Vikings DE Jared Allen Mullet Video

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen discusses his signature mullet and the accompanying lifestyle it demands in the NFLPA video on Youtube! Too funny!

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings, Mid-Season Edition

I really meant to do one of these back during the pre-season so that we'd have something to compare it to at this point, but I forgot to.  I apologize for that.  But, as usual, we'll have our mid-season version. . .conveniently designed to go along with the Vikings' bye week. . .and our post-season version to compare.

I've done these for the past couple of seasons, after originally getting the idea from our friends over at Dawgs by Nature.  (See the 2007 mid-season and post-season versions, as well as the 2008 mid-season and post-season versions.)  These aren't official or anything, and are more designed to spark conversations/debate than anything else.  Since the table that these rankings are placed in is pretty huge, I'll put it in after the jump for everyone to have a look at.  Enjoy, and tell us what you think!

Player Power Rankings
Rank	Player	Comment
1	Jared Allen, DE	Greatest trade in Vikings' history?  If it's not, it's certainly on the short list.  In 24 games since coming to Minnesota, #69 has 25 sacks (3 of which have resulted in safeties), 5 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles, and has generally just been the best 4-3 defensive end in the National Football League.  He'd probably be the Defensive Player of the Year if the season ended today.
2	Brett Favre, QB	Okay, raise your hand if you thought the guy would be this good.  *looks around* I doubt it was that many, but anyhow. . .in eight games, Favre has turned the ball over all of four times (only one of which. . .against St. Louis. . .could probably be classed as egregiously awful), has a 4:1 TD/turnover ratio, and a quarterback rating of a cool 106.0.  Yes, it remains to see how he'll perform over the second half of the year, but the returns have been good so far.
3	Adrian Peterson, RB	You know the bar has been set pretty high for you when you're tied for second in the NFL in rushing yards, averaging almost 5 yards/carry, are second in the league in rushing touchdowns. . .and some folks are under the perception that you're struggling.  He's on pace for 40 fewer regular season carries this year than he got last year, and as long as teams still want to defend the Vikings like they have Gus Frerotte at quarterback, his numbers will probably stay low. . .keeping him fresh for the post-season.
4	Percy Harvin, WR	Surprised to see him this high?  Don't be.  How much of an impact has Harvin had?  With him returning kickoffs, the Vikings have the best average starting field position in the NFL.  He's also been a big part of the Vikings going from having one of the worst special teams units of the last 20 years to being one of the better units in the league, according to the DVOA rankings from Football Outsiders.  Oh, and he's done alright catching the ball, too.  Barring an injury, we can probably just stop the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting right now and hand the award to #12.  (Oh, and another big thank you to T.J. Houshmandzadeh for signing with the Seahawks. . .because if we had him, we likely wouldn't have Harvin.)
5	Kevin Williams, DT	The best all-around defensive tackle in football has been blowing up interior linemen all season long.  He's on pace to have his first double-digit sack season since 2004, and he's still incredible against the run.  Oh, and he's thrown in 6 defended passes, too.  To borrow a phrase from Eric. . .greatest "missed draft pick" ever?  Greatest "missed draft pick" ever.
6	Sidney Rice, WR	Nobody on the Vikings' roster has benefited more from the addition of Brett Favre than El Sid.  It's hard to believe that the University of South Carolina produced both Rice and Troy Williamson, since Sidney is pretty much the anti-Williamson.  He's on pace to have 1170 receiving yards (and hopefully more than the 2 TDs he has currently), and he has the most ridiculous set of hands this team has seen since Cris Carter left town.  Yes, Randy Moss included.
7	Ryan Longwell, K	Ridiculous to put the kicker this high?  Perhaps. . .but ponder this:  Every time this season a ball that he's kicked has gone past the line of scrimmage, it's gone through the uprights (his only "miss" this season was the block at the end of the first half of the San Francisco game).  His kickoffs have been pretty darn good, too.  One can't underestimate the importance of a kicker as good as Longwell has been this season.
8	Chad Greenway, LB	The Vikings' leading tackler after the first half of the season, he's also tossed in a couple of interceptions and 4 passes defended.  He's really gotten a lot better in coverage over the course of his Viking career, and has become one of the better all-around linebackers in the NFL.
9	Steve Hutchinson, G	Still the best at his position in the National Football League, despite getting called for his first holding penalty in 27 games last weekend against Green Bay.  Meanwhile, Nate Burleson is still doing nothing in Seattle.  Yeah, I still think the Vikings got the better of that little exchange.
10	Bryant McKinnie, T	McKinnie has been much maligned over the course of the past couple of seasons, and we would lament how he would get abused by speed rushers.  However, after making the adjustment to having Brett Favre at QB early in the season (along with the rest of the O-line), McKinnie has done a hell of a job, and is finally really starting to live up to the huge payday he got a couple of years ago.  He looks like the tackle the Vikings thought they were getting when they drafted him in 2002.
11	Antoine Winfield, CB	Ordinarily he would be much higher on this list, but his injuries. . .coupled with the fact that the Vikings haven't missed him nearly as much this year as anybody might have thought. . .push him down a little bit.  Don't get me wrong, he's still one of the best in the league at his position, but he hasn't had quite the impact so far this season that one would think.
12	Pat Williams, DT	Phat Pat got off to a bit of a rough start in 2009, some of which could possibly be attributed to getting a late start on the pre-season festivities, but has come around over the course of the past few games, and is back to being his usual bad-ass, run-stuffing self.  He's even contributed his annual sack with his takedown of Aaron Rodgers in Week 8.
13	Ray Edwards, DE	You know. . .when he's not busy jumping offsides or getting ridiculous late hit penalties, Ray Ray has actually had a pretty solid year thus far, with 26 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks.  Sure, he might be the "weak link" on the defensive line, but being the weak link on a defensive line this good is sort of like being a MENSA member with an IQ of "only" 135.
14	Visanthe Shiancoe, TE	Second in the NFL in touchdown catches among tight ends, he gives the Vikings yet another weapon to utilize around the goal line.  One could argue that he should be getting more catches, but with the emergence of Harvin and Rice, I'm not sure where those catches would come from.  (Yes, I know, "Tahi" is the obvious answer.)
15	Ben Leber, LB	Still the quietest member of the defense, but as always, you don't hear his name called very often, which means he's doing what he's asked to do.  Occasionally spectacular, but always solid.  Still the only good thing Fran Foley ever did for the Minnesota Vikings.
16	Phil Loadholt, OT	The massive rookie from Oklahoma grabbed hold of the starting RT slot in training camp and, like most things he gets a hold of, he hasn't shown any signs of letting go of it any time soon.  He did miss a game because of injury, but overall has provided a level of play that few may have expected from him as a rookie.  We'll have to keep an eye on him to see if he hits the "wall" during the course of the year.
17	E.J. Henderson, LB	I'm surprised that he's down this far, too, but really. . .who ahead of him do you move?  Frankly, E.J. just hasn't looked like E.J. most of the time this season.  A good portion of the Vikings' woes against tight ends can be attributed to him (though there is blame to be spread around. . .give me a bit), and he just hasn't been the beast that he was prior to the dislocated toes that caused him to miss most of 2008.  He is getting better, though, and hopefully will continue to do so as the season goes on.
