Thread: Spotlight will be on Vikings plenty

Posted on Fri, Apr. 07, 2006

[size=18px]Spotlight will be on Vikings plenty[/size]

NFL puts three of team's 2006 games in prime time

BY DON SEEHOLZER
Pioneer Press

For a team that has qualified for the playoffs just once in the past five seasons, the Vikings got a lot of respect Thursday from the NFL schedule makers.

Including the previously announced Monday night opener at Washington, coach Brad Childress' team is scheduled to make three prime-time appearances this season. Only six teams have more.

The rest of the schedule also includes a couple of marquee Sunday afternoon dates, including Nov. 19, when the Vikings will travel to Miami to face the Dolphins and presumably former teammate Daunte Culpepper.

Culpepper is recovering from triple-ligament surgery on his right knee and might not be ready for the start of the season, but he is expected to be healed in time for the Vikings' Week 11 visit.

He was traded to Miami on March 14 for a second-round draft choice.

The NFL announced last week that the Vikings would open the season Sept. 11 at Washington as the first half of a Monday night doubleheader on ESPN.

Their other prime-time games will be a Monday night home date Oct. 30 against New England and a Thursday night contest Dec. 21 at Green Bay.

The New England game will be the Vikings' first at home on a Monday night since a Nov. 19, 2001, matchup against the New York Giants.

Another highlight Sunday afternoon game will be the Oct. 22 Poison Pill Bowl at Seattle, when all-pro guard Steve Hutchinson returns to face the team for which he played his first five seasons before signing a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Vikings last month.

That deal contained a poison-pill clause that would have forced the Seahawks to guarantee the full contract and prompted them to sign Vikings wide receiver Nate Burleson to a seven-year, $49 million offer sheet that included two such clauses.

The Vikings' schedule features six games against 2005 playoff teams, including the Sept. 17 home opener against Carolina and another home date against defending NFC North champion Chicago the next week.

Beginning in Week 10, starting times are subject to change as part of the NFL's flexible schedule.

"We're excited about the opportunity to start on 'Monday Night Football' in Washington, an old NFC East team," Childress said in a statement. "We can get busy in the NFC with the start of the schedule and then have three games against the NFC North in December where you control your own destiny. … We face Chicago, the class of our division, and get to play in the elements in December at Chicago and Green Bay in classic NFC North style."

Full house: Except for three players competing in NFL Europe, the Vikings expect to have everyone on hand today for the start of a three-day veteran minicamp.

Running back Mewelde Moore (wrist) and punter Chris Kluwe (knee) are coming off offseason surgeries and not expected to participate.

Draft talk: Vikings vice president of player personnel Fran Foley will meet next week with Childress, vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski and director of college scouting Scott Studwell to discuss their philosophy and approach to the April 29-30 NFL draft.

• Wide receiver Troy Williamson will switch his number from 19 to 82, his former number at South Carolina.

• The Vikings have predraft workouts scheduled with Sam Smith, a safety from Delaware State, and John Alston, an outside linebacker from Stanford.

Sean Jensen contributed to this report. Don Seeholzer can be reached at [email protected]

Spotlight will be on Vikings plenty

The less I have to travel to Hooters to watch the games, the better.

"DaunteHOF" wrote:

The less I have to travel to Hooters to watch the games, the better.

LOL you watch the games at Hooters?

"DCPologirl" wrote:

"DaunteHOF" wrote:

The less I have to travel to Hooters to watch the games, the better.

LOL you watch the games at Hooters?

I know I don't watch the TV when I go to Hooters!

"singersp" wrote:

"DCPologirl" wrote:

"DaunteHOF" wrote:

The less I have to travel to Hooters to watch the games, the better.

LOL you watch the games at Hooters?

I know I don't watch the TV when I go to Hooters!

They have T.V.'s at Hooters? When did they get those?

"damien927" wrote:

"singersp" wrote:

"DCPologirl" wrote:

"DaunteHOF" wrote:

The less I have to travel to Hooters to watch the games, the better.

LOL you watch the games at Hooters?

I know I don't watch the TV when I go to Hooters!

They have T.V.'s at Hooters? When did they get those?

A boob tube maybe, but no TV.

"singersp" wrote:

"damien927" wrote:

"singersp" wrote:

"DCPologirl" wrote:

"DaunteHOF" wrote:

The less I have to travel to Hooters to watch the games, the better.

LOL you watch the games at Hooters?

I know I don't watch the TV when I go to Hooters! cool

They have T.V.'s at Hooters? When did they get those?

A boob tube maybe, but no TV.

last I found out, hooters doesn't serve food either

"westvirginiavikings" wrote:

"singersp" wrote:

"damien927" wrote:

"singersp" wrote:

"DCPologirl" wrote:

Originally Posted by DaunteHOF

The less I have to travel to Hooters to watch the games, the better.

LOL you watch the games at Hooters?

I know I don't watch the TV when I go to Hooters! cool

They have T.V.'s at Hooters? When did they get those?

A boob tube maybe, but no TV.

last I found out, hooters doesn't serve food either

Hooters? Why pretend? Watch the Vikes at your local gentleman's club. Giddy Up!

"WisconsinSucks" wrote:

"westvirginiavikings" wrote:

"singersp" wrote:

"damien927" wrote:

"singersp" wrote:

Originally Posted by DCPologirl

Originally Posted by DaunteHOF

The less I have to travel to Hooters to watch the games, the better.

LOL you watch the games at Hooters?

I know I don't watch the TV when I go to Hooters! cool

They have T.V.'s at Hooters? When did they get those?

A boob tube maybe, but no TV.

last I found out, hooters doesn't serve food either

Hooters? Why pretend? Watch the Vikes at your local gentleman's club. Giddy Up!

lol