Vikings-Steelers: Referees Ruin a Great Game

I don’t think too many Vikings fans were shocked at the result of Sunday’s game versus the Steelers.

We knew this was going to be a tough game. After all, the Vikings were without their lone Pro Bowl player in the secondary, Antoine Winfield, while the Steelers got their stout safety, Troy Polamalu, back from injury.

However, the Vikings played very well on both sides of the ball. They gave up a few big runs to Rashard Mendenhall, but at the same time held quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in check for the majority of the game.

The secondary proved that they can rebound from such a dramatic blow. Cornerback Benny Sapp played excellently, but his lone mistake came from a stupid late hit on Roethlisberger as the star quarterback ran out of bounds.

Karl Paymah again proved that he can’t tackle. All three of Mendenhall’s 10-plus-yard runs were to Paymah’s (twice) and Sapp’s (once) sides. That was one area where Winfield was missed the most.

The secondary held Roethlisberger to 175 yards on 14-for-26 passing through the air with a touchdown. That’s outstanding for the secondary, especially considering Big Ben came into the game leading the league in passing yards.

Hines Ward, who many thought would have a huge game, was held to just one catch for three yards. Again, fantastic job by the secondary.

Adrian Peterson was kept at bay for most of the game. He managed only 69 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown but caught four balls for another 60 yards.

Questionable play calling held Peterson back. Those runs to the outside won’t work well against a team like the Steelers, who have extremely fast linebackers.

I think running through the middle would have worked better. Two of Peterson’s best runs were up the middle, one of which he cut outside anyway.

How about that Sidney Rice guy, huh? The kid has matured into a fantastic receiver. He ended the day with 11 catches for 136 yards. The guy is simply amazing. We couldn’t have asked for more.

Brett Favre was solid after the first quarter. His two mistakes were the result of great defensive coverage and a dropped pass by Chester Taylor. He threw the ball 51 times and completed 34 of them for 334 yards.

That dropped pass by Taylor finally decided the game. Granted, the ball was thrown higher than it should have been, but it was still very catchable.

Overall, this was a great game between two great teams.

The only thing that kept it from being fantastic was the horrendous officiating.

A mysterious tripping penalty erased what would have been the go-ahead touchdown to Rice late in the fourth quarter. Not even the announcers could describe where the call came from.

On the same drive, Favre ended up fumbling the ball and having it returned by the Steelers for a touchdown.

Just minutes before, a holding penalty erased a 34-yard completion to Rice. Replays showed that Bryant McKinnie merely pushed James Harrison to the ground (or at Favre, depending on your take).

Does anyone remember that defensive delay of game call on the Vikings? I didn’t see any defenders move out of the ordinary, but on a 3rd-and-4, I guess the officials had already decided who was going to win

Don’t get me wrong, the Vikings got away with a few calls too, but the degree of the three calls against the Vikings were of much greater significance.

I’ll be excited to see the head of officiating defend the tripping call later this week.

Who knows? Had those penalties not been called, the Steelers could have won anyway. We’ll never know though.

The only thing for certain is that the Steelers beat the Vikings by three, and the officials beat the Vikings by at least seven. It’s never fun seeing your team lose, but when they lose a game partly due to terrible officiating, it’s that much worse.

The Steelers took advantage of a fumble and an interception and made the Vikings pay dearly. They won the game, and I give credit where it’s due.

All I want for Christmas is some better officiating, but unfortunately I’ll have to wait at least another two months to get that wish, if ever.

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Without Winfield, The Vikings Are in Deep Trouble

Along with many other fans of the Vikings this past Sunday, I watched as Joe Flacco lit up a terrible defense play after play. Upon further inspection, I realized that the same player was giving up big plays time and time again, Karl Paymah.

I looked hard at the TV trying to see the number of the players on the Vikings defense. I couldn’t find good ol’ No. 26 anywhere. I thought to myself, “Where did Winfield go? Did he get hurt? Maybe he had a family emergency to attend to.”

Not once did the announcers mention anything about Winfield’s absence, but it became clear very fast.

Karl Paymah couldn’t stop anything. Part of me wondered whether it was even worth it to have him on the field. He not only gave up a huge touchdown with his back to the play, he couldn’t tackle to save his life.

The defense looked dreadful. They gave up two huge runs after shutting the running game down in the first three quarters. They couldn’t tackle or deflect any pass.

It was almost as if the Ravens had told every player on the Vikings defense, “You guys won! Congratulations! You can go home now. We’ll just shower and get on the first plane back to Baltimore. Pack up your things and head to Pittsburgh. This game is over.”

