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By The Jazzy One on August 10th, 2010
The Minnesota Vikings released a depth chart today. Of course at this point, everything is still “fluid” as Brad Childress might say, mostly due to injuries, waiting to see what happens in preseason, and seeing if certain quarterbacks decide to play this season.
Here’s what was released:
OFFENSE
Wide receiver Position 1:
Bernard Berrian, Greg Lewis, Marquis Hamilton, Logan Payne/Marko Mitchell, Freddie Brown
Left tackle:
Bryant McKinnie, Pat Brown, Chris Clark
Left guard:
Steve Hutchinson, Chris DeGeare, Adrian Battles
Center:
John Sullivan, Jon Cooper
Right guard:
Anthony Herrera, Ryan Cook, Thomas Austin
Right tackle:
Phil Loadholt, Drew Radovich, Bill Noethlich
Tight end:
 Fourth Stringer?
Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Jeff Dugan, Garrett Mills/Mickey Shuler
Wide receiver Position 2:
Percy Harvin, Jaymar Johnson, Taye Biddle, Ray Small
Quarterback:
Tarvaris Jackson, Sage Rosenfels, Joe Webb, Brett Favre (did not report to camp list)
Fullback:
Naufahu Tahi, Ryan D’Imperio
Running back:
Adrian Peterson, Albert Young, Toby Gerhart/Darius Reynaud, Ian Johnson/Ryan Moats
DEFENSE
Left end:
Ray Edwards, Jayme Mitchell, Mike Montgomery
Nose tackle:
Pat Williams, Jimmy Kennedy, Fred Evans
Under tackle:
Kevin Williams, Letroy Guion, Tremaine Johnson
Right end:
Jared Allen, Brian Robison, Everson Griffen
Strong-side linebacker:
Chad Greenway, Heath Farwell, Kenny Onatolu
Middle linebacker:
E.J. Henderson, Jasper Brinkley, J Leman
Weak-side linebacker:
Ben Leber, Erin Henderson, Nate Triplett
Left cornerback:
Antoine Winfield, Benny Sapp, Chris Cook
Right cornerback:
Asher Allen, Lito Sheppard, DeAndre Wright, Marcus Sherels
Strong safety:
Tyrell Johnson, Jamarca Sanford, Eric Frampton
Free safety:
Madieu Williams, Husain Abdullah, Colt Anderson
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter:
Chris Kluwe
Kicker:
Ryan Longwell, Rhys Lloyd
Long snapper:
Cullen Loeffler, Jared Allen
Kickoffs:
Ryan Longwell, Rhys Lloyd
Holder:
Chris Kluwe
Kick returner:
Percy Harvin, Darius Reynaud, Jaymar Johnson
Punt returner:
Darius Reynaud, Jaymar Johnson, Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian
There are no big surprises, really. Sidney Rice isn’t listed on the chart because of injuries. He will likely be in front of Percy Harvin on the second list of receivers. Brett Favre is listed as a fourth string QB, but of course that’s just because he didn’t go to camp. As soon as he steps foot inside the Vikings practice facility next week (Uh… I mean, IF he does, of course), he’ll be the first string guy.
There are a couple things that did surprise me a little bit, though.
For one, Longwell is still listed under “kickoffs”. Again, this is not a final Week One depth chart, but I wonder if there has been a change of heart as far as keeping two kickers on the roster? Could it have something to do with wanting Joe Webb to be on the active roster? If the Vikings want to be able to use Webb not only as their third string quarterback, but also a wide receiver/wildcat guy, they have to list him on the game-day active roster (as opposed to listing him as an emergency QB). I don’t see the Vikings wanting to do that if they also have two roster spots taken by kickers.
Of course that’s just speculation.
Another minor surprise is that Asher Allen is currently listed above Lito Sheppard and Chris Cook. Of course if Griffin is healthy, he’ll have the 2nd corner spot, but even though I knew that spot would be up for grabs between these three guys, seeing Allen’s name on the top of the depth chart surprises me a little.
