AD in AZ

Adrian Peterson is down in Glendale, AZ. That is correct he is down there for promotions and media rounds on Monday.As for the knee is is saying that it is "fine". Let's hope that it is 110 percent come the season opener.He also refuses that is the reason that he was slowed in the last four games in the season. With his steller performance as a rookie breaking so many rookie records he is going to the Pro Bowl.Peterson will spend the week at the Super Bowl before flying to Hawaii on Monday. He's also footing the bill for 10 teammates and about 25 family members to join him.He is also stating that the Vikes will participate in the SB again. I hope that he is right sooner than later.

Vikes postion needs

There are several postions that the Vikes need to work on during this next offseason to improve on their average 8-8 record from the 2007 season. Sure they were close from making the playoffs. Close only count in the case of horseshoes and hand grenades. Depending of which players we will lose during free agency which is approaching us quickly.

Wide receiver- Sure we have a young and developing QB The Vikes have not had a true #1 receiver since they traded away Randy Moss to Oakland to get Troy Williamson. Everyone knows how that this trade went. I think that we need to pick a receiver off the market. Drafting a receiver at times is just dumb luck. My two picks for the Vikes are Bernard Berrian or Patrick Crayton(if available).

Secondary-With the Vikes struggling to stop the pass for quite some time now. They need a to find a shutdown type player to compliment Winfield back there in no mans land. They are a young group, but if the Vikes can keep teams from putting up 250+ yards against them will help the offense out dynamically. I say in FA the Vikes should take a look at Drayton Florence or possibly Kenny Philips S from Miami(FL) in the draft.

OL-The right side of the line was struggling opening up hole for the Vike backs at the end of the season. They were not giving our backs the a chance to ran through the hole because there was not hole there to run into.The Vikes need to pick up someone to open holes on the RIGHT side.I am not all that sure they might pick up I could see Max Starks or a high end draft pick.

Here are some of the area I believe that the Vike need to consider if they want to improve in the 2008 season and maybe a playoff birth.

Off to Glendale

The AFC game went as expected with the Patriots dominating a banged up Chargers squad much of the game. Sure, Brady had a so so game. But their running game showed up again with Lawerence Malrony running for over 100 yards in the second half so that kept the Charger defense honest much of the second half. The Chargers were without LT since the 1st quarter so he was not a factor in the loss 21-12. So the Pats path to perfection continues on and all roads lead to Glendale, Arizona.

The NFC was a totaly different story. Now this was an exciing game. With fans from each side frozen to the gills and on the edge of thier seats waiting for who was going to make the next play.The NY Giants have been a team that has been counted out all seaon and nobody gave a shot to win a playoff game let alone make it to the the NFC Championship game after knocking off the #1 seed Dallas Cowboys.With all the fans wanted to see the Brady vs. Favre showdown. It did not happen. The defense did a very good job shuting down the GB running game. SO then the Pack was nothing but a one dimensional offense. I was so happy to see the Pack going down at ALL MIGHTY GREEN BAY.In OT after the Giants failed to make two field goals within regulation. After another Favre interception, he set Giants up with decent field position. Lawerence Tynes nailed a 47 yard game winning field goal to sent the Giants to the Super Bowl. The 1st time since 2000.

We May lose Frazier Yet

With Frazier losing out the job for the Miami Fins Head Coach job to a Bill Parchells guy in Tony Sparano. There is the Atlanta Falcons that have had interest in the Vikes DC. With Frazier's being throw everywhere it seems for head coaching vacancys. He is an actually a "real" candiate for the Falcons. More than he was for the Fins job. It seemed that the only reason he was interviewed for that job was to cover the Rooney Rule. He was not a Parcells type guy I guess.
I am just hoping that we do not lose another DC my word. It seems like we go through DC as much as we do quarterbacks in the past few years.

