We should know better. Every year writers that cover the sport write about how meaningless the preseason is. Every year we get evidence of teams playing well in the preseason and sucking in the regular season, and sucking in the preseason but doing fine in the regular season. It doesn't matter. But we're so desperate for football, we let ourselves get nervous or excited based on these meaningless performances.
I don't know what anything means right now about anything. I'm happy that Tarvaris Jackson doesn't look completely inept, which he did a lot of the time last season; he at least seems poised and understanding. But it's still meaningless. Vanity of vanities, striving after the wind and all that.
But since the Vikes do have an inexperienced QB, Viking fans do want to know how our hero, Tarvaris Jackson, does. We'll see week one against Atlanta. But if you are interested, the Star Tribune has a couple of articles on Jackson's recent preseason performance: "QB's long outing doesn't provide much clarity" and "Jackson takes small step up, but Bollinger goes backward."
Viking Update says Kelly Holcomb might be coming to the Vikings.
Remember when some Viking fans were upset that the Vikes let Jermaine Wiggins go? Mike Morris called Wiggins a top-10 tight end, which caused me to go slightly crazy. Well now Wiggins has been cut by the Jaguars (Vikings Now). Folks, he's an 8 yard per catch TE, and there are plenty of them in the league.
I like sports. You like sports. But sometimes we just need to laugh out loud. Thanks to Ballhype for bringing this Youtube instant legend to our attention.
I think it is likely that that receiver performance is going to be more of an issue than qb performance, but the conventional wisdom won't reflect that, given how much focus is, reasonably, given to quarterbacks. At least two of the deep balls that Jackson threw on Saturday were commonly caught when guys named Moss and Carter were going up to get the ball. Now, it's a little much to expect guys to be like Moss and Carter, but I fear that one of Childress' challenges this year will be to make sure Jackson doesn't lose confidence or overcompensate when guys don't catch balls that above average NFL receivers commonly catch.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. Conventional wisdom also suggests that wide receiver is an overrated position, that there are a lot of players that can play WR well enough to help a team win. But Viking fans can remember the spectacular catches of Moss and Carter, and can see the mediocrity we've had at the position since Moss left. From our perspective, it doesn't seem like a position that is so easy to fill with anybody.
ReplyDeleteThe video is awesome. Too bad they asked that question to one person probably in the 20% of Americans who cannot locate the United States on a world map.
ReplyDeleteA particular aspect of wide receiver play, straight line speed, is what gets overrated. What gets underrated is skill at going up and getting the ball, and that is what the Vikings wrs have for the most part failed to demonstrate. What frustrates me about acquiring Holcomb now is that it dredges up memories of last year, when the Vikins were lucky enoug to sign an undrafted rookie with some ball talent, and then traded him to Eagles for Billy McMullen, who hasn't show such ball talent.
ReplyDeleteNow we have a face for anon!
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