vikings/nfl
Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
Christian Ponder vs. Andy Dalton? Receiver Jerome Simpson weighs in
Posted by: Dan Wiederer under Vikings Updated: August 6, 2012 - 1:15 PM
If you're looking for the guy most likely to energize a Vikings' resurgence on offense in 2012, keep a close eye on speedy receiver Jerome Simpson.
Want to learn more about Simpson's jovial personality, his training camp acrobatics or his 15-day stay in a detention center this spring? Then give our Sunday feature on Simpson a read.
Still can't get enough Simpson? Then chew on the following thoughts the Vikings' receiver had to share about his role in the offense and how his new quarterback in Minnesota compares to his last one in Cincinnati.
On what he loves most about the Vikings' offensive philosophy under coordinator Bill Musgrave ..
"Probably the biggest thing I love about this offense is that there are no dead routes. Everybody can be thrown to at any time. And, man, we have so many playmakers here, it’s going to be difficult for defenses this season to guard all the weapons we have. For me, it’s going to be a pleasure to be in Coach Musgrave’s offense."
On the instant rapport he developed with Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder ...
"Christian, man, is the best. He’s an easy guy to get along with. If we mess up on a play? Hey, we all make mistakes. He just knows that we all have to get better and try not to make the same mistakes twice. You get that added sense of confidence from him. And Christian is so easy to talk to, man. That’s what I love about him. I can go to him about anything and talk to him openly. I can talk to him and get on the same page and be able to tune into the way he thinks. We’re getting on the same page in terms of thinking the same way. He communicates so well."
On how Ponder compares with fellow 2011 first-round draft pick Andy Dalton, with whom Simpson played last season with the Bengals ...
"Andy actually texted me a picture [last week] of a little kid wearing my Bengals jersey at their camp. He wished me well. It’s good blood for me here and back in Cincinnati. I’m not going to compare Christian to Andy. He’s going to make his own name. But I can tell you this about Andy: what made him so solid last season was that he was calm. He was very calm in every situation. We’d call him the Red Robin. If we were down, he came to the huddle with a level head and had a way about him of not getting out of the realm of being a leader. Christian has his own way of leading. I’ll tell you, man. I love the confidence in Christian. He’s given us that presence that we need in a quarterback. And you can hear the confidence in his voice when he talks and calls that play in the huddle. You know, it's always ‘Hey, we’re going to make a play here.' I think that's going to be big in his development."
explore the Vikings/NFL
ADVERTISEMENT
| Tampa Bay - LP: C. Archer | 1 | FINAL |
| Boston - WP: A. Aceves | 5 |
| NY Mets - WP: M. Harvey | 4 | FINAL |
| Atlanta - LP: A. Wood | 3 |
| Los Angeles | 0 | Postponed |
| NY Yankees | 0 |
| Washington | 2 | Top 9th Inning |
| Philadelphia | 4 |
| Kansas City - LP: K. Herrera | 3 | FINAL |
| Cleveland - WP: C. Allen | 4 |
| Colorado - LP: J. Francis | 3 | FINAL |
| Toronto - WP: E. Rogers | 8 |
| Baltimore - WP: Z. Britton | 5 | FINAL |
| Detroit - LP: J. Verlander | 2 |
| NY Mets - WP: Z. Wheeler | 6 | FINAL |
| Atlanta - LP: P. Maholm | 1 |
| Pittsburgh - WP: C. Morton | 4 | FINAL |
| Cincinnati - LP: M. Latos | 0 |
| Oakland | 6 | Bottom 8th Inning |
| Texas | 2 |
| Tampa Bay - LP: J. Peralta | 1 | FINAL |
| Boston - WP: A. Bailey | 3 |
| Chicago WSox | 5 | Top 8th Inning |
| Minnesota | 5 |
| Milwaukee | 1 | Bottom 7th Inning |
| Houston | 6 |
| Chicago Cubs | 4 | Bottom 9th Inning |
| St. Louis | 1 |
| Miami | 2 | Bottom 4th Inning |
| Arizona | 0 |
| Seattle | 2 | Bottom 2nd Inning |
| LA Angels | 1 |
| San Diego | 0 | Top 2nd Inning |
| San Francisco | 1 |
| San Antonio | 57 | 3rd Qtr 6:15 |
| Miami | 56 |
| Montreal | 6/20/13 6:00 PM |
| Toronto |
| Winnipeg | 6/20/13 6:00 PM |
| Hamilton |
| Calgary | 6/20/13 9:00 PM |
| Saskatchewan |
| Edmonton | 6/21/13 9:00 PM |
| Brt Columbia |
| Washington | 31 | 2nd Qtr 5:50 |
| Seattle | 32 |
ADVERTISEMENT
- Greg Childs hasn't given up hope of playing in the NFL someday
- Special deliveries: Webb, Patterson eyeing significant roles
- As Desmond Bishop speculation continues, Erin Henderson won’t budge
- Ex-Packers linebacker Bishop will visit Vikings
- Hartman: Vikings' Kalil at ease in second NFL season
- Vikings notes: Mauti's determination shows through in rehab
- Forgotten anniversaries, 1978: Proud 'D' turns Page
- Ryan Cos. offers different scenarios for Vikings stadium neighborhood
ADVERTISEMENT
| Date/Opponent | Time | W | L | Score |
| 2013 preseason | ||||
| Aug 9 - vs. Houston | 7 pm | |||
| Aug 16 - at Buffalo | 6 pm | |||
| Aug 25 - at San Francisco | 7 pm | |||
| Aug 29 - vs. Tennessee | 7 pm | |||
| 2013 regular season | ||||
| Sep 8 - at Detroit | Noon | |||
| Sep 15 - at Chicago | Noon | |||
| Sep 22 - vs. Cleveland | Noon | |||
| Sep 29 - vs. Pittsburgh (in London) | Noon | |||
| Oct 6 - Bye | ||||
| Oct 13 - vs. Carolina | Noon | |||
| Oct 21 - at. NY Giants | 7:40 pm | |||
| Oct 27 - vs. Green Bay | 7:30 pm | |||
| Nov 3 - at Dallas | Noon | |||
| Nov 7 - vs. Washington | 7:25 pm | |||
| Nov 17 - at Seattle | 3:25 pm | |||
| Nov. 24 - at Green Bay | Noon | |||
| Dec 1 - vs. Chicago | Noon | |||
| Dec 8 - at Baltimore | Noon | |||
| Dec 15 - vs. Philadelphia | Noon | |||
| Dec 22 - at Cincinnati | Noon | |||
| Dec 29 - vs. Detroit | Noon |
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
inside the StarTribune
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2013 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters