Thread: Offseason update: Minnesota Vikings

[size=13pt]Offseason update: Minnesota Vikings [/size]

By Vic Carucci
National Editor, NFL.com

(June 4, 2007) -- This is what I like about the Minnesota Vikings' offseason moves..........

sweet some good publicity

The Vikings did not do enough to address their lack of an obvious No. 1 receiver. Rice could emerge to fill that role, but he still is a rookie and the team needs at least one other receiver that would command respect from opposing defenses for being a constant big-play threat. Williamson certainly wasn't that guy last year. Free-agent newcomer Bobby Wade, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, primarily runs short and intermediate routes from the slot.

Hopefully, Williamson can be that guy this year, otherwise I don't see our receiving corps being a deep threat. As stated, Wade runs short routes & Rice is a rookie.

This is what concerns me: The departure of defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin, who became head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, could have a significant negative impact. Tomlin's replacement, former Indianapolis Colts assistant Leslie Frazier, has a thorough understanding of the scheme and was a student of Tony Dungy. But Tomlin's energy and charisma made him extremely popular with players that now must make a transition to a new coordinator.

Hopefully, Frazier is well liked, he learned from one of the best defensive guru's in the game.

"singersp" wrote:

This is what concerns me: The departure of defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin, who became head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, could have a significant negative impact. Tomlin's replacement, former Indianapolis Colts assistant Leslie Frazier, has a thorough understanding of the scheme and was a student of Tony Dungy. But Tomlin's energy and charisma made him extremely popular with players that now must make a transition to a new coordinator.

Hopefully, Frazier is well liked, he learned from one of the best defensive guru's in the game.

So he's a student of coach Dungy because he has been with the Colts in two seasons. How about when he learned his trait at his first NFL job with the Eagles 1999-2002

"singersp" wrote:

The Vikings did not do enough to address their lack of an obvious No. 1 receiver. Rice could emerge to fill that role, but he still is a rookie and the team needs at least one other receiver that would command respect from opposing defenses for being a constant big-play threat. Williamson certainly wasn't that guy last year. Free-agent newcomer Bobby Wade, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, primarily runs short and intermediate routes from the slot.

Hopefully, Williamson can be that guy this year, otherwise I don't see our receiving corps being a deep threat. As stated, Wade runs short routes & Rice is a rookie.

I'm so back and forth on this issue.

On one hand, we should have the best running attack in the league. So good that our receivers can be average and still be good enough to support TJ and move the ball. We are obviously a run-oriented team. We have to run the ball effectively even when the D knows the run is coming. If that happens the receivers can be themselves (except for TWill of course, he needs to reinvent the wheel) and we'll still have an effective offense.

On the other hand, a deep threat is definetly a missing piece in this offense. A guy like Chad Johnson or Joe Horn would be a perfect complement to our dynamic running attack. A WR so scary that the D can't put 8 in the box is last thing CT and AD need to both be 1,000 yard rushers.

In the end it comes down to coaching. Childress has to do a better job of using his weapons this year. I think we all agree that he has more talent, and more talent means less excuses.

"V" wrote:

"singersp" wrote:

The Vikings did not do enough to address their lack of an obvious No. 1 receiver. Rice could emerge to fill that role, but he still is a rookie and the team needs at least one other receiver that would command respect from opposing defenses for being a constant big-play threat. Williamson certainly wasn't that guy last year. Free-agent newcomer Bobby Wade, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, primarily runs short and intermediate routes from the slot.

Hopefully, Williamson can be that guy this year, otherwise I don't see our receiving corps being a deep threat. As stated, Wade runs short routes & Rice is a rookie.

I'm so back and forth on this issue.

On one hand, we should have the best running attack in the league. So good that our receivers can be average and still be good enough to support TJ and move the ball. We are obviously a run-oriented team. We have to run the ball effectively even when the D knows the run is coming. If that happens the receivers can be themselves (except for TWill of course, he needs to reinvent the wheel) and we'll still have an effective offense.

On the other hand, a deep threat is definetly a missing piece in this offense. A guy like Chad Johnson or Joe Horn would be a perfect complement to our dynamic running attack. A WR so scary that the D can't put 8 in the box is last thing CT and AD need to both be 1,000 yard rushers.

In the end it comes down to coaching. Childress has to do a better job of using his weapons this year. I think we all agree that he has more talent, and more talent means less excuses.

V, take a look at this.
Its a bit long and in PPT format but even a dumb old optimist like me can understand most of it.

Basically it shows/highlights that we had better get used to a ball control, limited deep passing team in the WCO.

Granted its there, and this doesn't quite match our version of the WCO, but not as prevelant as what we got used to in the Denny Era.

http://www.sportscombine.com/thezone...iles/frame.htm

"V" wrote:

On one hand, we should have the best running attack in the league.

Ummm....say what?

2006 Team Rushing Standings
Team G Att Att/G Yds Avg Yds/G TDs FDs 20+
Atlanta 16 537 33.6 2939 5.5 183.7 9 134 23
San Diego 16 522 32.6 2578 4.9 161.1 32 137 20
Jacksonville 16 513 32.1 2541 5.0 158.8 23 127 14
Washington 16 490 30.6 2216 4.5 138.5 13 123 13
Tennessee 16 469 29.3 2214 4.7 138.4 15 105 17
San Francisco 16 439 27.4 2172 4.9 135.8 12 97 20
New York (N) 16 455 28.4 2156 4.7 134.8 14 120 13
Denver 16 488 30.5 2152 4.4 134.5 12 106 16
Kansas City 16 513 32.1 2143 4.2 133.9 17 105 12
Pittsburgh 16 469 29.3 1992 4.2 124.5 16 100 16
Philadelphia 16 416 26.0 1984 4.8 124.0 13 106 11
New England 16 499 31.2 1969 3.9 123.1 20 121 12
Dallas 16 472 29.5 1936 4.1 121.0 21 107 10
Seattle 16 484 30.2 1923 4.0 120.2 8 112 8
Chicago 16 503 31.4 1918 3.8 119.9 14 103 7
Minnesota 16 442 27.6 1820 4.1 113.8 12 87 7

To catch up to Atlanta, the Vikings will need to improve by 1100 yards.
Hell, just to catch up to SD in 2nd place they need to improve by 700 yards.
That's a pretty damn large jump.
Let's say CT gets 1200 yards and then AD gets 1200 yards.
First, that would be fairly remarkable, it's not often that teams have 2 1000-yard rushers.
And second, that still wouldn't be good enough to lead the league.

Just sayin' that optimism is good - I'm really excited about the Vikings rushing attack this season, for sure - but BLIND optimism will only set you up for disappointment.

=Z=

"Zeus" wrote:

"V" wrote:

On one hand, we should have the best running attack in the league.

Ummm....say what?

2006 Team Rushing Standings
Team G Att Att/G Yds Avg Yds/G TDs FDs 20+
Atlanta 16 537 33.6 2939 5.5 183.7 9 134 23
San Diego 16 522 32.6 2578 4.9 161.1 32 137 20
Jacksonville 16 513 32.1 2541 5.0 158.8 23 127 14
Washington 16 490 30.6 2216 4.5 138.5 13 123 13
Tennessee 16 469 29.3 2214 4.7 138.4 15 105 17
San Francisco 16 439 27.4 2172 4.9 135.8 12 97 20
New York (N) 16 455 28.4 2156 4.7 134.8 14 120 13
Denver 16 488 30.5 2152 4.4 134.5 12 106 16
Kansas City 16 513 32.1 2143 4.2 133.9 17 105 12
Pittsburgh 16 469 29.3 1992 4.2 124.5 16 100 16
Philadelphia 16 416 26.0 1984 4.8 124.0 13 106 11
New England 16 499 31.2 1969 3.9 123.1 20 121 12
Dallas 16 472 29.5 1936 4.1 121.0 21 107 10
Seattle 16 484 30.2 1923 4.0 120.2 8 112 8
Chicago 16 503 31.4 1918 3.8 119.9 14 103 7
Minnesota 16 442 27.6 1820 4.1 113.8 12 87 7

To catch up to Atlanta, the Vikings will need to improve by 1100 yards.
Hell, just to catch up to SD in 2nd place they need to improve by 700 yards.
That's a pretty gol 'darnit large jump.
Let's say CT gets 1200 yards and then AD gets 1200 yards.
First, that would be fairly remarkable, it's not often that teams have 2 1000-yard rushers.
And second, that still wouldn't be good enough to lead the league.

