Vikings – Lions
The question I’m asking myself this week is: Do I care whether the Vikings finish the season 6-10 or 7-9?
The answer is, no, I do not. And a win against the Lions on Sunday might be counterproductive.
The Vikings would pick 14th overall in April’s college draft if the season had ended with that lovely 24-14 win over Philly on Tuesday. That draft position already puts them out of Andrew Luck and Cam Newton territory, and maybe even out of Ryan Mallett territory.
A win over Detroit and the Vikings drop even lower in the draft order and probably won’t get a sniff at the aforementioned college players – who happen to be the top three quarterback prospects in this year’s draft (Luck and Newton are underclassmen, but let’s assume for now that they will leave college early and enter the draft.)
So if you’re thinking long-term, you can argue that beating Detroit is not in the Vikes best interests because they need a franchise quarterback more than anything else.
However, I think there is an argument to be made that if the Vikings play well and beat Detroit this Sunday, that this is also in the best interests of the team long-term.
Because what the Vikings will lose in draft position with a win, they will gain in knowledge about their team – like what players and coaches should be relegated to the past and who should be part of the future.
The improbable win over the Eagles Tuesday night reminded Vikings fans what this team is capable of when it gets decent quarterbacking, plays mostly error-free football and its players play hard.
This is not a team that needs to be blown up and rebuilt brick by brick. But it is a team that needs to make some wise personnel decisions this offseason if it is to quickly return to the top of the NFC North heap.
Playing another strong road game and winning it would be a signal that the Vikings win against the Eagles wasn’t some kind of kooky mirage.
But what would beating the Detroit Lions on the road prove?
Well, these Lions aren’t the Lions who have beaten the Vikings just twice since the 2000 season and have a 2-19 record against Minnesota during that period.
This Lions team can do some things. It has won three straight games. It has scored 342 points this season. It’s got Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh. Ex-Viking Shaun Hill has played pretty decently (It’s true. Look it up). This will not be a meaningless game for the Lions. They will play hard. They might even play well.
So if the Vikings win this game – another road game – it will say something about this coaching staff and about this group of players. It will be an indication that the Vikings can still be successful with the core members of the roster they currently have. It will be an indication that we don’t have to start from scratch and wait two or three years to be competitive. It will be an indication that a quick turnaround is possible and, more importantly, probable.
I haven’t favored the Vikings to win many games lately. But against my better judgment (and with Joe Webb likely starting at QB again), I’m going to favor them this week.
Vikings 20 Lions 17
Other stuff
Cover Two Blues
Recently Vikes Geek wrote that the Cover Two defensive system the Vikings employ has outlived its usefulness in Minnesota and in the NFL.
I won’t pretend that I understand football enough to know whether that is true or not. But I do know that the Vikings have frequently been ineffective pressuring opposing quarterbacks in 2010. The front four hasn’t gotten it done. And when the Vikings have blitzed, it’s been mostly with the linebackers and from predictable spots on the field. That tactic hasn’t worked, either.
In Tuesday night’s win over Philly, I saw the most aggressive, most blitz-happy Vikings defence I can remember. The strategy turned Michael Vick – the slipperiest and most elusive quarterback in NFL history and a guy enjoying an MVP caliber year – into a jittery, inaccurate and pretty ordinary quarterback.
It was an impressive performance by the Vikings defence and I wonder why Leslie Frazier and his defensive staff didn’t try this against, say, Aaron Rodgers or Jay Cutler.
I like aggressive defences. I think sending pass rushers from odd spots and angles create confusion and are often effective.
I’d like to see the Vikings be a more aggressive defence in 2011. If it can work against Michael Vick, it can work against a lot of NFL teams
The Joe Webb Experience
The National Football Post’s Matt Bowen was impressed by Joe Webb’s play Tuesday night. He thinks the Vikings might have found their quarterback of the future.
But it was only one game. Obviously we need to see more from Webb, which is one of the reasons I’m hoping Brett Favre doesn’t pass his baseline concussion tests this week.
I don’t think there is any question the Vikings need to bring in a veteran quarterback next season with a reasonably impressive resume to be the starter. I also don’t think there is any question they should draft a quarterback early in April’s draft if they have a shot at one they like.
What Joe Webb is playing for right now is whether he should be seriously considered for the Vikings backup job in 2011 (I don’t think so) or for the third string job.
Limbo land
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert thinks Leslie Frazier is not Vikings owner Zygi Wilf’s top choice to be the Vikings next head coach.
