had a rough go at his sophomore season in the NFL. You can blame the offensive line for not giving him any lanes to run through. You can blame him for adding bulk in the offseason. You can even blame the playcalling for making running plays too predictable. All of that is fine and good. But the bottom line remains that he has endured the fabled "Sophomore Slump." Half of an NFL season is a good measuring stick to make that assumption.

And this isn’t even taking into account his fumbling problem, which isn’t as surprising to me as it has been for many of my fellow Texans fans. One of his negatives before the draft was that he had a hard time hanging onto the ball while at West Virginia at times.

But the reaction to his benching against Buffalo last Sunday has been met with mixed feelings from many. Some feel that it was about time and others were criticizing head coach Gary Kubiak for not having patience with a young player going through a hard time. I have to disagree. Kubiak has been more than patient with Steve and has handled it the best way imaginable. By benching him for an entire game, and watching another guy have a career day in his place, had to be an eye-opening experience for Steve. The axiom that "The NFL stands for Not For Long" isn’t just a clever catch phrase.

Then we have his backup, Ryan Moats. A guy who before Sunday was known more for his offseason issues with a Dallas police officer than he was for his play on the field. A guy who has waited patiently for his opportunity and kept his mouth shut and capitalized when his number was called. And when asked after the game if he thought that he should be the starter, he remained humble when he had every reason to brag a little bit.

A third round pick out of Louisiana Tech in 2005, Moats was stuck behind Philadelphia Eagles standout Brian Westbrook for most of his time there. He broke his ankle in the Eagles first preseason game in 2007 and missed the entire season. It would be the last time he played for them, as he was released in the final round of cuts the next season. He stuck around on Arizona’s practice squad for about three weeks before he was released again. Houston quickly snatched him up a week later to their own practice squad. After cutting Darius Walker and multiple injuries to Ahman Green, Moats was promoted to the active roster and quickly rose to second on the depth chart behind Steve Slaton.

Now that you know a little more about the guy, we can move towards the debate. Many are calling for Moats to get the start at Indianapolis this Sunday over Slaton. Yet, others are saying Buffalo’s awful run defense was the only reason he had the breakout performance. Me? I don’t care. I want whoever gives us the best chance to win. I am completely unbiased on the issue.

Of course, I feel that Steve is the more talented player. I mean, the guy is electric and can score almost any time he touches the ball. But, much like Jacoby Jones, you start to hold your breath every time he has the ball now. Seven fumbles in eight games doesn’t even happen in a video game. That is a hell of a bad run. And it isn’t anything that can be corrected without getting the opportunity on the field. But could you imagine the fallout if we are right there about to beat The Colts on Sunday and Steve puts it on the ground, and it turns out to be the play that costs us the game? That would be Sage Rosenfels all over again. And I wouldn’t wish that on any player.

I am all for starting whoever Coach Kubiak chooses and then having them split carries evenly. Let’s see how Ryan Moats runs against someone that isn’t Buffalo. Not that Indy is world-beaters against the run or anything, but at 8-0 they surely aren’t awful.

So, let’s hear it, BRB nation. Who you got starting this Sunday, and why?

Poll

Ryan Moats or Steve Slaton. Who would you prefer to see start on Sunday?

Steve Slaton

626 votes

Ryan Moats

673 votes

Chris Brown...You know you love him...

39 votes

1338 votes | Poll has closed

The Return of Vince Young: Ready your barf bags

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:23:46 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

2 months ago: Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher, center, and quarterback Kerry Collins (5) leave the field after their 59-0 loss to the New England Patriots in a NFL football game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

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There's a pretty big blog out there called The Big Lead, and its head writer is a good guy by the name of Jason McIntyre. Jason really is the model for independent bloggers, building his site up from nothing and into a huge traffic hog. Jason has also managed to do this while not becoming an obnoxious douche, like, say, Mike Florio.

However, despite Jason really showing all of us how to do it right when it comes to sports blogging, the guy does not know jack-friggin-squat about NFL football.

Just look at last year, where Jason boldly predicted the Colts would not make the playoffs. After Indy's 3-4 start, Jason was feeling pretty good about himself. After Indy reeled off 9 in a row and clinched a playoff berth (while the New England Patriots sat at home and wondered "What happened?"), Jason did what any self-important blogger does: Blame someone else (namely, former-Texans QB Sage Rosenfels).

