Live Action Football
By Dave Stefano
VikingsValhalla.com

The time we have waited for has arrived for some live action football.  It is taking place in camps and a few fans around the league are getting the pleasure of catching bits and pieces, but starting Sunday, we’ll be treated to football on TV every week for 6 months.  American culture; folks gathering at stadiums and around broadcasts, eating wings, barbeque, bratwursts and the like, enjoying cold beverages and mostly each other, all the while cheering on our favorite team.  The NFL 2007 season will start Sunday with the traditional Hall of Fame game.

This year’s morsel opens on NFL Network with the surprise team of last year, the New Orleans Saints against the Pittsburgh Steelers with their new head coach Mike Tomlin.  Mike turned around a Minnesota Vikings defense that was one of the worst in the league, to one that almost was best ever against the run.  He did it with enthusiasm, knowledge, and skill, resulting in players performing as one unit.  Now, he has his chance to accomplish even more as the newest head coach of this storied AFC franchise.  It should be fun to watch.

Speaking of fun to watch, let’s break down the 2007 season schedule:

Part 1 – The preseason:

Rams – Friday, 10 Aug, 7 pm – Former Vikings OC, Scott Linehan in his second year as a head coach brings his Rams to the Dome.  The only other horned helmeted team in the league will briefly show what promises to be a top 5 offense with their happy $65 million dollar quarterback in Mark Bulger leading the likes of Jackson and Holt.  Expect to see the starters for only one or two series of plays before second and third stringers take over.

@ Jets – Friday, 17 Aug, 7 pm – Curtis Martin has retired and Thomas Jones will be featured.  A Mangini coached team continues to work on its rebuilding.  Expect starters to play through the first quarter and into the second.

@ Seahawks – Saturday, 25 Aug, 8 pm – This is a national broadcast which we visit the Hutchinson-less left coast whiners.  Former Viking Nate Burleson is battling for a starting position, and that should be highlighted tonight.  Expect the starters to play through the first half and the opening series in the second half.

Cowboys – Thursday, 30 Aug, 7 pm – Terry Glenn is having arthroscopic surgery and may not be ready to play.  Terrel Owens will still be “nursing” a hamstring injury, but is happy so far with his new coach… but will it last?  Expect starters only briefly, then a flurry of everybody else as the coaches get one last look before the final cuts.

The preseason for this year’s Vikings will help determine who makes the final roster of 53, the extras lucky enough to be placed on the practice squad, the rest will look for employment elsewhere.  It is also, the break in time of new members of the coaching staff, Leslie Frazier at DC in particular.  It will hopefully shed light on a new play calling procedures for the offense, which though bland because it is the preseason, won’t be predictable.  It will be the tuning up of the team heading into a successful 2007 campaign.  Join us here at VikingsValhalla.com to talk about every minute.