The Vikings defense said, “Okay!” and walked off the field as the Ravens put up 21 points in under six minutes.

“Hey!” the Vikings defense squeaked. “You guys lied to us! The game isn’t over yet!”

Well, they had me fooled too.

I thought the game was over. Up by 17 points in the fourth quarter with no sign of the Ravens showing up to play, I was sure Favre and Peterson would again be sitting on the sidelines for the rest of the game. But it all happened so fast.

We know how the story ended, but a new chapter could potentially unfold this Sunday when the Vikings take the field without their heart and soul, Antoine Winfield.

While no official announcement has been made, the purple warrior will likely have to sit a week and prepare for a slugfest in Green Bay.

One could easily tell it was not the same defense without Winfield.

Not only was Winfield injured, but backup cornerback/nickelback Benny Sapp was injured too. He was playing off and on, but repeatedly left the field because of a head injury he suffered in the early minutes of the game.

But please GOD do not make me watch Karl Paymah go up against Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. Paymah wouldn’t stand a chance and Roethlisberger would have a career day.

I will say this. If Winfield does not play, the Vikings have very little chance at pulling off a 7-0 record by the end of Sunday.

I think the offense is more than capable of putting up some big numbers, but the defense needs to show that they can live without its Pro Bowl cornerback for one game.

It could be an ugly game Vikings fans. Let’s just hope that Winfield is near 100 percent and a massively improved Benny Sapp is ready to go.

SKOL VIKINGS…urgh…

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Baltimore Ravens vs. Minnesota Vikings: Who Looks Better in Purple?

The Vikings are heading into their biggest three game stretch all season that includes the Ravens at home, the Steelers at Pittsburgh, and the Packers in Green Bay.

If there are still doubters as to whether this Vikings team is any good, a strong showing these three games is critical.

After back-to-back heartbreaking losses, the Ravens are hungry. That’s bad news for the Vikings who have coasted to a 5-0 record. The Ravens need the win more than the Vikings do and that could prove to be costly for the purple and gold.

Ray Lewis brings in the fourth ranked rushing defense in the NFL. They’re only giving up a measly 3.0 yards per carry. Peterson hasn’t been over the 100-yard mark since Week One, but don’t let that scare you. It’s not from a lack of production as much as a lack of touches for the third-year back.

The Ravens pass defense hasn’t been very good this season compared to others. They are currently ranked 26th in the NFL. At times, they’ve looked downright awful. But if you’re the Vikings, plan on the Ravens bringing in their A-game into the Metrodome. They won’t simply lay on that beautiful turf for you.

Ed Reed will be watching Favre closely. You can almost be sure he will get his pick. He’s the best free safety in the NFL and by the time he’s done, could be one of the best ever. Favre needs to watch for this guy and NEVER throw in his direction.

The Ravens’ offense has changed keys this season handing them over to Joe “Cool” Flacco. Joe has been one of the bigger surprises this season, throwing for over 1,200 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

With the Vikings’ inability to shut down the passing game, Flacco may run wild especially for the Vikings’ well-documented poor tight end coverage.

The running game has been led by Ray Rice who himself has been a huge surprise taking over the starting job in Baltimore. Both running backs are averaging over 5.0 yards per carry. They won’t back down on their rushing attack. After all, you don’t want to get into passing situations with Jared Allen breathing down your neck.

The Vikings defense has been decent this season. A lot of yardage has been given up in garbage time in the fourth quarter of a couple games.

The defensive line is headed by Pro Bowlers all over. With massive tackle Jared Gaither doubtful for Sunday’s game, Jared Allen could have a field day.

The pass defense is still trying to man up to the 10th ranked rush defense of the Vikings. The Vikings have been notoriously bad in he passing game, but since the arrival of Jared Allen, quarterbacks don’t have nearly as much time to get the ball off.

The offense has been steady the last couple of weeks. Brett Favre has shown that he has the arm needed to win games, but the bread and butter of the offense still revolves around Adrian Peterson. Expect the Vikings to keep their guard up and be looking for Ray Lewis at all times.

The Ravens gave up their first 100-yard rushed in nearly three years to Cedric Benson last week. Peterson always has the ability to break one and could hand the Ravens back-to-back 100-yard rushers on defense.

One thing to watch for this Sunday will be the return of the best center in Vikings history, Matt Birk, who signed with the Ravens in the offseason. In case you already didn’t know, No. 77 in the picture above is the big man himself. That undoubted gives the Ravens an advantage as far as philosophy goes.

