Vikings Preseason Game #1

It feels like much more than eight months have passed since the Minnesota Vikings last played a football game. Some thing have happened since they closed out a disappointing 5-10-1 season with a scintillating 14-13 win over the Detroit Lions. It didn't seem either team wanted to win that game. In the months since, the Vikings have hired Mike Zimmer as their new head coach. They drafted Teddy Bridgewater in the first round to hopefully be the long-sought franchise quarterback. They have been looking for one since Fran Tarkenton retired in 1978. They thought that they had one in Daunte Culpepper. That fell apart way too soon. They drafted Christian Ponder with the 12th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. Consistency was the problem there. Bridgewater is the new hope. The additions of Mike Zimmer, offensive coordinator Norv Turner, and Teddy Bridgewater have Vikings fans everywhere excited about the future in Minnesota. I was so excited that I had to listen, again, to Zimmer's introductory press conference from January to ready myself for preseason game #1 against the Oakland Raiders.

For the next two seasons the Minnesota Vikings will be playing their home games at TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota. The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, their home since 1982, was blown-up last February. That was done to make room for a magnificent new stadium that is set to open about this time in 2016. The Vikings will be playing their home games outdoors, again. And, it was splendid. My early years as a Vikings fan were spent watching them play outdoors at Metropolitan Stadium. Late season home games played in the snow were beautiful. That's easy to say from a comfortable couch in California but I have missed outdoor Vikings games. TCF Bank Stadium is a wonderful stadium. It may hold about 15,000 fewer fans than the owners might like but these next two years will be fun. This team and this stadium will be a nice combination. I wish that the Vikings new palace could be an outdoor beauty but it really had to be covered. Stadiums are far too expensive to only be available for part of the year.

Now, for preseason game #1. Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings. The start of the Mike Zimmer era.

The Vikings simply dominated the Raiders in the first half. It felt like it should have been 20-0 rather than 10-0. The Matt Cassel-led offense took the opening drive 70 yards for a touchdown. The Raiders defense was barely more than a bump in the road. That nice drive was all the play that Cassel saw in the game.

The rookie, Teddy Bridgewater played the rest of the first half and the first possession of the second half. His best throw might have been his first throw. A 21-yarder to Greg Jennings that was brought back by an illegal formation penalty. His play was mixed, at best. He looked like he belonged. He also looked like he was making his first appearance in an NFL game. With the starters, Bridgewater did lead a field goal-scoring drive. It was helped a bit by some penalties but he did put some points on the board. It was a start.

If the starting quarterback decision had to be made after this game, the choice is clearly Matt Cassel.

Running back Jerick McKinnon might have been the best offensive rookie for the Vikings last night. He showed some speed. Some wiggle. Some strength. They lost a fantastic backup running back when Toby Gerhart chose a starting gig with the Jacksonville Jaguars rather than the bench with the Vikings. Matt Asiata did a nice job on the first series of the game and he is most likely the first off the bench to give Adrian Peterson a breather. Asiata, at 6' and 230+,  is a big back like Gerhart but he looks much quicker and elusive this season. McKinnon is more of a change of pace. He's smaller at 5'9" and just over 200 lbs but he runs bigger than his size. A mighty mite! He was also a quarterback in Georgia Southern's option offense. He gives the Vikings offense some more versatility. He showed well in his first NFL game.

As for the OTHER first round pick, linebacker Anthony Barr got his first NFL sack. He'll get a lot more. In a quick interview, Barr said that the game last night was his first NFL game that he'd ever seen live. Well, he did grow up in Los Angeles.

Fullback Jerome Felton made the Pro Bowl two years ago. His spot on the roster is far from a sure thing. It sounds like he's had a rough training camp and he did himself no favors last night. Receiver Jarius Wright was running free on a reverse. He got about 17 yards. He would have gotten a lot more, perhaps a touchdown, if Felton had blocked a defender rather than running right past him. He needs to get back to that tough, hungry fullback that was fighting for a job because he really is fighting for a job.

The best part of this first game in the Mike Zimmer era was the defense. Big surprise. The defense is his baby. He's been putting together tough, aggressive defenses for decades. Last night, the Raiders faced a 3rd and 9 in the first quarter. The Vikings lined up with ten on the line of scrimmage. Two corners in the face of the receivers. Eight possibly rushing. At the snap, three of the eight dropped into coverage. Including defensive end Brian Robison. Five went after the quarterback. Safety Harrison Smith applied pressure on the edge and forced a hurried incomplete pass. Prior to the snap, there was no telling who was rushing and who was dropping. It's been years since the Vikings even tried to disguise their defensive intentions to an offense. It may be a preseason game but it's a very refreshing site.

The safety position opposite Harrison Smith is probably the most competitive in camp. Jamarca Sanford, Mistral Raymond, Kurt Coleman, Andrew Sendejo, Robert Blanton, and Chris Crocker all have starting experience in the NFL. Rookie Antone Exum is also in the fight. Coleman got the start last night. He made the most of it. An interception and a key stop in the flat. Crocker was brought in this past week. He's played for Zimmer for the last seven years. He likely knows the defense better than anyone outside of the head coach. He's also 34. Blanton was getting most of the first team reps early in camp but he strained his hamstring last week. It's still wide open but the light is probably on Coleman now with his nice play last night.

Receiver Adam Thielen had been an early camp star. He added to that last night. He flashed on special teams with a couple of nice returns and a tackle on coverage. He also had a nice reception. Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson, Jarius Wright, Jerome Simpson are at the top of the Vikings receiver depth charts. Thielen is probably moving to the "safe bet to make the team" category.

Rookie defensive tackle Shamar Stephen is wearing #93. It's a tall order to take the number worn so well for so long by Kevin Williams. Stephen's #93 was showing up around the ball so much last night that I thought that Williams was back in Minnesota rather than slumming in Seattle. Stephen was a seventh-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Seventh-round picks are often long shots to making any NFL roster. I'm warming to the idea that Stephen will be part of the Vikings 53-man roster.

The Vikings secondary was a disaster last year. Not having Harrison Smith for about six games didn't help but it was ugly at the back of the Vikings defense. Smith and corners Xavier Rhodes and Captain Munnerlyn are the only certainties in the secondary, at least in the nickel. The safety spot opposite Smith is very competitive and wide open. There's also quite a fight at corner. Josh Robinson, Derek Cox, seventh-round rookie Jabari Price, and Shaun Prater could all factor in nickel and/or base defenses. Robinson didn't play last night and really has to get on the field if he's going to stay in the fight. Cox and Prater both made plays last night. No matter who fills out the corner roster it was a delight to see all of them covering receivers. I'm going to love this press coverage.

The Vikings won 10-6.

The highlight of Vikings Preseason Game #1 was the offense early and the defense throughout. The offense scored 10 points with ease. The defense kept the Raiders out of the end zone until the final final minutes.

The Arizona Cardinals are up next in preseason game #2.