NFL Power Rankings: Week Three
September 25, 2009 by Keith Becker
Filed under adrian peterson, brad childress, Football, Minnesota Vikings, nfl, Percy Harvin, Rankings/List, Super Bowl, Uncategorized
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Huge changes in the rankings this week. Call me fickle, but I think it takes two weeks to see the real identity of several teams. To be sure, these rankings will most likely look absurd by week eight, but hey, you don’t read these for the accuracy. Wait…
Sorry for taking so long to get these up and that I’m mailing these in more than Matthew Berry on his Fantasy Focus Baseball Podcast, but I’m driving up to Oregon in six hours, and am still nowhere close to packed yet. Give me a break.
32 (30) – 0-2 – Rams - Went from the most fun to the most aggravating team to watch in just 4 years. Hey St. Louis, don’t worry, the NBA will be here soon. Wait…
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Sadly, I don’t think this would shock anyone in three years.
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31 (29) – 0-2 – Browns - I’m sorry Cleveland, but you’re gonna be in for a rougher Sunday in Baltimore than a Jew on Easter. (It’s ok, my dad’s Jewish)
30 (28) – 0-2 – Chiefs - It doesn’t get a whole heck of a lot worse than losing to the Raiders at home. On the bright side, they get to play in Philly this weekend. Wait…
29 (31) – 0-2 – Lions - Just when you think the Lions might not be as bad this year, their defense has allowed the most points in the NFL.
28 (27) – 0-2 – Bucs - Don’t you love it when a team gets a new defensive-minded head coach and the defense is even worse than last year?
27 (24) – 0-2 – Jaguars - Earnest Wilford makes over $7 million this season. Really?Earnest Wilford?
26 (23) – 0-2 – Dolphins - When your team doesn’t have a single good WO, your QB is Chad Pennington and your best RB smokes more weed than Snoop Dogg and lives in the drug capital of the United States, yeah, your team isn’t very good.
25 (26) – 1-1 – Raiders - Is there a player that gets less out of his talent that JaMarcus Russell?
24 (25) – 1-1 – Panthers - I don’t care how decent Delhomme looked on Sunday, he is still worse than your girlfriend making you watch the Notebook and then not even making it up to you afterward.
23 (32) – 1-1 – Bengals - Sorry Cincinnati, I was a little too rough on your Bengals earlier.
22 (17) – 1-1 – Seahawks - As good as Seneca Wallace was at Iowa State, the Hasselback injury hurts. Big time.
21 (19) – 1-1 – Bills - Congrats T.O., on your first TD as a Toronto Bill.
20 (18) – 1-1- Redskins - If you picked Washington in your NFL suicide pick this week, you must have been more scared than I was after watching the preview of Jennifer’s Body and realizing Megan Fox would never be attractive to me again.
19 (21) – 2-0- Broncos - Even though I picked Denver as a pre-season sleeper, is there a less deserving 2-0 team?
18 (9) – 0-2 – Titans - “There’s an old saying in Tennessee—I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can’t get fooled again.” – George Bush
17 (20) – 1-1 – Texans - That loss to the Jets looks a little bit better now, doesn’t it?
16 (14) – 1-1 – Cardinals -Even though Jacksonville is not good by any stretch of the imagination, winning an early game on the East Coast is big for Arizona.
15 (13) – 1-1 – Packers - I wonder which is worse: picking Green Bay in your suicide pool and getting mocked by all your buddies for losing in week two, or being a Packers fan and getting mocked by the entire NFL for losing to the Bengals—at home.
14 (10) – 1-1 – Cowboys - I can’t figure out which one of these is dumber: The centerfield hill in the Minute Maid Park, Tyler Perry, the plot of Surrogates or having a mega-scoreboard that hangs too low. My head is about to explode.
13 (16) – 1-1 – Bears - Usually a team would move up after beating the Steelers, but Jay Cutler is too much of a spoiled, prep school douche bag.
12 (15) – 2-0 – 49ers - I think Shaun Hill’s seven step drop is so ugly that Matt Hasselback got hurt on purpose just so he wouldn’t have to watch it any more from the sideline.
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This never gets old.
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11 (22) – 1-1 – Jets - Anyone that can make Tom Brady look like Owen from Dodgeball, earns my prodigious combination of dislike and respect.
10 (5) – 2-0 – Colts - That is about the ugliest way to start a season two and oh.