18	Bernard Berrian, WR	He's had some injury problems this year, and his average yards/catch is significantly lower than it was in 2008, but he's still providing a pretty steady presence on the outside.  He's become pretty much automatic on slant routes thus far this season, and it's only a matter of time before corners and safeties start biting on those and opening up big gainers over the top.  He's not the #1 option any more, but he's still solid.
19	Cedric Griffin, CB	This is just my personal opinion, but there isn't a more frustrating player on the Vikings' roster to watch than Cedric Griffin.  The guy has a ton of talent, and we know he has the capability to be really good (see the second half of last year), but there are too many times when he forgets how to tackle and gets beaten in coverage.  Sadly, he's not even the most disappointing member of the secondary this season.
20	Anthony Herrera, G	Another guy we haven't heard a whole lot from this season, which is a positive.  For the most part, he seems to be doing a relatively solid job at the right guard spot.
21	John Sullivan, C	For a guy starting at center for the first time in the NFL to be the pivot on an offense this good says a lot about Sullivan's ability.  Has he been great all the time?  No. . .but he hasn't been a tremendous drop-off from Matt Birk's play last year, either, and he's still been pretty good, despite a couple of mental errors (like the mis-timed snap in Green Bay).
22	Chris Kluwe, P	Yeah, he had a crappy game half against Pittsburgh, and Joshua Cribbs got a punt return TD against the Vikings in Week 1. . .he does that to a lot of teams. . .but Kluwe has made a lot of strides over last season, in my opinion.  The willingness of the Guitar Hero to (finally) sacrifice some distance for hang time has been another part of the Vikings' special teams turnaround.
23	Jimmy Kennedy, DT	If Jimmy Kennedy isn't a testament to the amazing abilities of Vikings' defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, I'm really not sure what is.  Kennedy has served the Vikings very well as a rotation player to this point of the season, and may be putting himself in line to be a replacement for Pat Williams in the near future.  Yeah, "solid rotation" player isn't necessarily what you want from a guy that was once drafted #11 overall. . .but it's a hell of a lot more than St. Louis, Jacksonville, or Chicago got out of him.
24	Madieu Williams, S	One of the bigger disappointments on the team this year, in my opinion.  There have been a few occasions where Williams has just looked completely lost this season, and for a veteran guy like him, that shouldn't happen.  He really, really needs to step up his level of play in the second half of the season in order to bring the Vikings' pass defense up to where it needs to be.
25	Tyrell Johnson, S	The other biggest disappointment for the Vikings this year.  I know this is his first year as the full-time starter, but he just hasn't been all that good.  Nobody questions Johnson's physical ability, to be sure, but he needs to show more of why the Vikings took him in the second round in 2008.
26	Jim Kleinsasser, TE	We just keep putting Kleinsasser out there as a blocker every year, and he just keeps destroying everything in his path.  I'm not sure how many years the guy can keep doing this, but he certainly hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.
27	Cullen Loeffler, LS	I'll put the same thing I put next to his entry every year. . .when's the last time you remember the Vikings' special teams units being victimized by a bad snap?  Loeffler is solid.
28	Heath Farwell, LB	The Vikings had a lot of turnover in their special teams coverage units between 2008 and 2009, but the return of Heath Farwell has been huge.  He's always around the ball on special teams, whether it's kick returns or punt returns, and his tackling is as sure as ever.
29	Jeff Dugan, FB/TE	Remember when most of us thought the only reason the Vikings drafted Jeff Dugan was because he went to Maryland like Mike Tice did?  Yeah, that was five seasons ago, and Dugan is still here.  He's a solid blocker, and has even gotten a couple of passes this year.  One of the more underrated Vikings. . .probably underrated on this list, too.
30	Chester Taylor, RB	This may seem way too low for Chester, but his yards/carry average is way down this year, and I really think we're seeing his last season in Minnesota, as he's in the final year of his contract.  With the expansion of Adrian Peterson's role as a receiver and the improvement in his pass blocking, #29 just isn't as vital as he's been in years past.
31	Naufahu Tahi, FB	Good enough blocker, but again, I'll go with something I say every year. . .STOP THROWING HIM THE FOOTBALL.  (Although he did have a 30+ yard catch-and-run against St. Louis, which means there are probably more plays in the playbook for him than ever.)
32	Brian Robison, DE	It's not that Robison is bad or anything, because he's clearly not.  He just doesn't get a whole lot of opportunities with the guy he has in front of him taking all the snaps.  Oh, and Brian. . .the next time a kickoff bounces into your hands, just fall down. . .please?
33	Jaymar Johnson, WR	Another guy that could probably be a few spots higher, he's stepped into the punt return role quite nicely after the injury to Darius Reynaud.  Wouldn't mind seeing him get a few more shots as a receiver, but who's he going to displace, barring injury?
34	Kenny Onatolu, LB	I was really rooting for this guy to make the squad after his pre-season performance, and he hasn't disappointed, adding more solid play to the Vikings' special teams units.
35	Greg Lewis, WR	IT'S GREG LEWIS!  TOUCHDOWN!  OH MY GOODNESS!  GREG LEWIS!  WELCOME TO MINNESOTA!  OH MY HEAVENS!
36	Fred Evans, DT	Twenty-nine taser-free months and counting for Evans.  Way to go, #90!
37	Benny Sapp, CB	Could make an argument that he could be higher, I suppose.  He's had his moments but, like many parts of the Vikings' secondary this season, he's made a few highlight reels for the wrong reasons, too.
38	Tarvaris Jackson, QB	Hasn't been a disruption, and has actually taken his demotion quite well.  Has seen a bit of time in mop-up duty as well.  I hope we don't have to see him this year, but if we do, I have confidence that he could do the job for a little while, at least.
39	Letroy Guion, DT	Has bounced back and forth between the active roster and the inactive list, but has done a solid enough job in the time he's gotten.
40	Artis Hicks, OL	Filled in for Phil Loadholt when the big guy was out with an injury, and played pretty well.  Still a solid backup at numerous positions.
41	Asher Allen, CB	Has spent most of the year on the inactive list, but has been up for the last two games and has asserted himself pretty well.  Easy to see the potential the Vikings seem to think he has.
42	Jasper Brinkley, LB	Hasn't seen much time as a LB, but has been a very good special teamer thus far.
43	Karl Paymah, CB	After watching him get thoroughly abused against Baltimore, it became clear why he was brought in as a special teamer and not a cornerback.  He recovered nicely against Pittsburgh, though. . .and, hopefully, will be finding his way back to a strictly special teams role here soon.
44	Darius Reynaud, WR	Was doing an outstanding job as a punt returner before his injury, and now might not get his punt returner spot back thanks to Jaymar Johnson's performance.
45	Eric Frampton, S	Hasn't gotten the opportunity to come alive on defense. . .yes, I continue to murder that joke. . .but has been a good special teamer.
46	Husain Abdullah, S	See above, but without the reference to Peter Frampton.
47	Jamarca Sanford, S	Hasn't been up for all the games, but again has been a solid special teamer in the games that he has been.
48	Ryan Cook, OT	No Ryan Cook on the field makes Gonzo a happy blogger and Vikings quarterbacks much healthier than they may normally be.
Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete Grades
Rank	Player	Comment
NA	Sage Rosenfels, QB	The best-compensated #3 quarterback in the league.  Nice work, if you can get it.
NA	Jayme Mitchell, DE	Still pretty talented, but there just isn't room for him in Minnesota's defensive line rotation.  Damn shame, too.
NA	Erin Henderson, LB	Heck, I'm not sure if Henderson the Younger is even still on the team.
NA	Jon Cooper, C	Was signed, then released, then signed again, and I don't think he's seen the field this year.
NA	Albert Young, RB	Hasn't seen the field this year, either.

 

And there you have it.  I'm pretty sure that I haven't missed anybody. . .if I have, let me know, and I'll work them into the rankings at the appropriate place.

The Seven Good (and One Bad) of The Vikings After The Bye

The Minnesota Vikings are 7-1, and after this weekend’s results, they’re clearly in the driver’s seat in the NFC North.

So, the question is how’d they get there? Clearly, the massive upswing started one mid-August afternoon, when Brad Childress hopped into an SUV and finally delivered the Vikings a starting quarterback.

Nobody believes that Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson would be sitting at 7-1, but Brett Favre isn’t the only reason why the Vikings in control of their own destiny this season.

Here’s a look at the seven things the Vikings have going right, and one thing they need to improve in the second half of the season.

1. The Favre Factor

Clearly the elephant in the room is Brett Favre. At 40 years old, Favre is having one of the best seasons of his career. His stat line, particularly 16 touchdowns against three interceptions, is practically unbelievable. Even when he was healthy and young, he didn’t often put up stats like that.

However, the greatest benefit that Favre brings to the table is faith. For all the talk of schisms and Favre’s prima donna status, every player in the Vikings locker room believes that Brett Favre can win any game on the schedule.

That’s not a benefit they’re willing to give a Tarvaris Jackson, as much as they may like him as an individual, or Sage Rosenfels. And so far, it’s something that’s borne itself out during the season.

Favre has built an instant rapport with his receivers, has developed his own audible and check down systems, and has put some flair into a very rough and generic offense in desperate need of some life.

2. Rookie Development

There’s little doubt, at least at the moment, that Percy Harvin will be the offensive rookie of the year. With all due respect to Baltimore’s Michael Oher, nobody has splashed onto the scene quite like Havin.

He’s picked up the offensive scheme faster than anyone imagined, and has become Favre’s favorite third down target. And while the “Percy-Cat” formation hasn’t delivered much fruit, Harvin has shown his versatility as a receiver, runner, and return man.

The Vikings’ other big draft pick, both figuratively and literally, was Phil Loadholt.

And while Loadholt has struggled at times, at least in part due to injury, he has made the right side of the Viking’s line infinitely better, and as he continues to develop this season, it’s clear that he will be a force in the running game.

Of the Viking’s other draft picks, Asher Allen has played well as the nickel back in Antoine Winfield’s absence, and linebacker Jasper Brinkley and safety Jamarca Sanford have both played very well in special teams coverage.

3. Cooking Rice

Sidney Rice flashed a lot of potential in two seasons, but injuries threatened to derail his talent. Last season, Rice only had 15 catches, with four touchdowns, but he never looked comfortable.

This season? Rice already has more than four times as many yards as he did last season. Part of that is due to his quarterback. But part of it is due to Rice elevating his play.

Working out with Larry Fitzgerald and Chris Carter this offseason has given Rice a shot of confidence. He’s running routes more effectively and efficiently, and as a result, he’s looking more and more like a number one receiver.

4. Jared Allen and the Williams Wall

Jared Allen is having a career year. 10.5 sacks at the midway point and three forced fumbles put him near the top of the league as a defensive lineman. Exactly what the Vikings had hoped he would be, even more so now that he’s playing healthy.

While Pat and Kevin Williams don’t have as gaudy numbers, what’s more important for the Vikings is that they’re playing. Their suspension is tied up in the court system, and Kevin, in particular, is making the most of the opportunity.

While Pat hasn’t been the dominant run stuffer he was in years past, he’s still doing a good job eating up space, and with Jimmie Kennedy playing well backing him up, he should be well rested down the stretch.

5.  Special Special Teams

The Viking’s special teams were among the worst in the league last season, setting the wrong kinds of records for points allowed. They looked lost and missed easy assignments and tackles, most notably against Reggie Bush last year.

This year, however, the unit looks much improved. Partially because new coordinator Brian Murphy has a more tight scheme in place, but also because of the new blood on the field this season.

Percy Harvin, of course, has provided the Vikings with a spectacular kick returner, but perhaps more important is the return of Heath Farwell.

The Vikings’ leading tackler in 2007 missed all of 2008 with a knee injury. It’s no shock that Farwell’s return to the squad has improved the tackling significantly. In addition, the Vikings added two big hitters in Jamarca Sanford and Jasper Brinkley in the draft, as well as Canadian stand out Kenny Onatalu to shore up the coverage teams.

6. Scheme Change

Throughout his tenure as head coach, Brad Childress has been under fire for having too simple a game plan. The Vikings’ playbook was smaller than the one for Tecmo Bowl. Run up the middle, run up the middle, three yard pass on 3rd-and-4. It didn’t matter what personnel grouping was on the field.

Now, however, Brad Childress has been able to launch his much vaunted “kick ass” offense. Which means shaking up the packages on first and second downs, trying to find ways to bounce Adrian Peterson off tackle, and, shock of all shocks, passes for more than three yards.

It’d be dumb to suggest this didn’t have something to do with Brett Favre, of course, but most of it has to do with trust in the players on the field at any given time.

Phil Loadholt isn’t going to waffle under pressure like Ryan Cook.

Visanthe Shiancoe can actually catch passes. Sidney Rice has more than one good knee. Harvin is just as reliable as Bobby Wade, but can actually make plays downfield. All things the Vikings can count on this season that they haven’t had in a long time.

7. Soft Schedule

Of course it’s worth noting that the Viking’s schedule isn’t exactly threatening. They’re not 7-1 by accident. Well…I guess that depends on how you feel about the 49ers game.

Of their first eight games, the Vikings beat Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis all among the league’s worst. As well as Green Bay and San Francisco, two young teams that are still finding their groove. So the only “quality” win was Baltimore in Week Six.

But consider the rest of the schedule. They’ve got Detroit again, an up and down Seattle team, slumping Chicago twice, and Carolina. The only truly competitive teams that the Vikings play before the Playoffs are Arizona, Cincinnati, and the Giants. The Giants game will be at the end of the season when the Vikings are likely to have clinched the division, at least.

More importantly, however, is that the schedule clearly favors Brett Favre, since only the Chicago game on Dec. 28th will be played in a cold weather climate, and isn’t likely to be of much consequence barring a disastrous second half. 

And consider that, unless the Giants suddenly charge and the Saints fall off, the Vikings are likely to be able to play every Playoff game in a dome or warm weather stadium, as well. This isn’t last season where he’s going to have to test his bicep in bad weather nearly every week.

-1. Missing Presence

There are a few negatives to the Vikings this season, of course, but one really glaring one. While many veterans are playing hard to keep the team in first place and try to secure a Playoff spot, many highly paid veterans haven’t shown up yet this year.

E.J. Henderson, who was the spark plug of the defense last season and was playing at Pro Bowl level before he got injured, hasn’t looked the same this year. He’s played decently as the Vikings’ middle linebacker, but he’s had a tendency to disappear in the second half when the team really needs him to make stops.

Bernard Berrian is another veteran who put up great numbers last year, and seemed well on his way to proving that he was worth his exorbitant contract. But since he missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury, Berrian has not picked up the new Vikings playbook or any connection with Brett Favre at all.

Finally, the bane of the Vikings’ defense this season has been the poor tackling of safeties Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams.

And while I’m willing to give Johnson the benefit of the doubt, seeing as how it’s his first year as a true starter, Williams is a six year veteran who needs to start playing to the standards of his $33-million contract.

With everything that’s gone right for the team this season, and with luck seemingly falling their way more often than not, it’s not difficult to see the Vikings as Super Bowl contenders.

The real question, however, won’t be answered until after the bye, when we find out how many of those seven bye week positives, can actually be maintained for the rest of the year.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Vikings Win Again, and They Didn’t Even Have to Play

Well, the Vikings won this week without ever stepping on the field. Both the Bears and Packers fell this week. And they didn’t just fall, they collapsed and sucked it up against the Cardinals (a so-so team), and the Buccaneers (a terrible team).

