Favre, Vikings: Stop playing with fire, or you'll keep getting burned

Sunday was the exception for the Minnesota Vikings — they had been burned plenty of times this season, but apparently Brett Favre and the offense had not yet learned the lesson.












Just how many times can a team turn the ball over or make a crucial mistake and recover from it?











Every loss this season you were sitting there watching the game with your fingers crossed, hoping the Vikings defense could get one last stop to give the offense a chance to tie the game late. This time, against the Cardinals, the situation was no different — except for the result.











That’s always the case for one reason: a myriad of miscues.











First, Minnesota allowed LaRod Stephens-Howling to score a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff after Adrian Peterson gave the Vikings a 7-0 lead. Then there was yet another freak unfortunate play involving Percy Harvin when he was held up on a kick return of his own and forced to fumble the ball, which was returned for another touchdown.











And on offense, one of Favre’s two interceptions was thrown on the goal line and the other should’ve been returned for a touchdown had Greg Camarillo not have made a super-human effort type of play.











In the red zone, Minnesota turned the ball over on downs in the fourth quarter and also settled for a field goal earlier in the game — the Vikings missed opportunities.











It seems like during every Vikings game this year, the fourth quarter rolls around and Minnesota scrambles to erase the demons from the first three quarters. Usually the clock has run out, leaving the Vikings burned.















But against the Cardinals, Favre had a little bit of that magic dust left in him to squeeze two touchdowns into the final five minutes of regulation to force overtime. Maybe it wasn’t magic though. Maybe the Cardinals just aren’t that good.











Arizona only managed to score 10 points against the Vikings defense all game though. On the day, Minnesota only allowed 225 yards and forced the Cardinals to punt the ball eight times — including three to start the game and three times in the fourth quarter and overtime to help the Vikings come back.











So I’m sure it felt good to watch Favre’s rainbow pass fall right into the hands of Visanthe Shiancoe for the game-tying touchdown with less than 30 seconds left to play. Favre had just completed a 77-yard drive in less than two minutes, with no timeouts. But why should Minnesota have had to resort to that?











Clearly the Vikings were the better team on Sunday, right? Minnesota dominated on offense with over 500 yards. Well, that’s true, besides the mistakes and the turnovers that plagued the unit, until those final three possessions of the game. The defense certainly held up its end of the bargain. Larry Fitzgerald is going to get his yards, and there may have been a mistake or two on the Cardinals’ touchdown drive, but that’s forgivable compared to the offense.











There’s no reason not to expect Minnesota to win by three touchdowns if you saw how well the Vikings defense played and if you knew how talented the Minnesota offense is.











Turnovers and mistakes like the ones the Vikings make can kill teams. How can you expect to win games if you’re giving the opponent two touchdowns and repeatedly shooting yourself in the foot throughout the game. No one is questioning how talented this Minnesota offense is.











I wonder just how good are the Vikings, though.











Minnesota hasn’t been good enough, or lucky enough, or whatever you want to call it, to come back from these holes the team digs itself all season. Just because the Vikings pulled it off against Arizona doesn’t mean we should be encouraged.











Fool me once shame on you, fool me all season, then maybe that’s what this offense is: a talented group that turns the ball over, that struggles to score in the red zone at times and a group that can’t string together a consistent quality effort without a crucial mistake.











It’s easy to just say that the Vikings need to cut back on the mistakes — they haven’t done it though. There aren’t enough possessions in a game to do what Minnesota does game in and game out.











Favre finally found a way to pull off that late comeback win that the Vikings have fallen on the wrong side of all season. And 3-5 looks a whole lot better than 2-6. Minnesota still has playoff hopes today thanks to that comeback. The chance may be small, but it’s still alive. They can’t expect to continue to win games like this though.















Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if Minnesota is going to make the playoffs this year the Vikings need to stop playing with fire.

Childress, Why moss?

Childress On Bubble Of Being Let Go

Say it ain't so!



After a five year absence, Randy Moss was finally back wearing the famed Minnesota Viking "84" jersey. The jersey, many Viking fans longed to see him in.



After four games back where he belongs, Brad Childress, you mean to report that you have waived him? Why? Was your ego jilted? Was your ultra-thinned skin damaged by the truth?



After your Minnesota Viking team was defeated in New England 28-18 last Sunday, were you left in envy of a franchise that is everything yours is not? A winner?



Yes, the Patriots, winners of three Super Bowls in four appearances during the 2000's, also currently stand at 6-1, the best record in the league. Your team is 2-5 and sinking fast.



