SB Nation - Jeff Dugan

The Vikings Red Zone Review, Sponsored by Comcast

Gonzo — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:00:40 -0000

by Ross D. Franklin - AP

13 days ago: Minnesota Vikings' Chester Taylor kneels on the ground after being stopped short of the goal line in the second quarter during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Vikings had to settle for a field goal on the drive. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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I'm going to start moving this feature up to earlier in the week in an effort to allow us to move on to the next game more quickly. So, with our weekly look back at the Vikings' red zone performance, here's this week's installment of the Vikings Red Zone Review. As always, the Vikings Red Zone Review is brought to you by the good folks at Comcast. Comcast brings you the NFL Red Zone channel every week, and it's your way to keep in touch with all the biggest plays from every NFL game week in and week out. It's great for fantasy players, or for the late games when you're not sure which game you want to view while celebrating the Vikings' latest conquest. The Red Zone Channel is your season ticket for every single NFL game, and nobody brings it to you like the folks at Comcast.

What kind of performance did the Vikings put together in the red zone last weekend? Let's have a look and find out. After all, with the kind of performance that the Vikings put together against Arizona, you could probably expect that this wouldn't take very long.

Vikings Red Zone trips - 2
Vikings Red Zone scores - 2 (1 TD, 1 FG)
Red Zone touchdown percentage - 50%

Speaking of not taking very long, it didn't take the Vikings long at all to find the red zone, as they did so on their very first drive. Benny Sapp forced a fumble from Tim Hightower on the Cardinals' second play from scrimmage, and the Vikings were immediately in business at the Arizona 47. Brett Favre and company immediately went to work, as an Adrian Peterson carry and a 5-yard catch by Percy Harvin gave Minnesota a first down, and an 11-yard completion to Sidney Rice gave them another. The Vikings moved into the red zone as Favre hit Bernard Berrian on a 3rd and 4 to get the ball to the 15, and a couple of plays later Harvin took a handoff down to the 3 to set up first and goal. From there, Favre dropped back and found Visanthe Shiancoe near the left sideline. At first, the referees ruled that Shank was out of bounds, but Brad Childress threw the challenge flag. After further review, it was decided that Shiancoe did make the catch and get both feet in bounds, giving the Vikings a touchdown. The 10-play, 47-yard drive took 4:25 off the clock and gave the Vikings an early 7-0 lead.

And after that, unfortunately, the Vikings' only other red zone appearance of the evening came just before halftime. After the Cardinals went up 14-7, the Vikings took over at their own 32 after a short kickoff that was fielded by Jeff Dugan. Minnesota immediately moved into Arizona territory on a 21-yard reception by Adrian Peterson, and Favre hit Harvin, Peterson, and Chester Taylor to get the ball close. An 11-yard carry for Peterson. . .his best of the night. . .took the ball to the Arizona 11, but the Vikings couldn't punch the ball in, and had to settle for a 25-yard Ryan Longwell field goal to cut the deficit to 14-10.

Minnesota's only other score came on a 31-yard pass from Favre to Percy Harvin to cut the final score to 30-17 and make the game appear closer than it had actually been.

So, the Vikings' offense made two trips into the red zone this weekend, giving them 45 for the year. In those 45 trips, they've scored 24 touchdowns (53.3%), gotten 15 field goals from Ryan Longwell (33.3%), and been held scoreless six times (13.3%). The Cardinals, on the other hand, made four trips into the red zone, but only got one touchdown in those four trips (after a huge punt return by LaRod Stephens-Howling). That means that Viking opponents have found their way into the red zone 28 times this season. They've allowed 11 touchdowns (39.3%), 11 field goals (39.3%), and kept their opponents scoreless six times (21.4%).

If the Vikings want to get on track next week against Cincinnati, they're going to need to make a lot more trips to the red zone, and convert those trips in the manner we've become accustomed to seeing.

The Case for Brett Favre as 2009 NFL MVP

Gonzo — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:10:33 -0000

by Jerry Holt - AP

Will this man be tipping his hat to the folks that vote for the MVP award after this season is over? (AP Photo/Star Tribune,Jerry Holt)

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Yes, I know that we've only played ten games this season, and I know that this might come off as being a bit premature. And I know that this is going to be met with cries of my bias towards players on my favorite team and all that other fun stuff.

