Posts Tagged ‘Tarvaris Jackson’

Here are excerpt’s from Tom Coughlin’s interview with Giants.com.  He talks about the challenge of going to the Metrodome to play the Vikings that are themselves playing for their playoff lives.  I’ll add a few obvious and not so obvious Vikings Valhalla comments to the mix.

Q: You have stated that your objective is to win the game Sunday in Minnesota. There are many other factors to consider, including injuries and the bye next week. Are all those secondary to you to winning the game?
Coughlin: “We prepare like there is only one objective in mind and that is to win. We will do everything in our power to do that. As is true every week, the medical people will have a lot to say about what takes place and we will heed all of their advice and go play a game.”

Luft: What else is he going to say?  “We really just want to forfeit and have two weeks off, but the league won’t let us.”

Q: How much do you have to remind the players that for Minnesota this is basically a playoff game?
Coughlin: “We have said it all week. We stated right at the beginning of the week, ‘This is what the Vikings are playing for – a chance to win the division, the third seed, a home playoff game, all of it.’”

Luft: Just as long as the Vikings themselves realize this and play their collective hearts out.  We don’t wish to hear, “We knew the Texans would win, so we weren’t worried.”  Your fans are definitely worried especially with the long established tradition of choking when it counts.

Q: Is the fact that there is a chance that you could see them down the road in a playoff game, does that change what you will do in this game at all?
Coughlin: “Everybody wants to talk about all of these other issues about the game. It drives me nuts. We are preparing as best we can to win the game. We are very, very aware of the circumstances that we are in and who the opponent is. We are going to try to do the best thing we can for our team.”

Luft: Both teams know that if they do meet down the road, it will be in East Rutherford, New Jersey and each team will have a couple of different players available that weren’t this week.  The recent game film will be handy though.

Q: You don’t like to talk about individual goals, but if Derrick Ward runs for 52 yards and you have two 1,000-yard rushers, would it not be an accomplishment for the offense as a whole and the offensive line? And if you run for 69 yards you will set a team record for rushing yards in a season.
Coughlin: “That is always our goal, to rush the ball, to control the clock. When the game starts is that going to be on someone’s mind? I don’t think so. I think it is about winning the game, doing the things you have to do to win the game, one of which is to run the ball. The awareness of all these other things, yes, yes we will be aware of them, but does it have anything to do with how the game is played? Possibly, but it is not going to be first and foremost.”

Luft: This is where the goal of 68 or less should be set by the Minnesota defense that is currently ranked #1 against the run.

Q: You have won seven consecutive games in domes. Is there a secret to playing well indoors?
Coughlin: “No. It is just that one of the things is this particular dome leads the league in false starts for the opponent. I think we have been able to handle this type of thing pretty well and that is really the context that it has to be.”

Luft: The Metrodome leads the league in opponents false starts because of Vikings fans like you.

Q: This week you face Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor after going against DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart last week? Are the challenges similar for your defense?
Coughlin: “You are talking about the elite of the league. Peterson is number one in the league (in rushing yardage), so you are talking about a guy that can literally do it all. He’s an exceptional runner, change of direction guy, powerful, has good speed, a very difficult guy to defend. Chester Taylor is tied for second on the team in receptions. He plays extremely well coming out of the backfield, running the ball, he’s back on kickoff return. They might put Peterson back there on kickoff return.”

Luft: Adrian Peterson is the best in the business with one flaw of late.  He has a bad case of fumblitis.  Former Minnesota Vikings runningback Robert Smith has publicly given AD some tips.  Smith’s solution: four points of pressure.  “Tip of the ball, covered with your hand, cupping it into your forearm, then your forearm locked into your bicep so there’s no separation between the ball and your body,” Smith said.  “There’s nowhere for someone to get their arm in there.  Let’s hope that AD learns that lesson and wants to prove it Sunday.

Q: They are number one in the league in run defense. Does it start up front with their tackles, even with Pat Williams out with a shoulder injury?
“Both ends (Jared Allen and Ray Edwards) are playing well. (Linebacker Ben) Leber is an exceptional player, (Chad) Greenway is playing well and (Napoleon) Harris is a guy that is playing in the middle. They lost (E.J.) Henderson early on, but Harris is strong and powerful. (Darren) Sharper comes down in the box, (Madieu) Williams comes down. (Antonio) Winfield is a hell of a tackler for a corner. They have a very sound, solid scheme with good players.”