Listing both Brian Robison and Everson Griffen behind Jared Allen (who NEVER takes plays off, it seems) seems like a waste of potential pass rushing ability, but I’m sure the Vikings will find ways to work them into the rotation.
A potentially interesting note is that Albert Young is listed as the second string running back in front of rookie Toby Gerhart. I’m still holding out hope that the Vikings will be creative with Gerhart because of his size and use him as more of a RB/FB hybrid. But… I know that I shouldn’t hold my breath with that one.
By The Jazzy One on May 4th, 2010
How To Handle The Vikings Running Back Situation
The Minnesota Vikings running back situation is something that has been in question since the end of the season. Fans knew Chester Taylor wasn’t going to stick around, and of course we were right (he is now a Chicago Bear). The Vikings made a run at LaDainian Tomlinson, but he signed with the Jets instead.
Then the Vikings looked internally… could Albert Young do it? Maybe, but to be sure they had their bases the Vikings decided to move Darius Reynaud to the running back position as well.
Then comes the draft, and with their second pick of the weekend, the Vikings selected Toby Gerhart… a running back.
So what exactly does that mean for Albert Young? How about for Darius Reynaud?
The first step the Vikings need to do is to hire me to come up with personnel game plans for them.
Since that won’t happen, they need to at least read this blog.
But since that won’t happen either, I’ll go ahead and just tell you guys what they should do.
1. Toby Gerhart = Innovation
First of all, they should think outside the box a little bit. They need to get rid of Nafahu Tahi (or at least make him a backup), and be innovative with the fullback position. The Vikings should consider Toby Gerhard their fullback, but they should NOT use him in the same manner that they used Tahi.
 Last year Tahi carried the ball 3 times for 5 yards, and caught the ball 10 times for 67 yards. In 2008 he didn’t carry at all, and he caught the ball 16 times for 37 yards.
He’s not exactly a necessary piece of the offensive puzzle. His job is basically to block.
But why waste an offensive position (that’s not an offensive lineman) JUST to block. Toby Gerhart can block. He may be 20 pounds lighter than Tahi, but I don’t think those 20 pounds will make THAT much of a difference. But the difference that Gerhart will make comes in the innovation. He wouldn’t be a traditional fullback. Instead he’d be one that got more carries and more catches. The Vikings could line him up in an I-formation with Peterson behind him, and the other team would truly not know who was getting the ball.
Gerhart is a good strong runner, he can block, and he’s a lot faster than Tahi. If the Vikings handed off to him from the fullback position a few times a game, and threw to him a few more, imagine how much more effective the play action becomes! But Gerhart is also an athlete. On some plays you could motion him out and he becomes a viable receiver as well.
How many times do you think teams game-planned for situations when Nafahu Tahi took a handoff?
Gerhart could change that, and any time you add some guesswork to opposing defenses gameplan, it frees up the Vikings offense.
2. Albert Young = The New Chester Taylor
 Secondly, they need to give Albert Young the position that Chester Taylor played last year. Make him the official third down back. Albert Young is a solid runner and a patient runner. He can also catch very well out of the backfield, and he’s a smart player. He is basically a young version of Chester Taylor. Let him play like one.
(read the Lemke’s Lot Interview with Albert Young from March)
I’ve made it known that I’m a big fan of Albert Young, mainly because he’s a former Hawkeye and I watched him play in college. However, I really don’t think I’m being biased here. I think Young is ready to fill this role.
Young only carried the ball 12 times last year, but he averaged 4.4 yards per carry. 10 of those carries came in the 4th quarter of the week 17 game against the New York Giants. Young got to carry the load for an entire quarter, playing without the benefit of having Favre under center, or Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian as the wide-outs, and he rushed for 40 yards. Nothing fancy, just very reliable. In the pre-season, rushing behind 2nd and 3rd string linemen, he averaged 3.5 yards per carry, and he was a consistently safe target for guys like John David Booty to throw to.
Young is the safest bet the Vikings have as a third down back.
