A Long Way To The Top

by zkonedog on Nov 15, 2011 3:31 PM CST

Going into the Monday Night matchup against Green Bay, the Vikings needed to play a "perfect game" of sorts to even be competitive with the Pack in Lambeau Field. The game was far from perfect, and the outcome (as such) was not competitive.

What struck me, however, was how far away we are in certain key areas from building a solid, winning team once again.

The offensive line is terrible...

via i.cdn.turner.com

When Ponder had time (rarely), he made plays. When he was pressured (often), he looked like a rookie. Simple as that.

The o-line doesn't do Adrian Peterson any favors, either...

via i.cdn.turner.com

How frustrating must it be to have all that athletic talent and have the above scenario happen on oh so many plays?!

The wide receivers are quite a crew as well...

via i.cdn.turner.com

They don't get open most of the time, and there are no Sidney Rice's around to go up and fight for a ball. Percy is a gamer, but his injuries and small stature limit him to a Wes Welker role. For every Wes Welker to succeed, however, he needs a Randy Moss to give him space, and Lord knows the Vikings have no Moss right now.

Then, of course, there is our secondary...

via i.cdn.turner.com

What does the above picture have to do with our d-backs? Well, do you see a Viking uniform in the picture? With the exception of Winfield (and now he's done for the year), the secondary cannot cover or tackle...two skills that are fairly important to playing the position.

The main positives from Monday Night?

Jared Allen is a beast...

via i.cdn.turner.com

Christian Ponder (when given time to throw) looked good...

(sorry, no picture for this one...couldn't find one).

A game like this, then, just reminds me of how far the Vikings still have to go in order to build a solid team once again.

This Week: The Oakland Raiders come to town, and I have a really bad feeling that a TV blackout may be in this team's future (perhaps as early as this Sunday). I hope I am wrong.

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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For every Wes Welker....

you need TOM BRADY!!!! To hell with Moss.

by LoveHate on Nov 15, 2011 3:49 PM CST reply actions

My point, somewhat.

This is the first part of the general point I have been trying to make all along on this or any other Viking site I read or even any Viking fan I come across. This team is NEEDS to be blown up and completely rebuilt, and I mean COMPLETELY. Remove Peterson, Harvin(And I have my own question about Harvin but that is for a different time), Rudolph, Robison, Everson Griffin, and Sherels from the pile, lay the dynamite, and push the lever down.

The second part of my overall point is that many Viking fans tend to be leaning towards a mix of the draft and free agency as the way to go. The argument I see so often is that this appears to be the quickest way back to “contender” status. I see two issues with this argument. Number one, for the next 3, 4, 5, 6 years, whatever long term number you want to use, there is no amount of anything the Vikings can do that will able them to catch the Packers or even the Lions. Number two, let’s say the Vikings do go out and sign a bunch of free agents to go along with some good draft choices over the next year or two. They might win some games but it wont be enough. Then the 5 years from now the Vikings are right back where they are now, the only difference will that they will be right in the prime of Ponder’s career. Before you even start, a QB in his prime wouldn’t solve this issues the Vikings have this season and he wouldn’t even come close.

The best thing for the Vikings to do is to ignore free agency and focus on the draft. Their strategy for the next three drafts, all seven rounds, should be to draft the best player available, regardless of position. Then after that, lets see where they are. Then they can begin to change their draft strategy and focus on specific positions, not the best player on the board. I know this process seems long and strenuous. I understand that you Viking fans are running out of patience. But this process is the way to go.

by Timothy Bryce on Nov 15, 2011 4:49 PM CST reply actions

You can't simply ignore free agency...

Granted, we should not build completely through FA, but you can add some really solid components through FA. Specifically a wide receiver, which would be a great help to Ponder’s development.

by Bjorno on Nov 15, 2011 5:37 PM CST up reply actions

Take a look at the two Superbowl teams last year who might both be the favorites in their respective conferences again this year. Other than Charles Woodson, who was more of a “I want these people to believe I’m committed to winning with Favre even though my real goal is to build a long term superteam” signing for Thompson than anything else, name me one true, “name” free agent either one of those teams signed who has been a key component of their recent success.

by Timothy Bryce on Nov 15, 2011 7:55 PM CST up reply actions

They haven't needed to sign anyone.

And there is a simple reason for that.

They have had two of the best QB’s in NFL history running their team since 1992.

When you have QB’s of that caliber for such a long period, they make WR’s, TE’s and OL’s perform better than if they are constantly switching sub-par QB’s around. It is much easier to build from the draft around a QB like Favre and Rodgers than it is to build around Tavaris Jackson.

I guarantee you the Packers signed plenty of free agents around Favre when he first started in GB. But the lack of a hole at that position has put them at a HUGE advantage over a team like ours. I am willing to bet you Indianapolis doesn’t spend a lot of time on free agents either.

Our problem is not that we try to build through FA, it is that we have not had a franchise QB for many years. Should Ponder turn out to be our answer at QB, we will not need to do much in free agency for a while.

But for now, we should give him another sure-fire weapon at WR through FA.

by Bjorno on Nov 16, 2011 4:29 PM CST up reply actions

That was specifically referring to the Packers.

As far as the Steelers are concerned, Big Ben provides them with the same stability. Albeit in a much shorter timeframe (Since 2004) But that is still 7 years of having the same QB, and 5 years of having the same HC and FO.

by Bjorno on Nov 16, 2011 4:57 PM CST up reply actions

someone posted the free agent receivers for next year, and it looks like a good group.

i like the idea of picking up a veteran stud receiver via free agency next year because i think it will benefit a young qb a whole lot. plus, we have glaring needs elsewhere, and i like the idea of drafting stud o-linemen with our top picks, and d-backs there as well.

personally, i hope we wheel and deal some players in the off-season as well. that is another way to acquire talent AND high draft picks. i’m sick and tired of all these low round draft picks we keep accululating. cuz then we have to hear about "what a great pick, that guy was the STEAL of the draft, blah, blah, blah. we have a collection of 5th, 6th and 7th round mediocre guys that can barely crack the starting line up on a bad team. they don’t look like the future to me.

long story short, i think we need to use all three avenues to re-build, and i think we need to acquire more picks in the 1st thru 3rd rounds and use those picks on prioritized positional needs, not this whole BPA game. but this requires the coaching staff anf f.o. to actually have a clear vision of the kind of roster and team they are trying to build. it seems like the m.o. here has been to collect a hodge-podge of bodies without an armiture in place for the bigger picture…
that’s just my opinion.

warcraft, you are my guitar hero !!!

by danny lloyd on Nov 16, 2011 6:22 PM CST up reply actions

Jorno is right

The draft will get you so far with for “right now starters.” Your going to have to utilize FA..but very wisely. The Vikes need to quit picking up everones left overs (players that are iffy on production). That means FA’s that are proven and still productive and not on the decline.
The draft will rope us some good and some that just doesnt pan out. Part of all this is the FO has to decide if it is going to admit and commit to a rebuild or continue to pretend with a couple moves they are still cometitive.

@}-----You've been Touched-----{@

by Velvetouch on Nov 16, 2011 12:11 PM CST up reply actions