We'll Carry On
by Skol Girl on Dec 7, 2010 11:59 PM CST
in Minnesota Vikings 2010 Season
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PrintWell, it finally happened. On Sunday the Minnesota Vikings beat the struggling Buffalo Bills decisively on the artificial turf of Mall of America Field. In a season when the Vikings have failed to live up the expectations they raised in 2009, nothing has been a given. Inferior teams have been permitted to rack up early leads and hang around well into the fourth quarter (like the Arizona Cardinals in week 8) making almost none of the Vikings' wins this season a foregone conclusion. But Sunday was different.
I don't know about other Vikings fans out there, but when Arthur Moats hit Vikings' quarterback Brett Favre on the third play of the game, I feared the worst. In less time than it takes to type it, Favre was out with yet another surprising and debilitating injury and Tavaris Jackson was in to replace him.
My faith in Tavaris Jackson as a starting quarterback is...low. He has a good arm, he's athletic, and he can run for first downs, but he's failed to prove he has the mental toughness and decision-making to be an elite NFL quarterback. Considering the ups and downs his career has taken, I don't blame him for having confidence issues. That said, I cringed a little when he came onto the field Sunday for the injured Favre.
And, my concerns seemed valid when Jackson threw a pick 6 to Buffalo cornerback Drayton Florence on the Vikings second possession of the game. That was the first of three interceptions for Jackson, but in contrast to some of his previous performances, on Sunday he showed that he could put the bad throws behind him and just focus on the next series. In a way, Jackson's performance exemplifies the Vikings' attitude under interim head coach Leslie Frazier-resilient.
Last Saturday night I said that if the Vikings beat the Buffalo Bills I would use this song. I try to keep my promises, even those made in close proximity to mechanical bulls. So here it is, a song by some of my favorite gloom cookies.
That's the attitude that had been missing during the first ten games of the season. And that focus on resilience helped Tavaris Jackson return to the field and help lead the Vikings to a 38-14 victory over Buffalo in which he threw a pair of touchdowns to Sidney Rice*. He's no Favre (although the interceptions might make you think otherwise), but Jackson filled in well completing 15 of 22 passes and quarterback rating of 85.0. And, it was nice to have a quarterback who was mobile enough to prolong plays with his legs.
By week 12 of the season there isn't an NFL team out there that hasn't lost starters and the Vikings are no exception. Sunday was the second time this season that Jackson has had to go in for Favre and the Vikings were also without offensive starters Steve Hutchinson and Percy Harvin. But the players on the field found a way to carry on and produce one of the Vikings' most balanced performances of the season.
Rather than the defense needing to bail out the offense, or the offense needing to make a final press to save the game because the defense couldn't stop an opposing offense, both sides of the team provided the other with opportunities instead of challenges-and that made for a refreshing change. The defense had the luxury of being able to play with a lead, and, as a result, they were able to pressure the Bills' offense into an interception for Antoine Winfield and five fumbles, four of which the Vikings recovered.
The last two wins have brought the Vikings up to 5-7 for the season. That those wins came against a mediocre Redskins team and struggling Bills team shouldn't take away from the fact that watching the Vikings now has a significantly lower chance of making me wish I could physically stomach the idea of cheering for the Packers. Fans have a reason to cheer again, the players can feel proud about their performance, and the Wilfs can continue to press for a new stadium-feels like Christmas to me.
Over the next three games the Vikings will have to find a way to beat teams with winning records if they hope to hang onto even the whiff of a chance of making it to the playoffs. That they were able to win in such a convincing manner over a struggling team helps me believe that the Vikings will be able to put up a good fight against tougher opponents. If the Vikings can find a way to be resilient after the season they have had, maybe their fans can find some resilience too.
*Seeing Sidney Rice back on the field wrestling with a Bills defender for a touchdown was a thing of beauty. I love, love, love the physical way Rice plays receiver. And, with Brett Favre becoming ever more dinged up (if he plays) and Tavaris Jackson not having as many reps with the first teams offense, being able to throw to a receiver where you need to get the ball just vaguely in his zip code is a plus.
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I just hope we're not winning our way out of a top QB draft pick
Although, I would hate to watch the team throw away the season. I do love watching the Vikes win for a change, especially in 2009 fashion.
Glad you like the musical selection :)
While it might be a good strategic move for the Vikings to lose in Lions-esque fashion, I would much rather see them keep winning and just bank on Rick Spielman’s ability to assess talent. I know a top draft pick is nothing to be taken lightly, but I think the draft is kind of overrated and fickle. John Randle went undrafted and is now a hall of famer, so I don’t think the draft is the most accurate way to assess what players are going to go on to have great NFL careers.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
The Lions
haven’t exactly won with that strategic gambit, now have they? It’s gotten them Ndamukong Suh, who’s a beast, but little else except for busted expectations and millions wasted on crappy picks.