3. Darius Reynaud = More Innovation
I think Reynaud needs to be officially listed as the third running back on the depth chart behind Peterson and Young, but I think the Vikings need to add him in their plans for being innovative.
Since his move to running back, I see Reynaud as the Reverse-Percy-Harvin. Harvin is a wide receiver who can do it all. He’s a dangerous route runner who can also line up in the backfield and be an explosive runner.
The Vikings need to establish Reynaud as the reverse version of that… a good runner who can motion into the slot and be a great route runner.
Reynaud probably won’t get a lot of looks specifically at running back or wide receiver, but with the option of being able a good option to keep the other players fresh through out the game. Reynaud has decent speed and he’s shown on his punt returns that he has the ability to make defenders miss.
The Moral Of The Story: Innovation, Innovation, Innovation.
Imagine what the Vikings could do if they lined up on the field with Reynaud as their halfback, Gerhart as their fullback, Percy Harvin as a wide receiver, and Joe Webb as a wildcat quarterback? The Vikings could have 4 guys on the field that can do multiple things to keep the defenses guessing at the same time that they gave Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, and a receiver or two a quick breather.
Obviously something like this shouldn’t happen often, but if the Vikings flashed that lineup 2-4 times per game (they could throw it out there once per quarter), it could be just enough to make opposing defenses have to take time planning how they’re going to defend it.
… and less time for defenses to practice for Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre is always a good thing for the Vikings
By The Jazzy One on April 8th, 2010
Did Adrian Peterson have a bad year?!?
A lot of discussion went on toward the end of the Vikings season about how Adrian Peterson was having a “down” year. After all, he rushed for nearly 400 yards less in 2009 than he did in 2008.
But did Adrian Peterson really have a bad year? Let’s take a look at the stats:
Rushing
- 2008 – 1760 rushing yards, 363 carries, 4.8 ypc, 10 TDs
- 2009 – 1383 rushing yards, 314 carries, 4.4 ypc, 18 TDs
 Well, obviously the total was down, and the yards per carry stat was slightly lower, but notice how much lower the total number of carries was, as well. If Adrian Peterson would have carried the ball the same number of times in 2009 as he did in 2008 (363 times), maintaining his same average of 4.4 yards per carry, he would have rushed for around 1,597 yards. It’s true that it’s still lower than the season before, but it would be a little bit harder to question a back that was so close to 1,600 yards.
His rushing yards were down in 2009, but his TDs were way up. That’s an important thing that we can’t overlook. It’s fun hoping that a great back will rush for 2,000 yards, but I wonder what Chris Johnson would’ve rather had this year… 6oo+ more yards than Adrian Peterson, or a chance to play in the conference championship game..
But back to the number of carries… the big reason that Peterson had less carries is that most of us got exactly what we wished for! (aren’t we supposed to be careful about that?) Many of us criticized the coaching staff in 2007 and 2008 because it seemed like their strategy was “Hand the ball to Adrian”, and beyond that it was a guessing game. With the addition of Brett Favre to the team, the coaching staff was much more willing to mix things up a bit, and throw a lot more. Want proof? Let’s look at the Vikings team passing stats:
Team Passing
- 2008 – Vikings passed for 3,217 yards, throwing 452 times and completing 267 of them
- 2009 – Vikings passed for 4,403 yards, throwing 553 times and completing 377 of them.
With Favre, the Vikings passed the ball for over 1,000 yards more, throwing 101 times more, and completing 110 more passes. The more you pass the ball, the less time there is to run the ball.
And on top of that, when the Vikings played exceptionally well, getting a big lead over their opponents, that meant less time for Peterson to carry the ball. In most of their big wins, Chester Taylor, and even sometimes Albert Young got to do all the mop-up duty.
Peterson’s Involvement In The Passing Game
- 2008 - 21 catches 125 yards
- 2009 – 43 catches 436 yards
One thing we have to look at when we try to assess Adrian Peterson’s game this past season is his involvement in the passing game. We already saw that the Vikings as a team were more prolific through the air than they were the year before, but obviously Adrian Peterson himself was as well. In 2009 he gained 311 more yards by catching passes than he did in 2008. Although he still wasn’t as reliable as Chester Taylor at catching passes, his ability to be an effective receiver improved in 2009.
