vikings/nfl

Four Downs while offering my votes in November to any politician who doesn't make a commercial ...

FIRST DOWN:

I'm not sure when fans and media first got bogged down in assigning numbers to receivers. Someone always has to be the "No. 1" receiver, the "No. 2" receiver and so forth until we get down to someone called Taye Biddle.

A year ago at this time, Sidney Rice was an underachiever coming off an injury-marred 15-catch season. In one season, he became a Pro Bowl player, a 1,300-yard producer and, of course, the "No. 1 receiver."

Then he got hurt, ignored the seriousness of his hip injury, landed on PUP and has done his part to help make Brett Favre's 20th season a memorable implosion. And, oh yeah, he also left us needing to assign a "No. 1" title to someone.

With Percy Harvin dealing with migraines, the logical selection was Bernard Berrian. He's got the six-year, $42 million contract that qualifies him, even if he didn't mesh with Favre during an injury-marred 2009 season.

In last Saturday's preseason win over Seattle, we got an example of why assigning numbers to receivers is flawed.

Berrian didn't see a ball thrown his way until his 16th snap of the game. When the ball arrived, it went through his hands and was intercepted by Earl Thomas, who recorded what had to be the fastest 86-yard return for a touchdown in NFL history.

Meanwhile, Greg Camarillo arrived from Miami in a trade two day earlier. On his first two snaps as a Viking, Favre threw him the ball and Camarillo caught it for first downs. Camarillo was targeted five times and caught all four catchable passes for 47 yards. Berrian was targeted four times and caught one pass for eight yards.

Favre overthrew Camarillo, a slowish possession receiver, on a deep pass. But he also overthrew Berrian, a burner, on a deep pass.

As I look at this offense in flux right now, I see Camarillo having a bigger impact this season than Berrian, regardless of the numbers we'll give them.

SECOND DOWN:

Cardinals QB Matt Leinart tells Fox reporter and MMA buddy Jay Glayer that he doesn't want to go anywhere and be a backup.

Fine. Then don't play like a backup.

Leinart is a whiner with an inflated opinion of himself. The fact he's going to lose his job to Derek Anderson and possibly be released rather than traded says a lot about his ability and personality.

Leinart was the 10th overall pick in 2006. Tarvaris Jackson was a second-rounder that year. Leinart makes T-Jack look like a value pick.

THIRD DOWN:

Lions running back Kevin Smith might not even make the team this year. Asked about Smith's job security, coach Jim Schwartz said, "I don't know. I'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Smith looked like a great back when he came out of college. He suffered through the Lions' 0-16 season his rookie year in 2008. Then he tore an ACL last year. He hasn't been the same as a running back, offers no special teams skills and could be left behind as a coaching staff that didn't draft him moves on with other backs, including rookie Jahvid Best.

Speaking of Best, in the limited amount of time I've seen him this preseason, he certainly looks like a faster, more shifty back than Toby Gerhart. The Vikings, as you know, traded the 30th pick to Detroit, which it used on Best. In the second round, the Vikings traded up to take Gerhart at No. 51.

We have a long way to go in determining which team made the better decision. It should be fun to watch.

FOURTH DOWN:

They're excited in Pittsburgh because SI's Peter King picks the Steelers to win the Super Bowl. Or maybe they aren't. King last predicted the right Super Bowl winner in 1995.

But no way am I going to crack on Peter for his picks. Picks are for fun, and anyone who makes them knows they're simply guessing. That's especially true in the NFL because champions often are determined by the two most unpredictable variables: injuries and turnovers.

I don't think the Steelers will even make the playoffs this year. But I kind of like King's approach. The Steelers appear to have no chance right now, but we often discover that what looks bad in August looks great in February, and vice versa.