Luft: Coughlin is showing respect for a very good defense and is secretly worried that his quarterback gets too afraid of the team that has terrorized him in the past.

Do or die is what the boys in Purple are facing. I know that the they can still lose and as long as the Texans win, they win the division despite two consecutive losses, but do the fans a favor and just win your way in by beating the Giants. This is for all intensive purposes your first playoff game and needs treated as such.

The Vikes had a chance to secure the division last week and possibly play for a postseason bye week, but they fumbled it all away. Sunday the World Champion New York Giants come to the Metrodome. Fresh off securing the NFC’s #1 seed in the playoffs after defeating the Carolina Panthers in a close game. The debate will be who will they play and who will they rest?

As per NFL.com’s preview, the possible Giants that sit or are limited are these.

The temptation for head coach Tom Coughlin will be to rest his wounded warriors — and that includes DE Justin Tuck, CB Aaron Ross, DT Fred Robbins, RB Brandon Jacobs, ORT Kareem McKenzie, WR Sinorice Moss and LB Gerris Wilkinson, among others.

I hope he sits them all, but what I’d like to really see is the Vikings defense get into Eli Manning’s head one more time.

This is also a game that Visanthe Shaincoe can show his former team what a big mistake it was to let him go. Ever since Visanthe upped his glove size, he has caught just about everything in sight, leading to his biggest game of his career last week with 136 yards and 2 TD’s. He lead’s the Vikings with 7 TD’s for the season and is second with yards per reception of 14.5. That is good for a tight end.

Then there is Tarvaris Jackson going out and once again proving that he is the best quarterback on this team. Gus Frerotte didn’t lose his starting job because of injury, he lost it due to T-Jack playing much better ball. Comparing the QB’s season stats and breaking them down, Tarvaris has huge leads in almost every category (more on that later). He is hot and will need to continue to be to take this Vikings team into the playoffs.

I hope you enjoyed the different pregame format using the Tom Coughlin interview. Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading.

The game is Sunday at noon, and as always… GO VIKINGS!

I love that Yogi Berra line, but this isn’t a play on words just for the heck of it, this is Minnesota Vikings football of the past and maybe again.  You Vikings fans must be thinking it.  You know, that worried sensation, the feeling in your gut that the Minnesota Vikings always have found a way to lose when it means the most.

Sean Jensen from the Pioneer Press helps us illustrate it.

Under Mike Tice and Brad Childress, the Vikings are a combined 12-15 in December games from 2002 to 2007, with collapses that cost division titles and playoff spots.

There was 2003, when the Vikings lost to the 3-12 Arizona Cardinals 18-17.

There was 2005, when the Vikings lost to the 5-9 Baltimore Ravens 30-23.

Let me take you back in time to week 16 of the 2007 season and the Washington Redskins were coming to town.  All the Vikings had to do was win the game and they would be in the playoffs.

The Vikes had just rattled off 5 straight wins after a slow start and there was talk that they were starting to be a real force in the NFC.  There was hype and good feeling that the Vikings had finally turned the corner.  Head coach Brad Childress seamed to be living up to his expectations and his hand selected quarterback, Tarvaris Jackson wasn’t losing games.  All was well right?

The rest was history.  The Vikes went on to lose against the Redskins 32-21 at home, turning the ball over three times.  At that point the Vikings needed help to make the playoffs but it was still possible.  They would hit the road in week 17 and head to Denver.  They would need a win and help in the earlier games to get into the tournament.  It never came, but wouldn’t have mattered anyway.  Three more turnovers and a classic drop of a touchdown pass by Troy Williamson was all she wrote.  Season over, in flames,… as usual.

The blame was aimed at Brad Childress for being out coached, Tarvaris Jackson for not being ready (“he’s only a division 2 guy”) and a pass defense that was last in the league.

This year the Vikings find themselves in the same position.  They only need to win this one game after coming off a four game winning streak and they are in the playoffs.  They will be the NFC North champions no less and have bettered their record from last year by at least two games.  If they win.  If.  If…

I’m starting to get that déjà vu feeling again.  We have seen this, only this year it will be rookie sensation Matt Ryan and the Falcons and just like the Redskins from last year, they are looking to make the playoffs themselves.

