Want To Know the Vikings Superbowl odds for this year? What has the off-season brought us, gold or coal? This is the place for Updates about Peterson And The Vikings Organization
Vikings running out of time to make a deal for Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
ShareretweetEmailPrintAt this point, it looks like it will take a Hail Mary to get a Vincent Jackson(notes) trade done before this afternoon’s 4 p.m. deadline.
The Minnesota Vikings need to address their problems at wide receiver, but Jackson has high salary demands and the San Diego Chargers aren’t about to give away the suspended star. That leaves the situation hanging in the balance.
Rumors have been flying for a couple of days and it’s impossible to rule anything out, but once Sidney Rice(notes) returns, the Vikings will have two players who are pretty much the same. Is that what they need?
So, the Vikings went a less costly route, at least for now, signing Hank Baskett(notes) after he was cut loose by the Philadelphia Eagles. Baskett was released by the Eagles so they would have room to sign running back Joique Bell(notes) off the practice squad of the Buffalo Bills.
Rice is out until at least midseason for the Vikings and now Percy Harvin(notes) is battling a hip injury that could keep him on the sideline for a bit. The Vikings’ defense has played very well through two games but the offense needs some help for Brett Favre(notes), who has been misfiring.
Baskett has experience with the Vikings in the past. He can also help on special teams. The big question is whether or not big help will arrive in the form of Jackson, who would be eligible to play after two more games on the suspended list in Week 5.
The Miami Dolphins are back after a narrow 14-10 victory in Minnesota. The defense put on a dominant performance highlighted by Jason Allen's two interceptions and Cameron Wake's game altering forced fumble leading to a touchdown.
Let's break down the game in its entirety as the Dolphins look to continue their success this season with the New York Jets at home next week.
ESPN
Individual Stats
Miami Passing
C. Henne – 9/15 114 YDS, TD (106.0 QB Rating)
Minnesota Passing
B. Favre – 22/36 225 YDS, 3 INT (44.3 QB Rating)
Miami Rushing
R. Brown – 13 RUSH, 80 YDS, FUM
R. Williams – 10 RUSH, 30 YDS, FUM
Minnesota Rushing
A. Peterson – 28 RUSH, 145 YDS, TD
T. Gerhart – 4 RUSH, 10 YDS
Miami Receiving
B. Marshall – 4 REC, 71 YDS
B. Hartline – 3 REC, 28 YDS, TD
Minnesota Receiving
V. Shiancoe – 6 REC, 86 YDS
A. Peterson – 5 REC, 41 YDS
Miami Defense
J.Allen – 2 INT, 11 TACK, 3 PD
V. Davis – INT, 6 TACK, 2 PD
C. Wake – FF, 1.5 SACK,
K. Langford – SACK
R. Starks – 0.5 SACK
K. Misi – TD
Minnesota Defense
J. Allen – SACK
K. Williams – SACK
C. Greenway – 8 TACK, 2 TFL
Grades
Quarterback – Although on paper Chad Henne played an efficient, mistake-free game, there is major room for improvement. He still locks onto receivers and the defensive line has learned to read his eyes, which resulted in a few balls batted down at the line yesterday.
Still, he faced a hostile road crowd and managed the game pretty well. He connected on his first throw, a 50 yard bomb to Brandon Marshall. I’d like to see him have more opportunities down the field because he throws a pretty good deep ball.
Grade: C+
Backs – Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown played well until two major mistakes. They both had costly fumbles, especially Ricky, who coughed up the ball on the Dolphins own one-yard line.
Grade: D
Receivers/Tight Ends – Brandon Marshall proved why he’s one of the game’s most dominant receivers on Sunday. He beat his man for a 50-yard strike on the Dolphins first offensive play. Brian Hartline ran a perfect route on his touchdown grab in the first quarter.
Grade: A-
Offensive Line – The line handled an excellent Vikings front with efficiency. Jake Long played superb against Jared Allen. The pass protection was solid, giving up two sacks, with both resulting from Henne holding the ball too long.
Run blocking was pretty good, but the Vikings stacked the line for most of the game so production was limited. They did an excellent job on Ronnie Brown’s 46-yard burst off the Dolphins own goal line.
Grade: B+
Defense Line - Brett Favre was beat up, harassed, and hit all day. They did an amazing job in the passing game, but struggled to contain Adrian Peterson in the running game. He racked up 145 yards on the day and often broke into the second level of the defense with ease.
Grade: C+
Linebackers – Cameron Wake is impressing more and more with every game. He forced a game-deciding fumble for a touchdown and also was in on another sack with Randy Starks. Karlos Dansby played solid as usual, providing the touchdown saving hit on the Dolphins goal-line stand in the second half.
The one negative was the missed tackles in the running game. I know Peterson is a load, but they have to work on tackling technique (Misi, Wake). Arm tackles are not going to bring down backs like AP.
Grade: A -
Secondary - To think that this unit was the biggest question mark heading into the season. Jason Allen (2 INT) looks like a shutdown corner in this man-heavy scheme. Wait, did I really just write that? He had the game of his career yesterday. Vontae Davis is looking like a Pro Bowl corner and didn’t give up anything to Favre. He’s aggressive, instinctive, and reminds me of a more physical Patrick Surtain.
Grade: A+
Special Teams -Dan Carpenter didn’t get much action Sunday. Brandon Fields was great as usual, pinning the Vikings back within their own 20 several times. The return game wasn’t much of a factor, and return coverage was excellent, forcing a fumble in the second half.
Grade: B
Coaching – Defensively, Mike Ryan and crew proved again to have a huge edge. Favre was never comfortable at any point yesterday and much of that goes to the various coverages thrown at him. Offensively, there are some issues. It still appears the coaches are lacking confidence in Henne. Outside of the bomb to Marshall, it was an extremely conservative game plan.
What frustrated me the most was the decision to not try to score with 3 timeouts and a minute remaining in the first half. Play to win the game!
Coaching B+
Overall – It was another gritty, ugly, win. But any win is a good win in this league and the fact that both wins came on the road is all the more impressive. We might not know how good this team is just yet, but we do know one thing. They are physical and mentally tough.
The defense looks absolutely dominant. Wake is going to get double teamed as the season progresses, so it will be important that other guys become factors in pass rushing situations. The secondary has been incredible thus far.
Offensively, I’m a little worried about Chad Henne. He doesn’t seem like he has all the confidence in the world. The fact that the coaches don’t let him play is disturbing. It’s time to let the kid give it all he has and if he screws up, so be it. At times he was a gun slinger last season and I haven’t seen any of that yet this year. They should open up the play-calling against a banged up Jets defense at home next week.
It was a great win.
Next Week: Sunday night against the Jets at Sun Life Stadium
Adrian Peterson could not be contained by the Dolphins defense but there were too many mistakes and miscues for the Vikings to overcome in their home opener. The result was a 14-10 victory for the Dolphins at Mall of America Field on Sunday, as a visiting team won a regular season game at the Vikings home stadium for the 1st time since December of 2008.
The mistakes and miscues added up for the Vikings, as they were penalized 7 times for 44 yards and turned the ball over 4 times. While one Vikings superstar - Peterson – was up to his old tricks (28 carries for 145 yards and 1 TD), another Vikings superstar just couldn’t get it going. Favre lost a fumble in the endzone that was recovered for a TD and he threw 3 INTs.
Usually dominant at home, where they accumulated a 9-0 record last year, the Vikings were held scoreless in the 1st half. Favre drove the Vikings from their own 29 to Miami’s 32 in just 9 plays on the game’s opening drive, but a decision to go for it on 4th down ended up costing the Vikings points. Miami’s defense held and the offense immediately drove on the Vikings defense to take a quick 7-0 lead.
Both teams scored TDs in the 3rd quarter. Miami scored when LB Koa Misi fell on Favre’s endzone fumble and the Vikings scored when LB Erin Henderson recovered a Miami fumble forced by his older brother, E.J., near the Dolphins goal line. Peterson plowed his way into the endzone 2 plays after the Hendersons combined to turn Miami over.
The Vikings held Miami to just 1 first down and 4 total plays on the ensuing drive, giving the offense possession after a punt on the Vikings 11-yardline. That’s where the Vikings relied on their workhorse, Peterson, to take over. Peterson accounted for 62 yards on the Vikings drive and after a sack of Favre, Ryan Longwell came on to salvage a few points by splitting the uprights on a 28-yard try that cut Miami’s lead to 14-10.
