SB Nation User Blog: mjmrad

Minnesota's road to the Super Bowl (no one roll their eyes please)

mjmrad — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:17:15 -0000

Check it out...

So, assuming this weekend goes well (either MIN wins or CHI loses), here's our road to the Super Bowl:

ROUND 1:
DAL or TB @ MIN

We generally play well against the boyz in the dome, and TB hasn't looked to hot lately...

ROUND 2:
MIN @ CAR or ATL

I'm hoping Carolina loses to New Orleans, so we can have the chance to travel to Hotlanta in round 2 - it'd be AWESOME to put the whooping on them down there.

However, a hard fought game in Carolina could be just as pleasant.

ROUND 3:
MIN @ NYG
(or could be ATL or CAR @ MIN if one of them goes into NY and wins)

The Vikes have played very well in the Meadowlands, and both ATL would NEVER have a repeat performance of last week - 9 out of 10 games we win last week's situation.

Regardless, we have proven we can play well against ALL these teams - this should be a win as well, as long as we stay focused and don't turn the ball over (a big if, I know)

ROUND 4 - TAMBA BAY SUPER BOWL SUNDAY:
MIN VS IND, PIT, or TEN

Let's see... Indy has proven they are beatable, when our defense steps up.
Pittsburgh would be the toughest draw, but I'd say that Big Ben could make a mistake against our D
Tennessee would also be tough, but they've been playing off and on as of late, PLUS I wouldn't count on them having EVERY call go their way twice in a row...

We could see San Diego if they get hot. Anyone remember AP's numbers the last time we played them? *wink*

Forgive me for my bluntness, but

mjmrad — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:49:04 -0000

HOW CAN A TEAM MOVE ON BE SO COMPLETELY STUPID!?!?!?!?!? The Green Bay Packers laid a HUGE egg yesterday and their fans are starting to get very angry up there - meanwhile, Brett Favre just led the Jets over the HIGHLY favored Titans and now has a chance to win a Super Bowl in a different shade of Green.

Ladies and gentlemen, since we're probably not going to represent in the Super Bowl this year (I'm not giving up hope, but it doesn't seem like quite the right time yet...)

I am pulling for Brett to win it with NY this postseason - I will LAUGH SO FREAKING HARD I might actually go into convulsions if NY wins it and Green Bay is left crying -

Honestly, folks - besides a Super Bowl win, could there be anything better as a consolation prize than THAT? It'd probably be the closest things to the adrenaline rush of winning the big game that we're gonna get for a year or two...

I am maybe a little drunk giddy just thinking about it...

Brad Childress is...Major Dad???

mjmrad — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:16:53 -0000

MAJOR props to Big Cat Country's "River City Rage," the main Jaguars blogger. This is one of the funniest pics I've seen since the McDonald's pic we had here earlier this year...

via www.bigcatcountry.com

The special teams BAILED him again today - this man is too lucky for words.

Maybe Chilly should find a new day job...He looks kind of good in a captain's hat, don't you all think?

Adrian Peterson and Cedric Griffin benched

mjmrad — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:33:34 -0000

If you ask me, Chilly made the right decision here - we don't need leeway to the point of more "love boat" incidents. What do you all think?

Here's part of the article on Access Vikings:

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. – Coach Brad Childress said that running back Adrian Peterson was held out of the Vikings’ first two offensive series today because he was late to a team meeting on Saturday. “It’s just how we do business,” Childress said after his team’s 30-12 victory. “We talked to our leadership committee. They are all unanimous with that and that’s just the way it goes. Everybody else is accountable, they’re accountable as well.”

Said Peterson: I fully understand it and accept it. That’s one thing I know abourt our coach, there’s no prima donnas. … It wasn’t really anything big but I respect his decision.”

Although it went largely unnoticed, cornerback Cedric Griffin also did not start because he also was late for the meeting. Marcus McCauley started in Griffin’s place. That fact was easy to overlook because the Jaguars fumbled on the first play from scrimmage and Napoleon Harris returned the ball 27 yards for a touchdown. Griffin returned on the next series.

Peterson also was benched for the Vikings’ opening offensive series in the regular-season finale last year at Denver after being late for a team bus.