Can the Vikings do something they haven’t done in a long while (2004), and win the one it will take to make the playoffs?

“You want to be playing your best football in December,” safety Darren Sharper said. “We’ve done that, but we’ve got to continue with it.

Well, Darren you are right, but not only do the players have to play their “A” game, the coaches need to as well and not hamstring themselves with an ultraconservative game plan and playbook.  Give it your all like Jared Allen does and win this one!

How good Chris Kluwe is

I would like to discuss how good Chris Kluwe is, and I’m not referring to his guitar hero playing. He has quietly amassed a 47.6 yard punting average, second only to the late great Slingin’ Sammy Baugh who passed away this week at the age 94.

(I’m more and more convinced that there is football in heaven.)

I didn’t know, but Sammy holds the the NFL record for longest average punts at 51.4 yards set in 1940. That record is 68 years old! Amazing. Especially when you think that players have all grown bigger, faster, and stronger over that period.

Chris on top of what will be the second farthest yard average in history (current is Bobby Walden’s mark of 46.4 in 1964), he has already 32 punts of 50 yards or longer already has shattered his team-record total of 25 from last season.

That means two things:
1) The Vikings have the best punter in the league
2) We punt too much.

Chris missed the Pro Bowl, but definitely deserves the recognition.

The game

Vikings have destroyed one bird team last week, now they will do it again at home.  It was good run Atlanta, but that is it for this year.

GO VIKINGS!

The Magic Number of ONE!

The Minnesota went down for their second road game in a row, and demolished the Arizona Cardinals in their house 35-14.  That means the Vikings magic number is one game; either one win or one loss by the Chicago Bears and the Vikings will clinch their first NFC North division title (the last time that they won it was the NFC Central).

Let the excuses fly for Arizona, like they had nothing to play for, but it won’t wash.  They were embarrassed by dominant play on both sides of the ball and on both lines of scrimmage.  It was the most complete game that the Vikings had played in the Brad Childress era.

First congratulations go to Adrian Peterson for breaking the Vikings single season rushing record.  The record was 1,521 yards, held by Robert Smith in 2000, Peterson today ran for 165 yards and now has 1,581 yards with two games left to play.

Also, AD set another franchise record for 9 games rushing over 100 yards… and there are still two games left to play.

Jared Allen and the rest of the defense absolutely harassed Kurt Warner all day.  Harassment came in the form of 4 sacks and 11 hurries.  Jared Allen had 2 more sacks bringing his season total to 14.5, just a half sack short of his league leading total from last year… and there are still two games left to play.

The biggest and brightest story of the game will be Tarvaris Jackson’s first start since week 2 and his benching.  He went an efficient 11 of 17 for 163 yards.  He had 4 touchdowns and a QB rating of 135.5.  He was making smart decisions and precise throws all over the field.

In breaking news, the Childress KAO actually was this afternoon.  If the Vikes continue this play next week and into the playoffs, they might just be that hot team on a roll.

I would like to thank Gonzo over at the Daily Norseman for running the best streaming game thread in the world.  Literally, with fans logged in from Kuwait, Sweden and Iceland just a few being able to read reactions of those watching just like we were there with them.  Thanks Buddy.

Skol VIKINGS!

Hicks Now Right and Cook Can Only Look

In an effort to shake things up a little, Brad Childress notified this year’s under-performer of the week, Ryan Cook, that he has been demoted to the bench. After starting at right tackle in 29 consecutive games, Cook was relieved of his starting duties and Artis Hicks was named the new starting right tackle.

Artis played left tackle for the suspended Bryant McKinnie and did a respectable job against four outstanding defensive ends. Did that had a lot to do with Hicks getting the nod?

“It sure doesn’t hurt the decision at all,” Childress said. “I mentioned before he’s a natural left-handed guy, but he’s got the ability to swing all the way along that line.”

Being left-handed means that his usual or natural position on the line is on the left side. That is the side he is most comfortable with and moves naturally. If you remember last year, he was replaced at right guard by Anthony Herrera for poor performance himself. Let us all hope that tackle has much better results.