The Vikings defense rose up 3 more times from that point on but the Vikings offense wasn’t able to capitalize. Following Longwell’s FG, Minnesota forced the Dolphins to a 3-and-out. But Favre followed with an INT, giving the Dolphins possession on their own 34. One play later, the Vikings defense forced another Dolphins fumble and Favre and Co. took possession on Miami’s 24.
Five plays after the recovered fumble, the Vikings had a 4th and goal from the 1, but Miami’s defense bowed up and stopped Peterson, giving their offense possession on the 1.
From there, the Dolphins picked up 1 first down via a holding penalty against the Vikings defense, but DT Kevin Williams batted down a Chad Henne pass on 3rd down, which gave the Purple another chance to mount a game-winning drive.
The Vikings took over after a punt on their own 45. Favre drove the team down to the Dolphins 31 on 3 plays, but from there he threw 3 incompletions and eventually the ball was turned over to Miami, where they were able to kneel on the ball and run out the clock.
The loss drops Minnesota to 0-2, the same record they had in 2008 before they won 10 of their next 14 on the way to a division title.
One proclamation and three preseason practices were all Vikings quarterback Brett Favre needed to leverage a start Sunday night in his 2010 debut against the 49ers.
Peterson Redeems Himself After
One brief offensive series and leaky pass protection were all it took to convince coach Brad Childress to put Favre back in the box and let the more prepared Tarvaris Jackson line up behind the first-team offensive line.
Favre was on the field for only four plays during the Vikings' 15-10 loss at Candlestick Park before he was seen donning a baseball cap and basking in the northern California sunshine on the sideline.
Afterward, with little to evaluate about his appearance, Favre did damage control, scoffing at a report last week that he does not trust Childress because they clashed several times last season about how the offense should be managed.
"I would say at times we disagreed on certain things but our relationship is fine. It really is," Favre told reporters after the game. "We were fine the next day. We worked it out. I thought our results last year spoke for themselves."
On Wednesday, the day after Favre reported to Minnesota, Yahoo! Sports quoted an anonymous teammate saying Favre had little respect for Childress and questioned Childress' clumsy attempts to control news about the three-man reconnaissance mission to bring him back.
Favre called a team meeting Thursday, when Childress was visiting Percy Harvin at the hospital after the receiver collapsed during practice, to dismiss the Yahoo! story and caution his teammates about unfounded leaks.
"I felt like it was important that we cleared the air and made sure that we were together in that room when we left, and we were," Favre said. "(Childress) was made out to be the scapegoat but it was a totally ridiculous article. The guys that spoke in that meeting said, 'Hey, if someone has a problem with another player or another coach in here, speak up like a man.'
"No one obviously spoke up. That's not to say there would be someone who would say that. But I don't believe it. I really don't. That was addressed, and I think that's behind us now."
Much like his first preseason start last year against Kansas City, when Favre was leveled by Chiefs linebacker Corey Mays on his third snap, Favre's ordinary series Sunday will be remembered for him getting flattened by another blitzing linebacker.
The 49ers' Patrick Willis easily shed Adrian Peterson's block in the backfield and teamed with fellow linebacker Takeo Spikes to swarm Favre and drive him to the turf for a 10-yard loss. "
What can the Vikings foreshadow this season from Favre's short performance against the 49er's, not much. Favre looked a little hesitant on his throws and didn't have the spark in his eye that we know. All we can conclude is that he's eager to play again and hopefully ready to go after that Superbowl this season. Brett remarked, "when I'm I decided to return the only way I know how to go is all in and if I wasn't ready to return and play at that level than I wouldn't have returned." Brett Favre says he's all in mentally but how about physically. Quarterbacks need to have resiliency and this year Favre's ankle and aging body could prevent him from playing to his potential. We all know Favre's "all in " mentally, but his ankle might keep him out of games.
Favre's biggest play came to RB Adrian Peterson for a sidleine dump pass for 13 yards. Two plays later 49ers linebacker and pro bowler Patrick Willis sacked him for a 10 yard loss forcing Favre out of the game and the Vikings to punt. But be realistic Vikings fans. Don't talk smack about Brett Favre just because his first offensive series was unsuccessful. He played four plays not even enough to warm him up. Preceding the game vs the 49ers, which the Vikings lost 10-15, Favre only practiced three times. So, it's like going from throwing to high school kids with nobody trying to sack you, to stud pro bowlers like Takeo Spikes and Patrick Willis sacking you. We all know that Brett Favre is going to unload his strikes come game day against the Saints and will kick ass again this season. When Brett gets going there is no stopping him so all that's got to happen is for Brett to start seeing the plays and getting used to moving in the pocket and throwing tight passes again. Anyways, here;s a recap of the Pre-season loss vs the San Fransisco 49ers:
It took Brett Favre all summer to decide he'd play football again. Patrick Willis helped end Favre's night after one series.