The Rest of our Year - Predictions

mjmrad — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:29:20 -0000

We had an earlier post about this, but I want to see W/L predictions and playoff predictions, if you care to share...

@TB - close game, but I get the feeling Gus is going to blow this one since TB has a REALLY tricky D and it's an away game. 5-5

@JAX - another close game, but I see the Vikes winning this one. Jax has had trouble closing out games, and David Gerrard hasn't been throwing quite as well. 6-5

CHI - This game has me worried...it will undoubtedly decide the division, because, if we lose, the tie-breaker would go to CHI. If we win, CHI would likely be 1-2 games back with a tough remaining schedule. CHI has been playing really smooth ball this year. However, there's no way THAT many breaks will go against us again in the dome. We squeak it out at the end. 7-5

@DET - This will either be close or a blowout. If Chilly has ANY sense, he'll preach how close the first game was until he's blue in the face. This should be a win, though I suspect it'll be close too. 8-5

@ARI - Sorry folk, we will get blown out in this game. ARI wins something like 55-38. 8-6

ATL - This game has me scratching my head. This club has taken out all of the other North contenders. However, MIN has played well against NFC South clubs this year. Since it's in the dome, I give a slight edge to MIN because ATL's run D is still not that great...expect a big game from AD after the loss in ARI 9-6

NYG - After seeing Eli dismantle the Steelers, Cowboys, and Eagles in back-to-back-to-back weeks, I'd say it's safe to say this team is your #1 seed locked up by the last game. Expect an early lead by the Giants, but MIN roars like hell in the second half, when the Giants' backups are in. 10-6

Where does 10-6 leave us? Most likely that will be a #3 or #4 seed, meaning we will play against one of the top wild cards. The way things are shaping up, that could be anybody - the Redskins, Cowboys, Eagles, Bears, Panthers, and Bucs are ALL in contention for that spot. Whoever it is, I'd say that AD will probably shine at home in the Vikes first home playoff game since, what, 2001?

Round 2 we travel to either NY or ARI, where we get our butts handed to us on a silver platter. However, it sure is better than the last few years...

What do you all think?

How Tampa has won / How to beat them

mjmrad — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:52:02 -0000

This team is almost a carbon copy of the Bears - they are always ALWAYS looking for the takeaway... Two weeks ago against KC they relied on several turnover breaks at the end of the game to prevail at the end.

Here's the problem... Gus needs some serious confidence - this game could be over by a quick fumble by AD or a quick INT or 2 by Gus.

The Vikings need to SLOW THIS GAME DOWN and get into halftime with a close game.

It's very simple - if Berrien is doubled up, then take the 1-2 yd gains with AD and play a field position game.

TB has a VERY clever and tricky defense - it's not a team to go gunslinging against.

With a close game at the end, I give the advantage to our line and AD

"Childress facing a tough crowd in Minnesota" by ESPN's Kevin Seifert

mjmrad — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:10:09 -0000

Ladies and gentlemen, I thought I'd heard it all...until this morning when I read KS's 23-24 paragraph analysis of why Viking fans detest Childress, I DON'T remember him mentioning that:

#1. The defense is scoring more points than the offense.
#2. Chilly kept TJ around WAY too long.
#3. Childress won't even ALLOW his quarterbacks to audible (giving a clear advantage to good defensive teams).
#4. The Vikings LUCKED their way to 3-3 (had Minn not gotten two lucky officiating calls, they'd be 1-5 and Childress would be gone soon).
#5. My great-grandfather is guessing most of the plays before they snap.
#6. The team has been UNPREPARED and SLUGGISH almost every game this year.
(Need I continue? I could, but I need to eat, so I'll stop here...)

MN fan here with some questions...

mjmrad — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:26:35 -0000

#1 - How are you guys NOT 6-0? Dang, you lost another heartbreaker today...

#2 - Our coach is an IDIOT!!! Hester should have a big day next week... How many touchdowns do you think he'll have next week?

#3 - Adrian Peterson is human - he fumbled the ball TWICE today, so, you never know... How many TD's do you think he'll get this year? (We all remember last year...)

#4 - I look forward to a good, clean game without the refs giving a lucky win to someone. Any thoughts?