Thread: Moore watches Bennett get bulk of backfield duty

[size=18px]Moore watches Bennett get bulk of backfield duty[/size]

StarTribune.com
Last update: November 13, 2005 at 9:37 PM

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Running back Mewelde Moore did not take an offensive snap even as the Vikings neared historic rushing futility Sunday in a 24-21 victory over the New York Giants, a decision coach Mike Tice attributed to him trying to protect Moore's sprained right wrist.

Moore returned three punts for 87 yards, including one for a 71-yard touchdown in the third quarter. But Michael Bennett started and played all but one offensive snap, carrying 19 times for 16 yards. Overall, the Vikings netted 12 rushing yards -- one more than the team record for fewest rushing yards in a game, set against Chicago in 1996.

Tice said Moore was an option on offense but later added, "He was worrying about [the injury] too much."

Moore, who had started five of the past six games, suffered the injury in last week's victory over Detroit. Bennett replaced him, rushing for 106 yards, and Moore prepared to play the Giants with a brace around the wrist. Tice said as late as Friday that Moore was "fine" but indicated Bennett might start.

Moore said he was ready to play but acknowledged he would have had to carry the ball exclusively in his left hand.

"I'm carrying the ball with one hand," Moore said. "The way I am with yards after contact, the way I play, I'll be able to adjust my game. ... Mike did a good job today. I don't care how you look at the stats. There's just a lot of things that were going on in the game, and Mike did a good job of taking care of the football and running the ball today.'

Bennett caught six passes for 11 yards -- giving him 27 total yards on 25 touches. Bennett had nine plays that went for negative yards, and subtracting his long run of 8 yards and his long reception of 11 yards, he was credited with 8 yards on his other 23 touches.

"You just go by the game plan," Bennett said. "And whatever is called in the huddle, you just go out and execute it."

Victory is the key

Vikings offensive coordinator Steve Loney wasn't pleased that the offense didn't get into the end zone Sunday and managed to accumulate a season-low 137 yards, but he was happy about one thing.

"Everybody does their job when you score one more point than the opposing team," he said. "It was a tough day, and there was a lot of times when we didn't get something done. But when the game was on the line we made plays, and I think you have to be confident or you get into those situations and you don't perform."

Loney was referring to the fact the Vikings were able to drive 42 yards on eight plays to set up Paul Edinger's 48-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Loney called the leaping 21-yard reception by tight end Jermaine Wiggins the key to the drive. That put the ball on the Vikings 45.

Change in the middle

Center Melvin Fowler aggravated a strained oblique muscle in pregame warmups and was replaced by Cory Withrow in the second half Sunday. Withrow began the season as the Vikings' starting center but lost the job to Fowler in Week 6.

Fowler did not want to discuss the injury after the game, and it was unclear whether he could have continued.

"He was having some pain there," Loney said. "There were a couple of busts as far as the calls being made. I'm not going to know until I look at film if it was justified or not, but like I told him, I needed to make a change and try to settle things down."

Johnson gets the picture

When Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson pulled owner Zygi Wilf aside for a photo on the field after the game, you could have assumed Wilf was insisting on a commemorative photo.

Actually, it was Johnson.

"I've got a wall of fame at my home, about 200 photos with football players and other people in the game, and I wanted one with Zygi," Johnson said.

Edinger comes through

Edinger is developing an intriguing pattern. He has missed four of five field-goal attempts this season from 30 to 39 yards away, yet has made two long, game-winning field goals in the past four weeks -- a 56-yarder to beat Green Bay, and a 48-yarder to beat the Giants on Sunday.

He missed from 40 yards and had a low kick blocked on a 32-yard attempt in the first quarter, when it seemed the Vikings were squandering every scoring opportunity.

"I struggled early in the game, but I was able to come through with the big kick when we really needed it," he said. "The first one, I just kicked it straight, and it stayed straight and the wind didn't mess with it like I thought it would. The second one, I guess I kicked it low, and it got blocked."

Geographically speaking

Tice noted that the team went undefeated against teams from Texas while San Antonio businessman Red McCombs owned the Vikings.

They were, in fact, 5-0 against Dallas and 1-0 against Houston during his reign.

Sunday, the Vikings won their first game against a team from New Jersey on Wilf's watch. Wilf is from Jersey and grew up a Giants fan.

Back off, Dad

Last week, Tice talked about his late father growing up a Giants fan, and how that might be an explanation for Tice's inability to beat the Giants.

