Al, Bill, other NovaVike members --

In my opinion, we can neither claim we're going to the Superbowl or
say we're doomed to be "home for the playoffs". It's too early in
the season to assess any team's possibilities. Like Al, my glass is
always half full -- as a fan, I hold out hope for the year until it
is completey dashed (but still come out and cheer every week), but I
also don't whitewash the concerns that all teams have.

There was some "good" in the Monday night loss ... Vikes did better
in almost all offensive and defense categories (except sacks and
interceptions, which I'll get back to), the substitute O-line held a
damn good pass-rushing D to only one sack, the pass-happy Packers
had only 178 yards in the air (and 50+ came on a jump ball), the
Vikes blocked a FG!, and the too-highly praised Grant had only 35
yards rushing if you take out his one big play.

The optomist in me says that except for a few plays, it was a Viking
win: 1) the bogus referee call on the Viking challenge to a
reception that forced the Vikes to punt -- resulting in the TD
return, 2) the long, 57 yard toss-up thrown by Rodgers during an
otherwise very poor drive that had the Packer receiver outjump
Gordon (who I have never felt comfortable with), 3)the poor tackling
that allowed Grant to run 50+ yards to inside the 20, and 4) any one
of the several blown calls (and in particular the lack of a pass
interference call that would have given the Vikes the ball inside
the 20) ..... yes, #'s 2 and 3 can be attributed to players being
outplayed, but #1 and #4 were game-changers forced by bad referee
calls.

There are certainly concerns. Jackson's faults are well documented,
but I hold out hope he can play well-enough to allow the quality
team around him to get past the first round of the playoffs (if he
doesn't perform, Gus may be the starting QB in 4-5 weeks, and that
should not be viewed as a season-killer). The other obvious downer
is that Chilly did not call a great game. I hope he learns (again)
from that -- where were the screens to AD or the TE-drags that
worked so well in pre-season?

But my concerns are also: why not blitz more (I counted only one
hard-charging LB blitz) ... the tackling was not good (punt return,
Grant's run) ... return coverage was crap (we miss Heath!) ... and
the Viking return game was bad (Allison is too timid)

Hope should be high for this Sunday ... it is the home opener and
Jared, Kevin and Pat will be fired-up to show they are a dominant D-
line, Manning is obviously not in his game, the Colts D was
vulnerable against the Bears, and the Williams' should have a field
day with the backup center for Jeff Saturday. Plus consider the
other Colt injuries (Clark at TE and others) and the Vikes
apparently are injury-free from the last game.

Hopes for the rest of the season should be high -- they need to get
past Carolina in 2 weeks ... McKinnie and Madieu Williams will be
back in 3 games and the competition gets softer. Gus may be the QB
in 4-5 weeks, and that should not be viewed as a season-killer.

Last note ... I see Buff is no longer bashing Wilf -- the owners
have clearly stepped up to the plate and keep on swinging.

I see the Vikings probably between 9-7 and 11-5 and in the playoffs,
with a decent possibility of winning the NFC North and getting to
the NFC Championship at 12-4.

See everyone at the T&H Sunday!!

Rusty



--- In novavikes@yahoogroups.com, "Al" <albuddah@...> wrote:
>
> --- In novavikes@yahoogroups.com, "mbuffster" <Mbuffster@> wrote:
> >
> > Team,
> >
> > I am back. Look I have said it once and will say it again. T-
Jack
> is
> > not the answer. The most important player on the field is the
QB. T-
> > Jack is just bad. Must make a move or our season will end the
same
> as
> > last year - home for the playoffs.
> >
> > Buffster
> >
>
> Same old song and dance Buff. Do you root against the Vikings
just so
> you can come out and say, "See I am right?" Either you are a fan
or
> you are not. You have come out against all the QBs, the coach and
the
> owner. You come to this board and post the same old thing for the
last
> few years. Not much changes in your positiveness. Do you even
come to
> Tortoise and Hare to join in our rooting on the purple and gold.
Do
> you share in our singing and screaming whether it be good or bad?
>
> We lost that game on many fronts. Bad special teams that gave
them a
> TD and good field position. They had a bomb and 1 good run
against
> us. Beyond those big plays the Puckers did squat against us. Our
play
> calling sucked but we were hurt from non-calls or reversals by the
> refs. We didn't really play good, but we shot ourselves in the
foot
> several times, especially in that goalline stand after the huge
mistake
> by Gordon the Fisherman.
>
> Aaron Rodgers played very well, but the one thing I hated more
than the
> lose was the 100 plus Favre references. I wanted to reach out
into the
> tv screen and strangle Kornholemiser and his yammering co-horts.
> ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
>
>
> Half empty or half full Buff? Which is it? I got my glass half
full.
> I still think Jackson and Childress can workout a game plan better
than
> the one that we witnessed against GB. Watch out Indy, this dome
works
> against ya.
>