Contact the Mailbag if you have any Sports Questions 
Mailbag@
informativesports.com

Minnesota Vikings: 2008-09 in Review

by Ethan Calof

Heading into the 2008-09 NFL season, there were heightened expectations surrounding the Minnesota Vikings.

The previous year, the team was expected to do poorly, with several “experts” resigning them to last in the NFC North. However, they received a godsend in the form of rookie running back Adrian Peterson, their seventh overall draft pick. He slipped to the Vikings thanks to concerns about recurring injuries, but the team took a chance on his tantalizing talent -- despite already having Chester Taylor, a 1200-yard rusher in 2006-07. Luckily for the Vikings, Peterson transformed them from a one-dimensional running squad into a dynamic offensive threat. The team rose to 8-8, and was one game away from making the playoffs.

For 2008-09, the team was expected to continue their advancement along the path they had started upon the previous year. Peterson was supposed to mature into a Barry Sanders-esque runner, while erratic young quarterback Tarvaris Jackson was primed to mature into a solid starter. The defense was expected to be the same smash-mouth unit that it had been the year before -- the top rushing defense in the NFL and sixth-ranked overall.

However, most of the enthusiasm was brought on by the Vikings’ off-season transactions. They entered free agency with tens of millions of free salary cap dollars, and left it with a myriad of new weapons.

The first move made was the signing of wide receiver Bernard Berrian to a long-term contract. The previous year, Berrian was with the notoriously pass-deficient Chicago Bears. While he didn’t put up superb statistics, he did flash big-play ability and the potential to mature into the number-one receiver the Vikings had been lacking since Randy Moss. During the season he never became an elite threat; but he did become a good target for the quarterback -- so much so that he hooked up with Gus Frerotte for the longest pass in NFL history.

The second key signing was that of Madieu Williams. The Vikings may have been set at strong safety with reliable veteran Darren Sharper, but free safety was a constant question. Williams was a capable veteran who had proven his worth in Cincinatti, and was still in the midst of his prime at 27. He was injured for half the season, but was effective when in the lineup, a boon to the defense.

The third move was the biggest of them all... and wasn’t even a signing. Over in Kansas City, Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen was upset at the lack of a long-term contract, and was demanding a trade. Instantly, the Vikings spotted an opportunity to help add a dominant pass-rusher to their Pro Bowl defensive tackles (Kevin and Pat Williams), and made the move, surrendering a bushel of draft picks. Allen delivered on all his promise, recording 14.5 big sacks and pressuring the quarterback much more, which led to more bad passes. The defensive backs were helped to look better by association, which led to Antoine Winfield’s first Pro Bowl.

After all the free agency coups, the Vikings settled into the draft, despite having only five picks after the Jared Allen trade. In fact, only one of these picks was in the draft’s first hundred. However, the Vikings still managed a good haul with these picks, with a couple of solid pieces for the future making their way into the Purple and Gold.

Round 2, Pick 12 (43rd overall): Tyrell Johnson, S, Arkansas State

Heading into the draft, Johnson was heralded as a guy who could play admirably in either safety position. In his first season, he played in every game, starting seven in stead of the absent Williams. His stats may not pop out on paper, but he was a reliable performer all season long, and should be a starter in the NFL. This coming season, he’s slated to replace Darren Sharper at strong safety, where he should be an everyday starter. His stats should fill out nicely.

Round 5, Pick 2 (137th overall): John David Booty, QB, USC

Booty had always been seen as a remarkably pro-ready quarterback, thanks to the system implemented by Pete Carroll at USC. When he was drafted by Minnesota, some prognosticators suggested that he’d be able to step in immediately and replace an erratic Tarvaris Jackson. However, that potential has not materialized as of yet. It doesn’t seem as if he will ever advance past the position of clipboard holder. This year, he is slotted behind Jackson and Sage Rosenfels for the Vikings.

Round 5, Pick 17 (152^nd overall): Letroy Guion, DT, Florida State

Guion was rated pre-draft as a developmental project, and it doesn’t seem as if he’ll get the shot in Minnesota. Last year, he played two games, and is currently on the roster -- which says something. However, don’t expect him to ever become a starter. I would not be shocked if he was in Canada by August.

Round 6, Pick 21 (187^th overall): John Sullivan, C, Notre Dame

Sullivan was actually projected by Sports Illustrated to be a third-round pick, so the fact that he survived until the sixth round was a surprise in itself. Normally, players picked so late make little impact with the team, but Sullivan managed to play in all sixteen games last season despite the presence of perennial Pro Bowler Matt Birk. With Birk in Baltimore, Sullivan is projected to be the starter next season.

Round 6, Pick 27 (193^rd overall): Jaymar Johnson, WR, Jackson State

Johnson was a borderline prospect, and is only famous for being the last piece remaining in Minnesota from the Randy Moss trade. He didn’t see a single second of action in 2008-09, and I wouldn’t expect any in the future.

Before the opening kickoff was booted from the tee, the Vikings’ season became shrouded in controversy, thanks to a player who never was a member of the team. With the news that Brett Favre wanted to reverse his retirement hitting the media circuits, the Vikings instantly became a potential landing spot thanks to their dearth of proven talent in the pocket -- not to mention Favre’s friendship with offensive co-ordinator Darrell Bevell. The potential for such a marriage was so strong that the Green Bay Packers, the holder of Favre’s rights, decided to file tampering charges against the Vikings. While nothing came of it, one message was abundantly clear: the quarterback problems would not go away.

