Wednesday, December 25, 2024

All - Time Christmas Day Roster

Here's some holiday fun from the fine folks at Quirky Research.

All-Time Christmas Day Roster

Offense

Quarterback
Paul Christman

Running back
Toy Ledbetter

Receivers
Jack Snow
Jesus Wilson
Ike Frankian

Left Tackle
Scott Bergold

Left Guard
Bill Murrah

Center
Pat Elflein

Right Guard
Ben Garland

Right Tackle
Red Sleight

Tight End
Kyle Rudolph

Defense

Defensive end
Frostee Rucker

Defensive tackle
Santana Dotson

Defensive tackle
Jared Clauss

Defensive end
Dadi Nicolas

Linebackers
Frank Kring
Ed Pine
Mathias Kiwanuka

Cornerbacks
Merrill Noel
Daven Holly

Safeties
Gaynell Tinsley
Goose Gonsoulin

Special Teams

Kicker
Sonny Winters

Punter
Rick Partridge

Kick Returner/Punt Returner
Leo Petree

Coach
Pete Carroll

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Minnesota Vikings Week 16 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings edged the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, 27-24. It was very much a team win as the offense, defense, and special teams all made the plays that needed to be made. Here are some of the players that made the Vikings 13th win possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game
Justin Jefferson, WR

Justin Jefferson was the best player on the field. He often is. When the Vikings needed a big play and Sam Darnold needed a target, Jefferson was there. The biggest was the 39-yard game winning touchdown with just under four minutes to play. 

Jefferson’s numbers
10 catches
144 yards
2 TDs (14,39)

The ten catches and 144 yards were season highs. 

Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the league. 

Defensive Players of the Game
Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB
Dallas Turner., OLB
Theo Jackson, S

It’s easy and fun to keep eyes on Andrew Van Ginkel on every snap. It started with the first game of the season, when he snagged the first of his two pick-6s. It’s been a while since he’s had one of those but his next big play always feels a snap away. The Seahawks zipped down the field on their touchdown drives. Van Ginkel was a big reason they didn’t get a fourth. His two fourth quarter sacks were huge. Both essentially ended two Seahawks scoring threats. 

Dallas Turner and Theo Jackson get mentions for their big interceptions. Turner’s interception was the first of his NFL career. Playing in place of injured Harrison Smith, Jackson’s interception sealed the big win for the Vikings. 

Special Teams Player of the Game
Will Reichard, K
Ryan Wright, P

Will Reichard was great again. The rookie kicker made all five of his kicks. He kicked two field goals (52,48) and three extra points. One of which was from 47 yards due to a personal foul penalty. Thanks to the rookie kicker I no longer fear every extra point and field goal attempt. 

In his third season with the Vikings, this might have been Ryan Wright’s best game. From a team standpoint, six punts is a little much. Wright totaled 300 yards on those six punts for a 50-yard average. Four of those punts pinned the Seahawks inside their own 20-yard line. 

Punt 1: 51-yard punt, fielded at the nine-yard line and returned to the 13. 
Punt 2: 54-yard punt, fielded at the 22-yard line. A penalty brought a big return back to the 12. 
Punt 3: 63-yard punt, fielded at the one-yard line and returned to the 12. 
Punt 4: 38-yard punt, fair-caught at eight-yard line.
Punt 5: 56-yard punt, fielded at 17-yard line and returned to 32.
Punt 6: 38-yard punt, out of bounds at 17-yard line. 




Monday, December 23, 2024

Vikings - Seahawks

The Minnesota Vikings did just enough things right to edge the Seattle Seahawks, 27-24. For the past decade, things haven’t really gone the Vikings way in Seattle. It was nice to see that change. With huge division games against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, this felt like it could be a trap game for the Vikings. It nearly was. 

The Seahawks are a tough, talented team. Entering the game at 8-6, they are competing for the NFC West title. Despite this loss, they still are. Seattle is always a tough place to play. This was the ninth time the Vikings played the Seahawks in Seattle. It was only their third win. They’d lost the previous five games. Overall, the Seahawks lead the series 13-7. There were many reasons to worry about the Seahawks. Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll may no longer be leading the team but the Seahawks will always be one of the most annoying teams in the league. It’s real fun seeing the Vikings beat them. 

Turnovers are often the difference in football games. They were in this game. The Vikings offense had zero giveaways. Six punts is a little much. Even worse, four of those came on three-and-outs. Credit the Seahawks defense. Still, the Vikings offense didn’t hand the Seahawks the ball. The Vikings defense took the ball from the Seahawks twice. The first (Dallas Turner interception) was turned into three points. The second (Theo Jackson interception) sealed the game. The Vikings should’ve had four interceptions as Shaq Griffin and Blake Cashman had the ball in their hands but couldn’t complete the catch. 

After Turner’s interception was turned into a field goal, the Vikings held a ten-point second lead. It felt like they were on the verge of pulling away from the Seahawks. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Instead, Geno Smith got hot. He led the Seahawks on a crisp touchdown drive before the end of the half. They added a field goal to start the second half. Just like that, a 10-point lead was gone. The game was tied at 17. 

Geno Smith was more Joe Montana than Geno Smith on the Seahawks three touchdown drives. He completed all 15 of the passes that he threw on those drives. That passing consistency opened up the running game. Those possessions were outliers. On the possessions that didn’t end in touchdowns, the Seahawks could do little against the Vikings defense. It was all punts and interceptions. The Seahawks and their fans seemed to think they had the game won when Smith hit tight end AJ Barner for a four-yard touchdown with just over four minutes to play. The score gave the Seahawks a 24-20 lead. 

