Monday, September 24, 2007

Coming off the ledge: Chiefs 13, Vikings 10


This is PV's Viking game post; for comments on other NFL stories and games, see "On the Couch, week three."

These are dark days for the Minnesota faithful. The Vikings have lost consecutive road games by 3 points. The offense is struggling terribly, producing just 10 points of its own per game. There seems to be no threat whatsoever in the passing game, and evidently no answers to the passing problems currently on the roster. The Vikings are 1-2 and may be squandering a great defense. Around the league, the Packers are once again good, starting 3-0 behind quality play from Brett Favre. Favre has just tied the record for career touchdown passes; he could break the record in the Metrodome in front of Viking fans. And onetime Viking hero Randy moss is helping the dominant team of the decade look even more dominant.

The world is bleak. But is there a studious monk at an obscure German university, ready to emerge and rescue us from our corrupted faith? We can only hope and wait: right now, all appears lost.

So close
In a 3 point loss, the Vikings were oh so close to between 10 and 14 more points. It appeared Visanthe Shiancoe caught a TD pass, but hte refs saw the play differently: the Vikes settled for a field goal. The Vikings were a few inches from completing a TD pass to Robert Ferguson. They were at least in field goal range, but took a sack and got no points. And another time they were in field goal range but took a penalty and a running play loss to get out of field goal range. The Vikings could easily have had 13, 16, 20, 21, r 24 points. And it is these types of losses that I take personally as a fan, mulling over for hours how it all could have gone differently.

The problem with instant replay
The quality of the network broadcast should not impact the actual competition of the game. Unfortunately, it does.

In the first half, it appeared Visanthe Shiancoe caught a touchdown pass. An official near the play saw it differently. The Vikings challenged the play, and from the video, it appears extremely unlikely that the ball hit the ground. But the referee did not see evidence to overturn the play.

Do officials have camera angles that are not shown on TV? I am not aware that they do. And unfortunately, Vikings-Chiefs was a fairly unimportant game, meaning it got a low ranked broadcasting crew. There were few good replay angles throughout the game. If the game were the Sunday night game, or even covered by the Buck-Aikman crew, there likely would have been more and better camera angles, and it may have been conclusive that Shiancoe did catch the ball. Unfortunately, no such camera shot exists.

The play cost the Vikings 4 points in a 3 point loss. I support instant replay, but I wish there were a better system than dependence on the quality of the TV crew's coverage of the game. If the NFL is going to rely on network coverage for a system that impacts actual competition, it may have to dictate more cameras be used.

Brad Childress
Let's say it: if the Vikings fail to make the playoffs this season, and the offense looks no better as the season goes along than it does now (meaning, scoring one touchdown a game), then the Vikings should FIRE CHILDRESS THEN!!!!!! I feel if a coach doesn't make the playoffs in three seasons, it is fair to fire him. But if in two seasons the team shows no significant progress offensively, then those responsible for the offense must be held accountable. I still think the personnel in the passing game is the problem; however, it is up to Childress to get the most production possible out of the personnel he has. With the instant production of Adrian Peterson and a strong offensive line, the Vikings need to produce something in the passing game this season. If they don't, it's on Childress to answer why they haven't.

Defense
The Viking run defense completely shut down Larry Johnson (the Chiefs kept trying to run, but it consistently failed: don't tell me the run defense is overrated because teams give up on it knowing they can pass). Unfortunately, the defense had two flaws Sunday:
1. There was no pass rush on Damon Huard.
2. Dwayne Bowe dominated Cedric Griffin in the second half
This Viking defense has been very impressive for three consecutive games, especially against the run. It is encouraging, too, how many of the team's solid defensive players are in their 20s: Kevin Williams is an All-Pro, and I'm extremely excited to watch E.J. Henderson play middle linebacker with the Vikings for the rest of his career--he's outstanding out there. And there are other good young defensive players: while the Vikings look like a bad team right now, they are clearly building a team to compete.

I'm having a lot of trouble talking myself off this ledge though.

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:55 AM

    Based on the first 3 games, we don't have a chance to win our second game until Oakland, and the next is NYG.

    If we do end up winning 2-4 games, Childress needs to be fired. I mean as the teams are coming on the field for handshakes, zygi needs to walk out and tell him his office has been cleared out and fedexed to his home,
    and have security escort him out the front gate.

    Every year since he's been here the team has performed worse, and our personnel has for the most part declined. I like the idea of what he was selling when he arrived, but what he has (thus far) delivered has been very poor.

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  2. Anonymous12:08 PM

    I agree with your point on the inequity of instant replay depending on how the TV network rates the game. I had seats on that end zone sideline with a similar vantage point as the referree who made the call. The ball did hit the ground. I came home to watch a recording of the broadcast, and they had very poor angles of that play with which to make a decision. The lack of coverage is potentially unfair to both teams. If the call had been made the other way, it would have been missed and there would have not been the angle to show that it hit the ground. It is unfair to the Vikings, because if they had the angle to see, they might not have sunk there challenge on it. The NFL needs to mandate equivalent coverage for these games in their next contract, and I'm surprised this is not discussed more.

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  3. Anonymous1:57 PM

    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5:23 PM

    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!
    FIRE CHILDRESS NOW !!!!