Willis brought the rush to Favre on the Vikings' third play of the game for a 10-yard sack with teammate Takeo Spikes closing as well.
Willis considered it payback for a down field block Favre threw on him in a Week 3 loss last season.
"He's a wise old vet," Willis said after Sunday's 15-10 victory over the Vikings at Candlestick. "I guess he was like, 'This is a little too much for me right now just coming back.' I guess a lot of people thought he shouldn't have played.
"I was happy to be out there myself."
Willis played two series with the starting defense, and made sure it was ready to go with the season opener still three weeks away.
Dropping a 40-year-old quarterback just off the Mississippi farm is one thing. It was quite another how Willis ankle-tackled Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson in the open field.
And, going back to that Favre sack ... it happened as Willis shoved Peterson into the quarterback.
"That was my fault," Peterson said. "Willis, being the great 'backer that he is, got underneath me and pushed me right into him."
After Vikings Practice, today in Eden Prairie, Brett Favre got ready to lay down an insprirational, coaxing, and humbling speech about his decision making to come back or not after the game Vs the New Orleans Saints where he threw an interception to lose it all. "Part of me gave out after I came so close and the other part felt that I owe it to the guys to give it another shot." This was Brett's main aggression for coming back,; not for his love and joy of football this time, not for the money [although he negotiated an extra 7 million dollar 20 million dollars 1 year contract], but for another shot to win the Superbowkl with the guys. After Losing the NFC Championship game to the Saints Brett said that as he drove home he saw billboards asking him to come back and be the Vikings QB the next year and texts and messages via his best friends and teammates telling him that we're in this together. We're in this together, we either win or go out swinging is the mood that Favre felt fro his fellow Viking Teammates. Favre mentioned that when Allen, Longwell, and Hutchinson came down to see him that that's when he couldn't ignore the feeling that he owed it to the guys to come back. Brett Favre said that the main reason for his return was his teammates and what he owed to them for supporting him through the whole season. "This is the best lot of guys that I've ever been with and the feeling is generally mutual,"Favre said compassionately.
Right after the 2009 season Brett also got a sincere message from Sage Rosenfels telling him that he's love to play next year but he didn't want to admit it but watching him [play and what he learned from Favre was a blast.T=Jack also respectively treated the situation respectively and took his return well. Indeed, the main motivation for Brett Favre's return was his teammates. The main reason why he returned was because of the amount of fun he had playing last year and the strong supporting team that the Vikings return with this year. Only this year our destiny isn't in stone, but in blood. After loosing a heart breaker to the New Orleans Saints Brett Favre comes back as strong as ever and finishes off his definite last year with a Superbowl victory. Thin about it, last year he had a few weeks to learn the timing of each receiver, the plays, the inclinations of his line and receivers, as well as adapting to a whole new environment and he ended up having the best year of his career with , a passer rating of 108.0, 7 interceptions, over 4,000 years, and 33 touchdowns. He also had the best red zone conversion percentage with 25 touchdowns coming in the regular season. So, Brett can only build upon last year's acclamations and experiences and come back this year with more swagger, confidence, and connection with his teammates. As for Brett's humble attitude about his return and doubts about whether he can put up the same numbers! No sweat!! All he needs to do is keep his interceptions under ten again, throw for around 3,000 yards, and 20 touchdowns. The rest will be up to our star-studded defense and wealthy offensive line. This year can only be better because the overall teamwork and lining of our team is tighter and one more year experienced. Our players are going to be more confident and hungry this year due to last season's outcome and we added some good depth to back up some potential injury problems during the season.
Throughout Favre's speech he was humble, inspirational,well-spoken, and serene. Favre reported that after his followup with Dr. Andrews on Thursday that they told him not to expect a miracle like his shoulder a few years ago.Favre said that overall his ankle felt a little "stuck" but it was as good as it was at the start of last season This is a good omen for the season and I think that Brett has the skill and tools even more at his disposal than last year making it a picture perfect setting for a Superbowl.
