For my money, the most impressive thing about the Vikings’ offense thus far this season has been their ability to set-up the following game by the way they play the previous game.
Titan’s head coach Jeff Fisher and his defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz need to account for Randy Moss simply because Mike Tice has wisely saying that playing Moss with his hamstring aggravation will be a gametime decision.
Even so, if Fisher and company based their gameplan on a Mossless Vikings, it would still be a tall task because you’ve still got too much to account for. First, there’s Daunte Culpepper, whose setting fire to league records by coming off three five-touchdown games, and whose decision-making has never been better. You’ve also got to consider that Culpepper is still a threat to run, as he demonstrated against the Texans.
If Randy Moss is not on the field, then your next biggest threat is the 6’3" Marcus Robinson, who had nine catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans. That game, after all, proved that defenses that focused soley on Moss would pay for it with Robinson, right?
Wrong. See Week Six, when Nate Burleson got six catches for 134 yards and Robinson still scored two touchdowns in a game where we were minus Moss for more than a half.
Without the deep threat, then you’ve got to account for Robinson and Burleson, then. But if you ingnore Kelly Campbell, you’re vulnerable to…the deep pass.
But with Jim Kleinsasser our for the year, surely you don’t have to worry about the tight end position, right? Again, wrong. Jermaine Wiggins had five receptions for 55 yards and two TDs against the Saints last week.
The Titans certainly will account for multi-purpose running back, fourth-round rookie Mewelde Moore. He has, after all, 209 yard rushing and 182 yards receiving on two starts this season. But with Michael Bennett back in the lineup this week, Fisher has to worry about yet another homerun threat in the Vikes lineup.
Even with Moss out, the Vikings field an offense with too many weapons for defensive coordinators to reasonably deal with.