Vikings vs Chargers , 4 Nov 2007
Pregame Analysis by Dave Stefano
VikingsValhalla.com

The 4-3 Chargers make the trip away from the dieing embers of southern California to try and zap into submission another team on their quest to win the AFC West. They will be coming into our house and facing an equally potent running game, and a run stopping defense that has been at the top of the league for over a year and a half. The Vikes are 2-5 and stricken by the injury bug and some questionable coaching, but do have the talent and ability to keep it close, capitalize on turnovers, and snatch victory in front of its die hard fans.

The Vikings have had to rely on all three of their quarterbacks this season with varying results mostly on the bad side. Tarvaris Jackson was the ordained one, coming out of camp. He is head coach Childress’ personal draft selection and hopes for a long prosperous career, but he got injured early with a strained groin and performed poorly. Kelly Holcomb, who was hired at the last minute, replaced him, but didn’t do any better in his first two appearances and was replaced by Tarvaris when he became healthy enough. The trend continued with more poor play, but the Vikes snatched a victory in Chicago due to this year’s draft gem, Adrian Peterson.

Following, Jackson did get hurt again, this time with a broken finger on his throwing hand, and we got a loss to go with it. Holcomb gets the next start and all he has to do is play well to probably earn the starting job, but he doesn’t. He ends up playing badly, then gets his head pile driven into the turf and is out. Then steps in our only decent QB play of the season by Brooks Bollinger, almost leading to a come back win. But it didn’t…

Starting this week is Brooks Bollinger? Nope. Coach Childress has Tarvaris Jackson taking most of the snaps all week as we are told. We also learn that he has been nursing the pulled groin this whole time, but we’re hearing his finger is feeling better, but not yet 100%. So that leads to Jackson starting with his 48 quarterback rating and Brooks sitting the bench with his 99, making perfectly good Childress sense, and the source of fan frustration.

I intended on starting this pregame analysis and Vikings Valhalla opinion piece with the headlines that the two best running backs in the league meet as the warm up act to the game of the century where the two best quarterbacks will do battle for NFL supremacy. Both the Vikings and Chargers can bring a dominating running game, and the matchup promises to match the league MVP with this years probable Rookie of the Year and hopefully future league MVP. Both defenses are stout against the run and that part of the game should be very interesting to watch.

There is good news and bad new though in that department. The bad news is that it looks as if Antoine Winfield, the best pound for pound tackler in the business will be out due to a bad hammy. The future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson favors running to his left, the defenses right, and right to where Winfield would usually be waiting. With Antoine out, rookie Marcus McCauley with get the start on that side and along with Ray Edwards and Brian Robison will have their hands full at stopping LT. The good news is that on the opposite side, the Chargers will be starting Cory Withrow, the former Vike at center due to injuries. Cory, though well liked while in Minnesota is only a backup and should be schooled by the Williams Wall, getting upfield penetration on the way to stopping any running game.

But as the good news – bad news pattern continues, the Vikings have been horrible against the pass. Not only can LT catch the ball, they have Pro Bowl TE Antonio Gates running routes across the middle, the weak spot of the Tampa 2 defense, and though the linebackers have been great against the run, that is not the case against the pass. Gates will win almost all of those matchups. Throw into the mix the third head in the Chargers monster offense of Chris Chambers, the well accomplished wide receiver traded from the floundering Miami Dolphins, and you have a deadly mix of pass catchers that can do us great harm. They have Phillip Rivers throwing them the ball and with his away game QB rating of 100 (89 on turf), they will get plenty of balls heading their way.

The good news in all of this is that Ted Cotrell is the Chargers Defensive Coordinator, and he brings his “confuse his own players” style of defense back to the dome, and luckily for us, he’ll be on the opposite side line. Ted schemed the Vikings D under Mike Tice into an ineffectual mass of players not contributing to any sort of winning effort. He wants his defensive linemen to stand up the offensive line and hold for the stunting linebackers. He does not want them to penetrate and disrupt the run preferring that the linebackers stop it. That is great news for Adrian Peterson, because it will mean all yards will be positive. This philosophy already has Shawne Merriman grousing about his lack of sacks. Thanks Ted.

Ted has also blessed the Chargers with a poor pass defense, more of his “confuse his own players” style, but I fear the Vikings will not be able to capitalize on that benefit. Troy “butterfingers” Williamson [that will be my only Halloween candy reference] is out with his family after his grandmother’s death this week. Bobby Wade is questionable with a strained knee leaving very little left for Tarvaris to target. Shaincoe coming off of his best game of the season may be our best receiving threat. Hopefully Childress will throw more to Adrian as well. Then throw in Sidney Rice on crossing or deep patterns and we may get lucky. Here’s to a little luck and Ted’s D.

San Diego has a 5-4 lead in its all-time series with Minnesota, but their head coach, Norv Turner is 0-1 against the Minnesota. On the flip side, Brad Childress is 0-0 against San Diego, and the double zero probably gives Norm the edge. This should be another telling game on how Childress can plan, adapt and coach against a good team. My heart has picked the Vikings to win always. It is yelling at my head to shut up and enjoy the run D and the run O, hope for the best, and enjoy the beer!

GO VIKINGS!