Here is a five part article on the Minnesota Vikings "Keys to Success" this season. This is a season preview, on what our Minnesota Vikings will need to do to suceed this season. I though it was interesting, and thought I'd share it with you.Part One; The Dynamic Duo:
By selecting Adrian Peterson with the seventh-overall pick in April’s draft, the Minnesota Vikings are now able to pair him with incumbent starter Chester Taylor to form a dynamic duo in the backfield. In 2006, Taylor recorded 1,214 rushing yards and now head coach Brad Childress has a second stud rusher to hand the ball to on offense with the addition of Peterson. The Vikings seem poised to join a growing trend in the NFL – a one-two punch in the running game.
But just because the Vikings have two quality backs doesn’t mean they will have the same success teams such as the Jaguars and Saints have sustained using the same strategy. There are many factors that come into play when attempting to utilize two talented rushers in one backfield.
First, the backs must compliment each other. Peterson must develop and display skills and characteristics that make him slightly different from his backfield teammate. If Taylor can earn tough yards between the tackles and be reliable in pass protection, then the Vikings will want Peterson to push the edges and provide explosive gains when handed the ball.
In addition to that, each back must be able to fulfill the other back’s role. Because football is a high-impact sport, one runner may be forced to leave the game at any time. If such a scenario were to occur, the healthy back needs to adequately fulfill the other back’s role if the offense is to proceed without a hiccup.
Second, both backs must remain healthy. Last season, the wear and tear of 300-plus carries took its toll on Taylor. He slowed down near the end of the season and even missed a game. The addition of Peterson, assuming he remains healthy as well, will reduce the workload on Taylor and allow him to stay strong for 16 games. On the flip side, injury concerns have followed Peterson from Oklahoma to the NFL. A broken collarbone suffered in college was still a hot topic of discussion when training camp began for Peterson. He must avoid the injury bug if the Vikings are to capitalize on the backfield duo.
Another factor is completely out of the hands of both Taylor and Peterson. The Vikings coaching staff must scheme properly and call the right plays to maximize the effectiveness and production of both Taylor and Peterson. Just like both runners must improve their weaknesses and display their strengths, the Vikings coaches are charged with putting the players in positions to succeed. Coach Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will look for the right mix of Taylor and Peterson and they must find it to optimize their potential.
The importance of Taylor and Peterson forming an effective duo is paramount to the Vikings in 2007. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is in just his second season as a Viking.
But just because the Vikings have two quality backs doesn’t mean they will have the same success teams such as the Jaguars and Saints have sustained using the same strategy. There are many factors that come into play when attempting to utilize two talented rushers in one backfield.
First, the backs must compliment each other. Peterson must develop and display skills and characteristics that make him slightly different from his backfield teammate. If Taylor can earn tough yards between the tackles and be reliable in pass protection, then the Vikings will want Peterson to push the edges and provide explosive gains when handed the ball.
In addition to that, each back must be able to fulfill the other back’s role. Because football is a high-impact sport, one runner may be forced to leave the game at any time. If such a scenario were to occur, the healthy back needs to adequately fulfill the other back’s role if the offense is to proceed without a hiccup.
Second, both backs must remain healthy. Last season, the wear and tear of 300-plus carries took its toll on Taylor. He slowed down near the end of the season and even missed a game. The addition of Peterson, assuming he remains healthy as well, will reduce the workload on Taylor and allow him to stay strong for 16 games. On the flip side, injury concerns have followed Peterson from Oklahoma to the NFL. A broken collarbone suffered in college was still a hot topic of discussion when training camp began for Peterson. He must avoid the injury bug if the Vikings are to capitalize on the backfield duo.
Another factor is completely out of the hands of both Taylor and Peterson. The Vikings coaching staff must scheme properly and call the right plays to maximize the effectiveness and production of both Taylor and Peterson. Just like both runners must improve their weaknesses and display their strengths, the Vikings coaches are charged with putting the players in positions to succeed. Coach Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will look for the right mix of Taylor and Peterson and they must find it to optimize their potential.