You have more talent on your roster than they do, but they have a great head coach on their sideline and you Brad Childress, are no great head coach. Frankly, you are not even a good one.



In Moss' post-game press conference when he referred to Bill Belichick as the best coach of all time, were you insulted because he did not bestow that title upon you? Perhaps you feel your 1-2 playoff record outshines Belichick's 15-5 playoff record?



Maybe you acted in haste, because during that press conference, Moss revealed to everyone, how even with him explaining the Patriots offense to you and your coaching staff, you still could not stop them.



Or, could it be you wasted a future third round draft pick, because you are upset about Moss' alledged outburst over a locker room meal? Is that why you suddenly decided to waive the second most prolific receiver in Viking history?



Currently, do you not have a quarterback on your roster being investigated by the NFL for possible misconduct that could result in a lawsuit? Is he getting ready to be waived also, or is his 29th ranked quarterback passer rating so impressive it warrants him receiving preferrential treatment?



Oh that's right, you said that you want "good people" on your team. Really? Seriously? Are you not the one who cut Marcus Robinson on Christmas Eve? Yes, Christmas Eve, because the receiver - who led the team in touchdown receptions at the time - dared to speak out about your dreadful offense that was so predictable, it would not have been able to outsmart a fifth grader.



You are such a "good person", that a few years ago you simply could not resist fining Troy Williamson for taking too long in South Carolina, attending the funeral of his grandmother who raised him, and taking care of her affairs. Yes, such a wonderful show of compassion on your part.



During last season's playoffs, your "class act" was on full display as you had an- already-selfish, stat-driven quarterback throw two unnecessary late fourth-quarter touchdowns to drub your outmatched Dallas Cowboy opponent 34-3.



Zygi Wilf, you own the Vikings, it is time for you to break your silence, and begin cleaning up this mess that is your franchise. It is time to acknowledge that your first and only coaching hire thus far, has been a mistake. A big one. Cut your losses.



When you hired Childress in 2006, his first order of business was alienating Daunte Culpepper, the third most prolific passer in Viking history. He unceremoniously cut Culpepper, the franchise quarterback at the time, just prior to the start of that season.



Now the latest fiasco has Moss being cut suddenly without any reasonable explanation being provided. What sense does this make? Here says that Moss will one day be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and that Childress will not.



Moss has played on the two highest scoring offenses in NFL history, the '98 Vikings and the '07 Patriots. This year, in the four games he played in, Moss boosted the per game scoring average from a paltry average of 14, to a respectable average of 21. Yet, just like that, he is gone, and realistically, so is this season.



The time has come that Brad Childress should be fired. The team is in total turmoil, there is no present indication that a turnaround is soon on its way. So why wait? The Vikings need a fresh start.



Remember Mr. Owner, how on New Year's Day, 2006, you didn't even wait until then Head Coach, Mike Tice, could even make it to the locker room to address his players after the victorious season finale? You fired him right on the spot in a room off of the tunnel. You certainly did not wait then, why wait now?



Your current coach has turned your organization into a joke, that lacks humor. It is unimaginable how there could be any respect for him in that locker room now.



In his four and a half seasons, at most a handful of teams have had as many Pro Bowl players on their rosters as he has had on his, yet Childress has only been able to produce a mediocre overall regular season record of 38-33.



As Brad Childress continues to run the organization into the ground, his ineptitude begins to reflect more and more upon the ownership. Just curious to know Mr. Wilf, what is the ownership going to do about it?

Bill Belichick Expects Brett Favre To Play

As many of you know, Minnesota Vikings' quarterback Brett Favre has two minor fractures in his left ankle, and his playing status for Sunday's Halloween battle against New England is in jeopardy.

Favre Has Two Fractures In His  Left Ankle

With Favre's injury looming, New England head coach, Bill Belichick, expects Favre to play Sunday.



“Of course,” Belichick said to the media Monday. “He's started 8,000 games in a row. Same thing we were all talking about with (Antonio) Gates last week. He wasn't going to play and all that. I don't think you can ever count players like that out."



However, I'm still going to be questioning Favre's status.



This is a perfect opportunity for Minnesota head coach, Brad Childress, to make a quarterback change.



After Minnesota's Sunday night loss against Green Bay, Childress publicly criticized Favre's decision making, and he put some thought into pulling Favre due to his poor performance.



This is not the first time Favre and Childress have butted heads, so this might be a perfect time for Childress to make the switch to quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.



