With or Without Favre; Vikes Solid
Vikings fans, I don't care much for Favre's antics but I have done my best to be objective with this piece. As for my bio, I am a broadcast journalist with Mid-Utah Radio in Manti and Richfield, Utah and am currently doing a team-by-team prediction series and the lot fell on the Vikings today. I'm sure there will be plenty of feedback so fire away.
Today, I maintain my prestigious journalistic standards by reporting on the Minnesota Vikings notwithstanding my disdain for Brett Favre.
Favre, of course, threw for 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions last year while completing 68 percent of his passes and throwing for 4,202 yards in 2009. In other words, he had one of the best statistical seasons of his decorated career.
Nevertheless, I’ll admit he has agitated me with his drama but if Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and head coach Brad Childress are willing to indulge him, that’s their choice. Regardless of my feelings toward him, he has put up impressive stats of late.
The good news for the Vikings is even if he can’t sustain this level of play in 2010 or gets injured (there’s a reason only a handful of NFL players have ever played well into their 40s), there are other options in the stable.
For instance, from watching film on the Vikings-Rams game last week, I saw that Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels both did a solid job in running the Minnesota offense.
Of course, with weapons such as tailback Adrian Peterson (1,819 combined rushing and receiving yards in 2009 as well as 18 rushing TD’s), and wideouts Sidney Rice (83 rec, 1,312 yards, 8 TD’s) and Percy Harvin (I hope he gets over his migraines) engineering the Vikings offense is one of the more pleasurable gigs in sports.
Of course, Visanthe Shiancoe (56 rec, 566 yards, 11 TD’s) is about to make me a happy fantasy owner, but lest I should show my hand any further, I digress.
It also bears mentioning that the Minnesota defense was also an elite unit as they ranked 6th in league annals in 2009, including a stellar #2 against the run.
Jared Allen returns without his illustrious mullet (incidentally Jim Rome and I both cried when this occurred) but still maintains his impressive pass rushing skill which netted him 14.5 sacks last year.
Additionally, Ben Leber, Chad Greenway, Madieu Williams, Cedric Griffin, the Williams Wall and other defensive stalwarts promise to give the Vikings an impressive unit once again.
Personally, I don’t think Favre will make it through the season, but fear not Vikings fans, as Jackson has improved enough and was able to quarterback the team for much of 2008 to a 10-6 record.
For all intents and purposes, I do believe this is the Vikings’ moment to strike. The cupboard is full and the special teams (Ryan Longwell, Chris Kluwe, Harvin and Darius Reynaud were all magnificent in helping Minnesota win what NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi calls the “hidden yards battle on a weekly basis last year) are as strong as any other unit on the team.
With that said, I see the Vikings winning anywhere from 10 to 13 games but I give no take on the postseason as all bets are off at that point. We’ll see what happens. Thanks for reading!
This FanPost was created by a registered user of The Daily Norseman, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the site. However, since this is a community, that view is no less important.
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Not to be nitpicky, but
Ced won’t be playing for awhile and it was Gus Frerotte who QB’d the Vikes in much of 08 to a 10-6 record.
but
Tarvaris did contribute. Gus Frerotte is a stud though
Brad James
by the new Bradfather on Aug 20, 2010 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions
I wouldn't say stud.
I’d just say he was the QB who was most responsible for that 10-6 year. We lost the first two w/ TJ and won the DET and AZ game with him.
Frerotte
had a better career than people give him credit for. Any quarterback that can show he is a reliable asset throughout his career is good enough for me.
Brad James
by the new Bradfather on Aug 20, 2010 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions
I would appreciate your post but I saw you did one on ACME
And you were way nicer to them, with way less support for your love. It’s all rigtht it’s a long and painful road to becoming a Vikings fan buddy, but you know what it’s worth the pain and heart ache.
It's a lot easier to love the Vikings when they win...
I don't hate the Vikes
I just hate Favre. Sadly at this stage, the two are intersected horrendously.
Brad James
by the new Bradfather on Aug 20, 2010 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions
My analysis of your analysis ...My simple theory may have to do with Brett passing on ESPN as a future analysis . As he will be going with FOX .
Please try to remember that Brett’s drama is created by ESPN as a WWF bad guy theme . Rather than the Green Bay version of a WWF tough guy . Brad and Brett have chose to toss ESPN under the bus ! Did you see their deflated look as Rachel Nichols got the scoop from the ballboy . Just kidding . The Kicker . Same importance . Then instead of the ! hour Lebron speech . Brett turned in for the night . He held up the crowd with eight unanswered unevenful answers . All they could reply was ? How can we believe you . ESPN is losing the battle .