So, yeah, the draft is overrated and fickle. Spielman has generally made good with wherever the Vikes have picked, so I think we’ll be ok.
I’ll be cheering for the Purple to kick ass and take names for the rest of the season. We only get to cheer for them for 4 months out of the year. Let’s make the best of it.
by virginia viking on Dec 8, 2010 1:09 AM CST up reply actions 5 recs
calvin johnson turned out ok
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 10:30 AM CST up reply actions
Calvin is a Monster tho.
Not deminishing(Spelling?) his athletic abillity, but his size gives him a considerable advantage.
"Time for some Percy Harvin Magic Baby!"-Me right before he returned a Kickoff for a Touchdown against Shits, err, Pittsburgh...
Huh? Johnson has been exceptional, Stafford has looked good in his time. Jahvid Best looks like he’s going to be a big play to happen as soon as they get some more offensive lineman. Suh is an animal, Delmas is a good player, and even Levy has filled in well for Sims. I think their draft picks have helped them out tremendously. They’re clearly a much more competitive team than they have been the past couple seasons. I think they’ll contend next season for a wildcard, and maybe even the year following.
The fact that they’re going to have another very high draft pick scares the hell out of me.
by packallday555 on Dec 8, 2010 11:52 AM CST up reply actions
Oh, the Lions...
The Lions have so many good pieces that when they finally get everything put together and working they are going to once again be a contender in the NFC North. That said, no clue when that will happen. Poor Stafford hasn’t had the protection he needs and that seems a remarkably careless way to treat someone you want to have as your franchise quarterback. My guess is that the Lions will seriously upgrade their offensive line this off-season.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Mine too. And they’ll probably do so by taking whoever is believed to be the best LT early on in the draft. They’ve shown a willingness to sign FA’s too, which is another way they could rebuild that offensive line. Either way, I’m scared of what they could become in a couple of years.
by packallday555 on Dec 8, 2010 2:40 PM CST up reply actions
Me too.
I think the Lions are just a couple seasons away from a dominant resurgence in the NFC. Matt Stafford, in between injuries, has shown a scrappy determination and a good arm. If he gets some protection it will be interesting to see what he can really do.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
The draft is not overrated
Sure, anyone can cherry-pick which team represents The Draft, but this is the truth: Building through the draft is not at all overrated. Some teams have done that better or worse than others, but look at the consistently successful teams of the past ten or so years: Rams, Patriots, Eagles, Steelers…they all built through the draft. Even a few who weren’t entirely successful (Panthers, Seahawks, etc.) got most of their best players in drafts or trades for draft picks.
by KC Viking on Dec 8, 2010 4:50 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
The Draft
I normally would agree with you and Virginia Viking that the draft is a little overrated and I trust Spielman to find great value wherever we land. But next year, when there is potentially 5 great QB prospects coming out and will be drafted early, it would be nice to have our choice amongst them.
As for the Lions drafting ‘abilities’, I blame Matt Millen. Most teams in their position would not have drafted that bad.
Yes, but...
Brett Favre was drafted in the second round (33rd overall) in the 1991 draft. You’re right, there are some good quarterbacks and they are going to go fast in this year’s draft, but I just get so tired of the attitude that a player’s draft position is always an accurate representation of what they will will do in the NFL.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Yes, but that darling little eye-candy isn't on our roster right now.
I think Brady has really benefited from New England’s commitment to their system and their institutional attitude toward building their team.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Darling little eye candy?
Now that is something we can agree on.
Someone can look like what he looks like while playing like the way he plays…impressive.
No, I totally understand.
Draft position isn’t everything, but it helps. I think within the first 3 rounds, the player’s potential has more to do with the coaching abilities than their given abilities but I’m an idiot so idk. Like people say, Brady, a 6th round pick, and…I’m hesitant to use this example…Tony Romo, who went undrafted, were probably coached to this level.
A great post
I think Tarvaris will surprise most, but I always liked his play.. I felt he was benched after 2 games way to early 2 years ago, and the helm given to Frerotte. I am not a coach, so take that comment for what it is worth…….. I do look forward to seeing T-Jack play.
I hope that Brett starts the next 3 games to reach 300, and jackson plays the rest of the game……
SKOL
Thanks :)
There is a lot to like about what Tavaris Jackson can do physically, my reservations hinge on his decision-making and mental toughness. His decision-making issues could be because he hasn’t had the experience he needs, I don’t know. With the way Favre is getting hammered, Jackson may be getting more experience very soon.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Carry on, our wayward son
There’ll be peace when he is done… I guess that could apply to Favre or TJ right now.