Cook and Hicks were each asked about the move.

“I kind of saw it (coming),” he said. “Obviously, I’m not very happy with the decision, but that’s the decision they made. I’m here to support Artis in all his endeavors and the team, as well.”

“It’s all for the betterment of the offense. Cook’s a great player,” Hicks replied. “Don’t take nothing away from Cook. We all go through times where we’re not playing as good as we like. I had kind of known from my own personal opinion of how I played (in the Green Bay and Tampa Bay) games. I made technical mistakes that I shouldn’t be making.”

As being one of the few Ryan Cook fans in the Vikings blogosphere because he’s a hometown boy, I have taken a lot a grief over his play and given some. For all of those I may have come on a little strong or over the top, my apologies. I did my analysis last year and he was just barely below average compared to other starting right tackles , but this year, and especially the last two games has played worse than that. Demotion is deserved.

All we need now is Cedric Griffin benched (which was a possibility prior to Gordon’s gruesome injury), and the whole 2006 second round of Ryan Cook, Cedric Griffin and Tarvaris Jackson could be standing behind Brad Childress and cheering the team together. Some advice, “Watch your back Cedric.”

Artis Hicks needs to view this as his chance to cement a starting position and we all hope play on the right side of the line improves. First test is the Jags and rookie Quenton Groves. A nice start and help with a win will be a step in the right, and first place direction.

Grandpa Sports and the art of brown nosing

Sid Hartman, affectionately known as Grandpa Sports in the Twin Cities has put out another sugary sweet column on how the Wilf’s are standing by their man. (Sounds like a country song I heard once.)

One of the Wilf family, owners of the Vikings, asked not to be quoted. But he said the family is very happy with the job Childress is doing, predicted the Vikings will win the NFC North Division and again repeated what other members of the ownership have said: It takes time to build a solid, winning team.

“One of the Wilf family…” Who, the dog, because Chili brings him treats. Childress’ approval rating is sitting at 13% today, a two point raise from last week. An increase for doing nothing, but well within the margin of error.

Well to win the NFC North, Childress needs to keep that offense as productive as they were against Chicago, cut the special teams mistakes dramatically and hope the Wall wins their appeal.

He will need to beat the Texans this week to get back to .500 and mute the “Fire Childress!” chants. Then the Vikings will have to raze the remaining games against their division rivals. Those 4 victories would give the Vikings 7 total, not enough to win the division but making it easier. The team will still need to pick off 2 or 3 more additional wins to win the division. That means at minimum 6 wins with beating everybody in the division or being swept by the Bears or Packers will dictate 7 wins in the final 9 games.

That will be one heck of a late season roll, surpassing the 5-3 run last year.

The first win starts Sunday. Go Vikings!

Pill situation different

Minnesota Viking Pat Williams says his banned-substance situation is different, but won’t elaborate

This is an interesting piece by Sean Jensen. Pat is worried about what the kids he influences will think. From what I can get from this is that by no means it was intentional. Other reports I’ve read also elude to maybe that the players were taking approved supplements they may have somehow been spiked. We will see as these appeals play out.

What surprised me even more though was when these tests were taken.

Indications are that all the positive tests came during training camp. According to the 2008 NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances, “all players will be tested for prohibited substances at least once per league year. Such testing will occur at training camp or whenever the player reports thereafter.”

Training camp! They report at the end of July and now it is almost November. That I find incredulous. Those test results should have been back by the start of the season.

When asked about all of this being leaked and now very public [think of those kids], Williams responded.

He also lamented that the system is “flawed” and questioned the leaking of what is supposed to be highly confidential information. Any team or team employee publicly divulging “information concerning positive tests or other violations” is subject to a fine of up to $500,000 by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Whomever is responsible for the disclosure of the player’s confidential information needs this and termination. It is unconscionable in this blogger’s opinion.

I’m still hoping that the appeals go through and that both Pat and Kevin miss no game time. …But I’m biased of course.

Tarvaris running the scout team

What a fall from grace. Started the last 7 games of 2007 to be benched after the first two this year.

Charlie Walters gets a chance to talk to the almost invisible quarterback.