The Bears let Kurt Warner come back from a five-interception game (jokingly referred as that week’s best Jake Delhomme impression), to have a five-touchdown game. Meanwhile poor Matt Leinart showed again, that despite two-and-half-years to mature behind Warner, he’s still no better for it. At this rate Warner doesn’t have to worry about losing his job in the near future.

Of course say all you want about Favre, but no quarterback in history has the ability to go out on the field and look like the most awesome guy to ever throw a football and then on other days completely implode. Favre has had one or two incidents of utter implosion, but Warner has him beat. In fact ,Warner has the ability to look awesome and terrible at the same time! Last year, in the Cardinals game where Favre threw six touchdowns, Warner had something like five turnovers yet still directed four second-half touchdowns and had nearly 400 or over 400 yards passing.

I don’t think I even have to say anything about the Packers’ loss—that speaks for itself. So, by and by the Vikings had a huge win this week without even playing; heck, they don’t need to these days. So here is the fallout as I see it:

Seems that this is the straw that broke the camel's back for most Packers’ fans. At least it would appear that way from the online reaction to this latest loss to a winless team.

I am seeing on a large scale, fans that formerly were still standing by Ted Thompson, now ready to lose it and get a fresh start with new management. Possibly with Mike Holmgren, who expressed interest in managing a football franchise in the future when he retired from coaching.

Of course it's also Mark Murphy, the guy that insulted Brett Favre by attempting to bribe him to stay retired after Thompson pressured him out in 2007. All this drama goes back years though. Packers’ fans should be upset at the run they could have had without Thompson's strange and inept leadership style.

His first act was to get rid of Pro-Bowl guards Wahle and Rivera, which led Favre to get the crap sacked out of him the next few seasons (Thompson's subtle way of trying to end the legend's career?). Looking back, I am still shocked Favre survived those years, might be why we won't see the 49-year-old Favre flicking touchdown passes.

Then he blew a first-round draft pick on Rodgers, a great quarterback but a move made way too prematurely. Thompson jumped the gun on moving to a post-Favre era.

Then, of course, there is the way they completely ignored the various attempts Favre made to get them to use free agency to put together a ready-made veteran team to make a run for his last few seasons. That's the ultimate disrespect in my mind. It was selfish, yes, but Favre deserved it. He deserved his chance to lead a good team to some Super Bowls. Heck he shared an agent with Randy Moss, it doesn't take a genius to know he had some inside dealings and knew Moss would have liked to go to Green Bay.

And what does Thompson do? Effectively gives Brett Favre a big F.U. and skips getting the one-and-only Randy Moss, so he could draft another one of his hopeless second-string talents with a fourth-round draft pick.

I just want Packers fans to imagine it: A fantastic two-to-three year run with maybe a pair of Super Bowls.

Teams collapse. That's pro football. But in the NFL you make your run at what you can get now, and if you can get that kind of team you go for it. You don't say, "Oh, I think I'll skip those two Super Bowl runs so I can build up for five seasons from now." Rebuilding is a great medicine, but it’s a bitter medicine and only taken in desperation. Thompson started rebuilding from scratch instead of working to put the finishing touches on a veteran Super Bowl team for the then and the now.

That’s why I found Mark Murphy’s statements about being annoyed with Favre’s constant attempts at team management and trying to give input so funny. Favre obviously knows what he’s talking about, the Vikings have found out that having him on a team is the closest you can get to having a coach out on the field directing things as he plays. I can’t think of any NFL player that can read offenses and defenses better than Favre, nor one that can pick up sacks or call audibles as well. When he retires I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come back and start coaching a team, he has the knowledge and the leadership and the drive to do it and he has always done it on the teams he plays for.

So, in hindsight, the Packers probably would have been better off letting Favre work with the management in building the team up, after all this was the guy leading it. They’d have almost certainly had a much stronger run these last few years.

What's more is that it appears that Thompson's choices for rebuilding have done absolutely nothing to help the team. It's four years in and this Packers team is still utterly lacking depth at the lines, despite a multitude of talent at linebacker, corner, receiver, and quarterback. And it becomes constantly more apparent this is not a well-coached team, which also goes back to Thompson.

Now, to briefly dive into the Favre controversy, there are certain undeniable talents he has that Rodgers doesn't. One is his frankly unparalleled pocket presence. As some Green Bay players, (or might have been coaches), said after the last game, they avoided most blitzes because of Adrian Peterson, but they still mixed in a few.

Only the thing was, Favre caught them and redirected blocking, one player was literally saying it was like he had a sixth sense, they weren't even showing the blitz yet and he would be pointing out blocking to the line so that they would pick it up.

Of course the Vikings don't do anything special to get their sacks, Frazier rarely puts heavy blitzes in, they get most of them with their D-line, which is unarguably the best in the NFL. I mean name me a line comparable to Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, Ray Edwards, and Jared Allen.

But Rodgers is a great quarterback. His coaches just aren't providing him with a system to avoid these sacks.

It's like McCarthy really doesn't learn anything from these losses. He makes no adjustment to his system, he keeps moving ahead like eventually he’ll force his offensive line to suddenly become a Pro-Bowl protection unit. He doesn’t provide the short-outs and screens to relieve the pressure; he doesn’t provide the receiver and the route that Rodgers can just dump a ball away to if pressure is heavy.

Their offense works astonishingly well when those center-field slants and flies and in-and-outs have time and that deep group of speedy receivers spreads out a defense and Rodgers threads the ball where it needs to go. But the big point is that defenses catch on to that and they’ll just continue to add more and more pressure to shut down the passing at its source.

They know, quite frankly, with that group and Rodgers' accuracy, they can't beat the offense down the field. The Vikings have short throw-away guys; Favre can throw lots of screen options or hit Percy Harvin for a quick pass to get rid of the ball.