Seriously, if TJ is allowed to start the remaining games, there will be no more excuses or crying about how badly TJ was jacked around just because his employer actually had the nerve to expect above average performance from him. He will be exposed for whatever he is, and I’m confident that almost 100% of Vikings fans will be over him and ready to move on, finally.
An 86 rating is nothing special, let alone vs. the 5th worst pass D.
3 INTs against the 5th worst pass D? Really?
Especially since it was very nearly 4 INTs? Really?
When the team rushes for 3 TDs and the defense gets 5 turnovers, the QB does not deserve praise for playing well enough to win. Just about any QB could have won under those circumstances.
Where are you getting the 5th worst pass D?
by virginia viking on Dec 8, 2010 1:10 AM CST up reply actions
Go here
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2010/opp.htm
Scroll down to the second set of sortable stats. Sort by rating. As of today, the Bills have allowed the 6th highest rating (which is 6th worst). They were 5th by that measure before TJ, so this “improvement” in the Bills’ pass D was at TJ’s expense. That’s how bad TJ was.
Agreed. Tjack was bailed out by
Sidney Rice, Purple Jesus and The Defense. His performance was decent enough to win against a mediocre team, but everyone, and i mean EVERYONE, would be calling for his head if he had thrown 3 bad interceptions against the Packers/other division rival.
Obviously, hes been screwed over and jerked around, but the NFL is not about niceness. TJack had never done anything well enough to prove himself. Thats why he lost his Job in week 2-2008 and why Childress brought in Favre both years.
He is not a future HOF’er at this point in time, nor do I think he ever will be. The Vikings need to regroup at the end of the year and decide on what their biggest concerns are. If this team is going to be successful, We need an O-Line, we need a Secondary and than We Need a Quarterback. Even Favre in his Prime would struggle. (IMHO)
"Time for some Percy Harvin Magic Baby!"-Me right before he returned a Kickoff for a Touchdown against Shits, err, Pittsburgh...
Bailed out? Yep, totally agree.
Ah, yes. T-Jack was very much bailed out by Sidney Rice on both of those touchdown receptions. On that first touchdown Rice jumped for the ball, scooped it out of the air above the defender, wrestled for possession, and landed in bounds. Rice’s second touchdown reception looked like it was just out of his reach, but he lunged for it and made the catch. With an effort like that on the part of a receiver, it goes a long way to making quarterbacks look good.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
IMO
Every Qb gets bailed out. But it’s a Team Sport so if Your wideout can make awesome catches, then just lob it up to em.
☠★☪My dream, is to see the Minnesota Vi♛s win a superbowl. USA- the land were dreams come true. ☀ ツ This is our ۩۩house۩
by UnBannedVikingholic on Dec 8, 2010 6:39 PM CST up reply actions
Not every QB
John Elway was rarely bailed out by RBs and WRs.
Marino had better WRs, but not better RBs.
Daunte was often on teams with average or worse Ds even though he had a good line and good or better WRs (but not always a good RB).
Those quality QBs did not simply lob it up to a guy who was double-covered like a blanket. They placed the ball in between looser double coverage or (shock!) threw to the guy who wasn’t double covered.
The best evidence as to how bad TJ is: After seeing TJ for pretty much the entire game, the Bills climbed from 5th worst passer rating allowed to 6th worst. Go, TJ! Make terrible Ds look better than they are!
Man...stop hating!
No one is saying he is great, but he is serviceable and most teams have about 40 something or more serviceable guys and a few studs…
And if you don’t think receivers help make QBs and vice-versa than how do you explain this season.
We were without Sid to make those dependable, leap-of-faith catches for Favre and stcuk with the pray he can hold on to a 5yrd slant, stone hands of Berrian.
Open your eyes and mind dude. Don’t hate for the sake of hating.
by midnightwonder on Dec 9, 2010 10:06 AM CST up reply actions
Favre’s downfall in 2010 can be explained by a lot of things, especially and including that his heart was never really in it. He had to be begged to return to action and was never 100%.
In baseball, a serviceable pitcher is a fifth starter or a mop-up reliever, not someone a team trusts with much responsibility. A serviceable pitcher is not expected to lead a team to a championship. it’s better to have 2 QBs who are better than serviceable compete for the job every year. Remember Brad Johnson taking HoFer Warren Moon’s job? And Cunningham taking over for Johnson to win the Bert Bell award? The Vikings need that kind of depth at QB again, and TJ is not realistically in that picture unless he is the 3rd stringer. TJ fans make all kinds of excuses for him (and praise him for throwing 3 picks vs. one of the worst pass Ds ever), and many of them are not even true.