9 (4) – 1-1 – Eagles - The NFL has to be scripted, no other way this works out so perfectly for Ron Mexico…err Michael Vick.
8 (6) – 1-1 – Chargers - It would suck to be the guy who got suckered into drafting LT in the first round.
7 (8) – 2-0 – Falcons - Hey Atlanta, could you beat Carolina any less convincingly?
6 (2) – 1-1 – Steelers - It’s a good year for curses, they’re making a comeback. Don’t even try to come back Troy, just save yourself for next year.
5 (1) – 1-1 – Patriots - Maybe God isn’t a Pats fan. Or maybe He’s just testing us. I choose to believe the latter.
4 (11) – 2-0 – Giants - I think Eli Manning read my Anti-man Crush story and is now playing well just to spite me.
3 (12) – 2-0 – Saints - There’s a new title-holder for the Greatest Show on Turf.
2 (7) – 2-0 – Ravens - Wow, a Ravens team that can finally do it all: pass, run and play D. Scary.
1 (3) – 2-0 – Vikings - I have faith. Although a loss to my hometown 49ers this weekend wouldn’t be the end of the world. Hey Brett, can you get all the INT’s out of your system on Sunday? K thanks.
The UO Sports Dude
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Brett Favre Could Be The Key To a New Vikings Stadium In Minnesota
September 23, 2009 by Joe Mikolai
Filed under brad childress, Brett Favre, Cris Carter, Daunte Culpepper, Football, Minnesota Vikings, nfl, Opinion, Percy Harvin, Super Bowl, Uncategorized
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Hey ESPN, we know how you love all things Brett Favre. We know how you couldn’t get enough of his on-again-off-again “retirement” talk. Its good for ratings and fodder, so who could blame you. You’re only doing your jobs as the national sports hype machine.
And Brett Favre, we know how you crave the spotlight. We know how you can’t shake the itch to play, rather to just walk away when critics from all over the nation want to prove you wrong.
We assume there must not be a whole lot waiting for you in Kiln, Mississippi, after all, there is only so much land that can be plowed each year.
This, along with your fiercely competitive nature, one to which I cannot compare in recent memory concluded with the not-so-obvious confederation of you offering your services to your once No. 1 rival, the Minnesota Vikings who clearly wanted you when the Green Bay Packers did not.
Thank you for not only coming to the team, but also for giving it a shot no matter what the outcome. I know you’d have never forgave yourself if you didn’t try knowing you were that close to a deal only to back out on July 30 because you just couldn’t commit to the full season.
The Vikings, and even the most inept fans, knew they were but one manage-the-game Quarterback away from truly taking them to the next level and you obliged. The rest is history but one that can be special as I’ve outlined here.
But if you truly want to make your mark in Minnesota, as well as continue to soothe your ego that the media shamefully loves to exploit, have you considered being the face of an entire stadium drive?
Imagine this scenario: February 7, 2010 Minnesota just defeats ______ for their first NFL Championship in State history.
You will have done what sixteen men: Fran Tarkenton, Joe Knapp, Gary Cuozzo, Tommy Kramer, Wade Wison, Rich Gannon, Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Brad Johnson, Randall Cunningham, Jeff George, Daunte Culpepper, Tarvaris Jackson, and Gus Freotte have all failed to do in the Vikings 48 years in Minnesota.
Take a long look at that list. How many of them are Hall of Famers, like yourself? How many of them made Pro Bowls, like yourself. You want to know why year-in-and year-out the Vikings are always a sleeper pick to go far in the playoffs, it starts with their incredible consistency and opportunity provided at quarterback.
The list reads like a Who’s Who. By comparison, the Chicago Bears, have had thirty-five men line up under center, and even this less-than-impressive bunch was able to muster 1 NFL Championship (1963) and Super Bowl (1986) in the years since the Vikings joined the league in 1961.
You will be treated a like a Rock Star. You will be treated like a God (relatively speaking of course). But most of all, you will get the attention you crave ten-fold once again on sports biggest stage as the leader of one of the league’s most revered and consistent teams.
Your legacy once thought tampered, will be restored as you prove the naysayers wrong and add to your lone trophy case. The only question will be whether the Vikings would dare put you in their Ring of Honor in the Vikings Hall of Fame or whether you’d dare were purple in your induction ceremony in Canton whenever that comes.
But most of all, you’d have the unique opportunity to be the face of an entire stadium campign that has been in neutral since 1997 after years of failed legislative attempts and proposals. Talk about exposure. Talk about media attention!
Imagine going up the steps of the State Capitol in St. Paul and lobbying alongside owner Zygi Wilf, Vice President of Legal Affairs and Stadium Development Lester Bagley, Rob Brzezinski VP of Football Operations, or Steve LaCroix VP of Sales and Marketing among other officials, decked in purple, serving as lead cheerleader in the newest wave of stadium proposals in the aftermath of the media hype off the Super Bowl Win!
How long do you think it would take the legislators to react favorably knowing the passion the team brings to the state, not to mention national swagger with their history of less than colorful characters not seen on other Minnesota sports teams?
How long do you think it would take for even the most pessimistic legislator to give approval knowing you just delivered on a lifelong goal that had been eluding an entire four state fan base all of their legislative lives and careers?
How long do you think it would take for those legislators, beaming with state pride, many of whom are likely Vikings season ticket holders and fans themselves to get caught up in the moment and agree to the funding that had been so evasive in the past?
I’d say about a week or so. If given the opportunity, the Vikings better strike while the iron is hot and use Brett Favre to his full contractual advantage while they got him and while he still is a media darling.
The House that Brett Favre Built
That’s the power only you and your mega celebrity status could bring to a region that was forced to “hate” you for sixteen years while you were in America’s Dairyland. How ironic and fairytalk fitting would it be if you helped your once arch rival achive the goals that have eluded them the most?
Before the made-for-TV soap opera ends, you could be a new state icon, forever enshrined as one of their own. More ME-dia attention! More self-satisfying legacy! You can’t put a price on that and you can’t make this stuff up.
Regardless of how the Brett Favre fairy tale ends, I remain confident all along that worst case scenario, at the eleventh hour, the state legislature will get something done before the 2011 Metrodome Lease expires.
You see, people like the Twins. After the threat of contraction in 2001, many people got back on that bandwagon (winning helped too). Having a bad team was certainly better than having no team. People like the Wild.
In a state that pride’s itself as the “State of Hockey” despite having never won and titles at its highest level of competition offered (NHL) its high schools and colleges are loaded each year with the nation’s top prospects and athletes vying for the draft.
But people absolutely love the Vikings.
Like I stated, they give the team the most national exposure in the nation’s most popular sport.
They give them team the most press and swagger with their longest slate of success (36/48 seasons of .500 or better ball), and they give the state the most varying storylines from Ontario Smith’s embarrassing Whizzanator incident, to the Randy Moss years which, like former Governor Jesse Ventura, exposed Minnesotans to the more Rock Star atmosphere more suited for big city New York or bustling L.A. than the passive, laid back Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Finally the 2005 “Sex Boat” controversy brought maybe the most banter from jocks all over.
Losing the Vikings to a market like L.A. for example, would all but seal the fate of any legislator who happened to vote against what would ultimately be deemed-a-last resort, all-or-nothing,moving-vans-are-a-coming bill. They have to know this, and this is why I doubt we’ll ever see that day.
In an evolving state that somehow got a new stadium for the backpage boys, the Minnesota Twins, one that I never thought I’d live to see having grown up a fan of the team and their small market epitome if their ever was one, to the brand new, about-damn-time TCF Bank Stadium for the perennial bottom feeding Golden Gophers, the truly ironic fact remains that the state’s most popular and successful team is going to be the last one to receive its stadium they covet.
At an average of 8-6 each season based on their 385 wins and 316 regular season loses, there is perhaps no more consistent team never to win the sport’s ultimate prize than the Men of Norway, the Minnesota Vikings.
Perhaps the fact that at likely $1 billion or more for all the bells and whistles rumored, to the probable development of land at its final location, the final stadium in the trio will also be the most expensive and thus, the delay. But for now at least we have a two or three year stop gap in TCF Bank stadium.
After legislation is passed in spring of 2011 and by the time they break ground that fall, to when the first game is played sometime around September of 2015, Brett Favre and the Vikings should just be entering their seventh year of marriage together with him being the 45 year old guy lined up under center, since we all know he’s never really going to retire…..
Can you see any other logical ending?