Wally Hilgenberg with ALS

Wally Hilgenberg has been diagnosed with ALS aka Lou Gehrig's disease. He player for the Vikes 1968-1979.The once linebacker running down running backs has a much different life now. With his diagnoses in 2006 life is quite different from his NFL days. He is in wheelchair now. His arms are nearly non-functional. With all the players and personal that he has touch in his life is wishing him the best with the battle with ALS.

Free Agents

With the Vikings season over with for quite some time. Now it is time to focus of free agency and the draft. I am going to start with a list of our free agents.

Unrestricted:
Mike Doss (S)
Robert Ferguson (WR)
Spencer Johnson (DT)
Mewelde Moore (RB)
Tony Richardson (FB)
Darrion Scott (DE)
Dontarrious Thomas (LB)
Ronyell Whitaker (CB)
Tank Williams (S)

Restricted:
Heath Farwell (LB)

I can see about 3 or 4 of these players being back in the Purple and Gold for the 2008 season.
Robert Ferguson, Tony Richardson,Heath Farwell,Spencer Johnson.All of these players were key contributers last season.We shall see who we are able to get this season. I hope can make some moves this season compared to previous ones when we just lost players and received sub par players in return.

Crazy playoff weekend

On Saturdays games the teams that came out on top were kind of expected.The 1st game on the day was the Seahawks traveling to the frozen Tundra to face off against the Packers. It was not looking to pretty for GB to start the first 2 drive. Both ended with a Ryan Grant fumble loss. The Seahawks capitalized off the turnovers with a TDs. After that Grant torn apart the 'Hawks defense rushing over 200 yards and 3 Tds.Both of which are franchise are playoff records.It was a hard game for me to watch. I was not expecting the Seahawks team all together to play to pathetic.The Packers accumulated over 400 total yards on a top 10 rate defense.The game finally came to an end.Seahawks 20 Green Bay 42

On the later game was the Jacksonvile Jaguars going to take on the Patroits of New Enland.
The Jags and the Pats were neck and neck most of the game. Then came Tom Brady and company showing why they are still perfect.The Pats gave the Jags a good dose of pass and run in which they did very efficiently.In the 3rd quarter, the Pats pulled with a 14 point quarter. Tom Brady set yet another record in the game going 26-of-28 for 262 yards for 3 TDs after completing his 16 passes. He now has the record for the best passing efficiency for a game.This performance was with Randy Moss playing a decoy much of the game to throw off the secondary.The Pats advance the AFC Championship again 31-20.

On Sunday was a day of surprises I was not expected either team to come out on top. The first game Chargers faced the Colts for the AFC game. This was a rough good 'ol fashion smash mouth football game. Considering the LT(NFL's rushing title holder) and Philip Rivers were out for much of the second half.Who would have theought that the Colt were going to be defended 28-24 by Billy Voleck at the QB and Micheal Turner as the half back most of the second half.This is a great example to have faith and development in your reserves. In the 4th quarter, The Indy defense were pushed around with ease by the OL of the Chargers.It was a sight to see after the Colts go to the Bolts once again this season.

Now the last game of the day. The Giants face the Cowboys in the NFC game again.The Giants defense harassed Tony Romo most of the game. Keeping constant pressure on him knocking him down and sacking him.Who knew that the only Manning left standing is Eli.The Giants did not get the ball all that much but scored when they did.The Cowboy changed their offensive scheme for this game for some reason. Not that sure why they did taking their time an drive and taking time off the clock.The Cowboys were at the goal line with under a minute left from scoring a TD and then on 4th down R.W. McQuarters had two huge plays that led the Giants to the win. His punt return set up the Giants' go-ahead touchdown and his interception, sealed the victory.

Championship Sunday

Chagers @ Patroits 300 on CBS
Giants @ Packers 530 on Fox

My playoff picks

With week 2 of the NFL playoffs under way come Sunday Night half the teams will be going back home with the bad taste of flem in their mouth.

My picks for the NFC are:

Seattle 27
Green Bay 24

Dallas 24
Giants 17



MY AFC picks:

Jags 27
Pats 26

Colts 49
SD 30


Here are my picks we will all see if they are right come Sunday Night.