Just sayin' that optimism is good - I'm really excited about the Vikings rushing attack this season, for sure - but BLIND optimism will only set you up for disappointment.

=Z=

I was just gonna stick with the WR argument with him however, since you brought it up........

Although I don't profess to understanding exactly what variant of the WCO the KAO is I believe B-chill still follows the basic principles and that is....

Focuses on throwing short passes in the early portion of the game with a concerted effort to at least advance the ball three to four yards at a time to make first downs, slowly and by doing so, exhaust the opposing team’s defense. In general, the running game is not utilized until late in the game.

In essence the QB has to make quit reads of what the D will do when he gets to the line and make short 3 to 5 step drops so that he can get the ball quickly out to his intended recievers, in most cases that is the back coming out into the flat after your WR have ran short slants and outs with a few crossing and deep patterns throw in to confuse the defense.

Goal is to get alot of recievers out into to designated spots base on pre-post snap reads with the hope that one receiver would be open.

Thus the big discussion when we drafted AD about his pass catching abilities.

Readers digest version is that our rushing stats won't go up but should in large part go down with an increase in the RB's recieving stats.

Again, you would have to have a understanding of the WCO and what version the KAO version is to make a true assesment, but that is my take.

;D

"Zeus" wrote:

"V" wrote:

On one hand, we should have the best running attack in the league.

Ummm....say what?

2006 Team Rushing Standings
Team G Att Att/G Yds Avg Yds/G TDs FDs 20+
Atlanta 16 537 33.6 2939 5.5 183.7 9 134 23
San Diego 16 522 32.6 2578 4.9 161.1 32 137 20
Jacksonville 16 513 32.1 2541 5.0 158.8 23 127 14
Washington 16 490 30.6 2216 4.5 138.5 13 123 13
Tennessee 16 469 29.3 2214 4.7 138.4 15 105 17
San Francisco 16 439 27.4 2172 4.9 135.8 12 97 20
New York (N) 16 455 28.4 2156 4.7 134.8 14 120 13
Denver 16 488 30.5 2152 4.4 134.5 12 106 16
Kansas City 16 513 32.1 2143 4.2 133.9 17 105 12
Pittsburgh 16 469 29.3 1992 4.2 124.5 16 100 16
Philadelphia 16 416 26.0 1984 4.8 124.0 13 106 11
New England 16 499 31.2 1969 3.9 123.1 20 121 12
Dallas 16 472 29.5 1936 4.1 121.0 21 107 10
Seattle 16 484 30.2 1923 4.0 120.2 8 112 8
Chicago 16 503 31.4 1918 3.8 119.9 14 103 7
Minnesota 16 442 27.6 1820 4.1 113.8 12 87 7

To catch up to Atlanta, the Vikings will need to improve by 1100 yards.
Hell, just to catch up to SD in 2nd place they need to improve by 700 yards.
That's a pretty gol 'darnit large jump.
Let's say CT gets 1200 yards and then AD gets 1200 yards.
First, that would be fairly remarkable, it's not often that teams have 2 1000-yard rushers.
And second, that still wouldn't be good enough to lead the league.

Just sayin' that optimism is good - I'm really excited about the Vikings rushing attack this season, for sure - but BLIND optimism will only set you up for disappointment.

=Z=

Take out Vick's 1000 yard season and our RBs last season are right in there with ATL.
And now that we have AP, he gives CT a legitimate 1000-yard compliment (much like Turner complimented LT).

I seriously doubt that we will be #1 in rushing...BUT we will be right up there with the leaders.
BESIDES...Vick's 1000 yards were in lieu of his underwhelming passing stats...so it's a wash!