You could tell from Cedric’s reaction immediately after the play that it was bad.
Losing Cedric Griffin for the season with another ACL injury is a big blow to the Vikings defense. You saw just how large his absence looms when the Jets immediately and effectively targeted his replacement, Asher Allen.
We’re not likely to get Chris Cook back next week against the Cowboys, so Allen will get a full day’s work next Sunday.
More frighteningly, can Chris Cook stay healthy?
LITO SHEPPARD
Had a standout game on special teams, picking the Jets kick returner up into the air on one play and driving him back five yards with a text-book tackle and saving a touchdown on the Jets’ long kick return immediately after Moss’ touchdown.
OPEN IT UP?
Percy Harvin did not couch his opinion from reporters that the play calling during the first half of the game left a lot to be desired.
The Star Tribune‘s Chip Scoggins has the quote: “You have to ask the coaches that. We kind of opened it up a little more. The first half we kind of I guessed played right into their hands. Their DBs couldn’t lock us up one-on-one. We knew that coming into the game. You seen that in the second half.”
It’s hard to argue with that analysis.
OVERTHROWING MOSS
The lack of practice between Brett Favre and Randy Moss was most evident on the numerous deep passes to Moss.
Last season, Favre had the luxury of under-throwing Sidney Rice with the confidence that Rice could go up and muscle the ball away from defenders.
Moss can do that too but the path of least resistance with Moss is over-throwing him and letting him run to the ball and catch it in stride. Antoinio Cromartie did a great job defending Moss but Favre made it much easier for Cromartie by not leading Randy.
If he throws the ball out in front of Randy, he can create the separation and outrun Cromartie to the ball and, likely, to the end zone.
PROTECTION
Though he whiffed on a few blitz pickups, Adrian Peterson picked up two one play, Randy Moss‘ touchdown. Those pickups allowed Favre just enough time to get the ball off cleanly and put the ball where only Moss could haul it in.
He ain’t no Robert Smith but he might just be improving.
0
The number of fumbles Adrian Peterson has had this season. It’s obvious he’s being conscientious about protecting the rock and that tells us, after three long years anyway, that once he sets his mind to something, he can learn and execute.
While pass protection is far more cerebral than protecting the ball, it nevertheless bodes well for Peterson’s ambition to be a great all-around back.
3
The number of turnovers caused by Brett Favre: 3 fumbles (2 lost) and 1 game-sealing interception.
EAST COAST BIAS
If you watched the pre-game show prior to the game Monday night, you could not help but notice how effusive the ESPN crew was when discussing the New York Jets and how dismissive they were of the Vikings. With the exception of Cris Carter, who, as a former Viking himself, has sources within the team, it was a foregone conclusion that the Vikings would lose.
During one segment, apropos of nothing, Joe Theismann suggested that adding Randy Moss to the roster would create turmoil in the locker room. Cris Carter slapped that down with a roll of his eyes. Carter, you could tell from his body language, was silently saying c’mon, maaaaaannn.
At one point, Keyshawn Johnson admitted he didn’t know who was in the Vikings secondary. An ignorance of the team they are covering is not unusual among the national NFL media, but you rarely hear people admit it.
Give Johnson credit for honesty. But still, is it too much to ask from a person whose sole job is providing commentary on NFL games that they learn the teams they are commenting upon inside and out? I mean, must be a tough job, you know?
Unfortunately for the Vikings fans who watched the pre-game blather, they had to endure it much longer than usual due to the rain delay.
And by the way, a rain delay in football? WTF?!?
Lastly, several times during the game Jon Gruden exclaimed how the Vikings defense was the highest scoring in the league. You’re a couple of years late, there, Jon. In 2006 and 2007, the Vikings defense scored six and eight touchdowns, respectively. Since then, not so much.
BALL HAWKS
Speaking of which, for as awesome as our defense is, why they hell don’t we score more? It’s almost a luxury to be able to complain about a defense that keeps opponents from scoring touchdowns as frequently as our team does, but you gotta ask, if we’re that awesome, why don’t we create more turnovers.
Antoine Winfield dropped an interception that would’ve given us great field position and we sorely needed a few of those on Monday night.
As mentioned above, in 2006 and 2007 the Vikings defense actually was a scoring machine. The major difference? Then we has Darren Sharper and Dwight Smith as our safeties; since then we downgraded to Madieu Williams and Tyrell Johnson. Whether Husain Abdullah works out remains to be seen.