If I were grading Frazier’s performance as interim head coach through five games, I’d give him a B-.
Tuesday’s upset win over the Eagles will be the gold star on his report card, and he’s certainly had to deal with some unusual circumstances. But the blowout losses to the Giants and the Bears trouble me.
The Vikings need to get this head coach hire thing right. Leslie Frazier hasn’t established himself as the obvious choice for the job. So after Sunday’s game, let a thorough search for the Vikings next head coach begin.
Good reading
I’m enjoying these weekly Viking positional rundowns by ESPN 1500 writer Tom Pelissero. He is giving readers very honest and frank opinions on the performances of various Viking players.
Lately Pelissero’s assessments haven’t been very kind to most Viking players. But this week, the Vikings get glowing reviews, which they should.
2011 - bring it on
And by the way, happy new year everyone. Feel free to leave a comment or two as well. I'm currently on a streak of three straight posts with no comments from anyone. I'm starting to take it personally.
(Sniff, sniff).
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Worth the two day wait
It doesn't help the Vikings draft position, but I don't care.
A win on the road.
Outdoors.
On grass.
In December.
Against a quality opponent.
Those wins have been hard to come by for the Vikings over the past two decades.
But they got one tonight and it feels good.
I'm currently vacationing on Canada's East Coast, so it's almost 1 a.m. as I write this and this post will be brief. I hope to have a more detailed writeup on the Vikes win later tomorrow because there are many good things to discuss.
But a few quick words on Joe Webb's performance in this unexpected 24-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
As we dissect his numbers in this game, I think one of the most important is 0. That is how many turnovers Webb had against an opportunistic Eagles defence.
All year long, Viking quarterbacks (okay, okay, this was mostly Brett Favre) have coughed the ball up and given opponents short fields or killed potential Viking scoring drives.
They've made bad decisions - holding onto the ball too long, throwing into tight coverages, etc.,etc - they been sacked too much, and they've fumbled the ball a fair bit. Sometimes they've even been unlucky. But whatever the reasons, Viking quarterbacks have consistently been responsible for costly turnovers.
Joe Webb didn't do any of that in this game. And on a night when the Vikings defence finally played like the Vikings defence we expected coming into 2010, that was just as important as any passes Webb completed or runs he made.
Well done, Joe Webb. Well done.
A win on the road.
Outdoors.
On grass.
In December.
Against a quality opponent.
Those wins have been hard to come by for the Vikings over the past two decades.
But they got one tonight and it feels good.
I'm currently vacationing on Canada's East Coast, so it's almost 1 a.m. as I write this and this post will be brief. I hope to have a more detailed writeup on the Vikes win later tomorrow because there are many good things to discuss.
But a few quick words on Joe Webb's performance in this unexpected 24-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
As we dissect his numbers in this game, I think one of the most important is 0. That is how many turnovers Webb had against an opportunistic Eagles defence.
All year long, Viking quarterbacks (okay, okay, this was mostly Brett Favre) have coughed the ball up and given opponents short fields or killed potential Viking scoring drives.
They've made bad decisions - holding onto the ball too long, throwing into tight coverages, etc.,etc - they been sacked too much, and they've fumbled the ball a fair bit. Sometimes they've even been unlucky. But whatever the reasons, Viking quarterbacks have consistently been responsible for costly turnovers.
Joe Webb didn't do any of that in this game. And on a night when the Vikings defence finally played like the Vikings defence we expected coming into 2010, that was just as important as any passes Webb completed or runs he made.
Well done, Joe Webb. Well done.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Leslie Frazier - Week Five
Vikings - Eagles
I agree with Pacifist Viking - the Vikings have no chance in this one.
As bad as the offence has looked all year, the defence hasn't looked any better of late. The Eagles should shred the Vikings defensive unit.
The Eagles do give up some points, so the Vikings only chance in this one is to outscore Philly. But with Joe Webb probably starting, that's not happening.
I don't expect the Vikings to beat good teams like the Eagles, Bears or Giants with the kind of season they are having. But I would like them to be competitive and make their opponents work for a win. That hasn't happened the past two games. I don't think it is happening this week, either.
Eagles 48 Vikings 10
Leslie Frazier's future
We've been told the Viking players respect their interim head coach. But they haven't played like it the past two weeks.
If they want Frazier to be their head coach next year in Minnesota, I think the team's performance Sunday against Philadelphia might determine Frazier's future.