Favre said that today in practice he jumped right in and everything flowed pretty good. He said that he recalled all of the plays and his main priority is to get the timing of the Blitzes and familiar with his receivers again. Favre also said that he needed to get rid of the initial soreness that usually lingers until after the 1st week. Favre told reporters that he wanted to be, a durable quarterback that can perform at high levels." Not just a quarterback that can perform at a high level and is not durable. So, what this meant to me is that Brett is looking to complete the whole football season, and after that probably retire.
Favre's press conference will go down in sports as a true testament to the love of the game and devotion to one's teammates. Favre made it the point of his press conference to give all of the reason to himself returning to the great teammates he had and the fact that he knows that he still can play at a high level. Favre gave us the feeling that he's ready to give 100% and is going to push himself to get back to performing at a high level each game of the season. Minnesota can start to function normally again because now we have the gunslinger back and something to look forward to this winter,VIKINGS FOOTBALL.
"After this , I'm done,." Favre reported about the possibility of playing next year. So, if this is the last year that Favre is playing in the NFL then hopefully Favre has a strong supporting crew. Peterson can't fumble, andLoadholt has to use his length and strength effectively. As far as injuries are concerned were blacklisted for season problems: Harvin; migraines, Rice Hip, Griffin ankle, and Favre ankle. Any one of these losses could set back our Superbowl chances so let's pray that these guys stay healthy. If Favre can play through 21 season in the brutal NFL and take hits every game so can they fight through some pain. Let's brace ourselves for this season regardless because the excitement level in Minnesota just made the Winter a little more bearable!! This is our last shot Vikings fans for a while so strap up and bring a six pack.
So, this is your last chance to get a Vintage Brett Favre Jersey to remember his legacy by here:
This idea of the Vikings throwing a hail marry to Brett Favre to give them an idea that he's going to return was terribly ironic. We had turned to desperation mode and sent Ryan Longwell, Jared Allen, and Steve Hutchinson down to Mississippi to try and convince Brett To make a final decision and come back with them. So, who's going to bring back Favre this year? Obviously the Vikings studs on Defense, Offense, And Special Teams and were not leaving anything to chance by sending Childress down there! No, Brett needs the support of his lifelong NFL teammate Ryan Longwell, the wiley and motivational spirit of Jared Allen, and the person who protects his blind side to assure him that nothings going to hurt him this year.
Brett Favre Returning To Minnesota!
Yes, Brett Favre is on a plane RIGHT NOW AND RETURNING TO MINNESOTA!! THIS GUARANTEES THAT YES FINALLY BRETT FAVRE IS GOING TO BE THE VIKINGS QUARTERBACK THIS YEAR!!
How excited am I about Brett Favre this year. Well, let's just say that I can't wait for winter this year in snowy, ice cold Minnesota because the Vikings are going to the Superbowl? Yes, unless Brett Favre is moving back up here to escape the bugs down south were going to have a stacked team compared to the Packers, Bears, Lions, and 49ers. So, the next question is how healthy is Brett Favre and has he got the hunger this year to win it all? Well, check on the hunger, who can't be pumped up to face the team that sent you out in a devastating loss last year unfairly. As for the condition he's in; we'll we know that Dr. Andrews cleared him and that he's been practicing with the local high school kids so he still can play, but how many sacks and hits can he endure this year before his ankle or body gives out? I'm not going ot worry about that because I know that Brett wants to play football still and that if we receive the highlights and high performance play that we received from the silver-fox last year than that's just fine with me. I just hope that the NFL doesn't turn the tables like the NBA and start building super teams with all superstars. Although this is much harder in football, as there are more positions and variables, this could play out. Well, I can't wait to see Favre in the 3rd pre-season game this year ion August 28 Vs the Seattle Seahawks. So, last year Brett Returned on August 19 and this year on August 17! I'm surprised that it all went down so fast. The three Vikings captains left Monday night and now they're returning this afternoon on a flight to Minnesota. I guess the fishing and hunting fell through and Brett finally was convinced to return.
