Vikes picked to win the Super Bowl?
By Viking Visionary | June 20, 2008
Wow. The big off-season for the Minnesota Vikings was sure to lead to some increased publicity, but just as obvious was the inevitable criticism of Tarvaris Jackson and talk about how he will hold the team back. Well, one fairly well-respected sports writer came out today with the Vikings as his pick to win the super bowl. Dr. Z wrote about the Vikings as if they are primed to be the next feel-good story in the NFL, the next golden team, the next Patriots…but without all the cheating. And not only did he defy the popular trend of bashing T-Jack, Dr. Z seems to think that the Childress-Jackson combo will actually be a strength this year! I’m not sure what to think of this yet, but I am curious to get your reactions.
Topics: Purple Predictions, Vikings | 4 Comments »
Vikings 2008 Season Preview: Part 3 of 3
By Viking Visionary | May 22, 2008
Vikings Defense
Although the Vikings had the best run defense in the NFL last year, they finished ranked 20th in the league due to their much weaker pass defense. This was supposed to be Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier’s specialty coming over from the Colts. It was certainly frustrating being passed on at will by opposing quarterbacks even when the defense knew it was coming. The Vikings seemed so close to being an absolutely dominant defense, yet lacking a few key pieces. Well, the team pulled out all the stops to try and put those missing pieces in place. They say on defense, it all starts up front, so that’s where we will start too.
Defensive Line
Many analysts seem to observe that the Vikings had an All-Pro interior defensive line, complimented by poor play from the end positions. This seems to be a misplaced generalization. The ends didn’t produce enough sacks for the Tampa 2 defense to be effective, but there was still decent play from the position. Right DE Kenechi Udeze and his 47 tackles were a big part of the best run defense in the league. He also chipped in 5 sacks, a certain improvement on his ‘06 totals when he had zero. Unfortunately, Kenechi now has a more important fight on his hands than any football game: he was diagnosed with leukemia this off season. Best case scenario, he recovers and is able to return to the Vikings in 2009. Ray Edwards had a decent year cut short due to a suspension incurred for having a performance enhancing drug found in his system. We hope he can have a breakout year WITHOUT using the juice, because he is the most likely candidate to replace Udeze on the right side. Edwards has a non-stop motor and should produce more sacks than Udeze, even if the run support drops off some. But the starting job on the left end is by no means being handed to him. Brian Robison will have something to say about it during training camp. He had a good rookie season finishing with 4.5 sacks, even though he ran out of gas at the end of the year. He is a workout maniac who will be doing everything possible to challenge for the starting spot. Whoever wins the position will have to earn the right to play on perhaps the best defensive line in football, and the competition should be great for the team.
DTs Pat and Kevin Williams both went to the Pro Bowl last year, proving that the “Williams Wall” is a true force to be reckoned with. They were primarily responsible for making the Vikings the most difficult team to run on. In fact, if teams gained anything on the ground, they did it by running outside. A running play up the middle against the Vikings was about as productive as taking a knee. The only knock on these guys is that they are getting older and perhaps past the peek of their careers. Pat is 35, but he showed no signs of slowing down last year at all. Don’t doubt him until he gives you a reason to. Kevin is only 27, but some critics point to his declining sack totals. He burst onto the scene in 2003 and averaged over 10 sacks in his first two seasons, but has averaged only 4 in the three since. Until now, though, Kevin was always double-teamed on passing plays because he was the only real sack threat on the line.
Enter Jared Allen. The Vikings pulled off one of the NFL’s biggest trades in years when they sent the 17th overall pick and two third rounders to Kansas City in return for the 2007 NFL sack leader. Allen will bring to the Vikings defense what it has desperately needed for a long time: consistent pressure from the end position. The version of the Tampa 2 defense that the Purple run requires the defensive line to put pressure on the quarterback without blitzing linebackers. The lack of a dominant pass-rushing end was a big reason why the Vikings finished last in the NFL against the pass two years in a row. Jared Allen was recently ranked by Bill Williamson of ESPN as the best pass-rusher in the league! He is a young, special kind of talent that plays the second most important position in football. Not only that, but he will make everyone around him better with the enthusiasm and hard work that he brings. The Allen trade has certainly raised expectations from players, the media and fans alike.
