The first place Minnesota Vikings (Did I just type that?!) head to Chicago this week to face the Bears and seem to be completely out of wack. Everyone is calling for the coaches head, linebackers are going down left and right, and this offense can't find a way to put the ball in the end zone. This team obviously has some big problems, and I think they mostly come down to coaching.
There is absolutely no reason why the Minnesota Vikings should not win this division, hands down. They are the most talented team in the division on both sides of the ball. Yes, even on the offensive side. Jared Allen, Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Chad Greenway, Ben Leber, Antoine Winfield, Darren Sharper, Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Bernard Berrian, Steve Hutchinson, Matt Birk, and Bryant McKinnie. Anytime you have players like that on both sides of the ball, you should be able to succeed. The defense is playing like a top-5 unit in the NFL, so no blame goes to them. The offense is playing like my Blake Bears high school football team did my senior year when they went winless. Why? Terrible play calling.
Many will say this offense has a mediocre quarterback, which is true. But with the weapons the Vikings have, they should still be able to generate something, which they haven't. Take Adrian Peterson. He hasn't been able to break off his traditional long runs because of 8 and 9 man fronts. How do you combat that? Adrian Peterson is best when he's in the open field making people miss. Get him the ball in the open field! Throw him the ball in the flat and let him make people miss. Use the defense's aggressiveness against them. The Saints do it with Reggie Bush, and it works wonders. Take a page out of their play book. Plus, after you make the defense respect the screen, then maybe some lanes will open up for AD inside. Take Bernard Berrian. He is supposed to be your deep threat. Take 3 or 4 deep shots down the field to him every game! Even if you don't complete any, it at least shows the defense that you have that in your play book. It gives them something to fear. Also, you probably will complete one or at least get a PI call. It will also free up lanes for AD. Basically, what I'm saying is let your players play to their strengths. Get Adrian the ball in the flat, get Berrian the ball deep, and do the same things for your other players like Wade, Shiancoe, and Sidney Rice (if he ever plays). Other teams have to start respecting the fact that we can do things successfully other than handing the ball off to Adrian up the middle. Until Brad Childress starts doing this and not calling run-run-pass every single drive, this offense won't get any better. Oops, did I just give away the game plan for Sunday? Sorry, Brad.
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You've got it right on the poor playcalling- way to predictable. I don't know if you read it the other day in the Strib, but Souhan wrote an article saying maybe it would be ultimately better for us if the season just tanked instead of us scraping by mediocre teams and going 9-7 so Childress can say we improved. That way he stays, and we continue to go nowhere. It's a decent point.
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