As It Should Be, Vikings Control Their Destiny

There's no need to be scoreboard watching now. Minnesota, it's time to earn the right and win your way into the playoffs. Sunday's game was bizarrely calm. Maybe knowing that you have to win one of two games or that Chicago only had to lose one game took the edge off. Well, I didn't like it. The Vikings control their destiny which means they need to take it, grasp it, and make it theirs! No waiting!

I'm glad Green Bay lost (I'm not sure Chicago won) and I want the Vikings fired up and needing a win. It shouldn't be handed to them by way of Green Bay. That's tainted! So darn tainted!

I was at the game Sunday and the fans didn't seem as amped up as Fox was about the game. While the TV network 'flexed' the game from noon to 3:15 because this was a great playoff-like matchup, the fans did not seem as excited.

Why did I notice? Well, I was excited and I was there to root the Vikings to victory. I took my cousins to their first ever game and I wanted them to see firsthand the excitement that the Metrodome can offer. I wanted them to complain that the fans were too loud and I wanted them to walk away from the 'Dome with a quiet ringing in their ears and amazement in their hearts and minds.

Instead, the game fell short. The Vikings never seemed to be as fired up as they needed to be. Why, I don't know? Maybe, you're supposed to be on an even keel.

I know the Vikings gave the game away with four lost fumbles. Adrian Peterson again struggled holding onto the ball. It's mind-boggling. My cousin Jessie said it best after his second fumble, "You keep doing that and you do not have a career." Genius! That's so poignant!

I was really surprised with how well Atlanta played with their rookie running back. They took Tarvaris Jackson's running for big gains in stride and kept their poise. With the Vikings giving away the ball, I can't really say that Atlanta won the game but I can certainly say that Atlanta didn't lose it. It was the Falcons that looked like they controled their destiny. And now, with the other losses in the NFC, they have seized their destiny and earned a playoff spot. Now, I want the Vikings to do the same.

Vikings - Almost! Vikes Fight But Fall Short, Still in First, Still in Hunt

The Vikings fell short 13-19 but fought hard and showed that the Vikings belong in the black and blue division of NFL football.

Why black & blue? Three reasons:

1. Well, first the D is solid and punishing. This D is almost strong enough to carry this team. In the NFL, that's key. You can win with a solid defense. The offense may get all the credit but it will not win a title. Looking at NFL champions over the last 10 years, only Kurt Warner's and Marshall Faulk's Saint Louis Rams stand out as an offensive team that won it all. And that Super Bowl is most remembered for the Rams' defensive stop by Mike Jones on the last play of the game. D is key and the Vikes have the pieces in place to be that good.
2. 28 can truly go all day. Adrian Peterson is a bruising back. Already at 1,000 yards for the season (1100 after Sunday's game), All-Day has shown that he can carry this team. Peterson leads the NFL in rushing and is averaging 110 yards a game! Wow!
3. Frerotte-n QB is killing me. I really thought Gus Frerotte was a great off-season signing. I expected him to help like Kerry Collins in Tennessee and Kurt Warner in Arizona. Instead Gus is beating up his own team, making them black and blue. He's hurting Minnesota like Brad Johnson hurt Dallas. It's so amazing to see Gus continue to start. Was Tarvaris Jackson that bad? Is John Davis Booty paying attention?
   

Death by Quarterback?
I can't believe how the QB position has failed Minnesota. I really expected wide receiver to be the weakest link but that's not the case. The hard part is fixing that during the season. I feel for head coach Brad Childress. He's truly trying and being tried by his quarterbacks. He tried to address it this offseason with a veteran and a draft pick for the future. Instead, he's being killed now. Ouch!

5-5 is alive.
The bad news, the Vikings lost. The good news is that Chicago lost, too, and this division is wide open. Besides Detroit, a division title can be found in Green Bay's, Chicago's, or Minnesota's Christmas stocking. With the troubles thus far, being alive - heck FIRST place! - is wonderful.

Jack's Next!
Next Sunday, the Vikes return to Florida to face Jack Del Rio's Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jag's stumbled losing to Tennessee Sunday and fell to 4-6. Their playoff life is also in the balance. Sunday's game is huge to both squads. Sunday will be fun to watch.

Bleed on,
Don

Frerotte Time!

It's official, the Jackson train has derailed again. ESPN reports that Frerotte is in at QB.

Childress has said that Frerotte is "the starter for the remainder of the season." The season? Well, I'd call that optimistic. Healthy QBs are a commodity. I'd like to make that Frerotte is "the named the starter for the remainder of HIS season".

This is a great move. Frerotte has an arm that can extend the field and has a calm, collected demeanor. I like this move because it can turn around the Vikings season. I do not believe the Vikings are out at 0-2 but they are being tested.

This is a move that can fire up the team and can especially motivate the Vikings receivers. The Vikings are led by Adrian Peterson's 5 catches. That's in two games! Ouch! Now, there has been good distribution - 11 Vikings have caught the ball in two games but 5 catches. I checked NFL.com and 5 catches ranks you as tied for 74th in the NFL in receptions. Double ouch! After all, ex-Vikings Nate Burleson has 5 catches and he was out of the second game!

Give Credit to the Vikings:
It's great that this is possible. Signing Gus Frerotte was a key to the Vikings offseason. QB was a position that needed to be addressed. With the drafting of John David Booty and Frerotte, the Vikings were thinking about today and tomorrow.

Purple Shout Out: I'd like to give a purple shout out to Paul the Viking fan & his crash dummies. We talked purple last night. Skol, Paul!

Gus is Good...For the Moment

The Vikings are talking to quarterback Gus Frerotte to fill a quarterback opening. I think it's a good idea to finally bring in a solid veteran to back up Tavaris Jackson. Before I call this a good move (it's a good idea so far!), I would have to know where Gus is at and perhaps why Saint Louis let him go.

No matter what, we cannot say Brooks Bollinger is the answer. I think many of us thought that the day he was acquired. What do you think?

So Gus covers the moment. Now, we need a plan beyond today. I think the Vikings draft board has to include a quarterback and the Vikes cannot count on something opening up via training camp cuts. I'm not saying that Tavaris cannot recover. I think he could. But I do think that you need a plan in case he does not.

So for now, Gus is good.