Was Matt Birk’s career really finished? This writer doesn’t think so, but current Vikings center John Sullivan has shown improvement in the last two weeks.

When you break everything down, the Vikings are a better looking team. The Ravens have an advantage at the linebacker and receiver positions, but the Vikings have the advantage in the other areas.

So to answer my question in the headline, I think the Vikings look better in purple. They won’t back down no matter how intimidating Ray Lewis and company may be.

Prediction: Vikings 31, Ravens 20

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Stop The Nonsense: The Vikings Are For Real

If you were to tell me at the beginning of the season that the Vikings would be 5-0 to start the season, I would have said, “So what?”

If you were to tell me that Favre would be one of the top quarterbacks in the league at the end of week five, I would have replied, “Yeah, probably.”

Everything the Vikings have done thus far in their season is what I expected. I expected Peterson to be near the league lead in rushing. I expected Favre to be one of the best overall quarterbacks. I expected the defense to be relatively stout.

Why does this seem like such a shock to people that the Vikings are being mentioned as not only one of the best in the NFC, but the NFL as a whole?

You immediately see the doubters proclaim that the Vikings have yet to face a worthy opponent. They don’t deserve to be mentioned among the Colts and Giants of the NFL.

Keep dreaming fellas.

Not only has this Vikings team performed well, they’ve done so while giving more playing time to backups than any other team in the NFL and by a good margin.

Rarely do you see a Vikings starter play the entire game. We Vikings fans are watching the Jared Allens, Steve Hutchinsons, Adrian Petersons, Brett Favres, and Antoine Winfields sitting on the sidelines with six minutes left in regulation.

The Vikings have simply beaten every team they’ve faced. Aside from a very physical 49ers game, none of them have been close whatsoever.

That’s not good enough for many of you doubters though. When will the Vikings be good enough for you? Does Favre need to throw for 300 plus yards every game? Does Peterson need to rush for 150 yards and three touchdowns? Does the defense need to allow less than three points per game?

Give the Vikings the respect they deserve.

Teams like the Cleveland and Detroit need to remember that a full game is 60 minutes long, not 30 minutes.

Teams like Green Bay need to stop that emotional roller coaster and play the game.

Teams like St. Louis need to trade Steven Jackson to a good team to give him a shot at the playoffs (that’s for a different article).

Why are the Vikings being penalized by the fans for having a soft schedule?

The fact is, the Vikings have won and won big. They’ve done in on the ground (Cleveland and Detroit) and they’ve done it through the air (Green Bay and San Francisco). This team has it all, whether you like it or not.

Fans from other teams like to look down on the Vikings because some of their statistics aren’t great. They hover around the middle of the pack in nearly every team stat you can come up with.

If the Vikings want to run on you, they will. If they want to pass it on you, they can. There is nothing that this Vikings team can’t do.

The receiving corp was an area of concern in the offseason. Well, with a huge upgrade at quarterback, we’ve seen a tremendous weakness become a strength.

Third-year receiver Sidney Rice is simply amazing. He catches nearly everything thrown his way. He doesn’t create separation, but when you have agility and hands like he does, you don’t need to.

It took a while for Berrian and Favre to gel, but things are starting to look up. They connected on a solid touchdown pass against the Packers that seemed to create a mutual understanding of one another.

Shiancoe had a bad game in Green Bay dropping a couple, but he has been great so far. He’s catching touchdowns and turning himself into one of the elite tight ends in the league.

I owe an apology or two to rookie Percy Harvin. I thought the guy would turn to be a complete bust. But he has shown that he has some sticky hands and is one of the hardest receivers to bring to the ground. Very rarely will you see only one guy take Harvin down. He makes defenders miss by juking or simply running over them. He’s fun to watch.

Brett Favre has done wonders for this offense the past couple weeks. Experts were quick to say that he was done. His career was finished and he had nothing left.

He started to prove people wrong against San Francisco. He followed that game up with a one of the best in his career against Green Bay. Doubters are starting to turn their heads. Slowly teams are becoming aware that this isn’t a one or two game thing. It’s going to last all season.

A lot of people have been worried about Peterson’s supposed slip this season. If I may ask all of you who feel this way, “Why are you worried and why do you think he’s slumping?”

All you guys are quick to point out that he hasn’t had a 100-yard game since week one. I’m here to say, what’s your point?

The guy has had game averages of 7.2, 6.1, 4.5, 2.5, and 4.6 yards per carry. I see one bad game, two solid games, two great games.

The guy just isn’t being used right now. That’s not a bad thing Vikings fans. Let Peterson rest while others carry the load. When he need him to, he shows up. That’s the important thing. He’s still the best in the game at what he does.