Erasmus James is the first round pick from 2005 who is coming off yet another knee surgery. His potential is huge, but he can’t seem to stay healthy. Most agree that anything the Vikings get from James (which still could prove to be a lot) would be a bonus at this point. The Vikings drafted Letroy Guion in the fifth round this year to provide depth at the DT position. He is an underrated prospect that came out too early in order to help provide for family. With some experience and good coaching, Guion could become a disruptive force inside, possibly spelling Pat Williams on sure passing downs. Right now that job belongs to Ellis Wyms, a free agent signed away from the Seattle Seahawks. Wyms is a veteran who knows the Tampa 2 from his years in Tampa Bay, so he shouldn’t take long to get up to speed. The Vikings still hope DT Fred Evans can get his act together since the Dolphins released him due to some off-field incidents. Martail Burnett is a DE out of Utah the Vikings picked up as an undrafted rookie. He is a fine player that one day could make an NFL squad, but cracking this Vikings’ roster will be next to impossible. He could make the practice squad with a good camp.
On paper, the Vikings now have the best defensive line in the NFL, a squad that will demand a considerable amount of attention from opposing offenses. They have the potential to be the kind of line which propelled the New York Giants to a Super Bowl championship. Now they just have to meet the lofty expectations everyone will have for them… Grade: A+
Linebackers
The Vikings have one of the most underrated linebacker corpse in the league, and it only looks to be getting better. E.J. Henderson plays in the middle and is the quarterback of the defense. He took some time growing into the position, but he has been a monster for two years now, barely missing the Pro Bowl last season. Look for E.J. to be hanging out in Hawaii next February, finally getting the recognition from the media and fans. Ben Leber brings a solid veteran presence to the strong side, as well as a decent pass-rush in blitz situations, notching five sacks last year. Chad Greenway was essentially a rookie last year after missing his actual rookie season due to a knee injury in preseason. He played like a first round pick when he finally got on the field though, totaling 105 tackles, 2 picks and a TD. He struggled at times when he dropped into pass coverage, but he should improve that as well based upon his progression during the course of the season.
Backing up the three starters, the Vikings have put together what looks like a special teams hit squad. Heath Farwell, Derrick Pope, and Vinny Ciurciu are all proven tackling machines in the return game, guys that enjoy flying down the field and colliding with hapless blockers and returners. These three are also the primary backups to the starters going into camp. However, all of their jobs will be challenged by an excellent group of rookies hungry for a roster spot. Both Erin Henderson and Jeremy Leman came to the Vikings undrafted, although both were projected to be drafted, Erin as early as the second round. Erin Henderson is the younger brother of the Vikings’ E.J. Henderson, and I am sure that they would love to play together. Erin is very fast with great linebacker instincts, but the combine doctors must have found something they didn’t like about his left knee in which he tore the ACL in 2005. If he can stay healthy, the Vikings will make linebacking a family affair. Rufus Alexander was a 6th round pick in 2007 that never got to play due to a preseason knee injury, similar to Chad Greenway’s case. Rufus was expected to be a great special teams player and a serviceable backup in the NFL, and there is no reason why he can’t still make the team. The abundance of young talent should make for a very interesting Training Camp battle.
If the Vikings’ linebackers have a weakness, it is when they defend against the pass. However, much of that comes from having to compensate for poor play from the corners. Grade: B+
Cornerbacks
This is a position that is hard to judge. First, it is important to understand that cornerbacks in the Tampa 2 defense are not expected to be of the shut-down variety. They have to be able to play the run well and tackle, and on passing plays control their area until the pressure gets to the QB. The Vikings corners don’t seem to have any problems tackling, but coverage was certainly an issue last year. The great hope for this year is that an improved pass rush will lessen the amount of time the Vikings’ corners are required to contain the opposing receivers, resulting in less passing completions and yards against the Purple.
Antoine Winfield is the unquestioned leader of the group, and is considered by many as the best tackling corner in the NFL. Antoine is only 30, but his play seemed to fall off some last year, perhaps due to a nagging hamstring injury. He is small for a Tampa 2 corner, but he can sure hit! Hopefully he returns to form this year and locks down his side of the field like he is capable of doing. Cedric Griffin had 92 tackles in his second year, but much of that was due to the fact that opposing teams targeted Griffin’s side both for passing and running plays. Griffin was picked on a ton last year, not because he is bad, but because he represented the most vulnerable point in a defense that was very strong elsewhere. He will do better this season not having to cover his receiver for nearly as long. Marcus McCauley will be in his second year and fighting for the third corner position. He flashed great ability, but made typical rookie mistakes last year. If he works hard toward reaching his potential, he will be a starting corner sooner than later. Charles Gordon played some last year in the Nickle, and generally played well in his opportunities. The Vikings also brought in Benny Sapp, the volatile corner who played for the Chiefs last year. Many think Sapp can be a starter in the league if he can control his emotions. That might be a big “if”. Undrafted rookie free agents Travis Key, Brandon Sumrall, and Marcus Walker are all likely practice squad candidates at best, but you never know when the injury bug might bite and decimate a unit.
