NFL: Minnesota Vikings Update

2008-11-26T11:20:00.002-06:00

Steve Hutchinson (offensive guard) and his wife were busy spreading holiday cheer this week when they hosted a holiday dinner for kids and their families at UofM Children's Hospital. You can read about it here, and happy Thanksgiving!

2008-10-30T12:47:00.001-05:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Minnesota!

2008-10-16T16:04:00.000-05:00

In case you want to pencil in the cheerleader audition dates on your calendar...

Training Camp or a Party?

2008-07-25T13:46:00.003-05:00

Training camp starts today! I was just looking around on Vikings.com and I saw this about training camp. They have all sorts of stuff going on. Autograph Zone, team introduction, kids' activities...when are they going to have time to practice? It all sounds fun. I hope I can get there for a day or two myself.

Youth sports leads Vikings player to Pro Bowl

2008-02-25T16:41:00.003-06:00

After reading this article on Pro Bowl MVP Adrian Peterson, youth sports programs start to seem a lot more important.

Hey, I played little league... where's my Pro Bowl MVP?

The first step to getting help...

2007-08-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

So after years of saying, "I'll post more, really I will" it's finally time to admit I'm just a couch potato, and my followthrough's worse than a drunk quarterback. So I'm adding a Minnesota Vikings feed that will hopefully give all my loyal readers (you know you're out there, really you do) something to read when I'm being to lazy to contribute anything.

Rashad named to College Hall of Fame

2007-05-11T12:46:00.000-05:00

Former Vikings receiver Ahmad Rashad was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame this Wednesday. He played at Oregon before joining the Vikings from 76-82. Rashad is sixth on the Vikings' all-time receiving list.

Vikings sign Doss

2007-04-10T17:07:00.000-05:00

The Vikings recently signed free agent Mike Doss for the coming 2007 NFL season. Doss has enjoyed success with the Colts and should be a valuable asset to the Vikings.

Also, the NFL released the preseason schedule for this year:
8/10-11 vs. Saint Louis Rams
8/17 @ NY Jets
8/24-25 @ Seattle Seahawks
8/30 vs. Dallas Cowboys

2007-01-16T16:21:00.000-06:00

According to The Minnesota Star-Tribune, if Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin is picked as the next Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, the club could turn to defensive line coach Karl Dunbar as a successor to Tomlin. Tomlin is one of three finalists for the Steelers head coaching vacancy. Stay tuned!

RANDALL McDANIEL INDUCTED INTO RING OF HONOR

2006-12-18T13:09:00.000-06:00

Former Minnesota Vikings lineman Randall McDaniel was inducted yesterday afternoon into the Vikings Ring of Honor. He was given a commemorative ring ring to recognize his induction and a video montage was played that celebrated his career. Highlights of that career included being a important member of the 98' offensive line that has the highest scoring offense in league history and being voted to 12 Pro Bowls in a row. Quite an achievment! Off the field, McDaniel was a school teacher with an accomplished after-school program. Congratulations, Randall! The NFL can always use more players like you.

WHAT'S A COACH TO DO?

2006-12-11T16:35:00.000-06:00

Brad Childress has a lot of thinking to do right now, I guess. Mostly, what to do about his quarterback situation. Brad Johnson hasn't been playing well, throwing to many interceptions. His backup quarterback, Brooks Bolinger, is injured right now, and his new rookie isn't sure he's ready to be the starting quarterback. It's probably safe to assume that morale is not too high for the Minnesota Vikings. What's a coach to do?

PAT WILLIAMS OUT OF THE GAME

2006-12-04T12:37:00.000-06:00

For the first time of this season, the Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle, Pat Williams, was not able to play. He was downgraded earlier this week from questionable to doubtful due to a right knee injury which has been a problem for most of the season. We sure missed him. He's definitely one of main reasons the Vikings rank number one in the league for rushing defense.

DID HE DESERVE TO GET SLUGGED?

2006-11-29T16:36:00.000-06:00

The Minnesota Vikings receiver, Troy Williamson, was hit in the face at a charity event this last week. Every year, Troy puts on Sharperpalooza on his birthday. Rapper Ludacris played at a nightclub in Maplewood, with some of the proceeds going to the United Way. Other than being struck in the face by a security guard, Williamson considered the event a success. I wonder how much he was to blame for the incident? Well, anyhow, no arrests were made and no charges were filed.

Losing Streak Should Melt in Miami

2006-11-16T16:36:00.000-06:00

We looked a little stiff against Green Bay on Sunday. Okay, more than a little. I think Coach Childress was accurate in refusing to lay our 23-17 defeat solely at the feet of Brad Johnson -- one example, yeah, he was sacked four times, and it wasn't pretty, but where were the bodyguards?

The Vikings need to remember who toppled the Seattle Seahawks a mere three weeks ago, and then be sure those guys show up to play in Dolphin Stadium. We can still do this, Vikes!

Vikings Baby!

2006-10-26T18:57:00.000-05:00

Well so here we are approaching halfway through the the season and the Saints are up next on the 30th. The injury list doesn't look too bad and to be honest I don't know how much of threat the New England Saints really are, but if defense is able to pull it together again, we should be sitting pretty. I plan on spending Monday night in front of the tube again casue I can only afford tickets to about half the home games. Either way, I will be there in spirit.

Go Vikings!

w00t

Big D

2006-10-19T15:49:00.000-05:00

The Lions have learned their lesson....maybe. I could care less, we won, bottom line. Certainly anyone who is familiar with the franchise will admit, defense is playing a role unvisited in years and it was something I dont think the Lions were ready for, good for us, bad for them. With this in mind it is possible the seahawks are doing some rearranging to prepare for the immenent cruching the Vikings are sure to dole out this sunday. Get yer tickets, I'll see you there!

