Off-The-Field Issues

Links Of The Week: Moving Towards Seattle

October 30, 2012, by 15 comments

First off, I want to give a genuine and heartfelt welcome to Gil, our newest writer.  I admire Gil’s ability to write for so many different outlets and produce such interesting content, and I think he will bring another fresh perspective to VT as we wade through this very intriguing 2012 season.  Glad to have you aboard, sir!

Second, happy birthday Brett!

Okay, after a very disappointing home loss to Tampa, the Vikings will soon pack their bags and head to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seattle Seahawks. Whether we are talking about the loss that is in the past, or the game that is in the future, there is a ton of great content out there right now and I wanted to round up the best of the best for you:

  • The Vikings have brought in a punter for a workout which is interesting because the Vikings have one of the most popular/unpopular punters ever.
  • An update on how the whole stadium thing is progressing.  SPOILER:  At this point, it kind of looks like a breakfast danish.
  • Throughout his career Adrian Peterson has set a lot of bars very high, but this one is a new accomplishment.
  • I know this is predictable quarterback-speak, but Christian Ponder has the right attitude right now.
  • There are at least two very good reasons to expect that the Vikings will qualify for the postseason.
  • 17 missed tackles.  That is one stat that will jump out to you in this article about Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay.
  • A “source” told PFT that opposing defenses have figured out Christian Ponder.
  • Super famous Viking Territory writer Gil Alcaraz IV takes a look at just how explosive Percy Harvin has been in 2012.
  • The topic of this article is so outlandish I can’t even bring myself to type the general subject description to tell you what it is about.
  • Some took Thursday night’s performance as verification that Christian Ponder is not, I repeat: is NOT, the franchise quarterback the Vikings have been looking for.
  • While the Vikings lost Chris Cook last week, Mistral Raymond appears to be making his way back to 100%.
  • Sidney Rice is healthy and looking for a big game against his former team.
  • Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson may prove to be a tough combination for a struggling Vikings defense.
  • This is just simply cool.  Check it out.
  • Leslie Frazier refuses to single out his quarterback and says the entire offense needs to step up.
  • According to my math, Bryant McKinnie has to pay up for about 3,750 lap dances.
  • Route running was a point of emphasis during this week’s practices.

Links of the Week: Rebound Edition

October 19, 2012, by 6 comments

What is that you say? There wasn’t enough coverage of the Vikings here on VT alone? Well, we have just the thing for everyone out there who just can’t get enough purple – our favorite links of the week:

ESPN 1500 Week 7, 2012 Game Poster

The image above was created by the good folks at ESPN 1500.

Somewhere Over Dwayne Bowe

October 17, 2012, by 15 comments

That’s right ya’ll, a Wizard Of Oz reference in the title.  Oh, snap!  Hey Judy Garland was from Minnesota, so it fits, stop scoffing!

Anyways, as I am sure you all have seen by now (sorry, computer bugs struck this week) Jerome Simpson has made it clear that he was not happy about Leslie Frazier’s decision to keep him out of last Sunday’s game against the Redskins.

I expected to read quotes about Simpson wishing he could have helped lift his team to victory, how he could have helped stretch the field and open up the run game.

“You lose $60,000 you’d be mad, too,” is instead the Simpson quote making the rounds, referencing the fact that he lost his weekly roster bonus by not being active.

While Simpson said more than just that and said he and Frazier are now on the same page, Simpson’s quote bothered me more from a philosophical standpoint.  Simpson didn’t lose anything at all, in reality, and his words hint that maybe he hasn’t learned the lessons he claimed he has.

Simpson didn’t earn his weekly roster bonus because the head coach, who can deactivate him any week for any reason, chose to sit him.  That weekly roster bonus is a result of the way his contract was written.  The contract was written that way because Simpson was sitting on the free agent shelf long after the free agency period opened, largely due to concerns about how long his suspension would be.  His suspension was the result of Simpson’s trouble with the law after a large amount of drugs was delivered to his home.

Action.  Reaction.

Action.  Consequence.

Simpson’s quote is a far cry from the “I’m just grateful to have another opportunity” type of quotes we were getting after he signed with the Vikings, and that is really disappointing to me.

So, now that I have done the second-best thing I do – harp on players like a mother hen – let me do what I actually do best… provide irresponsibly wild speculation.

For a rebuilding year, the 4-2 Vikings are surprisingly close to first place in the NFC North and, by all appearances, are capable of beating any team on any given Sunday if the stars align properly.

One of those stars that could possibly be in line?  How does Dwayne Bowe sound?

The Chiefs star receiver reportedly wants out of Kansas City and there are even some rumors already that he could be part of a pre-deadline deal to Miami, a logical landing spot.  If, however, the Vikings win their next two games (which I fully expect them to) and they are ever-so-close to a playoff spot then they may also become a logical spot for the 28 year old receiver.

Bowe is a big, physical receiver that is capable of stretching the field… just not in the traditional speed-based sort of way.  He is durable, as he has played in all but five games over five and a half seasons, and always seems to contribute at a high level no matter how poorly his team, and quarterbacks, are playing.

Bowe has had maturity issues of his own in the not-so-distant past, but I just can’t imagine him being anything but the perfect complement to Percy Harvin and Kyle Rudolph.  It just seems logical.

What might not seem so logical, once known, is Kansas City’s asking price and Bowe’s contract desires.  That could be a major hiccup in any deal, with any team they try and deal with, but for now I just can’t help but think I am not way off base here… and in a week or two we might be hearing from major media outlets about Minnesota as a potential landing spot for Bowe.

After all, the last time we swung a blockbuster deal with the Chiefs for a troubled talent in his prime, it worked out pretty well.

Everson Griffen Out Indefinitely While Dealing With Personal Tragedy

October 11, 2012, by 1 comment

When one dedicates a good portion of his week reading, researching, and writing about football it can be difficult to remember that there are more important things in life.  I imagine that it is a gazillion times harder for players and coaches to remember that, which could lead to some shocking situations like Brad Childress docking a player’s pay for attending his grandmother’s funeral and Torrey Smith playing lights out football only hours after finding out his brother was dead.

Yesterday, Vikings defensive lineman Everson Griffen found out he will be living the rest of his life with his mother there to help him along.  His mother reportedly died suddenly, cause unknown at this point, while visiting her son in Minnesota.

“As you can imagine, it was tough,” Leslie Frazier said on Thursday. “There was nothing that could have prepared him for that news. He wasn’t here [Thursday]. I’m not sure what his status will be going forward.

“Our prayers as an organization, as well as his teammates, are with him and his family. This is a difficult time for him, as you can imagine, and we’ll be there to support him as best we can. . . . He loved his mom, like we all do. And to have no clue that something like this was on the horizon it was tough. It’s still tough, obviously.”

“Everson means a lot to me, like all our guys do, and I’ve seen the maturation in his life,” Frazier continued. “I told him that [Wednesday] night. I know his mom would be so proud of how he has grown up and become a young man that has made her very proud. It’s hard to see him hurting. I lost my mother not long ago, I know what that experience is like, and it’s hard. It’s hard.”

Unlike the Childress situation mentioned earlier, Frazier is giving his player all the time necessary to properly grieve and says Griffen can return whenever he is ready to do so.

“It’s purely up to him when,” Frazier said. “There’s no timetable. I explained that to him,” Frazier said. “He needs to go through the grieving process properly and don’t be thinking about football. Just doing whatever he needs to do away from football. His mom was very, very close to him. This is going to be a tough deal for him.”

We here at Vikings Territory would like to extend our thoughts and prayers to Everson and his family during this trying time.

Harvin Opens Up

October 1, 2012, by 41 comments

Percy Harvin is enjoying one of his most productive and drama-free seasons of his career thus far, but it was not without a rocky start.

As many of you will remember, Harvin caused a firestorm of reports and speculation when he openly expressed his displeasure with the Vikings organization this offseason and followed up by requesting a trade.  Rick Spielman and Leslie Frazier seemed to quickly placate the star utility receiver, but we never heard for certain what Harvin’s issues were exactly.

Harvin has now opened up, following a game that was essentially won because of his opening kickoff return for a touchdown, and says that his problem stemmed from players not knowing where they fit into Minnesota’s offense.

“I think it was just the identity of our offense,” Harvin said via 1500 ESPN. “Not only me, just guys knowing exactly what the coaches (were) asking of them on a week-to-week basis. Not playing one position one week, and come in and not totally having a grasp on what they’re asking for the next week.

“I think (offensive coordinator Bill) Musgrave has done a great job — I said it all offseason — of putting (Kyle) Rudolph in great situations. We’ve got a package for Jerome (Simpson), which you’ve seen, where we’ll take shots downfield. So everybody knows their role, knows what the coaches expect them to do. Now you can just sit back and try to do it at the highest level you can.”

Harvin is on pace for a 120 catch and 1,200 yard season, not including his contributions on special teams and rushing the ball, which means his pending contract extension is likely to get more and more expensive with every week he stays healthy and production.

Sitting at 3-1 and on top of the NFC North, that is a good problem for the Vikings to have on the horizon.

Things To Know About Monday’s TC Session

July 31, 2012, by 5 comments

A continuation of the news roundup from training camp.  Day three came and went, and here are the top 10 items that you should know:

1.  Michael Jenkins Is Feeling Good

30 year old receiver Michael Jenkins might have an uphill battle when it comes to making this roster, but if he is cut it won’t be because of his torn meniscus from last November.  Jenkins pronounced himself fully recovered from his surgery, which had seemed to hamper him earlier this offseason, on Monday.

2.  Chris Stroud In, Nick Taylor Out

Training camp has claimed its first victim.  A torn labrum landed cornerback Nick Taylor on the injured waivers on Monday, and the Vikings replaced his spot with rookie cornerback Chris Stroud out of Webber International.  Stroud had participated in the Vikings rookie minicamp back in May.  You might remember that Taylor was the “point guard” that Rick Spielman took a lot of grief for signing somewhat early into free agency.

3.  Jared Vs. Matt

The much anticipated matchup between Jared Allen and Matt Kalil got its first action on Monday.  Allen was able to put the moves on Kalil only once during their first head-to-head session, and Kalil largely held his own over the course of the day.  All accounts are that Kalil looked the part of a top five left tackle, and in being compared to Charlie Johnson’s first day on the job is an obvious and immediate upgrade at the position.

4.  Robinson’s Hammy Still Hurtin’

Third round pick Josh Robinson has the skill set to contribute to the Vikings defense, perhaps as a starter.  However, his hamstring injury is causing the Vikings to take a cautious approach and he has been missing practice time and that could continue for a while.  The Vikings and many others view Robinson as a valuable player to have, but he is missing important repetitions that could stunt his growth from a learn-the-game standpoint.

5.  Vikings Are Copy Cats Part I

The Vikings want to copy their divisional rival Chicago Bears when it comes to at least one phase of the game.  Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer admitted on Monday that when the Vikings signed Zack Bowman, a key member of Chicago’s annually fantastic special teams, he jumped on the chance to “grill” Bowman about Chicago.  He intends to not only use the information as a resource when playing against the Bears, but to also perhaps try and emulate the league’s best unit in recent years.  What did Bowman tell Priefer?  That it helps to have a really good returner (i.e. Devin Hester) on your team.  Zack Bowman’s new nickname here at VT is officially Captain Obvious.

6.  Vikings Are Copy Cats Part II

Last year, the tight end duo of the New England Patriots was insane.  Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Henandez combined for 169 catches, over 2,200 yards, and 24 touchdowns.  Talk about trend setting.  A number NFL teams would love to duplicate those stats and the Vikings are one of them, which had to play into their decision to invest so heavily in John Carlson this offseason despite the presence of Kyle Rudolph.  The Vikings gave their own duo a set of game tapes from Patriots games and asked them to study the way the Patriots use their tight end, which has Rudolph all excited about things to come.

7.  A Cautionary Tale

Today is July 31st which means it is the 11th anniversary of the saddest day in Vikings history:  the death of Korey Stringer.  Peterson’s seafood issue on Monday surely scared a number of people that have been with the organization to remember Stringer’s death which was caused by heat stroke.  It is hot right now in Mankato, and we have all read the stories year after year since Stringer’s passing, but you know that today’s date carries special meaning to those guys practicing today.

8.  Cook Standing Out

There are a number of good tidbits in this post from the Daily Norseman, who have a man on the ground at training camp, but one stuck out to me in particular.  Chris Cook, according to the report, is looking like a very good corner now that his off-field issues are (hopefully) behind him.  Cook looked decent before his mid-season arrest last year, and finding a true talent to play with Antoine Winfield and company could be a huge boost to this defense.

9.  Receivers Getting Some Attention

I’m not sure if this is a good sign for our defense, but I am encouraged by the sheer number of good reports coming out of camp about the Vikings receivers.  Jerome Simpson seems to be as advertised, Percy Harvin has been tearing it up, and every time I turn around another receiver is getting praise.  On Monday a Jarius Wright touchdown turned some heads (see below for more), Devin Aromashodu made the play of a day with a leaping catch, and even tight end John Carlson is getting praise from the local media.  Greg Childs was the only one to stand out in a negative way on Monday, as he dropped a wide open pass after burning a defensive back.

10.  Shocker:  Allen Is Vocal

A funny story originated from one of the final plays of Monday’s practice.  The third string offense, led by Sage Rosenfels, had a first down at the one yard line with eight seconds remaining on the clock.  Rosenfels lobbed a pass to rookie receiver Jarius Wright who caught the lob in the back corner of the end zone and stretched to get his feet down.  It was apparently a close call, but the referee on hand signaled it was a touchdown, and then all hell broke loose.  The offense celebrated while the defense argued, spearheaded by Jared Allen who wasn’t even in on the play.  “This is not college! This is not college! This isn’t high school,” Allen hollered as he got in the refs face, in good fun. “You gotta have two feet in!”  Mike Wobschall has a number of other great moments to check out right here.

Top Ten Things To Know About TC So Far

July 29, 2012, by 14 comments

After a couple of days away from my computer, I got back and immediately took to the internet to see what I have missed.  I am glad to report that the worst news I was able to find is that AMC cancelled The Killing after only two seasons.

So, consider it good news that after two days of Vikings training camp nothing disastrous has taken place.  Here are the top ten notes I took away from the first two days of camp:

1.  Ponder And Rudolph Have Serious Chemistry

All reports out of camp indicate that Kyle Rudolph is far and away Christian Ponder’s favorite target.  Rudolph already had ideal size coming out of Notre Dame, but he has supposedly bulked up this offseason, and Ponder is regularly connecting with the tight end in the flats.  Take note, fantasy players.

2.  Peterson Fights But Loses

Adrian Peterson vowed to fight if the Vikings placed him on the PUP list to begin training camp.  He lost.  The Vikings place Peterson on the PUP list but plan to run him through individual drills that are custom tailored and require him to “read and react” to real-time simulated obstacles in an effort to make him cut.  Frazier said he would like to see Peterson play in the preseason at some point, but I am glad to see them playing it safe with their franchise back.

3.  Harvin Is Killing It

While Jerome Simpson has had a few good moments in the first two days, Percy Harvin has reminded everyone who the most talented receiver on the team is.  He has reportedly made a few sprawling grabs and is consistently beating the defense.  Oh, and he is currently being considered the top kick returner, but it remains to be seen if the Vikings will again try to reduce his reps at that spot.  Oh, and about that whole unhappy trade request thing, Harvin declared himself “happy” on Saturday.

4.  Todman Breaks One

With Adrian Peterson on the mend, the third string running back position could very easily prove to be one of great importance in 2012.  Second year player Jordan Todman has been getting a fair share of reps in the beginning of camp.  On one run, he broke free and got himself into a footrace with cornerback Zack Bowman.  Todman ran 80 yards and Bowman was unable to catch him, with Todman scoring a would-be touchdown.

5.  Injury Update

Peterson isn’t the only guy to worry about when it comes to staying healthy.  In fact, we would prefer to see every Viking come out of camp at 100%, but that is not going to
be the case.  The most notable non-Peterson injury is Josh Robinson’s hamstring which happened on Friday after practicing just long enough to impress reporters with his speed during punt return drills.  Tight end Mickey Shuler and wide receiver Stephen Burton both began camp on the non-football related injury list.  Shuler made it onto the field on Saturday, while Burton’s continued absence is disappointing considering he was one of the candidates to have a break through offseason.  Simpson and Bowman both were shaken up when they collided with each other at one point, and linebackers Marvin Mitchell and Corey Paredes were both hobbled on Saturday.  So far, none of the injuries appear to be uber-serious (knock on wood).

6.  Battle At Right Guard

One of the best battles to keep track of this preseason will be that of the starting right guard.  Brandon Fusco and Geoff Schwartz are the top candidates for the job, with Chris DeGeare as a dark horse.  Fusco is getting the most reps with the first team as it stands now.

7.  Reed Impressing

With Everson Griffen focusing on becoming an NFL linebacker, there is suddenly some room for backup defensive ends to make a lasting impression.  So far, it is last year’s seventh round pick D’Aundre Reed that is standing out, using his speed rushing abilities to notch at least one touch sack already.  Frazier described Reed as a “different player” from his rookie season a year ago.

8.  Pressure On Walsh

Blair Walsh is being handed the kicker position on a platinum platter, but the Vikings want to make sure the lack of competition doesn’t hinder his practice routine.  While there may not be much pressure coming in the form of another kicker on the roster, coaches are planning to bombard him with simulated pressure during game-like situations.  Walsh was two of three from 55 yards out on Saturday.  He also made six straight from 46 yards.  Oh, and on Friday, Walsh nailed a 60 yarder while working on his own.

9.  Staying Out Of Trouble Is Key

Leslie Frazier has told the media that he is disappointed in the Vikings arrest record over the last couple of years and is making a point to connect with his roster, doing what he can to ensure they keep out of trouble.  Training camp is not when you want to see a player get thrown behind bars… just ask Rhett Bomar.  Frazier said that the new CBA does not allow him to impose a curfew during training camp, but he suggested a time for players to return to their dorms.  Here’s hoping our guys heed Frazier’s advice.

10.  Felton Over D’Imperio

With roughly 72 of the Vikings 90 roster spots being taken up by fullbacks, there is no doubt going to be some healthy competition there.  Right now, it is Jerome Felton getting the most reps with the first team right ahead of Ryan D’Imperio.  I am still curious to see how fourth round selection Rhett Ellison figures into the team’s plans.