Posts tagged: donovan mcnabb

Question Of The Week: Time For A Coaching Change?

November 6, 2012, by 35 comments

In 2010, Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings ranked 23nd in offensive yards gained and 29th in points scored.  They ranked 10th in rushing offense and 26th in passing offense.

When the Vikings transitioned from Brad Childress to Leslie Frazier in the head coaching spot, Bill Musgrave was hired to head the Vikings offense and their top draft picks were spent on quarterback Christian Ponder and tight end Kyle Rudolph.

This offseason General Manager Rick Spielman devoted a good portion of his resources towards improving the roster on the offensive side of the ball.  Four of their top six picks were spent on offensive players, including a star left tackle and two receivers.  Receiver Jerome Simpson, tight end John Carlson, and offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz were among the only notable free agency moves the team made.

So what has the improvement been?

The Vikings offense of 2012, approaching the toughest part of their schedule, is currently:

17th in points scored (improved from 2010)

22nd in yards gained (improved)

5th in rushing (improved)

30th in passing (regressed)

So, with much being made about Christian Ponder’s lack of production, people are starting to wonder if Bill Musgrave is on the verge of being dismissed.  In a season and a half, Musgrave has had three quarterbacks start in his offense (McNabb, Webb, and Ponder) and none of seen any overwhelming success to speak of.

If Ponder and company, possibly without Percy Harvin, dial up another stinker on Sunday against the Lions then the echoes of boos will be ringing well into the Vikings bye week.  This leads us to today’s question of the week.

So, here is a chance to cast one more vote today:

Links Of The Week: Draft Month Is Upon Us!

April 2, 2012, by 1 comment

Howdy, everybody. It’s been kind of slow as far as Vikings news goes the past couple days. Nevertheless, we wanted to supply everyone with some of our favorite articles of the week during this little dry spell. So, here we go:

First things first, Donovan McNabb is hilarious. First he proclaims that Robert Griffin III isn’t going to work out in Washington. Now, in response to the declaration that Tim Tebow is the most criticized quarterback in the NFL, McNabb vehemently insisted that, in fact, he [himself] is.

Chris Kluwe is getting his #5 jersey back.

Rick Spielman recently did a pretty lengthy, insightful interview with PFT Live. Check it out.

And then, for some analysis on Spielman’s various interviews and smokescreens, the Vikings Age has a nice little article wondering if Spielman maybe tipped his hand on Kalil.

Could someone really want to come up and take the Vikings #3 spot for Ryan Tannehill?! Some believe it is quite possible.

There were some rule changes decided upon at the recent Owner’s meeting. Still no 18 game season, though.

Ugh… Is this stadium issue ever going to end? I know you have heard it before, but it seems like it is closer than ever with things supposedly ramping up this week in the House of Representatives.

Check out who the Vikings have scheduled private workouts with so far. What, no receivers?

Much like we did a few days ago, The Vikings Age have put together their own report card of sorts for how the Vikings (and Spielman) have done so far this offseason.

I’m going to miss Visanthe on this team. Here’s a short video of him recently signing autographs for fans (a goodbye of sorts) and answering a few questions (including how he feels about Darren Sharper and the bounty scandal, if he “Twitters from the throne”, and more).

Now that we are officially in draft month, check out the most recent Mock Draft of Walter Football. It includes five full rounds so you can see more than the [inevitable] Kalil selection.

And finally, an official announcement: Vikings Territory will be participants in the best community Mock Draft on the internet right now representing the Minnesota Vikings along with two other “GMs”. You can check out the previous mocks (we’ll be #MockThree) at the #MockOne website. We’ll have more info and details on this as it starts up.

 

McNabb To Ponder Meant Expanded Playbook

February 28, 2012, by 1 comment

Donovan McNabb has been all over the place recently in an effort to defend his reputation, ask for teams to give him a chance to compete, and to possibly develop a career as an analyst.

McNabb recently admitted that the negativity that has followed him in recent years is something he takes personally.  He says that is only him being a human.

Meanwhile, he has gone to great lengths to try and dispel reports that his conditioning and work ethic are not where they need to be for a starting NFL quarterback.

“There are always going to be haters out there,” McNabb stated.