Peterson’s Overall Performance
- 2008 – 1885 total yards
- 2009 – 1819 total yards
When it comes down to the bottom line, the only thing that matters in football is moving the ball toward the end zone and scoring points. Peterson’s rushing numbers were down this year, but his receiving numbers were way up. In 2008 he had 1,885 total yards. In 2009 he had 1,819 yards. That’s a difference of 66 yards total, meaning Adrian Peterson gained 4.125 less yards per game in 2009 than he did in 2008. Yes, that’s technically a “down year”, but I don’t think it’s a significant one. In the end it doesn’t matter if Peterson’s yards come from rushing, receiving, returning, interceptions, or if he takes the snap and throws the ball himself. It matters that he is helping his team win, and according to the numbers he helped at a very similar level in 2009 compared to 2008.
By The Jazzy One on April 5th, 2010
Darius Reynaud is moving to Running Back
We’ve spent a lot of time recently wondering what the Vikings are going to do at the running back position since the departure of Chester Taylor. Obviously Adrian Peterson is still the number one back, but what about the rest of the spots? Would the Vikings get a new number two through free agency? Would Albert Young be put into the role?
 Well, that was partially answered recently when the Vikings announced that wide receiver/punt returner Darius Reynaud would be moved to running back this coming season.
Reynaud played running back in high school, but has always lined up as a receiver when playing for the Vikings. However, he’s built more like a half back, and he’s shown that he has the moves to make people miss when he has returned punts.
The Vikings say that Reynaud will continue to return punts for the Vikings, but he’ll also compete with Albert Young for the position of 3rd down back.
I’m a big fan of Albert Young, but I think having Young and Reynaud as Peterson’s backups is a great idea. I think Young will be the patient, style-change runner when compared to Peterson, much like Taylor was, and he can catch, as he’s shown for two straight preseasons now. Reynaud obviously has the ability to catch, so I believe that lining him up in the backfield could lead to versatile things for the Vikings.
Let’s toss around some ideas for a minute…
Last year there were several times that Percy Harvin lined up as a wide receiver, only to motion into the backfield. Now if Reynaud is a running back with experience at the wide receiver position, he can provide the Vikings with the opposite option… line him up as a wide receiver, but motion him into the slot.
Obviously the Vikings (and every other team) have done that with running backs for ages, but you have to assume that Reynaud is going to a more affective route runner than an average running back would be.
I hope Young doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, but I like the addition of Reynaud in the Vikings backfield.
By The Jazzy One on February 24th, 2010
Chester Taylor? LaDainian Tomlinson? Brian Westbrook?
These are three names that a lot of Vikings fans are talking about today.
Chester Taylor, the Vikings solid, can-do-everything backup running back is about to become a free agent.
LaDainian Tomlinson was released a couple days ago by San Diego.
Brian Westbrook was released yesterday by Philadelphia.
Are the Vikings looking at any of these guys as options? Let’s break it down a bit.
Will Chester Taylor Stay With The Vikings
I for one will hate to see Chester Taylor go if he leaves. His playing time has obviously diminished since the Vikings drafted some
guy named Adrian Peterson, but Taylor is such a solid player in the running game, passing game, and he’s a very solid blocker. The screen pass to Taylor was one of Favre’s favorite security blankets this year, and it often went well.
But Taylor knows that he’s a third down back in Minnesota, and there are a lot of teams in the league that would be willing to feature him for a couple years as his career winds down. While it’s tempting for a player to stay with a team that (if Favre returns) has a shot to win it all, it’s also tempting to go to a team that will use that player more often. I completely understand why Taylor would leave Minnesota if he chooses that option. To be honest, I see that as being a likely scenario.
Will LaDainian Tomlinson be a Viking?