Did I mention Jason is a Jets fan? I think that fact alone explains his attitude and knowledge about football.

Anyway, the reason I'm raggin' on Jason by bringing up his (lack of) football knowledge is that once again he is getting all self-important when talking about the NFL. And, like with his "bold" predictions last year, Jason is wrong.

This time, it involves the Titans and Vince Young. After the news broke about Vince Young returning to the starting QB role, Jason seemed to do a little happy dance in his office, located somewhere in the Tri-State New York area. The reason for Jason's euphoria is he stated back in August that Vince would indeed win his job back.

With the Titans starting the 2009 season 0-6 and their chances of making the playoffs pretty much nil, moron owner Bud Adams made some strong suggestions that veteran QB Kerry Collins be benched in favor of Vince Young. You all remember that, back in Week One of last year, Vince Young quit on his team during a game. It was very public display of adult pouting that distanced Vince from his Titans teammates. But, rather than panic, Kerry Collins entered the game and helped the Titans win that game and 12 more in 2008.

Now, with Kerry Collins benched and Vince Young is back as the starter, Jason somehow thinks the time is now for Vince to prove he can play in this league. Thing is, most of us AFC South fans already know Vince cannot play in this league. Jeff Fisher knows Vince can't play in this league. That's why he resisted Adam's "order" to start Vince. The woeful body of work Vince has compiled over the last three years more than tells the story of this over-rated, pampered brat who never should have been drafted by the Titans in the first place.

And if anyone out there still thinks that Vince can somehow salvage his career by playing well over these next few games, those people are suckers.

Here's Jason's take on the QB change:

Enigmatic Texas legend Vince Young will start at QB Sunday against Jacksonville. Did Jeff Fisher cave to pressure from his owner? Fisher will talk about the decision at 3 pm. Either way, we're thrilled to have been right about this back in August. Is anyone really surprised ancient Kerry Collins crumbled? He was serviceable last year and the Titans' defense (plus Chris Johnson) carried Tennessee to the playoffs. Anyone could see the significant dropoff coming. Young has to be the starter for at least the next three games. The rest of this lost season would probably be best. If he's awful, and doesn't appear to have a future with the team, obviously think QB in the draft.

And it's here where I point out that Jason really needs to go back and re-watch the Titans from years 2006-2008. We already know Vince Young stinks. We don't need three games to prove what three years have already shown. Vince Young is lazy, apathetic, entitled, and pampered. When things don't go the way he likes them to, he storms off the field, hides from the media, and seemingly threatens suicide.

A smart coach like Jeff Fisher knows this, which is why he resisted starting Vince again. But when the meddling hand of Bud Adams entered the equation, effectively chopping off Fisher's nuts, the writing was on the wall that Vince would return. Remember, Jeff Fisher did not want to draft Vince Young in 2006, but Bud Adams did. However, last year's success was a direct result of Vince Young getting benched and Kerry Collins assuming the job fulltime. So, in a not-so-subtle way, Fisher showed Bud Adams up for the ignorant fool he is.

Sorry, but to toot our own horn here a little bit, we have been saying Collins was better for some time now, and if you actually, you know, WATCH Titans games you know that blaming Kerry Collins for their 0-6 start is not an accurate assessment.

Vince Young's career in Tennessee is over. Everyone knows it. Everyone also knows that Vince Young's football career is likely over. He is simply not a motivated guy looking to improve himself as a player. We're in year four and Vince still can't read a defense, and a QB who can't read a defense is like a running back with no feet.

I feel a bit sorry for Kerry Collins and Jeff Fisher. Despite Jason's silly assessment (that Collins is a "fossil," and thus the reason the Titans are 0-6), Tennessee's wretched pass defense is the main reason they are sans a win. They are ranked dead last in the league, having surrendered 1,864 yards and 19 TDs. QBs are also completing 73% of their passes on them. I don't care if Joe Montana is your QB; in the modern NFL, if you are unable to stop the pass, you will lose a lot of football games.

I know that kind of analysis isn't as "sexy" as saying "BENCH THE QUARTERBACK!" but it's the truth.

