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.
Posts about Vikings coaches
Chat OT: Adrian Peterson doing so much damage with so little help
Posted by: Dan Wiederer Updated: December 5, 2012 - 11:11 AM
If you missed my live Vikings chat on Tuesday afternoon, you can check in here and read the back and forth in full. In addition, each week I go overtime, bringing good questions I didn’t get around to answering on the chat here to the Access Vikings blog for discussion.
Here we go …
Question 1: Adrian Peterson sure seems like he’s the undisputed best running back in the NFL again. And he’d probably be an MVP candidate if the Vikings made the playoffs. But in all honesty, in this era of pass-happy football, what does having the best running back in the league really get you? Also, has there ever been a back to lead the NFL in rushing while getting so little help from his quarterback?
Good question. And we took the liberty to find out, looking back at the past 10 rushing champions, seeing how their teams fared and assessing what their quarterbacks did. (We also projected Peterson’s final stats for this season based on his current pace.) Have at it …
|
YR
|
RB
|
TM
|
CAR.
|
YDS
|
YPC
|
REC
|
YDS
|
TOTAL TDs
|
W-L
|
QB
|
TM PASS YDS/GM
|
|
‘12
|
Adrian Peterson
|
MIN
|
312
|
1,928
|
6.2
|
48
|
260
|
11
|
8-8
|
Christian Ponder
|
180.6
|
|
‘11
|
Maurice Jones-Drew
|
JAX
|
343
|
1,606
|
4.6
|
43
|
374
|
11
|
5-11
|
Blaine Gabbert
|
156.9
|
|
‘10
|
Arian Foster
|
HOU
|
327
|
1,616
|
4.9
|
66
|
604
|
18
|
6-10
|
Matt Schaub
|
273.1
|
|
‘09
|
Chris Johnson
|
TEN
|
358
|
2,006
|
5.6
|
50
|
503
|
16
|
8-8
|
Vince Young
|
194.0
|
|
‘08
|
Adrian Peterson
|
MIN
|
363
|
1,760
|
4.8
|
21
|
125
|
10
|
10-6
|
Gus Frerotte
|
201.1
|
|
‘07
|
LaDainian Tomlinson
|
SD
|
315
|
1,474
|
4.7
|
60
|
475
|
18
|
11-5
|
Philip Rivers
|
198.4
|
|
‘06
|
LaDainian Tomlinson
|
SD
|
348
|
1,815
|
5.2
|
56
|
508
|
31
|
14-2
|
Philip Rivers
|
213.3
|
|
‘05
|
Shaun Alexander
|
SEA
|
370
|
1,880
|
5.1
|
15
|
78
|
28
|
13-3
|
Matt Hasselbeck
|
227.0
|
|
‘04
|
Curtis Martin
|
NYJ
|
371
|
1,697
|
4.6
|
41
|
245
|
14
|
10-6
|
Chad Pennington
|
201.9
|
|
‘03
|
Jamal Lewis
|
BAL
|
387
|
2,066
|
5.3
|
26
|
205
|
14
|
10-6
|
Kyle Boller
|
157.3
|
|
‘02
|
Ricky Williams
|
MIA
|
383
|
1,853
|
4.8
|
47
|
363
|
17
|
9-7
|
Jay Fiedler
|
191.8
|
|
AVG
|
|
|
356
|
1,777
|
5.0
|
43
|
348
|
18
|
10-6
|
|
201.5
|
[ NOTE: The final row lists the averages of the past 10 rush champions coming into this season. Also worth noting, the rushing champions to make the postseason were Lewis, Martin, Alexander, Tomlinson (both seasons) and Peterson.]
In summary, it appears that only Jamal Lewis in 2003 and Maurice Jones-Drew last season were getting less complementary help from their passing attacks while still having monster seasons on the ground. It’s also interesting to note that six of the past 10 rushing champions have played in the postseason, including Peterson in 2008.
We’ll let you draw your own conclusions from all the other statistics above. Have fun.
Question 2: The consternation from fans and talking heads regarding Ponder is fairly entertaining. Most people didn't pick this team to win the six games it has already won. We've got no decent healthy receivers. And Ponder has now basically played one full season. How can this team possibly complete an evaluation of this QB without playing him these last 4 games?
