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It's once again time. . .a little later than usual. . .to get another question from Marshall Faulk as a part of our ongoing GMC Playbook series. Let's take a look at what the Hall of Famer has got for us this week.
On #GMCPlaybook we ask @SBNation Who’s hiding something? Let’s talk crafty veterans and what gives them the edge. http://t.co/Fm84ekOka0
— Marshall Faulk (@marshallfaulk) November 26, 2014
To be GMC Professional Grade you must know your craft inside and out. On every team, there must be an established veteran presence, that with the work that he does, it doesn’t really show up in the stat sheet. It could be a veteran DB who give that jersey pull or a nice arm lock, so the receiver can’t catch the ball. Or an offensive lineman who’s crafty enough to get the hold real tightly to where the refs won’t call it, but the back, he’s off for a big run. Now, look at your team and analyze. Tell me, who’s that crafty veteran on your team. And if you’re really paying attention, what’s the signature move that he uses?
Well, given that the Minnesota Vikings are a pretty young football team, there aren't a whole lot of "crafty veterans" out there to choose from. So, I'm going to go with the obvious choice.
As one of only three starters on the roster that are over the age of 30, defensive end Brian Robison is definitely the veteran leader on the defensive side of the ball. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft (102nd overall) out of the University of Texas, Robison has put together a pretty solid career for the Vikings, taking over when Ray Edwards suckered the Atlanta Falcons into giving him a dump truck full of money.
Despite being the team's elder statesman. . .or one of them, anyway. . .he still continues to get the job done. According to Pro Football Focus, Robison is tied with Everson Griffen for the team lead in quarterback hurries with 26, and his seven quarterback hits is second on the team. Yes, his sack numbers aren't quite what we've come to expect over the past couple of seasons, but Robison is still getting after opposing quarterbacks and making life difficult for opposing offenses.
On a young team like the Minnesota Vikings, at least one veteran leader is a necessity, and the Vikings have a pretty good one in Brian Robison.
Join the #GMCPlaybook discussion at sbnation.com/sponsored-gmc-playbook and on Twitter by following @thisisgmc & @marshallfaulk.