Also, I am aware that Tony Dungy said Vince should play a few weeks ago on NBC. Again, Dungy is not at practice every day the way Jeff Fisher is. If Vince were indeed a better player at QB over Collins, Fisher would have started him. However, it was not the QB that has fumbled easy receptions (like Alge Crumpler against the Colts) or started fights after plays had ended (like Jason Jones against the Texans in Week Two) or surrendered 19 passing TDs in six games. The Titans just aren't a good football team, and changing the QB won't alter that very real, very stark fact.

The simple truth is nothing Vince Young does over these next three games should change anyone's assessment of him. If it does, then I have some junk bonds I'd like to sell them real cheap, if they are interested.

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

sireric — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:15:09 -0000

Buffalo Bills (1-2) at Miami Dolphins (0-3)
Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 4:05 PM ET
~~Joe Robbie~~ ~~Pro Player~~ Land Shark Stadium - Miami, FL

Make no mistake about it, folks: two very desperate football teams face off this Sunday in Miami. At 1-2 and 0-3, respectively, neither the Buffalo Bills nor the Miami Dolphins can afford to fall back any further off the pace being set by the red-hot New York Jets. With Chad Pennington gone for the season and Joey Porter possibly unavailable as well (keep your fingers crossed), this is an opportunity that the Bills need to take advantage of. Kick 'em while they're down, and kick them hard.

I am happy to report that, although it took until Week 4 to get there, we have finally come to a team that the Bills have a winning record against over their last five meetings. Keep in mind that since this is a division opponent, this post covers the last five times these two teams have played in Miami. Those last five meetings are re-visited after the jump.

December 5, 2004: Bills 42, Dolphins 32
Terrence McGee started this game by taking the opening kickoff 104 yards to the end zone for a very quick 7-0 lead. Drew Bledsoe would add four touchdown passes - two to Lee Evans (21, 69), one to Eric Moulds (30) and one to Tim Euhus (15) - to pace the Bills offensively. What seems amazing to me about this game is how on earth Miami scored 32 points, and totaled 403 yards on the day, while throwing five interceptions and losing two fumbles. McGee, Rashad Baker, Nate Clements, Takeo Spikes, and even Pat Williams recorded interceptions in this game. Williams returned his 20 yards for a score. Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay split a sack in this game. How does a defense play so well and so badly all in the same game? If not for Williams' pick-6 and McGee's return to open the game, the Bills could have conceivably recorded 7 turnovers and lost the game. Weird.

December 4, 2005: Dolphins 24, Bills 23
This is the game that Lee Evans and J.P. Losman were an unstoppable duo for the first quarter. Unfortunately, there were three more quarters to play, and the Bills' offense packed up and went home after the first 15 minutes. Losman hit Evans three times for scores of 46, 56, and 4 yards to give the Bills an early and commanding 21-0 after 12:46 had gone by in the game. Olindo Mare got Miami on the board with a 23-yard field goal; add a London Fletcher sack of Gus Frerotte in the end zone for a safety, and the Bills led 23-3 after three quarters. That's when the immortal Sage Rosenfels entered the game. Rosenfels engineered three scoring drives - ending in a Ricky Williams 5-yard TD run, and Ronnie Brown 23-yard TD catch and a 4-yard Chris Chambers TD grab that came with six seconds left on the clock - and Miami escaped with the win. Fletcher had two sacks on the day counting his safety, and Aaron Schobel had a sack and an interception.

September 17, 2006: Bills 16, Dolphins 6
This was the Daunte Culpepper sack-fest. The Bills sacked Culpepper seven times, with Ryan Denney (3.0) leading the way. Three Rian Lindell field goals of 33, 45, and 43 yards, as well as a Josh Reed touchdown reception from Losman, accounted for the scoring for the Bills. Losman only had 83 yards passing on the day, and Willis McGahee rumbled for 91 yards on 25 carries, but it was enough for the Bills. Angelo Crowell had a sack and an interception for the Bills.