But if the 2009 NFL season were to end today, I find it hard to believe that anybody but Brett Favre would be named the NFL's Most Valuable Player. (I'll take "Things that I never thought would cross my keyboard" for $400, Alex.) After all the drama, the hand-wringing and the whole "will he or won't he" saga that played out over the weeks leading up to the season, it's possible that Favre is having the best season of his career in a season where he reached 40 years of age.

Thus far, all discussions of the MVP award have focused on three main names. . .Favre, Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Yes, Brees and Manning have been having great seasons thus far, obviously, and as of now both of their teams are still undefeated in 2009. But look at the numbers. There's no way that you can definitively say that either of those guys has been better than #4 through the first ten games of the year.

	ATT	COMP	PCT	YDS	TD	INT	QBR	Sacks	Fumbles (Lost)
Drew Brees	320	218	68.1	2,746	22	9	105.8	13	8 (4)
Brett Favre	310	216	69.7	2,482	21	3	112.1	21	1 (1)
Peyton Manning	388	271	69.8	3,171	21	9	102.7	8	2 (0)

Despite the slow start that Favre got off to, he has significantly picked up his game as the season has progressed. He has as many touchdown passes as Manning in 78 fewer attempts, and only one less than Brees in ten fewer attempts. His interception percentage thus far (less than 1%) is significantly better than that of Brees (2.8%) or Manning (2.3%). In addition, Favre has played ten games this season, and has played turnover-free ball in seven of those ten contests. Conversely, Brees has turned the ball over at least once in seven of the ten games New Orleans has played so far, as has Manning for Indianapolis. Obviously, since their teams are undefeated, they were able to overcome those turnovers and lead their teams to victory, but Favre's turnover total has been absolutely ridiculous thus far.

Even in the three years he was named NFL Most Valuable Player, Favre threw 13, 13, and 16 interceptions. This year, he's on pace to throw. . .five. The record for the fewest interceptions thrown by a QB that started all 16 games in a season is four by Steve DeBerg of the 1990 Kansas City Chiefs. I'm not sure if Favre can maintain the level he's currently at. . .after all, it could easily be argued that two of his three interceptions thus far came on passes that should have been caught (by Bernard Berrian against the 49ers and by Chester Taylor against Pittsburgh). . .but it's something to keep an eye on the rest of the way.

"But Favre has Adrian Peterson," the naysayers will tell you. My response to that objection is simply "so what?" Six other teams had the chance to draft Adrian Peterson. . .it's not Minnesota's fault that they figured out that, sometimes, the obvious decision really IS the best one. Besides, judging by the way teams have been defending the Vikings thus far in 2009, it appears as though they're still under the impression that the Vikings are starting Gus Frerotte at quarterback. Despite the fact that Favre has been tearing apart defenses this year, Viking opponents have still insisted on stacking the line of scrimmage instead of devoting men to coverage, because they're scared to death of the best running back in the NFL (as well they should be). The difference is that this year, Favre is taking advantage of those coverages and finding open targets all over the field. After the first eleven weeks of the season, the Vikings are the only team in the NFL with six different players with more than 25 receptions. . .Sidney Rice (50), Percy Harvin (36), Visanthe Shiancoe (33), Bernard Berrian (32), Chester Taylor (27), and Peterson (25).

(By the way, off the subject of Favre. . .how great is it that Peterson is averaging 100 yards rushing and more than one TD per game, and everyone seems to be asking "What's wrong with Peterson?" The kid has set the bar so high, it's damn near ridiculous.)

"Oh, but Favre has been so lucky this year," the naysayers will tell you. Sure, the pass to Greg Lewis against the Niners was something that Favre pulled completely out of his posterior, we know that. The only problem with this argument is that, over the course of a season, lots of teams get lucky along the way. . .look no further to a little more than a week ago, when Manning's Colts were the beneficiaries of one of the dumbest coaching decisions I've ever seen. That dumb decision gave them a chance to win. Back in Week 7, the Saints found themselves trailing the Dolphins by 21 points down in Miami. But Brees rallied his team in the second half and, even though his stats that game were pretty bad (three interceptions and a lost fumble), he led a bunch of scoring drives and led his team to victory. Heck, you could make the case that the Vikings' lone loss this year came as the result of bad luck (garbage tripping penalty on Jeff Dugan, screen pass bouncing off of Taylor's hands, and so forth).