 Long time San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson was released from his contract this week. Because Tomlinson currently does not have a team, the Vikings would be able to sign him without worrying about letting one of their other free agents go. In case you don’t know, because of the rules of the uncapped year, any free agent signed by the Vikings from another team would require the Vikings NOT to sign one of their own players.
A lot of people are fascinated by the potential one-two punch of Peterson and Tomlinson, and I’ll admit that it is fun to think about, but I really see this one as a long shot. Tomlinson is definitely going to feel like he should start somewhere, and based on some comments made about Peterson at the beginning of this past season, I have a feeling he would not think too highly of sitting behind AD on the depth chart.
I think Tomlinson will go to New England, and I think he’ll have a big year there.
Will Brian Westbrook be a Viking?
Brian Westbrook was released from his contract with the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday.
If Chester Taylor leaves, I could see this one happening. Westbrook is still a great player, but he’s been held down with concussions and leg injuries in the past several years. It might be a smart move for him to go to a team where he could take the role of a 3rd down back.
I think Taylor is great at what he does, but if healthy, I think Westbrook can do all those same things… but slightly better. He can block, he can run, and he can catch. He’s extremely dangerous out of the screen.
I also think the fact that he has ties with coach Childress makes this likely. Childress likes to bring in guys that he’s coached before, and there aren’t many better than Brian Westbrook that fit that description.
My feelings about it
I really like Chester Taylor, and I’d love to see him stay, but unfortunately I don’t think it’ll happen. I really think that Brian Westbrook will be a Viking next year.
Personally, though, I’m really high on Albert Young, and I think he could fill Taylor’s role well. But I don’t think that’s likley to happen.
The one up-side to Taylor leaving and the Vikings signing a guy like Westbrook would be that it would give the Vikings a shot at picking up another free agent to fill another gap on the field (maybe defensive back?)
It should be an interesting couple of weeks.
Further Reading on the topic
By The Jazzy One on December 14th, 2009
The Minnesota Vikings are now 11-2
A lot of Vikings fans were worried about their team after the Cardinals demolished them last week. Many felt that it meant that the Vikings couldn’t play against other good teams. They had a chance to prove themselves this past Sunday when the 9-3 Bengals came to town… and prove themselves is exactly what they did, as the Vikings cruised to a 30-10 victory playing a solid game from pretty much every angle of play.
That was the best pass defense I’ve seen in a long time
Ever since Brad Childress has taken over, the Minnesota Vikings have had a good run defense, but I’ve watched teams rack up the passing yards on them time and time again. Cincinnati was a team coming in that lead the league in run plays on first down, but many thought because of the Vikings tough run defense the Bengals would change their ways.
The Bengals did not.
They came in trying to run, and were somewhat successful at it, but unlike other teams that the Vikings have faced, that did not open up the passing game at all. The Vikings held Carson Palmer (who many claim is one of the top QBs in the league) to 15 completions and 94 yards.
Antoine Winfield Is A Beast
Did the Vikings miss Winfield? In his first game since week 7, he made sure that Vikings fans knew why he was important to the team. He finished the team with 9 tackles and a forced fumble, and I saw him in there batting away a pass or two, not to mention the interception that he could’ve had if he would’ve concentrated on the catch a little more. Winfield picked up right where he left off… having a pro-bowl caliber year.
Welcome back Antoine!
Peterson looked like the old All Day.
After running 13 times for 19 yards last week, and struggling for yards several times this year, Peterson looked like the runner that we’re all a little more used to. He carried 26 times for 97 yards, and we saw a lot more of the 5 and 6 yard power runs that we used to see. The offensive line seemed to open holes better for him this week, and did anyone else notice that Cincinnati didn’t stack the box as often as other teams do? I wish the Vikes would see looks like that more often.
We got good games from the rookie defenders
Jamarca Sanford started for safety Tyrell Johnson this week, and he made some good contributions. He was 2nd on the team with tackles with 5 (plus an assisted tackle), and he played pretty solid coverage against a team with several good receivers. Jasper Brinkley also played well in his new role of middle linebacker, giving the Vikings 3 bone-crushing tackles. Both Ben Leber and Brad Childress had good things to say about Brinkley after the game.
