The Holy Trinity Thursday Roundup, With A Little Stadium News Just To Get You In A Foul Mood

This is a little late in the week for the roundup, but life sometimes tends to get in the way.  We've got the Holy Trinity roundup, with a cameo appearance from Judd Zulgad, and some more stadium news...and it's not good.  But does that really surprise you? 

We've talked about the most interesting nuggets from the Trinity already this week.  Namely, the revelation from Tom Pelissero that Percy Harvin...you know, the only real legitimate offensive weapon on this team not named Adrian Peterson...is being used only 50% of the time.

So, put on your seat belts, keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times, and we'll get on our way.  First up, the boys over at 1500 ESPN...after the jump.

When you make the disclaimer "I like this guy, but..." that means you're not wanting to criticize someone you really, really want to give the benefit of the doubt to, but their actions really make you scratch your head.  Chris did that earlier this week right 'chere, and I'm doing it now. 

So,  I'm gonna put it out there; if you like it, you can take it, if you don't, send it right back.

We're not NFL coaches...I can't speak for Chris, but I'm a 40-something smartass that thinks he knows way more about football than he probably does.  But everyone, in every article I've read, did a collecetive 'what?!' when they read that Harvin was on the field for only half of the Vikes offensive plays, and even less than that in the red zone.  And Pelissero writes that Frazier is...defending that?  Money quote from the head ball coach:

 It's just a matter of our using his strengths to our greatest advantage, to our team's advantage and picking out spots when we do that."

Um...uhhhhhhh...ahem...yeah.  I would think...and Lord knows, I could be WAY off on this, but I thought it was always in the Vikings advantage to...what's the word I'm looking for here...score.  Yeah, that's it.  Score touchdowns, and accumulate more points than the other team.  And one of Percy Harvin's strengths...and again, I could be WAY WAY wrong on this, is that he's a...what's the phrase I'm looking for...somebody help me out here...PLAYMAKER, YES that's it.  A PLAYMAKER who can score from anywhere on the field, any time he touches the ball.  Sooooooooo it seems to me that a 'spot' you might want to 'pick out' is in the red zone when the Vikings have an opportunity to score.  Just spitballing here.

Judd Zulgad, an original member of the Holy Trinity, says if the Vikings lose that Frazier will have to acknowledge that the Vikes are in full rebuilding mode.  Money quotes:

The important thing is going to be how the Vikings' decision-makers see things after Sunday. Only the most die-hard of purple enthusiasts could view this collection as a legitimate NFC playoff threat. It's one thing to say they should be competitive, it's another to think they actually have a chance in January.

It's going to be very hard for Frazier to reverse course now and tell anyone that it's time to look to the future. He already convinced his players that he is all in and it's very difficult (almost unfair) to ask any coach to give up on a season.

That means Spielman would be the logical candidate to be the bad guy and set in motion a rebuilding process that could land a top-five draft pick. Spielman doesn't have the general manager title but he is the guy that must take the long-term view of what's best for this franchise.

There's some merit to what Zulgad says here.  Can the Vikes climb out of an 0-2 hole and make the playoffs?  NFL history tells us the chances aren't great.  Only 13% of teams that have started out 0-2 have made the playoffs since 1990, and with the Packers and Lions looking good, it's going to be tough.  But Vikings history says it's possible, because as recently as 2008 the Vikings did just that, and you can make a lucid argument that there is more talent on this team than there was on the 2008 team.  QB Donovan McNabb took the Eagles to the NFC championship after starting out 0-2 in 2003...so I'm telling you there's a chance. 

But 0-3?  Three teams have pulled that feat off in the same time frame.  So if the Vikings go 0-3, and you look at their upcoming schedule (@KC, Ariz, @Chi, GB) there's only one game I can see the Vikings being favored in, and that game is outside on grass at Kansas City, conditions that are more treacherous for the Vikings than sobriety is for Charlie Sheen.

Over at the Strib, Mark Craig talks about just how fragile Matthew Stafford has been in his young career, and how well his line protection has been so far this season:

In leading the Lions to a 2-0 record heading into Sunday's game at the Metrodome, Stafford has played consecutive games without sustaining an injury for the first time since late in his rookie season in 2009.  Not coincidently, he's also the only starting quarterback who hasn't been sacked this season. The Lions also are the only team not to allow a sack. With better protection and quicker passes, Stafford has been hit only six times in two games.

According to the fellas over at Pro Football Focus, the Lions have the fifth rated passing offense in the league, and the Vikings have the 23rd ranked pass rush defense.  I can't believe I'm saying this, but the Vikings are going to have to play their absloute best if they're going to beat Detroit.

Oh, Dan Orlovsky, how you make me miss the good ol' days.

Remember when this was the norm for Detroit?  Yeah, not so much anymore...damn it

Over at the Pioneer Press, Brian Murphy, playing the role of Jeremy Fowler this week, says that the Vikings are no threat to go deep.  Yippee.  The money shot:

But evidence is mounting that the Vikings (0-2) either do not have the playmakers to threaten defenses downfield or their playmakers simply are not up to the task.  Entering Week 3 against undefeated Detroit, only the Kansas City Chiefs are averaging fewer yards passing than Minnesota's 120.

The longest pass play that the Vikings have completed so far this season has been a 42 yarder to Toby Gerhart, which came on a screen pass in the first half against Tampa Bay.  Because as you know, the Vikings have decided as an organization not to play the second half of football games.  Bernard Berrian has been installed as the team's deep threat, which is akin to installing a nun to run a brothel.  In either case, it really doesn't work out well for anyone.

So yeah, let's figure something out to solve this problem, okay?  If I could, may I refer you back to Percy Harvin not being on the field for more than half the snaps.  Seems like you could kill two birds with one stone there, but that's just me. 

And that Chiefs game is shaping up to be a barn burner, no?

 And finally, what would your week be as a Vikings fan without some more crappy stadium news? 

Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak, still apparently butt hurt over the Vikings not choosing Minneapolis as the location for the new Vikings stadium...since Minneapolis didn't develop a plan until the Vikings already indicated they were going to Arden Hills, and then it was a terrible, half assed plan that no one liked, especially the Vikings...is now saying that Minneapolis wants all the revenue from the sale of the Metrodome...even though they had no intention of doing that when the Vikings were discussing the Anoka County stadium a few years ago.  It was always assumed that any revenue generated from the sale of the Metrodome would go towards the new stadium.

"We hit the roof when we heard there was a plan to take proceeds from the Metrodome and use it to build a stadium in Arden Hills," Mayor R.T. Rybak said on Wednesday, adding that city officials had only learned a week ago of the plans to dedicate Metrodome sales proceeds to the new stadium.  The money "does not belong to someone trying to move a business out of our city," the mayor said. "And we will fight it every step of the way."

With all due respect, Mr. Mayor, piss off.  Thanks for being a do nothing, obstructionist douchebag.

Mayor Rybak addresses the media over the Arden Hills Stadium

So there's your Thursday roundup.  Enjoy, and we'll be back later.