The true test is indeed up ahead in the next three weeks with a game against the Ravens at home followed by back-to-back games in Pittsburgh and Green Bay.

It should be an interesting ride boys.

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San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings: Week Three Preview

Here the Vikings sit at an undefeated 2-0.  Minnesota has started the season in the best possible way record-wise, but the team still has a long way to go.

Their first two wins have come against what looks to be two of the worst teams in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions.

Week Three seems to be a little more difficult, as football legend Mike Singletary brings his physical 49ers team to face off against the Minnesota Vikings.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill has done everything the team has asked of him, keeping turnovers to a minimum and completing passes to keep the drives alive.

Through two weeks, Hill has 353 yards passing, one touchdown, and zero interceptions.

Frank Gore has also proved to be rather impressive thus far, rushing for 237 yards and three touchdowns.

San Francisco has proved to be one of the surprise teams early on this season, as they’ve beat the defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks.

What’s even more impressive is the way they are winning games.  It’s not through a high-flying offense, but rather a stifling defense that ranks seventh overall at this point.

The 49ers secondary is a strong, veteran group that will likely not fall for the play action.  They play a tough zone and make it hard for opposing quarterbacks to get the ball off to the receivers.

The hard-hitting 49ers will have some stiff competition themselves, as they go up against the No. 1 rusher in the NFL, Adrian Peterson.

Peterson managed 180 yards rushing in Week One and added another 92 in Week Two. The problem here lies in the 49ers rushing defense that has only given up 106 yards rushing total.

Also, the last time Peterson faced the 49ers, he was held to just three yards on 14 carries.  But the 49ers forgot that Minnesota has two backs capable of having 1,000 yard seasons and allowed backup Chester Taylor to rush for over 100 yards instead.

Quarterback Brett Favre may be in a little trouble this week as Patrick Willis looks to put a pounding on the offense.

Favre has been sacked seven times already this season due to an ineffective offensive line in pass-protection.

The hasn’t stopped Favre from posting a 77.1 completion percentage and three touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings look stronger than ever.  Antoine Winfield has played well so far this season.  Teams haven’t thrown his way hardly at all this season, and are instead targeting Cedric Griffin, a strategy that has proved to be costly more than once already this season.

The defensive line is getting solid pressure and has seven sacks in their first two games.

As far as injuries go, both teams a little dinged up, but nothing major.

Running back Frank Gore injured his ankle last week, but he will likely start anyway.  Backup running back Glen Coffee and guard David Baas should be ready as well.  Justin Smith was also on the injury report, but it’s been reported numerous times that it’s not injury related and he will play.

Running back Adrian Peterson, linebacker E.J Henderson, safety Madieu Williams, and tight end Jim Kleinsasser have all been limited in practice this past week, but all players should be ready for Sunday.

This looks to be a great game between a couple of 2-0 teams.  With the best two players from the 2007 draft going head-to-head (literally), this is going to be a battle of strength and endurance.  I’m not quite sure if the 49ers are for real yet, but they look to be heading in the right direction.

 

Key Matchups

Adrian Peterson vs. Patrick Willis: Peterson got lit up in the first meeting, but has the tide turned since then?

Frank Gore vs. Vikings defense: Can Frank Gore get the first 100-yard game against the Vikings since 2007?

Brett Favre vs. 49ers blitz: We know they’re going to blitz, but can youngsters John Sullivan and Phil Loadholt hold their own?

Shaun Hill vs. Vikings Front Seven: Can the 49ers hold the aggressive Vikings back?

Prediction: Minnesota Vikings 27, San Francisco 49ers 13

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Two Weeks Down: What We’ve Learned Of The Minnesota Vikings

Two weeks are down and only 20 more to go…hopefully!

The Vikings are off to a 2-0 start with their defense clicking and offense plugging along.

We’ve seen some pretty amazing moments along with some pretty bad ones. I think it’s safe to say that the Vikings record has lived up to the expectations of its fans, but not necessarily the play.

We’ll take a look and analyze a couple of points,some good and some bad, on the Minnesota Vikings.

THE GOOD

1) Percy Harvin is a beast. Among all rookies, Harvin is tied for first in receptions (8), fifth in receiving yardage (77), first in touchdowns (2), fourth in rushing yards (36), first in kick-return average (29.7), and third in kick-return yardage (178).

I’ll admit, I wasn’t too happy when the Vikings selected him with their 22nd overall pick in this year’s draft. With Michael Oher still on the board at the time, I thought it was a no-brainer. I mean, Harvin tested positive for drugs right before the combine!

Well, he’s done a great job turning my view around. The guy simply won’t go down to the ground with the ball. I haven’t seen a wide receiver run so hard in my life. The guy lowers his shoulders and pushes his way through the defense gaining an extra three or four yards every time.

Harvin has done a great job thus far. I give him a solid A.

2) Favre hasn’t thrown an interception. He has been very consistent with his throws. He’s getting the ball to his intended target which is exactly what the Vikings needed. Favre is able to convert those third downs that Jackson or Frerotte could not do last season.

Favre has done a great job of lighting the mood on the Vikings offense. There is a sense of joy that hasn’t been seen for quite some time. I can finally see the Vikings players smile on a routine basis and it’s not because of Peterson. Favre has been a calming presence that has kept this team alive.

3) Peterson is astounding. The guy is currently leading the league in rushing as well as touchdowns. He was the number one fantasy pick in nearly every draft this season and he has not disappointed. His four rushing touchdowns leads the league.

His touchdown run against the Browns shows us just how dominant of a runner he is. In one play, he showed off his lightning speed, supurb agility, and behemoth-like strength all within three seconds. There is not a single player in the game today more explosive than Adrian Peterson.

4) The pass defense has been fantastic. While the Vikings are lacking a bit in the sack department thus far compared to last season, they are still getting good pressure on the quarterback. Both Quinn and Stafford had some pretty ugly plays against the Vikings defense.

Three interceptions in the first two games are more than we had in nine combined games last season. It’s a sad stat for last season, but good for this season. The Vikings are currently ranked 5th in the league in passing defense.

5) The special teams has improved…sort of. The lone punt return for a touchdown against the Browns has really been the only miscue on special teams thus far. Otherwise, they’ve done a great job on the coverage units.

Harvin is doing well returning kicks. Returning punts is second-year receiver Darius Reynaud. He too is having a solid start to the season nearly breaking off a couple touchdowns in week one.

The special teams unit really did miss Heath Farwell last season. This season, he’s back at it and is their primary play-maker. He’s done a solid job of getting to the ball and is usually one of the first to make the tackle.

THE BAD

1) Short dip-and-dunk throws are hurting the receivers and the offense as a whole. Favre came into the preseason a little too late. He hasn’t had time to work with his receivers, primarily Bernard Berrian. Berrian’s six catches on Sunday where very quiet and very short. If the Vikings want to move down the field more often, they’re going to need Favre to start taking shots down the field more.

I know what you’re thinking. The passing game is working thus far, so why do we need to expose Favre to potential interceptions? The Vikings have faced the Browns and Lions so far, neither of which have an astounding defense by any means. Against a better defense such as the Ravens or Steelers, this sort of passing game probably won’t work with linebackers all over the field.

If you haven’t noticed, the first two quarters of each game have been terrible for the offense. Peterson hasn’t rushed particularly well and Favre is throwing incompletions when it matters.

To keep the defense honest against Peterson and Taylor, the Vikings are going to need to take the shots downfield. To simply put it, the offense needs to play better in the first half.

2) Our rush defense isn’t up to par with previous years. Jamal Lewis ran all over the Vikings in week one to the tune of 57 yards on just 11 carries, a 5.2 average. As a team, the Browns ran the ball 20 times for 89 yards, a 4.5 average. That’s good if you’re the Lions, but when your’re the Vikings, 4.5 yards per carry is not good.

The Lions ran the ball 34 times for 129 yards, a 3.8 yards per carry average. If a team runs 34 times against you, they aren’t scared. The Lions clearly were not afraid of the Vikings. Had it not been for a couple of stout plays late, the Lions would have had upwards of 143 plus yards.

The numbers are decent, but not what we’re used to. The carries have been from very average backs and some not-so-good offensive lines. The linebackers are making more plays than they should have to at the line of scrimmage. The line is not shedding blocks like last season.

3) Missed tackles are killing the defense. In total, I counted 11 missed tackles in week two alone. That is not good for a defense that prides itself on stuffing opposing ball carriers. Greenway on his own had three missed tackles in less than a half. Our captain E.J Henderson has even missed a few. Superman is not supposed to get run over by second-year running backs.

If this defense wants to kill drives and get off the field, they are going to have to tackle better. The opposing offense was on the field too long because of this. Drives that should have been three and outs are becoming time consuming, nine-play drives.

I know I may be nitpicking and we’re only rolling around to week three of the regular season, but now is the time for the Vikings to show that they can beat the above average teams.