Well, for starters, let’s just put out the reminder that the Vikings plan to give Ponder the final four games to regroup. Barring injury, he’ll likely be the starter the rest of the way. And these final four games will also add to the thorough evaluation being done by just about everyone right now, including the coaching staff and front office.
Again, though, this isn’t just about a win-loss total. It’s about trusting what you see. And for those who are increasingly agitated by Ponder, what they’re seeing is a quarterback who continues to throw costly interceptions while not making many big plays whatsoever in the passing game.
Ponder is also not using his mobility and athleticism to create a whole lot extra. This is worrisome. There’s no way around it. You look at the things Rodgers can do with his feet, the things Cutler does with his feet, heck, the things Russell Wilson is doing and there’s just a general ease about them. They’re making plays without seeming hurried or out of sorts. Ponder is not.
For Ponder, his most important priority in 2012 was to avoid negative plays – i.e. drive-killing sacks and costly turnovers. And the two picks in Green Bay were justifiable reasons for the fan base to panic a bit. Those were game-changing.
Yes, the point about having mediocre receivers is valid. But it’s not the biggest reason for Ponder’s recent slump. Plus, his inability to produce victories after the Vikings fall behind is notable. That’s part of that “it” factor. And the idea that the passing attack is struggling so badly despite seeing pretty simple coverages with minimal safety support is alarming.
Question 3: How do we light a fire under Coach Frazier? We need some emotions on the field. Sometimes it looks like he is just too cool to get excited. This is an emotional game and it needs to be reflected by the head coach!
Common question. Flawed theory. Not buying.
How much emotion does Bill Belichick show during games? How fiery do Mike McCarthy and Lovie Smith seem to you?
How about Mike Smith and Gary Kubiak, who just might be playing each other for the Lombardi Trophy two months from now.
Having a fiery head coach is not a prerequisite for having big-time success. Having a coach who can connect with players? Having a coach who can devise sharp game plans to put his team in position to succeed? Having a coach who can make good in-game decisions and adjustments? That’s much more valuable than a guy who will punt his clipboard and scream and yell and act like a lunatic.
But, hey, you could always have Rex Ryan, right?
Frazier has his own leadership style. And while it remains to be seen whether he can get the Vikings over the hump, his success or failure won’t be a result of his sideline demeanor.
Question 4: Why did AP sit out an entire series in the game against Green Bay? Why isn't he in on some third downs?
You find me a running back in the NFL who doesn’t get a series off now and again. No different with Adrian.
As for third downs, Toby Gerhart is a more reliable pass blocker and has proven more capable of providing that extra little protection. That’s it in a nutshell.
Question 5: Why do you keep saying the playoffs are out of the picture? You might have opinions on how the rest of the season will play out, but as of this very moment, they are still in the hunt.
I’m OK with the Vikings coaches and players believing the playoffs are still a possibility. They have to think that way. I’m OK with the fans holding out some hope for that, too.
Me? As an objective observer with nothing invested though, I’m making an educated guess that a team that has lost five of its last seven is not going to win the final four against strong competition.
I’m using informed insight to see that they are too flawed in too many key areas to make a run.
They haven’t won four games in a row since Favre was having his glory days here. And if you don’t think they’re going to lose another game this year, you’re nuts.
Lastly, given the NFC playoff picture, the odds are heavily stacked against them. The current divisions leaders are Atlanta, New York, Green Bay and San Francisco. That leaves a wild card hunt for two spots that includes five other teams with a record equal to or better than the Vikings’. Of those five teams, the Vikings have lost to four of them (Chicago, Seattle, Tampa Bay and Washington) which means that the head-to-head part of the tiebreaker equation will be a major obstacle.
There’s also the matter of conference record. The Vikings are 4-5 against the NFC. At present, among those other five wildcard contenders only Tampa Bay (3-5) has a worse NFC record.
Translation: No, the Vikings have not been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. But they’d need just about everything to break exactly right to get in.
Odds are that ain’t happening.
Not dwelling on dropped passes
Posted by: Kent Youngblood Updated: November 28, 2012 - 1:54 PMNo sulking allowed
As the Vikings prepare for the Packers this week, head coach Leslie Frazier made one thing clear. When it comes to what happened with the receiving corps last week in Chicago, there is no room for sulking.
So why did Jerome Simpson look so subdued in the locker room?
“I’m obviously down, because I’m used to making those plays,” he said.