No fairwell to Farwell

2006-10-11T19:31:00.000-05:00

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Heath Farwell has certainly established a presence on special teams in just the past two years! The rookie from San Diego State University is in his second year with the Vikings and is a freakin tank with 13 tackles in seven games last year. This season, Farwell is working to be more of an all around defensive option for the Vikings and their totally rethought defense. In pre-season this year alone, has led in tackles, and thats just ion four games! Things are looking good, hope to see a lot more from these ppl.

w00t

Time for another win!!!!!!!!!!

2006-10-06T14:44:00.000-05:00

so here we are 4 games inot the season with 2 up 2 down. We need to stop waffling get Ds head together and come out fighting when we hit the field with Detroit on Sunday. Kebin Williams is doing well, but he can do better, lets hope we see that Sunday. The same goes for sharper and Antoine Winfield, doing good but can do better. Lets hope a meeting of the minds has taken place and some of the rough edges have been smooth out and our D is better organized.

Minnesota Couldn't Come From Behind the Bills

2006-10-01T18:09:00.000-05:00

Now that I finally have a chance to get back to putting my two cents' worth into the blogosphere...my Vikings go and play a game that was worth about that. Naw, I can't really say that, because even if Brad Johnson had a couple of interceptions, he was hanging in there and managed a TD pass to Marcus Robinson to cut Buffalo's lead to 17-12, and kept on driving for more with less than two minutes to go.

Even as I write, looking forward to a visit from the Detroit Lions next week, I see out of the corner of my eye that they are hanging by their fingernails (34-33) with about six minutes left in their final quarter against the Rams at St. Louis, hanging on to what would be their first win of the 2006 season. Gonna stop here and go see if the Rams can pull off what the Vikings couldn't quite manage against the Bills.

Two Brads To Hold the Vikings Together

2006-06-20T15:38:00.000-05:00

Zygi Wilf has brought on new head coach Brad Childress, and Childress in turn has chosen Brad Johnson to be the Vikings' starting quarterback. Johnson was already showing what he could do last season, with a 7-2 game record, which began after the high-profile (and admittedly talented when healthy) Duante Culpepper got hurt. Childress is a no-nonsense kind of guy, and Johnson, soon to turn 38, is certainly mature. I believe these two Brads might be just what Minnesota needs to break free of the mediocre 9-7 plateau.

Vikings Beefing Up on Both Sides of the Ball

2006-05-16T09:56:00.000-05:00

We have made a lot of off-season changes, including some daring picks in the NFL Draft and free-agent signings. We are getting better and better as we approach the 2006 season start. Can we build ourselves up enough to become a contender? We shall see.

A Little Tongue in Cheek

2006-04-18T20:27:00.000-05:00

Important News! You can pick your own 2006 Minnesota Vikings cheerleading squad. Yes friends there are photos and a fun little mini game on the team’s official web site and you can vote for your picks. I love this country and the internet so dearly.

http://www.vikings.com/news_detail_objectname_MVCVoting41806.html

Come on guys! Act your age!

2006-03-27T22:28:00.000-06:00

In baseball today, Julian Tavares, known hot-head from the Boston Red Sox and Joey Gathright of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays got into an all out brawl over a close play at home plate in the eighth inning of their game today. Both players were ejected for participating in the shenanigans. I just have to ask why grown men are fighting over a spring game that doesn’t count anyway.

NFL Commissioner’s Strong Words

2006-03-10T12:43:00.000-06:00

Without going to far into it, I wanted to talk a little about some comments by Paul Tagliabue on the demands of the Players Association. He has said that he feels the request does not take into account:

“…the reality of our league’s economics today. It is a very excessive and unrealistic demand.”

My take on it is that NFL players are paid the lowest amount per game of four major sports in this country. They wreck their bodies for a career that in reality last 3-4 years on average before they get injured or broken to play. I don’t think they are being excessive, I just think they are fighting for their right to a competitive wage increase.

The Tale of Two Quarterbacks

2006-02-10T17:50:00.000-06:00

The Minnesota Vikings have a big decision to make this off-season. Will they allow Daunte Culpepper to return to his starting quarterback position or will they ask him to back up Brad Johnson who proved he can lead this team in Culpepper’s absence.

Wild Card Team Makes Super Bowl

2006-01-23T16:55:00.000-06:00

Minnesota Vikings fans are probably glad the Pittsburgh Steelers made it to the Super Bowl. It makes their victory over us seem a little less painful because, well, they are the best team in the NFC after all. I hope they go on to beat the Seattle Seahawks because seeing a number six seed team make it to the Super Bowl and win will be a big triumph considering they had to basically win five road games in a row to get there.

A Good Farewell to 2005

2006-01-21T23:35:00.000-06:00

Our 2005 season finale against the Bears was the best way to go out, but I wish we would have made the playoffs. I am considering buying tickets to the Super Bowl but not if the Broncos beat the Steelers because I’d Rather see the Steelers battle the Carolina Panthers.

Childress Joins Vikings With High Hopes

2006-01-09T18:41:00.000-06:00

Brad Childress has been named the Minnesota Vikings new coach. He is the seventh coach in franchise history and some believe a great choice for the position. He took weak college teams like Illinois and Wisconsin and polished them into Rose Bowl and Big Ten championship teams. His NFL record is just as impressive. His work with the Eagles was a paramount example of how he can strengthen and hone his team into a playoff contender in a matter of a few years. We have high hopes for his time with the Vikings and see his time with the Eagles as a great achievement and a good omen for things to come.

