11/23/24
September 19, 2005
Coordinator First In Line for Vikings' Blame: It's time to start the finger-pointing in Minnesota. Seriously, though, did anyone really think this offense would thrive when Randy Moss left?
I'm not a Vikings fan, but I remember when my team would play Minnesota, Moss would have me worried from the start of the game to the end, regardless of the score. Now that he's gone, who's the big threat? Nate Burelson?? I have to believe all teams who prepare for the Vikings this year are breathing soooo much easier. I'm sure things will improve with Tice calling the plays. Yeah, right.
posted by dyams at 10:26 AM on September 19, 2005
This just proves how overrated Culpepper was, thanks to Randy Moss.
posted by jojomfd1 at 10:58 AM on September 19, 2005
Man, the Vikings can still put something together - what about the Packers? DOA. Sucks for Favre.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:05 AM on September 19, 2005
You guys seem to forget that the Vikings and Cupepper played numerous games without Moss last year and they played well. To say that their troubles are because Moss left and Culpepper is over-rated is being a bit short sighted. I still like the Vikings to have a good year(and this coming from a packer fan). I think that the two biggest things effecting the Vikings are the loss of their All-pro center and the Loss of their Offensive cord.
posted by daddisamm at 11:09 AM on September 19, 2005
No doubt daddisamm, the O-line is the part of the Vikes Offense that is failing. When Birk missed time last season also happened to be a time that the Vikes lost a bunch of games. Birk's prescence is missed, the the O-line is just *THAT* bad. Plus I have little confidence for Steve Loney, the offensive coordinator.
posted by AaronGNP at 11:17 AM on September 19, 2005
Man, what an embarrasment!!
posted by tina at 11:42 AM on September 19, 2005
You guys seem to forget that the Vikings and Cupepper played numerous games without Moss last year and they played well. Anyone have the offensive stats for that timeframe? In the meantime i'm rather pissed cuz I drafted Culpepper on my fantasy team because I thought they had done well last year without Moss. Doh!
posted by tron7 at 11:50 AM on September 19, 2005
Maybe the Bengals are just that good? The Vikes Defense was in horrible shape. Cincy had them doubled over gasping for air in the middle of the 2nd quarter.
posted by mick at 12:04 PM on September 19, 2005
The Vikes Defense was in horrible shape. Cincy had them doubled over gasping for air in the middle of the 2nd quarter. Yeah but it's still inexcusable for the vikes to be so worthless offensively. And I hope the bengals legit. I like there team this year.
posted by tron7 at 12:08 PM on September 19, 2005
The Vikings (putting aside their line problems) need to find (and stick to) a running back. It doesn't seem Bennett will ever be that guy, so maybe they have to commit to Mewelde Moore. He may make a few blunders, but I thought he showed enough last season to deserve a decent shot. I really expected more from the Vikings defense, though. Cinci took it to them from the opening moments. I also don't know what the stats from the end of last season (the games when Moss was hurt) actually say, but I just didn't notice a real flow to the team without him. Culpepper has skills, but many receivers who seem to have number one receiver ability can't pull it off when their big stud is no longer around. It seems the Vikings may be stuck with a bunch of number two and three receivers (for now).
posted by dyams at 12:24 PM on September 19, 2005
they suck because they are not playing Onterrio Smith he is a real threat in the backfield.
posted by ELWAY_FAN at 01:43 PM on September 19, 2005
They dont have a dominate running back, and no dominant WRs. Burleson is way overrated, and besides him- they dont have many good WRs. They have alot of mediocore WRs who in time will get better. But right now - theyre screwed. Season prediction (7-9)
posted by redsoxrgay at 01:52 PM on September 19, 2005
Maybe the Bengals are just that good? The Bengals' are good. To this point. They need to clean up their act. Their pass D molested Culpepper all day. The Bengals had a +7 turnover ratio yesterday. Minnesota: 3 fumbles lost, 5 ints. Bengals: 1 int. And the Bengals had two fumble recoveries negated by penalties. Minnesota definitely needs some help.
posted by AJ_in_BN at 02:08 PM on September 19, 2005
they suck because they are not playing Onterrio Smith he is a real threat in the backfield. It's not that they're not playing Onterrio Smith, they can't play him. Just a subtle difference, but a difference, nonetheless.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 02:56 PM on September 19, 2005
Agreed that the Bengals do look better than the pundits I read thought, but I wouldn't count the Vikings out yet. Tice might be the wrong person to coach this team (I was never a fan of his), but Culpepper is going to put it together one of these weeks, and that will give the Vikes a fighting chance in a lot of games. They're going to struggle, but they're not going to suck.