Those plays would be those catches Simpson didn’t make last Sunday in the Vikings’ loss to the Bears. Simpson had three drops of Christian Ponder passes, three of the at least five dropped passes by Vikings receivers.
So, yes, Simpson was affected by a difficult day.
“We talked a little bit,” Frazier said of Simpson. “We’ve got to move on. We know he’s more than capable of making plays for us. We need him to do that this week. We don’t need nobody sulking or looking back or being down. We need everybody energized and ready to have their best game of the season.”
Since returning from suspension Simpson has dealt with leg soreness the team said was connected to a back issue. Simpson is sixth on the team with 12 receptions for 138 yards and no touchdowns. Simpson insisted again Wednesday that he is 100 percent healthy, but admitted he isn't playing up to his normal standards.
He had more drops {three} than catches {one} in Chicago.And while it clearly bothers him, Simpson said he wouldn’t let it affect him going forward.
“It’s a part of being in this profession,” he said. “Being a great player. If you just hold on to your mistakes, that’s when you start to fall. I always find a way to bounce back. So that’s what I’m going to do, and just get better this week.”
Simpson and rookie Jarius Wright both said the receivers would spend more time working with the Jugs machine that can send a football at a high speed towards a receiver. “We haven’t been doing as much gun work as we probably should have been doing,” said Wright, who also had a drop in Chicago. “So we’re getting back to it.”
As for Simpson, he said he also needed to get back to basics when it comes to catching the ball. “I let the ball get too close to my body,” Simpson said. “I’m always used to being a hands catcher, and so the ball was getting too close to me. I have to go out and reach and grab the ball.”
And going forward? Simpson hasn’t had the season the team hoped for when it signed him during the off-season. “We’ve still got a lot of football left,” he said. “It’s just a matter of time. I have to be focused and resilient.”
The elements, again
Sunday’s game at Green Bay will be the Vikings’ last game outside in the regular season. And punter Chris Kluwe is just fine with that.
“The Chicago game, the Green Bay game, those are kind of the ones you circle on your calendar," he said. "Once they’re past it’s all good.”
In Chicago Kluwe had a wind-affected 23-yard punt in the first quarter. The Bears took advantage of good field position to drive for a field goal.
Kluwe finished the game with four punts for 162 yards, a 40.5-yard average with a 39-yard net. Still, he was compelled to defend his 23-yard effort, taking to Twitter to do so.
“I approached that punt the same way I approached the first punt {which went 53 yards), the third punt {42} and the fourth punt {44}," he said Wednesday.
The problem was the wind. The Vikings were planning a kick to the right anyway because the wind was moving in that direction. But as the play unfolded, Kluwe said, there was a gust as he dropped the ball. “It was either go {more to the} right or miss it entirely,” he said. “I didn’t really want look like Sean Landeta.”
That was a historical reference to Landeta who, playing for the Giants in a playoff game in Chicago after the 1985 season, whiffed on a punt near his own end zone due to a gust of wind. The Bears recovered it and scored.
Kluwe said Lambeau Field is a much better venue, wind-wise, than Soldier Field. “The thing with Soldier is most of the time it’s an inconsistent wind,” Kluwe said. “In Green Bay, generally, if it is windy it will be a fairly consistent wind, so you can plan on what to do.”
Feeling good
Both safety Harrison Smith and tight end Kyle Rudolph have been cleared after sustaining concussions in Chicago, though Rudolph is still dealing with a shoulder issue. But Smith said he actually felt good enough to return to the Chicago game but was held out for precautionary reasons.
Smith got up after making a tackle early in the third quarter and clearly appeared to be having balance problems. He was taken into the locker room where, he said, he passed preliminary tests. “Once I got into the locker room I felt pretty normal,” Smith said. “Even the tests we did there, I passed. And I felt normal after the game. They just had to take the necessary precautions.”
Smith said he sustained one concussion while in college at Notre Dame. It came during the 2008 season, Harrison’s freshman year.
ETC.
--Cornerback Chris Cook said the rehab of the broken arm he sustained in the Vikings’ game with Tampa Bay Oct. 25. He said he still expects to be ready to return when he become eligible to be taken off injured reserve Dec. 23, the day the Vikings play at Houston.
Harvin does not practice
Posted by: Mark Craig Updated: November 21, 2012 - 5:04 PMReceiver Percy Harvin wasn't on the field during the brief beginning portion of Vikings practice that was open to the media. Harvin earlier said he would try to practice, but the Vikings obviously thought otherwise.
Vikings coaches said he went through some work with head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman, and the team's injury report said he did not participate in practice.
Harvin sprained his left ankle against the Seahawks on Nov. 4, missed the following week's game against the Lions and had last week's bye to further his recovery. He's expected to play against the Bears on Sunday.
Guard Charlie Johnson (toe) also did not participate. Defensive tackle LeTroy Guion (foot) and receiver Michael Jenkins (foot) were limited, as was cornerback Antoine Winfield (knee).
The Bears did not practice, but issued an injury report. Quarterbacks Jay Cutler (concussion) and Jason Campbell (ribs) were listed as players who would have had limited participation.
Rookie QBs have been a problem for Vikings defense
Posted by: Kent Youngblood Updated: October 29, 2012 - 2:59 PMSpeaking from experience, Vikings defensive end Brian Robison gave Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson an enormous compliment Monday. Robison described Wilson – the rookie out of Wisconsin – as a combination of Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck.
If you’re a Vikings fan, a chill should have just moved the length of your spine.
The Vikings will be facing their third much-heralded rookie quarterback of the season when the Vikings travel to Seattle for Sunday’s game. And the first two – against Luck in Indianapolis Week 2 and against Griffin in Washington Oct. 14 – didn’t really go so well. The Vikings lost both games.
But back to that comparison: “It’s just the things (Wilson) can do with his legs and his arms,” Robison said. “Just his smarts. He’s always looking downfield for guys. That’s what he wants to do, make plays in the passing game. But if he has to tuck it and run, he has the wheels to do it.”
Wilson has completed 129 of 210 passes for 4-4 Seattle, for 1,466 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions and a passer rating of 82.2. He has run 36 times for 128 yards.
Wilson didn’t come with quite the fanfare of either Luck or Griffin, who were drafted with the first two overall picks in April’s draft. Wilson – whose lack of height {he’s 5-11} was questioned by some – was the sixth quarterback taken in the draft, going in the third round to Seattle.
But Wilson has the second-highest passer rating among rookie QBs, behind only Griffin. And the Vikings are impressed with what they’ve seen.
“It seems we keep playing these rookie quarterbacks who can make plays,” Robison said. “and so we have to make sure that what has happened with the last two doesn’t happen with this one.”
Gap control
Much will be written this week about the Vikings’ struggles in run defense of late. But here’s a phrase you’re going to hear a lot of: Gap control.
That’s the Vikings’ story, and they’re sticking with it. Both Robison and cornerback Antoine Winfield stressed gap control when it came to shoring up the run defense.
First, Robison: “The simple answer to that is we’re not in our gaps. Guys aren’t in their gaps and then we’re missing tackles. And that’s all the way across the front. That’s the front guys, that’s linebackers, that’s DBs.”
Now, Winfield: “Guys were out of their gaps. It happened in the Tampa Bay game. And missed tackles. Just shore up your tackling and stay in your gap.”
Ready to return
Vikings second-year safety Mistral Raymond, who was starting until dislocating his right ankle Sept. 23, said he is pain-free and ready to go. But he doesn’t know whether that will mean a return to the starting lineup.
“I’m available,” he said. “But, to what extent they want to use me, what role they’ll have me in, that’s totally up to the coaching staff.”
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said Raymond will be evaluated after a full week of practice, then his role will be decided upon.
Another thing Raymond isn’t sure of is how long it will take for him to get back into the swing. He’s spent the last five weeks on the sidelines or in the training room. “I’ve never been in this situation,” he said. “I’m just going to try to make every day feel as natural as possible, go out and do my work and just try to be on the same beat with the rest of the guys. We’ll go from there.”
Getting closer?
Every Sunday rookie receiver Jarius Wright said he wakes up wondering if this will be the week he makes his NFL regular-season debut.
So far it hasn’t happened.
Wright, who spent some extra time after Monday’s workout practicing his routes, keeps working and waiting. “In case my number is called I want to be ready to go,” he said.
Both he and the coaches agree that he has come a long way since being drafted. “I’m 85 to 90 percent a different player from the beginning of the season to know,” Wright said. “Seeing guys go out there and play, and seeing defenses has definitely helped me.”
So when will that debut come?
“I think he has to continue to improve and keep working hard like he’s doing in practice,” Frazier said. “I don’t know that there’s anything more he has to do. But he’s improving, and he’s come a long way.”
