Well, it looks like I was right. The team that made the most "big plays" won the game. And unlike last year, when the Purple always seemed to be able to make one or two more, especially against Chicago, it was da Bears that made more, and it was da Bears that won the game.
When a team throws four interceptions, gives up two special teams touchdowns (now, I'm not the type that thinks Zygi should fire Childress now, because its too Al Davis-like and because he can fire him at the end of year, but Paul Ferraro? He needs to be fired and fired right now.) and a 51 yard touchdown pass to Marty Booker (yeah, I have no idea how that happened either), they aren't going to win. It doesn't matter if Adrian Peterson has a Purple Jesus type day or that Jared Allen has two sacks and a forced fumble. And it especially doesn't matter if you are so afraid of Devin Hester you let Chicago start every drive in field goal range for an entire half.
It didn't help that the lack of Madieu Williams and E.J. Henderson was exploited by Kyle Orton, Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark either. The Bears attacked the middle of the field and it worked to the tune of 9 catches, 133 receiving yards and a touchdown by Olsen and Clark. And the Purple made it worse by not tackling. The thing is, they weren't missing tackles so much as not attempting them. Time after time a Bears' receiver would catch a pass in a crowd of Purple and somehow emerge unscathed. Maybe the orange served as camouflage? I don't know, but that was the worse tackling by the Vikings since 2004 and it couldn't have come at a worse time.
Offensively, this was the first time since December 9th, 2001 that the Vikings' offense put up 40 points by themselves (and their QB was Todd Bouman!), and the first time under Brad Childress that they scored 30 or more without help from their defense, special teams or 250+ yards from Adrian Peterson. They might even have been able to score more if it weren't for the four interceptions, muffed punt by Charles Gordon (remember how worried I was about the lack of a real punt returner on the roster?) and inane decision by Childress to pass the ball on 4th and 1. The Purple averaged 4.8 yards per carry against Chicago on Sunday. They have the best running back in the NFL and an above average runner as his backup. Why not put both of them in the backfield and give it to one of them? It worked in the red zone. Even if you don't want to give Peterson the ball (he does have a pretty mediocre 47% success rate and has been stuffed on multiple 3rd and shorts this year), then give Chester Taylor the ball. Don't put the game in the hands of Gus Frerotte. His job is not to win games-its to stay out of the way while Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor and the defense wins games.
Decisions like that are why there's almost no doubt in my mind that the Vikings should fire Brad Childress at the end of the year (assuming, of course, that they miss the playoffs, a pretty safe bet at this point). The special teams issues, poor roster construction and predictable play calling all reinforce that. Given the two weeks he has to prepare for the final 9 games (in which the Vikings must go at least 6-3, if not 7-2, to have a shot at the playoffs) Childress might turn into Bill Belicheck. I doubt it though.
Coming up: 3 stars (yes, there were good games by Vikings) and later this week, a look at potential replacements for Childress.
Showing posts with label Recap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recap. Show all posts
Monday, October 20, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Killing Time: Playoff Odds, Recaps and ESPN
Its pretty obvious that Sunday's home opener against Indianapolis is a big game. Aside from the numerous players that need to rebound after a poor first game (paging Mr. Allen, paging Mr. Allen), the difference between 1-1 and 0-2 is a big one (not to mention the fact that Green Bay gets Detroit on Sunday, which means they're likely to be 2-0). OK--stop looking at me like I'm a bit slow. I know its obvious that 1-1 is better than 0-2. I know you know that too. What you probably don't know is how big a difference it makes in the odds the Vikings will make the playoffs. The folks at Football Outsiders know, and they calculated the odds of a team making the playoffs at various points in the season in the most recent Pro Football Prospectus (Have I mentioned that I love that book? You really should go buy it if you haven't already). They did so by looking at how where each team from 1978-2007 (excluding 1993 and its 18 week season) was after each game and calculating the percentage of teams at 1-0, 2-3, 9-6, etc that made the playoffs.
It's by no means definitive, but it gives a good sense of how important each game is. And let me tell you-this upcoming game is important. The difference between the playoff odds of an 1-1 team and a 0-2 team is one of the larger gaps created by a one game swing. At 0-1, the Vikings current have a 24.7% chance of making the playoffs. If they win, their chances increase to 41.0%. If the lose, their chances fall to 11.4%. That's a 30% swing and a loss would leave the Purple in a hole that it would take the Vikings three straight wins to dig themselves out of and get back to having a 50% chance of making the playoffs. So while Sunday's game won't necessarily make or break the Purple's season, a loss would put them in a hole that it will be very hard to dig their way out of.
More From Monday Night
Defensive Indifference, Luft's Locker Room, Skol Vikes and Andrew Sundquist from Pro Football Talk all have recaps of Monday Night's game.
Advanced Football Stats looks at Brad Childress' decision to go for two.
Football Outsiders has their Week 1 DVOA ratings up. Unsurprisingly, the Vikings are 22nd overall in VOA. Their DAVE rating, which is much better at predicting order of finish, is 5th though, and they were one of only two top 15 teams in DAVE that had to play a top 5 team last week (Green Bay is currently 2nd).
Shutdown Corner on the Aaron Rodgers' Bandwagon.
Smarter Stats, a new blog from the Washington Post, on the best statistic to rank pass rushers by. In case you were wondering, he had Jared Allen with sixth most sacks, hurries and knockdowns, despite his missing two games last year. Which means that, despite his missing the first game this year, he can still be one of the top pass rushers statistically again in 2008.
Finally, Cold Hard Football Facts on Tony Kornheiser and the Big Lead on the entire broadcast. The consensus? It was bad, real bad.
It's by no means definitive, but it gives a good sense of how important each game is. And let me tell you-this upcoming game is important. The difference between the playoff odds of an 1-1 team and a 0-2 team is one of the larger gaps created by a one game swing. At 0-1, the Vikings current have a 24.7% chance of making the playoffs. If they win, their chances increase to 41.0%. If the lose, their chances fall to 11.4%. That's a 30% swing and a loss would leave the Purple in a hole that it would take the Vikings three straight wins to dig themselves out of and get back to having a 50% chance of making the playoffs. So while Sunday's game won't necessarily make or break the Purple's season, a loss would put them in a hole that it will be very hard to dig their way out of.
More From Monday Night
Defensive Indifference, Luft's Locker Room, Skol Vikes and Andrew Sundquist from Pro Football Talk all have recaps of Monday Night's game.
Advanced Football Stats looks at Brad Childress' decision to go for two.
Football Outsiders has their Week 1 DVOA ratings up. Unsurprisingly, the Vikings are 22nd overall in VOA. Their DAVE rating, which is much better at predicting order of finish, is 5th though, and they were one of only two top 15 teams in DAVE that had to play a top 5 team last week (Green Bay is currently 2nd).
Shutdown Corner on the Aaron Rodgers' Bandwagon.
Smarter Stats, a new blog from the Washington Post, on the best statistic to rank pass rushers by. In case you were wondering, he had Jared Allen with sixth most sacks, hurries and knockdowns, despite his missing two games last year. Which means that, despite his missing the first game this year, he can still be one of the top pass rushers statistically again in 2008.
Finally, Cold Hard Football Facts on Tony Kornheiser and the Big Lead on the entire broadcast. The consensus? It was bad, real bad.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Almost, But Not Enough
As usual, after their season opening loss, the Vikings performance left their fans with the ability to choose between optimism and pessimism. They're cool like that-the Minnesota Vikings: something for everyone! Of course, even the most optimistic fans were left with a sour taste in their mouths after Tarvaris Jackson was picked off by Atari Bigby on the Vikings' final drive, effectively ending the game and pushing Brad Childress' record to 0-5 against the Packers.
Even if the Purple had pulled it out, there was a lot to be pessimistic about. Jared Allen, the Vikings biggest off season acquisition, was shut down by Chad Clifton after drawing two early holding penalties. Clifton's performance (and the rest of the Packers' line, which gave Aaron Rodgers enough time to be hesitant and hold onto the ball for too long and still complete 82% of his passes, a stat which dooms him to a career like that of Rob Johnson, Sam Wyche and Stan Humphries) stood in stark contrast to that of the Vikings' line, which, without Bryant McKinnie. gave Tarvaris Jackson the kind of protection that, to put it nicely, allowed Tarvaris to show off his ability to escape sacks. It also meant that Tarvaris was forced to rush throws, throw of his back foot and generally take way too many hits (which reminds me--SLIDE Tarvaris! SLIDE!!). Add that and some ugly throws by Tarvaris (though not anywhere near as many as last year), and you get a 45.7% completion percentage and only 4.7 yards per attempt.