There has been no word on Favre's injury besides him being in a boot, and his status for Sunday is being described as questionable.

Game Review: This Time, Close One Goes Packers' Way

Back-to-back overtime losses will sap any team’s resolve, but in another down-to-the-wire finish on Sunday night, the Packers somehow found enough deep down inside to reverse their fortunes.



Holding off what in all likelihood was Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre’s final drive at Lambeau Field, the Packers hung on for a 28-24 victory over the Vikings as Favre came up 20 yards short of the potential game-winning touchdown in the final seconds.



“An excellent team win and an excellent character win,” Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. “And it was definitely something that we needed.”



That’s for sure. The consecutive overtime defeats the past two weeks had dropped the Packers to 3-3, and as the former Green Bay legend drove Minnesota from its own 17 as far as the Packers’ 15-yard line, it looked as though Favre might overcome his three second-half interceptions, pull off one last miracle in front of a sold-out Lambeau (71,107), and drop the Packers below .500 with their third straight last-second defeat.



But a false start followed by a facemask penalty on right tackle Phil Loadholt as he was trying to block linebacker Clay Matthews cost the Vikings 20 yards, pushing them all the way back to the 35. Ultimately, after replay correctly reversed a typical Favre rocket of a touchdown pass to Percy Harvin with 48 seconds left – Harvin’s second foot was out of bounds in the back of the end zone – the game came down to two throws intended for Randy Moss on third and fourth downs from the 20.



But both sailed high and incomplete, out of the back of the end zone, and with a huge sigh of relief the Packers not only had beaten their former quarterback for the first time in three tries but had pulled into a first-place tie in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears at 4-3. Minnesota dropped to 2-4.



“All the stuff we’ve been going through, these guys show so much heart, so much dedication just to go out there and fight, fight fight ‘til the end,” safety Nick Collins said. “This team can battle through anything.”



Including more injuries on defense, as if that even seemed possible. The Packers got Matthews back from his hamstring troubles but defensive end Cullen Jenkins strained a calf muscle during warm-ups about an hour before the game and couldn’t play. On top of that, defensive end Ryan Pickett re-injured the ankle that forced him to sit out last week, and he was out again early on.



But the defense overcame all that and was able to slow down the Vikings after they got on a roll in the first half.



The Packers had grabbed a 14-7 lead on the strength of some big plays by receiver James Jones (four receptions, 107 yards), a 1-yard touchdown run by Brandon Jackson and a 9-yard TD catch by tight end Andrew Quarless. But the Packers had squandered other chances to score in the half, as quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions in scoring territory, one to defensive end Jared Allen on a screen pass, and the other to safety Madieu Williams, who snagged a bullett into the end zone intended for Greg Jennings that had been deflected by cornerback Frank Walker.



In the meantime, Minnesota’s big-play guys were starting to take over as the Vikings grabbed the lead by halftime.



Receiver Percy Harvin, who had 106 yards from scrimmage (65 receiving, 41 rushing), took an inside handoff and scored from 17 yards out for Minnesota’s first touchdown, tying the game at 7. Then, running back Adrian Peterson (28 carries, 131 yards) scored from a yard out to tie the game at 14 and Ryan Longwell’s 28-yard field goal gave Minnesota scores on three straight possessions for a 17-14 advantage.



But the Green Bay defense shifted the momentum back in a big way in the second half.



On Minnesota’s first possession, linebacker A.J. Hawk intercepted Favre as he was being pressured from behind by linebacker Brad Jones. The offense took advantage of the turnover and drove 41 yards for the go-ahead score, as Rodgers (21-of-34, 295 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 84.8 rating) connected with Jennings from 14 yards out to make it 21-17.



Then just two snaps into the Vikings’ next drive, Favre was trying to avoid pressure again as he threw a short pass right to linebacker Desmond Bishop, who returned the pick 32 yards. Suddenly, with two scores less than a minute apart, the Packers led 28-17.



“It’s huge to get the momentum in a game,” Hawk said. “We came out on fire as a defense (in the second half). They were really rolling against us, running the ball well, completing big third downs and scoring touchdowns, so we needed something, and luckily we got that.



“It’s crazy how fast it can switch, though.”



It did, as Favre and the Vikings answered with a 58-yard TD drive, capped by a 4-yard pass to Moss, to get within 28-24 with 4:12 left in the third quarter.



Strangely enough, there would be no more scoring in the game, but not for a lack of trying.



