Thread: Vikings - Answers still outnumber questions

[size=13pt]Jim Souhan: Answers still outnumber questions[/size]


By Jim Souhan, Star Tribune

Last update: August 31, 2007 – 12:25 AM


The final NFL preseason game is the worst value in sports. Full ticket prices are required to see a handful of starters standing on the sideline wearing sweats, and the first-team offense on the field for one series.....

During the offseason, the Vikings continually expressed confidence in Jackson and backup Brooks Bollinger. Today Jackson remains a mystery, and Bollinger struggled enough to prompt the front office to trade for Kelly Holcomb.

Late Thursday night, Vikings coach Brad Childress and several players praised Jackson. Childress said Jackson "set himself apart," and guard Artis Hicks said Jackson looked poised beyond his years.

What else should they say at this point? Jackson is the only viable option, and ready or not, the season starts in nine days.

Holcumb, we shouldn't have to trade for a back up QB.
LOL!

So the questions that need to be answered about this team will remain unresolved entering the regular season: Can the Vikings make enough plays in the passing game? Is Jackson ready? Can this coaching staff find ways to maximize the offensive talent? And can what has traditionally been the most popular team in town recapture its fan base?

Yes, but the Wild might be the best chance of making noise in the near future.
Twins are going to lose fan interest, heading out of playoff race all together.
Wolves lead by Randy Foye....
: .
The team to watch is the Vikes.

The usual disclaimers about preseason games apply. The results are meaningless. Coaches hold back their best plays and players. Defenses don't install realistic game plans. Veterans concentrate on avoiding injury.

True!
But starters on offense looking efficient would have been nice.

Am I stupid or should the headline be "Questions Still Outnumber Answers".

Strike that.
Reverse it.

Questions going into camp:
1. Who will step up at WR?
2. Is TJ the guy?
3. Who will step up at RT and RG. Will the right side of the line be better?
4. Can the Vikings establish a pass rush?
5.
Will the playcalling improve?

Answers:
1. Wade has stepped up and looks to be the sure-fire #1. Williamson has not done much in preseason to win over his critics. Rice has shown promise. The signing of Ferguson means the younger guys (Carter, Nance, Surrency) are not ready to contribute. As a side note Shiancoe has been virtually silent.
2. TJ has been average, which is hopefully all he needs to be with this team (even Childress has said that). No INTs was very nice.
3. No one has stepped up at either position. This is really sad actually. It looks like the right side will be the weakest link of this offense. I can accept average blocking, but the penalties, both in camp and preseason, have got to go.
4. The pass rush looks to be a big new addition to this defense with James healthy, Edwards getting better, and Robison providing spark. Udeze ok as well.
5. Bevell is calling plays now, still with a vanilla feel.

Factors for a successful season:
1. TJ must take care of the ball and get better as he gets more game experience.
2. We must avoid the penalties that killed our offense last year.
3. Williamson, Rice, Ferguson, and Shiancoe. Two of those guys must step up in a big way.
4. A consistent pass rush, without blitzing, is needed for the Cover 2.
5. Greenway has to make us forget Napo and the LBs need to be better in pass coverage.
6. Griffin has to at least hold his own with teams targeting him all year.
7. The coaches needs better gameplanning than last year. Stick to the run in close games. Make better mid-game adjustments.

Nice piece V! Add in our terrible kickoffs that hasn't been addressed and our poor special teams and you have about covered it all.

Was I the only one who say how terrible Tarvaris looked ? That first pass was horrible. He was constantly throwing slightly behind guys. It reminded me of Rex ("Wrecks") Grossman on his worst day. That deep pass T-Jacks threw was so badly thrown, that it turned a would-be TD catch almost into an INT. I don't think he is accurate enough, and you need to be accurate in this league. He won't be playing against East Mississippi State Technical college, but against the Chicago Bears !
:

"StillPurple" wrote:

Was I the only one who say how terrible Tarvaris looked ? That first pass was horrible. He was constantly throwing slightly behind guys. It reminded me of Rex ("Wrecks") Grossman on his worst day. That deep pass T-Jacks threw was so badly thrown, that it turned a would-be TD catch almost into an INT. I don't think he is accurate enough, and you need to be accurate in this league. He won't be playing against East Mississippi State Technical college, but against the Chicago Bears !
:

No, you weren;t the only one who thought TJ looked bad in his one, meaningless series yesterday.
You are, however, the only one who selectively doesn't notice anytime TJ plays well...

"NodakPaul" wrote:

"StillPurple" wrote:

Was I the only one who say how terrible Tarvaris looked ? That first pass was horrible. He was constantly throwing slightly behind guys. It reminded me of Rex ("Wrecks") Grossman on his worst day. That deep pass T-Jacks threw was so badly thrown, that it turned a would-be TD catch almost into an INT. I don't think he is accurate enough, and you need to be accurate in this league. He won't be playing against East Mississippi State Technical college, but against the Chicago Bears !
:

No, you weren;t the only one who thought TJ looked bad in his one, meaningless series yesterday.
You are, however, the only one who selectively doesn't notice anytime TJ plays well...

There is no such thing as a meaningless series.

He has seemed to be a slow starter so you can't take that one series and doom him for it. However, I have not seen him display any kind of downfield accuracy to this point. Hopefully he is just making those inaccurate throws to fool the defenses and once the season starts he does it right.

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"NodakPaul" wrote:

"StillPurple" wrote:

Was I the only one who say how terrible Tarvaris looked ? That first pass was horrible. He was constantly throwing slightly behind guys. It reminded me of Rex ("Wrecks") Grossman on his worst day. That deep pass T-Jacks threw was so badly thrown, that it turned a would-be TD catch almost into an INT. I don't think he is accurate enough, and you need to be accurate in this league. He won't be playing against East Mississippi State Technical college, but against the Chicago Bears !
:

No, you weren;t the only one who thought TJ looked bad in his one, meaningless series yesterday.
You are, however, the only one who selectively doesn't notice anytime TJ plays well...

There is no such thing as a meaningless series.

He has seemed to be a slow starter so you can't take that one series and doom him for it. However, I have not seen him display any kind of downfield accuracy to this point. Hopefully he is just making those inaccurate throws to fool the defenses and once the season starts he does it right.

I think that Nodak means that TJ wasn't mentally prepared.
Still not good either way.

"snowinapril" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"NodakPaul" wrote:

"StillPurple" wrote:

Was I the only one who say how terrible Tarvaris looked ? That first pass was horrible. He was constantly throwing slightly behind guys. It reminded me of Rex ("Wrecks") Grossman on his worst day. That deep pass T-Jacks threw was so badly thrown, that it turned a would-be TD catch almost into an INT. I don't think he is accurate enough, and you need to be accurate in this league. He won't be playing against East Mississippi State Technical college, but against the Chicago Bears !
:

No, you weren;t the only one who thought TJ looked bad in his one, meaningless series yesterday.
You are, however, the only one who selectively doesn't notice anytime TJ plays well...

There is no such thing as a meaningless series.

He has seemed to be a slow starter so you can't take that one series and doom him for it. However, I have not seen him display any kind of downfield accuracy to this point. Hopefully he is just making those inaccurate throws to fool the defenses and once the season starts he does it right.

I think that Nodak means that TJ wasn't mentally prepared.
Still not good either way.

You are exactly right.
I son't think he was mentally prepared, and that is not a good thing either.
It seems to me that he knew that he was only playing one series, and he knew that he was the started on the 9th, so he just didn't try very hard to prepare.
I hope this is because he is still young, not because he has any motivation problems.