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Come Back To Reality Vikings Fans
September 19, 2009 by Taylor Lunemann
Filed under Aaron Rodgers, adrian peterson, brad childress, Brett Favre, Football, Minnesota Vikings, nfl, Opinion, Uncategorized
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During the past week, I have taken a lot of heat for my article on the Vikings not winning the division. Many people have told me I cannot be a Vikings fan or that I was ridiculous for not thinking they would win such an easy division. Personally, I find these accusations outrageous and quite entertaining
Being a fan is not all about blindly following the team and liking every decision they make every step of the way. It is also not about having one hundred percent confidence in them every single year.
The team has made questionable decisions this year that I do not approve of. I do not see how that makes me any less of a fan. People are entitled to their opinions.
My opinion is that Brett Favre is too old and many people are looking at the Favre of the past, the same Favre that has tormented the Vikings throughout all of his years in Green Bay.
Favre is not ageless.
The man is a future hall of fame quarterback and he has one of the best running games in the NFL to work with, so sure, he gives the Vikings a better chance of success than a quarterback (Tarvaris Jackson) that has frequently struggled to keep teams honest, but in my opinion, the Vikings still have a long road ahead of them to the Super Bowl.
The Packers are a very good team this year; you have to tip your hat to Aaron Rodgers, he has become one of the better quarterbacks in the game. Their defense is back from injuries that plagued them last year. It will undoubtedly be a battle for the NFC North this year.
My prediction of the Vikings only making the wild card is not saying I do not like the Vikings. I am taking many different factors into consideration when making the prediction. My personal opinion is that ESPN’s analysts that love Favre have drilled into everyone’s minds that he is god’s gift to the planet, making many people’s views one sided.
Hopefully the Vikings do make it to the playoffs, make it to the Super Bowl, and win it all. I just have not seen it in them for myself, so for all people accusing me of being a Packer fan, or not knowing the game: Get over it.
The fact of the matter is the Vikings have some competition to deal with. It won’t be a cakewalk for them like ESPN and other analysts make you think, the sooner you come back to reality, the better.
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Vikings Leave Much To be Desired, Despite a Convincing Win in Cleveland
September 14, 2009 by Kasey Wahl
Filed under adrian peterson, brad childress, Football, Minnesota Vikings, nfl, Opinion, Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice, Uncategorized
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The Minnesota Vikings were the victors in their week one bout with the Cleveland Browns, capping off the game with an outstanding 64-yard touchdown run by Adrian “All Day” Peterson (his third touchdown of the day).
In spite of the 34-20 on the scoreboard; however, I was all but impressed by the Vikings’ performance.
Disappointed, in fact.
Beyond Adrian Peterson’s 198 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns coupled with rookie standout Percy Harvin’s promising playmaking ability, little appeared different from last year’s Division winning Vikings team.
Don’t get me wrong, a 10-6 record is formidable, sure. But the Minnesota Vikings aren’t aiming towards the Division title. The Super Bowl, as many analysts and critics muse, is a very real possibility given the talent spread around this Vikings team.
The Vikings’ gaze is set upon the Vince Lombardi Trophy, as a team reminiscent of last year’s Wild Card runner-ups just won’t cut it anymore…especially given the tough division they’ve been dealt. It’s not quite the NFC West.
Now in all fairness, I don’t mean to dog on the Vikings, and I certainly don’t mean to downplay their achievements on Sunday afternoon. A 34-20 win is definitely not something to take lightly. With that being said, there were several blaring shortcomings during Sunday’s game, and unfortunately, they were the same shortcomings that held the Vikings from achieving their goals last year. For instance:
Special Teams
I’ll give the Vikings’ return game some credit. The addition of Percy Harvin has given the kick return a new, sleeker, meaner look. It’s only a matter of time before that guy finds the end zone on a kickoff. Also notable was the addition of punt returner Darius Reynaud, who averaged an impressive 27 yards-per-return with a long of 36.
However, the team that gave of six touchdowns on special teams last season—a league worst—failed to show any signs of improvement, giving up a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown by Josh Cribbs. In games such as their away game at Soldier Field last year, special teams touchdowns can be the difference between a win and a loss, as the Vikings gave up two special teams touchdowns and lost by seven points in that game.
The Passing Game
Again, to the Vikings’ credit, Brett Favre didn’t look like Gus Frerotte tossing three INT’s to one TD or anything, but the Vikings brought in Favre to strike fear into the opponents’ backfield, keeping them from stacking eight or nine guys in the box against Adrian Peterson (who still manages to have outstanding games, I might add).