And all of that was without Percy Harvin
The Vikings looked good on Sunday. I had to wonder what they would’ve looked like with Harvin. Greg Lewis caught a couple balls out of Percy’s position, and I have to think that Percy could make a few more guys miss than Lewis can. Also, even though I think Reynaud is a pretty good kick returner, he’s no Percy Harvin. Hopefully he’ll be ready to go by next week.
Even Albert Young got some carries
I was happy to see that. If you’ve read my stuff for very long, you know I’m a fan of Albert Young (for several reasons, one being that he was a Hawkeye). I was glad to see him getting a couple carries today. He did a good job, too. He only ran twice, but he carried for 5 yards, then 8.
I am a huge fan of Chester Taylor, and I hope he’s a Viking until he retires, but if we do lose Taylor to another team, I think Young will fill his role nicely.
By The Jazzy One on September 8th, 2009
The Vikings announced their practice squad over the weekend. The list of guys:
DB Colt Anderson
QB John David Booty
OT Chris Clark
RB Ian Johnson
DT Tremaine Johnson
TE Garrett Mills
WR Nick Moore
OT Drew Radovich
Overall I think the Vikings made the right moves. I was glad to see Booty make it to the practice squad. I’m guessing that the fact that he wasn’t claimed by another team just strengthens the opinion that he just isn’t ready to be an NFL quarterback yet, and he hasn’t shown signs that he DEFINITELY will be ready someday.
Ian Johnson had some decent runs during the preseason, but the Vikings decided to keep the slightly more experienced Albert Young. I’m glad they kept Young, both because I’m a fan of him personally, and because I think he’s a good young runner, but it’s nice to see Johnson on the practice squad. I’m wondering if next year the Vikings will offer Chester Taylor as trade bait, and move Young up to being Peterson’s backup. That might give Johnson a chance on the team.
To read some info on the rest of the guys, go to the ACCESS VIKINGS BLOG ENTRY
By The Jazzy One on August 20th, 2009
Well, we’re one week into the Preseason. The Vikings beat the Colts 13-3 Friday night. Like I mentioned before, winning and losing doesn’t mean much for the preseason, but we did see some important things.
Sage Rosenfels Looked Good
He went 10 for 13 for 91 yards. He looked sharp and he looked comfortable. I really like how they had him running plays. He was taking a 3 to 5 step drop and getting rid of the ball quickly. They also mixed in a lot of play action. If they keep up this kind of play calling in the regular season, it would take away some of the pressure on the running game, because opposing teams would have to have more guys back in coverage. I really liked what I saw.
Our Starting Defense Looked Great
Of course the Colts were playing a very vanilla game plan, but in the first series, Jared Allen, Ray Edwards, and Fred Evans all had a sack. Peyton Manning was sacked 3 times. He got off 2 passes, and completed 1 of them for 6 yards.
Actually, the defense looked strong all night. Even the reserves were putting pressure on the quarterback. That was nice to see.
Our Special Teams Looked Much Better
This one was very important. Our special teams was awful last year. Against the Colts they looked fast and sharp. That gives me tons of hope.
Albert Young Looked Great
Like I said before, Albert Young is not going to be one of those guys that has break away speed and scores a 90 yard TD (although many would say the same about Chester Taylor, and he has a 95 yard TD in his stats), but he’s a good solid runner. Friday night he played great. He was patient and waited for the holes, and as soon as they open he bolted through. He averaged over 4 yards a carry. I think he’s going to make the team, and I think he’s going to contribute as much as a 3rd stringer can. I have to assume he would’ve ran even better if he would’ve had the first stringers blocking for him.
The First Year Linemen Looked Good
First year starting center John Sullivan and rookie right tackle Phil Loadholt played some extra time even after the other starters sat down. Sullivan looked like he’s going to do just fine this year. Loadholt made a couple rookie mistakes, causing Tarvaris Jackson to have to run for his life a time or two, and he had one really bad false start, but I chalk those up to first game jitters. When he was on this game, there’s no way anyone was going to get around him. He’s a LARGE man, and he moves very well.