The importance of Taylor and Peterson forming an effective duo is paramount to the Vikings in 2007. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is in just his second season as a Viking.
Part Two; The Time Is Now:
The Vikings traded up in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft to nab quarterback Tarvaris Jackson in anticipation that at some point in time he would become the franchise’s starting quarterback. After a rookie season spent mostly holding a clipboard and learning from veterans, and then an offseason preparing to assume the role as the team’s starter, and then a training camp battle with teammate Brooks Bollinger for the job, the time is now.
And how Jackson responds to leading the Vikings in just his second NFL season will be paramount to the team’s success in 2007. After scouting him prior to the draft, selecting him in the second round and then tutoring him through his rookie season, Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress feels Jackson is capable of running his offense and ready to assume leadership of the team.
On Sunday, we will begin to see just how far the young quarterback has come since entering the league in April of 2006.
Physical tools will not be the problem for Jackson. He has a big arm, nifty feet and the accuracy required to operate in the west coast offense. Watching Jackson zip passes through a talented Vikings defense on a daily basis is all the convincing needed to acknowledge that the second-year player has the physical ability needed to succeed.
Jackson also has an incredible work ethic. There are stories of his relentless offseason training regiment back in Alabama, despite the intense summer heat in the deep South. He also showed up to the Vikings offseason training program early to get a head start on season preparations and expedite his learning process.
His teammates express confidence in him, from rookie receiver Sidney Rice to veteran safety Darren Sharper.
“He’s got a tremendous arm,” Rice said. “He has what it takes to get the job done this year.”
Said Sharper, “I know Tarvaris has all the ability to lead us to victory, whoever we play, because he brings so much to the table. He’s such a threat as far as running the football and also the arm and the accuracy that he has, and he’s a smart kid. So I have all the confidence in Tarvaris.”
But there’s more to being a successful NFL quarterback than just throwing the ball hard with accuracy. In the NFL, playbooks are thick, defenses are fast and mistakes are magnified.
And how Jackson responds to leading the Vikings in just his second NFL season will be paramount to the team’s success in 2007. After scouting him prior to the draft, selecting him in the second round and then tutoring him through his rookie season, Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress feels Jackson is capable of running his offense and ready to assume leadership of the team.
On Sunday, we will begin to see just how far the young quarterback has come since entering the league in April of 2006.
Physical tools will not be the problem for Jackson. He has a big arm, nifty feet and the accuracy required to operate in the west coast offense. Watching Jackson zip passes through a talented Vikings defense on a daily basis is all the convincing needed to acknowledge that the second-year player has the physical ability needed to succeed.
Jackson also has an incredible work ethic. There are stories of his relentless offseason training regiment back in Alabama, despite the intense summer heat in the deep South. He also showed up to the Vikings offseason training program early to get a head start on season preparations and expedite his learning process.
His teammates express confidence in him, from rookie receiver Sidney Rice to veteran safety Darren Sharper.
“He’s got a tremendous arm,” Rice said. “He has what it takes to get the job done this year.”
Said Sharper, “I know Tarvaris has all the ability to lead us to victory, whoever we play, because he brings so much to the table. He’s such a threat as far as running the football and also the arm and the accuracy that he has, and he’s a smart kid. So I have all the confidence in Tarvaris.”
But there’s more to being a successful NFL quarterback than just throwing the ball hard with accuracy. In the NFL, playbooks are thick, defenses are fast and mistakes are magnified.
Part Three; Eliminating Mistakes:
If you ask Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress what kind of team he is trying to mold, one description he will quickly use is “a team that doesn’t beat itself.” That characterization has been a battle cry of Coach Childress’ since he took over in January of 2006.
Despite the emphasis and effort Coach Childress has allocated to the cause, that battle cry has remained somewhat silent, especially on offense, where the Vikings committed a league-high 123 penalties last season.
Outside of a turnover, there is no bigger drive-killer than a penalty. Similarly, outside of a score there is nothing more demoralizing to a defense than committing a penalty that extends the opponents drive. The Minnesota Vikings found out those two lessons the hard way in 2006, and if the team is to have a successful season in 2007 this area of the game must show significant improvement.