The TJ love is a lot like the Childress fans over the past few years. The Childress fans claimed that the team improved every year, but that simply wasn’t true. Compared to 2005, the year before Chilly arrived, his first year was -3 wins, then +2 wins (still not as good as 2005), then +2 (finally half a game better than in 2005), then +2 again (finally a playoff win in year 4 with a HoF QB), and now something like -6 with a 1-2 playoff record during his tenure. There were signs all along that Chilly wasn’t a very good head coach, but it took some people almost 5 years to come to grips with that fact.
There would be no need for any sort of reality checking or “hating” about TJ if there weren’t so many TJ fanatics wanting to give him a medal for a bad day’s work.
Anyone know what this 12:30 live Brett favre pressed that espn is showing is all about???
Got me worried
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 10:55 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
*pressed*
I hate iPhone auto correct
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 10:57 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Itdid it again!!
Dang it.. That would be Presser ..as in press conf..
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 10:59 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Suppose Brett Favre will disclose yet another stunning and debilitating injury?
Man, if he cries, the season is over.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
looks like nothing substantial..
…i guess he is just so darn important (or espn is that news-starved) that espn has deemed they not only cover live , but promote an hour ahead of time, for a routine presser..
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 1:48 PM CST up reply actions
Lay your weary head to rest...
Don’t you cry no more.
TJack has not been UNFAIRLY jacked around. He’s consistently inconsistent. He’s a great athlete, but he plays like he’s incredibly nervous. I don’t blame him. I’d be freaking out if I were a QB in a professional game. However, it’s not the team’s fault for deciding that a different QB was needed. I think the Vikings have been more than patient with Jackson’s development. He’s not starting QB material. I’d like to be wrong, but I’m pretty confident that I’m not.
Playoffs?
How about we just hope to win and stop with that crap? We can’t catch NO or Atlanta. We would need the Packers to go 0-4 to get ahead of them or the Bears to go 0-4 (Sorry, neither are happening). Plus, we would need either Phily or NYG to lose 3 of their last 4 games.
So ya, not happening, those are 4 real good teams and 2 of them are not going to slip up enough for us to get in.
I'm with you Galkuris, the playoffs are not realistic at all.
I said it on another post that we fired Childress about 3 games to late. If we would have beaten the Pack & Da Bears in those back to back games we would have had a legitimate shot. I understand that we are not eliminated yet, but I think that in 2-3 weeks we should be officially out of it. That’s of course if we win. Any loss will be the final nail in our coffin. Lets just see if Tjack can play well enough to earn a shot for next season or not.
Agreed
The playoff talk is a pipe dream should stop I feel.
Bears 9-3
Packers 8-4
Falcons 10-2
Saints 9-3
Eagles 8-4
Giants 8-4
Tampa 7-5
NFC West winners
Just looking at the above someone tell me how on earth our Vikes can make it to the play-offs? It’s not as if any of those teams are on losing streaks. They are all playing good football. The Vikes have yet to beat a team with a winning record.
by UK Viking fan on Dec 8, 2010 7:26 AM CST up reply actions
dont think we could catch the bears regardless..
best case is both 9-7, split season series, chi gets the nod on better div record (4-2 vs 3-3)..
my only ‘hope’ is we are not mathematically eliminated after this week.. (just one more week of ever so feint hope kept alive just makes mon-sat a bit more bearable!)
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 7:33 AM CST up reply actions
I refuse to stop with that crap.
I know talking about the playoffs amounts to ridiculous optimism, but I’m simply not ready to let go of the hope—the off-season is just too damn long.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
by Skol Girl on Dec 8, 2010 1:01 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
+4
as in months to kill waiting until next draft..
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 1:55 PM CST up reply actions
I'm trying to get into basketball to take the edge off my football withdrawal.
But when you want football nothing else really seems to work. Although, there is something to be said for watching UFC stuff. I was surprised that I liked watching it.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Doesn't work
CFL helps, and Arena dulls the pain a bit, but there’s nothing like the real thing.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
SKOL!
at least you will have no excuse...
…to not update that other blog of yours w/ lots and lots shiny new non-fb content :)
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 9, 2010 9:20 AM CST up reply actions
True enough
I need to write some more non-football stuff. There’s a book I keep intending to review but haven’t gotten around to actually doing it.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Rock Steady!
:)
Or maybe, “Hold On”, since Kansas is already on tap.
Until the Vikings are mathematically eliminated, they’re still in the running. I hate having to depend on other teams to crap out, but whatever it takes.
And to be honest… whether they can make the playoffs or not, I’ll still cheer for the Vikings. Doesn’t even matter of it’s a pre-season game, or just a practice scrimmage against some scrub college bowl team. Just how it is :)
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
SKOL!
Best foot forward.
