CC Snubbed Again

I’ve been too depressed with football to blog lately. Some notables since the last update:

*New Head Coach of the St. Louis Rams, Steve Spagnuolo hired Vikes Special Teams Coach, Ray Ferraro as a Linebackers Coach. This is great news, the Vikes special teams was a complete joke last year. It was the worst in the NFL. Of course, Chilly didn’t have the gall to fire his buddy, by Spagnuolo helped us out!

*Darren Sharper appears to be done as a Viking. This also is great news. Sharper was great in his prime, but his prime ended two years ago.

*Vikes Defensive Coordinator, Les Frazier interviewed for a number of Head Coaching positions, but was not hired. Frazier will once again be running the defense in Minnesota next year. This is also good news.

*Adrian Peterson was named the FedEx Ground Player of the Year. He led the NFL in rushing with 1,760 yards. Purple Jesus ran for over 100 yards in 10 games in 2008.

HALL OF FAME
Good news first, longtime Vikings guard Randall McDaniel was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame today. McDaniel is very deserving of this honor as he was a Pro Bowler for 12 of his 14 years in the NFL. Congrats to him!

The bad news is that somehow for the second year in a row, Cris Carter was snubbed. Carter is an eight time Pro Bowler with 1,101 career receptions for 13,899 yards and 130 career touchdowns. It is CRAZY that he was not elected.

CC is third All-Time in receptions and he is the only wide receiver ever to have over 120 receptions twice. Carter helped lead the Minnesota Vikings to two NFC Championship games and he mentored Randy Moss. Carter and Moss are arguably the best duo EVER to play receiver together in the NFL.

All Cris Carter does is get first downs and score touchdowns. CC is very deserving of the Hall of Fame and he has to get in next year.

Oh yeah, the Super Bowl is tomorrow. Who cares?!?

A Quarterback

I honestly can’t believe that the Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. How depressing as a Vikings fan. I know this will sound very homerish, but if the Vikes had a quarterback, they could have easily made it to the Super Bowl this year.

Arizona is no good. Their defense is average at best and to stop their offense all you have to do is blitz them and double Larry Fitzgerald, who by the way is a total stud.

I fully expect Pittsburgh to hammer the Cards in the Super Bowl. Steelers 34 - Cardinals 20. It will be a blowout. Maybe I’m like this every year, but I really don’t care about this year’s Super Bowl and have no real desire to watch it. Don’t get me wrong, I will, but it is just depressing!

The biggest question facing the Vikes this off-season will be quarterback. I really have no idea what they will do. In less then two weeks it is time to start looking forward to the 2009 season.

PURPLE JESUS SHIRTS
I just got another shipment in of the In Purple Jesus We Trust shirts, so email me if you want. Limited supply on hand!

Next Year

I think I’ve finally recovered. It’s amazingly how fast it went from we won the NFC North and are in the Playoffs (hosting a game even) to season over. Thanks for playing!

As we look to 2009, one thing is obvious; the Minnesota Vikings need a starting quarterback.

Tarvaris Jackson just isn’t going to cut it as a starter in this league. He seems like a great kid and he has talent, but he is a backup, not a starter. T-Jack will NEVER win a NFL Playoff game.

Bad news is that options are VERY limited for the Vikes. Gus Frerotte ripped Childress for not playing him in the Playoff game and he says he wants out unless he is the starter in 2009. See ya Gus!

The Vikes need a veteran, but not Gus. Jeff Garcia and Brett Favre are options. Matt Cassel was Franchise Tagged by the Patriots so he is only available via a trade. Personally I hope that the Vikings can make a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals for Carson Palmer. He seems to have worn out his welcome there and they need to make changes in Cincy.

I really don’t know what the Vikes will do at the quarterback position. One thing is for sure, they have to do something!

VIKES FREE AGENTS
Below are the Vikings Free Agents and my take on them:

Unrestricted free agents:
Kenderick Allen (DT) – who cares, he’s a role player, if he stays he’s cheap.

Matt Birk (C) – see ya, thanks for your time but you are old and not worth the money. Nice shotgun snap on the turf in the Playoff Game last week by the way.

Michael Boulware (S) – keep him, for low money, coming off an injury, doubt will have many offers.

Heath Farwell (LB) – keep him, he’s a STUD on Special Teams and a solid backup, sign immediately.