Now, With Brett Favre, Percy Harvin, And Adrian Peterson all here I can confidently stop posting frantic waffle messages about Brett Fave and start talking about how damn good this guy is. My prediction for this season: Vikings 14-2
Minnesota Vikings Schedule 9/09 Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints 9/19 Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings- Automatic Win, no threats on Offense! 9/26 Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings- Automatic Win, Enough Said Vikings Bye Week-Rest Up Boys!! 10/11 Minnesota Vikings @ New York Jets-Tough Game, But In The End Favre Delivers A Game-Winning Pass To Rice In The End-zone 10/17 Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings- Playoff Match-Up Of Last Year, Vikings Roll Because Of Superior Defense And Pressuring Romo In The Pocket 10/24 Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers-We'll Give The Packers One Only Because They Have Home-Field Advantage! 10/31 Minnesota Vikings @ New England Patriots- Get To Brady Early On Defense, Force A Turnover And Build Momentum From There, Too Much Adrian Peterson And Favre!! 11/7 Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings- Superior Offensive And Defensive Lines We Win The Battle In The Trenches And Take The Cake!! 11/14 Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears- Brett Favre Explodes For 300 Yards And Jared Allen Gets His, Vikings Win!! 11/21 Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings- Our Defense Holds In The Second Half And We Beat The Cheese heads At Home! 11/28 Minnesota Vikings@ Washington Redskins-Donovan McNabb With No Other Weapons, Haynesworth Still Trying To Pass The Test... 12/05 Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikingssss- No Weapons On Offense-Clear Favorites-We Steam Roll Them!! 12/12 New York Giants @ Minnesota Vikings- Too Much Eli Manning For Our Secondary To Handle, Vikings Drop One. 12/20 Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings- Peppers Is Neutralized By Mckinnie And The Vikes Outscore Them For Another Victory! 12.26 Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles- Brett Favre Is Too Good To Be Stopped And Adrian Peterson Has A Good Day! 1/2/2011 Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions- When's The Last Time We Lost
So, Relax Vikings fans! Our road to the Superbowl is clearing up
The Vikings practiced for about an hour and 20 minutes late Monday morning on the outdoor practice fields at Winter Park as they recuperate from Saturday night’s game and get ready for Sunday night’s contest at San Francisco. Temperatures were moderate and the breeze was brisk, providing a nice change from the conditions that came with training camp in Mankato.
The big news of the day was that WR Percy Harvin was back with the team after an extended absence due to the death of his Grandmother and another battle with migraines. Harvin looked fit while practicing and was targeted by QB Tarvaris Jackson several times. Harvin did not meet with reporters following practice but will likely do so later this week.
Sidney Rice, who hasn’t practiced with the team during training camp because a hip injury has him on the PUP list, worked with trainers and strength staff on the side. In speaking with reporters following practice, Rice said he’s had a setback or two in his recovery but that he continues to improve and feels comfortable running in a straight line. He declined to put a percentage on his health at this point.
Another guy on the PUP list – CB Cedric Griffin (knee) – was also working out on the side, as he’s been doing all of training camp. Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress described Griffin’s progress recently as rapid and said it’s almost to the point where they’d like to remove him from the PUP list so he can participate in individual drills during practice, something he’s prohibited from doing under the rules of the PUP list. Childress also said Griffin is “chomping at the bit” to get back, something that became apparent near the commencement of training camp when Griffin disclosed he was hopefully he’d be able to participate in camp rather than go on the PUP list.
It was good to see so many of the players putting in extra time after practice, working on various areas of the game. Harvin and Greg Lewis were running routes with Jackson throwing to them, TEs Jeff Dugan and Garrett Mills were hitting a blocking sled, various players were fielding kicks, Marko Mitchell was working with WRs coach George Stewart and TEs Visanthe Shiancoe and Mickey Shuler were doing drill work with TEs coach Jimmie Johnson.
The team will have lunch and meetings the rest of the afternoon and will return to the practice fields late Tuesday morning.
Still no sign of Brett Favre, but give him a few more weeks and he'll be here... he has to. Looking at uour roster the only position that doesn't speak Superbowl is Quarterback, with no offense to Rosenfels or Jackson.