The Packers drove all the way to the Minnesota 34-yard line early in the fourth quarter, only to have running back John Kuhn stuffed on fourth-and-inches. Then the Vikings countered by getting all the way to the Green Bay 35, but Collins made an incredibly athletic play, jumping over and around Harvin to intercept a third-down pass for Favre’s third interception in a span of four drives.



Taking over with 9:18 left, Green Bay could only kill three minutes on the clock and punted, with Minnesota taking over on its own 17 for what turned out to be the final, nail-biting possession.



“Obviously it was a gut-check time,” said cornerback Tramon Williams, who was the primary reason Moss had just three catches for 30 yards on the night. “We’d pretty much been in this situation all year and been coming up on the short end of the stick.”



But not this time. After Favre’s final two heaves to Moss were no good, he was left with numbers (16-of-29, 212 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 50.4 rating) that paled in comparison those from last year against Green Bay, when he threw seven TDs with no picks, torching the Packers in two big victories.



The Packers had come so agonizingly close to victories the past two weeks, but this time it was their opponent who was left to lament what might have been.



“We knew it was going to be a grinder, character, gut-it-out type of performance and our guys stepped up big,” McCarthy said. “I was very, very proud of those guys today.”



As Collins said, the players were proud of each other, too, and rightly so after what the team has been through.



“We all have the intestinal fortitude to pull these games out,” nose tackle B.J. Raji said. “Early in the season it didn’t go our way. Tonight it did.



“This was a long time coming. I’m glad we got this one. Hopefully we can continue this like we did last year get on a roll.”

Brett Favre Goes for 3 in a Row vs. the Packers

The stars aligned perfectly for the Vikings in their two match-ups with the Packers in 2009. The Packer line couldn’t contend with the Viking pass rush, the Packer defense could get no pressure on Brett Favre…and, oh yeah, Favre himself had that whole sticking it to Ted Thompson thing motivating him. The result: 2 wins over Green Bay on the way to a 12-4 finish and a division title. Things may not line up so perfectly for the Vikings this year however. The pass protection has not been good, so it’s unlikely Favre will have the kind of time he did in those two games last season. And Aaron Rodgers will face a Vikings pass rush that has not lived up to its fearsome reputation so far. As for Favre himself…this year, he seems more frustrated than motivated. Of course, we expect Brett will be up for tonight’s game more than most, because it’s still the Packers, and he still wants to shove Ted Thompson’s face in it. Whether that lingering revenge-lust will translate into a more focused and effective Favre performance remains to be seen.



Injuries are a big part of the story for both teams going into the game. Favre, as we know, has been dealing with elbow tendinitis, though that issue seemed to bother him less in the Dallas game than it did a couple of weeks ago against the Jets. The losses of Cedric Griffin and Husain Abdullah leave the Vikings once again scrambling to cobble together a secondary; this week they will get limited use of Chris Cook, who is still coming back from a meniscus tear, and will re-activate Tyrell Johnson who hasn’t played in several weeks (though Jamarca Sanford is expected to start). On the offensive line, they will get back center John Sullivan, who may split time with Jon Cooper. For the Packers, the injury issues are more profound and troubling. They are without Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant, Nick Barnett, Brady Poppinga, Al Harris and Atari Bigby. The last two guys on that list were eligible to come off the PUP list this weekend but the Packers elected to keep them inactive. Their best pass rusher, Clay Matthews, is banged up but will play. Ryan Pickett and Mark Tauscher are also question marks. The Vikings, for all the health issues they’ve had the last few weeks, are in much better shape than the Packers for this game.



Tonight’s game will, among other things, be a match-up of two of the more disappointing offenses in the league. Both teams sported potent offenses last season, and were expected to come back this year with strong squads, but both Os have been derailed by a combination of injury and general inconsistency. The Vikings may be able to trace a lot of their offensive inadequacy back to Brett Favre’s lack of training camp; the Packers’ situation is a little more puzzling. Yes they’ve had injuries to key players, but they still have a Pro-Bowl quarterback and a formidable array of receivers. If you believe Aaron Rodgers, the weapons the Packers do still have are not being utilized correctly or enough. Rodgers himself has often been the problem, throwing interceptions in key spots, and generally not living up to the hype that has built around him ever since he took over for Favre. In Rodgers’ defense, his pass protection has not been good and he has had very little run support. However, if Rodgers is the MVP-caliber player some claim he can be, he needs to step up at some point and help the team overcome the injuries and spotty offensive line play. The same could perhaps be said for Brett Favre, who has at times compounded an already frustrating offensive situation, but at least Favre has a prior track record to lean on in reassuring fans that he knows what to do in big moments (Favre’s winning percentage in close games is slightly higher than Aaron Rodgers’ .083 mark).



Yes there are two entire teams playing tonight in Lambeau Field, but the story is the quarterbacks, the old grizzled warrior vs. the young turk who wants to prove himself by vanquishing the man who came before him. The last thing proud Favre wants is to let the upstart Rodgers get the better of him; the last thing Rodgers wants is to fall to 0-3 against Favre, especially amid the atmosphere of doubt that is beginning to accumulate around him and the team. If Rodgers does lose to Favre again, the legacy of #4 will only become a more haunting presence. But if Rodgers finally gets past the psychological hurdle represented by Favre, it could spur him and the Packers on to bigger things. For Favre, it’s all about picking himself up after a tough first five games and finally putting together a complete, solid, wire-to-wire Brett Favre performance – something closer to what he accomplished last year against the Packers. Playing Green Bay could be the perfect salve for what ails Favre, the thing that finally gets him back to where he needs to be psychologically and in executing the offense. If Favre struggles again though, Viking fans will have even more reason to worry that their leader has slipped too far physically and emotionally…and then they will have to wonder if there’s any hope at all of turning around what has thus far been a troubling season.

Emptying Out The Vikings-Jets Notebook

Darrel Revis

Adrian Peterson

        VS.












  The Jets' offensive line has helped sustain an impressive early-season performance by the offense, which is averaging 167.8 rushing yards per play and 5.1 per carry and has allowed only five sacks of Mark Sanchez. As successful as the line has been thus far, it will certainly have its work cut out Monday night when the Jets face off against the Minnesota Vikings and their imposing defensive line.















“I think we recognize what a good run defense they are,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “They’ve got the big guys inside. The linebackers are really good players. They’re all underrated. They’re fast. With the bright lights of Monday night, we expect to get their best effort and they’re a really good unit.”















The members of the Vikings front four are perennial Pro Bowl right end Jared Allen, tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, and unsung stalwart left end Ray Edwards. The matchup on everyone’s mind will be Jets Pro Bowl left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson going against Allen. Ferguson is charged with the duty of protecting Sanchez’s blind side, and Coach Schotty is confident that his man will be solid as a rock.















“He tends to always step up and do a great job in these situations,” Schottenheimer said. “It will be a good matchup. We have some things protectionally where we recognize what a good front four they are. We have a lot of confidence in all those guys and Brick is a guy that we expect to play really well.”















Also along that left side is second-year guard Matt Slauson, who has had some ups and downs so far but whose play the past two games has been solid. The Nebraska product and his coaches believe he has matured through the first quarter of the season as a starter, but he still realizes the daunting challenge ahead of him.















“We’ve looked at everything,” Slauson said. “We know that they’re going to run a lot of games. They aren’t going to blitz a whole lot because they’re so confident in their front four so it’s going to be all about 1-on-1's and really locking them down.”















Schottenheimer praised Slauson and indicated that since the Jets' five linemen have about 200 snaps under their collective belt, they’re better adjusted to play as one. That was evident in the game at Buffalo during which the Green & White rushed for 273 yards and two touchdowns on 49 attempts. That breakthrough performance will hopefully spill over to Monday night against the Vikings' active 4-3 front.















“We have gone against a 3-4 every week this season,” right tackle Damien Woody said. “Now this is our first opportunity to go against a 4-3, so obviously your techniques and stuff like that changes somewhat because you’re going against a totally different style of defense. This is when your preparation really has to be on point.”















Schottenheimer, line coach Bill Callahan and running backs coach Anthony Lynn have formulated a plan that will help the Jets' running attack counteract the Vikings strengths up front. Even so, the big fellas in green will have to communicate, take care of their matchups and use proper technique to give LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene running room in addition to protecting Sanchez.















“It’s a great challenge,” Woody said. “As a competitor it gets you fired up because it’s like two titans going against each other. We’re second in the league in rushing and year in and year out they’re one of the top three or four teams in run defense. So it’s going to make for a great battle. So for people who like to see a battle in the trenches, this game, this matchup might be the best of the whole year.”

Jets-Vikings Will Feature Trench Warfare

Darrel Revis

Adrian Peterson

      The Jets' offensive line has helped sustain an impressive early-season performance by the offense, which is averaging 167.8 rushing yards per play and 5.1 per carry and has allowed only five sacks of Mark Sanchez. As successful as the line has been thus far, it will certainly have its work cut out Monday night when the Jets face off against the Minnesota Vikings and their imposing defensive line.



“I think we recognize what a good run defense they are,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “They’ve got the big guys inside. The linebackers are really good players. They’re all underrated. They’re fast. With the bright lights of Monday night, we expect to get their best effort and they’re a really good unit.”



The members of the Vikings front four are perennial Pro Bowl right end Jared Allen, tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, and unsung stalwart left end Ray Edwards. The matchup on everyone’s mind will be Jets Pro Bowl left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson going against Allen. Ferguson is charged with the duty of protecting Sanchez’s blind side, and Coach Schotty is confident that his man will be solid as a rock.



“He tends to always step up and do a great job in these situations,” Schottenheimer said. “It will be a good matchup. We have some things protectionally where we recognize what a good front four they are. We have a lot of confidence in all those guys and Brick is a guy that we expect to play really well.”



Also along that left side is second-year guard Matt Slauson, who has had some ups and downs so far but whose play the past two games has been solid. The Nebraska product and his coaches believe he has matured through the first quarter of the season as a starter, but he still realizes the daunting challenge ahead of him.



“We’ve looked at everything,” Slauson said. “We know that they’re going to run a lot of games. They aren’t going to blitz a whole lot because they’re so confident in their front four so it’s going to be all about 1-on-1's and really locking them down.”



Schottenheimer praised Slauson and indicated that since the Jets' five linemen have about 200 snaps under their collective belt, they’re better adjusted to play as one. That was evident in the game at Buffalo during which the Green & White rushed for 273 yards and two touchdowns on 49 attempts. That breakthrough performance will hopefully spill over to Monday night against the Vikings' active 4-3 front.



“We have gone against a 3-4 every week this season,” right tackle Damien Woody said. “Now this is our first opportunity to go against a 4-3, so obviously your techniques and stuff like that changes somewhat because you’re going against a totally different style of defense. This is when your preparation really has to be on point.”



Schottenheimer, line coach Bill Callahan and running backs coach Anthony Lynn have formulated a plan that will help the Jets' running attack counteract the Vikings strengths up front. Even so, the big fellas in green will have to communicate, take care of their matchups and use proper technique to give LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene running room in addition to protecting Sanchez.



“It’s a great challenge,” Woody said. “As a competitor it gets you fired up because it’s like two titans going against each other. We’re second in the league in rushing and year in and year out they’re one of the top three or four teams in run defense. So it’s going to make for a great battle. So for people who like to see a battle in the trenches, this game, this matchup might be the best of the whole year.”

Shooter Now: Who Was Really Behind The Vikings' Trade For Randy Moss?

Randy Moss Is Back In Town

   Randy Moss participates in pregame drills before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Foxboro, Mass. According to reports October 6, 2010, Moss has been traded to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a third-round draft pick. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) (Jim Rogash)RelatedMore Randy Moss



Tom Powers Live: Randy Moss will have big impact on Vikings — one way or anotherSansevere: Vikings' trade for Moss biggest in team history — and puts Minnesota back on Super Bowl trackBrad Childress: Vikings trade for 'tremendous competitor' in Randy MossPro Bowl wide receiver, Pro Bowl quote machine: Moss on Moss (w/ video)Photo gallery: Vikings' Randy Moss through the years'Pull A Randy Moss': See the hit YouTube song videoNFL flags Feingold's ad using clip of Randy Moss' fake mooningReport: Minnesota Vikings 'very close' to a trade for Randy MossThere are several ways to view the Minnesota Vikings' acquisition of eccentric wideout Randy Moss from New England.







One theory: Did quarterback Brett Favre direct the Vikings to make the deal? Remember, when Favre was with the Packers, he stumped for Green Bay to get him.







Another theory: Favre turns 41 on Sunday and has said he definitely won't be back next year. With the Vikings in accelerated pursuit of public money for a new stadium, owner Zygi Wilf could use a replacement marquee player to go along with running back Adrian Peterson. Wilf might need Moss to keep his team relevant to fans.







— Adding Moss dramatically changes the Vikings' offense, which has been moribund in the team's three games this season. Percy







Viking trades



Which is the biggest trade in Vikings' history?



The 1967 trade of QB Fran Tarkenton to the Giants



The 1972 trade for Tarkenton from the Giants



The 1989 trade for RB Herschel Walker from the Cowboys



The 2008 trade for DE Jared Allen from the Chiefs



The 2010 trade for WR Randy Moss from the Patriots











Harvin has been a fish out of water at flanker. Now, with Moss, he can move back to the slot.



And with Moss, Favre can throw those jump passes from fade routes that he was able to convert to Sidney Rice last season. Moss isn't as physical as Rice, but he's the next best thing.







It's still uncertain, by the way, whether Rice, recovering from hip surgery in August, will be effective when he returns to the field, and that could be later than sooner.







The hope for the Vikings is that Moss, at age 33, finally has grown up and the team won't have to deal with any more behavior issues.







— By trading Moss, the Patriots, maybe the smartest organization in the NFL, now have multiple picks in each of the first four rounds of next

Vincent Jackson Possibility Accruing

Vincent Jackson Possibility Accruing

Vincent Jackson in purple makes sense. The Vikings only have 4 receivers on their active roster, their star receiver, Sidney Rice, is out for the foreseeable future with a hip injury, and Percy Harvin showed up on this week’s injury report. It appears that Minnesota’s ailing wide receiver corps could use an upgrade.Having said that, it sounds like Vincent Jackson’s future in Minnesota hinges on an arbitrator’s interpretation of the “roster-exempt” designation the San Diego Charger’s placed on the sixth-year wideout.
Vincent Jackson will miss the first three games of the season due to violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The Chargers also punished Jackson for missing the team’s entire offseason by placing him on the “roster-exempt” list. With that designation comes an additional 3 game suspension. However, in a 9:00 a.m. hearing today, the NFL’s player’s union is expected to argue that should Vincent Jackson be traded, that additional three game suspension should not be enforced because Jackson would no longer be a member of the team that handed it down.

  
   Should an arbitrator be swayed by the NFLPA’s case for Jackson, it’s looking more and more likely Jackson will be catching passes from someone other than Charger’s quarterback Phillip Rivers.
One possible trade partner would be the Minnesota Vikings. Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune does a nice job of breaking down the likelihood of a trade between the two teams, but writes that it may be difficult to decide on the proper compensation for the 6-foot-5 receiver.
Lee Hamilton of XX Sports Radio in San Diego reported that if the suspension is reduced to three games, the Vikings are prepared to make a trade offer. Rumors have been swirling in Minnesota as well, but both teams as well as Jackson’s agent have been quiet on the matter.
The arbitrator has 5 days to rule on the case, but it’s possible Jackson’s fate will be decided by the weekend. Whether or not Vincent Jackson is catching Brett Favre’s passes remains to be seen.

Dolphins Secondary Braces For Brett Favre

Dolphins Secondary Braces For Favre

   At one time, Brett Favre throwing against Vontae Davis would have been a laughable mismatch.
``I was probably a baby in diapers when he was first in the league,'' Davis said.
It's true: Davis was 3 when Favre made his NFL debut in 1991. Now, Davis is a second-year cornerback for the Miami Dolphins and part of a revamped secondary bracing to face Favre and the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The pass defense was solid in a season-opening 15-10 win at Buffalo. Miami allowed only 116 yards through the air and had three sacks.
But that was against Trent Edwards, who has 25 career touchdown passes. Favre has an NFL record 498.
Favre also has started 286 games, compared with 70 for Miami's four starting defensive backs combined.
``It's a test for us,'' Davis said. ``We get to see where we're at when we go against Brett Favre.''
Where they're at is in transition. Davis and veteran strong safety Yeremiah Bell are holdover starters, but free safety Chris Clemons and cornerback Jason Allen won jobs in training camp, and Benny Sapp is the new nickel back after being acquired last month in a trade with the Vikings.
The secondary needed a shake-up after allowing 14 touchdown passes of 20 yards or more last year, second-most in the NFL. Early returns on the changes are favorable, with Miami 1-0 for the first time since 2005.
Minnesota is 0-1, and Favre is eager to get the offense in gear after throwing for only 171 yards in a 14-9 loss at New Orleans. After wavering on retirement, he joined the Vikings only four weeks ago, and rust showed.
``There's no doubt we have to get on the same page,'' Favre said, ``and we have to do it in a hurry.''
While cohesion might yet surface as an issue in the Dolphins' secondary, they had only one glaring defensive lapse at Buffalo - a blown assignment on fourth and 11 that resulted in a 31-yard scoring pass. Otherwise the Dolphins smothered the Bills' receivers.
``We played great as a whole,'' Clemons said. ``Everybody was getting to the ball.''
Open-field tackling was much improved over a year ago, and the Dolphins broke up seven passes. When Allen dropped a potential interception with only the end zone in front of him, he returned to the huddle grinning.
``That's all he could do, was laugh,'' Davis said. ``We joked around. We were having fun.''
Allen, a first-round pick in 2006, took a big step in shedding his label as a draft bust. He helped hold the Bills' Lee Evans to 34 receiving yards, playing so well that Sean Smith, who started all 16 games as a rookie in 2009, never got on the field.
``I probably should have played Sean,'' coach Tony Sparano said. ``The way it was going, we just didn't feel like it would be a good idea to mess around with that.''
Clemons, a fifth-round draft pick in 2009, was all over the field. He made one eye-popping tackle, blitzing from the left side and racing to the other sideline to chase down C.J. Spiller for a 1-yard loss.
``As good a play as I've seen,'' Sparano said.
``Chris was flying everywhere,'' Davis said. ``There were times I didn't even know where he came from.''
The front seven applied effective pressure, although the Dolphins did allow Edwards to scramble to the outside several times. That's a no-no against Favre.
``Those things, when you play against a guy like this, they'll kill you,'' Sparano said. ``He can take those plays and turn them into touchdowns, and everybody has seen him do it time and time again.''
Otherwise, the biggest knock on the Dolphins' defense is that the unit came up with no turnovers in the opener. That was a problem last year, when Miami's 21 takeaways were the fifth-fewest in the league.
Favre threw only seven interceptions in 531 passes last season, and it will be tough to wrest the ball from him. Still, the Dolphins' DBs look forward to the challenge.
``Him being 40 years old - that's like me playing against my father,'' Davis said. ``I would never have thought when I was watching Brett Favre at Green Bay that I would be lining up across from him. That's like a dream.
``It's also a dream to grab an interception from him.''

Sidney Rice's Hip Is Improving, But When We Returns To The Vikings Is Still Uncertain

Sidney Rice's hip is improving, but when he returns to the Vikings is still uncertain

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Sidney Rice Will Miss The First 6 Games Of The Season

While Childress was offensive coordinator there.
Asked about his comfort level with receivers Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, Greg Camarillo and Greg Lewis, Childress said he's "completely comfortable."
Injury update: Left tackle Bryant McKinnie says the dislocated finger he suffered against the Saints is fine and he will play this week. The gory photographs of his treatment that he posted on his Twitter account last weekend were not for the squeamish.
McKinnie was injured early in the fourth quarter against New Orleans. He said he would have been able to return, but the Vikings never got the ball back.
Baby steps: Though his knee is feeling "strong" after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in late January, cornerback Cedric Griffin says he's not rushing his return.
The Vikings considered playing Griffin against the Saints but ultimately placed him on the inactive list.
"This is something I'm doing for my career, more than just the first game or second game," Griffin said. "I'm looking out for my interests as well. We're taking our time."
Last year's starter said the process is day to day, and he believes he will play "whenever the coaches feel I'm good and whenever I go express my feelings (that I'm ready)."
Quote of note: "If you go to the ground, you have to come up with the football. Period." — Childress, on Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson's apparent touchdown catch with 24 seconds left at Chicago on Sunday that was ruled incomplete despite clear possession of the ball. Johnson left the ball on the ground as he popped up, giving the Bears a 19-14 victory.
Brian Murphy contributed to this report.

Toby Gerhart Minnesota vikings 3rd Down Back

A week after arthroscopic hip surgery, Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice has been placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.
This means Rice will miss the first six games of the season, after which the team will have three weeks to activate him for practices or place him on injured reserve. The latter would risk losing Rice for the entire year.
Coach Brad Childress said last week he expected at least eight weeks before realistic discussions of Rice's return.
Rice said on Twitter that he would return to the Vikings' Winter Park facility on Monday.
Rice's move to PUP came in light of the Vikings' efforts to trim the roster to 75 players for Tuesday's deadline.
The team waived tackle Bill Noethlich, receiver Marko Mitchell and linebacker J Leman. The Vikings have to cut to 53 players by Saturday.
Injury update: Running back Toby Gerhart, a second-round pick out of Stanford, returned to practice after missing Monday because of a knee injury.
Also missing in action were cornerback Chris Cook (knee), center John Sullivan (calf), defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, wide receiver Logan Payne, safety Jamarca Sanford and tight end Garrett Mills.
Percy Harvin strolled into practice a couple of minutes late. At this point, his everyday attendance is a victory for the Vikings after he missed most of the preseason with migraine headaches.
'Big game' for Webb: Rookie quarterback Joe Webb said he's confident in his place