Vikings and Cowboys: Double desperado

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Romo And Favre A Little Too Much Fun On The Field

The last time the Vikings and Dallas Cowboys met, the circumstances were cut and dried, the significance understood. It was win and advance, lose and go home.







Playoff football offers no gray area.







Flash forward exactly nine months to the day after the Vikings advanced to the NFC Championship Game and ended the Cowboys' season with a 34-3 victory at Mall of America Field at the Metrodome.







Same teams, same venue, many of the same players. The stakes are obviously much different, but it can be argued that both teams might feel a similar sense of desperation.







With so much returning talent on both teams, the Vikings and Cowboys were viewed nationally as Super Bowl candidates with enough firepower to be the last team standing this winter.







But their paths took a detour. Both teams are 1-3, a scenario few would have predicted.







"Not ... at ... all," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "We are surprised, too. But we still have a long way to go. It's not impossible. But our main focus is getting a win this week."







Unlike last January, the season won't end for the team that falls to 1-4. But the margin for error will continue to shrink while any remaining preseason optimism will all but disappear.







Consider: Since the current playoff system started in 1990, only five teams that started 1-4 made the playoffs. None won the Super Bowl.







Neither team wants to test that history.







"Two teams starving for a win," Vikings middle linebacker E.J. Henderson said. "I think a win would point us in the right direction. I'm expecting a lot from the Cowboys and definitely expecting a lot from the Vikings."







Said Dallas coach Wade Phillips, whose job security has become a hot topic again: "I think both teams are certainly disappointed with what their record is right now, but they can both do something about it. It's a good opportunity for one team to get their season started in the right direction."

Bevell Calls Favre's Status 'Day To Day Thing'

Favre did not practice Wednesday because of tendinitis in his right elbow. Favre said he would consider not playing and thus ending his record consecutive games streak if he feels like he's hurting the team.

Could This Be It For The 40 Year-Old QB?

Bevell said he can't envision Favre not being on the field, but he said his status this week is a "day-to-day thing." Bevell also said he didn't see Favre clutching his arm after making several throws Monday night until he watched the highlights.



Bevell was asked if Favre's injury will affect how he has to call the game.



"No," Bevell said.



Not at all?



"No," Bevell said.



Because you have confidence he can make every throw or you can't worry about it?



"If a guy is going to play then you have to play it the way you're going to play it," Bevell said. "You're not going to be able to hide the quarterback obviously. If he's got to make throws, he's got to make throws. If he can't make them, you have to put somebody else in there."



Of course, we also know that Bevell is not going to tip his hand on any game plan thinking. No coach would. But it seems reasonable to think the Vikings will want to establish the running game and rely on that heavily Sunday against Dallas to limit the amount of throws Favre has to make.



"If that's the approach we take then I'm all in for it," Adrian Peterson said. "I'm ready to do my part. But that's the mindset we come into every game. Make sure we estsblish the run game."

Brett Favre Hints That He Could Sit Out

Brett Favre has started 289 consecutive regular season games…but that streak appears to be in serious jeopardy thanks to the elbow tendinitis the quarterback is currently battling.



The elbow issue first came to the media’s attention during practice week leading up to Monday night’s Jets game, though Favre says the situation has actually been around for a lot longer. During the game, Favre seemed to have full velocity, but was at times wildly inaccurate. This inaccuracy prevented the Vikings from finishing the furious second half comeback Favre started by flinging a long touchdown to Randy Moss.



In his Wednesday presser, Favre acknowledged that the elbow affected his throws.



“There were some throws that, blind-folded, I felt like I could have made, and made some good throws but missed on some that I don’t miss on,” Favre said. “That’s what I don’t want to happen. You’re not going to make every throw, but I would have made some of those throws.”



Favre also addressed the possibility of sitting out a game to rest the elbow. Perhaps surprisingly, the quarterback noted for his supreme toughness didn’t rule out the idea.



“Sure, I think any player would have to consider that,” Favre said. “Going through that type of situation where, I can [play], but will rest help? Yeah, that’d be a consideration.”



The Vikings face the Cowboys this weekend, in a game that could very well degenerate into a shoot-out. That being the case, this would be a very inconvenient time for Favre to hand the keys over to Tarvaris Jackson.



After that the Vikings face the Packers – there’s no way Favre misses that game – and then the Patriots, another team the Vikings probably can’t handle with T-Jack at the helm. The home game against a weak Arizona squad Week 9 would probably afford the best chance for Favre to sit and have it not badly cripple the team’s chances of winning – but by then the Vikings might already be out of serious playoff contention, rendering the whole situation moot.



Of course, there are some who have argued that an injured, distracted Favre isn’t any good to the Vikings anyway, and they would be better off if he retired now and they went with T-Jack the rest of the season. To these people I can only say, what short memories you have.

Is Brett Favre Helping or Hurting the Vikings' Chances at a Super Bowl?

Vikings PhotosOnce a trendy Super Bowl pick, the Minnesota Vikings have fallen to 1-3 through the first five weeks of the NFL season. So who's to blame for their poor start?



It's not the defense, which has kept the Vikings in every game.



It's not Adrian Peterson, who leads the league with 120 rush yards per game.



It's not that the Vikings don't have a plethora of elite playmaking pass catchers, because they do.



So what is it?!



It's got to be Brett Favre. Through four games Favre has thrown seven interceptions, tying the number he had all of last season and putting him on pace for 28 picks in 2010.



Even when he's not soft-tossing interceptions to the defense, Brett has looked much less accurate this season than in 2009. Multiple times Favre missed opportunities to make easy throws to a single-covered Randy Moss against the Jets. In the fourth quarter with the game on the line, No. 4 overthrew Percy Harvin, who was wide open after badly beating Darrelle Revis.



Brett Favre doesn't seem capable of making all the throws Brett Favre makes. He is no longer the three-time MVP, but a subpar 41-year-old quarterback with a bum ankle and tendinitis in his elbow.



Not only is Favre hurting the Vikings on the gridiron, he is becoming a problem off it too. With a pending NFL investigation and a possible suspension facing Favre, there is a lot more chatter going on in the locker room than just how they are going to turn their disappointing season around.



So what should the Vikings do? Tarvaris Jackson has shown nothing to prove he should replace Brett. Joe Webb is an exciting prospect who could add another dimension to the offense, but he is very raw as a rookie and shouldn't be handed the keys to a team with Super Bowl aspirations.



Even if there was an alternative option, how would it look if the Vikings replaced the man they fell over themselves to get back?



The Vikings may have no other choice than to hope Brett shakes off the rust and finds some of his old magic that made Minnesota fall in love with him a year ago.

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.”

Moss Might Help Run As Much As Pass

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Randy Moss Threat  Takes Men Out Of The Box

Adrian Peterson said the acquisition of Randy Moss made him feel like a kid in a candy store. He also compared it to Christmas.







His excitement is understandable. While most of the trade talk has focused on Moss' potential impact on the Vikings struggling pass game, the threat of his big-play capability and downfield speed also should loosen things up for Peterson and the running game.







"That was my initial thought when I heard the news," Peterson said. "It's going to make the offense more dynamic, definitely give us that deep threat and open up the run game."







Both Peterson and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell used the phrase "pick your poison" to describe how Moss' presence could affect defensive game plans.







Opponents routinely have committed an extra defender or two near the line to clog up running lanes and neutralize Peterson. That plan doesn't always work, and it's not an every-down strategy, but it's certainly made life difficult for Peterson and the offensive line.







The Vikings said they believe the addition of Moss will force defenses to play more honestly and not have their safeties help as much in run support.







"It definitely loosens things up," Peterson said. "When you got a player like Randy Moss, it loosens it up even more. When I heard the news I was excited and overwhelmed. I'm just looking forward to taking that first snap with him."







It's not as if Peterson has struggled in the absence of a consistent passing game. The Vikings rank fifth in the NFL in rushing. Peterson is tied for third in rushing with 392 yards, is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and had a career-long 80-yard touchdown run against Detroit.







But with Sidney Rice sidelined after having hip surgery, the Vikings had virtually no vertical passing game the first three games, or even the threat of one. They are ranked 24th in passing, and their longest pass play is 33 yards.

Teammates See Moss As A Man Who Fits The Plan

Randy Moss Traded To
Vikings For 3rd round pick in 2011

Randy Moss, right, catches his first from Brett Favre during practice in Eden Prairie on Thursday, October 7, 2010. (Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin) (Ben Garvin
Pioneer Press)

The catch took place in Moss' first practice with the team today.



 Vikings players had the day off Wednesday, but a number of players visited the locker room at Winter Park, and the Randy Moss trade had the place buzzing.



"There is good energy in that locker room," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said. "It was all positive energy and anticipation."



Moss' return to Minnesota after being traded by the New England Patriots captivated the football world, starting Tuesday night. Several of his new teammates said they were completely caught off guard.



All-Pro defensive tackle Kevin Williams, one of a handful of current Vikings who played with Moss during his first stint with the team, said he first learned of the trade while watching the news Tuesday night.



"I was a little surprised," Williams said. "I don't think anyone saw it coming."



Moss is scheduled to take part in his first practice Thursday. Several players said his arrival created a spark inside the locker room as the team prepares to embark on a taxing October schedule starting Monday night against the New York Jets.



"This is an exciting move," quarterback Brett Favre told Vikings.com. "It's rare you get to play with a future Hall of Famer and get to appreciate their talents up close. Randy Moss is a great player, and his career speaks for itself. I've admired him from a distance for a long time and you can't help but be impressed by the guy. I've seen him light our teams up plenty of times in those Vikings-Packers games, and I'm excited to be on the same team now."



Adrian Peterson told the team's website that Moss' presence will have a dramatic effect on their struggling passing game.



"It's a great move getting Randy Moss in here," Peterson said. "We've just been missing something, and I think he can give us another threat down the field. The opportunity to play with a guy like Randy Moss, one of the best wide receivers to ever play the game, that's a chance that doesn't come along every day."

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

Minnesota Vikings Coach Brad Childress Quotes

Minnesota Vikings Coach Brad Childress Is Optimistic About Slow Start

Good work today; you guys won’t be here, but we’ll get a little extra work tomorrow with these guys all working together. They’ll have their day off Wednesday. Tonight they have Taste of the NFL and they have their NFL life skills seminar at 2:30. We got a few things we like to get done during the bye week. Everybody came back none the worse for wear. I had a chance to watch a little college football and a little pro football. It’s a long season. The big thing is to continue to improve and I think these few days will help us do that.



Q: How wide open do you think the NFC North potentially is?



A: I would say that about probably every team in the NFL. Before it’s over, if they don’t have issues now; Kansas City is the only undefeated team and I’m sure there are issues no one is aware of. It becomes a war of attrition at times; who’s healthy, and who’s not. Certainly the NFC North is always competitive. It was a game last year; it’s always going to be in there being fraught with different things. We’re playing a couple pretty good divisions in our crossover, so I would expect it to be a pretty good battle.



Q: How pleased are you with the defensive line at this point?



A: I think they are doing okay. I think the edge pressure has been decent. Jared Allen has seen a variety of different looks. As important as anything I would tell you would be the pocket push, pushing up the middle. Quarterbacks can step up from edge rushes and not giving them something clean where they can step in to is as big as anything. I think we’re doing a decent job with that inside push as well.



Q: What’s it like having only three weeks of film to look at during your bye week?



A: It was different from the standpoint of body of work. You don’t have as many plays to look at and see situational, for instance snaps on the goal-line, which we had an unbelievable amount throughout the course of last year. There’s not that much evidence there yet, so people will go back to last year to look at us. We’re doing a decent job of running the football right now. We want to continue that. We want to throw in a couple of areas there. Like I said before, pass game needs work and we’ll continue to address that and look at that.



Q: Are you surprised you got a call from the league addressing Jared’s “roping”?



A: I was. It was Friday before the game. Somebody must have called it to somebody’s attention, but it has been going on for a long time and everybody was certainly aware of it when we started this season. It wasn’t on the DVD that we get for rules changes. Ed Hochuli was very good about it before the game just in my conversations with him. They weren’t going to try and make an issue out of it.



Q: The league said he [Allen] can’t go down to the knee?



A: I think you can’t go down to the ground to celebrate. It’s the same as you can’t go down to the ground in the endzone to celebrate after a touchdown.



Q: What do you look for when a team comes back from a bye week?



A: It’s important that they have a fresh attitude, fresh outlook and that they come out here and don’t forget everything they knew before the bye. I thought we had a pretty crisp practice today, just kind of getting back in the saddle. I just look for them to come back with the right mindset, come back ready to work, come back ready to improve, not to come back and just hang out. We’ve got work to do. We can only do work on one opponent right now. As I mentioned to you, offensively we face a number of 3-4 teams here, one after the other.



Q: The Jets are getting Santonio Holmes back for this game. What does he bring to the offense?



A: They already do a nice job of running the football; Jerrico Cotchery is a good player and Braylon Edwards is a very good player. The more weapons they have, the more variables. They have a very good tight end; I think he gives them more of those explosive components. He’s a good player in his own right.



Q: How impressive is it that they [Jets] only have one turnover through four games?



A: That’s huge. They don’t put themselves in trouble.



Q: What is the status on Visanthe Shiancoe and John Sullivan?



A: They are working through their different muscle issues. They are making progress and they stayed all last week and actually treated last night. They’re coming.



Q: Are you surprised at how successful Ladanian Tomlinson has been this season?



A: No, I thought he was still a pretty good talent. Live-legged. I know they are changing it up with Shonn Greene a little bit. He’s got football instincts and he’s still got the physical wherewithal to be able to make you miss and he’s quick enough to square around the corner and run between tackles.