posted by chicobangs at 03:35 PM on September 19, 2005
It never ceases to amaze me when things like this happen. I love it when they say "We had to blame someone" when the reality is, when you have the same coaching staff from the season prior and that team was playing well and the following season goes to hell right away, who do you blame? The coach who was doing a good job the year before or a bunch of overpriced slackers who just say screw it and collect a paycheck. I get sick and tired of these people who say, you can't fire the players so someone has to go. How does this differ from a doctor or lawyer? If I am having surgery and the doctor botches it, why would I fire the hospital when the doctor is at fault? Solution is simple, yes fire the damn team, anyone who isn't playing to potential can go. Why would you take food out of a coaches mouth and his familys mouths just because a team needs a scapegoat? I am so sick of hearing these stories. Has Ken Griffey Jr. helped anyone lately? Now that's a story I want to hear.
posted by melcarek69 at 04:26 PM on September 19, 2005
Uh-oh...Minnesota is setting the stage to be out-of-this-world bad this season. Under Tice, the Vikings have started out hot and then cooled off as the season progressed. In 2003, the Vikings started 6-0 before losing 7 of their last 10 games and missing the playoffs. Last year the Vikings started 5-1 before limping to an 8-8 finish. Now they're starting off 0-2 and, if prior seasons are any indication, they'll just get worse.
posted by hellx at 05:02 PM on September 19, 2005
I'm a sad and shell-shocked Vikings fan. Tice should be fired. As hliex mentioned, they've folded at the end of the last two seasons, and he didn't have them ready to play this season. (Did they suck this bad in the preseason?) The idea with the Moss trade is that the offense would be balanced and they could use the money they would've spent on him to shore up the defense. That sounded OK on paper, but it's been a disaster. The offense sucks (Tice gave up on the offensive coordinator towards the end of the Bengals came and started calling plays himself). The defense sucks. And this was a team that ESPN the Magazine picked to go to the Super Bowl. I'm stunned.
posted by kirkaracha at 06:02 PM on September 19, 2005
Maybe they will do like the Texans did and fire their "offensive" coordinator after 2 games, like that'll improve things.
posted by evil empire at 06:39 PM on September 19, 2005
Maybe this year the Viqueens are starting out cold and will finish hot. I wouldnt give up on the old purple and gold just yet......
posted by daddisamm at 12:42 AM on September 20, 2005
Stick a fork in the Vikings. They are done. Tice should be fired and the sooner the better. Randy Moss carried this team on his back for years. Tice and Dante both owe some back rent to Moss. I wonder how many people were banking on Dante's fantasy numbers this season?
posted by scottyooooo at 10:18 AM on September 20, 2005
I don't know that Dante is a false idol. He had a similar mess of a season two years ago with Moss. "Similar mess" assuming he continues to throw a few picks a game.
posted by yerfatma at 10:36 AM on September 20, 2005
The only reason I won't give up yet on the Vikings' chances this year is because of the overall mediocrity of the NFC. Even with that in mind, though, I see very little silver lining to their current issues. If they should lose to the Saints next week, Tice will be out, period. He's a bonehead, anyways.
posted by dyams at 11:32 AM on September 20, 2005
That's true too: it's not going to take 12 wins to wrap up the NFC Central. Tice is still a blockhead whose only application of that pencil is picking his ears.
posted by yerfatma at 11:52 AM on September 20, 2005
Looks lmore and more like the year of the Bears in the NFL Central. Defence and offence get better each week and will show it all against Bengals next week. Moss gone, Culpepper just another average QB. Metradome back to being the "Roller Dome" as Mike Ditka calls it.
posted by Richie Bee at 12:22 PM on September 20, 2005
What makes you think the Bears D will be able to stop Carson Palmer? The Patriots barely contained him last year.
posted by yerfatma at 12:42 PM on September 20, 2005
A loss to the Redskins and a win over the Lions doesn't have me singing the Bears' "Super Bowl Shuffle", but I do see their schedule is almost pathetically easy until week 11. Eight wins in that division could win it. The Black & Blue division is definitely beat. Getting the Bengals in Chicago may help them, but I'm still not sold.
posted by dyams at 12:46 PM on September 20, 2005
What makes you think the Bears D will be able to stop Carson Palmer? Pakmer is the best quarterback to this point in the season. And he is only going to get stronger.
posted by AJ_in_BN at 01:05 PM on September 21, 2005
The Vikings were trying to convince everyone that they could do without Moss because they had a few other receivers. I thought some of those ints would not have been ints if Moss were on the team. I think Tice should take full blame for this. He does not have this team ready to play. Also, perhaps the GM for not taking Birk up on his offer.