All-Pro Team members

With the Vikings season over there are some members of the team still getting recognized. With the All-Pro team rosters coming out yesterday. People might wonder what is the All-Pro Team? It is the best players' at their position in both leagues. For the 1st team members for the Vikes are:

LG Steve Hutchinson

DT Kevin Williams

The second teams for the Vikes are:


RB Adrian Peterson
FB Tony Richardson
DT Pat Williams

Both Adrian Peterson and Tony Richardson were beat out by the Charger running backs in LT and Lorenzo Neal.I am sure many of you think that Pat Williams should be the other DT on the 1st team. The honor was awarded to Albert Haynesworth. Here is the 1st team members.

Frazier happy

Lesile Frazier the VIkes Defense Coordinator had an interview with the Miami 'Fins for the open Head coaching job. Now with the Rooney Rule out of the way(which requires teams to pursue a diverse list of candidates for head coaching positions.) Frazier was happy on how he did in the interview. I do not see him doing to the 'Fins. I would be shocked if he could get the job considering that Dallas assistant Tony Sparano is the overwhelming favorite for the job.Time will tell to see what happens with the head coaching job in Miami.

WR in need

With the Vikes now in offseason 1 of 20 other teams that did not make the playoffs. I think that we need either get a good #1 vet receiver that can led the young reciever corps that the Vikes have at this time.There are names like Javon Walker that has experiece in the West Coast offense that Childress is running for us. He would be a good target for Jackson or whomever is at the QB postion next season.There names like Fitzgerald,Chad Johnson ending up in MN. I think that the only likely possibility in that scenario is Walker ending up for the Vikes. Another possibility is the draft there a WR but the draft is hit or miss for a receiver. It is going to be interesting to see how the Vikes address the need for a WR during the offseason.

AD wins the Offensive Rookie of Year

This is a total shocker to me

Not so much by his achievements as he ran away with the Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting the same way he surged past opposing tacklers this season. What has gotten the attention of the Minnesota Vikings running back is who he joins as winners of the award.

"It's a great honor to join a list with names like those," Peterson said Wednesday when told that Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith, Eric Dickerson and Billy Sims also won the award. "They are guys that I looked up to growing up. It's a goal that I set before the year started, to win rookie of the year, so it feels great to accomplish that."

Peterson, who set the league mark for rushing in a game with 296 yards in a 35-17 victory over San Diego, also had a 224-yarder in a win against Chicago. The key to Minnesota's improvement to an 8-8 record this season, he led the NFC with 1,341 yards rushing, second only to San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson in the league. His 78 points on 13 touchdowns were second in the conference.

Those numbers, compiled in 14 games, and his overall impact -- the Vikings struggled to pass the ball, yet were in the wild-card race until the final game -- earned Peterson 46 1/2 votes Wednesday from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. Cleveland tackle Joe Thomas was the only other player receiving votes, 3 1/2.

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He could have sat out the rest of the season after his knee injury and still won the award. I hope that he continues on with ia punish like running.He is always a thrill to watch every time he is out there.Great Year Adrian.

Jackson getting Support

With so many fans, highlighting all of Jackson mistakes and inconsistencies that he has had all season.Sure I will agree with them there. But you have to say that he was steadily improving throughout the season. He has some durability issues throughout the season. When the backup went in place for him. All Viking fans found out why he is our number 1 guy at the QB. It is unlikely he will ever be a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. With the run game that we have he fits our system the best out of the QBs that we have(had) on the roster in the season.
Look at the QBs that he has been compared with ion his draft class in the daily Norseman's blog post. I totally agree with him. He should be given the chance to play with receivers that can CATCH THE BALL consistently and not letting him be the fall guy in a so-so passing game.He needs to have decent and reliable receivers to say that he is do not deserve to start in the NFL. I think that he showed everyone especially most Vike fans that he is their guys with the two touchdown drive with 8 minutes left in the game.He knows how to make plays through the air and with his legs. I hope the Vikes keeps him as their leader on the field.