tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8268346.post7196249098434689270..comments2023-10-30T09:37:03.456-05:00Comments on Vikes Geek: Contrary to Unpopular Wisdomvikes geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06530336385552424416noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8268346.post-90958094334921033042008-12-01T16:15:00.000-06:002008-12-01T16:15:00.000-06:00Cabrito,I suspect that most critically thinking fa...Cabrito,<BR/><BR/>I suspect that most critically thinking fans would agree with you. When you consider what went right for the Vikings on Sunday and what went wrong, virtually everything went right. The only bad break was the missed roughing call. And the Vikings did such a lousy job calling goal-line offense prior to the missed call that it was tempting to forgive the referee.<BR/><BR/>The Vikings typically throw deep two times a game, hoping to hit the pass. On Sunday, they hit. Next Sunday, they might not.<BR/><BR/>The Vikings typically give AP the ball just enough to tease the fans. On Sunday, they gave it to him just enough to break a long run and score a touchdown. Next Sunday, they may opt to pull him before he has the chance to do either.<BR/><BR/>Frerotte finished with over 200 yards passing for the first time in over a month. Nearly half of the passing yardage came on the 99-yard pass. That counts, to be sure. But how often should the Vikings count on Frerotte hitting the homerun play? If he doesn't connect on Sunday--and he almost underthrew a wide open Berrian--he finishes with some of his worst numbers of the season.<BR/><BR/>AP made some nice runs, but, as you note, few were made easier by the offensive line--particularly the right side of the offensive line where the Vikings continue to run Peterson more often than not. Late in the game, Peterson took two particularly hard hits while trying to squirm through the non-existent holes. His limping told the story.<BR/><BR/>How determinative were the goal-line stand and subsequent TD heave? Had the Bears scored, there was every indication that the Vikings were done--for the night and for the season. That they were not done for the night, that they actually prevailed, merely gave them the opportunity to make the playoffs. To succeed, however, they still will need to beat at least one superior team. And that's something that Childress' teams rarely do.<BR/><BR/>VGvikes geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06530336385552424416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8268346.post-3564304108140125912008-12-01T15:25:00.000-06:002008-12-01T15:25:00.000-06:00Some interesting comments, VG. You never tire of ...Some interesting comments, VG. You never tire of lambasting Chili's stubbornness, and as usual your critique is right on target. <BR/><BR/>But leaving this aside, I'd like to register a small dissent to the euphoria that seems to have gripped Vikingland in the wake of a lopsided victory. There's no question that the Vikings did some good things on Sunday night. The special teams played better than usual, and the defense finally managed to get to the passer consistently as the game wound down. With some temerity, however, I'd like to point out a number of weaknesses in the team's overall performance. On offense, Gus played a little better than he has recently, but he's still unable to mount any kind of consistent intermediate passing game of the quality demonstrated by many other teams in the league. As for AP, well, I continue to feel sorry for him. I watched an NFL Network highlight film of his best runs on Sunday, and sad to say, not a single one was accomplished with the benefit of a decent hole opened by the offensive line. AP does it all by himself, and suffers the punishment for his tenacity. The result of all this -- poor downfield passing and AP being held to 1 or 2 yard runs most of the time -- meant that as usual, the offense was incapable of sustaining long drives. Most of their points came off turnovers or spectacular plays (e.g., a 59 yard run, a 99 yard pass). Without the ability to move the chains with regularity, this team has to rely on breaks and big plays to win. Not a recipe for success, especially in the playoffs, should they make it.<BR/><BR/>Turning to the defense, the Vikings were indeed fortunate that some of the Bears' receivers couldn't hold onto the ball when Orton put it right in their hands. If they had, the game might have been a blowout the other way. As usual, then, the defense had trouble defending the pass, though things improved when the pass rush materialized in the second half. Hester's touchdown was a classic example of the Vikings' ineptness at pass defense. With the pass being so important in the modern NFL, I can't see this team going very far.<BR/><BR/>Pardon my pessimism, but the final score was misleading. If a few breaks had gone the other way, the Bears would be basking in first place, and Chili's tenure would be on the bubble. I'm not so sure I wouldn't have preferred the latter outcome.Cabritohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06413035026045238243noreply@blogger.com