Next week, San Francisco is coming to town and their team looks fantastic so far. The defense is solid and their offense is clicking behind a mediocre quarterback.

The 49ers will be a good test for the Vikings offense. It should be a fun season. Things are starting out great, but they can always get better!

SKOL VIKINGS!

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Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions: Week Two Preview

This week, the Vikings travel to Detroit take on the Lions.

Some of you might remember that the Lions went 0-16 last season and are on an 0-18 streak dating back to 2007.

I will say this, the Lions shouldn’t have been 0-16 last season. They should have beaten the Vikings the second-time around had it not been for a fluke pass-interference call in the final seconds of play that set up a game winning field goal by Ryan Longwell.

On to this week’s matchup.

The Lions are coming off of a blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints. In the game, Drew Brees threw for a over 350 yards and six touchdowns, SIX!

On top of that, the Lions allowed 157 yards rushing, most of which came via Mike Bell. If you’ve never heard of Bell, you’re not the only one.

Rookie Matthew Stafford will be making his second career NFL start. His first regular season game was less than spectacular. He went 16-for-37 with 205 yards passing and no touchdowns to three interceptions.

Stafford was only sacked once, but was pressured all day long. You can expect the Vikings’ defensive line to work the Lions’ offensive line to the ground and get to Stafford a couple times.

Second-year running back Kevin Smith had an up and down day against the Saints totaling 20 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown, but catching 7 balls for 52 yards.

Look for him to do a lot more in the receiving game again against the stout rush defense of the Minnesota Vikings.

Calvin Johnson is the best player on the team, hands-down. In my opinion, he’s the best receiver in the league. He has freakish speed, a legendary vertical, and hands that could catch a bullet out of mid-air.

Though Johnson will be going up one of the most physical cornerback duo’s in the game, Johnson’s overall ability is just too much for the Vikings to handle. I expect Johnson to have a solid day.

On defense, the Lions boast a very strong and very fast linebacking corps that features Ernie Simms and newly acquired linebackers Larry Foote (via free agency) and Julian Peterson (via trade with Seahawks). It’ll be interesting to see if they can stop the Minnesota offense.

The Vikings offense comes into Week Two as the number one ranked rushing offense with over 200 yards on the ground, 180 of which came from Adrian Peterson.

Quarterback Brett Favre showed in his Vikings debut that he is more than capable of managing the game and not making stupid turnovers. He proved that all he needs to do is hand the ball off to Peterson and let him run.

With his upcoming NFL start, Favre will move ahead of Vikings’ legend Jim Marshall on the all-time consecutive games starting record, 271.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings boast Pro Bowlers all over. While the Browns offense from a week ago isn’t much to look at, they did a solid job against Brady Quinn. They did let Jamal Lewis run over them, but the Vikings are just getting warmed up in that aspect.

The only problem with calling this game a definite blowout is the fact that the Lions played their best football against the Vikings last season. The two teams always play a good game, but the Vikings always manage to squeak one by.

KEY MATCHUPS:

Adrian Peterson vs. Detriot Lions defense: Can they really hold Peterson under 100 yards?

Antoine Winfield/Cedric Griffin vs. Calvin Johnson: Johnson is a freak. There’s not a cornerback in the league that can contain this guy.

Vikings Offense vs. Detriot Linebackers: Will the linebackers stop Peterson and the dip and dunk passing game?

Prediction: Vikings 27, Lions 14

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Minnesota Vikings-Cleveland Browns: Week One Preview

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally upon us: offseason workouts, the NFL Draft, training camp, and preseason games are finally over.

Week one brings us a rather unusual matchup between the Vikings and Browns. The two haven’t squared off since the 1980s.

Last season, the Browns allowed 151.9 per game rushing alone. Adrian Peterson averaged 110 yards by himself meaning Peterson could have one heck of a game.

While Brady Quinn has been named the Browns starting quarterback, he shouldn’t scare the Vikings defense.

Neither Brady or Anderson has completed more than 57 percent of their passes in a season and the two combined have a 45:37 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Protecting Quinn will be Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas. Thomas has proven to be a great starting left tackle, but he may have his hands full with Jared Allen.

The Browns have a solid receiver in Braylon Edwards, but Edwards has yet to make a name for himself in the NFL. His four-year career has been inconsistent. He had a Pro Bowl year in 2007, but didn’t do anything the following year to back it up.

Running the ball will be aging back Jamal Lewis. The 30-year-old back will have a tough time against the league’s best rushing defense three years running. He’s averaged under four yards-per-carry the last four seasons as his career is on a slow decline.