Vikings Final Win-Loss 9-7

2006-01-02T16:47:00.000-06:00

The Chicago Bears gave the win to the Vikings on Sunday. They rested most of their starters with the playoffs in sight and really allowed us to clinch the victory. The Minnesota Vikings played a fine game despite with Brad Johnson making 27 completions for a season high. We scored 24 unanswered points and we rushed for 149 yards. Our defense played very hard and we made some amazing plays on offense. All in all we posed more of a threat than the Green Bay Packers and if we had played the Bears last week they might not be the NFC North Champs.

Boller Shocks Vikings with Precision Passing

2005-12-27T18:54:00.000-06:00

The Minnesota Vikings suffered a disappointing loss to the Baltimore Ravens over the weekend. They were outscored by just a touchdown but were clearly dominated by the Ravens offense. Kyle Boller put forth a rare but admirable effort and we were only able to break his stride once with our fourth quarter interception. It was like Boller waited all season to show he had the stuff to play a near perfect game and dashed our playoff hopes with a supply of accurate passes that seemed endless. Unfortunately I feel that we didn’t really deserve to go to the post season this year anyway. There is always next year.

Ravens, a Tough Nut to Crack

2005-12-20T18:47:00.000-06:00

After the Green Bay Packers embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Ravens it appears we are facing quite a challenge next week. They were more dominant in recent years, however one could say the Ravens have been more aggressive this year, especially at home. They have allowed very few touchdowns when playing in the M&T Bank Stadium. We are even more afraid for Michael Bennett because the Ravens have allowed very few rushing yards and even fewer rushing touchdowns. It seems that they have all the bases covered but our offense can hold the line and Brad Johnson performs well under pressure.

Rams Flounder in Vikings Presence

2005-12-12T17:27:00.000-06:00

The Minnesota Vikings are into a six game winning streak after their win over the St. Louis Rams this Sunday. The score was 27-13 and this was a great win for the Vikings. Since the Chicago Bears lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they only lead us in the division by one game. The Vikings dominated the St. Louis Rams by forcing mistakes and shutting down their running game with weapons like Erasmus James. Koren Robinson showed up to play an excellent game and made some key plays and a touchdown for Minnesota. We proved the better team simply by converting on downs which the Rams struggled with throughout the game.

Johnson Does it Again

2005-12-05T17:40:00.000-06:00

Brad Johnson had a great game against the Detroit Lions in the Minnesota Vikings’ 21-16 win. He threw two touchdowns and the one to Koren Robinson was an 80-yarder. For the game Johnson had a season-high 256 passing yards and went 17 for 23 against the Lions defense. The best thing about Brad Johnson is that he doesn’t get intercepted much and that’s more than we can say for Daunte Culpepper. This is our fifth win in a row and it seems like the slow start we got this season was just a warm up for a fantastic finish. Brad Johnson is the one to take us there.

Vikings Slice Through Browns Defense

2005-11-30T17:20:00.000-06:00

The Minnesota Vikings beat the Cleveland Browns 24-12 pushing our record to 6-5. Brad Johnson passed to Marcus Robinson for a total of three touchdowns and threw for 207 yards total in the game. Our defense was effective against the run forcing two fumbles off Trent Dilfer who later left the game with a hurt right knee. Viking Darren Sharper intercepted a ball meant for Charlie Frye and Vikings QB Johnson threw for only one interception in a game with very few mistakes all around. The Vikings have really turned this season around with better defense and fewer errors than we started with.

Favre Versus Johnson in the Cold

2005-11-22T18:43:00.000-06:00

In a battle between Bret Favre and Brad Johnson you never know what you are going to get. The Minnesota Vikings pulled out a victory over the Packers 20-17. It was not our best performance all season but we still got the win. Mewelde Moore was the star of the game with 122 yards rushing. Everyone expected this game to go to Green Bay because Favre is so good at Lambeau Field when it’s extremely cold. We held on to the ball in the second quarter and made a lot of solid plays. Mike Tice and his coaching staff were pretty happy with the game despite some key injuries. Fans felt like the Vikings running game was worthy of a playoff contending team and I have to agree. This was a good win against a strong yet floundering rival.

Thanks for all the Turnovers

2005-11-15T14:07:00.000-06:00

Eli Manning had one of the worst games of his career and the whole Giants team was having trouble holding on to the football. If it hadn’t been for the Giants total lack of offensive strength and intensity the Vikings could have been in trouble. The Minnesota Vikings only had 12 rushing yards and a total of 156 yards of offense. They took advantage of every turn over and looked really good doing it, but no fan can ignore that the New York Giants were off their game big-time and a win like that fosters no faith in your team’s ability to go all the way. No the Vikings and Shaun Hill are going to have to put up a better offensive effort against the Green Bay Packers to earn a real win.

Trigger Happy

2005-06-14T09:38:00.000-05:00

What is up with football players and guns?

Just recently I read that Terry Johnson a defensive tackle from the Chicago Bears was arrested for and unregistered gun. In a relating story dealing with you Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Daunte Culpepper was discovered with a gun in his car that he rented. Apparently the gun was actually registered to team mate and Vikings running back Michael Bennett. No one was arrested but just an odd story I think.

Birk Out 3-4 Months

2005-06-01T16:51:00.000-05:00

It just seems that every time I write about center Matt Birk the situation gets worse. Just recently I found out the Birk will miss the season opener after he had hip surgery several days ago. It was to repair his torn labrum, which will take 3-4 months to heal. The anchor of the line seems to be sinking in his injury right now. But coaches are optimistic of his return after week 1. In the mean time Cory Withrow will replace Birk at center.

Update

2005-05-29T16:19:00.000-05:00

The last entry we talked about the all mighty Matt Birk. Well I have some updated news on his status. Apparently the center has said that he will miss part of training camp after all. I just feel bad for the guy. Birk has not been healthy in over a year. Hopefully he will be ok soon enough for the 05’ season.

The Anchor

2005-05-24T16:22:00.000-05:00

Matt Birk, the Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl Center, is scheduled to have surgery today to fix his torn labrum in his right hip. If my calculations are correct this will be Birk’s third operation in his career.

Birk is still penciled in as the starter; after all he is the anchor to the offensive line as well as a team leader on offense. Birk feels that he should be ready by the time training camp roles around, so nobody panic.

Running Back Shuffle

2005-05-19T15:45:00.000-05:00

Did you know Onterrio Smith was caught with a kit which sole purpose is to circumvent drug test. That is now a strike against him for the NFL substance abuse policy.

Yet regardless Coach Mike Tice has said Smith will still compete with Michael Bennett and Mewelde Moore for the stating job at running back, which has been shaky. I doubt that it will be Smith carrying the workload though. Rather, a trio of backs combining for 1,000 yards.

But don’t leave out rookie running back Ciatrick Fason. He was about to be pushed aside as a special ‘teamer’ for the 05 season, but now has a legitimate shot for some playing time in the back field.

Falling in to Place

2005-05-11T18:20:00.000-05:00

from Foxports.com

WR Troy Williamson has top-flight speed but will need work on his fundamentals. During early spring workouts, Williamson dropped more than his share of balls -- at times appearing to have his hands in the wrong position. New WR coach Wes Chandler should be able to correct that technique early in training camp.

WR Travis Taylor didn't receive the notoriety of some other free agent signings, but he might prove to be one of the team's shrewdest. During a recent minicamp, Taylor showed unexpected polish and technique and has a strong chance to be the team's No. 3 receiver.

Target Practice

2005-04-18T15:33:00.000-05:00

The Vikings sit in a good position to upgrade their need at wide receiver. Particularly since Randy Moss was dealt over to the Raiders. Moss was the Vikings only vertical threat. Not that the Burleson is bad because is a quality NFL receiver. He had his first thousand yard season this past with Moss injured off and on.

The Vikes will try to find a running back some in the draft since the draft is actually deep with running back talent. But look for Mike Tice to stick with using full advantage of his quarterback in Daunte Culpepper.

Understand that the Vikings have the 7th and the 18th picks in this years draft and would like to acquire Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams or maybe even Troy Williamson. The draft is the draft and with rumors of trading up with the Niners anything can happen.

A simple Fact

2005-04-09T13:21:00.000-05:00

from Foxsports.com

Because he is so effective in his limited role, the team has given no thought toward including RB Moe Williams in its training camp competition for the starting running back job. Coach Mike Tice believes that Williams, who will turn 31 this summer, has a tendency to wear down as the season progresses. One of the reasons is that Williams runs so hard and with such abandon that he is a bruised mess after each game. Although he is the team's most reliable runner, Tice does not believe it is realistic to use Williams on an every down basis throughout 16 games. As a result, Williams will continue to fill his third-down role -- with his repetitions increasing as the playoffs draw near -- in 2005...

Vikings get Cowart for 7th-round pick

2005-03-30T17:41:00.000-06:00

by the Associated Press, from ESPN.com

The New York Jets traded middle linebacker Sam Cowart to the Minnesota Vikings on Friday for a seventh-round pick in this year's draft.

Cowart saw his playing time diminish in 2004 after a knee injury knocked him out for an extended period and rookie Jonathan Vilma emerged as a standout player. After the season, Cowart asked for a trade when it became clear he wouldn't have much of a role with the Jets.

The move to Minnesota reunites him with defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, who coached him in Buffalo and New York, along with former Bills teammates Antoine Winfield, Pat Williams, Keith Newman and Ken Irvin.

"Adding Sam Cowart gives us a strong veteran presence and leadership in the middle of our defense," said Vikings coach Mike Tice said. "Sam has played at an elite level throughout his career and we are expecting him to add that type of performance to our defense."

Cowart, entering his eighth season in the NFL, was a second-round pick of Buffalo in 1998 and emerged as a star, notching over 100 tackles in five of his first seven NFL seasons. But he hasn't been the same since an Achilles' tendon injury in 2001.

He played outside linebacker for two years with the Jets before moving back to the middle last season, where he is most comfortable. Cowart was playing well until he sprained his knee in Week 2 against San Diego and missed the next six games. He was hardly used when he got healthy.

The Vikings have been busy upgrading their defense in the offseason, signing linebacker Napoleon Harris, safety Darren Sharper, cornerback Fred Smoot and Williams in the last three weeks. Including Cowart, the five players bring a combined 339 NFL starts, 57 interceptions, 32 sacks and have played in three Pro Bowls.

It's True

2005-02-02T18:11:00.000-06:00

For the Vikings in 2005 it would be nice to have some talent on the defense side of the ball. This is not to say that Vikings defense is bad, but I am saying some impact players at defensive back and linebacker would really help.

So come draft time look for the Vikings to draft secondary personal and some new LB from free agency.

Moss Might be Dealt....

2005-01-24T09:46:00.000-06:00

Rumors are flying around that WR Randy Moss might be dealt, and that is pretty all I can tell you guys. I mean, it is a little more than a rumor, team officials are toying with the idea of trading him.