That didn’t happen, at all.
Favre compiled 110 passing yards to five different players, while Peterson muscled through dehydration, cramps, and an arm spewing blood, to record 180 yards rushing, 18 receiving, and three touchdowns. This was all through the course of 25 rushes and one reception. Hardly, what I would call a passing game.
Granted, Favre isn’t necessarily supposed to be the Vikings’ gunslinger/quasi-franchise quarterback, but I can’t help but think back to the 1998 season when the Vikings brought in another star quarterback who was also well past his prime to lead the second most productive offense in the history of the NFL (only surpassed by the 2007 New England Patriots).
Randall Cunningham could throw the ball, and so can Brett Favre. I wouldn’t expect Favre to be as productive as Cunningham, necessarily. Let’s face it. Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, and Percy Harvin aren’t Cris Carter, Randy Moss, and Jake Reed, but they aren’t incompetent oafs either.
Air the ball out, Brett!
Or maybe Childess: Let Brett air it out. Let Percy Harvin air it out. Hell, let someone throw the football!
Speaking of others throwing the football, this leads me to my final grievance about the Viking’s week one performance…
Where Is This Fabled Vikings’ Wildcat Offense?
I was dismayed that the Vikings didn’t let the cat out of the bag this week. Every third down, my heart fluttered a little bit as the Vikings broke from the huddle, and each time, it was crushed when Favre lined up behind center and Harvin lined up in the slot.
I can only speculate that the Vikings aren’t going to reveal anything about their rendition of the Wildcat, until they absolutely need to. If that’s the case, then I wouldn’t doubt if they withhold the Wildcat until their week four Monday Night Football brawl against their arch-rival, the Green Bay Packers.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Childress wants to keep their toughest opponents guessing, giving them as little to work with on film as possible.
Or things could actually be as they seem…a flashy paint job on an old vehicle. The same Minnesota Vikings we all know and love.
The team that always manages to fall just short.
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Minnesota Vikings: Cut Veteran Wide Receiver Bobby Wade, Sign Greg Lewis
September 10, 2009 by Brandon Erickson
Filed under brad childress, Breaking News, Football, Minnesota Vikings, nfl, Uncategorized
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In a move many considered shocking, the Vikings released veteran wide receiver Bobby Wade despite reorganizing his contract last week, taking a $1.5 million cut to his contract for this year according to his agent, Jerome Stanley.
“You’re defined by your behavior and what you do and not what you say,” Stanley said. “I’ll let you connect the dots.” By the sounds of it, it was a bad falling out between the two parties.
Asked if he were referring to Vikings coach Brad Childress, Stanley said, “Wherever the decision came from. And we already know where it came from, so there it is.”
The team will fill his spot by reuniting Vikings coach Childress with former Philadelphia Eagles receiver Greg Lewis, who agreed to a one-year contract today. Lewis, 29, is at Winter Park and expected to practice.
Undrafted in 2003 out of Illinois, Lewis endeared himself to Childress, then the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, as well as other players and coaches with his work ethic and professionalism.
In six NFL seasons, Lewis has 23 starts, but he has 127 catches for 1,699 yards with seven touchdowns. During the offseason, the Eagles traded him to the New England Patriots for a seventh-round pick. But Lewis was one of the Patriots’ last cuts, released to make room for rookie defensive back Bret Lockett.
Sidney Rice will most-likely take up Wade’s role as the No. 3 receiver.
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Brad Childress: Maybe Coaching Isn’t Your Thing
September 9, 2009 by Andy Rarick
Filed under brad childress, Football, Minneapolis, Minnesota Vikings, NFC North, nfl, Opinion, Uncategorized
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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.
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NFL Football Picks: 2009 Minnesota Vikings Predictions
September 8, 2009 by Vernon Croy
Filed under adrian peterson, brad childress, Chester Taylor, Football, Minnesota Vikings, nfl, Preview/Prediction, Sidney Rice, Super Bowl, Tarvaris Jackson, Uncategorized
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The last year for the Vikings was a successful one in terms of making the playoffs and having a good record. They finished 10-6 and made the playoffs.
