Posts tagged: Robert Griffin III

Vikings Get Burned By RGIII, Angry Brett Emerges

October 14, 2012, by 25 comments

Adam tells me I’m dramatic. I’m sure he’s got a point… I like to think I’m just passionate. Needless to say,  I was in a foul mood today through the Vikings game. I had a feeling this was going to be a difficult team for the Vikings to beat. The primary indicator that we were in for a rough game was this stat: “The Redskins have lost 8 straight games at home.” If you’re a seasoned Vikings fan, you know what that means… Time for the Vikings to be the team allows the Redskins to break that streak. Isn’t that how it always goes? Doesn’t every team that sets some sort of record or breaks some sort of negative streak do so with the aid of Minnesota? You ever notice those old vintage videos on NFL network of some football great having their career game against…? The Vikings. Anyone else notice this? Surely I can’t be the only one…

I predicted the Vikings would win by a field goal this afternoon. But really, that was just because I’m too much of a Vikings homer to predict my team will lose.

Anyway, the Vikings fall to 4-2 today after losing pretty handily to the Washington Redskins. I’m going to dive into some of the details and annoyances of the game… But here’s a warning: don’t expect too much positivity here today. Maybe that will come later in the week… I’ll be able to be more objective – more rational. Right now, though? Now is the time for irrational, angry venting. So join me please as I further ruin your evening.

This venting session brought to you courtesy of Angry Brett.

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A Different Kind Of Challenge

October 8, 2012, by 9 comments

The 4-1 Minnesota Vikings have faced quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert, Andrew Luck, Alex Smith, Matt Stafford, and Matt Hasselbeck so far this season.  Through five weeks these guys have rushed 59 times for 302 yards and two touchdowns.

Robert Griffin III alone, however, has rushed 42 times for 241 yards and four touchdowns (and a concussion).

That concussion could keep RGIII off the field this Sunday, giving the Vikings their second backup quarterback in a row, but all of the reports on Monday suggest that Leslie Frazier’s Vikings will, at the very least, need to spend this week preparing to face their first uber-athletic quarterback of the season.

RGIII has taken the league by storm, right up until he got blown up this week, and is making a strong bid to be 2012’s rookie of the year.  The Vikings have struggled against scrambling throwers in the recent past, but this defense has a very different feel to it.

Let’s take a look at how the Vikings defense might approach the new challenge that RGIII presents:

Spy Games

One of the most tried-and-true approaches to stopping a flight risk quarterback is to assign a “spy” to that player.  A defender with the discipline, intelligence, and instincts to prevent a guy like RGIII from ripping off big chunks of yardage on the ground.

Antoine Winfield, Chad Greenway, and Harrison Smith all come to mind as guys that might fit that bill and they could be key in keeping Griffin under wraps.  Ideally, the Vikings would be able to rotate “spy” duties throughout the defense to keep the Redskins guessing, and to perhaps sneak a few plays in there where no spy is actually assigned.

Mix It Up

Griffin has received plenty of praise for his ability to make good reads and stay cool under pressure.  He is still a rookie, however, and the Vikings could be well served by showing a lot of different packages and blitzes.  The team has recently made a new commitment to “keeping it simple,” but rookie quarterbacks are prone to make mistakes and confusing him could only play to our advantage.

I would be very pleased to see Winfield, Josh Robinson, or even Marcus Sherels blitz fromt eh corner from time to time, aiming for Griffin’s blind side.

Match That Athleticism

Veteran smarts and savvy cannot be undervalued on this young defense, but sometimes athleticism like Griffin’s needs to be matched with athleticism.  In this case, matching Griffin with Griffen could be very interesting.

I would, at least slightly, increase Everson Griffen’s snap count this week.  Griffen is almost certainly the most athletic player on this defense and he needs to be included in the effort to stop RGIII.  For his size, Griffen is incredibly fast and has long limbs, both of which would help him pursue Griffin on the run.

Simple Basics

Kevin Williams opened last week’s game by letting a tackle for a loss and then a sack slip right through his fingers.  Those types of missed tackles might be a side note in the aftermath of a game against Matt Hasselbeck and the Titans, but Griffin and the Redskins are more dangerous on offense and those miscues can easily turn into important game changers in the blink of an eye.

Williams and the rest of the defense have to make sure to take advantage of the opportunities they do get.  This is a tougher task than the Titans were, and missed tackles and dropped interceptions are not something we want to be the main focus after this weekend.

Vikings Are Essentially On The Clock

March 10, 2012, by 4 comments

News broke late on Friday night, via Jay Glazer, that the St. Louis Rams have traded the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft to the Washington Redskins.

According to Glazer, the bounty (ha!) is quite plentiful.  The Rams will receive the sixth overall pick in this Draft, two future first round picks, and other multiple draft choices.  It is assumed, and for good reason, that Washington plans to use the second pick on Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

 It will be tough for some Vikings fans to think about how close this franchise could have been to netting such a profit had they not beat, coincidentally, the Redskins on Christmas Eve with Joe Webb and Toby Gerhart playing the roles of unlikely heroes, but not all is lost.

The deal cannot be finalized until the league year begins on Tuesday, but as I stated previously, the Vikings now find themselves in a pretty good situation.

They can now take the player they find to be the best non-quarterback addition to the roster whether it be Matt Kalil, Morris Claiborne, or Justin Blackmon.  They can also begin to entertain offers for teams, like perhaps the Bengals, that may be looking to move up and snag a player they covet.