Wanting to get snaps that all now go to Gus Frerotte, T-Jack has volunteered to run the scout team. (Which means John David Booty gets nothing.) He is running the other teams plays and emulating their tendencies. Hopefully that will add to his QB development even though it is not the same scheme that he would have to step back into if Gus goes down.

“It’s a lot different going from the starter back to the scout team,” Jackson said. “But you’ve got to take it for what it’s worth and try to get better.”

Jackson hasn’t given up on returning,

“Hopefully,” he said. “I’m just taking it one day at a time right now, and however things pan out. . . . I really can’t control it if I’m on the field or not. So I’m just doing what I can.”

Learn the most you can, when you can and be ready to step in when called. Take mental notes how Gus Frerotte stays cool and confidently throws the ball during games. Do that, and when that time comes, you could very well earn that starting spot back.

Brad Childress in hot water.

You sometimes wonder if Brad Childress, head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, is like the frog is the stew pot that doesn’t realize that the water is getting hotter.

You never put a live frog into hot water to cook. It will sense the scalding temperature of the liquid and hops out. Putting that same frog in water at room temperature then slowly bring up the heat, it will just swim around oblivious to its impending doom. Once the frog starts to figure out the water is too hot, it is too late and he is already cooked enough that he can no longer escape and his demise is imminent.

Brad Childress is swimming around on the sidelines just like the frog in the pot, not sensing the impending doom. The heat has been turned up and it is only a matter of time.

The death of a head coach’s stint at the helm of an NFL franchise usually follows a similar pattern. A new head coach is hired, there is optimism and an understanding standing honeymoon period to follow. The coach is given time to make the team in his image and to play under his philosophy. This usually takes a couple of seasons to bear fruit and the fans understand that. That was where Childress was last year, and after a slow start followed with a strong finish and just barely missing the playoffs, hopes were high.

The owner, Zygi Wilf, committed to excellence and went out and bought even more of the best available talent at coach Childress’ request to make the team even better in the push towards football success and glory. Pundits everywhere were saying that the Vikings were an NFC and Super Bowl contender. The ticket and merchandise buying fans and a football loving owner couldn’t be happier to have their expectations set so high. Only thing left was to live up to those deserving expectations.

Here is where we have the frog in the pot of water wondering why spices and bits of food are starting to be added. It started in the preseason when a confident and extremely well executing Tarvaris Jackson went down with a knee sprain in game 2. He did not play again until the opener. Young guys especially need the reps, but everything was going to be just fine Childress would tell us. Then came the opener against our arch rival Packers and a sluggish offensive effort full of mistakes lets a “should be” win slip away. Oh, how the fans wanted that one, especially after the Favre soap opera and the allegations of tampering.

Next was the come from ahead loss to the mighty Indianapolis Colts. With a lead well in hand, stupid and undisciplined mistakes led to another Peyton Manning fourth quarter comeback. Doubts are starting to manifest themselves, particularly in the fans’ minds and coach Childress dominates the coach’s approval rating voting on ESPN and plummets to a 6% low. Childress throws his poor performing young quarterback under the bus. We all hear the ca-thunk of TJack under the wheels as old Gus Frerotte is named the starter for the rest of the season. The knob on the stove is turned on.

Game 3, the defense that Vikings fans love showed themselves and behind outstanding play from Antoine Winfield and EJ Henderson, they rocked the Panthers. Childress’ rating goes up to 29%. The cook is wondering whether to turn the heat off and fix something else.

Game 4, the Vikes head south to Tennessee to meet their mirror image of a team. Vikings fans, just think, today the Titans are still undefeated. Yes, the Vikes got beat but mostly by themselves with more stupid mistakes and self inflicted penalties. Childress’ coaching rating plummets down to 6%, the lowest of all coaches in the league. Stock is added to the pot but we learn other cooks have already had their recipes bowl over. The Oakland Raiders fired head coach Lane Kiffin soon to be followed by the St Louis Rams calling Scott Linehan’s tenure done.

Game 5, down in bayou country where they really know how to cook up some frog. Facing the most dominant passing game in the league this year, the Vikings hold there own and open a lead against the Saints. Fans are happy, but not for long as we witness the game being given away. Two punts are returned by Reggie Bush and the special teams give up 354 total yards. How classic this is starting to become. Fortunately, with the help of some questionable calls, the Vikes come out with a win. Childress’ response was throw his punter, Chris Kluwe, under the bus. Ca-thunk! A win, no matter how ugly, garnishes Brad a bump to 13% (his season average). A “W” is a “W” right? Vegetables are being added to the stew and the heat bumped up again.