The biggest difference it seems is that McCarthy has refused to develop a short passing game to deal with high-pressure instances, which is a huge blunder; he just can’t do that, his line is not good enough and that is a fault of the coaching staff.

I actually see a huge improvement in Aaron Rodgers this year. He’s working more to find receivers, he’s looking for second and third progressions, he’s not as completely dependent on Donald Driver as he was last year, progress is being made.

Now, he still doesn’t make use of Greg Jennings like Favre did for years, and he doesn’t have the same pocket presence. That’s obvious. Favre managed with virtually the same line two years ago.The reason is he’s neither as fast at whipping along his progressions as Favre is, nor he is as good as Favre is at pulling out a quick and convincing pump-fake ,and then with that extra second spinning around and finding the open crease.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Rodgers' has the talent, the one thing I don't see in him yet is the leadership, that ability to overcome adversity and pull out signature victories, which seems to be Favre's strong point.

Though a full comparison between the two of them deserves an extensive article comparing them, and comparing when Favre had his weakest years and why, and what Favre could have done had he been a Peyton Manning or Brady or Brees, constantly surrounded by that much talent on both sides of the ball (Marques Colston by the way is perhaps the biggest steal ever out of a draft, gotta hand it to the Saints for going out and finding the players they need, Bush, Sharper, Brees, Colston, etc).

As it is the Vikings won this week and they didn’t even have to play.

That whole team must be happy to see their two main division opponents implode, both falling to 4-4, and both looking utterly awful. Meanwhile they got a godsend in this perfectly placed mid-season bye-week, giving Berrian, Harvin, Favre, and Winfield time to recover and lick their wounds.

Now they get to come out the stall kicking and making a major statement as they have a trio of home games against the horrible Lions, the slightly better Seahawks, and the mediocre Bears.

Favre’s record in home games is one of the best in NFL history, and the Vikings have played far better at home than they have on the road. That crucial three-game streak is what they get to focus on now.

They get to put up huge numbers, prop themselves up as the major contenders this year, and then be ready to make a possible run at 15-1, with the Bengals being the only dangerous challenge they face and they get to face them at home.

It has been a perfect year so far. The Vikings have definitely done good to keep Favre fresh and as the chemistry has grown stronger the sacks have grown less frequent and the team has looked better. Favre looks really comfortable and natural wearing purple, sitting in that pocket changing around blocking, calling audibles. Even Berrian, behind the game in getting incorporated into this offense, despite being its best speed threat down the field, is starting to get back into the flow.

Most importantly, he seems to have the respect from these players now as a team leader. They are playing as a team. There's no locker-room tensions or unhappiness like with the Jets, where neither side ever wanted to be with each other. Even the other QBs don’t seem to have any resentment. Favre called Jackson T-Jack when talking about almost not starting during the Green Bay game. If anything Jackson is getting an opportunity to develop his abilities, he’s getting the chance to get more experience before stepping up to the big time. They’re not only playing as a team, people are really having fun and beyond respect, Favre is actually getting along and having fun with these guys (Peterson, Harvin, and Rice) and that’s possibly the most important thing in football.

We’ll see how well they roll out of the gates into the second half of the season, but don’t be surprised to see domination. They could have beaten the Steelers, only two improbable defensive miracles in a row stopped them. As long as they don’t make those mistakes and find ways to punch the ball in more, they’ll be unstoppable, as they finally succeeded in shutting down a strong offense late in the game during that game.

At this rate, the Vikings will be talking about picking up Terrell Owens at the end of the season and setting up an even more potent passing attack for Favre next year, if, as Wyglif thinks he will, he comes back for his best John Elway impersonation (except Elway wasn’t playing this well at the end of his career). 

What’s more is I’m happy Favre’s came back this season. It helped me come across the single funniest football quip I’ve ever seen, (hopefully you guys agree with me), When a few weeks ago someone stated, “The City of Green Bay doesn’t own the Packers anymore, Jared Allen does.”

Oh, and Favre will be mailing Ted Thompson the news stories when he wins a fourth MVP award, along with an autograph.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

The Favre Drama: Our Fault, or His?

The halfway point of the NFL season is preparing to be a faded afterthought for most NFL fans, and as we begin to usher in the latter half, media outlets are still being inundated with article, after article regarding Favre, and the drama that has become synonymous with the old graybeard gunslinger.

Whether you’re a Viking fan basking in his unheralded talent to lead a team—any team it sometimes seems—to victory, or a Packers fan seething at his departure, and coined “betrayal”— classic—or if you’re just an innocent NFL bystander caught up in the melee centralized mainly in the NFC North, the all too familiar news of Favre has become a bit overwhelming.

But who is to blame.

Sure, Favre appeared to dupe everyone with the press conference show of tears the first time around, as well as the comments made about Thompson.

Then there was the curious cell phone calls to not only Childress, but also Mangini, that eventually landed him in the big apple.

And of course, for those of you with a short memory, the last minute acquisition by the Vikings neatly presented to the public with a nifty limo escort to the practice field.

But although all of these things warrant a great deal of questions, and even jaded emotions, are they enough to justify the ever apparent obsession? Is all of this truly his fault?

To me, this isn’t about betrayal, or a shady character getting over on—not only the NFL fans but the entire NFL—or even a bitter, Wrangler jean wearing, old timer from the south.

Favre’s constant departure, and re-emergence into the NFL has been about what he loves to do most—play football.

The Packers thought it was time to move on, and give their QB of the future a chance, yes they may have interfered with Favre going to a rival team—something we won’t ever truly know—but that leaves him without fault in the matter, should those allegations really be true.

The Jets had already committed to bringing in Sanchez if they found him available in the draft, and with all the other moves in personnel, and Favre’s injury, the situation was handled in a gossamer type fashion that left Favre the odd man out.