And then there was the big plays. Rodgers' 56 yard pass to Greg Jennings wasn't exactly awesome, but that's what happens when you're forced to play your rookie safety instead of the veteran free agent you signed. On the other hand, Ryan Grant's 57 yard run was inexcusable for a defense that prides itself on stopping the run and which has only allowed one longer run in the last two years, to Stephen Jackson in Week 17 of 2006, a game in which the defense had clearly already packed it in. And for the sake of our collective blood pressure, let's not talk about the long play to Donald Driver that got called back.
The special teams also failed the team, missing Will Blackmon enough times on a punt return that he had no choice but to score and amassing a whopping nine yards on four punt returns and averaging under twenty yards on kick off returns.
The Vikings did manage to create their own big plays on offense, getting a 34 yard run out of Adrian Peterson and a 26 yard pass interference call on Al Harris that put them into position to score. Unlike the Packers, however, they were unable to turn their big plays into touchdowns, settling for only one field goal on the two drives.
Despite all of that, however, the Vikings only lost by five points, at Lambeau, with two important starters sitting out, to a team that went 13-3 last year and returned almost every one of their starters. Adrian Peterson was back to his old Purple Jesus self, a legimate concern after the way he ended last season. Tarvaris Jackson was poised in the second half, leading two long drives and he displayed a good grasp of when to run and when to throw, even under the constant pressure he faced, which allowed him to rack up 65 yards on 9 scrambles (one more time--SLIDE Tarvaris! SLIDE!!). He wasn't afraid to air it deep to Bernard Berrian either, who repeatedly beat Al Harris and drew two pass interference penalties on him (even if the refs only threw the flag on the first). Garrett Mills was a pleasant surprise as well, adding another legitmate option at tight end and leading the team in receiving (maybe he was worth picking a fight with Bill Bilichick). The run defense was as stout as normal--if you drop Grant's 57 yard run, the Packers only gained 3.15 yards per carry and they were unable to pick up a first down when they were trying to run out the clock.
Was it the best way to open the season? Definitely not. This team still has a lot of promise though--they gave the division champions all they could handle at Lambeau. If one or two plays had gone their way, or if they had managed to get touchdowns instead of a field goals, they could have pulled the game out. It could have been worse--last year, it was.
Even if the Purple had pulled it out, there was a lot to be pessimistic about. Jared Allen, the Vikings biggest off season acquisition, was shut down by Chad Clifton after drawing two early holding penalties. Clifton's performance (and the rest of the Packers' line, which gave Aaron Rodgers enough time to be hesitant and hold onto the ball for too long and still complete 82% of his passes, a stat which dooms him to a career like that of Rob Johnson, Sam Wyche and Stan Humphries) stood in stark contrast to that of the Vikings' line, which, without Bryant McKinnie. gave Tarvaris Jackson the kind of protection that, to put it nicely, allowed Tarvaris to show off his ability to escape sacks. It also meant that Tarvaris was forced to rush throws, throw of his back foot and generally take way too many hits (which reminds me--SLIDE Tarvaris! SLIDE!!). Add that and some ugly throws by Tarvaris (though not anywhere near as many as last year), and you get a 45.7% completion percentage and only 4.7 yards per attempt.
And then there was the big plays. Rodgers' 56 yard pass to Greg Jennings wasn't exactly awesome, but that's what happens when you're forced to play your rookie safety instead of the veteran free agent you signed. On the other hand, Ryan Grant's 57 yard run was inexcusable for a defense that prides itself on stopping the run and which has only allowed one longer run in the last two years, to Stephen Jackson in Week 17 of 2006, a game in which the defense had clearly already packed it in. And for the sake of our collective blood pressure, let's not talk about the long play to Donald Driver that got called back.
The special teams also failed the team, missing Will Blackmon enough times on a punt return that he had no choice but to score and amassing a whopping nine yards on four punt returns and averaging under twenty yards on kick off returns.
The Vikings did manage to create their own big plays on offense, getting a 34 yard run out of Adrian Peterson and a 26 yard pass interference call on Al Harris that put them into position to score. Unlike the Packers, however, they were unable to turn their big plays into touchdowns, settling for only one field goal on the two drives.
Despite all of that, however, the Vikings only lost by five points, at Lambeau, with two important starters sitting out, to a team that went 13-3 last year and returned almost every one of their starters. Adrian Peterson was back to his old Purple Jesus self, a legimate concern after the way he ended last season. Tarvaris Jackson was poised in the second half, leading two long drives and he displayed a good grasp of when to run and when to throw, even under the constant pressure he faced, which allowed him to rack up 65 yards on 9 scrambles (one more time--SLIDE Tarvaris! SLIDE!!). He wasn't afraid to air it deep to Bernard Berrian either, who repeatedly beat Al Harris and drew two pass interference penalties on him (even if the refs only threw the flag on the first). Garrett Mills was a pleasant surprise as well, adding another legitmate option at tight end and leading the team in receiving (maybe he was worth picking a fight with Bill Bilichick). The run defense was as stout as normal--if you drop Grant's 57 yard run, the Packers only gained 3.15 yards per carry and they were unable to pick up a first down when they were trying to run out the clock.
Was it the best way to open the season? Definitely not. This team still has a lot of promise though--they gave the division champions all they could handle at Lambeau. If one or two plays had gone their way, or if they had managed to get touchdowns instead of a field goals, they could have pulled the game out. It could have been worse--last year, it was.
Monday, December 24, 2007
It's Not Over, But It's Over
I'm not going to analyze this game. It was too depressing. Too many things went wrong, mostly because of stupid mistakes that the Vikings should not have made. And then, right when it seemed like the tide was turning and the Vikings had recovered a fumbled snap, well, there's nothing like having a review saddle you with a "12 men on the field" penalty to end any thought of a comeback.
After games like today, well, it's hard not to compare rooting for the Vikings with being in an abusive relationship. The Purple always seem to draw you in, show you the good times, make you think that they've changed and then they just smack you around.
Well, moving on....
I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas (if that's your thing) and I hope yall enjoy the holiday--don't let the Purple get you down.
After games like today, well, it's hard not to compare rooting for the Vikings with being in an abusive relationship. The Purple always seem to draw you in, show you the good times, make you think that they've changed and then they just smack you around.
Well, moving on....
I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas (if that's your thing) and I hope yall enjoy the holiday--don't let the Purple get you down.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Looking Back at Monday
A few more thoughts on Monday's game:
Special Teams:
The kick coverage was good. The rest of the special teams were not, and that's not even taking into the consideration the fact that THEY MISSED AN EXTRA POINT. Not only did that set off some 'Nam like flashbacks to the Doug O'Brien era, it also means that I will be terrified after every touchdown until the extra point has been kicked. Thankfully it only took the Vikings 15 minutes to score again, so no one had time to get worried about that extra point costing them the game and a playoff berth.
Also, I'd like to take a minute to thank Aundrae Allison for repaying my confidence in him. Nothing like averaging 17 yards on four kickoff returns to show why you should be primary kick returner. Though, it's not like Bobby Wade can say anything, considering he had two fair catches and 12 return yards as the punt returner. Somehow, I doubt the Redskins will be implementing the Hester Rules on Sunday night.
Purple Jesus:
Adrian Peterson is only 39 yards behind Willie Parker for the NFL rushing lead, an impressive feat, considering he has 102 fewer carries (and 62 fewer carries than 2nd place LaDainian Tomlinson). If Peterson had as many carries as Parker, he'd have almost 1800 yards. So there's that. Of course, if Peterson wants to win the rushing title, he's going to have to stop looking for the big play and just run, something he started doing again in the second half on Sunday. His second touchdown was a thing of beauty (well, after the handoff, that is). He looked like he was skiing he was cutting so sharply. The fact that the Redskins second leading tackler, linebacker Rocky McIntosh, is out for the rest of the season probably won't hurt his chances either.
The Tarvaris Revolution:
There are quite a few articles that came out discussing Tarvaris' performance on Sunday and the need for him to improve. And they are deserved, but not as much as they were earlier this year. What we saw on Sunday was Tarvaris' first game where he faced pressure and what we saw were mixed results. He had a 50 quarterback rating, mainly due to the three interceptions and no touchdowns, but he also had an average of 8.6 yards per pass attempt and scrambled for 25 yards, picking up two first downs in the process (and picking up a crucial unnecessary roughness penalty). Luckily the Vikings final two games are against teams that aren't that good at rushing the passer (Washington and Denver are tied at 23rd in adjusted sack rate). If the Vikings make the playoffs, however, he's going to see similar pressure, however, as Tampa Bay is 11th in adjusted sack rate and Seattle is 6th.
