New Vikings nose tackle Linval Joseph hasn't won a game yet, but he did win some Upper Midwest public relations style points when asked during his introductory news conference which nose tackle he looked up to as a younger man.
"I watched Pat [Williams]," said Joseph, referring to the former Viking, whose last season [2010] was Joseph's rookie season with the Giants. "Pat's a physical guy. He loved to slam guys, so I watched him a lot. And [John] Henderson [formerly] from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a big guy, bigger than everybody else, too. Nice, strong, physical guy, and he moved pretty well on his feet."
Asked what he liked most about Williams, Joseph said, "His attitude. He wanted to be better. He wanted to show everybody that he was good, he still had it. He wanted to show he was an all-time great. He had something to prove from where he started to where he finished."
With Williams anchoring the "Williams Wall" along with under tackle Kevin Williams, the Vikings led the NFL in run defense three consecutive years (2006 to 2008) and reached the NFC title game during the 2009 season. Williams' play fell off because of age in 2010, and the Vikings haven't had a strong run defense ever since.
They hope to change that with new head coach Mike Zimmer and Joseph, who was targeted as the team's top free agent priority and was signed to a five-year, $31.5 million deal on the first day of free agency.
"I have size, I have speed, I have smarts and I make plays," Joseph said. "At the end of the day, that's what this game is about. Making plays."
Unlike Pat Williams, Joseph says he's not a trash talker. But the 6-4, 328-pounder said there are some similarities between the two of them. He also said he hopes to add some more.
"Just making plays," Joseph said. "Pat made a lot of plays as a Viking. He's loved around here. I just want to be the same way."