However, once they got there, it was apparent that they weren’t equipped to make a run, as they lost to the Eagles in the first round. Although they had a solid defense and a great rushing attack, their passing game left something to be desired.
Did they do enough in the offseason to get the job done this time around? As far as free football picks go, expect the Vikings to make a run this season deep into the playoffs.
The Good News:
The biggest news of the offseason was obviously Brett Favre. Right up until the last minute, no one was sure if he’d play for them or not.
As it turns out, he rode in on his white horse and was immediately handed the keys to the team. While it might seem irresponsible at a glance, it is really the only option for the Vikings.
Jackson has proven that he’s not going to be anything special, and Sage Rosenfels is basically a career backup. Favre is a surefire Hall-of-Famer, and he will instantly upgrade the passing attack in Minny.
In addition to Favre, they have what many people believe is the best player in the NFL in Adrian Peterson. Peterson led the league in rushing last year and his explosiveness makes him a threat to score at any point. Combined with Favre, they should have a pretty solid offense.
On the other side of the ball, the defense will dominate again. Last year, they were the No. 1 team against the run, and they had a fierce pass rush.
With Jared Allen and the Williams brothers on the defensive line, they should again be formidable. If I’m an offensive coordinator, I know the Vikings’ defense is going to present some headaches.
The Bad News:
This also falls in the good news column, but Brett Favre could be a big distraction for the Vikes. Last year, it was a media circus in New York and Favre failed to get them to the playoffs. Many Jets’ players have said that Favre was not a good teammate and even got dressed in a separate locker room.
This preseason, the media have already reported that there is a “schism” in the locker room surrounding Favre. Many people believe that Jackson should be the starting quarterback and don’t like the fact that Favre skipped all of camp. He then comes in late and just gets everything handed to him. This could present a problem at some point in the year.
Outlook:
If you’re looking for free NFL football picks, expect the Vikings to win their division this year. They should even be able to work their way through the playoffs and make a run at the Super Bowl if Favre can stay healthy. If he goes down, it might be another up and down year for the Vikings.
Make sure you check out Vernon Croy`s NFL Football Picks this season.
Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com
Favre’s Dirty Play a Bad Sign for Vikings
September 1, 2009 by Eric Ball
Filed under brad childress, Brett Favre, Football, Minnesota Vikings, nfl, Opinion, Uncategorized
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Yes, it is still only the preseason and yes, the games mean absolutely nothing…but did you see Brett Favre’s third quarter crack block on Houston Texans defensive back Eugene Wilson’s knees?
In the Wildcat formation with Percy Harvin playing quarterback, Favre lined up as a receiver. Wilson wasn’t even looking in Favre’s direction while running toward the ball and BAM, Favre takes out his legs. Favre was issued a 15-yard penalty on the play. While Wilson was just fine, it begs the question, what is going on in Minnesota?
First of all, why is the old man even playing in the third quarter of a preseason game? Favre had already told reporters he thinks he cracked a rib because it hurts him to take deep breaths. So one would think that playing the entire first half of a meaningless game would be sufficient.
To his credit, 13-of-18 for 142 yards and a touchdown is nothing to sneeze at (although the TD was off a screen pass that went for 28 yards).
Favre has never played in a Wildcat formation, and he has never been relied upon to make a block. I wouldn’t call this play if this were a playoff game! The Vikings gained seven yards in two Wildcat formation plays.
That play in a nutshell shows you why the Vikings are in trouble. They are a desperate team that is taking a lot of big risks. Head Coach Brad Childress’s seat will get incredibly hot if his team stumbles off the bat. Childress knows this and is basically moving all of his chips to the center and crossing his fingers.
I’m not sure if he even knows what to expect from Favre at this point. You can talk about the easy schedule, the dome, and the familiarity he has with the offense ’till you’re blue in the face, but in the end Favre is a 40-year-old gunslinger who will be amongst the leaders in interceptions.
He wore down in December and arguably cost the New York Jets a playoff spot with his lousy play. He has already set a bad example with his complete disregard for training camp, a time when players bond and actually develop some chemistry. Clearly, Favre could care less about what people think about him.
The big question will be if he can also be a league leader in touchdowns. If he has to keep making blocks, then the answer is a definitive NO.
Keep using Favre as a blocker Coach Childress, and watch the odds of losing your bet increase dramatically. If Favre goes down they are back to square one at quarterback, which will be the case either way at the end of the 2009 season (unless Favre wants to play the retirement two-step again).