The Vikings may not have the same leverage that St. Louis had, but they suddenly have a lot more of it than they did on Friday morning.

I hope Rick Spielman’s cell phone came with unlimited minutes.

COMMUNITY MOCK: Day Two

March 2, 2012, by 4 comments

Day one of our “Community Mock” is in the books and the Indianapolis Colts predictably came away drafting Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.  Luck received over 89% of the votes.  Remember, the progress of our mock can be viewed by clicking here, which includes analysis from you, the readers.

Today, it is the Rams that are on the clock, which presents a number of options both in terms of players and trades.  Take a look at the options, make a pick or choose your own path by selecting “other” and specifying what you think in the comments. 

Remember, if you leave a comment with your vote, you might just get picked to provide the “analysis” for the pick in our mock.

Here we go:

Community Mock: Day One

March 2, 2012, by 4 comments

For the next 32 days (give or take) I want to take Vikings Territory on a journey through the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft by allowing you to vote on each pick on a day-by-day basis.  The picks will be decided by who gets the majority of the votes and the results will be posted here, updated daily.

In the “analysis” section of the grid I will pick a comment that I feel best describes the rationale behind the choice, so be sure to leave a comment stating your reasoning.

Today, we will start you off with an easy one, as the Colts are on the clock with the first overall pick.

Vikings On Deck? A Good Scenario

February 29, 2012, by 1 comment

It seems to be all but a done deal that the two Draft selections in front of the Vikings will be used on quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, in that order.  That essentially leaves the Vikings with the options of selecting left tackle Matt Kalil, selecting cornerback Morris Claiborne, selecting wide receiver Justin Blackmon, or trading down for a healthy ransom.

Rumors are flying around right now that the Rams could trade that number two pick well before April’s Draft, however, which could put the Vikings next in line to entertain substantial offers for the third overall selection.

And those rumors of an early trade might just have some weight behind them.

Think about it.  The value of the number two overall selection, which gives a team the right to presumably draft Griffin, may never be higher than it is right now and the Rams reportedly have a large number of suitors.

If they wait, however, then some of those suitors will likely drop out of the running as they fill their quarterback needs elsewhere.  Fewer suitors means a smaller audience for the auction, which could mean a lesser deal.

Let’s say, for example, that Miami signs Peyton Manning.  They are now out of the auction.  What if the Browns or Redskins sign Matt Flynn?  The Niners could re-commit to Alex Smith.  What if the Seahawks decided they wanted to roll with Jason Campbell?  What if one or more of those teams decide they like Ryan Tannehill and choose to wait it out for Draft Day and see how things unfold?

The Rams may never again have as many bidders as they do right now, following an amusement park ride of hype at the NFL Combine, and they may opt to strike a deal while the iron is hot. 

I would… if I were them.

If, and it is admittedly a big if, things unfold early with the Rams trade options, it could put the Vikings in the driver’s seat for the remainder of the Draft.  In fact, they may be able to hold an auction of their own for Tannehill if enough teams feel like he can be a franchise quarterback (we’ve seen lesser quarterbacks rise faster than that).

Or it could simply be a matter of testing the waters and seeing what price team’s might be willing to pay for a chance to snag Kalil, Blackmon, or Claiborne.

Being in the driver’s seat is exactly where the Vikings would ideally be sitting, so pay close attention to the drama surrounding the number two pick, as it might just define this Vikings Draft.

Rams Have Decided To Trade #2 Pick

February 27, 2012, by No comments yet

Not that this should surprise anybody, but “sources” reported today that the St. Louis Rams have already decided to trade the 2nd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. According to those same “sources,” they have had discussions with the Browns, Redskins and Dolphins (again, big surprise). Robert Griffin III’s stellar performance at the combine over the weekend pretty much sealed the deal that someone would move up into the Ram’s position to take the speedy quarterback from Baylor.

(Note: Take this with a grain of salt. Nothing is certain or official… And these pesky “sources” seem to jump the gun quite often. But ESPN’s Adam Schefter has even said the Rams will be trading the pick and he is almost always accurate in his reporting.)

What does this mean for our Vikings? Well, it means that we can have whoever our little hearts desire (that is, as long as their name doesn’t end in “Luck” or roman numerals). Moreover, it means Matt Kalil will almost definitely be in purple next year, protecting quarterback Christian Ponder’s blindside from Lions, Packers and Bears for many years to come. As we reported a couple days ago, Kalil had a good showing this past weekend at the combine and solidified his status as the best offensive tackle in this year’s draft class.

While they are unlikely, here are some other directions the Vikings could take on draft day now that we know what will be happening with the #2 pick.

  1. Trade the pick. (Very unlikely, though.. After Griffin, there really isn’t anyone good enough to trade up to the #3 spot for. But, who knows? Anything’s possible.)
  2. Select wide receiver Justin Blackmon.
  3. Select cornerback Morris Claiborne.
  4. Surprise (infuriate) everyone and do something completely unexpected.

A lot can happen in the next 58 days leading up to the draft and free agency will undoubtedly affect the Vikings draft strategy. But, with every passing day, it seems more and more likely that the Vikings will finally address a need that the team seemingly has had forever with Matt Kalil. Eventually, we’ll move past the third pick and begin to speculate more heavily about what the Vikings will do in the rest of the draft.