Another uninspired, turnover and penalty-filled blowout for the Vikings and Frazier won't get this job.
If the Vikings somehow play well, even in a loss, Frazier might stick around.
And that's all I've got today on Christmas Eve.
Sorry for the short post. Much like the Vikings, I'm already in offseason mode.
Happy holidays everyone.
I agree with Pacifist Viking - the Vikings have no chance in this one.
As bad as the offence has looked all year, the defence hasn't looked any better of late. The Eagles should shred the Vikings defensive unit.
The Eagles do give up some points, so the Vikings only chance in this one is to outscore Philly. But with Joe Webb probably starting, that's not happening.
I don't expect the Vikings to beat good teams like the Eagles, Bears or Giants with the kind of season they are having. But I would like them to be competitive and make their opponents work for a win. That hasn't happened the past two games. I don't think it is happening this week, either.
Eagles 48 Vikings 10
Leslie Frazier's future
We've been told the Viking players respect their interim head coach. But they haven't played like it the past two weeks.
If they want Frazier to be their head coach next year in Minnesota, I think the team's performance Sunday against Philadelphia might determine Frazier's future.
Another uninspired, turnover and penalty-filled blowout for the Vikings and Frazier won't get this job.
If the Vikings somehow play well, even in a loss, Frazier might stick around.
And that's all I've got today on Christmas Eve.
Sorry for the short post. Much like the Vikings, I'm already in offseason mode.
Happy holidays everyone.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Yuck
When I was younger, more innocent and a less jaded Minnesota Vikings fan, I always watched the full 60 minutes of a Vikings game.
I never gave up hope. I always thought there was a chance the Vikings would pull out a victory – no matter how bad the situation looked. And I felt only fair weather Viking fans bailed on the team when the going got tough.
But I’m older now (and, I hope, wiser) and I don’t hold that view anymore.
Case in point: Monday night’s 40-14 loss to the Chicago Bears was about the fifth Vikings game this season I’ve stopped watching before the final whistle was blown. Joe Webb’s generous throw right to Bears safety Chris Harris with about 10 minutes to go was the breaking point for me. I can’t give you an answer why I stuck around that long.
While I think wins for the Vikings at this point in the season are counterproductive for the long-term health of the franchise, I’d still like to see the team show a pulse even if they lose. Well, the Vikings are losing, but a pulse they do not have.
And that may end up costing Leslie Frazier a shot at going from interim Vikings head coach to actual head coach.
Perhaps that is a good thing for Vikings fans. The loss to the Bears was the second straight game against a quality opponent that the defence Frazier has been in charge of struggled to stop the run and looked helpless at stopping the pass.
I expect a Vikings offence quarterbacked by Joe Webb – and with Darrell Bevell calling the plays – to struggle.
What I don’t expect is a defence with players like Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Antoine Winfield, E.J. Henderson, Chad Greenway and Ray Edwards to be unable to get off the field.
The last two Viking losses were as much on the defence as the offence. Frazier is the man in charge of that defence. If he can’t get more out of the talent he has than what we’ve seen the last two weeks, I’m not very confident he can turn this team into a Super Bowl contender (and winner) in the future.
Joe Webb
Monday night was our first extended look at Webb playing quarterback in a regular season game.
I thought Webb did okay. There were some moments where he flashed some nice skills. And there were moments where he made some ghastly plays. What I was most impressed with is that Webb didn’t seem to play scared, which is an important trait for a quarterback to have.
Still, my gut feeling is that Webb will never be a good starting quarterback in the NFL. He’s a great athlete and there’s got to be some place where his athleticism would allow him to be an asset on the football field. I just don’t think that place is at quarterback.
Maybe he can play safety.
I never gave up hope. I always thought there was a chance the Vikings would pull out a victory – no matter how bad the situation looked. And I felt only fair weather Viking fans bailed on the team when the going got tough.
But I’m older now (and, I hope, wiser) and I don’t hold that view anymore.
Case in point: Monday night’s 40-14 loss to the Chicago Bears was about the fifth Vikings game this season I’ve stopped watching before the final whistle was blown. Joe Webb’s generous throw right to Bears safety Chris Harris with about 10 minutes to go was the breaking point for me. I can’t give you an answer why I stuck around that long.
While I think wins for the Vikings at this point in the season are counterproductive for the long-term health of the franchise, I’d still like to see the team show a pulse even if they lose. Well, the Vikings are losing, but a pulse they do not have.