Winning a championship in the NFL is like winning a big poker tournament. . .as anyone that's ever won a big poker tournament will tell you, you don't win without coming back from the dead a few times. The Vikings have done that this season, sure, but so have the Saints and the Colts, and they did it on the strength of the guys behind center.

"But Favre has all that talent around him," the naysayers will tell you. Seriously, are you going to tell me that the Saints and/or Colts are that devoid of talent compared to Minnesota? Of course not, because such an assertion would be ridiculous. Yes, the Vikings are a highly talented team, but this brings me to one of the things that Brees, Manning, and Favre all have in common. . .they make the people around them better. Before this year, nobody outside of Viking fans and South Carolina alumni knew who Sidney Rice was. Now, under Brett Favre, he's a household name. And remember all the junk about Percy Harvin when the Vikings drafted him, about how his hands weren't that great and that he couldn't run routes? Yeah. . .don't hear a whole lot of that any more, do you? Brees has played portions of his time in New Orleans without Marques Colston, without Reggie Bush, without Deuce McAlister, and with a spate of other injuries. For crying out loud, Manning is putting together the season he's currently having with two of his main targets being a couple of guys named Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Did YOU know who either of those guys were six or eight weeks ago? I won't lie to you. . .I didn't.

There are quarterbacks that elevate the game of those around them, and those that need to have their game elevated BY those around them. Favre, Brees, and Manning are examples of the former. . .we'll see a shining example of the latter when we the Vikings host the Bears on Sunday afternoon.

Obviously, Brees, Manning, and Favre are all having outstanding seasons this year. They quarterback three of the top teams in the league, and are all definitely going to be factors in the post-season. While the numbers are the same, there's one thing that, in my opinion, separates Favre from the other two quarterbacks in this debate.

Manning and Brees were supposed to be this good. Favre, on the other hand, was supposed to be done for. After all, even the most twitterpated of Favre lovers couldn't possibly have imagined him putting together a season like this, especially after missing all of camp and all the other things that the media massively overhyped going into the season. The reports of a "schism" in the locker room because of the Favre signing turned out to be a bunch of garbage, as #4 has been roundly embraced by his teammates and, by and large, by the Minnesota community. Sure, most people thought he was an improvement over Tarvaris Jackson. . .and I say that as a guy that still thinks Jackson has a future in this league. . .but there was nobody out there that could have predicted the heights that he could potentially take the Vikings to on the NFL stage.

Again, there are still six games left to be played in the 2009 NFL regular season, and this talk might be premature. But if you weigh everything and look at the league MVP race, I honestly thing Brett Favre is in line to win an unprecedented fourth trophy. Whether it's because of overall performance or the impact that they've had on their team, Favre is the MVP in either sense.

Whether you agree or disagree, it's certainly something that makes for a good debate at this point.

The Vikings Red Zone Review, Sponsored by Comcast

Gonzo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:04 -0000

by Carlos Gonzalez - AP

about 1 month ago: Minnesota Vikings tight end Jeff Dugan (83) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions in an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Star Tribune, Carlos Gonzalez)

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Before we move along to tomorrow's matchup with the Seattle Seahawks, it's time to take one final look back at last week's 27-10 victory over the Detroit Lions. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for another installment of the Vikings Red Zone Review. Comcast brings you the NFL Red Zone channel every week, and it's your way to keep in touch with all the biggest plays from every NFL game week in and week out. It's great for fantasy players, or for the late games when you're not sure which game you want to view while celebrating the Vikings' latest conquest. The Red Zone Channel is your season ticket for every single NFL game, and nobody brings it to you like the folks at Comcast.

What kind of performance did the Vikings put together in the red zone last weekend? Let's have a look and find out.

Vikings Red Zone trips - 6
Vikings Red Zone scores - 4 (2 TD, 2 FG)
Red Zone touchdown percentage - 33%

Not the finest red zone performance the Vikings have put together this season, but it was good enough to get the job done.

The Vikings took the opening kickoff and immediately began moving downfield. Brett Favre was on early, connecting on a 12-yard pass to Bernard Berrian, a 13-yarder to Visanthe Shiancoe, and a 20-yarder to Sidney Rice. The pass to Rice set the Vikings up at their own 11-yard line, but after an 8-yard run by Adrian Peterson, a false start penalty on Jim Kleinsasser and a couple of misfires left the Vikings to settle for a 22-yard Ryan Longwell field goal to give themselves an early 3-0 lead. The Vikings' drive went 66 yards in 10 plays, taking 5:42 off of the clock.