Although, the problem is who will be the teams number 1 receiver. Do the Vikings go shopping for one or do they use the draft to groom one or do they use an improving 3rd year player in Nate Burleson.

It is decision time in the front office...

Time to Buckle Down

2005-01-05T16:50:00.000-06:00

Making it into the playoffs is the ultimate goal. With out the playoffs there is no road to the Super Bowl. Then tell me why it doesn't feel right for the Vikings. Is it because they are the 6th seed getting in with an 8-8 record? Was the NFC that bad this year? Should the Vikings just stay home and save the NFC the embarrassment?

No, of course not...

The Vikings still possess a good as chance as any to represent the NFC in the playoffs and perhaps a Super Bowl.

Though it starts through the arc-rival Green Bay Packers. This is the time guys to step up and show every body why you deserve to be here.

A great man once said,

"It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up."

Ouch!

2004-12-30T18:14:00.000-06:00

What happened?

With all those offensive weapons whats the deal.

Dropping the last game against the Packers hurt... since they lost the division title.

Vikings tip Lions 28-27

2004-12-22T16:53:00.000-06:00

from NFL.com

The Vikings took a big step toward their first playoff berth in four years - with late help from the Lions.

Detroit botched an extra-point kick with 8 seconds left that would've tied the game, allowing Minnesota to seal a 28-27 win Sunday.

The Lions went 80 yards in 1:29 to pull within a point on Joey Harrington's second touchdown pass to Roy Williams. Then, Don Muhlbach's snap bounced to holder Nick Harris, who was tackled before he could get the football spotted for kicker Jason Hanson.

Randy Moss recovered the onside kick for the Vikings (8-6).

Despite losing five of their previous seven games, Minnesota can win the NFC North with a victory Friday at home over Green Bay and at Washington.

In the awful NFC, Minnesota could even be a wild-card team without another win.

The Lions (5-9) officially fell out of the postseason race with their seventh loss in eight games, a heartbreaker they'll be thinking about for a long time.

Daunte Culpepper, who was 25-of-35 for 404 yards, threw three touchdown passes and Moe Williams scored the go-ahead TD on an 11-yard run with 1:37 left.

Nate Burleson, who had five receptions for 134 yards, caught a career-high two TDs. Moss and Culpepper hooked up for the longest play of their careers, an 84-yard TD, and Moss finished with four catches for 102 yards.

Harrington was 25-of-44 for a career-high 361 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Williams, in and out of the game with a hip injury, had seven receptions for 104 yards and scored for the first time in almost two months. Kevin Jones was held to 79 yards and a TD after running for more than 150 yards the previous two games.

Hawks Drop Vikings To 7-6

2004-12-13T09:11:00.000-06:00

from the offical site of the Minnisota Vikings

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and the Seattle Seahawks dropped the Vikings to 7-6 with a 27-23 victory at the Metrodome. Hasselbeck threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns to give the Seahawks their seventh win of the season and an edge in the playoff race.

The Minnesota Vikings opened the game with a successful drive led by running back Onterrio Smith. Smith picked up 32 yards on five carries. Kicker Morten Andersen capped the drive off when he connected on a 48-yard field goal. Andersen was given a chance at the field goal after the Seahawks were flagged for having 12 men on the field. The Vikings moved 45 yards on eight plays and took 4:18 off the clock.

Hasselbeck came out hot connecting on his first three passes to take the Seahawks into Vikings territory. Hasselbeck went three of four passing on the drive picking up 37 yards. The Seahawks' drive stalled and kicker Josh Brown pulled a 38-yard field goal wide left giving the ball back to Minnesota.

Smith produced on the Vikings' second drive of the game as well. He rumbled into the endzone from five yards out finishing a 72-yard drive for Minnesota. The Vikings took 3:23 off the play clock with six plays. Andersen hit the PAT and Minnesota grabbed a 10-0 lead with 3:42 remaining in the first.

Hasselbeck remained hot on Seattle's second possession. He led the Seahawks on an 80-yard drive finished with a 35-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Bobby Engram. Hasselbeck picked up 58 yards threw the air including the 35-yard touchdown pass to Engram. The Seahawks moved quickly downfield covering 80 yards on six plays taking 2:30 off the clock.

Following a three and out possession by the Vikings, Seattle stormed down field to take the lead. Running back Shaun Alexander scored on a 12-yard pass reception from Hasselbeck. The play that pushed the Seahawks into scoring position was a 36-yard catch by tight end Ryan Hannam. Hannam was running alone in the left flats, pulled in the reception and set Seattle up for the score. Hasselbeck led the offense on a 76-yard drive in only six plays.

Minnesota answered Alexander's touchdown but could only muster a 32-yard field goal to pull within one point of Seattle, 14-13. The drive moved 61 yards in five plays. The bulk of the yards came when Culpepper found wide receiver Randy Moss over the middle for a gain of 54 yards. Andersen split the uprights with 9:48 remaining in the second quarter.

Minnesota's cornerback Brian Williams intercepted Hasselbeck on Seattle's first play following Andersen's kick.

Culpepper and Moss took advantage of Williams' interception when they hooked up to give Minnesota a 20-14 lead. The Vikings took ten plays to move 49 yards. Culpepper found Moss in the left corner of the endzone from three yards out.

Seattle took no time to regain the lead. Hasselbeck found a wide open Darrell Jackson in the corner of the endzone from 19 yards out. The Seahawks moved 60 yards in just 2:01. Jackson scored with 3:05 remaining in the first half.

