Archive for January, 2010

Vikings beat the Giants 44-7, and we’re not sure how happy we should be… 1.  The prevailing wisdom seems to be that the Vikings should be satisfied with they way they played Sunday vs. the Giants but not overwhelmed with happiness, cause the Giants weren’t really trying.  It did seem a pretty listless performance by New York, but still, the Vikings’ execution was very sharp, and even had New York given a solid effort, I think we would’ve still smoked them by at least 20. 2.  The encouraging thing about Sunday was the way the offense seemed to carry over [...]

After last Monday night’s loss to the Bears, the Vikings no longer held their NFC seeding destiny in their own hands. For the Vikes to secure a #2 seed and the first-round bye that comes with it, they needed to win Sunday against the Giants, and have the Cowboys knock off the Eagles in Dallas. The Vikes, as we know, had no problem with the Giants, who looked as enthused about the game as a typical kid is about the first day of school. That left Viking fans and players in the peculiar position of rooting for the Cowboys.  Thankfully, [...]

The regular season ended with the Vikings trouncing a listless, uninspired Giants team.  Brett Favre was brilliant, the defense was frisky, Adrian Peterson made an impact despite being used sparingly. The naysayers, of course, will say that it was only the Giants, a team so far out of it they didn’t even bother trying.  There’s truth in that, but still, when you beat an NFL team as bad as the Vikes beat the Giants today, it’s as much to do with your excellence as their ineptitude. The #2 seed can still be had, if the Eagles/Cowboys game goes the Vikings’ [...]

The Vikings came out at home the way they’ve done all season…flaming hot on offense, and sturdy on defense. Perhaps in response to last week’s lethargic first half vs. the Bears, the Vikings started the game not handing the ball to Adrian Peterson, and saw themselves quickly getting up by 10 points.  Then, with the passing game established, the Vikings started handing it to AD, who led them down the field for another 7. It was another brilliant half of football for Brett Favre and his receivers, especially Sidney Rice and Visanthe Shiancoe.  Favre seemed to benefit from a more [...]

After the Saints‘ loss to the Buccaneers last Sunday, Viking fans found visions of homefield throughout the playoffs dancing in their giddy little heads. Then the Bears game happened, and those visions all evaporated like snow on a hot stove. Not only did the Monday night fiasco slam the door on the #1 seed, it also opened all sorts of other doors the Vikings would’ve as soon kept locked.  Depending on what happens this afternoon, the Vikings could end up as high as the 2 seed and as low as the 4. The scenarios at this point are not complicated.  [...]

The Williams Wall as we have always known it may be on the verge of getting dismantled. For five years now, Pat and Kevin Williams aka the Williams Wall have combined to make the interior of the Vikings‘ defensive line the most impenetrable in the entire league.  However, for the second straight season, Pat has broken down heading into the playoffs, leaving the Vikings scrambling to fill the considerable literal and figurative hole left by his absence. Last year, a broken shoulder sidelined Pat for the final two games of the regular season, and for the team’s home playoff loss [...]

A season that began with high expectations is turning into a lost one for Antoine Winfield. A foot injury suffered early in the week 6 contest against the Ravens forced the cornerback to miss six games.  He was able to finally return against the Bengals, and seemed to immediately regain his Pro Bowl form.  But, in subsequent games, it became evident that Winfield’s injury was hampering him. In the last game vs. the Bears, Winfield’s inability to stay with receivers helped Jay Cutler regain the big play ability that had been missing from his game much of the season. The [...]