After the Lions missed a field goal on their next drive to set the Vikings up at their own 38, Minnesota went to work again. Peterson carried the ball twice for 15 yards, and Favre found Rice on two different plays for a combined 30 yards, moving the Vikings to the Detroit 17-yard line. Then, on a play that looked to be pretty well-blocked, Peterson botched a pitch on a reverse to Percy Harvin, and the ball found its way to the turf. Defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill jumped on the loose ball for the Lions, and the Vikings' red zone efforts were thwarted in short order by the Lions' defense. The play call wasn't THAT bad, but the pitch by #28 was horrible. Ah, well. . .I'm sure the next time that play is called, the execution will be better.

Minnesota didn't see the red zone again until near the end of the first half, though they did score another touchdown on yet another Adrian Peterson "Holy cow, how did he do that" run to put themselves up 10-0. After another big pass to Rice for another 43 yards and a shorter completion to Shiancoe, the Vikings were inside the Detroit red zone again. The Vikings got down to the Lions' 8-yard line, and when faced with fourth and one and with unlimited weapons at their disposal, the Vikings tried to convert by. . .handing the ball to Jeff Dugan? (Actually, Dugan has been pretty good in one yard to go situations, but pretty much all of those came on third downs.) So, the Vikings had another unsuccessful red zone sojurn, and went into the locker room leading 10-3 when they could have had a lot more.

After the Lions fumbled on their first offensive play of the second half, the Adrian Peterson show started again, as he took the ball from the Lions' 28 and rumbled all the way to the 1-yard line, setting the Vikings up in the red zone again with first and goal. Peterson ensured that there would be no further drama, as he gained that one yard on the next play. The Vikings scoring drive went 28 yards in 2 plays, taking only 22 seconds of game time to accomplish, all of it gained by the best running back in the NFL.

To the Lions' credit, they responded to that score by putting up their only touchdown of the game, and the only trip they would make into the red zone on the afternoon, aided by a questionable call on Ray Edwards that negated a Minnesota fumble recovery. After a few punts were exchanged, we moved on to the fourth quarter of play, and on the first play of the quarter, Favre unleashed another huge bomb to Rice for 56 yards and another trip to the red zone at the Detroit 4-yard line. After a run by Peterson lost four yards, Favre rolled out to his left and found Jeff Dugan on a crossing route in the end zone, and Dugan made up for his earlier problems by hauling it in for an 8-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-10, Vikings, and effectively put the game out of reach. That Viking drive went 61 yards in four plays and took only 2:03 to complete.

The Vikings' final red zone journey was set up by another "holy cow" moment, this one supplied by Percy Harvin. Your 2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year took a short pass from Brett Favre, bounced off a Lions' linebacker, and turned what initially looked to be a 3-yard hitch into a 40-yard catch-and-run. A 21-yard pass to Shiancoe put the Vikings into the red zone. Unfortunately, the Vikings couldn't do anything else with it, and had to line up for a Ryan Longwell field goal try from 35 yards out. Longwell made it, of course, because. . .say it with me. . .that's what Ryan Longwell does. That drive moved 71 yards in eight plays, and gave us our final score of 27-10 in favor of the Beloved Purple.

The results of the game against the Lions mean that the Vikings, through nine games, have made 37 trips into the red zone this year. In those 37 trips, they've come away with touchdowns on 19 of those (51.3%), tacked on 12 Ryan Longwell field goals (32.4%), and failed to come away with points on six trips (16.2%). Their opponents, on the other hand, have entered the red zone 23 times, and have come away with 10 touchdowns (43.5%), seven field goals (30.4%), and have gotten nothing on six occasions (26.1%). Here's hoping that the Seahawks will give us a chance to improve our numbers both offensively and defensively.