And that may end up costing Leslie Frazier a shot at going from interim Vikings head coach to actual head coach.
Perhaps that is a good thing for Vikings fans. The loss to the Bears was the second straight game against a quality opponent that the defence Frazier has been in charge of struggled to stop the run and looked helpless at stopping the pass.
I expect a Vikings offence quarterbacked by Joe Webb – and with Darrell Bevell calling the plays – to struggle.
What I don’t expect is a defence with players like Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Antoine Winfield, E.J. Henderson, Chad Greenway and Ray Edwards to be unable to get off the field.
The last two Viking losses were as much on the defence as the offence. Frazier is the man in charge of that defence. If he can’t get more out of the talent he has than what we’ve seen the last two weeks, I’m not very confident he can turn this team into a Super Bowl contender (and winner) in the future.
Joe Webb
Monday night was our first extended look at Webb playing quarterback in a regular season game.
I thought Webb did okay. There were some moments where he flashed some nice skills. And there were moments where he made some ghastly plays. What I was most impressed with is that Webb didn’t seem to play scared, which is an important trait for a quarterback to have.
Still, my gut feeling is that Webb will never be a good starting quarterback in the NFL. He’s a great athlete and there’s got to be some place where his athleticism would allow him to be an asset on the football field. I just don’t think that place is at quarterback.
Maybe he can play safety.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Leslie Frazier Era – Week four
Vikings – Bears
Since Monday’s beatdown at the hands of the New York Giants, I’ve been trying to figure out if there is a reason why I should watch the Vikings game against Chicago.
When a team gets eliminated from the playoffs like the Vikings just did, what keeps a fan like me coming back is the future. I want to see the younger players performing. I want to see if any of them show the potential of being cornerstone players in the future.
The problem with this Vikings team is they don’t have many players like that. It’s a team with a lot of veterans whose pros and cons are well-known and a collection of a few younger stars who we already know are pretty good. There’s not much to discover with this team.
Even the fact that it looks like Joe Webb will get the start at quarterback doesn’t do much for me.
Yes, most Vikings fans are excited about Webb’s athletic ability (check out this YouTube video). But most of us also realize Webb is woefully unprepared to start an NFL game at this stage in his career.
And if he is the Vikings quarterback of the future, it’s a future that is likely two, three and maybe even four seasons away. This isn’t good because the Vikings need a quarterback of the future now.
So we’re likely in for some very bad football – particularly offensive football – from the Vikings over the final three games. It’s not going to be very fun to watch. But I will watch.
Leslie Frazier
I think the Vikings quarterback situation right now also makes it hard for owner Zygi Wilf to make his decision on whether Leslie Frazier should be the next head coach.
Of course, there is an interview process Frazier will have to go through. But the Vikings performance on the field during Frazier’s six-game stint as interim head coach will colour Wilf’s decision in some way. And it’s going to be hard for Frazier to look good if Joe Webb or Patrick Ramsey are his quarterbacks.
A bit more on Joe Webb
You hear coaches say it all the time – “We’ve got to put our players in positions to be successful.”
For Webb to be successful at all Monday night against the Bears, he’s going to have to run a lot.
Running a lot will put Webb in harms way. But he should still be encouraged to take off running whenever he feels like it by the Vikings coaching staff. Joe Webb isn’t beating anyone with his arm.
Since Monday’s beatdown at the hands of the New York Giants, I’ve been trying to figure out if there is a reason why I should watch the Vikings game against Chicago.
When a team gets eliminated from the playoffs like the Vikings just did, what keeps a fan like me coming back is the future. I want to see the younger players performing. I want to see if any of them show the potential of being cornerstone players in the future.
The problem with this Vikings team is they don’t have many players like that. It’s a team with a lot of veterans whose pros and cons are well-known and a collection of a few younger stars who we already know are pretty good. There’s not much to discover with this team.
Even the fact that it looks like Joe Webb will get the start at quarterback doesn’t do much for me.
Yes, most Vikings fans are excited about Webb’s athletic ability (check out this YouTube video). But most of us also realize Webb is woefully unprepared to start an NFL game at this stage in his career.
And if he is the Vikings quarterback of the future, it’s a future that is likely two, three and maybe even four seasons away. This isn’t good because the Vikings need a quarterback of the future now.
So we’re likely in for some very bad football – particularly offensive football – from the Vikings over the final three games. It’s not going to be very fun to watch. But I will watch.