The numbers and rankings are ugly; Minnesota ranked last in the league in offensive penalties committed and 30th in defensive penalties committed. Coach Childress has acknowledged that those mistakes must be severely decreased in 2007.
Too many yellow flags on the field do more than put a team near the bottom of league rankings. Costly mistakes such as a false start, delay of game or holding make for bad field position, longer third-down scenarios and more pressure on the quarterback.
The Vikings converted on just 33 percent of their third-down plays in 2006 - the result of too many third-and-long situations. There’s no bigger culprit to third-and-long situations than penalties.
The importance of reducing offensive penalties is magnified in 2007 because of the team’s quarterback situation. Youngster Tarvaris Jackson will take the helm and guide the offense in just his second pro season. With enough to already worry about, like blitz pickup and reading coverages, the last thing Jackson and the Vikings coaching staff want to deal with is penalties.
So the effort to eliminate penalties continues. Any offensive player who committed a false start in training camp had to remove himself from the formation and jog to the end of the field. At one point during camp, Coach Childress restarted an entire period during practice because of the amount of penalties the offense was committing.
It’s clear that eliminating penalties is of the highest priority in Minnesota this year.
Despite the emphasis and effort Coach Childress has allocated to the cause, that battle cry has remained somewhat silent, especially on offense, where the Vikings committed a league-high 123 penalties last season.
Outside of a turnover, there is no bigger drive-killer than a penalty. Similarly, outside of a score there is nothing more demoralizing to a defense than committing a penalty that extends the opponents drive. The Minnesota Vikings found out those two lessons the hard way in 2006, and if the team is to have a successful season in 2007 this area of the game must show significant improvement.
The numbers and rankings are ugly; Minnesota ranked last in the league in offensive penalties committed and 30th in defensive penalties committed. Coach Childress has acknowledged that those mistakes must be severely decreased in 2007.
Too many yellow flags on the field do more than put a team near the bottom of league rankings. Costly mistakes such as a false start, delay of game or holding make for bad field position, longer third-down scenarios and more pressure on the quarterback.
The Vikings converted on just 33 percent of their third-down plays in 2006 - the result of too many third-and-long situations. There’s no bigger culprit to third-and-long situations than penalties.
The importance of reducing offensive penalties is magnified in 2007 because of the team’s quarterback situation. Youngster Tarvaris Jackson will take the helm and guide the offense in just his second pro season. With enough to already worry about, like blitz pickup and reading coverages, the last thing Jackson and the Vikings coaching staff want to deal with is penalties.
So the effort to eliminate penalties continues. Any offensive player who committed a false start in training camp had to remove himself from the formation and jog to the end of the field. At one point during camp, Coach Childress restarted an entire period during practice because of the amount of penalties the offense was committing.
It’s clear that eliminating penalties is of the highest priority in Minnesota this year.
Part Four: Covering Kicks:
Although attention to them is distributed unevenly, the three phases of football (offense, defense and special teams) each have a profound impact on every game. While “defense wins championships” and highlight reels capture mostly offensive performances, special teams are often overlooked. But doing so is a mistake because in analyzing the affect this phase of the game has on each contest, and the entire season, one finds that special teams is a crucial component to victory and defeat.
Look no further for a perfect illustration of this reality than the 2006 Minnesota Vikings. Last year’s kick coverage units allowed 9.7 yards per punt return and 23.2 yards per kick return, ranking them 23rd and 24th in the league, respectively. Those results yielded short fields to opposing offenses and put too much pressure on the Vikings defense.
The effects eventually trickled down to the Vikings offense. Short fields for one team almost invariably lead to long fields for the other. The Achilles heel of last year’s team was a lackluster offense, and perhaps poor kick coverage contributed to the offense’s inability to produce points.
So the Vikings entered the offseason charged with improving their coverage of kickoffs and punts. They signed former Carolina special teams standout Vinny Ciurciu, kept their own standouts (Heath Farwell, Dontarrious Thomas) and worked with both kicker Ryan Longwell and punter Chris Kluwe to improve leg strength.