The Browns traded their first-round pick numerous times in the 2009 draft and finally ended up with center Alex Mack. Mack is a talented center who will have his work cut out for him against the best defensive tackle tandem in the NFL, Pro Bowlers Pat and Kevin Williams.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Browns have very few names.

The Browns feature one of the game’s best nose tackles in Shaun Rogers, the 6’4″ and 350-pound mammoth formally of the Detroit Lions. Rogers played in a 4-3 with the Lions, but made an amazing transition to the 3-4 nose tackle and put up some fantastic numbers with 76 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Rogers will be going against second-year player and former sixth-round pick John Sullivan. Rogers weighs 50 more pounds than Sullivan. That could present some problems for Sullivan who’ll be making his first career NFL start.

Behind Rogers you have D’Qwell Jackon who led the NFL in tackles a season ago and looks to finally earn his first trip to the Pro Bowl. He’s an undersized inside linebacker, but don’t let that fool you. The guy is one of the best tacklers in the game and a very hard hitter.

The Browns have a couple of imports from the Jets via trade this offseason including inside linebacker Eric Barton, defensive end Kenyon Coleman, and safety Abram Elam. All three players are decent and give the Browns an upgrade in their run defense, but it probably won’t amount to enough with Peterson and Taylor in the backfield.

The Vikings will get their first look at new quarterback Brett Favre. The former Packer great leads a talented Vikings offense that features running backs Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, wide receivers Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin, and a solid offensive line featuring perennial Pro Bowler Steve Hutchinson.

The Vikings defense will look to eat up a talent-deficient Browns offense. The Vikings will get a solid look at E.J Henderson who missed nearly all of last season with a pair of dislocated toes. He was the heart and soul of their defense as their captain and MVP.

The suspensions of Pat and Kevin Williams have been recently lifted for the entire season. They won’t see any suspensions until opening day of 2010, if ever. That’s good news for an already loaded defense.

Neither team has any major injuries to report. Nose tackle Shaun Rogers, cornerback Eric Wright, backup running back Jerome Harrison, and linebacker David Bowens have been limited in practice, but should start on Sunday.

The Vikings currently have only three players listed on the injured list, backup linebacker and special teams player Erin Henderson, wide receiver Bernard Berrian, and tight end Jim Kleinsasser. Henderson won’t play, but Berrian and Kleinsasser should each get significant playing time.

This looks to be a blowout as it stands now. The Vikings offense could put up some big numbers as could the Vikings defense.

 

Key Matchups:

Alex Mack vs. Pat and Kevin Williams: Can the rookie man-up against the Williams’s?

Shaun Rogers vs. John Sullivan: Will Rogers destroy an inexperienced Sullivan?

Joe Thomas vs. Jared Allen: Can Allen get by Thomas?

Browns Defense vs. Adrian Peterson: Can the Browns stop Peterson?

 

Prediction: Vikings 34, Cleveland 10

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Brad Childress: Maybe Coaching Isn’t Your Thing

As we all know, Brad Childress hasn’t been the greatest head coach our Vikings have seen. Granted he’s not as bad as say, Norm Van Brocklin or Mike Tice, but he’s no Bud Grant, let alone Dennis Green.

Childress’s tenure with the Vikings has been a very predictable one on the field, yet very unpredictable off the field.

Childress is probably one of the most conservative coaches in the NFL today. I don’t think there’s any other team in the NFL that would run on third and 10 on a routine basis and still keep his job.

In just three seasons with the Vikings, Childress has a .500 record, going 24-24 with one playoff loss.

The play calling is what has killed so many Vikings fans. He runs left on first down, right on second down, and then expects the quarterback to make a third and long throw to keep the drive alive.

It’s no wonder quarterbacks can’t survive here!

Granted, Adrian Peterson is your running back, he’s not going to pick up 12 yards on every drive for a first down. Even Peterson gets stuffed for a two-yarder every once in a while.

If things don’t go the Vikings way this season, Childress can expect that he won’t have a head coaching job in the NFL much longer.

Although that would be great news for Leslie Frazier (who could be a monster head coach if given the chance), Childress would likely be searching for a job for a couple years.

He lost the respect of many players and fans alike by reaching out for Brett Favre after he reportedly claimed he no longer had interest in the future Hall of Famer. To all of you that are still disgruntled, get over it.

If you look what Childress has done for the Vikings the last few seasons, it’s evident that he has a tremendous eye for talent. He just can’t seem to put the pieces together.