In an interview you put your best foot forward. LF is going to start BF unless he just physically can’t do it because he gives him the best shot to be 6-0 or 5-1 and get a coaching job. If Zygi were to sign LF tomarrow then he might start TJ to see make judgments but not before then.
We have about as much chance of making the 2nd wild card spot as I do with winning the MegeMillion Lottery. I could happen and you would like it to happen but.
If LF ends up being the HC and a good one and we get, or train, or TJ suddenly gets it at the QB and we end up winning the Superbowl in a few years before AP retires this season might be looked upon as exiting the Chilli Bowl and advancing to the Superbowl.
Has any team other than the Redskins won the Superbowl with a bad or mediocre QB? I do not think so. We need a QB and it might be worth trading all the draft that Chilli did not give away to get one.
The 2000 Ravens are a classic example of winning the Superbowl with a bad to mediocre QB.
Hell, even Rex Grossman took the Bears to the dance in 2006. Both of those teams had fantastic, and for the Ravens, otherworldly defenses (the Bears were bolstered by their special teams), and solid running games. Neither of them had a back like Peterson or talent in the receiving corps like Harvin and Rice.
We, too, could go to the Superbowl with a mediocre QB like Jackson. We need to bolster our secondary and offensive line more than we need to chase another veteran “stop gap” quarterback. We’ve already got one of those on our team.
by virginia viking on Dec 8, 2010 3:26 AM CST up reply actions
What's the saying?
Defenses win championships. Well, it is something like that. Putting aside all the hurdles to overcome and good luck the Vikings would have to have in order to make it anywhere near the playoffs and just speaking hypothetically, if the Vikings defense plays more the way that they were playing Sunday, it isn’t impossible to think that they could manage to go far even without an elite quarterback. If the Vikings’ defense harasses opposing offenses the way they have the past two games (yes, I know, the Redskins and Bills aren’t stellar), it would provide lots of opportunities for the Vikings’ offense. A short field, AP in the backfield, Harvin and Rice to receive? Shoot, all you would need is a game managing quarterback not to screw it up.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Skolgirl, 2 Problems with your post:
1. You said: “it was nice to have a quarterback who was mobile enough to prolong plays with his legs.”
He ran for 23 yards…and from what I saw, he wasn’t fast on his runs (rusty maybe)..but I don’t think 23 yards rush should qualify as a big advantage over Favre esp after the Redskins scramble that told opponents that Favre is ready to put everything on line even with broken bones in his body.
2. You are a position coach on this forum. How can you even talk about cheering for Packers? That’s blasphemy right there.
@Everyone who thinks Favre is not going to start: His streak is “The Greatest Achievement Ever” in sports history. You can put all speculation to rest that Favre might not start on Sunday.
1 and 2
1- he seemed to have one legit scramble play where he evaded a rush from behind and ran for a first down.. favre prob wouldn’t have gotten away on that play.. but thats all i saw where his mobility provided a spark.. favre can actually dodge / shift in the pocket relatively well, so no big advantage w/ tj there, imo
2- ..she’s got it bad for aaron rodgers, she cant help herself ;)
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 7:23 AM CST up reply actions
your first point
is the most ridiculous thing i’ve ever heard, and proves you didn’t watch the game. scrambling is about a ton more than yardage on the stat sheet. he ran for two first downs that would have otherwise been drive ending sacks for favre.
the redskins scramble was ONE scramble.
you people have diluted yourselves into thinking that being willing to “put everything on the line even with broken bones” IS GOOD FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM. It’s not. It’s selfish.
Favre will play with tendinitis in his throwing elbow, and a sprain in his throwing shoulder this sunday…and coincidentally, we will most likely lose.
I can argue that TJ's lobs were in no way comparable to Favre's lasers
If you don’t believe in stats, this is not the right sport for you. I would suggest….Ping Pong (Table Tennis).
you didn't watch the game
you should watch games
If you don’t believe in stats, this is not the right sport for you.
Football is so, so much more than stats. If stats is all you are looking for, you should stick to baseball.
If stats were all that mattered NE wouldn’t have needed to play the Giants in the Super Bowl a few years back. The Pats had all the right stats (1st in all offensive stats, good defensively too, and the most important, zero losses) and if the stats say its a no brainer, why even play the game, why even watch?
Its important to remember that the NFL season is only 16 games long and that isn’t nearly a big enough sample size for statistics to even out and show a truly accurate picture. Neither will 18 games, but 162 (baseball)? That is more than enough. So being a stat hound for baseball is the way to go, but you’ll miss alot if stats are the only lens you watch football through.
by Josh_D on Dec 8, 2010 1:49 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
The question was can you ignore the stats if you are following football?
The answer is NO.
It is very convenient to not look at the stats when they do not favor your viewpoint which is what my friend sdot was doing to make his point in favor of TJ and against Favre. Who said stats are the only thing in this sport?
if the stats say its a no brainer, why even play the game, why even watch?
