3 Reasons to Root for the Patriots

After finally starting to think about the upcoming game, I've spent the last two days trying to decide who I'm planning on rooting for. And quite honestly, I haven't been successful. I've been able to come up with reasons to pull for both teams, but neither set of reasons has convinced me. Here are the three best reasons to pull for the Patriots that I've come up with. If you have better ones, I'd love to hear them. (My reasons to pull for the Giants are below).

• Randy Moss. In seven years in Purple, Randy Moss caught 574 passes for 9142 yards and 90 touchdowns, an average of 1306 yards, 82 receptions, and 12.9 touchdowns a year. He also returned a punt for a touchdown. In those seven years, he made five Pro Bowls and was named an All Pro four times. He starred on the second best offense of all time and helped to turn the franchise around. Moss also was the genius behind A.F.R.O.S. (America's Finest Receivers on Sunday) and mooned the Lambeau crowd, an event that made Joe Buck apoplectic and led to Moss saying "Straight Cash Homey". The Moss Era can only be surpassed by the Bud Grant era as the best time to be a Vikings fan, which is why I've been a huge Randy Moss fan since he tipped that touchdown pass to himself in his first game and why I will always be a Randy Moss fan.
  

• Laurence Maroney. Maroney might be from St. Louis, but he was a Gopher, and he was a good one. He rushed for over a 1000 yards in each of his three seasons in the Maroon and Gold, a much more impressive feat in the shorter college season. And he wasn't racking up those yards on a lot of carries either. In those three seasons, he averaged 6.9 YPC, 6.2 YPC and 5.2 YPC, his last year the first that he did not have to share carries with Marion Barber III, and he never had fewer than 10 touchdowns in a season. There's a very good chance he was the best running back to ever put on the Maroon and Gold and now, he has a chance to get a Super Bowl ring. And yes, I understand that there will be quite a few people who see Maroney as a reason to root for the Giants because of how badly he burned them in Fantasy Football, and I sympathize with those folks.

• 41-0. The Patriots, as a franchise, have never really done anything that bad to the Vikings. Sure, they picked them apart on Monday Night Football last year, creating a blueprint for how to beat the Purple, but lots of teams have done that. We all know what the Giants did to the Vikings in 2001, and I'm not sure if I can forgive them enough to root for them, just like I'll probably never be able to pull for the Falcons (except, of course, against the Packers).
  

3 Reasons to Root for the Giants

After finally starting to think about the upcoming game, I've spent the last two days trying to decide who I'm planning on rooting for. And quite honestly, I haven't been successful. I've been able to come up with reasons to pull for both teams, but neither set of reasons has convinced me. Here are the three best reasons to pull for the Giants that I've come up with. If you have better ones, I'd love to hear them.

• Eli Manning. Lots of people hate Eli. Personally, I love him. And so should all Vikings fans. I mean, how can you not love a guy who, in his two starts against the Purple, has thrown 8 interceptions and completed only 45% of his 97 passes? The man has single handedly given the Vikings two victories against the Giants in his career, and for that reason, I hope he does well today.

• The Vikings beat them. I think everyone can agree that this season was as close to a success as it could be without actually being one. That being said, one of the best moments was the Vikings' unexpected victory over the Giants at the Meadowlands, a victory that launched them into playoff contention and made up for the embarrassing loss to the Packers two weeks before. And if the Giants can win today, it will make that victory even better, because it will have come against the Super Bowl Champion.

• Bill Simmons' post Super Bowl column. I'm a big fan of Schadenfreude, and a Giants win would launch a 1000 angry, bitter, complaining Patriots columns and blog posts. It would be awesome. The one I'm looking forward to the most? Bill Simmons--he's become the personification of the obnoxious Boston area fan, and seeing him have to deal with the Patriots blowing their perfect season would be unbelievably enjoyable.
  

Two Disturbing Articles and Who to Back

The Star Tribune ran two articles this morning, both of which left me disturbed, perturbed and generally feeling negative. The first, "Allison shows a big break can be just around the corner", is a nice feature on the Vikings' fifth round pick and newly named Special Teams Player of the Week. It's your normal, run of the mill feature on a player that just had a break out game, until, that is, Coach Childress gets quoted.

