Archive for December, 2010

With the Vikings announcing that Brett Favre is officially out, it is now certain that Joe Webb will make his first NFL start Monday night against the Bears.  It’s been a long time since the Vikings went into a game with such a green starting quarterback.  In fact, the last time they began a game with a QB who had no career starts under his belt was on December 21, 2006, when Webb’s immediate predecessor Tarvaris Jackson made his debut against the Packers in Lambeau Field (it was a balmy 34 that day in Green Bay). Jackson got his shot [...]

Nothing is official until Brett Favre says so – and even then people won’t believe it’s official – but as of right now it certainly sounds like the quarterback has played his last game in the NFL. Today, Favre gave an update on the condition of his right arm, and the news was not great for him and his fans.  Favre said he was checked out for a blood clot on Monday, and thankfully the tests came back negative.  Nevertheless, he continues to experience numbness in his right hand, a numbness that has been with him since the Redskins game [...]

Monday was the night Brett Favre‘s consecutive games streak officially reached its point of termination.  It was also likely the night Tarvaris Jackson‘s Minnesota Vikings career came to an end. Nothing is official yet, but it certainly looks for all the world like T-Jack has played his last down for the Vikings.  Today the team is expected to put him on IR with turf toe, ending his 2010 season.  After the year he will become a free agent, and it is unlikely that the Vikings will bid to once again procure his services. Jackson was abysmal in his apparent final [...]

The Vikings reportedly had a list of 8 quarterbacks they were looking at as candidates to fill in for injured Brett Favre and Tavaris Jackson.  This list did not include fan favorites Daunte Culpepper or Jeff Garcia, nor did it feature former Vikings John David Booty and Brooks Bollinger. It did reportedly include Patrick Ramsey, former Viking Todd Bouman and Luke McCown.  In the end, the Vikings settled on Ramsey as the man to bring in. Ramsey, who last threw an NFL pass in 2008, will have a few practices to now get up to speed with the offense.  There [...]

It’s far from a done deal that the Vikings and Bears will be playing Monday night at TCF Bank Stadium.  Here’s the statement the team just released about the on-going effort to get the outdoor facility certified by the NFL: At this time, NFL officials are touring TCF Bank Stadium to ensure its safety for our fans and its ability to meet the primary technical requirements for an NFL game. Ultimately the decision to re-locate a game is the league’s in consultation with the two teams.  The NFL supports the plan to play Monday night’s game at TCF Bank Stadium [...]

The Vikings‘ quarterback situation went from precarious to dire last night after Tarvaris Jackson joined Brett Favre among the ranks of the walking wounded.  If Jackson’s toe injury proves serious and Favre’s hand remains purple, the Vikings could find themselves with only Joe Webb and R.J. Archer to play QB Monday night against the Bears (in Metrodome or TCF Bank Stadium or wherever that game ends up being played). Not wanting to face the prospect of playing a prime time NFL game with only Webb and/or Archer to choose from, the Vikings are reportedly looking at bringing in quarterback Patrick [...]

Visanthe Shiancoe did not take last night’s loss to the Giants well.  “Something’s gotta be fixed,” Shiancoe declared.  A real quarterback would be a start.

To paraphrase Dennis Green, he is what we thought he was.  I’m talking about Tarvaris Jackson who last night in Detroit wiped away the good impression he created in the Buffalo game and restored the old impression that he has no business being a starting quarterback in the NFL.  It was all about the defensive pressure.  Against Buffalo, T-Jack had time to throw, and was able to roll out on occasion and make plays.  Against the Giants he was rushed, and was unable to make things happen on the move.  He made terrible decisions with the ball.  He failed to [...]

The last tiny shred of hope the Vikings still had of making the playoffs disappeared tonight with their loss to the Giants.  By losing their 8th game, the Vikings put themselves out of wild card contention, and also lost any chance of tying the 9-win Bears for the division lead.  After a run of two straight post-season appearances, the Vikings find themselves back where they were in the second year of the Brad Childress regime, struggling to make it to .500.  The future looks bleak for this franchise, given their stadium situation, their lack of a long-term quarterback and a [...]

The good feeling Leslie Frazier managed to generate through two wins vs. sub-par teams all disappeared tonight in Detroit against the Giants.  With the bright light of reality shining on them, the Vikings wilted like a delicate flower.  Tarvaris Jackson was unspeakably brutal, the run defense completely crapped itself against Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, and Adrian Peterson disappeared as thoroughly as if he had never existed.  Despite two early Eli Manning picks, the Giants were able to gather themselves and show how a real playoff contender handles adversity.  I’m trying to think of one positive thing to say about [...]