Keep playing Madden buddy. You will get there.
that clearly wasn't my argument
my argument was that if you watched the game, you would have seen that TJacks mobility gave the team a distinct advantage.
stats are a huge part of football. compare brett favres quarterback rating with the vikings’ record and you’ll see what im talking about.
And I said that in my view TJack's mobility wasn't much of a use because he didn't do enough running
And I said that whatever mental advantage with a scrambling QB can be had, wasn’t there because Favre showed that even he can run. 23 yards was in support of my bigger argument when you told me how ridiculous my thinking is.
Not sure what Madden has to do with anything. Personally, I haven’t played it since Culpepper was on the cover (NCAA is a much better game anyways). My point was that unlike baseball, you can’t just read the box score and get a real understanding of whether or not some one had a good game or even how much they impacted the game. You argument is “look at the stats” and I am saying that is short sided.
You have to watch to understand the flow of the game (which there is no stat for), how a bad day for any one individual can impact the day the skill position players are having, how a bad day for the offense affects the defense (which affects the special teams, which in turn affects the offense, and on and on), the plays that may not stand out on a stat sheet, but extend scoring drives and kill clock, etc, etc. If you only looked at stats you might think San Diego is the best team in the NFL (1st in offense, 1st in defense) yet they only have one more win then the Vikings and their disastrous season to this point and are far from guaranteed a playoff spot.
Ah, Izziefans, chillax.
First, because you seemed to be feeling the most cranky-pants about this, no, I would not cheer for the Packers. That was just a joke. Please, try not to have a stroke. Oh, and my affection for Aaron Rodgers’ pretty face is waning because his touchdown celebration is so ridiculously lame. Seriously, it is like Shooter McGavin on Happy Gilmore.
Okay, now on to T-Jack’s mobility on the field. sdotagain was right, the yardage Jackson acquired was just part of what I was referring to with regard to his mobility. On that second touchdown pass to Sidney Rice, Jackson managed to buy some time moving to the side waiting for Rice to get open for the catch. Sure, Jackson was not rushing like Michael Vick, but he was noticeably more mobile than Favre has been. Really, it is a wonder Favre can move around at all on those fractures in his left heel and ankle.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Honestly: I don't give much hatin' to Packs. Esp when it comes from non-staff posters. My Achilles heel are Saints.
But you are on staff of the forum whose Father (you are very welcome CG) went to the extent of supporting Bears because they can beat Packs. Confusing? Don’t you guys meet once a month in some basement and plot against other teams…bloggers…or something? Rodgers you say? Please don’t make me google his pictures for you…again.
As for mobility: Did nobody notice how mobile Favre was against Skins? It was more Chilly effect than Favre for lack of his mobility during Chilly era. I had high hopes from TJ – not Vick high, but high. I was very disappointed with his effort and speed. He should have made something happen to show us that he can be The One. He did not.
Sure you don't hate on the Packers, I believe you. No really, I do and I'm not kidding at all, not even a little bit ;-)
You’re only the one who posted those terrible porn-stache pictures of Rodgers in an attempt to shame me for thinking he’s good-looking. Yeah, no Packer hating going on there at all. Zippo, zilch. If there was an emoticon for rolling my eyes, it would be a primo, snotty 13-year-old girl quality eye roll.
Again, dude, it was a joke.
As for the mobility question, during the Redskins game Favre said he was surprised that he was able to run for the first down that clinched the win for the Vikings. It isn’t that Favre can’t move in the pocket, but he sure hasn’t done it as much in the past couple years. With Childress gone they have called a lot more bootlegs that have Favre rolling out, but his footwork is a long way off from Riverdance.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
apologies in advance...
…but i just couldn’t resist:
A little boy was visiting his grandparents on their farm and became attached to one of the kittens. This kitten, having no road sense, was killed by a passing car right in front of the little boy. The grandfather buried the kitten behind the barn, and the grandmother distracted the boy by giving him cookies and milk.
While the little boy was eating, the following conversation took place.‘Grandma, what happened to the kitten?’ ‘It was killed by a car. The kitten is dead.’ ‘Where does a kitten go when it dies?’ ‘God takes the kitten to heaven.’ The little boy took another bite of cookie and then said, ‘But, Grandma, what does God want with a dead kitten?’
—only one i could find (that wasn’t really sick)
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 9:56 PM CST up reply actions
disclaimer
1. no kittens were harmed in the process of posting that old, not too funny joke.