The Vikings Red Zone Review, Sponsored by Comcast

Gonzo — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:48:18 -0000

More photos » by Jerry Holt - AP

about 1 month ago: Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre reacts after throwing for the Vikings' final touchdown in a 38-26 win over the Green Bay Packers in an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Star Tribune, Jerry Holt)

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I skipped this last week with the Vikings being on their bye and everything, but now we're back for more. And I'm not sure about anything else, but the bye week gave me an opportunity to experience just how awesome the Red Zone Channel is. Obviously, during most weeks I'm wholly and solely focused on the Vikings, but during the bye week the Red Zone channel was constantly moving me to different games all over the league. Whether it was the Bears getting destroyed by the Arizona Cardinals, the Packers losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or any of the other action around the NFL during Week 9, the Red Zone Channel made sure that I didn't miss any of the best action around the NFL. The action flows seamlessly, and you get to see all of the biggest plays from all the live action around the league. The Red Zone Channel is your season ticket for every NFL game, and the only cable company that brings it to you is Comcast.

So how did the Vikings' red zone offense look in their last game against Green Bay? Let's take a look.

Vikings Red Zone trips - 5
Vikings Red Zone scores - 4 (4 TD)
Red Zone touchdown percentage - 80%

The Vikings' first red zone appearance of the day against the Packers came on their third possession. After a bad snap from John Sullivan resulted in a fumble, the Packers took an early 3-0 lead. Then they made the mistake of kicking the ball to 2009 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin. Harvin wasted no time in responding to the Packer score, as he torched the Packers special teams unit and took the ball all the way down to the Green Bay 14-yard line. From there, Adrian Peterson handled most of the work. After a couple of carries by #28, the drive appeared to stall after a pass from Brett Favre to Chester Taylor, but Green Bay DT Johnny Jolly inexplicably head-butted Taylor after the play, drawing a personal foul penalty, and the drive continued. Peterson hammered the Vikings down to the 1, and on 4th down he punched it in for the score to give Minnesota a 7-0 lead. The drive took 7 plays to move 14 yards and took 3:48 off of the clock.

The Vikings held the Packers to a three and out on their next possession, and a good punt return by Jaymar Johnson set the Vikings up just short of midfield. This time, Favre did most of the heavy lifting, as he hit Sidney Rice for six yards, Harvin for nine, and Bernard Berrian for 12. After Peterson carried the Vikings into the red zone at the 19-yard line, Favre found Rice again for seven yards. Then, on first down from the Green Bay 12, Favre found Visanthe Shiancoe. . .it's a verb, to Shank. . .for a 12-yard touchdown pass and a 14-3 lead for the Vikings. Minnesota's scoring drive went 51 yards in 7 plays, taking 3:37 to accomplish.

After another Packer three and out, the Vikings appeared to be on their way to scoring again, as Peterson went 33 yards on first down to put the Vikings into the red zone again at the Green Bay 16. After a couple of short runs and an incomplete pass, the Vikings had lined up to attempt a field goal, but the Packers were whistled for a neutral zone infraction that took the Vikings from fourth and six at the 12 to fourth and one at the 7-yard line. Brad Childress put his offense back on the field and, to the Packers' credit, they rose up and stopped Peterson in that short yardage situation, and the Vikings turned it over on downs. That would turn out to be the only red zone failure of the afternoon for the Minnesota offense.

The only other Viking score prior to intermission came on a 41-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell, and Minnesota went into the locker room with a 17-3 lead.

After the Vikings' lone non-red zone touchdown of the afternoon, a 51-yard bomb from Favre to Harvin, the Vikings had a 24-3 lead and appeared to be on cruise control. However, things got a bit dicey for the Purple after that, as Green Bay got a field goal and two touchdown passes to something named Spencer Havner to give them 17 unanswered points and pull the score to 24-20. Then the Packers decided to kick to Harvin again, and again #12 made them pay, ripping off another huge return (48 yards) and letting the Vikings start at the Green Bay 38-yard line. A 15-yard pass to Harvin that was sandwiched between a couple of Peterson runs (and a B.J. Raji face mask penalty) moved the Vikings inside of the Green Bay 10. After Chester Taylor toted the rock down to the 2, Favre rolled right and found Jeff Dugan at the goal line for his third touchdown pass of the evening and made the Viking lead 11 points again at 31-20. The drive went 38 yards in seven plays, taking 3:22 to accomplish.