Matt Birk and Ryan Cook:
Could these two lineman have played any worse on Monday night? Birk was awful in the blitz pickup (I'm sure that Tarvaris appreciated his decision to help out Steve Hutchinson rather than block Brian Urlacher was appreciated) and Ryan Cook was his usual mediocre self. Honestly, anyone to the right of Hutchinson is suspect, which isn't really something you want to be thinking about when you're in the middle of a playoff race.
Mad Talent
It's the worst of all the sports All Star Games, but it's still an honor to be named to the Pro Bowl, so congratulations must go out to Adrian Peterson, Tony Richardson, Steve Hutchinson, Matt Birk, Darren Sharper, Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. The seven Vikings named (and alternates E.J. Henderson, Heath Farwell, Ryan Longwell and Bryant McKinnie) show how much talent this Vikings team has. It also shows how important the passing game is, as it was the Vikings complete lack of one at the beginning of the season that held the Vikings back.
Special Teams:
The kick coverage was good. The rest of the special teams were not, and that's not even taking into the consideration the fact that THEY MISSED AN EXTRA POINT. Not only did that set off some 'Nam like flashbacks to the Doug O'Brien era, it also means that I will be terrified after every touchdown until the extra point has been kicked. Thankfully it only took the Vikings 15 minutes to score again, so no one had time to get worried about that extra point costing them the game and a playoff berth.
Also, I'd like to take a minute to thank Aundrae Allison for repaying my confidence in him. Nothing like averaging 17 yards on four kickoff returns to show why you should be primary kick returner. Though, it's not like Bobby Wade can say anything, considering he had two fair catches and 12 return yards as the punt returner. Somehow, I doubt the Redskins will be implementing the Hester Rules on Sunday night.
Purple Jesus:
Adrian Peterson is only 39 yards behind Willie Parker for the NFL rushing lead, an impressive feat, considering he has 102 fewer carries (and 62 fewer carries than 2nd place LaDainian Tomlinson). If Peterson had as many carries as Parker, he'd have almost 1800 yards. So there's that. Of course, if Peterson wants to win the rushing title, he's going to have to stop looking for the big play and just run, something he started doing again in the second half on Sunday. His second touchdown was a thing of beauty (well, after the handoff, that is). He looked like he was skiing he was cutting so sharply. The fact that the Redskins second leading tackler, linebacker Rocky McIntosh, is out for the rest of the season probably won't hurt his chances either.
The Tarvaris Revolution:
There are quite a few articles that came out discussing Tarvaris' performance on Sunday and the need for him to improve. And they are deserved, but not as much as they were earlier this year. What we saw on Sunday was Tarvaris' first game where he faced pressure and what we saw were mixed results. He had a 50 quarterback rating, mainly due to the three interceptions and no touchdowns, but he also had an average of 8.6 yards per pass attempt and scrambled for 25 yards, picking up two first downs in the process (and picking up a crucial unnecessary roughness penalty). Luckily the Vikings final two games are against teams that aren't that good at rushing the passer (Washington and Denver are tied at 23rd in adjusted sack rate). If the Vikings make the playoffs, however, he's going to see similar pressure, however, as Tampa Bay is 11th in adjusted sack rate and Seattle is 6th.
Matt Birk and Ryan Cook:
Could these two lineman have played any worse on Monday night? Birk was awful in the blitz pickup (I'm sure that Tarvaris appreciated his decision to help out Steve Hutchinson rather than block Brian Urlacher was appreciated) and Ryan Cook was his usual mediocre self. Honestly, anyone to the right of Hutchinson is suspect, which isn't really something you want to be thinking about when you're in the middle of a playoff race.
Mad Talent
It's the worst of all the sports All Star Games, but it's still an honor to be named to the Pro Bowl, so congratulations must go out to Adrian Peterson, Tony Richardson, Steve Hutchinson, Matt Birk, Darren Sharper, Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. The seven Vikings named (and alternates E.J. Henderson, Heath Farwell, Ryan Longwell and Bryant McKinnie) show how much talent this Vikings team has. It also shows how important the passing game is, as it was the Vikings complete lack of one at the beginning of the season that held the Vikings back.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
A Debacle
[Otherwise known as "I award you no stars, Goodbye Childress and Pray for Purple Jesus]
First off, let me apologize for the lack of posts over the past week. I was moving, which, combined with a busy week at work, meant that I wasn't able to properly consider the Packers game. And after that effort, it's probably for the best. I mean, who wants to put hours into contemplating an event that turns out so unbelievably poorly?
And make no mistake about it--there were few, if any, noteworthy performances by the Purple in that game. Not too surprising, considering that was the worst loss the Vikings have ever had to the Packers. Unlike other losses, I'm not going to be searching for the silver lining, the positives, or any of that other nice stuff. This team did not come to play on Sunday and they got pounded.
The defense wasn't there, at all. I'm used to the Purple having problems stopping the pass. However, I'm not used to them getting run over by a team that cannot rush. The Packers had more yards on the ground than their season average in the first half. Ryan Grant had 120 yards rushing. Not only was that a career high, it was the second time Grant had ever broken 100 yards rushing and the only time he'd done so against a defense that wasn't the worst in the NFL in stopping the run (his other 100 yard game was against Denver). Part of it was that the Packers attacked the edges, running quick off tackle plays. A lot of it, however, was the Vikings defense playing poorly.
The offense's problems weren't similar to the defense's in that they weren't new. They were a lot worse than normal, that's for sure. The Vikings did not have a drive longer than 5 plays (including punts) until their second drive of the second half. They failed to convert a single third down, failing eight times. EIGHT TIMES. Zero for Eight. I don't have any problems with my blood pressure, and I don't particularly want any, so I'm going to move on to another fun topic.
Is there any reason to bring back Childress next year? The team is 9-16 under his watch and the offense, which is supposed to be his speciality, is so bad that every adjective I've come up just doesn't seem to describe it. The team has quit on him at least once (Week 17 last year) and likely quit on him again on Sunday. His personnel decisions have been mediocre at best and he's made two decisions (cutting Robinson and docking Williamson's pay) that have likely cost him a lot of support in the locker room, both of which could have been avoided if he'd thought them through. The most damning thing is that not only has the team not been successful, it has gotten worse as each season has worn on. I'm not going to be one of those people that pines for Mike Tice. He had more success than Childress, but he wasn't a good enough coach to get the Vikings to the Super Bowl. I am, however, ready for the Vikings to start looking for a coach that will get the Vikings to the Promised Land, because Childress is clearly not.
Finally, if you haven't heard, the Purple Jesus has a lateral colleteral ligament tear in his right knee. It won't require surgery and he should be back this season. The injury probably ends any chance he had at breaking the rookie rushing record, but he's still well ahead of the back with the second most yards. Peterson has 1081 yards, 208 yards more than Willie Parker, who is in second place with 873 yards.
First off, let me apologize for the lack of posts over the past week. I was moving, which, combined with a busy week at work, meant that I wasn't able to properly consider the Packers game. And after that effort, it's probably for the best. I mean, who wants to put hours into contemplating an event that turns out so unbelievably poorly?
And make no mistake about it--there were few, if any, noteworthy performances by the Purple in that game. Not too surprising, considering that was the worst loss the Vikings have ever had to the Packers. Unlike other losses, I'm not going to be searching for the silver lining, the positives, or any of that other nice stuff. This team did not come to play on Sunday and they got pounded.
The defense wasn't there, at all. I'm used to the Purple having problems stopping the pass. However, I'm not used to them getting run over by a team that cannot rush. The Packers had more yards on the ground than their season average in the first half. Ryan Grant had 120 yards rushing. Not only was that a career high, it was the second time Grant had ever broken 100 yards rushing and the only time he'd done so against a defense that wasn't the worst in the NFL in stopping the run (his other 100 yard game was against Denver). Part of it was that the Packers attacked the edges, running quick off tackle plays. A lot of it, however, was the Vikings defense playing poorly.
The offense's problems weren't similar to the defense's in that they weren't new. They were a lot worse than normal, that's for sure. The Vikings did not have a drive longer than 5 plays (including punts) until their second drive of the second half. They failed to convert a single third down, failing eight times. EIGHT TIMES. Zero for Eight. I don't have any problems with my blood pressure, and I don't particularly want any, so I'm going to move on to another fun topic.
Is there any reason to bring back Childress next year? The team is 9-16 under his watch and the offense, which is supposed to be his speciality, is so bad that every adjective I've come up just doesn't seem to describe it. The team has quit on him at least once (Week 17 last year) and likely quit on him again on Sunday. His personnel decisions have been mediocre at best and he's made two decisions (cutting Robinson and docking Williamson's pay) that have likely cost him a lot of support in the locker room, both of which could have been avoided if he'd thought them through. The most damning thing is that not only has the team not been successful, it has gotten worse as each season has worn on. I'm not going to be one of those people that pines for Mike Tice. He had more success than Childress, but he wasn't a good enough coach to get the Vikings to the Super Bowl. I am, however, ready for the Vikings to start looking for a coach that will get the Vikings to the Promised Land, because Childress is clearly not.