Good luck Minnesota, because it looks like your going to need it.
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Vikings’ Favre Will Divide, Packers Will Conquer
August 27, 2009 by Jersey Al Bracco
Filed under brad childress, Brett Favre, Football, John David Booty, Minnesota Vikings, NFC, NFC North, nfl, NFL Playoffs, NFL Training Camp, Opinion, Sage Rosenfels, Tarvaris Jackson, Uncategorized
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It has started already.
The rumblings out of Minnesota. A team divided. A “schism” it’s being called.
In the words of one NFL source, Favre has “little support” in the locker room.
Ah, it’s music to my ears.
Like Napoleon Bonaparte, the self-proclaimed emperor of France that didn’t know when to stop, has Brett Favre gone too far and agitated his own Minnesota minions?
There are many players in the Viking locker room that don’t want Favre there. Some resent his riding in on his white horse to seemingly “rescue” the Vikings. “We didn’t need rescuing” is the sentiment.
Some resent the special treatment he has received from the Vikings organization and Brad Childress.
What self-respecting NFL coach drives to the airport to pick up a player? None. Except for Brad Childress.
Some are just buddies of Tarvaris Jackson and are incensed at the raw deal he has received. All T-Jack wanted was a fair fight between him and Sage Rosenfels. That scenario is officially dead.
And some are in Rosenfels’ corner. They felt he could bring the consistency that T-Jack lacks.
After all, the Vikings did pretty well when unspectacular, but steady Gus Frerotte was at the helm last year. Why not give Sage a chance? That possibility is also dead.
As Abe Lincoln said (borrowed from the new testament, I believe), “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
Will Favre turn the Minnesota Vikings into “Team Turmoil?” It really only depends on one thing—how well he plays. If he is able to play at a high level and lead the Vikings to some wins, most likely all will be forgotten.
I happen to be one Packer fan that still believes he can play and if healthy, he will help the Vikings. But I don’t regret the Packers’ decision to go with Aaron Rodgers. That decision is looking better every day.
But if Favre playing well doesn’t come to pass, resentment will linger, the “schism” will get larger, and the Vikings divided “house” and season will come tumbling down.
Like the egomaniacal emperor Napoleon, Brett Favre has recorded many victories and conquered many hardships. But will going to Minnesota be his Waterloo and mark the end of his reign as emperor of the NFL?
If so, then perhaps the Packers will conquer the NFC North. As a Packer fan, it’s what I have to hope for.
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You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco’s articles on several sports websites: Jersey Al’s Blog, Packer Chatters , Packers Lounge, NFL Touchdown and of course, Bleacher Report.
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What to Expect of Brett Favre in One Half vs Houston Texans
August 24, 2009 by Brandon Erickson
Filed under brad childress, Brett Favre, Football, Minneapolis, Minnesota Vikings, NFC North, nfl, Opinion, Uncategorized
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Game day is marching towards us as the third week of preseason is now setting in. Brett is now also entering his second week of work with the boys in purple and all that the Viking faithful know for sure is that he’s here, after a long and painful wait, he’s here.
Brad Childress reported Monday, August 24 that Brett will not only start Friday in Houston against the Texans, but will play the entire first half. A move that no doubt will give Favre what he needs; time with his new teammates and game-time.
Then again, what will Brett do? What will he accomplish? And now with Bernard Berrian back in the offense, what capabilities should Favre/Childress test out on a sub-par Texan defense?
Nothing.
Brett is going to go in with only a week of work and we will see him, not as susceptible, but close to what he was against the Chiefs. He won’t throw 1-for-4 for 4 yards. That much is clear.
The problem though, is being Brett Favre, I can’t help but notice how everything he does is almost showing off. He gets the call from Chilly and doesn’t even escape the phone call without asking to start THAT Friday…
As such, many will probably hype this up to a 150-200 yard performance with a touchdown or two and maybe a pick.
Well, the pick will probably happen either way.
Let’s think logically though. With how Childress wants to use him, we can tell that his performance will likely crack three digits (or close to) but lets not give the guy that much credit. The last time we saw him on a football field (besides Friday at the Dome) he threw the worst six game stretch of his career.
Then agian, maybe he will throw up what he claims, but if I were a betting man (and I am) I wouldn’t count on it.
What do you think?