If Brett matches Warren Moon’s numbers at the same age . 33TD’s and 4202 yards passing . How can people claim it can’t be done when a former Viking H.O.F.er has already accomplished the feat .
Less indulging and more business . Brett is given in 2010 . 8Mil from last year . 13 this . Anew 3 in signing bonus and 4 that involves winning playoff games And getting the Ring . No playoffs no $$$ . Simple math . If you polled Vike fans and asked if they would pay 4 million dollars to win . Would you allow Ziggy too ? What would be their response ?
A solid job of QB play doesn’t win Superbowls . For 19 years people have said he can’t last all the games . They were proven wrong 19 times. I betting man would stay away from that bet if they are playing the odds . It isn’t roulette we are speaking of it is the NFL’s Greatest QB . The Babe was the Greatest and holds the strike out record . Brett with three TD’s in New Orleans will steal the Saints thunder of last year and America’s hearts . Why ? Because NBC is hosting . ESPN will have to take a back seat . If he does miss one or two games this year they need to be weeks #5 and #15 . After a cerimonial snap to the RB . ESPN would cry . Probably sue .
I love that Fantasy guys toss the Vikes to the side . Reality is a different monster . You are correct about the Dominant Defense . But when Brett sustains drives and breaks defenses . The opposing Defenses are winded after all the three and outs . GB and DAL’s blowouts were do to gassed Defenses caused by Brett’s ability to dominate the clock .
Yes the Special teams grows every year . We can afford to draft players that contribute in that duel role . This will be a difficult year for Packer fans . Brett’s incentives promote big numbers . Even if playoff games are to the wire . Another X-factor Packer will step in and Kick Ted Thompson in the groin for 3 pts. and the win . Maybe Javon Walker will drop the 12 yard past to set up the Saints for their win last year . And after a blinded review we can help Goodell redeem last years debacle !!!
Un impressed with away games on grass last season I see us spliting the four East Coast games . And one loss in the division for luck and motivation . How easy you forget DAL lost a Probowl OT in the dome . And their newest star is still on crutches . GB lost 1/3 of their #1 DL and the best LDE in the game in Kampman . 34-7 times two seems to escape your logic . And the Off & DEF domination in all fazes except turnovers . With Sharper going to the PUP’s kennel . Injuries on the Defense is the DL or OL are my only concerns . We are deep . We are hungry . We are not knocking on the door this year ! Bienemy is give the greenlight to pound the Backs this year . If Brett hands off 5 times each in two series in SF for two scores I will feel ready to find that weak spot in the Deathstar . And blow it back beyond the sorry stars . Where it belongs !!!
SKOL on brother !!!!
Yes . Three TD’s will make Brett the only QB to ever throw 500 TD’s in his career .
by gothicpurple on Aug 20, 2010 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions
He's already the only QB to throw
422. Has he really gotten to around 500 already? Geeze. Now he just needs to get 53, to break Brady’s record AND set the TD record at an unreachable mark.
Scooping the Poop
The Vikings sent almost 25% of all the NFC’s representation in the 2009 Pro Bowl, and every one of those guys is back. That has to be factored in.
Beyond that, while I appreciate your enthusiasm for Tarvaris Jackson and Rosenfels, I do need to point out a couple minor details…. First, they were playing against the 1-15 St. Louis Rams, second they were playing against the 2nd and 3rd stringers, and finally, they were playing against the 1-15 St. Louis Rams. Not to put too fine a point on things but…. is it surprising that a final-four team’s third stringers put the pain on the undisputed owner of the NFL’s basement?
On the little matter of Favre’s “drama”, if you take a moment to research exactly what Favre actually said, I think you’ll be even more annoyed to discover that the drama was created by your fellow media ‘journalists’ who manufactured their very own sports crises out of absolutely nothing but thin air. Hate on Favre if you want, but have the decency to put the blame for the drama where it belongs; with your associates.
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!
Hate to rain on the Pro-Bowl Parade, but...
it doesn’t mean dick. The year before, the Redskins sent a ton of people to the ProBowl, and they all returned as well. Look how they fared last year…
The Vikings are not the Redskins
I disagree. It means we have a lot of very talented players on the team.
The Redskins have their own issues, chief amongst them is that their chief keeps shooting them in the foot. Dan Snyder is a classic example of why team owners shouldn’t meddle.
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!

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