See what I mean?
I’ve been saying that the Vikings just need to get a little better on offense and they’d win a lot more games. Well, they got a lot better on Sunday. Man, I didn’t expect that.
Adrian Peterson has officially arrived on the NFL scene. 361 all purpose yards; 224 of them rushing and 128 of them returning kicks. As a result of his amazing performance, Peterson has become the story of the week, with everyone gushing over him. NFL Network even did a nice piece on him.
Offensive Line
But you can’t have an amazing performance like Peterson‘s if you’re offensive line isn’t doing their job. Could Anthony Herrera made that much of a difference? Starting at right guard in place of Artis Hicks, Herrera and the rest of the line played their best game of the Childress era. They were opening holes for Peterson and Chester Taylor and gave Tarvaris Jackson enough time in the pocket to find his receivers. If the offensive line has just started clicking, then maybe the season isn’t lost after all.
Dual Backs
It sure looks like Childress and company have found the sweet spot by balancing touches between Peterson and Taylor. Peterson carried the rock 20 times and Taylor had 22 rushes for 83 yards. Give Richardson his one carry, and the Vikings ran the ball 43 times. That’s a hell of a ground game.
The Vikings now have someone who can provide the team with the explosive plays we were lacking. Peterson had runs of 27 yards, 67 yards, 73 yards, and 35
yards.
I love the idea of having Taylor and Peterson on the field at the same time; it’s gotta create match up problems for opposing defenses and keeps them off balance as well.
Finally, it sure looks like the addition of Peterson to the roster has helped improve Taylor’s game.
Receivers
The game could have been a blowout if our receivers didn’t continue to drop so many balls. The first pass on a slant to Troy Williamson hit him in the chest and ricocheted around before falling to the ground. Had Williamson caught that ball, he might have slipped the defenders for a long gain or even a touchdown. It was smart to go right back him on the next play.
Williamson also dropped a third down reception on a crossing patter just at the sidelines that hit him in both hands and would have been a first down. He did lay out for an overthrown bomb but even on his 60 yard touchdown reception, Williamson caught the ball with his arms rather than his hands. Even so, just the fact that he caught a long touchdown bomb has got to go a long way toward boosting Williamson’s confidence and giving opposing defenses something to think about.
Sidney Rice also dropped an easy catch on a slant that would probably have gone for a touchdown but he also made a very nice diving catch to convert a first down. Bobby Wade didn’t make a third down catch he should have that would’ve resulted in a first down.
Tarvaris Jackson
TJax was not the panicked QB he was before the bye. But pass protection will do that for you.
Jackson the aforementioned passes that were dropped. His 60 yard touchdown to Williamson was a perfect strike. But I thought his most impressive pass was the one he threw deep to Robert Ferguson in the end zone. It was thrown to the sideline side of Ferguson so only the receiver could catch the ball. It would have been a tough catch, but Ferguson should have made it.
On the other hand, Jackson did have quite a few misses; a lot of his passes were behind his receivers. He had Shiancoe open down the seam for what would have been a long game and perhaps even a touchdown, but Jackson overthrew him.
He missed a wide open Tony Richardson for a catch that would’ve gone for a long gain or even a touchdown. Jackson also missed Williamson by a step for another bomb.
But the fact that Jackson didn’t look like a wild-eyed rookie and didn’t turn the ball over is progress.
Vikings Defense
Going into the Bears game, you would have thought that the weakness of our defense would be our young corners, Cedric Griffin and Marcus McCauley. With the exception of McCauley’s fourth quarter dropped interception that was followed by a Bears touchdown, the two played exceptionally well.
Who would have thought it would be the savvy veterans Antione Winfield and Dwight Smith that gave up touchdowns. Excuse me, when you’re just trying to prevent a score, how do you let Devin Bloody Hester get behind you?!?
Erasmus James was in for a few plays and on at least one, he was a half-second behind his line mates off the ball. The guy still does not have his explosion back and you wonder if he ever will regain it.
E.J. Henderson continues to kick some serious football ass and Ben Leber made an outstanding pick.
But the story of the defense was certainly the abysmal play of Chad Greenway. The guy has got to learn how to shed blocks. Jeeze. What is he doing out there?!? Instead of trying to push a lineman away on his way to the ball carrier, Greenway explodes into them, as if he were the one doing the blocking. It was ugly.
Vikings vs. Cowboys
While I’m more hopeful and excited about the Vikings prospects after the Bears game, I am not insane and therefore I have to say, sadly, that the Cowboys are going to absolutely dismantle the Vikings.