November 11, 2007: Bills 13, Dolphins 10
During the Dolphins' horrible 1-15 season (stupid Ravens!), the Dolphins had enough in them to give the Bills a pretty big scare on this day. After a 38-yard Jay Feely field goal, a Chris Kelsay sack of Cleo Lemon for a safety, and a Lemon five-yard TD scramble, the Dolphins led the Bills 10-2 going into the fourth quarter. A Marshawn Lynch 3-yard "Beast Mode" touchdown and a "Beast Mode" two point conversion tied the game up with 9:46 to play. Exactly nine minutes later, Rian Lindell won the game for the Bills with a 34-yard field goal. After the game was over, a gigantic wind gust came out of the western New York area as Bills fans everywhere released the breath they were holding.

October 26, 2008: Dolphins 25, Bills 16
After Chad Pennington hit Anthony Fasano for a two-yard scoring pass giving the Dolphins a 7-0 lead, the Bills rattled off 16 straight points to go up 16-7. Rian Lindell hit on three field goals, and another Marshawn Lynch "Beast Mode" TD dive accounted for the Bills' points. After that, however, it was all Miami. Three Dan Carpenter field goals and a Ricky Williams TD run would have been enough, but for the third straight game between these two teams in Miami, there was a safety. This time it was Joey Porter stripping Trent Edwards in the end zone and Duke Preston falling up top of the ball first. Lee Evans had another huge day versus the Dolphins with seven catches for 116 yards. (Note to Lee Evans FF owners: Evans kills the Dolphins.)

Favre: Mangini Should Have Benched Me

Gonzo — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:06:38 -0000

Well, this certainly is interesting.

"Absolutely. I was receptive to (sitting) last year," Favre said. "When we finally did an MRI and found out I had a torn biceps last year, I felt like, with about four or five games left, that even though I was making some pretty good throws and some decent plays, I felt like I was doing the team more harm because I was missing on some throws."

Now, there are two different ways to potentially view this. There's the cynical view that says "Sure Favre can say that now. . .he still currently has the streak, his play went down the toilet at the end of last year, the Jets collapsed," and so forth.

And then there's the view that says, "Damn. . .that Eric Mangini is an idiot."

Seriously, like Anthony said in a previous story, Mangini is. . .at best. . .doing an impersonation of Brad Childress doing an impersonation of Bill Belichick. Keep in mind, Favre wasn't even listed on the Jets' injury report during the last five weeks of 2008, which was when he was nursing his bicep injury. Mangini, in his efforts to be all "secret squirrel" about his team's gameplan and trying to play "mind games" with opponents, was not only in direct violation of the NFL's injury reporting policy, but also proved to be pretty clueless all the way around.

Of course, if one were to look down the bench and see that your other two options at quarterback are Kellen "Holy crap, I'm awful" Clemens and Erik "Good lord, I'm so bad I can't even beat out Kellen Clemens" Ainge, you'd probably be pretty reluctant to bench Brett Favre, too, I suppose.

Now, with that in mind. . .I know he's Brett Favre and everything, but if a point in time comes during the season where #4 is hurt and simply can't go and is hurting the team as a result, Brad Childress absolutely, positively MUST have the testicular fortitude to tell Favre that he needs to take a seat in favor of either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. I don't want this team to start 8-3 and finish 9-7 and out of the playoff picture in the NFC. They're too talented for that.

Will Chilly have the guts to bench the guy he's chased after for two years? Here's hoping that we don't have to find out at any time during 2009.

Can the Browns Outlast the Vikings this Sunday?

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:25:16 -0000

More photos » by Jim Mone - AP

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams, left, and Pat Williams, are too good at stopping the run.

Browse more photos »

Whether or not the "sources" indicating that Brady Quinn will start this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings are true, one thing remains sure -- the Browns are going to be passing the football early and often.

The Minnesota Vikings have the best run defense in the NFL, thanks to defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams. They also have one of, if not the, best pass-rusher in the NFL in defensive end Jared Allen.


Kevin Williams 6-5, 311 lbs.	Pat Williams 6-3, 317 lbs.	Jaren Allen 6-6, 270 lbs.
"We're a pretty damn good defensive line."