Leslie Frazier
I think the Vikings quarterback situation right now also makes it hard for owner Zygi Wilf to make his decision on whether Leslie Frazier should be the next head coach.
Of course, there is an interview process Frazier will have to go through. But the Vikings performance on the field during Frazier’s six-game stint as interim head coach will colour Wilf’s decision in some way. And it’s going to be hard for Frazier to look good if Joe Webb or Patrick Ramsey are his quarterbacks.
A bit more on Joe Webb
You hear coaches say it all the time – “We’ve got to put our players in positions to be successful.”
For Webb to be successful at all Monday night against the Bears, he’s going to have to run a lot.
Running a lot will put Webb in harms way. But he should still be encouraged to take off running whenever he feels like it by the Vikings coaching staff. Joe Webb isn’t beating anyone with his arm.
Monday, December 13, 2010
I'm glad I didn't waste three hours of my life on that garbage
Maybe I'll still tape the game and watch it later. But sometimes you don't need to see something to know how bad it was.
Like Ishtar. Everybody knows it was a terrible movie. That fact seems indisputable. So is there any need for me to watch it?
The Vikings were clearly terrible tonight. The stats don't lie in this case. And they are gruesome.
* 164 net yards.
* 10 penalties
* 10 first downs
* 213 yards rushing allowed (and average of 7.6 yards per carry!)
And let's not forget the performance of Tarvaris Jackson tonight when the offseason rolls around and quarterback options for the Vikings are talked about. More importantly, let's hope whomever is the Vikings head coach in 2011 doesn't forget it.
Just looking at the stats, reading the early game recaps and looking over the play-by-play online of the game, does Jackson appear to be any different than the guy who produced a 15-35 for 164 yards, 0 touchdowns and a pick six clunker against the Eagles in a 2008 Wild Card loss?
Where is the progression? Where is the development? Sage Rosenfels must have been loving this over on the Giants sidelines.
Like Ishtar. Everybody knows it was a terrible movie. That fact seems indisputable. So is there any need for me to watch it?
The Vikings were clearly terrible tonight. The stats don't lie in this case. And they are gruesome.
* 164 net yards.
* 10 penalties
* 10 first downs
* 213 yards rushing allowed (and average of 7.6 yards per carry!)
And let's not forget the performance of Tarvaris Jackson tonight when the offseason rolls around and quarterback options for the Vikings are talked about. More importantly, let's hope whomever is the Vikings head coach in 2011 doesn't forget it.
Just looking at the stats, reading the early game recaps and looking over the play-by-play online of the game, does Jackson appear to be any different than the guy who produced a 15-35 for 164 yards, 0 touchdowns and a pick six clunker against the Eagles in a 2008 Wild Card loss?
Where is the progression? Where is the development? Sage Rosenfels must have been loving this over on the Giants sidelines.
Metrodome roof causes delayed reaction for this blogger
Thanks to the collapse of the Metrodome roof yesterday and the NFL moving the game to Monday night, I won't be able to watch the Vikings - Giants game in "real time" tonight.
Instead, I will tape the game, which will re-aired on the NFL Network tonight and watch it then. Of course, that is going to make the delivery of a prompt post-game analysis a little more challenging.
And while this game doesn't mean much to the Vikings slim playoff hopes, it means a lot to interim head coach Leslie Frazier's future.
With Percy Harvin out, Steve Hutchinson out, Ray Edwards out and playing without a noisy Metrodome crowd to back them up, a solid showing (won or lose) against a strong New York Giants team probably earns Frazier a head coaching job somewhere in the NFL in 2011.
Let's see how this one plays out tonight.
Instead, I will tape the game, which will re-aired on the NFL Network tonight and watch it then. Of course, that is going to make the delivery of a prompt post-game analysis a little more challenging.
And while this game doesn't mean much to the Vikings slim playoff hopes, it means a lot to interim head coach Leslie Frazier's future.
With Percy Harvin out, Steve Hutchinson out, Ray Edwards out and playing without a noisy Metrodome crowd to back them up, a solid showing (won or lose) against a strong New York Giants team probably earns Frazier a head coaching job somewhere in the NFL in 2011.
Let's see how this one plays out tonight.
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Wins good for Frazier, not so good for the Vikings?
You should never give up hope in pro sports. But when CBS analyst Solomon Wilcotts started talking towards the end of Sunday’s 38-14 blowout win over Buffalo about the Vikings getting back in the playoff hunt, that was a little much for my taste.
