Saturday, November 6, 2010

Who's underachieving and who's not on the Vikings

The Vikings return most of the same roster that went 12-4 last season, but many of those starters simply haven't maximized their potential during the Vikings' 2-5 start. Here's a closer look at how the 2009 starters are performing this season:






















WR BERNARD BERRIAN UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Has disappeared for most of the season, with only nine catches for 87 yards.





















WR PERCY HARVIN PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Leads the team in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.





















WR SIDNEY RICE UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: The devastating news of Rice's hip surgery in late August decimated the Vikings' pass offense, and it has not recovered.





















TE VISANTHE SHIANCOE UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Is no longer Favre's favorite red-zone target with one touchdown catch compared with 11 last season.





















RB ADRIAN PETERSON PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Is hoping for a long-term contract, and has kicked the fumble habit while setting a pace for more than 1,700 rushing yards.





















QB BRETT FAVRE PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Age, injuries and passing inaccuracy have plagued Favre this season after a dream 2009 campaign.





















LT BRYANT MCKINNIE PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Even arrow





















Why: Gets burned occasionally, but he's generally a viable left tackle in this league.





















LG

































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STEVE HUTCHINSON UNPREDICTABLE









Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: The bar has been set high for this seven-time Pro Bowler, and although he's been adequate, he's not been his dominant self.





















C JOHN SULLIVAN PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Even arrow





















Why: When healthy, he's proved to be steady, calling protections and run blocking.





















RG ANTHONY HERRERA PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: At times, has created gaping holes for Peterson.





















RG PHIL LOADHOLT UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Looked poised to make the leap in 2010, but he's been hampered by speed rushes and penalties.





















DE JARED ALLEN UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Hasn't recorded a sack since the Miami game after two consecutive years of 14.5 sacks.





















DT KEVIN WILLIAMS PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Even arrow





















Why: Is still a beast up the middle with seven pass deflections and 30 tackles, but his sack production is down.





















DT PAT WILLIAMS PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: A reliable run stopper in spurts, but he's not having a stellar season at age 38.





















DE RAY EDWARDS UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Despite plenty of quarterback pressures early in the season, his overall body of work is not strong.





















OLB CHAD GREENWAY PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: The team's defensive MVP this season is on pace for 169 tackles.





















MLB E.J. HENDERSON UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Recovered from a fractured left femur to record 47 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble through seven games.





















OLB BEN LEBER PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Is on pace for four more tackles than last season while recording a crucial interception in the Detroit game.





















LCB ANTOINE WINFIELD PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Is still the same physical open-field tackler and has kept a depleted secondary afloat.





















FS MADIEU WILLIAMS PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Despite his pace for close to 90 tackles, Williams has whiffed on big-play chances and doesn't close the gap quickly.





















SS TYRELL JOHNSON UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Has played sparingly after Husain Abdullah took over the starting job in the preseason.





















RCB CEDRIC GRIFFIN UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Never got the chance to build on his four-interception 2009 campaign after suffering a second torn anterior cruciate ligament in October.





















K RYAN LONGWELL PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Hard to argue with 6 for 6 on field goals, but you'd have thought Longwell would get more work because the Vikings would be in the red zone more. Not the case.





















P CHRIS KLUWE PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Is tied for sixth in the league with 14 punts inside the 20-yard line.





















HEAD COACH BRAD CHILDRESS UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Whether a fan of Childress or not, it's still hard to believe the Vikings have started off this poorly.















The Vikings return most of the same roster that went 12-4 last season, but many of those starters simply haven't maximized their potential during the Vikings' 2-5 start. Here's a closer look at how the 2009 starters are performing this season:






















WR BERNARD BERRIAN UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Has disappeared for most of the season, with only nine catches for 87 yards.





















WR PERCY HARVIN PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Leads the team in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.





















WR SIDNEY RICE UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: The devastating news of Rice's hip surgery in late August decimated the Vikings' pass offense, and it has not recovered.





















TE VISANTHE SHIANCOE UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Is no longer Favre's favorite red-zone target with one touchdown catch compared with 11 last season.





















RB ADRIAN PETERSON PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Is hoping for a long-term contract, and has kicked the fumble habit while setting a pace for more than 1,700 rushing yards.





















QB BRETT FAVRE PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Age, injuries and passing inaccuracy have plagued Favre this season after a dream 2009 campaign.





















LT BRYANT MCKINNIE PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Even arrow





















Why: Gets burned occasionally, but he's generally a viable left tackle in this league.

















































































STEVE HUTCHINSON UNPREDICTABLE









Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: The bar has been set high for this seven-time Pro Bowler, and although he's been adequate, he's not been his dominant self.





















C JOHN SULLIVAN PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Even arrow





















Why: When healthy, he's proved to be steady, calling protections and run blocking.





















RG ANTHONY HERRERA PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: At times, has created gaping holes for Peterson.





















RG PHIL LOADHOLT UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Looked poised to make the leap in 2010, but he's been hampered by speed rushes and penalties.





















DE JARED ALLEN UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Hasn't recorded a sack since the Miami game after two consecutive years of 14.5 sacks.





















DT KEVIN WILLIAMS PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Even arrow





















Why: Is still a beast up the middle with seven pass deflections and 30 tackles, but his sack production is down.





















DT PAT WILLIAMS PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: A reliable run stopper in spurts, but he's not having a stellar season at age 38.





















DE RAY EDWARDS UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Despite plenty of quarterback pressures early in the season, his overall body of work is not strong.





















OLB CHAD GREENWAY PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: The team's defensive MVP this season is on pace for 169 tackles.





















MLB E.J. HENDERSON UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Recovered from a fractured left femur to record 47 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble through seven games.





















OLB BEN LEBER PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Is on pace for four more tackles than last season while recording a crucial interception in the Detroit game.





















LCB ANTOINE WINFIELD PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Is still the same physical open-field tackler and has kept a depleted secondary afloat.





















FS MADIEU WILLIAMS PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Despite his pace for close to 90 tackles, Williams has whiffed on big-play chances and doesn't close the gap quickly.





















SS TYRELL JOHNSON UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Has played sparingly after Husain Abdullah took over the starting job in the preseason.





















RCB CEDRIC GRIFFIN UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Never got the chance to build on his four-interception 2009 campaign after suffering a second torn anterior cruciate ligament in October.





















K RYAN LONGWELL PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Hard to argue with 6 for 6 on field goals, but you'd have thought Longwell would get more work because the Vikings would be in the red zone more. Not the case.





















P CHRIS KLUWE PREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Up arrow





















Why: Is tied for sixth in the league with 14 punts inside the 20-yard line.





















HEAD COACH BRAD CHILDRESS UNPREDICTABLE





















Ranking: Down arrow





















Why: Whether a fan of Childress or not, it's still hard to believe the Vikings have started off this poorly.

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