Napoleon Harris (LB) – see ya, he can blitz, he can’t cover.

Marcus Johnson (OT) – see ya, don’t let the door hit you on the way out, 2nd Round BUST.

Jimmy Kennedy (DT) – who cares, see Allen, basically the same guy.

Jim Kleinsasser (TE) – keep him, talk of retirement, the Sauce had a farily decent ’08 season.

Benny Sapp (CB) – keep him, only if cheap, he shows flashes of talent, also flashes of getting burnt and getting called for penalties.

Darren Sharper (S) – see ya, old and ineffective, ’07 he was good, ’08 he was bad, time for some new blood.

Dontarrious Thomas (LB) – see ya, um…don’t we know his story already.

Ellis Wyms (DT) – who cares, see Allen & Kennedy.

Restricted free agents:
Fred Evans (DT) – keep him, solid backup.

Charles Gordon (CB) – keep him, good developing player.

Otis Grigsby (DE) – see ya, who are you?

Jayme Mitchell (DE) – keep him, has potential.

Naufahu Tahi. (FB) – see ya, he’s no good.

CONTRACT YEAR
The following players will be in their contract year in 2009:
Vinny Ciurciu (LB), Ryan Cook (RT), Ray Edwards (DE), Eric Frampton (S), Gus Frerotte (QB), Cedric Griffin (CB), David Herron (LB), Artis Hicks (RT), Tarvaris Jackson (QB), Garrett Mills (TE), Chester Taylor (RB), Kenechi Udeze (DE) and Antoine Winfield (CB).

VIKINGS 2009 OPPONENTS
Home: San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, Cincinnati, N.Y. Giants, Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit.

Away: Arizona, St. Louis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Carolina, Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit.

Season Over

Everyone loved Philadelphia and apparently for good reason. Minnesota ended up being without Pat Williams (defensive tackle), Ray Edwards (defensive end) and Artis Hicks (right tackle).

Basically the game came down to two plays, a terrible interception for a touchdown by Tarvaris Jackson in the second quarter and a 71 yard Brian Westbrook screen pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Vikings defense was solid all night except for the one huge play to Westbrook. Cedric Griffin had an interception near the end of the first half and Jared Allen had two sacks including a forced fumble which Fred Evans recovered.

Once again the Vikings special teams were a disaster and several Philly punt returns put the Eagles in great field position.

Jackson was 15 of 35 and as expected he looked HORRIBLE against the constant Philly blitz.

Adrian Peterson scored both of Minnesota’s touchdowns. AD gained 83 yards on 20 carries. His touchdowns were 40 and 3 yards. Both occurred in the first half.

The Vikes trailed 16-14 at half and were shutout in the second half.

It was a close game and the Vikes were in it until the Westbrook touchdown. I can’t say I’m shocked although I did expect the Vikes to win. It will be interesting to see what happens this offseason because one thing is clear, Tarvaris Jackson is NOT an NFL quarterback. He can be a backup, but he is NOT a starter on a playoff team.

Obviously Brad Childress will remain head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, but something HAS to be done at quarterback.

Not much more to say, the season is over. All in all it was a good year. The Vikes won the NFC North, Peterson led the NFL in rushing, both Allen and Bernard Berrian appear to be solid signings, but the season is over.

Once again life is depressing. Just think only like three months until the NFL Draft. I’m sure next year will be the year the Minnesota Vikings turn it around.

NEWT’S GAME BALLS
Offense – Adrian Peterson
Defense – Jared Allen
Special Teams – None

Vikes vs Eagles

Happy 2009! The Minnesota Vikings host the Philadelphia Eagles in three days and I can’t wait. It sounds like Pat Williams is a game time decision, but likely will play. This is great news for the Vikes. The Giants really made it seem like Fat Pat is the reason that Minnesota is so hard to rush the ball against.

Defensive end, Ray Edwards tweaked his knee and will not play Sunday. Brian Robison will start in his place. Robison is solid and not much, if any of a drop off from Edwards.

Adrian “Purple Jesus” Peterson revealed he has had a bum ankle for the last three weeks, but that if feels “pretty good” currently. For the Vikes to win Sunday, AD needs to have a solid 100+ yard game. I think he will.

Philly is going to blitz Tarvaris Jackson and try to force turnovers. I think T-Jack and the offense rises to the occasion and beats the Eagles 24-13 at Metrodome.

Bring on the Panthers!