Finally, if you haven't heard, the Purple Jesus has a lateral colleteral ligament tear in his right knee. It won't require surgery and he should be back this season. The injury probably ends any chance he had at breaking the rookie rushing record, but he's still well ahead of the back with the second most yards. Peterson has 1081 yards, 208 yards more than Willie Parker, who is in second place with 873 yards.
Monday, October 15, 2007
All is Joy and Light
I'm sure I'm not the only one that is looking at this team, and at this season, with a lot more optimism than they were before Sunday's game. Aside from the Purple Jesus' dominating performance, there was a lot to like on Sunday, including an offense that looked competent outside of the Purple Jesus. And while the defense did give up 31 points, their most this year, I think it was the exception, rather than the rule.
Finally, an Offense:
For their first offensive play, the Vikings lined up in a single back formation, with three wide outs. Chester Taylor was in the backfield and after the snap, he got the ball and turned it into a six yard gain. Something we've all seen before, right? Well...sort of. After handing the ball off, Tarvaris Jackson faked a hand off to a Viking who had been split wide and was running a reverse. That player? Adrian Peterson. It was the first sign that Brad Childress and Darren Bevell have figured out how to run an offense. While they never actually handed Peterson the ball on a reverse, they put the thought out there and made da Bears, and all of the Vikings future opponents, have to account for Peterson at all times, even when Chester Taylor is the only Viking in the backfield.
That wasn't the only play that made me think the Vikings offensive plan was a good one. The Purple did not hesitate to take shots down field (including a deep pass to Adrian Peterson) and the routes run were deeper than they used to be, even if by only a few yards. The only place the Vikings' passing game was lacking was in the execution. I counted five dropped passes by receivers that were perfectly thrown and, while I wasn't counting Tarvaris' overthrows, he missed his fair share of open receivers, most notably an overthrown pop pass to a wide open Tony Richardson. Tarvaris also seemed hesitant to run, leaving two first downs on the table by choosing to throw a pass instead. Whether that was due to his groin injury, coaching or just a young player mistake, it's important that he figure out when to run, as his speed, strength and elusiveness are a big part of his value as a quarterback.
A Flashback on Defense:
We Vikings fans have been spoiled recently by our defense's ability to prevent other teams from scoring. The Purple's defense, on average, has have held their opponents under twenty points a game during the Childress era, and have held their opponents under thirty in 18 of the 20 games prior to Sunday. That's pretty good folks, and that's reason number 1 that I think Sunday was a fluke, rather than the start of disturbing trend.
Reason number 2 is the way da Bears scored their points. One touchdown came on a play where Antoine Winfield tripped and fell. Another came on a punt return by Devin Hester (nothing to be ashamed of-that punt just didn't quite get out of bounds like it was supposed to). In fact, all of da Bears touchdowns came on big plays, with the shortest one being a 33 yard pass to Muhsin Muhammed. Now, if the Vikings had given up a lot of big plays in the passing game prior to Sunday, I'd be worried. They haven't, however, and the Vikings play a defense designed specifically to prevent big plays. There were some breakdowns on Sunday, and the Vikings need to figure out what they were, and how they happened. And then they need to fix them. Their track record under Childress says they'll be able to do so, which is why this game will be a fluke, just like the other two games the Vikings allowed their opponents to break thirty.
Finally, an Offense:
For their first offensive play, the Vikings lined up in a single back formation, with three wide outs. Chester Taylor was in the backfield and after the snap, he got the ball and turned it into a six yard gain. Something we've all seen before, right? Well...sort of. After handing the ball off, Tarvaris Jackson faked a hand off to a Viking who had been split wide and was running a reverse. That player? Adrian Peterson. It was the first sign that Brad Childress and Darren Bevell have figured out how to run an offense. While they never actually handed Peterson the ball on a reverse, they put the thought out there and made da Bears, and all of the Vikings future opponents, have to account for Peterson at all times, even when Chester Taylor is the only Viking in the backfield.
That wasn't the only play that made me think the Vikings offensive plan was a good one. The Purple did not hesitate to take shots down field (including a deep pass to Adrian Peterson) and the routes run were deeper than they used to be, even if by only a few yards. The only place the Vikings' passing game was lacking was in the execution. I counted five dropped passes by receivers that were perfectly thrown and, while I wasn't counting Tarvaris' overthrows, he missed his fair share of open receivers, most notably an overthrown pop pass to a wide open Tony Richardson. Tarvaris also seemed hesitant to run, leaving two first downs on the table by choosing to throw a pass instead. Whether that was due to his groin injury, coaching or just a young player mistake, it's important that he figure out when to run, as his speed, strength and elusiveness are a big part of his value as a quarterback.
A Flashback on Defense:
We Vikings fans have been spoiled recently by our defense's ability to prevent other teams from scoring. The Purple's defense, on average, has have held their opponents under twenty points a game during the Childress era, and have held their opponents under thirty in 18 of the 20 games prior to Sunday. That's pretty good folks, and that's reason number 1 that I think Sunday was a fluke, rather than the start of disturbing trend.
Reason number 2 is the way da Bears scored their points. One touchdown came on a play where Antoine Winfield tripped and fell. Another came on a punt return by Devin Hester (nothing to be ashamed of-that punt just didn't quite get out of bounds like it was supposed to). In fact, all of da Bears touchdowns came on big plays, with the shortest one being a 33 yard pass to Muhsin Muhammed. Now, if the Vikings had given up a lot of big plays in the passing game prior to Sunday, I'd be worried. They haven't, however, and the Vikings play a defense designed specifically to prevent big plays. There were some breakdowns on Sunday, and the Vikings need to figure out what they were, and how they happened. And then they need to fix them. Their track record under Childress says they'll be able to do so, which is why this game will be a fluke, just like the other two games the Vikings allowed their opponents to break thirty.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Predictability, Thy Name is Childress/Bevell
Vikings fans have complained incessantly about the the Vikings' offense since Brad Childress' first game. They've said it was too predictable, too reliant on short yardage plays and unable to put points on the board. They were right.
On Sunday, the Vikings ran 26 plays on first down, including one play that was negated by an illegal shift by Jeff Dugan. Of those 29 plays, 12 came in the first half and 14 came in the second half. Of those 26 plays, the Vikings ran the ball 21 times, eleven times in the first half and ten times in the second half. Those numbers also include two first down plays on the final drive, where the Vikings had to throw. And even including those two plays, the Vikings still ran the ball 72.4% of the time on first down. I wonder if the Chiefs noticed? (Let's see here...36 total yards in the second half? I think the Chiefs adjusted.)
If the Vikings had realized the Chiefs were planning on flooding the box with 8 or 9 defenders (something you think they'd have noticed), they should have been able to torch them on first down. Instead, they kept pounding Adrian Peterson into the line, which, surprisingly enough, didn't work too well. The Purple got an 12 yard run and a 9 yard run out of Peterson on first down and one 11 yard run from Mewelde Moore, but also got carries of -1 yards, -5 yards, -2 yards, 0 yards and 3 yards. That's 4 plays that, considering the Vikings lack of big play makers, basically doomed drives and one carry that helped a little.
Here's the really infuriating thing: the Vikings weren't having a lot of success running the ball on first down in the first half either, where they ran the ball for -4 yards, 16 yards, 11 yards, -1 yards, 10 yards, 1 yard, 0 yards, 5 yards, 1 yard and 3 yards. Out of ten rushing plays, they got first downs three times, got a good gain once, an average gain once and got one yard twice and had no gain or lost yardage three times.
My guess is that Childress and Bevell ran the ball so many times because they didn't want to get into second and long situations due to failed passes. I hope that they knew their offensive players aren't good enough to convert 2nd and 3rd and longs and so they ran the ball on first down in order to create manageable 2nd and 3rd downs. And, if so, that, at least, makes sense. That doesn't mean they were right to do so. Anytime you have such a predictable pattern in the NFL, you are going to fail. And the Vikings were about as predictable as you can get on first down. And thus, the offense failed miserably.
And that's enough of that awful game. I'm going to be kicking off Packers Week later this afternoon/this evening. I don't really think the Vikings are going to win, but they only need to pick off Farve twice to get him to 277 and tie him with George Blanda for most interceptions thrown.