Game 6, the hapless Lions come to town and this should be easy. Yeah, right. Bumblin’, fumblin’ and stumblin’ the lethargic play of the Vikings and more fortunate bad officiating and the Vikes barely, and I mean barely, eek out a win. Downward goes the coach’s approval rating to a generous 10%. (I didn’t know the Childress clan was so big.) The Vikes are back to .500 and the frog seems to be quite pleased with himself.

Off to the big city of Chicago, where coach Childress was gifted with Adrian Peterson’s breakout game last season. Two good defensive teams with weak offenses were to meet in what surely would be a tradition black and blue slug fest.

Nope, ain’t going to happen. More stupid coaching decisions, especially with the special teams leads to the Vikings giving away free points and great field position. The offense had its best game and play calling even had a surprise or two. The Vikes still throw too much on short downs and stupidly announce it by lining up in the shotgun. Why? We have the best running tandem in the league and it is consistently misused and neglected.

The slug fest became a shootout but with questionable aim on the Vikings part, self-inflicted wounds in the way of coaching decisions for squib kicks, flooky ball bounces, bad throws by old Gus and a rash of penalties like false starts and encroachments led to a loss after scoring 41 points. Fan frustration is already boiling, but because of the offensive output, Childress garners an extra point and now sits at 11%. (Below that of congress as pointed out by John McMullen over on Real Football 365 today.) A little salt and pepper added to our stew and soon it will be simmering. Elsewhere in the league another pot boils over and the 49’ers relieve Mike Nolan.

The final steps in the firing of a coach are that the fans start calling for his head. Check. Then the media starts the criticism of everything he does. Check. Then they question, “Should he remain?” Anthony Hall does that well this morning at Vikings War Cry and it will be soon in the mainstream press if the Vikings return from the bye and lose to the Houston Texans. The team has demonstrated a propensity to play to the level of their opponents then through sloppy play and predictable play calling, try to give it away. They are unfortunately succeeding in the later proved out with the 3-4 record.

3-4 doesn’t cut it, and Brad Childress will have to rectify that and have his team start living up to those expectations because if not, the heat will be cranked up one last time and the frog stew will be brought to a boil. Not liking the taste of it, our chef who is know for his love of football and not his cooking, may just throw that frog out.

The moral of this story is for Childress to pull his head out [of the water] and start winning lots of games, otherwise there will be frog stew for supper.

It has been an eventful week leading up to this battle between John Fox’s 2-0 Carolina Panthers and Brad Childress’ 0-2 Minnesota Vikings. In a move that reeks of desperation, and I’m talking like the smell down wind of a pig farm, coach Childress benched his hand picked quarterback for being tentative. He has announced that he will being going with the veteran Gus Frerotte for the rest of the season.

A potential problem with that decision is that Frerotte’s career numbers are worse than Jackson’s. He has only completed 54.2% of his passes thrown and last year threw for 7 touchdowns in three games, but almost doubled that total in interceptions with 12 over the same time period.

That leads to the first key need for the Vikings to win what may be the cliché must win game.

1. Gus Frerotte must at least complete 60% of his passes with more TDs than INTs.

That may not be as easy as it sounds for multiple reasons.

First, he will be throwing to a gimpy receiver corps. Bernard Berrian is still being hampered by turf toe, Sydney Rice may be out due to a sprained knee and Aundrae Allison is slowed by a bruised foot. That leaves veterans Bobby Wade, not known as a deep threat or Robert Ferguson retained for his down field blocking. Even though at 37, Gus has a strong arm and good deep ball, but due to lack of speed of the receivers and their ability to get separation, and that leads to the second problem.

Gus is known for his immobility, and with a power rush led by Julius Peppers against left tackle stand in Artis Hicks, plus Ryan Cook on the right, there may be not enough time for healthy receivers to get open.

