Luft’s Locker Room

Posts Tagged ‘Tyrell Johnson’

This sounds like a country ballad or a George Thorogood blues rift.  In previous Vikings administrations we’d have some sort of scandal to talk about by now. A boat trip, a brawl at bar or a little sex in a stairwell type of story. Not this year.

We can talk about Visanthe Shiancoe taking about 20 games to get over the dropsies, but that he has finally.

There is Gus, who’s steady production has been nice even though the interceptions haven’t.

There is always my newest favorite topic of Frog Stew.

Then there is the second half of the schedule. The Vikings need to look at it one game at a time, but we fans don’t. Figuring that we will need a 10 wins to make the playoffs, that will mean that we have to win the next 7 of 9 games. (I just may have to break them down like my friend Amishbear did with his Bears.)

We can also speculate on how well the Napster [Harris] will settle in at MLB and will he get the radio and the calls or will continue to stay with Ben Leber?

And I almost forgot, Madieu Williams should be back from his neck injury, as mysterious as it was. The whole time, I think the most I had read on it was that it was nerve related. He will probably split time with Tyrell Johnson, who did a respectable job especially considering he’s a rookie. Then will take over to the glee of Darren Sharper who hopes they will throw his way then every once in a while. He can’t get interceptions without it.

Once back in the starting lineup for good, I am anxious to see if the pass defense improves even more, hopefully by shrinking the windows that the opposing QBs have to throw to. By doing that also means that the QBs will hold the ball a little longer which results in sacks and sack sandwiches.

It is always good to be a Vikings fan. Skol!

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.

Playing with the backups

The last preseason game of 2008 is upon us and will be a battle between backups to make the squad.  The headlining battle will be between Brooks Bollinger and John David Booty to see who will be #3?  This could very well be the last time we see Grand Forks native, Bollinger in a Vikings uniform, or the Vikes could risk getting Booty through waivers and onto the practice squad.  Fans that have advocated for either player have said they don’t get a true evaluation playing with backups.  That is exactly who they will be playing with and against tonight.

I’ve heard that argument before of, “why can’t he play with the first team?”  Other than a failed snap on the center’s part, everything Booty [or any other player does] is on him.  If he is practicing amongst the inexperienced and not so talented types of the team, he can either stand out, or usually blend in.  As far as his execution, it is for the most part independent of other players.  You can evaluate how takes a snap, his drop or pivot, how he reads a defense and where he looks to throw a ball.  You can evaluate if he gets to the proper spot in the backfield in the proper position to make the hand off or throw, and does he get the ball there in a window tight enough for only the receiver to get and get there with enough speed for the receivers.  Look to see if he has the power in his arm to hit the fastest of receivers or hit a target that is open but for the very briefest of times.

That is what a coach is looking at and that is mostly independent of the other players on the fields. “If you figure on both for a half, obviously they want to give a good account of themselves,” Childress said, “whether they’re handing it off or whether they’re making a play on a naked (bootleg) or a screen or a drop-back pass. I just want to see where they’re at with my system.”

This is the third year for Brooks Bollinger, he should know the Childress system more than any quarterback on the team.  He needs to demonstrate that he can successfully execute it.  Bollinger, 28, said he would take it “just like every other game. I just need to go out there and do my job, try to move the ball, score points and win the football game.”

Booty will be given the benefit of the doubt knowing that he only has a few months of immersion in the system, not years.  “I hope we get some good quality time there and try to make an impression with this team,” he [Booty] said. “That’s what I’m trying to do, just do the best I can and not have any mental mistakes.” Lack of mental mistakes will be the key for both quarterbacks.

He will also have the fact that he is younger and that the Vikes moved up in the draft to get him.  Brooks on the other hand is not old, but he has seemed to have topped out on his development.  He seems the perennial #3 QB, a Shawn Hill or J.T. O’Sullivan type that just might need hop around the league some more.  It is not a really bad gig, to get paid about a million a year to sit the bench.