On Sunday, the Vikings ran 26 plays on first down, including one play that was negated by an illegal shift by Jeff Dugan. Of those 29 plays, 12 came in the first half and 14 came in the second half. Of those 26 plays, the Vikings ran the ball 21 times, eleven times in the first half and ten times in the second half. Those numbers also include two first down plays on the final drive, where the Vikings had to throw. And even including those two plays, the Vikings still ran the ball 72.4% of the time on first down. I wonder if the Chiefs noticed? (Let's see here...36 total yards in the second half? I think the Chiefs adjusted.)
If the Vikings had realized the Chiefs were planning on flooding the box with 8 or 9 defenders (something you think they'd have noticed), they should have been able to torch them on first down. Instead, they kept pounding Adrian Peterson into the line, which, surprisingly enough, didn't work too well. The Purple got an 12 yard run and a 9 yard run out of Peterson on first down and one 11 yard run from Mewelde Moore, but also got carries of -1 yards, -5 yards, -2 yards, 0 yards and 3 yards. That's 4 plays that, considering the Vikings lack of big play makers, basically doomed drives and one carry that helped a little.
Here's the really infuriating thing: the Vikings weren't having a lot of success running the ball on first down in the first half either, where they ran the ball for -4 yards, 16 yards, 11 yards, -1 yards, 10 yards, 1 yard, 0 yards, 5 yards, 1 yard and 3 yards. Out of ten rushing plays, they got first downs three times, got a good gain once, an average gain once and got one yard twice and had no gain or lost yardage three times.
My guess is that Childress and Bevell ran the ball so many times because they didn't want to get into second and long situations due to failed passes. I hope that they knew their offensive players aren't good enough to convert 2nd and 3rd and longs and so they ran the ball on first down in order to create manageable 2nd and 3rd downs. And, if so, that, at least, makes sense. That doesn't mean they were right to do so. Anytime you have such a predictable pattern in the NFL, you are going to fail. And the Vikings were about as predictable as you can get on first down. And thus, the offense failed miserably.
And that's enough of that awful game. I'm going to be kicking off Packers Week later this afternoon/this evening. I don't really think the Vikings are going to win, but they only need to pick off Farve twice to get him to 277 and tie him with George Blanda for most interceptions thrown.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
A Final Look
It's hard to do in depth analysis of a game like Sunday's. The five turnovers by the Vikings overshadowed everything else, which actually might be a good thing, because there were a lot of other issues that need to be addressed. At the end of the day, however, the Vikings are still in the playoff hunt (you'll notice that I had yesterday's game as a "Should win", not a "Must win"), if they address the problems from Sunday.
First off, the Vikings' play calling needs some work. There seems to be a general consensus around the Vikings' internet community that, on 3rd and short, the Vikings should hand the ball to the Purple Jesus and let him bowl his way to a first down, rather than counting on their second year QB making his fourth start to complete a pass to one of the young and/or mediocre receivers. This accounted for one of Tarvaris' mistakes, as they ran a play on 3rd and short similar to the one that led to his interception against the Falcons, which led to an interception. This is what is known and a "teachable" moment, and I hope whoever called that play gets taught not to call anything like it again.
Secondly, the offensive line needs to get their act together. Tarvaris was constantly under pressure and sacked twice. All of his interceptions came when he was under pressure, with one being under thrown because his arm was hit, and two others coming when he panicked on a roll out while facing a stiff rush. Defenses are going to take note of the Revolution's problems handling the blitz on Sunday and they are going to keep coming at him. The line has to do a better job of buying him time. He's still getting comfortable in an NFL pocket and the last thing he needs is to have defenders in his face every play while he's trying to figure out how to run an NFL offense.
Brad Childress and Darren Bevel also need to do a better job of incorporating all of their offensive weapons into the game plan. There aren't a whole lot of them, so it really shouldn't be that hard. In this case, it means finding room for Mewelde Moore. I wrote that Moore needed to be utilized more often after last season and the same thing still applies. Mewelde had 50 yards rushing on 6 carries and 36 yards receiving on 4 receptions. While a lot of the rushing yards came at the end of the half against a dime defense, Moore almost single handedly got the Vikings into field goal range, but was thwarted by penalties. And his 20 yard screen play was what enabled Ryan Longwell to have a shot to win the game at the end of regulation. Moore is, quite simply, a play maker, something the Vikings' offense is lacking in. Quite simply, not only should Mewelde Moore never be deactivated for a game, he should get the ball more often because he's good.
Finally, the defense struggled against the pass again. Jon Kitna carved up the Vikings in a manner similar to what we became used to last year, dropped back to pass 34 times despite sitting out almost the entire second half. And even when he was sitting out, the Lions still called 26 pass plays despite the fact that J.T. O'Sullivan was their quarterback. They ran a pass play on 78.6% of their offensive plays, more than Vikings' average of 64%, but in line with opposing teams ratio starting with the Patriots game. And it worked pretty well, with only an amazing Darren Sharper interception and a play where Jon Kitna managed to kick the ball out of his own hand preventing the Lions from scoring in the first quarter. When Kitna didn't screw up, the Lions scored relatively easily. A lot of that had to do with the fact the Lions receivers were abusing the Vikings' secondary in general and Marcus McCauley in particular. I'm not sure how Mike Martz did it, but it seemed he always managed to line up Roy Williams so that McCauley ended up covering him, which is why Williams had 7 catches for 111 yards and a TD. I expect McCauley to be a quality player for the Vikings this year and to eventually turn into a really good cornerback. That doesn't mean, however, that I want him covering a Pro Bowl quality receiver in his fourth game. Leslie Frazier is going to have to figure out a way to ensure that either Antoine Winfield or Cedric Griffin are matching up with opposing teams best receivers from now on. I can live with a quality #3 receiver beating McCauley (and the Lions do have a quality #3, and he beat McCauley as well), but I have a problem with a #1 receiver running all over the Vikings' nickelback who's in single coverage on him.
[I know it sounds like sour grapes, but, Cedric Griffin got abused by the refs on Sunday. That pass interference call on him in the first quarter where he barely touched Roy Williams when the throw was clearly uncatchable was awful, and Calvin Johnson's push off on his touchdown catch made me wonder whether Johnson would have to shoot the defender ala the Last Boy Scout to get called for offensive pass interference, or if the refs would still give him a Michael Jordan style no call.]
Obviously, questionable play calling, poor offensive line play, misuse of Mewelde Moore and problems with the pass coverage were a big factor in the Vikings' 6-10 season last year. They're going to big factors again this year, but, because I am an eternal optimist, I think they can be addressed, or at least addressed enough for the Vikings to pull out a playoff spot. If Childress and his staff are going to fix the problems, however, they better do so now, before the Vikings let any more winnable games go to waste.
First off, the Vikings' play calling needs some work. There seems to be a general consensus around the Vikings' internet community that, on 3rd and short, the Vikings should hand the ball to the Purple Jesus and let him bowl his way to a first down, rather than counting on their second year QB making his fourth start to complete a pass to one of the young and/or mediocre receivers. This accounted for one of Tarvaris' mistakes, as they ran a play on 3rd and short similar to the one that led to his interception against the Falcons, which led to an interception. This is what is known and a "teachable" moment, and I hope whoever called that play gets taught not to call anything like it again.
Secondly, the offensive line needs to get their act together. Tarvaris was constantly under pressure and sacked twice. All of his interceptions came when he was under pressure, with one being under thrown because his arm was hit, and two others coming when he panicked on a roll out while facing a stiff rush. Defenses are going to take note of the Revolution's problems handling the blitz on Sunday and they are going to keep coming at him. The line has to do a better job of buying him time. He's still getting comfortable in an NFL pocket and the last thing he needs is to have defenders in his face every play while he's trying to figure out how to run an NFL offense.
Brad Childress and Darren Bevel also need to do a better job of incorporating all of their offensive weapons into the game plan. There aren't a whole lot of them, so it really shouldn't be that hard. In this case, it means finding room for Mewelde Moore. I wrote that Moore needed to be utilized more often after last season and the same thing still applies. Mewelde had 50 yards rushing on 6 carries and 36 yards receiving on 4 receptions. While a lot of the rushing yards came at the end of the half against a dime defense, Moore almost single handedly got the Vikings into field goal range, but was thwarted by penalties. And his 20 yard screen play was what enabled Ryan Longwell to have a shot to win the game at the end of regulation. Moore is, quite simply, a play maker, something the Vikings' offense is lacking in. Quite simply, not only should Mewelde Moore never be deactivated for a game, he should get the ball more often because he's good.