The Packers answered on their next drive with a TD pass from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings, and the score went to 31-26 after a failed two-point conversion attempt. After a punt from the Vikings and a missed field goal by Mason Crosby, the Vikings set about putting the game on ice. Peterson took a ~~handoff~~ screen pass (Editor's Note: Oops.) on the first play of the drive and raced over the left side for 44 yards, moving the Vikings to the Packers' 15-yard line. After a couple of unsuccessful carries brought up third and 11, Favre dropped back and fired a quick pass to Bernard Berrian, who was subsequently tossed into the end zone by his helmet by Al Harris for a 16-yard touchdown for Minnesota. It was Favre's fourth touchdown of the day, their fourth red zone touchdown of the day, and it provided the final margin of victory by a count of 38-26.

All that means that, through the first half of the 2009 season, the Minnesota Vikings' offense has made 31 trips into the red zone, and have come away with points on 27 of those occasions. 17 of those have been touchdowns, with 10 being Ryan Longwell field goals, giving the Vikings a red zone touchdown percentage of roughly 63% on the season. The game against Green Bay was one of the poorer performances of the year for Minnesota's red zone defense, as they allowed the Packers to convert points on all five of their red zone appearances (three touchdowns, two field goals). So, for the year, Viking opponents have gotten into the red zone 22 times, and have come away with nine touchdowns and seven field goals, giving them a red zone touchdown percentage of roughly 41%. Hopefully both of these numbers will improve on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings, Mid-Season Edition

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

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

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

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

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

Favre Wins in Homecoming, but Harvin Steals the Show

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

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

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Percy Harvin is ridiculous.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Vikings Red Zone Review, Sponsored by Comcast

Gonzo — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:04:59 -0000

More photos » by Keith Srakocic - AP

Don't worry, man. . .no way we get that unlucky every week. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

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Yes, the latest most important regular season game in the history of any football season ever kicks off in a little more than five hours, but we still need to take one final look back at Minnesota's first loss of 2009, as painful as it might be to do so. As always, this look at the Vikings' red zone prowess is brought to you by the folks at Comcast, the providers of the NFL's Red Zone channel. The Red Zone channel is, bar none, the best way cable TV offers you to keep track of all the biggest plays and all the huge scores at one time. Red zone success is a big indicator of team success, and nobody is more successful in bringing you the biggest and most important plays of the day than the Comcast Red Zone channel.

Well, last week the Steelers provided the Vikings with their biggest challenge of the season to date, and the Vikings responded by. . .putting up their worst red zone performance of the year. This is what we in the business call "bad timing."

Vikings Red Zone trips - 5
Vikings Red Zone scores - 2 (1 TD, 1 FG)
Red Zone touchdown percentage - 20%

Definitely not the numbers one wants to see against a team the caliber of the defending world champions.

The game got off to a bit of a slow start for the Vikings, as they pretty much failed to move the football at all on their first three drives, and Chris Kluwe kept giving the Steelers good field position by shanking punts of 35 and 19 yards. After said 19-yarder, the Steelers drove all the way down to the Minnesota 4-yard line, and appeared to have a touchdown on a pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes, but an offensive pass interference penalty on Heath Miller wiped it out. A couple of plays later, the Steelers were forced to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Jeff Reed to make the score 3-0, Pittsburgh.

Into the second quarter, the two teams exchanged punts again, and with 10:34 left in the half, the Vikings took over from their own 24. Brett Favre converted a huge first down early in the drive, as he hit Percy Harvin on the left sideline for 28 yards on third and six to move the ball into Steeler territory. Favre connected on passes to Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian (twice) and Visanthe Shiancoe, and Adrian Peterson picked up another big third down to put the ball at the Pittsburgh 3. The drive concluded with the best running back in football slamming his way into the end zone from two yards out, and the Vikings took a 7-3 lead. Peterson had four carries for 16 yards on the drive, and Favre connected on five of seven passes for 60 yards.

Neither team would make a red zone appearance for the remainder of the first half, although the Steelers did pick up a touchdown pass on a 40-yard connection from Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace ~~of 60 Minutes fame~~ to make the score 10-7 in favor of Pittsburgh going into the locker room.