He went on to argue that all one would have to do is ask his former coaches and teammates about his work ethic and they would learn the truth.  Leslie Frazier did the right thing by speaking highly of the veteran following his release by the Vikings.

Still, it is hard to imagine these issues didn’t factor into his early demise in Minnesota, and one unnamed Vikings player pretty much confirms that for us with a quote given to Viking Update.

“Not to say anything on McNabb, but from when (Ponder took) over, the expansion our playbook that they were able to add just because of his knowledge and him being able to take so much in at once and being able to turn it onto the field – he’s one of the smartest guys.”

This player doesn’t exactly rip on McNabb directly, but the idea that a rookie hindered by the NFL’s lockout was able to grasp Bill Musgrave’s offense better than a supposedly savvy veteran is ridiculous.

Or at least it was ridiculous… prior to 2011.

Cost Of McNabb Disaster Cut In Half

February 25, 2012, by 1 comment

Donovan McNabb was sent to Minnesota by Washington in exchange for a 2012 sixth round pick and a conditional 2013 sixth round pick.

The conditional pick was reportedly based around playing time, and according to Tom Pelissero of 1500 ESPN, McNabb did not play enough snaps to trigger the condition.  McNabb played 348 of the team’s 1,037 snaps which is 33.6% and thought to be just under the amount needed to trigger the condition.

So, while the Vikings are one sixth rounder shy this offseason due to the McNabb trade, 2013 will not be affected.  This year, the Vikings have six of their regular picks (rounds 1-5 and round 7) and two extra picks (rounds 6 & 7) that came via the Sage Rosenfels and Jayme Mitchell trades.

Pelissero predicts the Vikings will get two fourth round conditional picks for losing Ray Edwards and Sidney Rice to free agency last offseason.  I have long been predicting a slightly less optimistic scenario for the compensatory picks in which the team nets one pick from the fourth, sixth and seventh rounds each.

Final (Miscellaneous) Notes Of 2011

December 30, 2011, by No comments yet

Today, Adrian Peterson underwent surgery to repair the ACL and MCL ligaments in his left knee. The procedure was performed by Dr. James Andrews, a well-known orthopedic surgeon who has helped mend many knees, shoulders and elbows of big name athletes. According to Coach Leslie Frazier, the operation was “successful” and Peterson is somewhere “resting comfortably.”

Chad Greenway will be a Pro Bowl alternate at linebacker this year. The only other Viking that will represent our team in this year’s Pro Bowl is Jared Allen, who currently leads the league in sacks with 18.5. Although alternates only play if one of the Pro Bowl starters can’t play, it’s good to see Greenway get some recognition after racking up 165 tackles, 11 being for a loss, this season.

At the beginning of the season, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe made a deal with temporary, fill-in quarterback Donovan McNabb that allowed McNabb to wear Kluwe’s number 5 jersey. The deal, among other things, required McNabb make a $5,000 donation to Kick for a Cure, Kluwe’s preferred charity. Well, about a week ago, everyone’s favorite Vikings blogger, Adam Warwas exclaimed, “McNabb needs to pay up!” as he had not yet made the donation. Today, Kluwe put the story to rest by tweeting, “ATTENTION MEDIA VULTURES – I talked to Donovan and he’s more than happy to write the check to Kick For a Cure, since he’s a standup guy…Like I said originally, this was on me because I hadn’t had a chance to ask him since midseason. You may now return to pecking at the dead horse carcass of Tim Tebow.” Kluwe has such a way with words…

In an odd coincidence (or is it…?!), Mike Tice returns to Minnesota 6 years after he was fired as head coach of the Vikings. Tice, who is now the offensive line coach for the Bears, was fired immediately after a win in the final game of the 2005 season… over the Bears… who the Vikings play this Sunday… who Tice is a coach for now… Strange how things work out. If I were Frazier, I’d be a little worried and would probably hide somewhere for an hour or two after the game (Tice was fired thirty minutes after his final game).

This Sunday, Jim Kleinsasser will play his 181st and last game as a Viking. Coach Frazier made it no secret that, if the opportunity presents itself, the team plans on trying to thank him with one final touchdown. Frazier said, “I’m not letting out any secrets there. If we get down to the 1 [yard line], Chicago, you better stop number 40. We’re going to find a way to try to get him into the end zone if we can.”