The results in the preseason weren’t encouraging. The Vikings allowed 23.6 yards per kickoff return, a slight regression from 2006, and 25.1 yards per punt return, a staggering number even in the preseason. The lowlights included a 95-yard punt return by Dallas’ Jerheme Urban, a 53-yard punt return by Seattle’s Nate Burleson and 38-yard punt returns by New York’s Wallace Right and Seattle’s Josh Wilson.
One method Vikings special teams coordinator Paul Ferraro will use to shore up his kick coverage unit is use offensive and defensive starters. Players like Antoine Winfield and Dwight Smith are prime candidates to join the likes of Ciurciu, Farwell and Thomas to form a solid group of coverage specialists.
“I feel good about it; I do,” Ferraro said when asked about his unit heading into the regular season. “Again, if you go back and you evaluate through the preseason games nobody is happy when you have a big return against you, but I see things in practice, in our meetings, that make me feel very positive going into this weekend.”
And that is a good sign for the Vikings.
Look no further for a perfect illustration of this reality than the 2006 Minnesota Vikings. Last year’s kick coverage units allowed 9.7 yards per punt return and 23.2 yards per kick return, ranking them 23rd and 24th in the league, respectively. Those results yielded short fields to opposing offenses and put too much pressure on the Vikings defense.
The effects eventually trickled down to the Vikings offense. Short fields for one team almost invariably lead to long fields for the other. The Achilles heel of last year’s team was a lackluster offense, and perhaps poor kick coverage contributed to the offense’s inability to produce points.
So the Vikings entered the offseason charged with improving their coverage of kickoffs and punts. They signed former Carolina special teams standout Vinny Ciurciu, kept their own standouts (Heath Farwell, Dontarrious Thomas) and worked with both kicker Ryan Longwell and punter Chris Kluwe to improve leg strength.
The results in the preseason weren’t encouraging. The Vikings allowed 23.6 yards per kickoff return, a slight regression from 2006, and 25.1 yards per punt return, a staggering number even in the preseason. The lowlights included a 95-yard punt return by Dallas’ Jerheme Urban, a 53-yard punt return by Seattle’s Nate Burleson and 38-yard punt returns by New York’s Wallace Right and Seattle’s Josh Wilson.
One method Vikings special teams coordinator Paul Ferraro will use to shore up his kick coverage unit is use offensive and defensive starters. Players like Antoine Winfield and Dwight Smith are prime candidates to join the likes of Ciurciu, Farwell and Thomas to form a solid group of coverage specialists.
“I feel good about it; I do,” Ferraro said when asked about his unit heading into the regular season. “Again, if you go back and you evaluate through the preseason games nobody is happy when you have a big return against you, but I see things in practice, in our meetings, that make me feel very positive going into this weekend.”
And that is a good sign for the Vikings.
Part Five; Season Preview
The Vikings struggle in 2006 to pressure the quarterback and register sacks has been well-chronicled. Although they were dominant against the run in historical fashion, the Vikings had a chink in their armor that was completely exposed in a Week 8 31-7 loss to the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. From that point forward, most teams attacked the Vikings by spreading the defense out and launching an aerial assault.
That strategy worked throughout the season, and as a result the Vikings finished last in passing yards allowed. True, the numbers may be skewed because teams chose to pass more times against the Vikings, but the fact remains Minnesota was unable to contain most teams’ passing game even though they knew it was coming.
So in his first season with the team, Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is charged with maintaining his unit’s dominance against the run while also shoring up the pass defense. The first step to accomplishing this goal is to figure out a way to put more pressure on the quarterback and record more sacks.
The Vikings finished 25th in the league in sacks recorded and no starter had more than 5.5. Illustrating the correlation between sacking the quarterback and winning games, only one of the worst five teams in sacks (New York Giants) recorded made the playoffs in 2006. The combined record of those five teams last season was 34-46. Conversely, the combined record of the five best quarterback sacking teams in 2006 was 53-27, with three of those teams making playoff appearances.