All of this is popularly considered to be hi in to finally getting to Minnesota to exact revenge against the Packers, and TT.

Really? A professional football player that is already enshrined in the HOF for all intents and purposes, an individual who has shattered every record available to break, a man of his level of leadership went back home, and sat at his kitchen table drawing up Phase Three of his diabolical vengeance mission?

C’mon.

The drama that surrounds Favre, and the continuance of his “saga” rest within the countless articles being ushered out over, and over again by the same people who write more about him than any other topic looking to increase read count.

It is this type of topic that is even creating full blown arguments—watch there’s bound to be one here I’m sure.

As true football fans, we should realize that the man simply wants to play football, nothing more, and it is us who should let him play. His offseason antics are a thing of the past, Aaron Rodgers is the man in Green Bay, which means Favre needs to be let go, and the drama that surrounds him is something we all must remember is a creation by us more than it is by him .

I know this will be the last article of this type regarding Favre I ever write, and it was only my second, what about you?

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Brett Favre: The Saga Continues

My response to an article written by a friend of mine, who is a die hard Packer fan.  You will have to read his before mine to understand how it started.

A Brett Favre fan's rebuttal:

Well said, Ben.  I commend the class and dignity in this article.  You spoke your mind without stepping over any line or boundary and you had me intrigued the whole way through.

Allow me, if you will, to share my viewpoints on why I feel the boo’s that were represented on that field were completely and utterly uncalled for.

As a Packer fan, you claim that the Packers are part of your family.  You live and breathe them.  While I will concede that you guys are some of the most passionate fans I have ever seen I won’t ever understand the fact that you claim they are like family to you.

What kind of family treats someone who dedicated 16 years to you the way you have?  What kind of family actually says, "But Brett kept wavering and we couldn’t stand his indecision and lack of commitment to the team and community.  We were tired of the stupid interceptions, poor decisions in the playoff games, and growing ego of the past few years."

You grew tired of his stupid interceptions?  Did you grow tired of his stupid touchdown throws, too?  Did you decide to take a nap when he came within one game of taking your beloved team to the Super Bowl before retiring?

Glad I wasn’t born into this family.

Please, tell me what he did to show a lack of commitment in the community. 

Please, help me understand why all of a sudden you were tired of this growing ego, when it was something every one of you bragged about for years.

Please, explain to me why the interceptions and the play-off performances were now all Brett’s doing.  Not that I am making an excuse for his poor judgment calls in the pocket.  I know how he was careless at times, but it would never make me quit on someone that had given me the moments Brett had.

I couldn't quit on my family.

You all speak of Brett’s constant wavering on retiring and coming back.  Yes, we all know about that and I think it is safe to say everyone was a little tired of it.  It was pretty back and forth and had to be hard for you guys.  I am, in no way, taking that away from you.

Have you ever thought for a moment that the wavering came because he didn’t want to disappoint his fans, his team or himself? 

One-hundred percent is the only thing that man knew how to give and his body was telling him different.  What did you expect from a man that takes every loss so personally, every win so heartfelt and every game like it's do or die?

The last throw he made for Green Bay was an interception. 

Ever wonder if maybe, just maybe, he felt he let down all of you and that was his biggest fear come true?  Or were you guys too concerned about the fact he was the one that threw the pass that ruined a championship for you?

Wow, some loyal fans you are. 

And here’s something else to nibble at while you are donning the #12 jersey.

The guy that you used to root for, you know the one that has never missed a game, the one that led you to a Super Bowl victory, the one that even to this day describes you guys as the best fans he knows, wanted to play for you all along.

You were, and from where I see it probably even still, where he really wanted to be.  You were his home.  Had Brett forecast what may have happened by retiring and changing his mind, I can assure you this probably would have never happened.  Hindsight is always 20/20 though, isn’t it?

You can’t hold it against Brett Favre for still being the same Brett Favre you all once knew and loved. 

The love he has for the game, well it’s still there.  The competitiveness he has for the game, it’s still there. 

Vikings or Bears, he knew what he was doing.  He wants to win.  Selfish or not, that’s what he cares and always has cared about.  That is what you fell in love with.

He is still indecisive, that’s how he will always be.  Nothing has changed on who he is, yet everything has changed on where he is, and that is the difference you refuse to see.

If you actually think his heart is with the Vikings, well, you are either ignorant or naïve. His heart lies within football, which is why this story is still being told.  He has captured so many of us with his love for the game and the emotions he brings to each one of them, that though many complain about hearing about Brett over and over, some of us never tire from it.

Have fun booing Brett. 

Hope you have a lot of voice left in you, because from the looks of things, might be booing him all the way to his second Super Bowl championship.

As Brett Favre so eloquently put it, “But Packer fans cheer for the Packers first," he said. "I know that. But I hope that everyone in the stadium watching tonight said, 'I sure hate those jokers on the other side, but he does play the way he's always played.'”

He sure as hell does.

 

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Evaluating Lindsey’s Vikings Predictions and Making More

If you are a Vikings fan you have to be enjoying this season as Minnesota sits atop the division with a 2 game lead, the Vikings have beaten the Packers twice and the team has suffered only one injury that has caused a key player to miss more than one game. Further reason to smile, the team comes out of the bye against the Detroit Lions. Yes, life is pretty good in Viking land.

Before the season began, I offered 5 predictions for the men in purple from the NFC North. As the Vikings have no game this week and I have been really enjoying the season the past two weeks it seemed like a good time to dust off what I said at the beginning of the season to evaluate my crystal ball gazing skills and to offer a few more predictions.

Begin Slideshow

Fantasy Football: NFL MVP Week Eight

This article was originally published at FantasyPros911.com

Each week, Dan Parzych will take a look at the top performers in the NFL with Parzych's 2009 NFL MVP, whether they are at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, or tight end. 

Along with the best performers each week, be sure to check out Parzych's 2009 NFL LVP, in which he covers the Least Valuable Players each week in the NFL.

Here are the results for Week Eight of the 2009 NFL regular season:

 

Quarterback: Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings

In case you've been living under a rock the last couple of months, Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre made his return to Lambeau field last week, the place he built his legacy in his 17 seasons playing with the Green Bay Packers.

As he ran onto the field, he received a mixed reaction of boos and cheers from the beloved fans who had cheered him on throughout his career. If Favre was nervous about going against his former team on their own turf, it sure didn't show with the type of performance he had.

To make Packers fans feel even worse about their beloved quarterback playing for their division rivals, Favre finished 17-of-28 for 244 yards and four touchdowns against his former team in a 38-26 win for the Vikings.

Not only was the win a major relief for Favre, but the Vikings improved to 7-1 and remain atop the NFC North standings. Congratulations Brett, we all know how much this win means to you.

 

Running Back: Ryan Moats, Houston Texans

For the record, Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson was close to earning this spot with his performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in which he ran for 228 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. However, Houston Texans RB Ryan Moats had a career day against the Buffalo Bills, earning him the award this week.

In Sunday's 31-10 win against the Bills, Texans RB Steve Slaton was benched early on after recording his fifth fumble of the season. As his replacement, Moats finished with 126 yards on the ground and three touchdowns—all of which came in the fourth quarter.

Whether or not Moats will start for the Texans next week against the Indianapolis Colts is still up in the air. However, he showed head coach Gary Kubiak he has what it takes to be the No. 1 starter if needed.

 

Wide Receiver: Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts remain as one of two undefeated teams left in the NFL, and WR Reggie Wayne is a major reason why the Colts have been successful.

Wayne's 22-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter from RB Joseph Addai ended up as the game winner for the Colts in their 18-14 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Overall, he finished with 12 receptions for 147 yards to go along with his touchdown. 

Once again, Wayne stepped it up for the Colts offense while WR Anthony Gonzalez continues to nurse his injured right knee. In seven games, he's hauled in 51 receptions for 689 yards and six touchdowns. This isn't the first time he's made the MVP list, and there's a chance we'll see him on it again before the season ends.

 

Tight End: Kevin Boss, New York Giants

The New York Giants may have been blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles in their 40-17 loss. However, Giants TE Kevin Boss still managed to have a solid game for his team in the losing effort.

While the Giants offense struggled to get anything going against the Eagles defense, Boss lead all wide receivers, hauling in three receptions for 70 yards—including an 18-yard touchdown from QB Eli Manning.

While Boss has yet to record a 100-yard game in 2009, the Giants have to be pleased with the fact he recorded his first touchdown of the season against the Eagles. Hopefully, he can continue to find the end zone over the next couple of weeks for the Giants.

 

Kicker: Matt Stover, Indianapolis Colts

While the Indianapolis Colts struggled to find the end zone against the San Francisco 49ers, K Matt Stover played a major role in the team's 18-14 win.

Other than Wayne's touchdown in the fourth quarter, the Colts relied on Stover's four field goals to continue the team's unbeaten streak in 2009. He managed to hit field goals from 38, 33, 31, and 41 yards for the Colts.

It's hard to find a place kicker that stands out from the rest each week. However, it's safe to say the Colts may be sitting at 6-1 without Stover, which is the reason why he earns the MVP award this week.

 

Defense: Baltimore Ravens

Everyone knew the matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos would be intense. However, the question on everyone's mind was which Ravens team would show up.

The Ravens defense could not have put on a more impressive performance as they handed the Broncos their first loss of the 2009 season in a 30-7 win. They held the Broncos to a total of 218 yards on offense while recording two turnovers and two sacks.

With the win, the Ravens increased their record to 4-3 and won for the first time in three games. Next week, they look for revenge against the Cincinnati Bengals, who pulled away with a 17-14 victory in Week Five thanks to a late 20-yard touchdown reception from WR Andre Caldwell.

If their defense continues to shut down opposing offenses like they did against the Broncos, the Ravens could climb back to the top of the AFC North in no time.

Dan Parzych is an analyst at FantasyPros911.com

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Brad Childress On Brett Favre’s Groin: What Was He Thinking?

Brad Childress came under a bit of fire in Week Eight as it was revealed that Vikings QB Brett Favre had played through a groin injury while leading his team to victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Favre was  listed on the injury report, as probable, with a hip injury but "groin" was nowhere to be seen in the report and it is against league rules for any athlete injury to be hidden, possibly keeping the other team at a competitive disadvantage.

Nothing to worry about here, as witnessed by Brad Childress' hilarious press conference .

Yes, you heard correctly. The man who also spent last week deciding to "motivate" his team by dressing like a flight attendant also uttered the words "rub it" while talking about Brett Favre's groin.

What is Brad Childress thinking?! I know...

10) Think Green Bay felt like a jilted lover before...

9) I haven't been asked this much about another man's groin since dinner with Jeff Garcia.

Why hasn't anyone mentioned my haircut?

7) Aww crap, those boys from Coors Light are going to have a field day with this!

6) I missed that day in health class, what DO you do with a groin?

5) Hey, a text from my agent, Vivid Video is looking for a spokesman!

4) Why does Jared Allen keep asking if I still have that flight attendant outfit?

3) Next team bonding session...TWISTER!

2) Hmm, I wonder why Sage Rosenfels is crying over in the corner?

AND THE No. 1 THING BRAD CHILDRESS WAS THINKING...

1) Why won't John Madden stop calling me!

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Reeling Green Bay Packers: Sorry, Titletown, It’s Not 2003 Anymore

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