The Vikings will not win the NFC North in 2010. The Bears would have to lose their remaining four games (not happening) and so would the Packers (also not happening), while the Vikings would have to win their remaining four games.
Even if the former two scenarios were to somehow occur, could the latter happen? I can see upsetting the Giants and Bears at home and beating the Lions on the road. But do I see the Vikings also beating Philly on the road? No.
That leaves a Wild Card spot available, where the Saints, Packers and Giants are currently in line to grab those berths. The Saints have eight wins. The Packers have eight wins (and two over the Vikes). The Giants have eight wins.
Again, I can see the Vikings realistically winning three of their remaining four games. But they really need the Saints, Packers and Giants to lose all of their remaining games to have any chance at a Wild Card (I didn’t bother looking up tiebreaking scenarios.) While not impossible, this does seem improbable.
But you probably know all of this.
So what is this modest two-game winning streak for the Vikings accomplishing at this point in the season?
For interim head coach Leslie Frazier it’s providing him with a better sales pitch to make to owner Zygi Wilf when the time comes to pick a permanent head coach.
However, it also pushes the Vikings lower in the draft pecking order, reducing their chance of landing a top five pick in the first round and a potential franchise quarterback, which is what this team needs more than anything.
I never cheer for the Vikings to lose. But wins right now aren’t really helping the Vikings long-term. Unless you think Frazier is a brilliant head coach in the making.
Other thoughts
Leslie Frazier: I noticed a couple of little things that I liked from Frazier in this game.
At one point the cameras caught Frazier talking to his entire offence in the second half.
I doubt there was much X and Os teaching going on, Frazier is a defensive guy after all. But the players were attentive and I can’t remember ever seeing Brad Childress giving a personal pep talk to any of his units during his tenure. Frazier’s got a personal touch with his players, and it’s paying off.
I also liked the fact that with the game well in hand early in the fourth quarter, Frazier took Adrian Peterson out of the game.
In the past Peterson’s finished games that were out of hand, taking unnecessary hits in the process. Today, Albert Young took those shots – a wise move on Frazier’s part.
Tarvaris Jackson: Regardless of what Jason La Canfora thinks, I think we saw in this game why Jackson isn’t the future – or the present – for the Vikings quarterback position.
If not for two great plays by Sidney Rice, Jackson is looking at a 0 touchdown/four interception performance against the Bills.
Sidney Rice: He still doesn’t look as quick as he was in 2009, but this was his first impact game since returning to the Vikings lineup from his hip injury three games ago.
E.J. Henderson: The guy looks back to his 2007-2008 form to me.
Asher Allen: I know he got beat on a couple of plays in this game and he’s looked pretty bad in some games this year (notably against the Packers three weeks ago), but I think he’s getting better and this starting experience will pay dividends in 2011.
If Cedric Griffin can come back and be healthy from another knee injury, and Antoine Winfield’s performance doesn’t drop off a cliff, the Vikings could have three pretty solid cornerbacks in 2011.
The Vikings will not win the NFC North in 2010. The Bears would have to lose their remaining four games (not happening) and so would the Packers (also not happening), while the Vikings would have to win their remaining four games.
Even if the former two scenarios were to somehow occur, could the latter happen? I can see upsetting the Giants and Bears at home and beating the Lions on the road. But do I see the Vikings also beating Philly on the road? No.
That leaves a Wild Card spot available, where the Saints, Packers and Giants are currently in line to grab those berths. The Saints have eight wins. The Packers have eight wins (and two over the Vikes). The Giants have eight wins.
Again, I can see the Vikings realistically winning three of their remaining four games. But they really need the Saints, Packers and Giants to lose all of their remaining games to have any chance at a Wild Card (I didn’t bother looking up tiebreaking scenarios.) While not impossible, this does seem improbable.
But you probably know all of this.
So what is this modest two-game winning streak for the Vikings accomplishing at this point in the season?
For interim head coach Leslie Frazier it’s providing him with a better sales pitch to make to owner Zygi Wilf when the time comes to pick a permanent head coach.
However, it also pushes the Vikings lower in the draft pecking order, reducing their chance of landing a top five pick in the first round and a potential franchise quarterback, which is what this team needs more than anything.
I never cheer for the Vikings to lose. But wins right now aren’t really helping the Vikings long-term. Unless you think Frazier is a brilliant head coach in the making.
