Line of Destruction

With Training camp coming up in less than a month, I figured that I would do an analysis of each unit on Offense, Defense and Special Teams. I figured that I would start with the Defensive Line. As of right now here are the members of the Vikings in the DL unit:

Num Player Ht Wgt College

61 Martail Burnett DE 6-3 262 Utah

69 Jared Allen DE 6-6 270 Idaho State

73 Jimmy Kennedy DT 6-4 320 Penn State

90 Fred Evans DT 6-4 305 TX State - San Marcos

91 Ray Edwards DE 6-5 268 Purdue

92 Jayme Mitchell DE 6-6 285 Mississippi

93 Kevin Williams DT 6-5 311 Oklahoma State

94 Pat Williams DT 6-3 317 Texas A&M

95 Kenechi Udeze DE 6-3 281 USC

98 Letroy Guion DT 6-4 303 Florida State

99 Otis Grigsby DE 6-3 260 Kentucky

96 Brian Robison DE 6-3 267 Texas

Players in BOLD were last years’ starters

With the danger of losing the Williams Wall for the first four games this season hoving over the Viking s heads since last season. It will be only a matter of time until all Viking fans and the NFL finds out the outcome of Williams Wall. Pat and Kevin Williams have been in the force in the middle since the Vikes acquitted Pat to pair up with Kevin. These two guys are the force in the middle to breaks down the opposing teams’ line to kill the play. Teams think that they have enough to content with in the middle with the monstrous Williams Wall every down for the Viking defense.

The Vikings also have Jared Allen that they acquired from the Chiefs last season. He showed the league that he was not a one year wonder last year. He was breaking up plays left and right especially in the second half in the season, when the Vikes needed it most. Allen ranked 5^th in the league with 14.5 QB sacks. I figure that these 3 have locked their starting spot already for the season opener.

The other side of the line from Jared Allen, at the other Defensive End position is somewhat in the air right now. The two front runners for the job would be either Ray Edwards or Kenechi Udeze. With all that Kenechi Udeze has been through the past year with his battle with leukemia and trying to win his job back as the Viking DE. Edwards has been pretty steady in his career with the Vikes. The past two seasons he has had 5 sacks each year and over 40 takedowns per season as well.

With Udeze, he has been sporadic with his play over his career, His first 3 full season (he injured his 2^nd season), he had 2 seasons with 5 sacks and a season with NO SACKS at all. He needs to show that he has more of a nose for the job to win it over Edwards. I feel that Kenechi Udeze will be the backup to start the season.

With these front four, the Vikes will be hard teams to run on all season as well as teams dealing with the pass rush. So not much has change from last season to this season. If the Williams Wall is gone for the first four game, it is going to be interesting on who the Vikes use to plug in those huge holes if needed.

It looks that their will be 4 backup that will be making the squad, the players right now I will be a Viking next are as follows:

98 Letroy Guion DT 6-4 303 Florida State

96 Brian Robison DE 6-3 267 Texas

90 Fred Evans DT 6-4 305 TX State - San Marcos

95 Kenechi Udeze DE 6-3 281 USC

Sage Is Going To Lose It

With football being in a down period it seems that reporters are just trying to stir up some sort of controversy. It seems like at least once a week somebody is asking Sage or TJ about Favre. More often it is Sage that gets the mic in the face. I think they are just see if they can get Sage tell the media what they want to hear. For instance, something like I think that Coach Chilly is just wasting his time trying to get a over the hill now sub par QB.
Sage plays is Joe Cool style. Time and time again he tells the media that Favre is not a part of the Vikes at this moment.Right at this moment, he and TJ are competing for the starting QB job. He is lives in the now and not what might be happening in Brad Test Labs.
I believe most people would go on a tirade with the over and over questions of Favre and what do you think. Sage will be Sage, as in what happens happens.

Chilly the Mind

When the Vikes brought Brad Childress in as the new head coach their were some things that were expect of him. The wants a more discipline coach and an offense of mind. So far Vikes fans have seen he can be a harsh coach not putting up with crap in the locker room or on field. He was brought in here from the Eagles to bring the passing game and offense creativity to Minnesota. The Viking have always had a steady running game. The passing game has been nothing but a struggle for Chilly and the Vikings.
Since his hiring, Childress has finish no better than 18th in the NFL in passing for the season. Since the Vikes brought over the offense wizard, he has shown that he is indecisive at times and not calling the right play for what the situation warrants.
Chilly is trying to acquire Brett"The Fairy" Favre to show more on the offense side of the ball. All Vikes really need is a quarterback that can keep the opposing defense honest on playing run or pass mode. The past 2 season, with the drafting of Adrian Peterson, he has had to face 8 or 9 men in the box. Still he won the rushing title last year(the first Viking to do so).
So it looks like Chilly is getting desperate on keeping his job, so this is why the persistence of going after Favre after the draft. What really is they going to fix, sure they are a Super Bowl ready team. They will be having the SAME problem come next season.