Safety Brian Russell recorded his first interception of the season when he jumped in front of a Hasselbeck pass to open the third quarter. Russell returned the pick 41 yards to the Seahawks 14 to set up a 31-yard Andersen field goal. Andersen's kick gave the Vikings an early second half lead, 23-21.

The Seahawks jumped in front 24-23 when Brown split the uprights from 33 yards out. Hasselbeck moved Seattle 60 yards on nine plays and took 5:16 off the clock. Brown's field goal was good with 6:42 remaining in the third quarter.

Following a slow drive by Minnesota's offense, Vikings' defensive tackle Kevin Williams recorded his 10th sack of the season when he dropped Hasselbeck for a nine yard loss on third and four to force a punt.

Minnesota went three and out after Williams' sack and quickly gave the ball back to Seattle.

The Vikings stopped a productive Seahawks' drive in their own territory with another sack. Linebacker Chris Claiborne sacked Hasselbeck for a loss of three on third and seven. The sack pushed the Hawks out of field goal range and they were forced to punt.

Minnesota committed its first turnover of the game with 6:35 remaining on a bad hand-off exchange between Culpepper and Smith. The turnover was costly giving Seattle the ball at the Minnesota 26. Six plays following the turnover Brown connected on a 28-yard field goal to push Seattle's lead to four, 27-23.

The Vikings had two opportunities to jump ahead of Seattle and steal the win. The first ended when Moss was intercepted by Seahawks' safety Michael Boulware in the red zone. Moss was running the reverse pass and tried to fit the ball in the corner of the endzone but Boulware made an impressive interception to end the drive.

Minnesota's second opportunity came with under a minute to go in the game. Culpepper connected on three straight passes to bring the Vikings to the Seattle 28. An off sides penalty on the Seahawks pushed the Vikings to the 25. On the last play of the game, Culpepper rolled to his right, avoided a sack and was able to get the ball to the back of the endzone. The ball was tipped and tight end Jermaine Wiggins saw it bounce off his hands.

The Vikings travel to Detroit next Sunday to take on the Lions in an NFC North game.

The Turning Point

2004-11-29T11:22:00.000-06:00

by Josh Fiedler, from Vikings.com

For every playoff team there comes a game that people will later define as "the turning point." It is a game where a certain player stepped up, a seemingly very pivotal play was made, or it was a game that revealed the character for the rest of the season that followed it. On Sunday, against the Jaguars, the Vikings had that game.

It will be labeled as such for Minnesota for a couple of reasons; among them the way that several players either stepped up for the first time or for a couple, the fact that they did so again. For the players who did it the first big time this season, like Kenechi Udeze, the "Adams," and Spencer Johnson, this game should serve as a springboard for the rest of the season to come. For other players who brought their "A" games like Antoine Winfield, Nate Burelson, and Jermaine Wiggins, it was just another day at the office.

On Sunday there were the "Adams" — Goldberg and Haayer - who did a phenomenal job of playing their role very well. The fact that it took until now for these offensive lineman to sport their wears is a good thing. That isn't to say that they were incapable of their level of play on Sunday, rather the players they were substituting for are simply put—very good and very experienced. Toss in yet another impressive performance by Cory Withrow in the absence of Matt Birk and the patchwork quilt known as the Vikings line exceeded any expectations that could have been set for them. Having lost such quality players as Birk, Mike Rosenthal, and Dave Dixon along with Rosenthal's more-than-adequate replacement in Nat Dorsey and its just remarkable that the squad has been left with enough players to field the position. The day's rushing total of 112 yards was nothing to get overly excited about, but considering the adjustments that had to be made both coming into the week as well as on the fly on Sunday made it more admirable.

With the offensive line often being looked at as one unit rather than five individual players, at least some credit should be given to this year's two mainstays: Bryant McKinnie and Chris Liwienski. While these two have both had their games this year, they have been there for every play. Quarterback Daunte Culpepper probably deserves some praise as well for making the adjustments that come along with a line that is trying to get used to working together.

Two defensive linemen also made their presence particularly known on Sunday, too. Both Udeze and Johnson showed that they might have gotten over some of the rookie mistakes and playing time hurdles to prove their reliability. The obvious play to point to was Udeze's forced fumble that fellow lineman, Kevin Williams, scooped up to slam the door shut in the fourth quarter, but in addition to that he regularly was putting pressure on Leftwich. Meanwhile, Johnson saw increased playing time in the absence of Chris Hovan and made the most of it as well. I have heard all season long that several people who get to view Johnson with more day-to-day regularity than myself say that he has impressed. As an undrafted free agent just trying to keep his head above water, Johnson seems to play with both a handsome amount of skill and confidence.

Then there were the guys who just kept on keeping on against the Jags. I know I have sang these three players' praises often, but Burleson, Wiggins, and Winfield continue to surpass my expectations. In a game where Vikings superstar, Randy Moss, returned to the starting lineup, these two guys made sure that they were not going to just take a back seat in the offense. By Wiggins and Burleson continuing their high level of play they made sure that all of the pressure would not immediately be put onto the returning starter.

These two players maximized their opportunities and playing time to give Culpepper and the coaching staff some very legitimate options. Not only that, but their emergence demands opposing coaches' preparation time and that means less time that can be spent on stopping Moss and the rest of the offense. Wiggins' ability to get open and Burleson's near-perfect blocking were keys on Sunday.

Finally, Winfield did what he does best: cover and tackle. I had an interesting conversation before the game on Sunday with one Vikings guru. I said that Winfield is in that 8th-9th best all-around corner in the league-range. The guru placed him just outside of the top 10. Regardless, he's good. Toss in yet another nice special teams tackle with his stop of Jermaine Lewis following the Williams' touchdown and you've got just another day at the office for this guy.

