Mixed Feelings......The Vikings

What a difference a couple of weeks can make.

Just two weeks ago, I was hoping the Vikings would lose out and get a killer player with a top 3 draft pick. I was calling for Tice's head, criticizing the big dummy and repeatedly bringing up what a stupid trade the Randy Moss deal was.

Now, after a win against the Lions and a BIG upset on the road against the mighty G-men, I'm singing a different tune.

I no longer hope the Vikings will lose out and get a killer draft pick. It's not because I think we have a chance at the Super Bowl. It's not because we're only 2 games back in the north. It's not because I acquired a bunch of Vikings on my Fantasy Football team. It's not because I'm worried that the next head coaches regime will be as hopeless in the amature draft as Tice's friends as family prove to be. It's because on any given Sunday, your team will either win or lose. If we win the weakest division in the NFL, we could be that Cinderella Team that makes a storm out of nowhere and electrifies a nation, and that will allow us to give Jim and the rest of the Packers fans crap until next year.

What's wrong with the Vikings?

Lets start with the fans. We're the most skipped group in this discussion. Fans were glad to see Randy Moss traded. He was a distraction. As Tanner Kent said on the Porch one morning "Randy Moss limited the offense. He put us in a box by not going over the middle.......I think we fleeced the Raiders." Fans called for the Big Dummy to be benched for Gus Ferrotte in the past, and there were some grumblings that he should be benched for Brad Johnson this year. Well you bunch of weasles, you got your wish.

No Randy Moss. No Culpepper. We should be ready to run the table right? I mean, we spent a lot on defense with our Randy savings. What's stopping us? Oh yeah, our offense sucks and our defense is still bad.

Randy Moss and Dante "The Big Dummy" Culpepper are RARE talents. You don't find guys like them very often. That's what makes elite talent so special. If you take two of the best offensive players in the NFL away from a team, of COURSE their offense is going to get worse. When that same team loses two starting offensive linemen, loses an offensive coordinator and has a terrible coach, of COURSE there will be problems.

Mike Tice is not an offensive coach. He's not a defensive coach either, he's just a tight ends coach who was in the wrong place in the wrong time, and is less likely to keep his job for another go-round then George W. Bush. When Scott Linehan was hired away from the Dolphins, and was replaced by the offensive line coach, who still nKEPT his position as line coach, the season was lost. It's too much for any team to overcome. You can't commit to a running attack without a good line or a good back. Mewelde Moore and Michael Bennet are NOT good backs. If we had Edge, Jamal Lewis, Alexander, Tomlinson, ANY actual back who is capable of making things happen if there is one defender anywhere on the field between them and the end zone, it MIGHT have worked. If our line was as good as it's been in the past. But we don't have any of the pre-reqs. If we still had an A+ passing game, our backs would look better, like they did when Moss was still catching touchdowns.

Sigh.

Then there is the defense. Atrocious. Blow-outs. Nightmares of Carson Palmer and Steve Smith tearing us apart. Losing to the BEARS and Kyle Orton. Ugh.

I was excited when the Vikings bought a new defense. I expected, as many people did, an instant Ravens-esque D. It's not a realistic hope. You can't bring in 5 good players and immediately expect results. They have to learn to adapt. I think Cottrell is the lone coach on the staff that should keep his job. Give him a couple of years, and we'll have a GOOD defense. You have to give it time to grow together. Let the peices come together. We've got good players on the defensive side of the ball. If we could draft a good linebacker, we would be set. I think every week the D will get better. If we DO make the playoffs, they MIGHT have had the time to turn the corner.

"But we've won the last two games. We're two games out of first in the North. We're still in this. The Vikes aren't as bad as you say!" These are points that could be raised. But trust me, the Vikes could be worse.

We won the last two because of Brad Johnson. My boy is NOT an elite quarterback. He won't go to the Pro Bowl ever again. He will probably never play in a Super Bowl again. He's kind of like the ugly duckling of NFL quarterbacks. But Brad Johnson refuses to lose.

Brad Johnson puts us in a box. He doesn't have a playmaker to rely on. He doesn't have a great line to protect him. Brad Johnson plays with heart, and THAT is why I hope the Vikings make a run at the play-offs. He doesn't have the pressure the Big Dummy does. I've never heard someone say "This is Brad Johnson's team now." If Brad Johnson can keep the offense going long enough for our defense to gel, we have a shot.

It's a new season in the playoffs. Let's go purple.