"Childress made no promises that Allison will be in uniform this Sunday in San Francisco, although it seems likely. "We just play the guys that you think are going to give you the best chance, and when you get that chance like he did [Sunday], you run with it and he did," said Childress, who also mentioned Allison has the "aptitude" to return punts."

I'm probably reading too much into this, but honestly, why wouldn't Childress make Allison the primary kick returner now? He's a threat to score on every kick, has a massive 37.1 yard average on returns and has returned three kicks for more than 60 yards, a franchise record AND just set the franchise record for longest kick return for a touchdown. Why even screw around with Troy Williamson at this point? I mean, it's not like Williamson and his 13 catches for 201 yards are really that much better than Allison's 4 catches for 76 yards.

I know Childress is probably just playing his normal games with the press, but let's be honest--it would be an awful decision if Allison isn't returning kicks on Sunday.

The second disturbing article, "Wilf: Stadium needs resolution 'in near future'"discusses the state government's decision not to attempt to address the Vikings' stadium issue this session. Whether or not you think the Vikings should get a taxpayer funded stadium, the longer the issue remains unresolved, the greater the chance the Vikings decide to pack up and move. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but the Viking's lease at the Metrodome is up in 2011, which means that the Vikings can play wherever they want in 2012. Gooood times. Good times.

Enough about a possible depressing future. Let's look at what could be a very positive future. There are six games this week (aside from the Purple's) that can impact the Vikings' playoff hopes. I posted a comprehensive table on Monday with all the information you might need for tiebreakers, so let's delve into the important games themselves.

1. Arizona (6-6) at Seattle (8-4)
   
2. Carolina (5-7) at Jacksonville (8-4)
   
3. New Orleans (5-7) at Atlanta (3-9)
   
4. Dallas (11-1) at Detroit (6-6)
   

In these first four games, it's pretty obvious which team Vikings' fans should be pulling for (they're bolded if you need some help). All four games could be crucial to the Vikings' hopes, as this is the hardest game left on the Cardinals schedule, both New Orleans and Carolina would finish with a better Conference Record than the Vikings should they end up tied and Detroit is almost guaranteed to finish with a better division record than the Purple, as the only game they have left will be against a Green Bay team that will be resting it's starters in Week 17.

1. Chicago (5-7) at Washington (5-7)
2. New York Giants (8-4) at Philadelphia (5-7)

These final two games are quite a bit trickier than the first four. The first game pits two teams the Vikings still have on their schedule, both of which they will most likely have to beat in order to make the playoffs (thus likely ending da Bears and Redskins playoff hopes). If the Vikings do end up dropping one of those games, well, then hopefully that was the one that lost this game, since that would have likely knocked them out of the hunt with an eighth loss. The second game is also tricky, as the Vikings are two games back of the Giants, and a loss, combined with a Vikings win, would put the first Wild Card spot back into play. However, a win by the Eagles would keep them within reach of the Purple, a scary thought, as the Eagles have the tiebreaker, and the sooner teams like the Eagles, Saints and Panthers go away, the better the Vikings' chances of getting into the playoffs. To be honest, it doesn't matter who you pull for in these games, as the outcomes are guaranteed to both help and hurt the Purple.

Bear Down, Chicago Bears

Bear Down, Chicago Bears.
Make every play clear the way to victory!
Bear Down, Chicago Bears.
Put up a fight with a might so fearlessly!

We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation,
With your T formation.

Bear Down, Chicago Bears.
And let them know why you're wearing the crown.

You're the pride and joy,
of all Illinois.
Chicago Bears, Bear Down!

[No, I'm not changing this to a Bears blog--it's just I can't handle the idea that the Packers might make the playoffs. So GO BEARS!]

You've Got to Back Somebody--Week 15

As I said on Wednesday, the NFC playoff picture is starting to clear up a little bit. And if the games this Sunday go the Vikings’ way, it’s going to be a lot easier to decide who to root for the last two weeks. But don’t worry—even if it’s painfully obvious who the Vikings need to win in Weeks 16 and 17, I’ll still post these, since I know you'd miss them otherwise.

New York-A (7-6) @ Minnesota (6-7): As usual, I’m going to start out with an easy one. The Vikings need to win this game, both because their margin of error is thin, and because it would reassure me that they can beat the Packers at Lambeau and the Rams at home. That being said, the Vikings can still make the playoffs if they lose this game, but they’ll need some help from the Falcons, Cowboys, Giants and Eagles.