Childress has acquired the likes of proven NFL starters in Brett Favre, Jared Allen, Bernard Berrian, Madieu Williams, Visanthe Shaincoe, Adrian Peterson, Chestor Taylor, Chad Greenway, Cedric Griffin, Steve Hutchinson, and more.

On top of that, he’s acquired some potentially great players in Jaymer Johson, Darius Reynaud, Sidney Rice, Brian Robison, John Sullivan, Tyrell Johnson, Percy Harvin, Phil Loadholt, and more.

The guy has drafted very well for the Vikings with his only real bust being Tarvaris Jackson picked in the second round in 2006.

This got me thinking; how can a guy with such a knack for talent be such a mediocre coach?

I’ve said it for the last year, Childress shouldn’t be a head coach. I don’t want him off the Vikings altogether though. I want Childress in the Vikings front office.

Let someone else take charge of the team (*cough*…Leslie Frazier…*cough*). All Childress needs to do is look for talent and bring them to the Vikings organization, something I think we can all agree that he is more than capable of doing.

Childress, Ziggy Wilf, and Rick Spielman have created an immensely talented team in Minnesota over the last three seasons. Players are reaching their potential and many are in their primes. The team is ready to go and it’s all thanks to these three men.

So here I stand today and proclaim, Brad Childress could be one of the best General Managers the NFL has seen in recent years.

Many fans seem to think the players he picks up are worthless and overpaid (see Visanthe Shiancoe and Bernard Berrian), but soon enough, Chilly proves us all wrong.

Shiancoe broke out last season and is catching absolutely everything that is near him. He outworks every defender en route to the ball and uses his strength to grab the ball away from anyone.

Berrian proved he’s the ultimate deep threat, leading the NFL in yards per reception last year with 20.1 average. He added a very quiet seven touchdowns with that, despite not having a solid quarterback leading the offense.

So to all you fans who want Childress out of Minnesota, I say re-think your position. I don’t know that you want him out of Minnesota.

You may not want him to be a head coach, but you have to admit that as a general manager, the guy could be great.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

Tomlinson Says He–Not Peterson–Is The Best Running Back in The NFL

Widely known for his calm personality and fighter’s soul, LaDanian Tomlinson is one of the most beloved running backs of our era.

He became the fastest running back to 100 touchdowns and the first to catch 100 balls in a season. He was a class act both on and off the field.

Last season and the postseason before, Tomlinson has battled injuries that have taken a toll on the 30-year-old running back for San Diego. He has seen his performance dwindle and fans around the NFL took notice. They jumped off Tomlinson’s bandwagon and hopped onto Peterson’s.

One of the best running backs of all time, Jim Brown, is one of those people that have jumped on the young running backs wagon.

In a recent interview for Sporting News magazine, Jim Brown claims Adrian Peterson is the most complete running back in the NFL today.

Well, Tomlinson got a hold of the article and apparently took offense.

“I was sitting there reading it thinking, ‘Wow,’” said Tomlinson to an L.A Times writer.

“The difference with me is you can put me out on that field and there will be nothing I can’t do.  I won’t have to come off the field.  Adrian has to come off sometimes on third down.  Running routes, he’s still not there yet.”

If you ask me, these comments don’t sound like a guy that’s confident in his abilities. These comments are hate comments.

For years, Tomlinson was the unquestioned best running back in the NFL. Now some don’t even think he’s a top five running back.

Tomlinson needs to come to the reality that he’s not what he once was. Age was shown her colors on Tomlinson.

Peterson doesn’t “have” to come off on third downs. It’s not his choice to come out of the game. It just so happens that backing up Peterson is a former 1,200 yard rusher who is easily one of the best backups in the NFL, Chester Taylor. You can’t make a guy of Taylor’s ability warm the bench all game long.

“But anything on that field you want me to do — throw it, block — I can do it.  That’s what I pride myself on is not having any weaknesses.  And that’s what makes me the best back,” Tomlinson stated.

Well Tomlinson, your biggest strength could quickly turn into you greatest weakness: your ego.

I didn’t know that all those turf toe injuries could go to your head.

While it’s true that Peterson may not be the best route runner or receiver, he is without a doubt the best running back. His explosiveness, agility, and brute strength make him the best running back.

Just because Tomlinson is a better receiver doesn’t make him a better running back. Is Tomlinson more complete than Peterson? Sure he is, but by no means is he a better running back.

I hope someone gives Peterson these statements from Tomlinson. It may be that extra motivation that puts him past 2,000 yards. As if Peterson needed any more motivation. The guy is a beast and easily the best running back in the NFL.

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