2. the kitten mentioned above is fictional; any resemblance to anybody’s actual kitten, living or dead is purely coincidental
3. the poster hereby claims no liability for frowny face replies
4. the poster actually loves kittens
5. puppies on the other hand…yummy
(oh no, did it again)
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 9, 2010 9:32 AM CST up reply actions
Ah, but have you seen pictures of Jared Allen's dog?
He has some tiny, little purse-puppy named Lucy. Don’t know what breed Lucy is, but she’s not at all what I would have guess Allen would own. I would have though he’d have a hound dog, or some kind of hunting dog.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
I think I've joked about killing kittens on this site.
Man I’m almost feel bad. More for my tarnished rep than for the kittens though. My new slippers are SO comfy!
It's a lot easier to love the Vikings when they win...
Would rather have Tiger slippers
At least they’re endangered, more meaningful!
In truth, I’m still POed at my fiancee because a couple years ago she saw some big huge lion-feet slippers (no, not the real thing) which, every time you took a step, made a lion roar sound…. AND SHE DIDN’T GET THEM FOR ME! Where’s the love?!?! I’d’ve worn those suckers to work!
[Full Disclosure 1 – I already have a pair of lion slippers, but I have to supply the roaring sound]
[Full Disclosure 2 – I got the cutest damned Ragdoll kitten earlier this year and he’s beyond awesome! In the mornings he wraps himself around one of my feet to try to keep from going to work and he’s even warmer than my lion slippers, but not as warm as a ROARING TIGER slipper would be]
Better get this back on a topic relevant to the Vikings.
Pie.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
SKOL!
Lion Slippers..though impressive..
..just not as impressive as those made from fresh bear or packer carcass
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 10, 2010 11:37 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Playoffs? Playoffs?
All but dead. Will be dead if the Packers and Saints both win this weekend even if we win.
Oh, well, wish we could rightfully have the win in the 1st GB game instead of the NFL apology for overturning Shank’s TD catch. We’d be 6-6, the Pack 7-5, and we’d be right in the thick of it.
tacking on..
…if AD gets in on 4th and goal vs miami …and if BF doesn’t overthrow harvin (he would have taken it to the house i believe) the play before that final pick-6 vs jets, we are AHEAD of gb..
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 7:37 AM CST up reply actions
please share...
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 10:29 AM CST up reply actions
T-Jack's jumping throw........
………still makes me shake my head. Yeah, he did look a tad more confident out there, gotta give him that, tho.
jumpball jackson
..think he would’ve been coached outa that by now..
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
by BranFavrenton on Dec 8, 2010 10:32 AM CST up reply actions
Sometimes I wonder if Jackson has been coached too much.
There is a lot the coaching can do, but no amount of book knowledge and pep talks will take the place of game experience. Jackson has some good qualities, but I think that Childress should have let him go have a fresh start with a different team.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Tarvaris Jackson
Led us to a blowout victory.
Period.
Shut up about the interceptions. We scored in the redzone frequently, and blew out a football team. I don’t care who the football team was.
Yap all you want baout how this kid isn’t a starting caliber NFL QB, but this year, Brett Favre is not close to one either.
Let the kid play football.
by sdotagain on Dec 8, 2010 9:38 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Jeez.. Who Pissed in your Grape Drank?
"Time for some Percy Harvin Magic Baby!"-Me right before he returned a Kickoff for a Touchdown against Shits, err, Pittsburgh...
Jeez!
Everybody is grouchier than shit today! So we’re not making the playoffs. So be it. But I think there is room for optimism next year. #1 is addressing the QB situation and then let’s go from there.And Merry Christmas dammit! (kidding)
I blame the holiday stress.
People really are cranky today. I would have thought that winning might help Viking Land to feel better about life, the universe, and everything, but it seems to just prompt a lot of “why couldn’t you have done that sooner” sentiments. Well, the season is what it is. Even if the Vikings won’t go to the playoffs (and yes, the odds are not in favor of it), I’d still rather watch them win.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
AP and the defense led this victory
Tjack made some plays, yes. But he also got bailed out by the defense for his mistakes in the 2nd half. He also single-handily gave Buffalo their only lead of the game with that pick six.
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthend, ambition inspired, and success achieved."
-Helen Keller
by NMVike on Dec 8, 2010 12:34 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Shut up about the interceptions???
Seriously? I’d like to see Jackson play out the rest of the season as well but commenting on a slew of interceptions seems fair to me.
If the Vikings win again next week...
You may be wishing for more of the emo band. I have a certain one-hit wonder in mind.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Hope this wasn't you?
try to keep my promises, even those made in close proximity to mechanical bulls.
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
No, it wasn't me.
I’m kind of on the small side and we joked that if I got on the bull that I would really sail when I fell off the bull. We were at a place at Mall of America watching other willing victims participants try their luck with the bull.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
T-Jack
Do people not realize that the only coach who had faith in T-Jack probably got fired? I don’t think that LF wants T-Jack to be the starter and will start Favre unless he cannot play.