Finally, the defense struggled against the pass again. Jon Kitna carved up the Vikings in a manner similar to what we became used to last year, dropped back to pass 34 times despite sitting out almost the entire second half. And even when he was sitting out, the Lions still called 26 pass plays despite the fact that J.T. O'Sullivan was their quarterback. They ran a pass play on 78.6% of their offensive plays, more than Vikings' average of 64%, but in line with opposing teams ratio starting with the Patriots game. And it worked pretty well, with only an amazing Darren Sharper interception and a play where Jon Kitna managed to kick the ball out of his own hand preventing the Lions from scoring in the first quarter. When Kitna didn't screw up, the Lions scored relatively easily. A lot of that had to do with the fact the Lions receivers were abusing the Vikings' secondary in general and Marcus McCauley in particular. I'm not sure how Mike Martz did it, but it seemed he always managed to line up Roy Williams so that McCauley ended up covering him, which is why Williams had 7 catches for 111 yards and a TD. I expect McCauley to be a quality player for the Vikings this year and to eventually turn into a really good cornerback. That doesn't mean, however, that I want him covering a Pro Bowl quality receiver in his fourth game. Leslie Frazier is going to have to figure out a way to ensure that either Antoine Winfield or Cedric Griffin are matching up with opposing teams best receivers from now on. I can live with a quality #3 receiver beating McCauley (and the Lions do have a quality #3, and he beat McCauley as well), but I have a problem with a #1 receiver running all over the Vikings' nickelback who's in single coverage on him.
[I know it sounds like sour grapes, but, Cedric Griffin got abused by the refs on Sunday. That pass interference call on him in the first quarter where he barely touched Roy Williams when the throw was clearly uncatchable was awful, and Calvin Johnson's push off on his touchdown catch made me wonder whether Johnson would have to shoot the defender ala the Last Boy Scout to get called for offensive pass interference, or if the refs would still give him a Michael Jordan style no call.]
Obviously, questionable play calling, poor offensive line play, misuse of Mewelde Moore and problems with the pass coverage were a big factor in the Vikings' 6-10 season last year. They're going to big factors again this year, but, because I am an eternal optimist, I think they can be addressed, or at least addressed enough for the Vikings to pull out a playoff spot. If Childress and his staff are going to fix the problems, however, they better do so now, before the Vikings let any more winnable games go to waste.
Monday, September 17, 2007
A Low Point
Every revolution has a point where the adversity just seems to be too much. A point when everything seems hopeless and no matter how low the dreams of the revolutionaries were, they seem too far out of reach. When everything is cold and gray and it would just be easier to pack up and give up and go home. For the Tarvaris Revolution, it would seem that point was yesterday afternoon, when he limped off the field with a groin strain after throwing four ugly interceptions and putting up a 26.4 QB rating, the worst of his career.
Ford's Field: The Valley Forge of the Tarvaris RevolutionThat, however, doesn't negate the ugliness of those interceptions. His first pick was a pass forced into coverage. His second interception was the only one that was because of a poor throw, as it came when he under threw a wide open Robert Ferguson, who was streaking along the side line. His third and fourth picks both came on passes he threw up for grabs with defenders in his face. That means he threw three picks because of poor decision making. It wasn't a physical thing. Rather, it was because he panicked in the face of a stiff rush and made some really bad decisions.
Now, you have to remember that while this is Tarvaris' second season, it was only his fourth game as the starter. He is, for all intents and purposes, a rookie. To sound an optimistic note, Donovan McNabb had two games with QB ratings in the twenties as a rookie. Steve McNair had one in his third full season. Heck, Brad Johnson threw four interceptions in a game last year.
Since it was Tarvaris' decision making that was the problem, that means it's something that can be corrected. Brad Childress needs to coach 'em up, if you will. He needs to make sure that Tarvaris understands that, right now, he needs to take what the defense gives him and not to force things when he's hemmed in by the rush. Just throw the ball out of bounds, or check down to the outlet, something Tarvaris seems to get when not faced with a stifling rush.
I think Tarvaris can bounce back from this. He'll have a break out game this year, when everything just clicks. And after he crosses the Delaware, he'll catch the Hessians napping in Trenton and it will be the turning point in the Tarvaris Revolution.
Monday, September 10, 2007
16-0 Still a Possibility
How's that for some irrational exuberance? The Vikings defense was dominant in all aspects of the game and the Tarvaris and Purple Jesus Show was good enough to leave Purple fans dreaming of the Playoffs.
The biggest change from last season was the amount of pressure the Vikings were able to generate whenever Joey Harrington dropped back to pass. The six sacks they totaled was a fifth of the sacks they had last year. The fourth rounder out of Texas, Brian Robison, continued to play like he did in the preseason, dropping Harrington twice. While that was nice, it wasn't necessarily surprising. What was surprising were the two sacks by E.J. Henderson (he's never had more than three in a season) and the game ender by Keneci Udeze. I hope I wasn't the only one who got a kick out of Karl Hobbs jumping on Udeze after the play. Now, the next step is for Udeze to get a sack during a more meaningful part of the game. Baby steps...Baby steps...
To use a forced segue, one player that doesn't need to take baby steps is Adrian Peterson. What speed, what power, what vision. There's a reason why he was the 1st Star of the Game. And why he's going to rack up a lot of accolades this year and for the foreseeable future. The injury to Chester Taylor is troublesome, however. Lest we forget, Adrian Peterson's has a long history of injuries, something sharing the carries with Taylor was supposed to help with. It doesn't seem like Taylor is going to miss any more time because of his bruised hip, but it's important that he play so that Peterson doesn't have to carry the entire load.
Any injury to Peterson would likely be devastating to an offense that is still trying to establish a real passing game. The Vikings took quite a few shots down field yesterday, something they hadn't done with Brad Johnson under center (Tarvaris having the ability to throw the ball further than 10 yards helped), but the Revolution wasn't able to connect with Sidney Rice or Troy Williamson down field, with his deepest pass going to Bobby Wade for a 28 yard gain. What he was able to do, however, was hit his receivers in stride, go through his progressions and keep plays alive by avoiding the rush in ways a less mobile quarterback would have been unable to. The best example of that was on a play that ended in an incomplete pass. During that play, Tarvaris rolled right, avoiding a Falcon in the backfield, only to have the defense end grab him and attempt to drag him down. The Revolution cannot be suppressed that easily, however. Tarvaris kept his feet, but just barely, and as the end continued to pull him down, Tarvaris flung the ball over the his head, out of bounds, avoiding what should have been an easy sack. Tarvaris hit Bobby Wade for 28 yards on the very next play on a drive that ended with the Vikings kicking a field goal. The Vikings' offense doesn't have the playmakers to overcome negative plays like sacks and penalties. Tarvaris' strength and mobility will go a long way towards preventing the Purple from giving up as many sacks as they did last year (they gave up 43, the 8th most in the NFL). The Purple also played an almost penalty free game on offense, only being flagged once, for Artis Hicks holding.
While it was clear that the offense needs to score more than ten points, the defense looks like it's fixed the only problem it had, the pass rush. As Tarvaris gets more comfortable in the pocket, those deep passes that fell incomplete on Sunday will become completions. And if the defense can stop the run and the pass, then those completions will be more then enough to get the Purple the wins they need to make the playoffs.
The biggest change from last season was the amount of pressure the Vikings were able to generate whenever Joey Harrington dropped back to pass. The six sacks they totaled was a fifth of the sacks they had last year. The fourth rounder out of Texas, Brian Robison, continued to play like he did in the preseason, dropping Harrington twice. While that was nice, it wasn't necessarily surprising. What was surprising were the two sacks by E.J. Henderson (he's never had more than three in a season) and the game ender by Keneci Udeze. I hope I wasn't the only one who got a kick out of Karl Hobbs jumping on Udeze after the play. Now, the next step is for Udeze to get a sack during a more meaningful part of the game. Baby steps...Baby steps...
To use a forced segue, one player that doesn't need to take baby steps is Adrian Peterson. What speed, what power, what vision. There's a reason why he was the 1st Star of the Game. And why he's going to rack up a lot of accolades this year and for the foreseeable future. The injury to Chester Taylor is troublesome, however. Lest we forget, Adrian Peterson's has a long history of injuries, something sharing the carries with Taylor was supposed to help with. It doesn't seem like Taylor is going to miss any more time because of his bruised hip, but it's important that he play so that Peterson doesn't have to carry the entire load.
