Vikings Preseason Game #1

With NFL Network's replay of preseason games, I'm guaranteed late but reliable viewing of the Vikings games. No matter how hard I try not to I always find myself checking the message board during and just after the live game. It's preseason! It's rarely pretty. Putting any weight on the knee-jerk comments on the message board is a mistake. It's probably the same with all teams, but some fans really only want to complain. The consensus is that the Vikings are crap. There's no hope for the team. There's no hope for the season. I'm not sure what game they saw. I saw preseason game #1. The Vikings lost to the Titans, 14-3. As in any first preseason game there was sloppy play. I still saw far more reason for hope than despair.

The Titans were a great first matchup for the Vikings. Both have new coaches. Both drafted a quarterback in the first round, Christian Ponder and Jake Locker. Both brought in a veteran QB, Donovan McNabb and Matt Hasselbeck, to mentor and lead. Both teams seem evenly matched at this point. Both teams had great opportunities to score. The Titans did. The Vikings didn't.

I like that Christian Ponder's first NFL completion went to fellow rookie Kyle Rudolph. I expect that the quarterback and tight end to be a dynamite pair for a long time. Ponder did fine. He made some plays. The offensive line was a sieve, except for fellow rookie DeMarcus Love, and Ponder dealt with it. He showed mobility and improvised. Most important, he looked like he belonged in the NFL. Rookies Christian Ballard and Brandon Burton also looked good.

There's quite a battle for the last receiver spots. Leslie Frazier says that they are keeping five. I'm actually expecting six. Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian and Michael Jenkins are locks. If five, Jaymar Johnson and Greg Camarillo probably have the edge. Johnson's punt return skills probably seal his spot. Devin Aromashodu could edge out Camarillo by size and speed. Manny Arceneaux and Joaquin Iglesias will be tough to cut. Safety and tight end are also shaping into tough battles. The safety battle is for who starts rather than who makes the team.

The next two preseason games against the Seahawks and Cowboys will be more telling. The Flea Flicker will be there.