Detroit (2-11) @ Green Bay (5-8): This game has no ramifications on the playoff picture whatsoever, but I would definitely enjoy watching Brett Farve end his career on a losing team. Or, even better, have him decide that he does not want to go out as a loser and so continue to hold back the Packers’ rebuilding efforts one more year (and breaking the career mark for interceptions thrown while doing so).

San Francisco (6-8) @ Seattle (8-6): If Seattle can win this game, they’ll knock the Niners out of the playoff hunt, something that could be key to the Vikings’ playoff hopes, since San Francisco has the head to head tiebreaker over the Purple. Wait….What? They played on Thursday night? And the Seahawks lost? Stupid NFL network not showing the games they claim to be broadcasting.

Pittsburgh (6-7) @ Carolina (6-7): If the Steelers win here, they guarantee that the Panthers are out of the playoff chase, since every team ahead of Carolina has beaten them. So yes, that means you have to root against Minnesota native Chris Weinke. Is backing the opponent of a Minnesota native really that big of a deal? I guess so.

St. Louis (5-8) @ Oakland (2-11): After the Cardinals got their second win against the Rams, Mark Bulger called out his teammates for their lack of effort. Realistically, for the Raiders to win, the Rams are going to have to show the same disregard for winning that they showed against Arizona. So what I’m saying is, don’t bother watching this game, because it's going to be ugly. But when you look at the scoreboard, hope that the Raiders win, since it will knock the Rams out of the wild card chase.

Dallas (8-5) @ Atlanta (7-6): This one is kind of tricky. If the Falcons’ win, they’ll bring the Cowboys back to the wild card pack, which could be good for the Vikings, since they would hold the tiebreaker over Dallas if they finished tied for a wild card spot. That being said, it’s for the best if the Cowboys win, since it would (hopefully) allow the Vikings to be in a three way tie for the last wild card spot going into the final two weeks. And the Vikings will hold the tiebreaker over the Falcons if they’re tied at 8-8 or 9-7.

Philadelphia (7-6) @ New York-N (7-6): As usual, there’s one game whose ramifications are almost impossible to decipher, and this is that game. Either way, one of the teams leading the Vikings in the standings is going to lose, so this game is guaranteed to help the Vikings either way. Of the two, Vikings’ fans should probably be rooting for the Giants, since the Eagles have to play at Dallas and at home against Atlanta, making it more likely the Vikings will be able to out play them over the last two weeks. To be honest, however, what’s most important is that the loser loses at least once more, allowing the Vikings to pass them by winning their last two games.

[I'll be out of town for until Wednesday, so it's possible I won't be posting on Monday or Tuesday. I should be able to find time, but I thought I'd warn you, since I know how annoying it can be when a favorite site isn't updated when you expect it.

You've Got to Back Somebody--Week 14

Ask and ye shall receive: it’s time for the second installment of “You’ve Gotta Back Somebody”, my easy to use guide to which teams Vikings’ fans should be pulling for every week. And it’s important to pull for the right teams—the Vikings aren’t going to make the playoffs without some help.

Just like last week, the bolded team is the team you should root for.

Minnesota (5-7) @ Detroit (2-10): The Vikings aren’t quite yet in a must win situation (an 8-8 team is going to make the NFC playoffs this year), but a loss here would most likely end their hopes, both because it ruins their NFC record, and because any team that loses to Detroit just isn’t good enough to win three games in a row.

Philadelphia (6-6) @ Washington (4-8): A victory by the Redskins would be a huge help to the Vikings’ playoff hopes. Not only would it drop the Eagles’ record to 6-7 overall, hopefully tying them with the Vikings, it would also guarantee that the Eagles’ NFC record will not be better (and might be worse) than the Vikings if they both finish at 8-8.

Atlanta (6-6) @ Tampa Bay (3-9): This game is similar to the Eagles-‘Skins game, in that if Tampa wins, it will drop the Falcons below .500. It would also guarantee that the Vikings will hold the tiebreaker over the Falcons if they finished with the same record, due to the Vikings’ superior NFC record.

Chicago (10-2) @ St. Louis (5-7): The Rams are in a similar situation as the Vikings—they can maybe lose one game, but that’s it. That means if da Bears come out of St. Louis with a win, the Rams cannot lose afford to lose again, and a loss to the Vikings in the last week would be the end of their season (if they don’t drop their game at Oakland or against Washington).