Favre Complications

With all this Favre chatter going on for quite some time now. Just makes a person wonder, which current Vikings’ QB will be gone by Week 1 when the Vikes take on the Browns.
I do not think that Sage Rosenfels will be done considering that the Vikes just acquired him from Houston this past March for a 4th round pick. The numbers that he has put up in his career are decent with limited playing time on par to subpar teams throughout his career. This may be a reason why his TD to interception ratio is so high almost 1:1. That is just a scary stat for fans to swallow with a team as good as the Vikes are right now. Rosenfels is a lock for the Viking roster. I just cannot see Chilly giving away this past year 4th round pick and just whisk away the player that you went to get with that pick before the start of the season. He is a more accurate than T-Jax and has better on the field awareness.
Now with the battle for the 3rd string QB job between Tarvaris Jackson and John David Booty. The only reason I give T-Jax the edge is because he has game “experience” over Booty. Booty has yet to play a regular season snap. This is all Chilly’s doing anyhow. When he drafted Jackson 2006, he claimed that he could take this raw talent and mold him into a NFL QB. Jackson has shown the fans he is injury prone and inaccurate when throwing the ball under 60 percent. I think that Jackson will be gone by beginning of the season if Booty shows the coaches more than he did last season.
So if Favre does come to the Vikes the real QB completion will be between Booty and Jackson, in my opinion.

Favre Breaks The Silence

In the breaking of the silence Favre finally did it last night. Brett Favre appeared on the Joe Buck Live show on Monday. It was his first appearance with the media since the speculation of him joining the Vikings. During the interview he confirmed that he did have minor shoulder surgery 2 ½ weeks ago performed by Dr. James Andrews. It will be a couple more weeks to find out if the surgery was a success or not on the shoulder.

The way that Favre was talking the during the interview pretty much say that if everything works out he will in fact be a Viking this coming season. When a person uses words like ‘we’ as Favre being part of the Vikings. It implies that he is a Vikings thus leaving little suspense. In which is okay with me. Just think of the type of a year the All Day would have if and only if he can have legitimate QB.

If everything works out for the Vikes, it seems that Favre will be in training camp wearing purple in a month in a half.It is only the matter of time that Vikes will have a over the hill QB under center, because Chilly is deperate the keep his job.

Media Reporting

With the reporters out there especially our beloved ESPN network, try to be the first to get the inside scoop to a story. It is seeming that the media is not checking the accountability of "the source".
For instance, the deadline that ESPN reported that the Vikings set for Favre to make a decision to come out of retirement by the end of the week. It has been getting worse year by year with the accuracy that the media is reporting on current sporting actions.I know their is stress to be the first to break the story.Just think of all the ink that wold have been saved?It is not that cheap these days, with this broken story on Favre.
My theory now is just stay away from ESPN, they have been shooting the gun before checking to see if there are bullets in the chamber.

Favre Had Surgery and More

The new broke last night, more about Favre. He did in fact, have surgery on his bicep in May. He has been throwing around. Favre states that he is not even close to 100%. There was more news to go along with this little snippet. Brad Childress and the Viking gave Favre a choice either stay retired or come and play for the sea of purple.
With these recent developments in the past 24 hours. It will be interesting to see if Favre does in fact stay "retired" for now at least. I think that this is just the eye of the storm. Last time I check Chilly can show authority when he wants to. Does anyone remember last season when Peterson persuaded Chilly to go for it on fourth down late in the game. The fans do not really know which Chilly will surface if Favre does not give a complete answer. Then decides that he wants to come out of retirement during training camp

Winfield Still Absent

With the contract talks having stalled with the Vikings and Pro Bowl Cornerback Antonio Winfield. Winfield is entering his final year of his contract. Winfield has stated numerous times "I want to finish my career a Viking."
Winfield has been a no show for this weeks' OTAs, attendance is strongly encouraged.I do not blame his for being a little miffed over the Vikes and the contract talks. The Vikes a considering in sign a player WAY PAST his prime.
Winfield is 32 and going to be earning over 6 million this season. He is still the bestcorner the Vikes have on the roster.Why not try to get an extension to his existing contract. He knows that he does not have much time let to play football.