Other thoughts
Leslie Frazier: I noticed a couple of little things that I liked from Frazier in this game.
At one point the cameras caught Frazier talking to his entire offence in the second half.
I doubt there was much X and Os teaching going on, Frazier is a defensive guy after all. But the players were attentive and I can’t remember ever seeing Brad Childress giving a personal pep talk to any of his units during his tenure. Frazier’s got a personal touch with his players, and it’s paying off.
I also liked the fact that with the game well in hand early in the fourth quarter, Frazier took Adrian Peterson out of the game.
In the past Peterson’s finished games that were out of hand, taking unnecessary hits in the process. Today, Albert Young took those shots – a wise move on Frazier’s part.
Tarvaris Jackson: Regardless of what Jason La Canfora thinks, I think we saw in this game why Jackson isn’t the future – or the present – for the Vikings quarterback position.
If not for two great plays by Sidney Rice, Jackson is looking at a 0 touchdown/four interception performance against the Bills.
Sidney Rice: He still doesn’t look as quick as he was in 2009, but this was his first impact game since returning to the Vikings lineup from his hip injury three games ago.
E.J. Henderson: The guy looks back to his 2007-2008 form to me.
Asher Allen: I know he got beat on a couple of plays in this game and he’s looked pretty bad in some games this year (notably against the Packers three weeks ago), but I think he’s getting better and this starting experience will pay dividends in 2011.
If Cedric Griffin can come back and be healthy from another knee injury, and Antoine Winfield’s performance doesn’t drop off a cliff, the Vikings could have three pretty solid cornerbacks in 2011.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
The Leslie Frazier Era – Week Two
Interim head coach Leslie Frazier took a dip in the Hot Tub Time Machine last week to come up with the formula for the Vikings first road win in 13 months.
Run the ball a lot. Employ a simple passing game. Stop the run. This is the way the Vikings played in 2006, 2007 and 2008 under the reviled and recently fired Brad Childress.
And as much as I liked the desire and disciplined football the Vikings displayed against Washington, I winced a bit when I heard Frazier talk after the game about the Vikings needing to get back to running the ball and stopping the run to start winning football games again.
That kind of old-school thinking isn’t really what I’m looking for in the Vikings next head coach.
That kind of talk says to me that the coach doesn’t really think good quarterback play and passing the ball are all that important to playing winning football. It also might signal that Frazier is okay with the band aid approach the franchise has used to fill the quarterback position for the last 20 years.
Yuck.
But maybe I’m just paranoid. Frazier seems like a pretty smart man and I’m sure he is seeing exactly what Vikings fans are seeing – it’s not 2009 anymore. The Vikings don’t have an offensive juggernaut that can put up points in bunches and they’ve been getting subpar quarterback play from Brett Favre all season.
So what do you do when you’re faced with those facts? You do exactly what Frazier did against Washington – minimize Favre’s impact on the game, and attempt to maximize the impact of your two best offensive players – Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin.
It didn’t work out as planned – Peterson got injured early and Washington kept Harvin in check – but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a sound strategy given what Frazier has to work with this year.
I just hope that isn’t always going to be Frazier’s blueprint to victory.
The NFL is a quarterback league and a passing league. Whomever is the Vikings next head coach needs to assemble talent and gameplan accordingly.
So Mr. Frazier, please tell me you’re not one of those “run the football and stop the run” kind of coaches. We already had one of those around here. We didn’t like it very much.
Vikings – Bills
I don’t think I’ve ever read so much about how good a 2-9 team is as the stuff I’ve been reading about the Buffalo Bills this week.
Statistically, the Bills aren’t really very good at anything. Their best ranking is their 10th ranked pass defence. But maybe it's highly ranked because nobody has to pass against them. The Bills also have 31st ranked rushing defence. They also have the 18th ranked running offence and 23rd ranked passing offence.
They have played a very tough schedule and have lost several close games. But good team finds a way to win more of those than they lose, don’t they? The Vikings have also had a tough schedule and have lost some close games. I don’t hear anyone calling the Vikings a good team – because they aren't.
However, if you still care whether the Vikings win another game this season, Buffalo does have some players that should concern you.
I used to think Ryan Fitzpatrick was another way to spell “suck”. But Fitzpatrick is actually having a nice year.
Fred Jackson is a quality back who runs and catches the ball effectively.