The season did not start well for the Vikings, with the team racking up losses in their first two matches. The first came on the road against the Green Bay Packers; the second was dropped in the home opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Each game highlighted a flaw with the team that needed correction. Against the Packers, they realized that Tarvaris Jackson was not a dependable option, thanks to the avoidable interception he threw to end the game. Against the Colts, they saw a lack of finish offensively. The fact that five drives ended in five field goals was worrying for the team, and again the game performance didn’t say much in favor of Jackson.

For the third game of the season, the Vikings decided to pull the plug on the Jackson experiment, figuring that they couldn’t trust him to lead them to the Promised Land. Jackson’s spotty, horrid play from the first two games was a major reason why the team was stuck in a hole, and they figured Gus Frerotte, the reliable veteran, could play convincingly enough to lead them out of it.

The third game seemed to be a sign that Gus was the answer. Against the Carolina Panthers, the Vikings hopped on the undefeated squad and rode defensive dominance to victory. Winfield returned a fumble for a touchdown, Gus threw a long bomb to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, and everything seemed to be looking up in Minneapolis.

However, the next week they were faced with another large stumbling block: the big, brash, dominant Tennessee Titans. The 3-0 squad seemed to be cast from a similar mold as the Vikings, except with three notable exceptions: more reliable quarterbacking; a better defensive backfield; and far better coaching. The team made the Vikings the fourth notch on their belt en route to a 13-3 season.

The fifth game of the season was almost universally recognized a key turning point for the Vikings. Like Minnesota, the New Orleans Saints were struggling in a tight NFC race, despite expectations heralding the opposite. Their powerful passing offense was a difficult match for Minnesota’s relatively porous pass defense.

However, Lady Luck landed on the Vikings side. Thanks to a blocked field goal return for a touchdown by Winfield, a touchdown pass by Chester Taylor, and a late field goal by Ryan Longwell, the Vikings escaped the game 30-27, and righted the season.

The rest of the season was full of wild and zany twists and turns. An escape of the lowly Detroit Lions thanks to a controversial penalty... a wild, zany 48-41 loss to the Chicago Bears... a stifling victory over the Houston Texans... a last-second victory over the Packers made possible by a missed field goal. There was the failed rally against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the perfect counter to the dominant destruction of the Jacksonville Jaguars. A workmanlike dissection of the Bears’ defense that pulled the team into the NFC North lead was followed by another escape of the Lions, thanks to Tarvaris Jackson’s late play in relief of an injured Frerotte. A total outclassing of the playoff-bound Arizona Cardinals preceded a last-second defeat at the hands of the resurgent Atlanta Falcons.

In the end, it came down to one game: a Week 17 match-up against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. If the Vikings won, they would be in the playoffs as the NFC North champion. If they lost, then they would have to hope that the Houston Texans defeated the Bears in order to eke out a playoff berth.

The contest went right down to the wire. Jackson played an admirable game, and Peterson broke a few long runs. In the end, a frantic comeback was started with a 54-yard pass from Jackson to Berrian, and punctuated by a 51-yard field goal off the foot of Longwell to cap out a 20-19 victory.

The Vikings were going to the playoffs.

Their first-round opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, would not be easy to overcome. They were on a tear heading into the postseason, capping their dominant stretch with an emphatic rout of the Dallas Cowboys to clinch a playoff berth. Their blitzing defense, led by mastermind Jim Johnson, promised to cause problems for whoever lined up behind center for the Vikings.

That was the issue, however; the Vikings had no idea who their quarterback would be. Gus Frerotte had been “the man” for most of the season, and had spurred the Vikings to their turnaround. Yet, since Frerotte’s back injury, Jackson had stepped in and performed capably. Coach Brad Childress decided to ride the hot hand by inserting Jackson, hoping that he would continue playing well enough to win. Unfortunately for Minnesota, the decision blew up in their faces.

Jackson looked like a deer in the headlights against the ferocious Philly defense. He ended up going 15 for 35, with one interception that was returned for a touchdown just before halftime. He didn’t throw for any touchdowns, and never bailed the squad out when it needed help. Quite simply, he didn’t look anywhere near a suitable NFL quarterback.

Sadly, the Vikings fell to their doom.

This season would have to be considered a success given the preseason expectations. But thanks to Minnesota’s overachievement in winning the NFC North, the season raised several burning issues. The first thing that became painfully clear was that Minnesota would never advance far in the playoffs with an inconsistent quarterback. Jackson is looking more and more like a failed prospect, and Frerotte was cut after the season. The Vikings decided to trade for Sage Rosenfels, but there is no guarantee that he will be the answer.

As well, the Vikings realized once again that their defensive backfield was filled with holes. Cedric Griffin has promise, but he isn’t a top-flight starter yet. As of yet, the Vikings have made no moves to help shore up their current scenario, but the draft is coming.

Finally, the right side of the offensive line could use a little bit of help. Anthony Herrera and Ryan Cook are not the right combination for a team with championship aspirations. The team like to attack this vacancy during the draft -- potentially with their first-round pick.

All in all, the 2008-09 season had a lot of good mixed in with a little bit of bad. Even though they couldn’t find a quarterback, Minnesota still rode Peterson to a divisional crown. Even though their pass defense was subpar, Minnesota still refused to allow anyone to run on them. In 2009-10, with a little retooling here and there, they should go even farther than last season. If Rosenfels is the answer, the possibilities are there to go quite far indeed...

Submitted 3/20/2009

Comment on this article to Comments@informativesports.com