Any injury to Peterson would likely be devastating to an offense that is still trying to establish a real passing game. The Vikings took quite a few shots down field yesterday, something they hadn't done with Brad Johnson under center (Tarvaris having the ability to throw the ball further than 10 yards helped), but the Revolution wasn't able to connect with Sidney Rice or Troy Williamson down field, with his deepest pass going to Bobby Wade for a 28 yard gain. What he was able to do, however, was hit his receivers in stride, go through his progressions and keep plays alive by avoiding the rush in ways a less mobile quarterback would have been unable to. The best example of that was on a play that ended in an incomplete pass. During that play, Tarvaris rolled right, avoiding a Falcon in the backfield, only to have the defense end grab him and attempt to drag him down. The Revolution cannot be suppressed that easily, however. Tarvaris kept his feet, but just barely, and as the end continued to pull him down, Tarvaris flung the ball over the his head, out of bounds, avoiding what should have been an easy sack. Tarvaris hit Bobby Wade for 28 yards on the very next play on a drive that ended with the Vikings kicking a field goal. The Vikings' offense doesn't have the playmakers to overcome negative plays like sacks and penalties. Tarvaris' strength and mobility will go a long way towards preventing the Purple from giving up as many sacks as they did last year (they gave up 43, the 8th most in the NFL). The Purple also played an almost penalty free game on offense, only being flagged once, for Artis Hicks holding.
While it was clear that the offense needs to score more than ten points, the defense looks like it's fixed the only problem it had, the pass rush. As Tarvaris gets more comfortable in the pocket, those deep passes that fell incomplete on Sunday will become completions. And if the defense can stop the run and the pass, then those completions will be more then enough to get the Purple the wins they need to make the playoffs.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
And It's Over
Ugh. UGHHH. By breaking off a 59 yard touchdown run, Stephen Jackson knocked the Vikings rush defense out of the recordbooks, adding one final disappointment to a disappointing season. I didn't expect the team to win, or even necessarily to be competitive. I did not, however, expect the Vikings' rush defense to get dominated like it was. I mean, Jackson was the first running back to rush for 100 yards against the Vikings since Warrick Dunn did on October 5, 2005.
And when a defense can't stop the pass or the run, games get ugly fast. And this one did. The pass rush failed to record a sack, nor were they really ever close to Bulger. And with enough time to check his reads three or four times (as well as enough time to read the Sunday Edition of the paper, check out the chicks in the first row and put some serious thought into where he fits into the grand scheme of things) Bulger picked apart the Vikings' injury ravaged secondary. And were it not for the Rams receivers' problems with catching the ball, it would have been even worse.
There were some bright spots, thankfully. Tarvaris, when given time, played well (again, aside from his two interceptions). Childress showed he may not be as bad as people think, utilizing the Revolution's speed in the red zone by rolling him out. Two of the three touchdowns came on bootlegs, and when the defense had to account for the Revolutions' speed and arm, the Vikings were able to score touchdowns. They were more successful finishing drives with touchdowns today than they have been all season, punching it in all three times they reached the red zone, and it was due to Tarvaris' mobility.
Some final quick thoughts on the game:
And when a defense can't stop the pass or the run, games get ugly fast. And this one did. The pass rush failed to record a sack, nor were they really ever close to Bulger. And with enough time to check his reads three or four times (as well as enough time to read the Sunday Edition of the paper, check out the chicks in the first row and put some serious thought into where he fits into the grand scheme of things) Bulger picked apart the Vikings' injury ravaged secondary. And were it not for the Rams receivers' problems with catching the ball, it would have been even worse.
There were some bright spots, thankfully. Tarvaris, when given time, played well (again, aside from his two interceptions). Childress showed he may not be as bad as people think, utilizing the Revolution's speed in the red zone by rolling him out. Two of the three touchdowns came on bootlegs, and when the defense had to account for the Revolutions' speed and arm, the Vikings were able to score touchdowns. They were more successful finishing drives with touchdowns today than they have been all season, punching it in all three times they reached the red zone, and it was due to Tarvaris' mobility.
Some final quick thoughts on the game:
- Troy Williamson's spot on the inactive list today makes me think that he won't be back next year. Which means that if the Vikings let Napolean Harris walk, they will have managed to turn the most talented reciever in the NFL into nothing two years later. Which would be just awesome.
- Cutting Marcus Robinson did allow the staff to get a look at Martin Nance today, and he looked pretty good. That being said, the Vikings need to bring in at least two good wide recievers to have a solid recieving core. I'll have more on the Vikings should go about finding quality recievers later in the week.
- Childress needs to utilize Mewelde Moore better next year. As Moore showed once again, when he gets the ball in space, he can make something happen. Chester Taylor's a very good back, but he doesn't have Moore's explosiveness. If Childress utilizes them properly, the two of them can be a very dangerous combination.
- The Vikings' season may be over, but the playoffs are just beginning. And with the start of the playoffs comes the start of the Ragnarok's first ever Playoff Pick Off! The contest is open to all who read the Ragnarok, and the winner will get to write a post about whatever they want. Picks (straight win/loss) will be due by Thursday at 6pm, and I'll be posting them every Friday so people can follow along. If you're interested drop me an email so I can get a handle on how many people will be doing it and get the contest set up.
Friday, December 22, 2006
A Playoff Dream Deferred
Three first downs. More than three dropped passes. No blocking. What does that equate to? A loss, a sweep by the Packers and an end to any playoff hopes. Just an awful effort by the offense today.
Luckily for the future, it wasn't Tarvaris play that kept the Vikings from moving the ball. He was getting the ball to his receivers when he had time. And while he was having problems feeling where to move in the pocket, his line's poor play would have caused even Peyton Manning problems. He'll figure that stuff out as he plays more. If Tarvaris had gotten some help, he would have been able to generate enough offense for the win (enough offense meaning one single field goal). Instead, the O-Line wasn't opening any holes for the running backs, wide receivers were dropping balls left and right (I don't really want to discuss Troy Williamson's drop after talking him up on Wednesday) and everyone and their mother was getting penalized.
And so, once again, the Vikings lost due to offensive ineptitude. As I've said before, if the offense had managed to be even mediocre against the 49ers, Bears and Dolphins, the Vikings would have locked up a playoff spot already. I guess it's fitting that the loss that eliminates from playoff contention was due to their offense being shut out by the second worst scoring defense in the NFL.
The Vikings have now been in existence for 46 years. They have yet to win a championship in that time. Only the Eagles, Cardinals and Lions have gone longer without without a championship. All three, however, have won championships.
[And I know it's kind of a bad time, but I just wanted to wish everyone who stops by here a Happy Holidays. I really appreciate everyone that reads my stuff, and especially those who join in the discussion.]
Luckily for the future, it wasn't Tarvaris play that kept the Vikings from moving the ball. He was getting the ball to his receivers when he had time. And while he was having problems feeling where to move in the pocket, his line's poor play would have caused even Peyton Manning problems. He'll figure that stuff out as he plays more. If Tarvaris had gotten some help, he would have been able to generate enough offense for the win (enough offense meaning one single field goal). Instead, the O-Line wasn't opening any holes for the running backs, wide receivers were dropping balls left and right (I don't really want to discuss Troy Williamson's drop after talking him up on Wednesday) and everyone and their mother was getting penalized.
And so, once again, the Vikings lost due to offensive ineptitude. As I've said before, if the offense had managed to be even mediocre against the 49ers, Bears and Dolphins, the Vikings would have locked up a playoff spot already. I guess it's fitting that the loss that eliminates from playoff contention was due to their offense being shut out by the second worst scoring defense in the NFL.
The Vikings have now been in existence for 46 years. They have yet to win a championship in that time. Only the Eagles, Cardinals and Lions have gone longer without without a championship. All three, however, have won championships.
[And I know it's kind of a bad time, but I just wanted to wish everyone who stops by here a Happy Holidays. I really appreciate everyone that reads my stuff, and especially those who join in the discussion.]
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Where Have You Gone Spurgeon Wynn? A Nation Turns Its Lonely Eyes to You
I try to keep it clean and somewhat optimistic here, which severely limits my options for dealing with today's game. That was just brutal (but not br-r-r-r...utal as some would have you believe). I haven't seen quarterbacking that poorly since the Vikings had to use Spurgeon Wynn under center--and I mean for both teams.
Make no mistake about it--Brad Johnson lost this game for the Vikings. Today's game was the third one in which turnovers were the difference between a win and a loss. This team should be 8-4 right now (9-3 if you add in the clunker against the 49ers), with two wins over da Bears and the division lead. Instead, due to Brad's interceptions and Chester Taylor's fumbles (against the Dolphins and da Bears earlier this year), they're stuck at 5-7, needing to win out to guarantee a playoff berth (although a 3-1 finish might also be good enough, if the breaks go the Vikings' way, as an 8-8 team is going to make the playoffs in the NFC this year).
After today, Brad Childress is going to have make a decision that he clearly did not want to have to make and was willing to give up C.J. Mosely to avoid. Brooks Bollinger's shoulder injury means he has to decide between starting Tarvaris Jackson, who has admitted he's not quite ready yet (which should not panic Vikings' fans--Tarvaris was playing in 1-AA last year and missed practice time due to a knee injury--and it's not like he looked to poorly today) or Brad Johnson, a man who has almost single handily kept the Vikings from locking up a playoff berth.