After the Vikings allowed the Steelers another field goal to start the first half, a 27-yarder by Jeff Reed, the Vikings set about putting together the drive that, in my opinion, decided the football game. Starting from their own 35 after a nice kick return by Percy Harvin, the Vikings made their way to the Pittsburgh 35-yard line, where they faced 4th and 1. Favre took the snap, faded to his left, and fired a bullet to Sidney Rice. Rice made the catch and turned the play into a 34-yard catch and run that set the Vikings up inside the Steelers' 1-yard line. Unfortunately, after an unsuccessful run by Peterson and two incomplete passes, Brad Childress elected to settle for an 18-yard Ryan Longwell field goal rather than attempting to slam it into the end zone on 4th and about six inches. The field goal made the score 13-10 in favor of Pittsburgh. Peterson had just two carries for two yards on the drive, and the remaining 72 yards were picked up by Brett Favre, as he completed seven of ten passes on the drive.

After the teams exchanged three and outs, the Vikings allowed the Steelers to drive into the red zone again on a big pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes that allowed Pittsburgh to set up and the Vikings' 9-yard line. However, on first and goal, Steelers' running back Rashard Mendenhall inexplicably decided that he was going to dive all the way into the end zone from the five yard line, and managed to get the ball knocked out by big Pat Williams in the process. The Vikings recovered the ensuing fumble, and methodically put together a very impressive drive.

Starting from the Pittsburgh 3-yard line, the Vikings passed their way down the field. Favre was hitting everything in sight, completing passes to Rice and Shiancoe, and even getting Greg Lewis involved in the act. Highlighting the drive was an absolutely ridiculous 26-yard reception by Rice that converted a big 3rd and 18 for the Beloved Purple. After Purple Jesus moved the Vikings into the Pittsburgh red zone with a 19-yard run and an 11-yard catch, the Vikings appeared to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 10-yarder from Favre to Rice, but a horrendous tripping penalty on Jeff Dugan negated the play and pushed the Vikings back. (For the record. . .was it a BS call? You're damn right it was a BS call.) On third and 8, Favre dropped back to pass, and as he was getting ready to fire, he got the ball knocked out of his hands by Pittsburgh defensive lineman Brent Kiesel. The fumble was recovered by Lamar Woodley at the 23, and he rumbled all the way to the other end for a 77-yard fumble return. Rather than going up 17-13, the Vikings now found themselves down 20-10.and seemingly out of it. This was the first drive the Vikings experienced all season where they reached the red zone and failed to score points, and it couldn't have come at a worse time.

However, the dark cloud was lifted temporarily as Harvin made his presence felt again, taking the ensuing Jeff Reed kickoff and blasting 88 yards for a touchdown. Harvin managed to run through Reed's ridiculous "tackle" attempt and turn on the jets to put the Vikings right back into the game at 20-17.

The Vikings' defense did what they needed to do and forced the Steelers to punt, starting their next drive at their own 26. Once again, Favre moved the Vikings along, but the drive was highlighted by Peterson pushing up on the "truck stick" against Steelers' CB William Gay on a 29-yard catch and run that moved the Vikings to the Steeler 26. On second and 3 from the Pittsburgh 19, Favre flipped a screen pass to Chester Taylor, who appeared to be well-covered. Still, the pass bounced off of Taylor's hands and into the waiting arms of LB Keyaron Fox, who proceeded to go 82 yards for the score that put the dagger into Minnesota's hopes. The final score was 27-17. The Vikings technically made it into the end zone on their final desperation drive, but although it counts in the NFL's official stats, it really doesn't mean much.

So now, for the season, the Vikings have scored points on 23 of their 26 red zone trips, having notched 13 touchdowns and 10 Ryan Longwell field goals. The Minnesota red zone defense continues to be outstanding, as Viking opponents have reached the red zone 17 times in seven games, and have only come away with six touchdowns and five field goals. On six trips into the red zone, opposing teams have come away with no points against Minnesota's defense.

Hopefully the Vikings' offense can get their red zone prowess back this afternoon at the House that Brett Favre (Re)Built.

Around the NFC North: Vikings and Bears

Brandon — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:15:28 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

about 1 month ago: Pittsburgh Steelers' Keyaron Fox (57) returns an interception 82-yards for a touchdown as Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre (4) watches in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. The Steelers won 27-17. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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I watched most of the Minnesota Vikings loss in Pittsburgh, 27 to 17, and it was a great loss for the Packers in a couple ways. First, it's their first loss of the season, and the Packers only trail them by 1 game in the loss column. Second, it seemed like a really physical game, and both teams must be hurting after it. CB William Gay certainly is after RB Adrian Peterson ran him over. Still, it wasn't a sign of big trouble either. The Vikings are still a really good football team. From Daily Norseman:

There were two big missed opportunities for the Vikings -- an absurd tripping penalty on Jeff Dugan that wiped away a Sidney Rice touchdown, and the pass that went through Chester Taylor's hands and sealed the deal for the Steelers. Both drives could have resulted in Viking touchdowns, and yet each resulted in seven for the Steelers...

