My Plan AKA Reality

Did anyone else feel absolutely disgusted with the performance last Sunday? I don't mean you were upset with how they played, but I mean actually disgusted. Think about it. We had the chance to jump right back into this thing, against what everyone says is a bad bears team, a team ahead of you in your division. You were coming off a huge emotional high from one of the best comebacks in team history. Everyone thought we were back, and ready to make a stand.

That didn't happen.

I'm not going into statistics, as much as I want to, because they are too embarrassing. Third downs anyone? Dropped passes? Slipping on the field?

Thanks to our performance, we sit at 3-6, while we look up at two 6-3 teams, whom have each already defeated us once. This team has a pulse, but not much of one. They have to win their remaining 7 games, and then pray. If we did that, we would beat Chicago and Green Bay, essentially moving us a game closer to each. Those teams also play each other again, which would in turn move us a game closer to one of them. Why I am talking about this I have no idea. Let me get to the real points.

This team is dead. There will be a funeral at the dome on Sunday.

RIP 2010 Vikings

A Team that perished before reaching its true potential

I honestly believe Green Bay will come into Minnesota and defeat the Vikings, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a close game, but I'm taking them easily. I then think Childress will be fired, and Favre will retire. Why you ask? Think about the storyline. Green Bay ends Favre's career on the road AT MINNESOTA. Could it get any better for the Packers? I don't think so. Favre will have no interest in playing out a season that is already lost. There really isn't any point, he has all the records, and he is risking body parts.

The unfortunate news in all of this is that I think it could have been prevented had we made a coaching change last week. We come off an emotional win, the players are still expressing their dislike of the coach, you have two HUGE divisional games coming up, if you are going to make the change, make it then. The team needed some sort of unity, and now it is in shambles. When players are playing for themselves, it never works out. You need unity in football, and the Vikings lost that a long time ago.

What a wreck this season was. You have the same Superbowl caliber team from last year, and it all falls apart. Sure, we could have won most of the games we lost, but a lot of teams can say that. If we had simply won one of those games, it is an entirely different situation, but we couldn't find it in ourselves.

The defensive line doesn't exist. The offensive line isn't stable. The running game has been hit or miss. The receivers have been terrible with the exception of Percy. Our secondary.... well they have been our secondary. The team is in shambles. Lets move on.

If we have a next season, the Vikes will need to address the QB situation. I personally think there will not be a season next year, but we can hope. I'll get more into next seasons details when we are officially dead about 2:30 this Sunday.

Asking any NFL team to win 7 straight games is extremely difficult. Especially considering the crazy year that is this year in the NFL. For this team to do it? Impossible. I'm sorry Vikings fans, I live and die for the Vikes, but if I'm saying it's over, it's over.

Brett, thank you for the run you gave us, it was fun. I hope the Packers fans aren't dicks like usual and accept you into the ring of fame or wherever you'll go there. Stay out of trouble.

The Paul Allen Plan AKA Plan A

Well Vikings fans, we find ourselves in a little bit of a situation. We lost to the Chicago Bears last weekend, in fact, we got rolled by the Bears. We didn't perform in any aspect of the game. The offense was lackluster accept for the first 2 possessions. The defense didn't really show up at all, with the exception of a nice performance by Husain Abdullah, who had two interceptions! Special teams were terrible as well, yielding 140 some yards in returns to Deven Hester, arguably the best return man in NFL history. Let me set the record straight in saying it WAS NOT THE PUNTER! Chris Kluwe had another dominant day, pinning Hester deep and to the sidelines multiple times, but the special teams could not tackle him, he broke ankles, he juked, he jived, he was unstoppable, and we paid the price. On top of this, Ryan Longwell missed his first field goal of the year, and the Vikes just couldn't put it together to find the endzone. Result = 27 - 13 Bears.

NFC Standings

Green Bay = 6-3

Chicago = 6-3

Minnesota = 3-6

Detroit = 2-7

So....... now what?

Well, the backs are against the wall, there are no more options. We are looking at a veteran team, the same team we had last year. Yes, you heard me right, we are missing two starters from last year, and starting this week we might only be missing one starter from last year. Those being Sidney Rice and Cedric Griffin. They know what they are capable of, we were one play away last year, this team should have been in the Superbowl. So how can essentially the same team go from 12-4 to 3-6 in a matter of months??? That is the question everyone has been trying to answer.

Maybe this is what we need. There isn't anything else to think about, we can't look ahead, we can't look behind, we can only look at what is directly in front of us. This team can only focus on the game in front of them. If they are looking past that, we are headed to a 5 - 11 season.

