- Swarm
- Jared
- Robison
- Leber
- Winfield
- Berrian
- Tyrell
- Madieu
- Rewind, Watch; Rewind, Watch
- Roster Move
- Foot In Mouth
- Tweet Of The Game
- Happy Birthday
Let’s savor this, shall we? More notes from Sunday’s victory…
SWARM
It was awesome to see the Vikings defense ssswaaaarm like they did against the Bills. We haven’t seen that in a long time, especially the turnovers. Let’s hope that keeps up.
Jared Allen continues his strong play of late; last Sunday he was a terror. On paper he had one sack, three tackles, two assists and a forced fumble but that doesn’t do his day justice.
He forced an incompletion that was originally a fumble (that Antoine Winfield recovered) that required a review to get overturned.
He blew by left tackle Demetrius Bell on a third and eight to nail Ryan Fitzpatrick and force another incompletion and snuff another drive.
Allen had at least one knifing tackle of a running back for a loss.
He forced a fumble with a left-handed swat that Brian Robison recovered.
He was in Fitzpatrick’s face all day long. That’s the Jared Allen we all know and love.
ROBISON
With Ray Edwards inactive, backup defensive end Brian Robison proved he’s starting material.
Robison’s pressure forced the Antoine Winfield interception. Another hit on Fitzpatrick forced an incompletion. And Robison recovered a fumble that linemate Jared Allen forced.
And he sucked down the Gatorade before the game to ensure he wouldn’t cramp up during it, the PiPress‘ Jeremy Fowler notes.
LEBER
Birthday boy Ben Leber had a standout game, as well.
Leber was all over the place. He forced a fumble that the announcers tried to credit to Chad Greenway (which Antoine Winfield recovered) and he recovered the botched snap fumble on the Vikings one yard line to stop a potential Bills score.
WINFIELD
To credit Antoine Winfield with making textbook tackle after textbook tackle is unremarkable because he does it all the time.
But notice how many times his name was mentioned above? Fumble recoveries. Interception returns.
He’s just. That. Good.
BERRIAN
Even on offense, our defense was good. Did you see the beautiful form tackle Bernard Berrian made on the Bills’ interception return of Tarvaris Jackson‘s ill-advised long bomb to Sidney Rice into double coverage with a single-high safety?
I don’t know what was more surprising: That Berrian made such a pretty tackle or that he didn’t break doing it.
TYRELL
Give safety Tyrell Johnson credit for knocking the ball out of McKelvin‘s arm during the kickoff return that Frank Walker recovered.
MADIEU
About the only bad thing about the Vikings defense against the Bills was, again, safety Madieu Williams.
Tyrell Johnson actually started ahead of him but Williams got into the game when Johnson got hurt.
It seemed that whenever the announcer said “Madieu Williams on the coverage,” it was a big play for the Bills.
- Lee Evans, 26 yard catch: “Madieu Williams on the coverage.” Williams nearly had his back to the play!
- Stevie Johnson, 28 yard catch: Williams whiffs on a tackle attempt.
- David Nelson, 12 yard touchdown catch: “Madieu Williams on the coverage.”
REWIND, WATCH; REWIND, WATCH
God help you if you haven’t got a DVR, because that’s what you have to do when watching Adrian Peterson play.
- He blows through linebackers on his way to the end zone
- He blows through defensive linemen on his way to the secondary
- And he blows past entire defenses on his way to the end zone
I don’t know how many times I watched that last 43 yard touchdown run, it was so pretty.
It was like Old Skool Madden where he had a train of half the defense following him in a single line.
I was sorta surprised he didn’t do some loop-de-loops before he decided to cross the goal line.
Ridiculous.
ROSTER MOVE
The Vikings signed Lorenzo Booker yesterday to be a third-down running back. The 5-10, 191 pound Booker is a three-year pro who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2007 out of Florida State, was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008, and most recently played for the Hartford Colonials of the UFL. Hopefully, he’s still got some of his college moves. [WATCH Lorenzo Booker Highlights.]
This means the Vikings will need to make room for Booker on the roster which likely also means that third string running back Albert Young is not long for this team.
FOOT IN MOUTH
This is a bit old, but just in case you missed: Former Vikings defensive coordinator and current Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin says his linebacker, James Harrison, shouldn’t be fined for illegal or vicious hits because “He’s got two kids. That’s some serious college schooling right there potentially for those kids 16, 18 years from now.”
How soon we lose touch, Mike.
TWEET OF THE GAME
During the gameday #VikingsChat, I noticed this gem from @vita10gy after Vikings punter Chris Kluwe got nailed on kick coverage, for which the Bills were called for unsportsmanlike conduct:
Leave @chriswarcraft alone! #vikings
Do I smell an Internet meme? WATCH – with a warning: Includes profanity (found at YouTube from itschriscrocker):
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday today to linebacker Ben Leber (32)!