Favre, get off your John Deere tractor and hang up those fishing lines because we need you to win the Superbowl. Looking at the past five Superbowl's; it's not defense that won it, but the top quarterbacks in the league outscoring the adversary. Look at the past winners: Roethlisburger , Manning, Brees, Manning, and Tom Brady. Without the gunslinger we can't shoot only defend. Point is, without Brett Favre there's no silver lining on our year; Jackson nor Rosenfels can't produce the points lie Brett Favre and we will end up in another streak of 1st round playoff losses to Philly,Cincinnati, Dallas, etc. We have everyone but Favre ,but he's our ticket to the Superbowl. Pray with me Viking fans.
Coming off arguably his best season as a pro. And now he’s even a grandpa!
RB: Adrian Peterson
Could be angling for a new contract in 2010. Has led the league in rushing over the last three years.
RB: Toby Gerhart**
Bruising runner who must learn to find a rhythm without a high volume of carries. Better athlete than people realize.
WR: Sidney Rice
Not quick-twitch or explosive, but good long-striding vertical threat. Will he keep working?
WR: Bernard Berrian
Solid No. 2 receiver, especially when defenders don’t physically challenge his frail frame.
WR: Percy Harvin
Became more and more of a focal point as his rookie season wore on. Outstanding stop/start ability, shiftiness and burst.
TE: Visanthe Shiancoe
The exact type of tight end you want playing with Favre. Not a go-to guy, but versatile and very good at keeping plays alive.
H-Back: Jim Kleinsasser
Utility veteran who may lose playing time if coaches decide they want more power-blocking on the edges.
LT: Bryant McKinnie
Below average left tackle. Is never the aggressor in run blocking and struggles with mechanics in space.
LG: Chad Hutchinson
Has lost a bit of his power but still creates holes through angles and second-level mobility.
C: John Sullivan
Not strong enough to win in a phone booth, though shows bright signs for future as a technician and finesse-based blocker.
RG: Anthony Herrera
If he dips to anything below 100 percent, he becomes a liability, particularly as a run-blocker.
RT: Phil Loadholt
Someone needs to tell the second-year pro that he’s 6’8”, 343 and long-armed.
6 OL: Ryan Cook
Sloppy athlete but has starting experience and is capable of playing all five positions.
Defense
Coordinator: LeslieFrazier
LDE: Ray Edwards
Might not be underrated anymore after his 3-sack, 2-tackle for loss performance in the playoffs against Dallas.
UT: Kevin Williams
Down-to-down, the most disruptive defensive tackle in the NFL.
NT: Pat Williams
Turns 38 in October but is delaying retirement for one more year. Good – he’s still immovable against the run.
RDE: Jared Allen
High-octane superstar who commands double teams and makes plays no matter the situation.
5 DL: Brian Robison
Speed and space pass-rusher who can be an excellent fill-in guy off the bench.
SLB: Chad Greenway
Outstanding in coverage and quick wrap-up tackler. Should be getting more Pro Bowl consideration.
MLB: Jasper Brinkley
Was not completely terrible filling in for injured E.J. Henderson last season. Must fight the urge to play east and west rather than downhill.
WLB: Ben Leber
The definition of a solid role player.
4 LB: Heath Farwell
Primary value comes as a special teams standout.
CB: Antoine Winfield
Broken foot basically ruined his ’09 campaign. The best run-defending corner in the game, but at 33 he must prove he’s not running low on gas.
SS: Tyrell Johnson
Good straight-line speed, but coaches want to see the highly-touted ’08 second-round pick make more plays.
FS: Madieu Williams
High-character leader off the field. Lately, has been a tad too quiet on the field. Understands Leslie Frazier’s Tampa 2 scheme well.
CB: Cedric Griffin
Finally figured out how to be at least a borderline-elite cover corner last season. However, tore his ACL in Conference Title Game and may begin year on PUP.
NB: Lito Sheppard
Has become a maligned journeyman, but Vikings realize he was a two-time Pro Bowler when he played in an Eagles scheme that was somewhat similar to this one.
6 DB: Chris Cook**
Second-round rookie could see action right away in nickel. If he’s not ready, Benny Sapp and Asher Allen are decent options.
Special Teams
K: Ryan Longwell
Has unhappily ceded the kickoff duties to Rhys Lloyd, but won’t be giving up the field goal duties anytime soon. He made 92 percent of his attempts last season.
P: Chris Kluwe
One of the smartest people in the NFL. His punting is fine, too.
RS: Percy Harvin
Electrifying breakaway speed makes him a home run threat.
