Archive for August, 2011

So that’s one game in the books of the preseason. We try not to jump to conclusions. Preseason is great viewing for most mediocre sports fans if they’re trying to fall asleep. But then there are those of us who blog and read blogs and consider throwing the baby out with the bathwater right away. Believe it or not, some angry fan called into Jacksonville radio wanting Jack Del Rio fired after the Jaguars lost their first preseason game to the Patriots. That’s passion baby. Since we’re more in-line with the angry caller, lets give a stock report… UP Donovan [...]

The score (14-3) doesn’t matter and neither does the record (0-1). Here’s what matters: Donovan McNabb looked sharp in his debut, going 6-for-11 in two series before handing the baton to Joe Webb. Here’s what else matters: The first team defense looked bad in every aspect of the game. They didn’t tackle, they showed poor discipline and they didn’t cover. In a quick TV interview before the second half Leslie Frazier looked and sounded miffed about the defensive effort. There were several glaring breakdowns, the biggest one coming courtesy of Chris Cook, who lost Yamon Figurs on a crazy play [...]

Donovan McNabb is officially a Minnesota Viking. He got his first action in purple tonight against the Tennessee Titans and I’m happy to report he looked pretty sharp throwing the ball. He was right on the mark on all his short throws, and his one deep ball was also on-the-mark and might’ve been caught by Bernard Berrian had the Tennessee defender not tipped it away. McNabb even got a chance to show some mobility, scrambling right and throwing on-target on the run to Berrian (who, in typical Berrian fashion, dropped the pass). McNabb’s performance was very encouraging overall. His arm [...]

In case you hadn’t heard, the Vikings open the preseason in Nashville Saturday night. Here are the 10 Viking players I’ll be zeroing in on with special laser-like focus (at least until the booze kicks in). 1. Donovan McNabb The new starting QB won’t play more than one or two series, and not one single person will seriously read anything into his performance, but nevertheless I will be very interested to see how he looks. Mostly I want to see what kind of shape he’s in, and if he happens to get chased from the pocket, how he’s moving. And [...]

Brad Childress was notoriously tight-lipped as head coach of the Vikings – hence his nickname “Secret Squirrel” – but since taking on his new gig as NFL Network yammering cranium he has been anything but. In a new Q&A posted on NFL.com Chatty Chilly holds forth on a number of topics including – don’t laugh Viking fans – his past success as a developer of quarterbacks, especially Donovan McNabb. The exchange went this way: Q: What’s the perfect job for you: being the top guy, the offensive coordinator, or quarterbacks coach? Childress: I love coaching quarterbacks. Think about this: As [...]

Let’s not make the mistake of reading too much into Tarvaris Jackson‘s poor showing for two series in the Seahawks‘ first preseason game last night. After all, it was only the first preseason game. Tarvaris was bound to be rusty after a short camp. Plus it was his first time playing with any of those guys. It takes awhile to develop chemistry. T-Jack didn’t even have Sidney Rice out there as a security blanket, cause Rice had to miss the game with a shoulder injury. Plus early on T-Jack lost his left tackle Russell Okung. A lot of things were [...]

The Vikings broke camp today and headed off to Tennessee where on Saturday they will begin the 2011 preseason with a match-up against the dreaded Titans. Let’s take a moment to reminisce about the ten things that made the Vikings’ 2011 training camp so extra-memorable (we better do it fast before we forget them): 10. Marcell Gipson’s Departure Cornerback Marcell Gipson left camp early to “deal with a family situation.” We later learned the family situation was the death of his grandmother and he wasn’t coming back to camp, instead choosing to seek a non-football job to help out his [...]

Former Patriots CB Tony Carter has been signed to a one-year deal by the Vikings, tweets future radio superstar Judd Zulgad (who for the time being remains on the beat with the Star-Trib). The Vikings were in need of another cornerback after the departure of Marcell Gipson who left camp due to the death of his grandmother and elected not to return. Carter will compete with several other nondescript defensive back candidates – Devon Torrence, Marcus Sherels, Brandon Burton – for a spot on the depth chart behind the top four of Winfield, Griffin, Allen and Cook. In two seasons [...]

Last night Brad Childress made his debut as an analyst for NFL Network, and the former Viking coach didn’t waste any time generating headlines. Chilly’s biggest bombshell regarded Randy Moss, the man he gave away a 3rd round pick for amid last year’s turmoil only to cut a month later for various transgressions including ripping Childress in public statements. According to Chilly, the worst thing about Moss wasn’t his disinterested play, it was his effect on the locker room. In describing Moss’ negative influence on team morale, Chilly resorted to a metaphor that can only be described as colorful and [...]

Let the 2011 Vikings-Packers trash talking begin. Brian Robison fired the first volley at Green Bay on behalf of Purple Nation today on KFAN. Robison began by saying he’s “glad” the Packers won the Super Bowl. Needless to say this comment required elaboration. Robison obliged: Simply for the fact that I can say after this year we’re gonna kick the crap out of the Super Bowl Champs twice. Hopefully we’ll meet them in the playoffs and kick the crap out of them again. Robison went on: You’ve got Chicago who was in the NFC Championship game. Green Bay who was [...]