Filling in
Cornerback A.J. Jefferson figures to get a lot more opportunity on the field with Chris Cook out with a broken arm. Jefferson was, acquired in an Aug. 31 trade from Arizona – where he appeared in 18 games over two seasons with the Cardinals – and has spent his time here adjusting to what the Vikings do on defense. Namely, run a lot more cover-two.
“It’s a complete turnaround,” Jefferson said. “Everybody knows we’re a cover-two team. In Arizona we played a lot more man-to-man. But it’s still football. I’ve been doing it a long time.”
Jefferson became the team’s third cornerback in passing situations when Cook left Thursday’s game and Josh Robinson replaced Cook with the first team. For the most part, Jefferson held up well.
Defending Ponder
Posted by: Kent Youngblood Updated: October 26, 2012 - 4:05 PM
There is no question Christian Ponder is the Viking’s quarterback of the present and future. But that didn’t stop coach Leslie Frazier from fielding a number of questions about Ponder’s recent struggles.
“He’s actually doing some things that you like to see,” Frazier said. “But, at the same time, you know that you’re working with a guy that’s in his second season. There are going to be some ups and downs and sometimes during the course of the game. The good thing about Christian is he’s shown the ability to make those corrections as we go. But we have to make sure we’re getting everybody on the offense to play up to the standards we’re asking and not make it all about the quarterback.”
To Frazier, there are a number of things that have to happen for Ponder – and the team’s offense – to get back on track.
One is picking up the blitz. The past two weeks – and especially Thursday – the Vikings have seen increasing blitzing from opponents. And those blitzes have been getting a lot of pressure on Ponder.
Frazier said keeping Frazier comfortable in the pocket is key.
To that end Frazier said the team would work hard on blitz pickup in the run-up to the team’s game in Seattle Nov. 4. “We’re going to work extensively on blitz pickup because I’m sure that other people will see what happened {Thursday} night,” Frazier said. “That’s probably the blueprint – put a lot of pressure, some extra guys in the box and make the offensive line have to adjust and the quarterback throw on the run a little bit.”
Conventional wisdom says that a team with a strong running game – something the Vikings have had in recent games – should translate into plays being available downfield. But the team has to pick up blitzes better.
“I think he’s begun to understand the nature of the business and the nature of the quarterback position,” Frazier said. “… There are going to be days like this. You have to be mentally tough. We think he is, and he’s shown that he is.”
Another item is making sure all the receivers are on the same page with Ponder.
Frazier said he would not consider benching Ponder, ever for a few series, if his struggles were to continue.
“Barring injury, Christian’s going to be fine,” Frazier said. “We have complete confidence that he’s going to do a good job for us. We’ll keep working as a group to improve as a whole.”
Another step
Each week it seems running back Adrian Peterson gets better. While running for over 100 yards for his second straight game Thursday, Peterson nearly changed the momentum of the game with his 64-yard, third-quarter TD run.
So you’d think Peterson would have stopped hearing questions about whether he’s back to 100 percent yet. But you would be wrong. So it’s no surprise he hauled out a little sarcasm when asked yet again Friday.
“I am over 100 percent, I am trying to get to 200 percent,” he said.
But seriously, Peterson said he felt better than he did last year. “But I still have room to improve,” he said.
Where is Rudolph?
Earlier this season tight end Kyle Rudolph was described as Ponder’s security blanket. But, in the past two games, Rudolph has made just two catches.
Frazier said Tampa safety Ronde Barber did a good job on Rudolph Thursday. “But sometimes it’s more what we’re trying to do, trying to get the ball to other people and understanding what we’re trying to do from an offensive standpoint,” Frazier said. “It’s not so much what other teams are doing to take him away. {Thursday} what they did, it made a difference. But it allowed us to get the ball to other people. We just weren’t always as successful doing that.”
A clear decision
The Vikings trailed 30-17 with under 12 minutes left in the game when Tampa Bay was called for holding on a second-and-10 incompletion. Frazier decided to decline the penalty. On the ensuing third-and-10 play Tampa quarterback Josh Freeman completed a 34-yard pass to receiver Mike Williams. The Bucs eventually scored to go ahead 36-17. Friday Frazier explained his decision to decline the penalty.
“Third and 10, with the time on the clock, believing you can get off on third-and-10 and get the ball back,” Frazier said. “We needed the ball.”
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