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  5. Anonymous7:07 PM

    Reading various comments posted on blogs today, what is fascinating, in terms of human psychology, is the lengths many Vikings fans will go to avoid looking at what this teams biggest problems are. There is a significant percentage of people out there, if these comments are close to being representative, who actually think that if different plays were called, it would be more likely to change the outcome of the games than having players who performed better. There is another significant percentage who is willing to acknowledge that player performance is the issue, but who think the biggest problem is with the offensive line or (gulp) pass defense.

    It has not apparently occurred to these folks that pass defense cannot be even close to the largest problem on a 1-2 team, when the defense has scored as many touchdowns, 3, as it has allowed. The other folks apparently didn't watch the Cowboys/Bears game last night, and thus was not able to see an example of how an offense can score a lot of points even when pass protection is shaky.

    Yes the o-line had some problems, but Arrowhead is a tough place for opposing offensive tackles, and more importantly those problems paled in comparison to the fact that the Vikings probably don't have a qb who could start for any other team in the league, and may not have a wide receiver who could. The one glimmer of passing hope that does not rest upon Adrian Peterson getting yards after the catch is that Shiancoe looks like he might be a good signing; if he had held that ball from Moore, it truly would have been an outstanding grab. Rice may end up being productive, but most of the receivers aren't any better than Travis Taylor, who I heard was just cut by the, yes, Raiders.

    Should Childress be fired at season's end? Maybe, but not for inadequate playcalling, for the love of Paul Brown! If he needs to get canned, it will be more than likely for the fact that he is a head coach with an offensive background, yet he will have failed over 24 months to get even an average quality quarterback added to the roster, despite there being players available. Good gravy, the guy most intimately familiar with his offense is Jeff Garcia, Garcia has been available two off-seasons in a row, and there's a pretty good chance that this team would be 3-0 with Garcia under quarterback.

    I dunno, maybe it is comforting for the average fan to think that if only different plays were called, their favorite team would win, because it is a lot easier to envision playcalling improving quickly than it is to envision roster personnel improving quickly.

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  6. Anonymous9:39 PM

    I'm not sure what the antisemite Martin Luther has to do with the Vikings and I do not propose to have 95 theses for the Vikings woes; however, a good start for a Vikings reformation would include the following:

    1. Fire Childress (I never expected to hear this from the Pacifist).
    2. Use some of that cap money to sign proven veteren o-lineman. Do not use cap money to sign over-rated left tackles to huge extension money (a little too late on this one).
    3. When you have potential young talent find room for them on the active roster (Thigpen, Blue, Edwards).
    4. Forfeit all games officiated by Walt Anderson's crew. No use risking injury when they won't even count our touchdowns.
    5. Draft Brian Brohm or Andre Woodson with the first pick of the 2008 draft.

    Although originally said of those of the Jewish faith (of which I feel compelled to say I disagree), I think Martin Luther's quote holds true when describing what we are going to see from the Vikings coaching staff: "Now just behold these miserable, blind, and senseless people"

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  7. One of the sports shows I was watching showed a differant view and the ball touches the ground.
    Like the Detroit game we did not want to win.We cant blame the Refs.KC brought it coming out of the half.They was down by 10 and worked hard at winning the game.
    We Vike fans can blame ourselves because we want the Moss-Pep scores of old.
    Right now I would settle for 3 drives for T.D.s and 2 F.G. s per game.
    We have a great Defense but our Offense needs to stay on the field even if it ends in A F.G. but our Defense cannot stay on the field 10 mins out of 15.
    Q.B. needs a little more time, Receivers need get opened.Someone needs to step up as the to go to guy.I think my Granny can cover these recievers for a Quater.
    Last Chilly is right this is an ASS kicking offense, we are getting our ASSes kicked all over the place.

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  8. It has become increasingly clear to me that the Vikings WR corps may be the worst in the League, and I really think this is one of the biggest problems with the team right now. Yes, the QB play has not been good, but they don't even really have a chance.

    The only WR with above average hands is Sidney Rice, and he's not ready to be a #1 WR at this point.

    As for Childress, I've been a supporter, but it's tough this week. There were just a lot of questionable things in the past couple weeks (ie look at the clock management at the end of the 1st half... atrocious).

    I don't know what to do... just a depressing couple of weeks of football.

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  9. Anonymous12:06 AM

    Use cap money on proven offensive lineman? Are you serious? Yeah the right side is questionable, but why waste Cap Money on something that is not in need of immmediate upgrade. They are fine for the run, yes pass protection could be a little better, but cmon if we were to spend cap money spend it on Larry Fitzgerald or a proven veteran QB that hasn't just been a backup on crappy teams (Bollinger, Holcomb, etc).....

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  10. Anonymous12:42 AM

    The biggest detraction of Childress as a head coach came this week when he did not have AP on the field on the last drive because his supposed lack of pass blocking abilities. I am sorry, but yes he might not be able to block, but he is also the only play maker on this offense and you chose to sit him on the sidelines. And then to watch Holcomb do nothing by try and dump it on 2 and 3 yard dumps which would have been targeted towards AP if he were on the field well that is worthless.

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  11. So you answered your own question Hit.

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