2. The offensive line must limit sacks to 3 or less and give Gus time to throw.

The quarterback’s best friend is a good running game and the Vikings have one of the best. They ranked 1^st last year and are presently 4^th after two games this year. The only question here is will Adrian Peterson play and how effective will he be with a sore hamstring? Will Brad Childress push his star in desperation or sit him and let a very capable Chester Taylor handle the load? Maurice Hicks, coming off his own injured foot will be asked to be the #2 guy if AD can’t play.

3. Continued success in the running game and its use to set up the play action pass.

That brings me to offensive play calling. It has been truly offensive, unbalanced and as predictable as the sun will coming up in the east. Brad Childress has seemed to throw out over half his play book, either out of a perceived need to simplify things for Tarvaris Jackson or out of rigidity in sticking within his imaginary “kick ass offense” system that calls for running the same plays over and over, it has cost the Vikings production and arguably wins.

This is probably the biggest key to this game and the entire season. He feels Gus will give him the ability to open things up, we are assuming, and hope that is the case.

4. There is a diversified and more balanced game plan and play calling.

Defensively, the Panthers will try to take their two headed rushing attack of DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart and try their luck against the unit that held all of the Indianapolis Colts to only 25 yards total rushing. Where the Panthers will most likely will aim Jake Delhomme’s at the returning Steve Smith.

The Panthers have the 18th ranked passing game in the first two weeks of the season, and with the return of Smith from his two game suspension paring against the 24^th ranked Vikings pass defense. There has been talk that instead of leaving Cedric Griffin on his side and matched up against Smith, and having a result like when Fred Smoot lined up against Smith two years ago, that Antoine Winfield will flip sides and have the sole responsibility to cover him. The problem is that Winfield hasn’t played on the left side since becoming a Viking.

5. Pass defense must be effective and not give up the big play. That include pressure and sacks from the front guys and good coverage from the guys in the back.

Special teams need improvement over last week. I’m hoping to see Vinny Ciurciu play with an “I’ll show you” chip on his shoulder for his former team.

6. Special teams coverage units need to keep returns under the 20/10 average for kick and punts along with allowing no TD returns.

If the Vikings achieve these keys to winning, then they can start their march to success. If not, there has only been 3 teams since 1990 to make the playoffs, 1992 San Diego Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions, and the 1998 Buffalo Bills. Starting 0-4 and you can almost forget it and start scouting the college players we want in the draft.

The Vikings should rally around their new quarterback; the defense will look to shut down another decent offense. Combine that with some good game management and the Vikes will pull out the “must” win.

Skol Vikings!

Going into the game against the Colts last Sunday, I had written 7 items needed for success. From these it has solidified my opinion of the team. The offensive coaching and game planning has hurt this team and Tarvaris Jackson’s development. Tarvaris Jackson looks like a young quarterback that is being thrown to the wolves after little “teaching” from the coaches, and our defense though still a little weak on the left DB side is overall outstanding.

This is what I was looking for:

1. Will Tarvaris Jackson complete at least 60% of his passes?

NOT ACHIEVED – He threw for a little over 58%, no TD (Shaincoe dropped one, also knocking 4% points from TJ’s completion rate), no INTs, 130 yards and a 73.3 QBR.

2. Will Artis Hicks play very effectively or his backups?

ACHIEVED – Hicks played, Freeney had one sack. Play was adequate.

3. Anthony Hall over at Vikings War Cry wrote Friday about the play calling and player utilization (or lack there of). Was there going to be a more normal split of the one-two punch of Peterson-Taylor?

NOT ACHIEVED – Failed miserably. Peterson had 29 carries to Taylor’s 4, that is 86-14 and even more lopsided that week 1.

4. Play calling should favor the run this week because the Colts are relatively week and can be taken advantage of in this area. By no means does that mean abandon the pass though. There needs to be a more consistent mix of play calling and a better balance in the run pass ratio.

NOT ACHIEVED – Failed miserably. There was no consistent mix of play calling as illustrated by 6 strait run up the middle calls.

5. Will the defensive line get pressure on the less mobile [than Aaron Rodgers] Peyton Manning?

ACHIEVED – Jared Allen and the rest of the line had Manning ducking and stepping up for his life all day. Allen had a sack, but there were least a dozen times that he barely missed Manning as he screamed into the backfield. The run D held Addai to only 20 yards on the day and the Colts as a team to 25. That folks is OUTSTANDING!