The team has clearly made an effort to improve in this pivotal phase of the game since the end of last season. Former first-round pick Erasmus James was brought along carefully as he recovered from a knee injury that ended his 2006 season early. His return should instantly bolster the Vikings pass rush. In April the Vikings drafted speed-rushing defensive end Brian Robison from Texas. He had a nice camp and figures to be a part of the defensive end rotation. The development of Ray Edwards has been impressive and he, more than any other player in camp, performed well. At one point, Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress said they couldn’t block Edwards during practice and he was able to be extremely disruptive as a result.
Perhaps the biggest indication that the team is committed to putting more pressure on the quarterback is the fact that the Vikings kept ten defensive lineman on their 53-man roster, including six defensive lineman. While all ten likely will not be active on game day, the surplus of defensive lineman is a sign that the Vikings intend to pressure the quarterback and they intend to do so for the entire game. Because of their depth, the Vikings will be able to put a fresh set of legs in the game at any point.
Although they only recorded seven sacks in four preseason games, the Vikings defense was better against the pass, allowing only 204.2 yards passing per game. The defense was also disruptive, forcing fumbles and recording interceptions throughout the preseason .
If the Vikings are to improve upon their 6-10 mark from a year ago and their league-worst effort against the pass, rushing the quarterback must be a point of emphasis for them all season long. With great depth along the defensive line, especially at end, look for the Vikings defense to remain fresh and active deep into each game.
The Vikings struggle in 2006 to pressure the quarterback and register sacks has been well-chronicled. Although they were dominant against the run in historical fashion, the Vikings had a chink in their armor that was completely exposed in a Week 8 31-7 loss to the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. From that point forward, most teams attacked the Vikings by spreading the defense out and launching an aerial assault.
That strategy worked throughout the season, and as a result the Vikings finished last in passing yards allowed. True, the numbers may be skewed because teams chose to pass more times against the Vikings, but the fact remains Minnesota was unable to contain most teams’ passing game even though they knew it was coming.
So in his first season with the team, Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is charged with maintaining his unit’s dominance against the run while also shoring up the pass defense. The first step to accomplishing this goal is to figure out a way to put more pressure on the quarterback and record more sacks.
The Vikings finished 25th in the league in sacks recorded and no starter had more than 5.5. Illustrating the correlation between sacking the quarterback and winning games, only one of the worst five teams in sacks (New York Giants) recorded made the playoffs in 2006. The combined record of those five teams last season was 34-46. Conversely, the combined record of the five best quarterback sacking teams in 2006 was 53-27, with three of those teams making playoff appearances.
The team has clearly made an effort to improve in this pivotal phase of the game since the end of last season. Former first-round pick Erasmus James was brought along carefully as he recovered from a knee injury that ended his 2006 season early. His return should instantly bolster the Vikings pass rush. In April the Vikings drafted speed-rushing defensive end Brian Robison from Texas. He had a nice camp and figures to be a part of the defensive end rotation. The development of Ray Edwards has been impressive and he, more than any other player in camp, performed well. At one point, Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress said they couldn’t block Edwards during practice and he was able to be extremely disruptive as a result.
Perhaps the biggest indication that the team is committed to putting more pressure on the quarterback is the fact that the Vikings kept ten defensive lineman on their 53-man roster, including six defensive lineman. While all ten likely will not be active on game day, the surplus of defensive lineman is a sign that the Vikings intend to pressure the quarterback and they intend to do so for the entire game. Because of their depth, the Vikings will be able to put a fresh set of legs in the game at any point.
Although they only recorded seven sacks in four preseason games, the Vikings defense was better against the pass, allowing only 204.2 yards passing per game. The defense was also disruptive, forcing fumbles and recording interceptions throughout the preseason .
If the Vikings are to improve upon their 6-10 mark from a year ago and their league-worst effort against the pass, rushing the quarterback must be a point of emphasis for them all season long. With great depth along the defensive line, especially at end, look for the Vikings defense to remain fresh and active deep into each game.
LETS SKOL VIKINGS!!!!!
&
GOOD LUCK!!!!!
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