As I said before, it is difficult to try and grade this group. Hopefully they perform much better while aided by the pass rush, but they still must prove that they are not among the worst in the league as the Vikings’ rank against the pass indicates. Grade: C-
Safeties
The Vikings got quite a makeover at the safety position, and it was probably needed for the defense to take the next step. The first step was to send Dwight Smith packing, both for his apathetic play and for his behavioral issues. Next was securing a safety that can handle both deep-cover duties and tackling near the line. Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier drafted Madieu Williams in the second round while he was with the Bengals because he knew he was a great fit for his defense. Well now Williams follows Frazier to Minnesota for a pretty decent payday and brings his coverage skills with him. Madieu will give the Vikings very good security blanket to play opposite Pro Bowler Darren Sharper. Many contend that Sharper is washed up and that he only made the Pro Bowl due to his name recognition. Others think he still has it, but had to reign in his ball-hawking instincts to compensate for the other liabilities in the Vikings’ secondary. The truth is probably somewhere in between. Still, count Sharper among those who should benefit the most from Jared Allen’s pass-rushing prowess. Sharper and Williams give the Vikings a great tandem in a system that calls for impact players at safety, guys who can fly around the field, react and make plays. In fact, Sporting News was only the first to rate the Vikings’ safeties top in the NFC.
But the Vikings were not done in free agency yet. They also added Michael Boulware, another former second round pick who was formerly with the Seahawks and Texans. Boulware should provide great depth while he tries to realize his potential. Eric Frampton remains on the roster after coming to the Vikings last year as an UDFA. He has shown promise but is really buried on the depth chart. Especially after the Vikings traded up in the second round to pick Tyrell Johnson, the top rated safety in the draft. He figures to be a little raw, but he has all the tools to be a dominant safety for years to come. There is some speculation that the Vikes will even use him in the nickel formation to get the best five DBs on the field. I suspect that McCauley, Gordan and Sapp will have something to say about that. Nonetheless, Johnson should be a stud, and the Vikings are officially stacked at safety. Grade: A
On paper, this is the best defense the Vikings have had in a long time. They are a unit that is always looking to make the big play, force turnovers, and even score. With six touchdowns, they lead all defenses in scoring in 2007. In 2008, the Vikings defense has a legitimate chance to be the top unit in the NFL, especially if the Vikings’ running game can control the clock. The pass defense certainly has to improve, but it almost certainly will considering the excellent additions the Front Office acquired via free agency, trade, and the draft. Can the defense live up to its potential? If the answer is yes, then the playoffs are almost certainly in the future of this Vikings team. Overall Grade: A-
The complete Vikings 2008 season preview can be found here. Up next will be my “visionary” prediction for our favorite team in purple.
What do you think of our 2008 Minnesota Vikings? Comment below to give me your take and the grades you would give out.
Topics: Coaching Staff and Ownership, NFL Draft, Uncategorized, Vikings | 3 Comments »
Off-season VikeTube Fun!
By Viking Visionary | May 16, 2008
Well football fans, we are in the middle of the driest part for news in the NFL off-season. Vikings fans are about as anxious as ever for the season to begin after the Peterson revelation last season and all the new additions to the team. VikeVision is going to set up a little oasis here for your viewing pleasure and off-season sanity.
This is a nice video with footage of additions to our team, mostly centered around Berrian, as well as one addition by subtraction…
Here is some good analysis by the ESPN crew, not only on John David Booty, but on the Vikings as a whole as well.
Here is a video from a fan who is quite excited about the defense we will field in 2008. I respectfully disagree with the statement near the end regarding Dwight Smith.
And as a final ode to 2007, here are the top 10 plays from your Vikings:
Of course these will all be added to our VikeTube collection for you to enjoy anytime. Cheers!
Topics: Free Agent Focus, Vikings | 3 Comments »