As we saw today, this team is good enough on defense and on the ground to beat any team in the NFC. The defense picked off three passes and held da Bears to 104 total yards. 104. (And let me be the first to say that I was wrong about the best game plan for Chicago--putting the ball in the hands of Rex Grossman is officially a mistake). The Vikings almost doubled that total on the ground today. They were the 6th team to rush for more than 100 yards against Chicago this year, and bested by 31 yards the next highest total. Miami's 161 rushing yards led them to victory though--then again, they had Joey Harrington under center, not Brad Johnson. It says something about your quarterback that if he was replaced by such noted All Pros as Joey Harrington and Brooks Bollinger, your team would have easily won the game. Someone please shoot me.
And yet, the Vikings remain only one game out of the last playoff spot. So there is hope for a successful season, especially if it's the Tarvaris Revolution that allows Chester Taylor and the defense to lead the Vikings there.
Make no mistake about it--Brad Johnson lost this game for the Vikings. Today's game was the third one in which turnovers were the difference between a win and a loss. This team should be 8-4 right now (9-3 if you add in the clunker against the 49ers), with two wins over da Bears and the division lead. Instead, due to Brad's interceptions and Chester Taylor's fumbles (against the Dolphins and da Bears earlier this year), they're stuck at 5-7, needing to win out to guarantee a playoff berth (although a 3-1 finish might also be good enough, if the breaks go the Vikings' way, as an 8-8 team is going to make the playoffs in the NFC this year).
After today, Brad Childress is going to have make a decision that he clearly did not want to have to make and was willing to give up C.J. Mosely to avoid. Brooks Bollinger's shoulder injury means he has to decide between starting Tarvaris Jackson, who has admitted he's not quite ready yet (which should not panic Vikings' fans--Tarvaris was playing in 1-AA last year and missed practice time due to a knee injury--and it's not like he looked to poorly today) or Brad Johnson, a man who has almost single handily kept the Vikings from locking up a playoff berth.
As we saw today, this team is good enough on defense and on the ground to beat any team in the NFC. The defense picked off three passes and held da Bears to 104 total yards. 104. (And let me be the first to say that I was wrong about the best game plan for Chicago--putting the ball in the hands of Rex Grossman is officially a mistake). The Vikings almost doubled that total on the ground today. They were the 6th team to rush for more than 100 yards against Chicago this year, and bested by 31 yards the next highest total. Miami's 161 rushing yards led them to victory though--then again, they had Joey Harrington under center, not Brad Johnson. It says something about your quarterback that if he was replaced by such noted All Pros as Joey Harrington and Brooks Bollinger, your team would have easily won the game. Someone please shoot me.
And yet, the Vikings remain only one game out of the last playoff spot. So there is hope for a successful season, especially if it's the Tarvaris Revolution that allows Chester Taylor and the defense to lead the Vikings there.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Quick Thoughts on Victory
Some quick thoughts on the Vikings win on Sunday (which I'll hopefully have more time to flesh out later this week).
- Chester Taylor was a great signing, and he is a great back. He runs hard, he has break away speed and he can both block and catch passes. I am a little worried about his wearing down, since he's on pace to set a franchise record for carries, and I think that may be why he's having a little trouble holding on to the ball in the fourth quarter. That being said, there's no way that was a fumble on Sunday. Bad call by the refs.
- Speaking of which, those refs were pretty bad. It wasn't just the bad call on the fumble. They were constantly huddling and threw a bunch of flags that they then took back. A lack of confidence in a call is a sign of a ref that isn't sure he knows what he's doing, as I found out when I had to officiate my first flag football game. Unsure refs in flag football is one thing, though, unsure refs in the NFL is another.
- Is it just me, or is Brad Johnson more willing to look down field (down field for him meaning six or more yards from the line of scrimmage) when Marcus Robinson is playing? I don't think it's a coincidence that the Vikings' offense looks more competent when Robinson is in there--Brad's more willing to take "risks" when he has confidence in who he's throwing the ball to.
- My friend, a former high school QB pointed this out to me--Brad Johnson looks like he's straight out of a movie when he's in the pocket. The man rarely gets set in the pocket, which is a huge reason why none of his throws have any zip on them.
- There isn't a whole lot to say about the Vikings' run defense, except that it is exceptional. And the ridiculous thing is that the Vikings are doing it without their first round pick, Chad Greenway. A lot of that is because of Napolean Harris, who is playing his position better this year than Randy Moss is playing his.
- Cedric Griffin is going to be a solid cornerback for a long time. He went one on one with both of the Cardinals' stud receivers on the final drive, and prevented them from catching either pass--one where he got his arm on the ball, forcing Fitzgerald to concentrate on catching the ball, rather than trying to land in bounds, which Fitzgerald failed to do, and the other where he knocked away a pass to Boldin.
- The Vikings had one sack on Sunday. Matt Leinart dropped back to pass 52 times. I think we've just found the problem with the Vikings' pass defense. The Vikings to do list for the offseason better include a defensive end that can actually get to the quarterback, otherwise they're going to be more Brady/Farve/Leinart style performances again next year.
Monday, November 20, 2006
So How Do You Want to Do This?
What an awful Sunday. It began so innocently too, with a great seat at the bar in front of a big screen with the Vikings game on. And as frustrating as the Vikings' game was, it was nowhere near as bad as what went on at my Alma mater's home gym later that night.
I've discussed the events of later in the evening elsewhere, but I haven't had a chance to vent about the Vikings' performance. Before I get all philosophical, however, I'm going to bask in the awesome performance by the defense. I mean, -3 rushing yards? 10 points? Two turnovers, including an interception return to the 3 yard line? That's a dominating performance, and one that the defense can hang their hat on. This is a playoff caliber (and possibly a Super Bowl caliber) defense.
The offense, obviously, is another story. There really is nothing like turning the ball over 3 times, twice for touchdowns. Settling for a field goal after starting out on the three yard line was another nice touch. Though there were bright spots--36 minutes with the ball is a great stat. And the two drives that the Vikings blew with turnovers both looked like they were going to produce points. Not to mention that Brad Johnson wasn't horrible, which was nice. It was the kind of performance that would have been more then enough to win the game, considering how well the defense played, if they hadn't undermined the effort with by giving up touchdowns to Jason Taylor and Renaldo Hill.
So, along with the team, we as fans have come to a crossroads. The Vikings are still in the playoff hunt, and still are very much in control of their destiny, thanks to the overriding mediocrity that is the NFC (I'll have a more in depth analysis on Wednesday). Of course, they have to go 5-1 to finish the season to have a chance. So is it time to abandon all hope or to keep raging against the dying of the light? Is it time to view losses not as a blow to the Vikings' playoff chances, but rather as help with draft position? Why should Tarvaris be starting--to lead the Vikings to the playoffs, or because he needs experience so he can lead them next year? Should we start debating what positions should be prioritized in the off season, or should we be breaking down the must win game against the Cardinals? Optimism or Pessimism? What's the call?
I've discussed the events of later in the evening elsewhere, but I haven't had a chance to vent about the Vikings' performance. Before I get all philosophical, however, I'm going to bask in the awesome performance by the defense. I mean, -3 rushing yards? 10 points? Two turnovers, including an interception return to the 3 yard line? That's a dominating performance, and one that the defense can hang their hat on. This is a playoff caliber (and possibly a Super Bowl caliber) defense.
The offense, obviously, is another story. There really is nothing like turning the ball over 3 times, twice for touchdowns. Settling for a field goal after starting out on the three yard line was another nice touch. Though there were bright spots--36 minutes with the ball is a great stat. And the two drives that the Vikings blew with turnovers both looked like they were going to produce points. Not to mention that Brad Johnson wasn't horrible, which was nice. It was the kind of performance that would have been more then enough to win the game, considering how well the defense played, if they hadn't undermined the effort with by giving up touchdowns to Jason Taylor and Renaldo Hill.
So, along with the team, we as fans have come to a crossroads. The Vikings are still in the playoff hunt, and still are very much in control of their destiny, thanks to the overriding mediocrity that is the NFC (I'll have a more in depth analysis on Wednesday). Of course, they have to go 5-1 to finish the season to have a chance. So is it time to abandon all hope or to keep raging against the dying of the light? Is it time to view losses not as a blow to the Vikings' playoff chances, but rather as help with draft position? Why should Tarvaris be starting--to lead the Vikings to the playoffs, or because he needs experience so he can lead them next year? Should we start debating what positions should be prioritized in the off season, or should we be breaking down the must win game against the Cardinals? Optimism or Pessimism? What's the call?
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