Kevin Williams is a run stopper and a sack artist. He had 8.5 sacks last season and is only going to get stronger.
Pat Williams is still dominant, although one thing stands out besides his massive size: he's 36 years old. He always commands a double team because he'll eat up opposing running backs. He isn't meant to sack quarterbacks, as he only registered one takedown last year.
Jared Allen is in the prime of his career. He had 15.5 sacks two years ago in his final year with the Chiefs. In his first year with the Vikings, he racked up 14.5 sacks. Besides getting sacks, he's always generating pressure and has a knack for stripping the football. That sounds like it'd be more of an issue for Derek Anderson than it would be for Brady Quinn though. One thing is for sure -- Pro Bowl left tackle or not, there is no such thing as "shutting down Jared Allen".

It sure would've been an advantage to the Browns if the Williams brothers (note: they are not actually related) had to begin their four-game suspension at the start of the season. Both of them will play this Sunday though, which means one thing: the already-slow Jamal Lewis really isn't going to find any holes to run through. When I say that, that means you shouldn't be surprised if Lewis has a 10-carry, 15-yard performance on the ground.

That's where the steady development of James Davis throughout the preseason can come in handy. Bernie Kosar kept questioning why we were tipping our hand to opposing teams by running so many screen plays in the preseason. The very reason could be to see what will work best against the Vikings. If we are facing a third-down situation and Allen is racing at Brady Quinn, are we familiar enough with running the screen play to make it work? Or the unpopular draw play that twice in the preseason has gone for first downs with Davis in the backfield?

Nobody is giving the Browns any respect this year. It shows in the national media, when not a single writer is projecting the Browns to finish better than fourth place in the AFC North. It shows in the national media when all anyone can write about is how "dumb" it is for Eric Mangini to not name a starting quarterback. That's the same feeling that Minnesota Viking fans have been spewing over at Daily Norseman, our SB Nation Vikings affiliate, who also believe that this Sunday will be a cakewalk:

"We are going to run the ball down their throat and our defense is going to be to strong for them. Our team is on a mission to prove that we are an elite team. Barring double digit penalties and 3 or more turnovers it won’t be a contest."

"It doesn't matter! Jared Allen, the Williams Wall, and the rest of the Viking’s defense will pressure whatever QB the Browns put out there."

"By the fourth quarter, their defense will have already spent about 30 to 35 minutes on the field; they’ll be pulling at their socks and AP will rack up an additional 100 yards or so in the 4th quarter."

"The differences between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson are so marginal keeping this info secret is ridiculous and speaks to why the Mangenius got fired from the jets. Jamal Lewis with his 1.8 yds a carry ohhh scary, but wait their ~~scrambling~~ pocket statue QB will loosen things up with their pedestrian throwing ability and Braylon Edwards will be sure to drop it if they ever get it to him. I predict of lot of passing after the first quarter when they are trailing big!"

"Nothing the Browns do really matters. Their starters are nearly identical, and Allen will eat whoever it is alive. Their running game will get destroyed (regardless of the court outcome this week, it’s going to the Supreme Court, via instant appeal). And their new 3-4 does not have the personnel to be effective. Even if it did, and even if it does give the O-line some problems (We only have 1 rookie on the line, the other is a first time starter), it won’t matter, Peterson will still go crazy and Favre will still abuse the pathetic DBs that they have in Cleveland."

This is completely unlike the confidence that has been oozing from Browns fans this offseason. However, I think a lot of Vikings fans are a little bit too much in love with their team, especially when they trash our quarterback situation. Isn't this the same franchise that was about to enter the regular season with Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels as their quarterbacks to choose from? I would take Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn over them any day of the week.

At least there was one level-headed Vikings fan who understood the reason why Mangini is doing what he is doing, besides "it doesn't matter, both quarterbacks suck":

"It's perceived as an advantage because the defense has to account for both players’ playing styles, which are pretty different. Derek Anderson is much more of a down the field threat, whereas Brady Quinn is much better at the short, intermediate routes.

It’s nothing big, but instead of focusing on one, the players will have to put in a little time for both styles. It won’t matter much, but an advantage is an advantage."

The Vikings have a tremendous defensive line, but fans aren't giving the Browns passing game much credit. At the top of his game, Braylon Edwards is one of the league's best receivers -- far superior to any of those on the Vikings' roster. The tandem of Joshua Cribbs and Mike Furrey looked good in the preseason. Both players held onto the ball in quite a few third-and-long situations, something the Browns can expect to face a lot of this Sunday.