Other notes….
Tarvaris Jackson did not look good. At all. However, to be fair to him, Sage had a better line and a MUCH better supporting cast around him. Tarvaris spent some time being chased by defenders, and he had receivers that weren’t as experienced. Sage looked much much better, but I’ll reserve my final judgement until next Friday when I see how Tarvaris plays with the starters, and how Sage fairs with the backups.
Percy Harvin didn’t play at all. He had dinged his shoulder up a bit on Wednesday, and the Vikings decided to err on the side of caution. I think that’s just fine.
Bernard Berrian left on a cart, but Coach Childress acted at half time like it wasn’t as serious as it looks. I still haven’t found out the extent of the injury. Hopefully he’ll be fine.
By The Jazzy One on August 20th, 2009
THERE IS A VIKINGS GAME TONIGHT!!!!
Man, am I ever pumped up. I went to a Twins game at the dome yesterday (ugh, but they lost), and tonight I get to watch the Vikings on TV. Good times, I tell ya. Gooooooooood Times.
Anyway, sorry about the excitement. Moving on.
Tonight the Vikings will go to Indianapolis to play the Colts for the first preseason game of the year. Of course when it comes to preseason, winning and losing doesn’t matter very much. Instead we want to keep an eye on how the returning players have progressed from last year, and how the new players are going to fit in. Here’s what I’m personally going to be watching for:
How Sage Rosenfels Plays
This will be the storyline for the first quarter of tonight’s game. For the first time in quite a long time, the Vikings have a legitimate quarterback battle taking place going into the season. It was announced that tonight Sage will get the start with the first team, and next week Jackson will get those honors. Each of them will basically have probably a quarter of football to impress the coaches to try to win the job. I’m going to guess there will be a lot of passing going on, and hopefully we’ll get a good chance to see how Sage interacts with guys like Berrian, Shiancoe, and Harvin.
What Kind of Impact Will Harvin Have?
Speaking of Harvin, will the Vikings be able to work him into the offense tonight even though he’ll probably see limited action? I seriously doubt we’ll see any wildcat formations tonight, as I’m going to guess that if the Vikings decide to use that package they’ll save it for the regular season. However, I’d love to be wrong, because I think it’d be exciting to get a glimpse of what our guys can do with exotic lineups.
Which DB will Step Up?
Will it be Benny Sapp, who has all kinds of athleticism, but not always the greatest head for the game? Will it be Marcus McCauley who has played in the system for a while and has some valuable game time experience? Will it be rookie Asher Allen who has been reported as a very aggressive DB who is not afraid to hit hard and take the ball out of receivers hands?
How Will Albert Young Look?
I don’t know if this one will interest you a lot, but as I’ve pointed out many times, I’m a big fan of Albert Young. Chip Scoggins said on ACCESS VIKINGS that he was progressing well through training camp. I’d love to see him become our #3 RB for this year. To me he could fill the type of role held in the past by Mewelde Moore or Moe Williams… never the kind of backup who is going to step up and take over a game, but instead the kind of guy who you can rely on to fill whatever role he’s needed for. Albert Young is an up-the-middle type runner who would be usable in short yardage situations. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, he can return kicks and punts, and he can play special teams. I hope he makes the roster.
What About John David Booty?
I’m interested in watching Booty play tonight. I know that he’ll be playing with the third team, because he’s really not in the race for the starting QB position at all, but I really want to see how he’s progressed. Last year he looked shaky, even playing against 3rd string defenses. He’s had a whole year of practices now, and he’s most likely more comfortable with the Vikings system. He should most likely get to play the entire second half tonight, which will be valuable playing time for him. I’d like to catch a glimpse to see if it looks like a chance that he can be developed into a starting QB someday, or if he’s going to be one of those players that just turns into a solid backup.
Enjoy the game everyone, and HAPPY FOOTBALL SEASON!!!
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