Pregame: Vikes @ Pack

The season is here and the time is now.Let us get the ball rolling--what do the Vikes need to do to have a 1 in the W column at the end of this day.

Keep a balanced attack.
The Viking offense needs to keep the Packer defense honest. So we need to be able pass the ball during the game. With T-Jack trying to find his 1st victory agaonst the Packers. Why not now?The question is if Artis Hicks can keep keep good protection for T-Jack as well as creating some good running lanes. With the acquisition of Bernard Berrian(B2). T-Jack actually as a true number 1 receiver to pass to. With our run game being the number one in the NFL last season, I do not see us slowing down much.
Pressure A-Rod.
The defense needs to keep the pressure on Aaron Rodgers all game long, so he is unable to be comfortable in pocket. I have seen what he can do if left enough time back there. Leslie Frazier has to bring to boys and keep him running around like a deer in head lights.
Stop the run what we do best.
The stuffen seven have to contiune with stopping the run as they have in the past couple of years. As long as we can stop Ryan Grant, we will be safe. We cannot allow him a cut back lane or he will kill us.
Play 4 quarters.
The Vikes cannot not let up whatsoever during the game. Play hard from the start to the end of the game. If they do that, I cannot see them losing this game.

The prediction:
Vikes 24
Packers 13

Viking News

• Coach Brad Childress said today that Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson (offense), middle linebacker E.J. Henderson (defense) and kicker Ryan Longwell (special teams) were elected captains by their teammates last week. Those three will wear a “C” on their jersey. Unlike last season when it was week-to- week decisions.
• Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said it has not been decided if he will wear a brace on his right knee in Monday night’s game. Jackson suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in the Vikings’ second preseason game against Baltimore and did not play in the final two exhibitions.

Here is some other Viking news:

• Former Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper has announced his retirement, according to reports. Here is the story from ESPN.He is one of my favorite Vikes all-time, I do not care what people say about him. i still wear his jersey with PRIDE.

Pass that over here

After reading Gene Wojciechowski preseason picks of the award and how the teams will finish. I wonder what the hell. I would not mind if he would give me some of his med or whatever he is smoking. Gene must not be thinking to clearly. He picks the Packers to win the division surprise surprise.;) In my unprofessional opinion if Minnesota does not win the division it will be the Lions. I agree with Gene T-Jack having some injury issues. The rest of of his ranting was mostly the recieving corps was weak as hell. With the upgraded recievers, maybe team will stop putting nine men in the box or it might be a long day for the D's this season.

Red Listed

Here are the following players that were red listed on saturady aka cut by the Vikes on Saturday.

#3 Steve Hauschka - K - Rookie - North Carolina State
#9 Brooks Bollinger - QB - 6th Year - Wisconsin
#11 Jaymar Johnson - WR - Rookie - Jackson State*
#13 Nate Jones - WR - Rookie - Texas
#15 Martin Nance - WR - 1st Year - Miami (OH)
#24 Marcus Walker - CB - Rookie - Oklahoma*
#32 Dee McCann - CB - 1st Year - West Virginia
#33 Brandon Sumrall - CB - Rookie - Southern Mississippi
#34 Albert Young - RB - Rookie - Iowa*
#47 Braden Jones - TE - 1st Year - Southern Illinois
#55 J Leman - LB - Rookie - Illinois
#57 Rufus Alexander - LB - 1st Year - Oklahoma
#61 Martail Burnett - DE - 1st Year - Utah*
#63 Brian Daniels - G - 1st Year - Colorado*
#66 Chris Norwell - DE - Rookie - Illinois
#67 Dan Mozes - C - 1st Year - West Virginia
#68 Tim Mattran - C - Rookie - Stanford*
#75 Chase Johnson - T - 2nd Year - Wyoming
#82 Darius Reynaud - WR - Rookie - West Virginia*
#99 Leger Douzable - DT - Rookie - Central Florida*

S Michael Boulware was placed on IR.

* these players were named to the practice squad on Sunday.

NFL Rules on McKinnie

On Friday, the NFL gave Bryant McKinnie his sentence with the charges stemming from a street brawl outside a Miami nightclub in February. The NFL suspends McKinnie the first 4 games without pay Friday for violating the league's personal conduct policy.This ends McKinnie's 87 staraight starts.With the happening, Artis Hicks is expected to take the LT position during this time. Tavaris Jackson is in his make or break season. Jackson remains a question mark at quarterback, and -- though coach Brad Childress has said repeatedly over the past few months he couldn't be concerned about the possibility of punishment for McKinnie -- this was a discouraging development for this team 10 days before the season opener.

You're Benched

For the 4th and final preseason game, the Vikes have decided to sit all the starters on the offense and defense. The reason being because so the coaching staff can get a closer look at some players they are not that sure about. The Vikes are sitting Jackson and Gus, so the battle for the 3rd string job will be decided tonight playing the Cowboys between Brooks Bollinger and John David Booty. I will say i have been a fan of Brooks since his college days. I do not see him making the 53 man roster.Booty is a rookie but I believe has more to offer the team. It will be interesting who the coaches feel that fit into the Vikings scheme more than others. I hope that everyone enjoys the game tonight.

Where is the Offense

With the third preseason game in the books. Vikes lose to the Steelers 12-10. It just leaves me more questions than answers for one. I know that our #1ish QB was on the sideline playing it save and our backup Gus Frerotte was getting his reps.Aftering seeing his performance tonight I can see why T-Jack has an edge on him. Rice and Berrian were also out of the contest. The line did not show up for the offense tonight that was certainly proven tonight.With Gus under a tremendous most of the time he was in there. The line could not open up holes for AD or Taylor much of the night. Childress wanted to run the ball, that was a lost cause with the 1-2 punch averaging about 2 yards a carry. The Vikings rushed 12 times for a mere 17 yards in the first half; the offensive line was called for three false start penalties on the first series.What the hell is this going to do with the Vikes a couple of weeks from the real deal. The OL needs to mold together soon.

I was glad to see that our D was in the backfield more the Big Ben was tonight. The Vikings kept the pressure on Big Ben, surrounded Willie Parker and held Pittsburgh's starting offense to three points.Ray Edwards and Kevin Williams had consecutive sacks in the second quarter, the series before Williams ran down rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall and forced a fumble that Tyrell Johnson recovered near midfield.I was impressed on how the Vikes D played tonight. I was a loss but it is only preseason right now and the coaches are trying to get a feel if certain players are going to fit in their scheme of things this season.