6. Can Tyrell Johnson hold up against Peyton Manning’s sure fire effort to pick on him? More over will Griffin, Gordon or what ever other young DB gets some playing time hold up to the master? This will be key to holding the Colts score low.

PARTIALLY ACHIEVED – Johnson held up pretty well, but Manning picked on Griffin mercilessly. Expect to see more of this as the season continues.

7. Can the special times improve on kick coverage? Somebody, or a group of somebodies needs to step up and tackle the ball carrier on the short side of the return averages on every play.

PARTIALLY ACHIEVED – They did not give up a touchdown, unlike in week 1, but they still did not hold returners consistently under the 20/10 average. The Colts had a kick return average of 21 and punt return of 15. It is an improvement, but there is still more needed.

The blame for getting into Colts territory 8 times in a row but only coming away with 5 field goals (with the exception of Shaincoe’s TD drop) should not be attributed to lack of player abilities, but to the play calling as part of a system versus calling plays against a defense from the system, hopefully taking advantage of the athlete’s talents.

It is sad when Dan Dierdorf along with most of us fans can predict the next play called by Chilldress/Bevell, because if we can on a regular basis, you surely know defensive coordinators that study the stuff surely can. That has absolutely nothing to do with players’ abilities, but that of a coach stuck rigidly in his system.

Tarvaris’ completion percentage was higher in the preseason and now with a gimped up Berrian and as of last week a sprained knee on Sidney Rice, just like last year, there isn’t a whole lot to throw to. Some of those off target throws are timing related or route running related not just only attributable to Jackson but to the receivers that we tend not to notice as easily we can see the drops.

Why would we throw 4 times to Mills in week 1 and 0 in week 2? Why are 6 straight AD up the middle plays ran and ESPN commenting on how 90% of are plays are to the right. That has nothing to do with Tarvaris.

He is a young quarterback and if he had a game plan that maximized his and the rest of the offense’s talents versus shoving players into a conservative system based on player’s talents from 30 years ago, and play calling to mix things up, you would see success far greater than the last two years.

How many multiple receiver sets did you see? Was Adrian ever set up wide? We have to of the best ever pulling linemen ever in Birk and Hutch and how many times did you see them pull?

Just like Brad Johnson, Kelly Holcomb and Brooks Bollinger, and if we give up on Jackson, I would hypothesize that Gus Frerrotte will meet with the same sort of result if he is made the starter. It is a result not of lack minimal skills, but because of the offense they are stuck trying to succeed in.

My conclusion is that Tarvaris is a 3rd year quarterback that has talents being wasted and not developed to the maximum extent. That is what a good coach would be doing, that along with all the players on the team and utilizing their talents in a way that maximizes the chances to win games.  Jackson isn’t the problem, it is Childress’ and Bevell’s actions, decisions, and calls or the lack of them.

After watching and dissecting the victory lost, rather than piling on, I thought I might change things up and give you the Vikings in their own words. The interview is a mock, but the answers are very real.

Take from this what you will.  It is still early and I remind you that the first 5 games of this year’s schedule were going to be rough.  The Vikings just barely lost to the conference runner-ups from last year.  Next up will be the 2-0 Panthers, then on the road for the 2-0 Titans and 1-1 Saints.  As Ryan Longwell stated, they need to correct things and go on a run.

Did you notice that Garrett Mills had 4 balls thrown his way? He caught 3 and the 4th sailed through his hands when he attempted a sliding over the shoulder catch. He led the team with 49 yards received. He, Bernard Barrian and Visanthe Shiancoe each had caught 3 balls showing that Tarvaris is doing a good job of spreading the ball around.

It was interesting that he was used so much. I’m trying to read if it has any meaning for competition for the starting pass catching tight end role. What do you think?

A good friend and fellow blogger Cobra responded:

I doubt it. Garrett Mills is a terribly underrated tight end but he doesn’t have the athleticism Shiancoe does (insert sarcastic comment here). Shiancoe’s 3 catches along with the one that should have been ruled a catch tells me that this is likely a coincidence.

Here’s a thought. Could we be seeing the first TE by committee? 6 catches for 70 yards is pretty respectable for a TE.

That is an interesting thought. We’ll have to keep a watch and see.