On the other side of the ball, how much time has Brett Favre really had to work with his receivers? Top WR Bernard Berrian didn't even play in a single preseason game under Favre, and he's not guaranteed to play this Sunday due to an injury. The New York media might have portrayed it differently, but the very coach that Vikings fans and the media around the league is poking fun at right now, Eric Mangini, was not responsible for himself getting fired in New York. You can blame that on Favre, who in his last five games with the New York Jets, had the following stats: 2 touchdowns, 9 interceptions. We clearly have a better quarterback situation in Minnesota than we do in Cleveland, don't we?

In the end, all any Vikings fan has to do is mention two words as to why the Vikings should beat the Browns: Adrian Peterson. He's the best running back in the league, and our run defense really hasn't been tested under the Mangini era since Shaun Rogers didn't play at all in the preseason. It's difficult to put together a good defense on how the Browns, or any team for that matter, will stop Peterson. That will simply come down to whether or not the cards unravel your way in the red zone -- do you come up with those big third down stops to force a field goal?

The Browns are slight underdogs this week, and I can't argue against that. Minnesota has a better team overall, but that doesn't always translate to a victory in the NFL. Can the Browns outlast the Vikings this Sunday? After everyone outside of Cleveland has made a mockery of the Browns this offseason, I certainly hope so. It'd be nice for our optimism to have some merit for once.

Orlovsky Or Grossman…Not Too Hard Of A Choice

Mike Kerns — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:18:46 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

Rex Grossman surprised a lot of Texans fans with his solid performance against Tampa Bay Last Friday. A Performance that has sparked a backup QB controversy amongst the Texan fanbase.

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The hot topic over the weekend between Texans fans (aside from Dunta Robinson ending his holdout) is who should be Matt Schaub’s backup once the season begins, Dan Orlovsky or Rex Grossman. Sports radio has been all over it this morning.

A few days ago, people were wondering if Rex Grossman would even make the team. But after his solid performance against Tampa Bay this past Friday, a lot of Texans fans have had more to say about Rex other than the "I’m throwing it downfield" jokes. Even though he did throw it downfield with relative ease. Now people are saying how they like Rex for his experience and are ready to ship Dan Orlovsky out of town for a new water boy.

Actually, Orlovsky was already not too highly thought of so far by Texans fans. And this was before Grossman had the stellar performance last Friday. He shows flashes of brilliance, and then does what used to make me pull my hair out about Sage Rosenfels: You just know a turnover is coming real soon.

Now, I do believe that Orlovsky has the tools to be a pretty quality backup in the future. No doubt about that. He just needs some time. It probably will take him a little bit to shake off the funk of that 0-16 Lions season in 2008. Let him learn behind Schaub and Grossman this season. I believe that would be best for him.

When/If Matt Schaub goes down this season, Grossman should get the nod in this guy's opinion. Let’s face it--the guy has been more successful than any other QB on the roster. That Bears team may have made it to the Super Bowl in spite of Rex, but he has still been to, and played in, a Super Bowl.

But, again, I am in no way trying to sell Orlovsky down the river. I just think that Grossman will be the guy to step in should Schaub go down this year. And I think he should be.

What say you?

***UPDATE***

Guess it doesn't matter now. According to Nick Scurfield's Twitter:

Kubiak just announced after practice that Rex Grossman will be the #2 quarterback vs. the Jets

Poll

If Texans QB Matt Schaub is sidelined with an injury again this season, who should line up behind center for The Texans?

Dan Orlovsky

75 votes

Rex Grossman

406 votes

481 votes | Poll has closed

The Secretive Brad Childress and Eric Mangini

Anthony21 — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:42:02 -0000

Well, we don't have a battle for the starting quarterback slot that Brad Childress can remain secretive about until the last minute -- but hey, he can still keep quiet about the backup quarterback, right? Indeed, it turns out we won't know who the backup is until right before kickoff next week in Cleveland:

"We'll end up declaring that probably and hour-and-a-half before the game," Childress told reporters after a brief practice at Winter Park. "But at least you know who the starter is."

Does this whole charade even matter? Not really, but there just aren't too many other question marks heading into this week's game. While both Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels each played one good game during the preseason, their three other performances were hardly memorable. Stay tuned until Sunday morning.

But the "drama" surrounding this team's mystery backup quarterback will be overshadowed by the "drama" surrounding Eric Mangini's intention to keep the identity of his starting quarterback a secret. He has, of course, already decided between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson -- he's just not telling anyone what his decision is. And though Mangini's doing his best impression of Brad Childress doing an impression of Bill Belichick, Mike Florio points out the starter for the upcoming week won't remain a secret for long. Someone's going to blab:

And then once the Browns start practicing in preparation for Sunday's game against Minnesota, word surely will emerge as to whether it's Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson. It will be impossible to get the other players on the team to keep quiet, regardless of whether Mangini thinks that he can scare them silent.

So the Vikings probably won't be confronted with two quarterbacks to prepare for. And even if the starter remains secret, one must wonder just how much that would help the Browns. Mangini's secretive strategy will likely give the Browns the same advantage that Childress gave the Vikings when he's used this tactic -- no advantage at all.

More from Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports

Ed Valentine — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:00:21 -0000

Yesterday I posted thoughts about Eli Manning from Yahoo! Sports football columnist Jason Cole. We talked about many more things, so today let's delve into some of the other things Jason and I discussed.

Here is Cole's top four in the NFC.

Giants
Philadelphia
Arizona
Minnesota

The big question with the Giants, of course, is the wide receiver situation. Cole did not downplay the significance of the issue.

"It is a big deal. Quarterbacks don't like to throw to guys they don't trust," Cole said. "Steve Smith is a good receiver on third downs, but he's no threat."

Still, Cole sees the Giants as a serious contender in the NFC.

"The Giants will do enough with their defense early in the season, and then if they can somehow figure out the wide receiver situation ... if (Hakeem) Nicks can become a player or Manning learns how to distribute the ball and learns how to trust Manningham and Hixon then there's a possibility that they jump ahead.

"Maybe early in the season the Giants are gonna struggle to score points, but their defense will keep them in games. Their number two line would be better than a lot of other defensive lines around the league."

As fans, we will spend a lot of energy watching the Eagles and worrying about whether or not the Giants will win the NFC East title. To Cole, that is not the most important thing. That would be how well a team is playing once it gets to the playoffs.

"What matters more is are you playing effective football at the end of the season vs. the beginning. For the first 12 games of the (2008) season the Giants were pretty much the ruler of the roost. Then Jacobs gets banged up and they lose their best receiver and all of a sudden their offense is not close to being what it was.

"That's how much one or two players make the difference in the NFL now.

"Are you on the upswing at the end of the season or are you on the downswing? That one is hard to figure out because injuries make such a huge difference."

Cole did say he likes the way the Giants are constructed more than any of the other NFC contenders.

"I think the Giants are built the best because they are the strongest up front.The front seven is the best."

Since we were talking about the NFC I could not let Cole go without talking about that new quarterback in Minnesota. Cole did not have complimentary things to say about Brett Favre. I asked him initially if he thought Favre, who faded down the stretch for the New York Jets last season, could still play effectively for a full season.

"When is the last time he was an effective quarterback at the end of the season?" was Cole's response. "Last season you saw it -- the last five games he was not good."

At this point, Cole was just warming to the task of shredding 'ole No. 4.

"He played very, very well during the 2007 season but in the end, when it was all to be decided, he threw two interceptions in the second half of that game against the Giants that are just God-awful throws. Especially the one in overtime is a throw that no quarterback beyond his second year in the league should make. Sorry, that's a horrendous throw. It was not a great defensive play by the Giants, the ball was just tossed up for grabs."

"He hasn't had a lot of playoff success lately. I don't know what he has left at the end of the season."

By now, Cole was on a roll and I was just listening.

"I understand (Minnesota coach) Brad Childress would rather bet on him than bet on Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson," Cole said. "I get that, but he's put his team on this high-wire act. If Favre slips at all it's not just a fall back a little bit and let's rally around the guy. They're all gonna be looking at Childress going 'hey, why did you do this -- why did we bring this guy in if he can't make the plays anymore?'

"He puts the psyche of the team on a precipice. That makes for an all-or-nothing kind of season."