"I thank my dad, Jack, for backing off for a change," Tice said. "Growing up a Giants fan, passed away when he was 53, Giants season tickets in my family since the Polo Grounds. We've had some rough luck against the Giants, and I asked him this week to lay off for a week. It was a big win for us."

Etc.

• Giants left end Michael Strahan, who had one sack Sunday to increase his season total to 7.5, got plenty of attention from the Vikings. In addition to matching up with right tackle Mike Rosenthal and, frequently, tight end Jim Kleinsasser, rookie Marcus Johnson also was used as an extra lineman on the right side on about 10 occasions. Giants end Osi Umenyiora, who went against Vikings tackle Bryant McKinnie, had two sacks and leads the team with eight.

• Vikings long snapper Cullen Loeffler took a big hit on a 55-yard punt return by the Giants' Chad Morton in the second quarter. "That's just one of those things," Loeffler said. "They had a left return on, and I've got to get my head around. I've got to close faster to the sideline, too. That definitely will make the highlight tonight."


Staff Writers Kevin Seifert, Judd Zulgad and Jim Souhan contributed to this notebook.

Loney didn't call a very good game. He played way to conservative. I was relieved to see him forced into aggression when we had seconds remaining. We moved the ball with ease.

That is the tempo the vikes should be playing like all game, we have the speed, use it.

I don't think a lot of people noticed Withrow came into the game in the second half. The QB protection improved in the second half.

I was happy to see them forcing the run, but they still need to be able to adapt. To come out with a hardnosed plan and not make any changes is just rough to watch.

I would credit the win to the players, because that was a poorly called game IMO.

"Del Rio" wrote:

Loney didn't call a very good game. He played way to conservative. I was relieved to see him forced into aggression when we had seconds remaining. We moved the ball with ease.

That is the tempo the vikes should be playing like all game, we have the speed, use it.

I don't think a lot of people noticed Withrow came into the game in the second half. The QB protection improved in the second half.

I was happy to see them forcing the run, but they still need to be able to adapt. To come out with a hardnosed plan and not make any changes is just rough to watch.

I would credit the win to the players, because that was a poorly called game IMO.

did he come in for Fowler or another player on the o-line because doesn't withrow have the ability to play several positions on the o-line?

Fowler aggrevated an injury, he was replaced by Withrow.

Must be a bummer for the Jints D, they haven't allowed a TD or an RB to gain over 35 yds or enter the end zone in three games....and they still got the L. Gotta love it.

I was wondering about the O-play calling too. The Jints D is playing tough, but there are always holes.

I was impressed by B. Johnson's last drive to get them into position for the game winning field goal. That drive had veteran written all over it.

What was up with Edinger missing the chip shots in the beginning of the game? He pulled through at the end, but he better get his kicking down.

"Del Rio" wrote:

Loney didn't call a very good game. He played way to conservative. I was relieved to see him forced into aggression when we had seconds remaining. We moved the ball with ease.

That is the tempo the vikes should be playing like all game, we have the speed, use it.

I don't think a lot of people noticed Withrow came into the game in the second half. The QB protection improved in the second half.

I was happy to see them forcing the run, but they still need to be able to adapt. To come out with a hardnosed plan and not make any changes is just rough to watch.

I would credit the win to the players, because that was a poorly called game IMO.

I agree and why wait until the last couple of minutes.

yeah i would have thought that after bennet fumbled we would have gone wit moore!

That is okay I would rather see Moore get healthy then risk him in this game and get him more seriously hurt.

I sure hope that Moore is ready to go on Monday against the Pack!!!!

Bennett did not have a good game. Was it the Giants D, was it our line, or was it him?


If Moore is healthy he should get the start and the bulk of the carries!

"Del Rio" wrote:

Loney didn't call a very good game. He played way to conservative. I was relieved to see him forced into aggression when we had seconds remaining. We moved the ball with ease.

That is the tempo the vikes should be playing like all game, we have the speed, use it.

I don't think a lot of people noticed Withrow came into the game in the second half. The QB protection improved in the second half.

I was happy to see them forcing the run, but they still need to be able to adapt. To come out with a hardnosed plan and not make any changes is just rough to watch.

I would credit the win to the players, because that was a poorly called game IMO.

I was working and watching and didn't pay close attention to it. I did notice the snaps in shot gun we crisp and I remember thinking "Fowler must be improving." ops: