Vikings Need Convincing Win To Forestall Panic

C'mon Seriously.......Let's Win

Vikings Need To Pummel The Lions

An 0-2 start by the Vikings is no reason to panic. However, a calamity against the Detroit Lions today at the Metrodome and card-carrying members of Purple Nation would be fully justified in jumping off the IDS Tower, throwing themselves on the tracks at the nearest light rail station and/or watching several hours of prime-time network television. The latter, death by boredom, might be the most horrible of all.







First, let's define calamity. Obviously, a loss qualifies. But a squeaker of a victory in which the Vikings luck out? Calamity. A come-from-behind last-minute rally for a victory? Calamity. Anything other than an impressive show of muscle on offense? Calamity.







It won't be enough for the Vikings simply to beat the Lions. They need to look good doing it. They need to look in sync.







"We could care less about looking like we're in sync," guard Anthony Herrera said. "Football isn't about looking pretty. It's about winning."







But Anthony, there's a panic brewing. Vikings fans are the new Red Sox fans, anyway. They are convinced that terrible events are inevitable. There is fatalism at work here. The locals believe in predetermined misery. It's as if free will has become a nonfactor. Am I getting too technical?







Put it this way, the overriding feeling appears to be: "What will be, will be. And it will be bad." An impressive, sharp-looking victory at least might put a smile on people's faces for a little while.







"We aren't here to please anybody," Herrera said. "We're here to win. People think that stuff's got to be pretty. That's Pop Warner. It's about winning football games."



He's right, of course. But so am I. If the Vikings look lousy against Detroit, win or lose, just imagine how interminably long the upcoming bye week will seem.







Obviously, it's all about the offense. Specifically, it's all about the passing game. Adrian Peterson ran hard and gained 145 yards against the Dolphins. Unfortunately, it was the one yard he didn't get — on fourth and goal from the 1 — that was the most important. Still, he's not the problem. What we have to figure out is if the wide receiver corps is underachieving or under-talented.







Big difference there. Under-talented can't do it. Underachievers might do it.







I'm undecided as to the answer. Bernard Berrian is playing like he's never been a primary target in his life. He's like a hockey player who suddenly is skating against the other team's top checkers. Or a mop-up relief pitcher who suddenly has been called on in a close, important game.







Greg Camarillo simply hasn't been used. Either he's running the wrong routes or not getting open. One of his primary strengths always has been his route running. And he never really gets open. At least, not wide open. He has made a career out of hanging on to the ball in traffic. So I don't know what the deal is.







Greg Lewis always seems like an afterthought. Once in a great while, a ball will be thrown in his general direction and we'll all say: "Oh, Greg Lewis. I forgot about him." Other than his last-second catch against San Francisco early last season, he's done virtually nothing.







Percy Harvin can't get healthy enough to be a factor. Normally, getting the ball in his hands is a very good thing. Right now, though, he's struggling and is as out of sync with Brett Favre as anybody.







Newcomer Hank Baskett at least can run fast downfield. Maybe he will be a significant upgrade to the receiving corps. What we do know for sure is that the wives' section of the Metrodome received an upgrade with the arrival of Baskett's wife, former Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson.







I just don't know what to make of that group. Two (Baskett and Camarillo) are newcomers, one (Harvin) is banged up, one (Lewis) is an afterthought and the other (Berrian) simply isn't getting the job done. Somebody needs to step up and be a hero.







The Detroit game is the perfect opportunity. The Lions are 0-2 — they're always 0-2 — and aren't going anywhere. They perhaps are better than in recent years but remain a team the Vikings should steamroll. This ought to be the game in which the receivers build their confidence. It should be the game that puts the Vikings back on track.







Most likely, it will be. Because if it isn't, well, the alternative is too depressing to think about.

Chris Cook Says He's Ready; Cedric Griffin Getting Closer



Chris Cook Vikings Rookie CB



Cedric Griffin

Rookie cornerback Chris Cook appears set to make his NFL debut Sunday against the Detroit Lions after being sidelined since the Vikings' third preseason game because of a knee injury.

Cook, who had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, said he worked with the first-team defense this week in the nickel package and also rotated in with the first-team base defense. Cook said that rotation also included cornerback Cedric Griffin, who is working to return after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee last January in the NFC title game.



Both Cook and Griffin are listed as questionable on the injury report, meaning there is a 50-50 chance they will play.



"I feel pretty good," Cook said Friday. "I had three good days of practice. I feel like my movements are good and I'm just waiting for the green light. ... I feel like I'm game-ready and I feel like I can do anything that the coaches ask me to do as far as our defensive calls. I'm just waiting on somebody to tell me what the word is."



Cook said his workload in practice this week was considerably more than last week.



"I'm doing way more," he said. "Last week I wasn't taking reps with the defense. This week I took reps. That was pretty successful because I felt pretty good running around out there."



Griffin, who has been practicing for three weeks, said he's getting increased reps, too. He was listed as "limited" in all practices this week.



"I feel really comfortable right now," he said. "My confidence is high. I feel good with my legs, my wind is great right now. I think I'll get in the game one of these weeks and see how it goes from there."



Refresher Course :

Veteran wide receiver Hank Baskett started his career with the Vikings and has experience in the West Coast system so he said learning the offense this week hasn't been too difficult. Baskett, who signed with the team on Wednesday, said the coaching staff gave him the entire Lions game plan.

Vikings Work Out Receivers, Chris Cook Returns To Practice

Chris Cook

The Minnesota Vikings began the 2010 season with only 4 wide receivers. At this same time a year ago, the Vikings roster boasted 6 receivers and the receiving corps was a strength of the team. In an attempt to bolster their battered wide receiver group, the Vikings will work out a number of players this week. However, head coach Brad Childress was vague when explaining whether or not the team would sign a new player this week.
“It’s a thing that we do every week,” Childress said. “We usually bring people in to try to get a look at them. We’ve had numbers of people through here to look at, whether it’s the offensive line [or] whether it’s in the secondary.”
According to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the players visiting Winter Park for a workout include former Patriot Sam Aiken, former Eagle Reggie Brown, former Packer Ruvell Martin, and former Raven Demetrius Williams. None of these options is great as there is good reason they all have “former” listed before their names.
Speculation remains that the Vikings are interested in disgruntled Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson, but that option becomes more unlikely everyday. Jackson’s contractual demands and pending suspension make him less attractive to a team looking for an immediate impact. A third option would be bringing back Javon Walker who was cut by the team after the preseason.
On the other side of the ball, rookie cornerback Chris Cook returned to the practice field on Monday. After injuring his knee in the team’s 4th exhibition game, the 23-year-old out of the University of Virginia is still not 100%, but he was able to participate in individual drills. Childress was hopeful the rookie will be back on the field soon.
“He just went through some individual periods,” Childress said. “He doesn’t look completely comfortable. As always, it’ll be how he comes back in and treats and how he shows back up tomorrow.”