I personally think that T-Jack can be a slightly above average QB and think that people give up too quickly on QBs. The QBs that tend to do well out of college are ones like Matty Ice, who played five years under a pro style offense in a Div I league. T-Jack played in the former Div II and I believe played in a more spread type offense. It will take him longer than 3 years to develop and I think if given the right coach could become a good QB.
The Vikings need to address their line and then their secondary before worrying about a QB.
Now if the best player available when they draft is a QB, say like Ryan Mallet, I am sure that is who they will take, but I don’t personally believe that the Vikings need to get rid of T-Jack
Very true
The NFL is an unforgiving, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately place. So much of the focus is on instant results rather than new player development. I like to use Sidney Rice as an example of why it’s a mistake to write a young player off after a slow start in the NFL. Unfortunately for Tavaris Jackson, his fate has been linked to Brad Childress for his entire tenure in the NFL—that probably won’t do much to help him in 2011.
In the past, the Vikings say they draft the best player available, according to their scouting and draft boards, when their number comes up—regardless of position. However, I think they can’t ignore their needs on the offensive line any longer. Getting a top quarterback and not having a decent line for him to stand behind just seems foolish.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
They should draft Weber
a guy who’s used to running for his life, and a guy who I think might be a pleasant surprise for any team that decides to take him
"Baseball is the only major sport that appears backward in a mirror" ~George Carlin
by thewild_viking_twins on Dec 8, 2010 11:36 PM CST up reply actions
Strange
I woke up this morning with that song stuck in my head for the first time in god knows how long
Now it’s on a post on DN, as if I wasn’t paranoid enough
"Baseball is the only major sport that appears backward in a mirror" ~George Carlin
by thewild_viking_twins on Dec 8, 2010 11:29 PM CST reply actions
Playoffs! LOL
I don’t think the P-word needs be mentioned at this time. It ain’t happening people. And unfortunately the Purple are heading for a rebuilding period. Thankfully we still have a decent defense and the NFL’s best running back. Which makes me think Leslie is going to stick around. Of course that’s completely up to the Wilf’s. But from what we have seen and heard I think this season would have been completely different had the #2 guy been given the reigns after the horrible Cardinals game.
TJack isn’t the answer at QB. He has the arm and the athleticism, the problem is the part between his ears. If you could scoop Matt Ryans brain and drop it into TJacks body you would have the perfect QB, sadly that’s the problem. No amount of coaching is going to change that. He just makes poor decisions, maybe if he started several games in a row he would improve but I can’t make that leap right now. He has had plenty of chances already. He isn’t Sam Bradford, nor does he have the learning curve of Brad Johnson.
For the draft we need to look at offensive line, wide receiver, and the secondary. My true wish is that a QB falls to us in the middle of the first round but I don’t think that is likely. Harvin, as much as I love the guy, has shown he really can’t be the #2 guy. We need someone else to help Rice assuming that he gets locked up for the future. The O-line has been gradually declining for a couple of seasons it’s time to look at replacing Mackenzie and improving the right side, center et. al. The secondary has had gaping holes at safety for a few seasons as well and I certainly haven’t been convinced that Chris Cook is ever going to be much more than a nickel back.
The good news is I think our D-line is able for a couple more years, RB is obviously set for a while but outside of that, it could be a tough team to watch next year. I just hope we don’t reach for a QB again with one of those other needs sitting at the perfect spot.
What?
How has Harvin shown he can’t be the #2 guy? He has clearly shown he can’t be #1 but when Moss or Rice have been on the field he has performed quite well. Just because he gets moved into the slot when 3 WRs are on the field does not mean he is better as the #3, it just means on those plays he is better on the inside.
As to the O-line, it definitely needs some work. Center is not an issue if Sullivan is around but we need to replace Herrerra or McKinnie (not Mackenzie, he doesn’t exist). The biggest issue in my mind is the secondary though, and I hope we do something in FA to try and fix it because the draft can only help so much. I think Cook still has the potential to be quite good in our system but it would be in our best interest to sign one of the best options available during FA and then address the other position (CB or S) early in the draft.
Since I haven't heard any breaking news on Favre's injury
I’m hoping that he’s overstating the severity of it so we’ll take advantage of the Giants after they’ve let their guard down.
Favre unexpectedly throws bullets all day long for a new career passing record as the Giants go down in defeat!
Now I’ll go check for breaking news to see if the dream is over.
Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted. - John Lennon
In the ridiculous off-chance we make the playoffs
The theme of the Vikings 2010 season has to be “Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge”
Calling it
by why am i in omaha on Dec 9, 2010 5:47 PM CST reply actions
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