And you probably heard Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson Twittered about God forsaking him after dropping a game-winning pass in overtime last week. That story probably also made you look up Johnson’s stats (I know I did). Shit. The guy has 59 catches and nine touchdowns this year. Think he’ll give the Vikings secondary problems?
So the Bills can move the ball a bit. As for the Vikings – not so much.
The Vikings could be very limited offensively in this game. You know Adrian Peterson is iffy. You know Steve Hutchinson is also iffy.
With a week to prepare, will the Bills fall for those bootleg plays by Favre that were so effective against Washington? And if Peterson can’t play, can Toby Gerhart keep churning out those four and five-yard runs to keep the chains moving and keep Favre from throwing multiple interceptions?
The Vikings have been a bad offensive team all year. Even if Peterson and Hutchinson do play, that’s not going to change. They will struggle to score points no matter whom they are playing. And I’m not convinced they can go another entire game without turning the ball over more than their opponent.
Bills 23 Vikings 13
Run the ball a lot. Employ a simple passing game. Stop the run. This is the way the Vikings played in 2006, 2007 and 2008 under the reviled and recently fired Brad Childress.
And as much as I liked the desire and disciplined football the Vikings displayed against Washington, I winced a bit when I heard Frazier talk after the game about the Vikings needing to get back to running the ball and stopping the run to start winning football games again.
That kind of old-school thinking isn’t really what I’m looking for in the Vikings next head coach.
That kind of talk says to me that the coach doesn’t really think good quarterback play and passing the ball are all that important to playing winning football. It also might signal that Frazier is okay with the band aid approach the franchise has used to fill the quarterback position for the last 20 years.
Yuck.
But maybe I’m just paranoid. Frazier seems like a pretty smart man and I’m sure he is seeing exactly what Vikings fans are seeing – it’s not 2009 anymore. The Vikings don’t have an offensive juggernaut that can put up points in bunches and they’ve been getting subpar quarterback play from Brett Favre all season.
So what do you do when you’re faced with those facts? You do exactly what Frazier did against Washington – minimize Favre’s impact on the game, and attempt to maximize the impact of your two best offensive players – Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin.
It didn’t work out as planned – Peterson got injured early and Washington kept Harvin in check – but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a sound strategy given what Frazier has to work with this year.
I just hope that isn’t always going to be Frazier’s blueprint to victory.
The NFL is a quarterback league and a passing league. Whomever is the Vikings next head coach needs to assemble talent and gameplan accordingly.
So Mr. Frazier, please tell me you’re not one of those “run the football and stop the run” kind of coaches. We already had one of those around here. We didn’t like it very much.
Vikings – Bills
I don’t think I’ve ever read so much about how good a 2-9 team is as the stuff I’ve been reading about the Buffalo Bills this week.
Statistically, the Bills aren’t really very good at anything. Their best ranking is their 10th ranked pass defence. But maybe it's highly ranked because nobody has to pass against them. The Bills also have 31st ranked rushing defence. They also have the 18th ranked running offence and 23rd ranked passing offence.
They have played a very tough schedule and have lost several close games. But good team finds a way to win more of those than they lose, don’t they? The Vikings have also had a tough schedule and have lost some close games. I don’t hear anyone calling the Vikings a good team – because they aren't.
However, if you still care whether the Vikings win another game this season, Buffalo does have some players that should concern you.
I used to think Ryan Fitzpatrick was another way to spell “suck”. But Fitzpatrick is actually having a nice year.
Fred Jackson is a quality back who runs and catches the ball effectively.
And you probably heard Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson Twittered about God forsaking him after dropping a game-winning pass in overtime last week. That story probably also made you look up Johnson’s stats (I know I did). Shit. The guy has 59 catches and nine touchdowns this year. Think he’ll give the Vikings secondary problems?
So the Bills can move the ball a bit. As for the Vikings – not so much.
The Vikings could be very limited offensively in this game. You know Adrian Peterson is iffy. You know Steve Hutchinson is also iffy.
With a week to prepare, will the Bills fall for those bootleg plays by Favre that were so effective against Washington? And if Peterson can’t play, can Toby Gerhart keep churning out those four and five-yard runs to keep the chains moving and keep Favre from throwing multiple interceptions?
The Vikings have been a bad offensive team all year. Even if Peterson and Hutchinson do play, that’s not going to change. They will struggle to score points no matter whom they are playing. And I’m not convinced they can go another entire game without turning the ball over more than their opponent.
Bills 23 Vikings 13
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