New Orleans (8-4) @ Dallas (8-4): This game doesn’t matter right now, since it’s between two teams leading their divisions by two games. It might have an impact on which team the Vikings play in the first round if they make the playoffs, but worrying about that would be getting just a little bit ahead of ourselves.

Green Bay (4-8) @ San Francisco (5-7): Discussing this game makes me feel queasy. It would be best for the Vikings’ playoff hopes if the Packers hung another loss on the only playoff contender that has a win over the Purple. Then again, I never, ever, ever, want the Packers to win. So I won’t be rooting for them. Quite simply, this is a lose-lose for all Vikings’ fans.

New York (N) (6-6) @ Carolina (6-6): This one is the toughest game to pick a team to root for this week. Both teams are a game up on the Vikings in the wild card race, so, no matter what, the Vikings are going to be tied with the loser provided they beat Detroit.

The Vikings hold the tiebreaker over the Panthers, who finish at home against Pittsburgh followed by road games at Atlanta and New Orleans. The Giants finish with home games against Philadelphia and New Orleans before closing out the season at Washington. If they finish tied with the Vikings, they will either have the tiebreaker due to a better NFC record (if the Vikings’ eighth loss is to an NFC team) or it will come down to their records against common opponents (which I believe would go the Vikings’ way). My feeling is that it’s best if the Panthers win, since they have a harder schedule to finish the season, making them more likely to drop two of their last three, and because it would help out the Vikings’ chances of holding the tiebreaker over the Giants.

You've Got To Back Somebody: Week 13

So you’re flipping through your Sunday Ticket package during a commercial break and you stumble upon the Saints-Niners game. Quick! Who do you root for?

Don't know? Well, have no fear, because I have the answer for you. Let me present my first ever guide for who to root for on Sunday (the team the Vikings want to win is in bold).

Minnesota (5-6) @ Chicago (9-2): Just thought I’d start out with an easy one to get it going. Don’t want to pull a hamstring or something because I didn’t warm up.

New York (A) (6-5) @ Green Bay (4-7): Another obvious one. And, in case you were wondering, the Packers are out of the playoff chase. I still hope they lose badly and Farve throws three to four picks. I also wouldn’t mind if he got hurt again, but only if it were something that was guaranteed to make him miss a game.

Arizona(2-9) @ St. Louis (5-6): Not a hard choice, but definitely not an easy team to root for. Can’t say I expect to be backing the winner of this one.

San Francisco (5-6) @ New Orleans (7-4): At this point, it would be best for the Saints to run away with the NFC South. That, combined with the fact the 49ers are the only wild card contender that holds a head to head tie breaker over the Vikes, means that a Saints win would go along way towards eliminating a competitor that has the edge on the Purple.

Atlanta (5-6) @ Washington(4-7): A loss by the Falcons would severely damage their conference record, and would also drop them to 5-7. If the ‘Skins can pull it out at Fed-Ex, the Falcons would have to win out to make the playoffs, since a 6-6 record in the NFC isn’t going to be good enough to win a tiebreaker with another 8-8 team (like, say, the Vikings).

Dallas (7-4) @ New York (N) (6-5): Backing the Cowboys is another example of rooting for a division leader to run away with their division. Also, it’s better for the Vikings if the Giants lose, since it will mean they won't lose a game on the team in the last playoff spot, might pick up a game and also makes it more likely the Giants will finish at .500, giving the Vikings’ a little more room for error.

Carolina (6-5) @ Philadelphia (5-6): This one is probably the hardest game to pick between the teams. The Vikings are tied with the Eagles, and the Panthers are a game ahead. The Vikings hold the tiebreaker over the Panthers, due to their victory in Week 2, but won’t necessarily hold a tiebreaker over the Eagles if they finish with the same record (it depends on who the Vikings lose to). So at first glance, it might appear that the Panthers are the best choice here, on the theory that it would help eliminate the Eagles. I think, however, that with Jeff Garcia under center, the Eagles are much more likely to drop two or three of their last four than the Panthers are, and so it would be better for the Vikings if the Eagles won. To be honest, this game is a win-win / lose-lose for the Vikings, so it might just be best not to back a team here, lest you pick the wrong one and your blood pressure goes up or something.