Yes, Sunday will again be looked at as "the game" that went on to define the rest of the season that is to follow. The Vikings should be the favored team in each of their last five games. I am not going to say that the Vikings run the table to close out the season 7-0 (with their previous two victories), but 4-2 or better should be the expectation.

Vikings Downgrade Moss

2004-11-08T11:50:00.000-06:00

by Associated Press, from ESPN.com

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings downgraded four players on their injury report Sunday, declaring wide receiver Randy Moss, linebacker Raonall Smith and linebacker Chris Claiborne out for Monday night's game at Indianapolis.

Running back Mewelde Moore was also bumped to doubtful for the matchup with the Colts. None of the four was expected to play anyway, so the announcement was merely a formality.

Moss, who will miss the first game of his NFL career, has a strained right hamstring. He did not make the trip to Indianapolis.

Smith, who would've started in Claiborne's spot, is recovering from a concussion. Claiborne is bothered by a strained left calf, and Moore has been slow to recover from a sprained right ankle.

Moss was hurt shortly before halftime of the Vikings' game at New Orleans on Oct. 17, and he has played just 11 snaps over the last 10 quarters -- with zero catches

Culpepper Shines in Win Over Saints

2004-10-18T10:18:00.000-05:00

Author: NFL.com wire reports

Daunte Culpepper lost his top receiver, but did not miss a step in setting an NFL record.

Culpepper threw five touchdown passes to lead the Minnesota Vikings to a 38-31 victory over the New Orleans Saints. He did it without having Randy Moss for the second half.

It was the third time this season Culpepper threw five TD passes in a game, an NFL record.

Culpepper, despite pressure from the Saints' defense, completed 26 of 37 passes for 425 yards. He threw two interceptions and was sacked twice.

The Vikings had 605 yards of offense.

Rookie running back Mewelde Moore had another big game for Minnesota, rushing for 109 yards and catching seven passes for 78 yards.

Moss, who leads the NFL in TDs receiving, injured his hamstring in the second quarter. He had two receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown. It was the 10th consecutive game in which Moss had a touchdown reception.

Nate Burleson had six receptions for 134 yards for Minnesota (4-1).

Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks completed 22 of 38 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted once.

Deuce McAllister ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

A pass interference call against cornerback Ashley Ambrose set up the Vikings' first touchdown, giving them a first down on the 1-yard line. On the next play Culpepper hit Jermaine Wiggins for the touchdown.

Minnesota, the only NFL team without an interception before the game, prevented a New Orleans touchdown with its first pickoff. Antoine Winfield stepped in front of Ernie Conwell, grabbed the ball and returned it 56 yards.

Three plays later, Culpepper hit Moss in the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown, making it 14-0 less than a minute into the second quarter. But Culpepper fumbled a snap, which rolled downfield until Saints safety Jay Bellamy finally got the ball. He lateraled to Ambrose, who returned it 68 yards to set up New Orleans' first score, a 2-yard run by McAllister that made it 14-7.

Marcus Robinson caught a 16-yard touchdown pass to give the Vikings a 21-7 lead. But the Saints put together their best drive of the half, going 73 yards in four plays, with Brooks connecting with Joe Horn for a 7-yard touchdown.

The Vikings opened the second half with Culpepper capping a 66-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Wiggins for a 28-14 lead.

The Saints then used some trickery. On fourth-and-3 on their 28, they lined up in punt formation, then snapped the ball to blocking back Fred McAfee, who scampered 53 yards to the Minnesota 19. McAllister finished it off with a 1-yard run, making it 28-21.

A 39-yard field goal by Morten Andersen stretched the Vikings' lead to 31-21 at the end of the third quarter. John Carney kicked a 45-yarder to pull New Orleans to 31-24 early in the fourth period.

Culpepper, who lead the NFL with a 126.0 passer rating going into the game, threw his fifth touchdown pass of the night to Robinson, making it 38-24.

Brooks then scrambled 5 yards for a touchdown to pull the Saints within 38-31 with 2:51 left. But Minnesota kept the ball the rest of the way.

NFC Offensive Player of the Week

2004-09-30T16:19:00.000-05:00

From the Minnesota Vikings official site

Minnesota Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the 2nd time this season and the 5th time in his career after throwing for 360 yards and 2 TDs in the Vikings' 27-22 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Culpepper won the award for Week 1 when he threw for a career-high 5 TD passes in the season opener vs. Dallas (9/12).

Culpepper completed 19-30 passes for 360 yards and 2 TDs vs. Chicago. He did not throw an interception and posted a QB rating of 127.1.

Culpepper is the top-ranked passer in the NFL with a 124.8 rating. He has completed 73-100 passes on the season for 945 yards and 8 TDs with only 1 interception

.

Go Vikings!

"The Great Dane"

2004-09-09T13:44:00.000-05:00

The Vikings recently acquired 44 year old kicker Morton "The Great Dane" Anderson. Coach Mike Tice was not at all hesitant singing the oldest player in the league. Anderson has made 502 of 636 field goals and 753 of 763 PATs. Anderson does have the record for most game winning field goals and most converted field goals at 50 plus yards. Morton Anderson also has 2,259 points which puts him in second behind Gary Anderson's league record of 2,348 points. We will see what awaits us this season.

On a side note, Gary Anderson was Viking as well when he set the record.

Cutting Up This Sunday

2004-09-03T18:31:00.000-05:00

We are not going to discuss the Vikings loss against Seattle yesterday...The final score was 21-23. Now lets see what's going on this weekend...

