Here's one reason the Vikes passed on Best

Concussions, including one in this scary clip of his last play at Cal, caused a lot of teams to shy away from the explosive back.

September 21, 2010 at 10:40PM

Four downs while wondering if your average fan would really want to go through what Jahvid Best went through on this YouTube video from last year's Cal-Oregon State game ...

FIRST DOWN:

Just got off the phone with Toby Gerhart. Doing a story on Gerhart-Best for tomorrow's kill-a-tree edition. Long story short, Gerhart and Best were not traded for each other on draft day. It only seems like that since both teams needed a running back and the Vikings gave the Lions the 30th overall pick that they used to select Best. Then the Vikings traded up and took Gerhart 22 picks later. You know the story, I'm sure.

Well, Toby hadn't really followed it until this week, I guess.

"It's funny because I wasn't aware this whole comparison thing was going on until [Monday]," Gerhart said. "But, yeah, I guess it's only natural. He went to Cal. I went to Stanford. We competed against each other the last four years. It only makes sense that we'd be competing now that he's in Detroit and I'm in Minnesota."

Obviously, it's hard to calibrate the comparison when Best is the Lions' premier back and Gerhart is a complementary player behind one of the league's top two running backs (I'll let you guys fight amongst yourself as to whether AD or CJ is the best).

I think Toby will be a good player. But I will say he sure looked a lot bigger and faster in college.

SECOND DOWN:

I know the 49ers lost last night. I know they're 0-2. But my lame well-thought-out pick to earn the NFC's No. 2 playoff seed ouch turned a corner last night. These guys can play defense, and Frank Gore is right up there among the best backs in the league. But last night was QB Alex Smith's career-changing game. With Joe Montana looking on from the press box, Smith looked like a Joe Cool/Steve Young combo in how he moved the 49ers down the field for that game-tying score. He had pinpoint passing, poise and ran extremely well. The only thing he didn't do that Montana or Young would have is take more time off the clock and not leave Drew Brees with about 1:19 left. Brees, of course, went right down the field and the Saints kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

But I can feel the 49ers moving toward something. If Smith can play like that and that offense line jells, look out. That line has three No. 1 picks. Granted, two of them are rookies, but that's dedication to your offensive line.

THIRD DOWN:

Can the NFL seriously go to an 18-game schedule and have anybody good left by the time the playoffs start? As most of you know, I'm dead set against expanding the season. And look at all the players dropping these first two weeks. It's crazy to think these guys can hold up for two more games. By the time we get to the end of of a season, it's going to be UFL players representing these teams.

Today's biggest injury news is the Saints losing Reggie Bush to a broken leg for about six weeks, according to ESPN. That's a huge blow, but something tells me Brees will find a way to keep that team going.

Through two games, I'd probably put Brees at the top of my MVP list.

FOURTH DOWN:

We knew the QB situation would be crazy this year. But this surpasses even the wildest imagination. After declaring that Kevin Kolb is back from his concussion and will start this week, the Eagles reversed course earlier today and announced through a text to reporters that coach Andy Reid has named Michael Vick the team's starting quarterback. Reid is speaking to reporters right now.

It's the right decision, but the Iggles look foolish for the long, winding, indecisive path it took to get them to this decision.

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

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