Certainly, those two plays are the most obvious reasons for the defeat, but keep in mind some other factors. We saw glimpses of the old, undisciplined Vikings today -- 11 penalties for 78 yards. Several of those penalties were garbage calls, but the fact remains that you won't win too many games on the road with so many unforced errors...

It stings that a gutsy defensive effort was wasted, and it stings that numerous opportunities to win this one also went to waste. But it's important to keep perspective. Disappointing as this game is, it's 1/16 of the season.

I didn't watch the game phoned in by the Chicago Bears. I expected the Bengals to win, but I didn't expect a 45-10 blowout. From Windy City Gridiron:

This is one of those games that just hurts the soul...

At 3-3 it isn't over for the Bears, especially with the Cleveland Browns coming to town next week, but this game is a blueprint game for every team that we play the rest of the year. They are going to do the same type of things until we can prove we can stop them.

This was a total collapse game.

Vikings Trip Their Way to a Loss

Anthony21 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:45:36 -0000

In a matter of minutes, the Vikings were the probable victors, then were suddenly heading toward a shocking defeat, then were threatening to retake the lead, and then had been knocked out of Pittsburgh in a stunning manner.

Dramatic? Well, that's what Vikings fans call "Sunday."

Luck had been on the Vikings' side in previous close games, but today, it was a different story. A poorly officiated game, combined with far too many unforced errors and a tough, tough Steelers defense teamed up to hand the Vikings their first loss of the season. It was a game the Vikings could have won, but there were simply too many things working against them. A disappointment indeed, but they still hung extremely tough. Give 'em credit for that.

There were two big missed opportunities for the Vikings -- an absurd tripping penalty on Jeff Dugan that wiped away a Sidney Rice touchdown, and the pass that went through Chester Taylor's hands and sealed the deal for the Steelers. Both drives could have resulted in Viking touchdowns, and yet each resulted in seven for the Steelers.

Certainly, those two plays are the most obvious reasons for the defeat, but keep in mind some other factors. We saw glimpses of the old, undisciplined Vikings today -- 11 penalties for 78 yards. Several of those penalties were garbage calls, but the fact remains that you won't win too many games on the road with so many unforced errors.

We should also recall the final Steelers drive of the first half, in which Big Ben sliced and diced a defense that was only rushing four while leaving a wide gap between the linebackers and safeties. The Vikings could have entered the locker room with a 7-3 lead, but instead Pittsburgh led 10-7. Leslie Frazier is getting bizarrely soft in these situations.

Other than that, though, the defense basically played well enough to win -- despite the absence of Antoine Winfield. It was the offense that self-destructed through penalties, it was the offense that couldn't get the running game established, and it was the offense that turned the ball over twice down the stretch, putting 14 points on the board for the Steelers. Not even Percy Harvin's fourth quarter magnificence could make up for the mistakes.

It's also worth noting a third quarter drive by the Vikings that stalled at the one yardline and resulted in a Ryan Longwell field goal. An offsides penalty gave them a first down at the one, and yet only one of the ensuing three plays went to Adrian Peterson. Talk about a blatant misuse of a great running back.

Those were the underlying causes of the loss, but obviously, the two big turnovers in the fourth quarter are the most painful reasons the Vikings are leaving Pittsburgh with their first loss of the season. After all the penalties that had crippled the Vikes in the second half, it's not surprising that two more gaffes did them in.

It stings that a gutsy defensive effort was wasted, and it stings that numerous opportunities to win this one also went to waste. But it's important to keep perspective. Disappointing as this game is, it's 1/16 of the season.

Vikings Complete Cuts; Final 53-Man Roster Announced

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

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

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

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

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

Quarterback

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

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

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

Running Back

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

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

Wide Receiver

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

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

Tight End

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

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

Offensive Line

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

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

Defensive Line

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

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

Linebacker

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

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

Defensive Back

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

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

Special Teams

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

Duh.

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