With final rosters needing to be cut to 53 players by Sunday, the Vikings face some tough decisions as to who will stay and who will go.

The Vikings, like the other 31 teams in the NFL, need to get their roster trimmed to 53 players by Sunday. While some of the cuts will be easy to make, there are others that will be much more difficult. The popular belief is that wide receiver Ben Nelson , who had a strong training camp, has earned a roster spot, but that is likely to happen only if the Vikes keep six wide receivers -- or the unlikely event that Nelson surpasses Keenan Howry. Similar questions exist on offensive line and in the secondary, where the Vikings may want to keep an extra player -- which would likely come out of the wide receiver numbers.

Any way you look at it, the numbers are going to be difficult to crunch and some tough cuts are going to have to be made by Mike Tice and his staff.

yahoosports.com

Game against 49ers went very well

2004-09-02T15:31:00.000-05:00

The Vikings dominated hard and early at the preseason game against San Francisco!

Daunte Culpepper went 20-for-27 for 204 yards and a touchdown, and the Vikings overcame their struggles to finish off drives, beating the San Francisco 49ers 23-10 in a preseason game Friday night. The Vikings outgained San Francisco 326-61 in total yards in the first half and took a 16-0 lead into halftime before allowing the 49ers to slowly close the gap.

After rookie Mewelde Moore returned the opening kickoff 43 yards, Culpepper completed three passes totaling 46 yards to Nate Burleson. The final one, a 17-yarder to Burleson in the end zone, put the Vikings up 7-0 two minutes in. Burleson, who took the No. 2 receiver spot this week when Marcus Robinson tweaked his hamstring, finished with five catches for 89 yards. On their next possession, Culpepper again shredded San Francisco's secondary, throwing for 55 yards, including a 26-yard TD to Kelly Campbell.

yahoosports.com

Planning for the Niners Game Tonight

2004-08-27T18:09:00.000-05:00

Vikings coach Mike Tice said this week he'll try to keep his first unit on the field through the first series of the third quarter.

``That's the plan,'' Tice said. ``But it's not etched in stone.''

A bold plan, considering the Vikings' own bout with the injury bug.

Minnesota is already without one of its starting cornerbacks (Brian Williams), its originally-projected No. 2 receiver (Marcus Robinson) and its starting Pro Bowl center (Matt Birk). But, unlike his counterpart, Tice has some depth to rely on. Veteran Ken Irvin will likely take Williams' spot in the secondary, reliable youngster Nate Burleson and speedster Kelly Campbell will line up with Randy Moss in the three-receiver set, and Cory Withrow continues to fill in for Birk.

``I'm very confident in our depth,'' Tice said.

Tice said he'll give rookie running back Mewelde Moore some time with the first unit. Moore, a hard runner who's shown flashes in Minnesota's first two exhibition games, could be counted on more during the regular season if Onterrio Smith's appeal to a four-game suspension for reportedly violating the NFL's substance abuse policy doesn't hold up.

Scrimmage Boosts Esteem

2004-08-25T17:21:00.000-05:00

As if Red McCombs and the Vikings needed a show of support from fans after training camp, it came last night -- in the form of 10,000 fans at a scrimmage in Blaine.

Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but last night it was the Land of 10,000 Fans Willing to Spend $12 To Watch a Scrimmage.

It was unclear how many fans were going to show up for the team's intrasquad scrimmage at the National Sports Center in Blaine. But once they started coming, it didn't stop. In all 10,000 people attended.

For the record, the defense won the scrimmage again despite being badly undermanned at the cornerback spot by a 31-25 score.

Ready for Atlanta

2004-08-19T15:37:00.000-05:00

With the promise of big things to come this season, the Vikings broke camp at Mankato this morning -- returning to Minneapolis for a flight to Atlanta.

Sounding more like a warden than a coach, Mike Tice discussed the end of the Mankato leg of the team's training camp by keeping the team in place.

When asked about the team's potential move back to Minneapolis Wednesday for a flight out to Atlanta today, Tice said the players were "under lockdown" for the night and that putting them up in a hotel in Minneapolis Wednesday night "didn't sound like the best idea."

Perhaps Tice knows his team better than most, but leaving Mankato is always the sign of the next level of preparation for the season. After this weekend, the first series of cuts will be made -- effectively ending the careers of several players -- making Mankato the last happy memory many of them will have.

The Vikings will continue to maintain a training camp practice schedule, but it will shift to the team's headquarters at Winter Park.

2004 Schedule

2004-07-28T16:38:00.000-05:00

Here's the 2004 Minnesota Vikings schedule from NFL.com:

2004 Preseason
Date Opponent Time/Result
Aug. 14 Arizona 8:00 p.m.
Aug. 20 at Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 27 San Francisco 8:00 p.m.
Sept. 2 at Seattle 9:00 p.m.

2004 Schedule
Date Opponent Result
Sept. 12 Dallas 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 20 at Philadelphia 9:00 p.m.
Sept. 26 Chicago 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 3 Open Date
Oct. 10 at Houston 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 17 at New Orleans 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 24 Tennessee 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 31 New York Giants 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 8 at Indianapolis 9:00 p.m.
Nov. 14 at Green Bay 4:15 p.m.
Nov. 21 Detroit 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 28 Jacksonville 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 5 at Chicago 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 12 Seattle 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 19 at Detroit 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 24 Green Bay 3:00 p.m.
Jan. 2 at Washington 1:00 p.m.

All times are Eastern

New Vikings Page

2004-07-22T16:17:00.000-05:00

Hey Viking fans, just getting things set up for my new blog right now.

I'll be blogging away as much as I can, so please come back soon for updates!