Why not right? What a story it would be. Brett Favre, backs against the wall, team in turmoil, season already lost, one foot in the grave, no one giving you a shot. Why the hell not. For all practical purposes, no one gives this team a shot at the playoffs. Everyone is gone, there is no one left, no supporters, no believers. Can I blame you? No. I myself am one of these people. However, the players may still believe. They might decide, you know what? I'm sick of all this S$%T. Let's how everyone what we can really do, and make a run at this thing. Favre knows this is his last shot, why not rally the troops! Why would you not do everything in your power to get everyone jacked up for these last games. GIVE IT A ROLL BABY! Everyone has counted you out, but you know what, the last time I checked, this team still has a pulse. If the whole world gives up on you, you still have yourself to believe in. And that's something. It may be the only thing you have to go with, but it's better than nothing.

There is no reason this team should win another 3 games this year, they have played like garbage. However, as crazy as it sounds, if any team is going to do it, why not this years Vikings. They have experience, they have talent, but can they pull it together, can they play as one?

What a perfect setup this week is. The division leading, Green Bay Packers, head into town, fresh of a bye. Why would the Vikings not want this matchup. It is simple, Lose and the season is over, Win and things get a little more interesting. It's black and white. All or nothing. There won't be any hanging around, it's now or never. We lose, Favre and Childress are gone, we win, the beat goes on.

With everything this crazy insane team has faced, I will take the stand, I'll say they go on the roll. The NFL is so crazy this year, why the hell not. Lets roll 7 straight off, lets make the playoffs, lets make some damn noise. Everyone has given up on you, shut them up, make a stand. Play like you did in college, play like you did in pee wee league, play like you mean it. LETS GO BOYS YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Straight Gone Homie

It is times such as these that make it so difficult to be a sports fan, especially in this state. The Twins rolled over to the Yankees, something they do every year, then the Vikings, a team that even the national media thought had a solid shot at making another deep run, are on life support. That leaves us with the Wolves and Wild, and while both teams have looked decent early on, they don't exactly provide this state with any promise of postseason activity, much less success. So here we go again, lets look at the Vikes.

The Vikings lost this week 28-18 at New England. They out-gained the Patriots in total yards, they had less penalties, they had more first downs, and they basically dominated the time of possession. Typically these things result in wins, but not on the road with terrible coaching decisions against good football teams.

While the Vikings showed glimpses of pressure on Sunday, they were never able to get to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. They also were not able to stop Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who torched the Vikings for 112 yards, 62 of which came on the Patriots backbreaking drive that gave them a 10 point lead with 2 minutes to play. Thats correct, a running back that many of you probably haven't heard of, ran for 112 yards against the vaunted Vikings run defense. Over half of the yards came when the defense should have known they were going to run the ball. Missed tackles all over the place.

The Patriots converted three huge third downs on the last drive, something that is not acceptable for the football team we are claiming to be. The Vikings had all the momentum after we pulled within 3 points with nearly 8 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The defense needed to make one stop, to get our offense the ball, and let them win the game. The defense decided not to rally. In fact we let the Patriots run all over us for an 80 yard touchdown drive in 5:30 minutes. Nice. Way to step up.

If it isn't one thing, it's the other. The Vikings aren't playing as a team, they aren't meshing, and they aren't going to play any more than 16 games this season. It's embarrassing that a team with this much talent, is playing the way it is. In my opinion, a huge part of that, is coaching. Brad Childress has more talent than he knows what to do with. Offensively he can't think, at all. We should be scoring more points than we are, we should be running screens, sweeps, slants, deep balls, anything, for the love of god. It might be time to bring someone else in, and I mean now, maybe it will provide a spark.

Randy Moss, nice to wave at you as you passed by. I don't blame you one bit. You had 13 receptions in 4 games, that is embarrassing. We didn't throw the ball to you, at all. Don't give me BS statements that safeties were always rolled over to him and he was double and triple covered. Do you not think he has faced that his entire career????? You game-plan for that, and honestly, you still throw the ball to him, he can make it happen. Why bring him in if you aren't going to use him? A decoy? Please, teams that have 2 wins in 7 games don't need decoys, they need players who make plays, and they had that with Moss, and didn't use it.

Adrian, you are ridiculous. I wish we used you more, at times it seems like you can't be stopped. Typically that's when we throw passes to Bernard Berrian or bring in Toby Gerhart to pound out a yard. Nice calls Childress, you idiot. I've never really liked Childress, but I've been accepting enough to not demand another coach. I'm getting to the breaking point.

For those of you wondering what we do now, we hope. There isn't much more you can do. It's a long shot, but if we figure it out soon, and by that I mean this week, we could still win our division. We are 2 games back of the Packers in the loss column and still have a game against them this year. We need to win the next 5 games in my opinion. No questions asked. Win 5 in a row, against teams we can beat, and then see where we are at. I firmly believe if we lose another game in the next 5, we are done. RIP 2010 Vikings if they don't start it up now. The backs are against the wall, lets see how they react.

Arizona comes to town this weekend, thats a team we should beat by at least 14 points, game in hand the whole second half. I'm sure we will scheme to their level, and end biting our nails until the very end. I'll take the Vikings 20 to 17 this week, and I don't even feel good about it.