There are interactive abilities too that need looked at, like leadership and confidence portrayal along with how the other members of the team respond to them.  Each will get a half to play their quarterback hearts out, and that is what we are really looking for anyway, heart.

Against the Cowboys, coach Childress has already announced that he will not be playing his starters on offense and defense.  He will also be giving Gus Frerotte the night off after the team goes through their stretches and warm-ups.

The specialty guys aren’t so lucky, both Chris Kluwe and Ryan Longwell will get some playing time, Hauschka can’t do it all plus Childress wants Ryan to get a few more kicks in.  Steven Hauschka has done well for himself this camp and even though he will be one of the 22 players cut, he might have done enough to earn a spot on another team’s active roster [maybe the Chiefs, who cut their kicker today].

Speaking of the other 21 players that will be looking for work elsewhere, at least hoping to make it to the practice squad, Vikings preferred but any practice squad, they should be putting it all on the line to make this as memorable in a good way to make the decision difficult for the coaches.  If there is any advice that I could give them, it would be, “don’t make the decision to cut you easy.”

Two veteran players in danger of not making the cut might be cornerback Benny Sapp and safety Michael Boulware.  Boulware even with Madieu Williams out with his neck injury has been beat out by rookie Tyrell Johnson but he does have the experience that would fit well.

Scrubs on scrubs playing for their lives, it is either that or listen to some blow hard politicians promise you everything except for a new Vikings stadium.  Give me the football and maybe next week we might hear about that stadium.

Oh, and remember that the next week is one of two that we all look forward to… It’s Packer week.  A big shout out goes to Pacifist Viking and to his feelings on the subject.

Tonight is is P3. In a national broadcast on CBS, we will be treated to Mike Tomlin and his Steelers coming to town to face the mighty Purple.

It is not only a homecoming for Tomlin, but also running back “Waltzing” Mewelde Moore, punter from eons ago Mitch Berger and safety Tyrone Carter. Plus there will be ex-Goophers: Gary Russell, Matt Spaeth and Micah Rucker.

We know injury-wise at this point that Sydney Rice (virus) will be out after recovering his strength after a wicked batch of the late summer flu. Childress said tight end Garrett Mills (ankle) and defensive end Brian Robison (leg) are out for Saturday’s game. Offensive lineman Drew Radovich (shoulder) is questionable. Bernard Berrian should be playing after taking last week of with turf toe on the right foot.

The big question will be Tarvaris Jackson and his sprained knee. He did partake in some drills during the week, but reportedly never in 11 on 11 workouts. His appearance is looking very doubtful.

That will leave it up to Gus Frerotte to start the game and see if he is as sharp as he was last week off the bench. We should see a lot more running too, since the starters should get worked through half time and early into the third quarter.

The roster is at 79 but by the end of Tuesday will be dropped to 75 for the first cut. These should be 4 of the “camp bodies”, not there has seemed to be lots of those this year. The bug cuts to 53 will come a week later, and they will hurt a lot more.

Tonight will be the night, a dress rehearsal of sorts, that those guys on the Childress’ bubble must make a statement. For me I want to see if Martin Nance can continue to make the catches anywhere on the field. I want to see the battles for backup spots on the O-line, in particularly at left tackle. I want to see John David Booty and if he is still as lost as he has been the first two weeks. Then lastly take a good look at Tyrell Johnson to see if he indeed can alleviate my fears that he can take over for the injured Madieu Williams.

Speaking of Williams… Kevin and Pat along with their cowboy buddy should be having a field day against the Steelers offensive line, a weak point of theirs since last season. It should be interesting to see if the run defense has shaken off the rust as well as how many sacks can be totaled. Pittsburgh has a trio of good backs with Willie Parker followed by Mewelde Moore and rookie Rashard Mendenhall that will will test the run stopping ability of this unit yet again.

This is a very good test to see where the Vikings will measure up to the rest of the league. Enjoy the national audience, a good brew or two and the Vikings pounding some steel. Skol Vikings!