Then it was Sam Darnold time.

Sam Darnold was clutch when the Vikings needed it most. After the Seahawks took the late lead, he only needed 30 seconds to take it back. A key to the quick drive was the officials finally calling a facemask penalty against a Vikings opponent. Darnold’s facemask was clearly grabbed and the officials finally, thankfully saw it. The penalty gave the Vikings a first down on the Seahawks 39-yard line. Darnold then hit Justin Jefferson for a 39-yard touchdown. Vikings now had the lead, 27-24. If there was a problem with the big drive and touchdown, it was that they scored so fast. It would’ve been nice if they had drained much more than 30 seconds off the clock. It forced the Vikings defense to handle a couple, final opportunities for the Seahawks.

To close the game, the Vikings defense forced the Seahawks to attempt a 60-yard field goal with two minutes to play. The kick was short. Unable to get a first down and run out the clock, the Vikings had to give the ball back to the Seahawks with about a minute to play. Theo Jackson intercepted Smith to seal the win. 

Theo Jackson got playing time because Harrison Smith missed the game with a foot injury. With his experience, versatility, and talent, Smith is a big part of the Vikings defense. He was missed but Jackson is a talented player. He’d be a starter on several teams. It was nice to see him get the interception that sealed the game. The Vikings are now 13-2 on the season and riding an eight-game win streak. To get those 13 wins a lot of different players have stepped up with big plays and big games. This week, Theo Jackson was one of those players. 

13-2. Win the final two games and the Minnesota Vikings are NFC North champions and grab the #1 seed in the NFC. First up, the Green Bay Packers come to US Bank next Sunday. 



Sunday, December 22, 2024

Seattle Seahawks All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings travel to Seattle this weekend for a big game against the Seahawks. The Seahawks have an interesting history. It’s interesting because they’ve spent significant time in the AFC and the NFC since they entered the league in 1976. The Seahawks were an NFC West team in 1976. Then, they flipped to the AFC West in 1977. The Seahawks remained in the AFC West for nearly 25 years. Realignment put them in the NFC West in 2001. The past 24 years have been the team’s most successful. They’ve had three Super Bowl appearances (2005, 2013, 2014) with one win (2013). Despite having a team for nearly 30 years, their fan base made their first real appearance during this run. 

Offense

Quarterback
Russell Wilson

Running Back
Shaun Alexander
Marshawn Lynch 

Fullback
Mack Strong

Wide Receivers
Steve Largent
Doug Baldwin

Tight End
Jimmy Graham

Offensive Tackles
Walter Jordan
Duane Brown

Offensive Guards
Steve Hutchinson
Chris Gray

Center
Robbie Tobeck

Defense

Defensive Ends
Jacob Green
Michael Bennett

Defensive Tackles
Cortez Kennedy
Joe Nash

Linebackers
Fredd Young
Bobby Wagner
K.J. Wright

Cornerbacks
Richard Sherman
Dave Brown

Safeties
Kenny Easley
Earl Thomas

Special Teams

Kicker
Steven Hauschka

Punter
Jon Ryan

Returner
Joey Galloway


Saturday, December 21, 2024

Flea Flicker Week 16 Predictions

It must be late in the season. We have Saturday games. Here are some guesses at the Week 16 games.

Minnesota Vikings @ Seattle Seahawks
Pick: Vikings
Three more wins and the Vikings have the NFC North title and possible the conference’s #1 seed in the playoffs.

Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs
Pick: Texans
The Chiefs penchant for close games catches up with them one more time.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens
Pick: Ravens
Somehow, the Ravens are chasing the Steelers late in the season.

New York Giants @ Atlanta Falcons
Pick: Falcons
Michael Penix Jr. gets his first start against a team that’s already moved to the offseason.

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears
Pick: Lions
The Bears are another team that’s already moved to the offseason. Even an injury-depleted Lions team should be able to handle this Bears team.

Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Bengals
The Bengals are fighting for the playoffs. The Browns might be fighting for their jobs.

Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts
Pick: Colts
Don’t call the Titans soft.

Los Angeles Rams @ New York Jets
Pick: Rams
Rams roll.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders
Pick: Commanders
The Commanders end the 10-game win streak of the Eagles.

Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers
Pick: Panthers
The plucky Panthers finally win one.

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills
Pick: Bills
The Bills roll.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Las Vegas Raiders
Pick: Raiders
Just going with the home team.

San Francisco 49ers @ Miami Dolphins
Pick: Dolphins
I’ll bet this game looked spectacular when the schedule was released.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys
Pick: Buccaneers
The Buccaneers have returned to the playoff chase with victories over broken teams. That continues.

New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers
Pick: Packers
The Packers with another Prime Time appearance. No team should have four consecutive Prime Time games. 



Friday, December 20, 2024

Minnesota Vikings 53 - Man Roster

The Minnesota Vikings roster has been fairly steady for about a month. That’s a good thing as the regular season reaches the final weeks. That means they’ve managed to avoid significant injuries. Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. was placed on injured reserve a few weeks ago with a hamstring injury. He’s been missed but should return soon. He’ll certainly be ready for the upcoming playoff run. Cornerback Stefon Gilmore is also dealing with a hamstring injury. It’s a minor hamstring injury, if such a thing exists, but it kept him out of the past two games. Having practiced in full all week, he’s expected to play against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The only roster tweaks in recent weeks have been the welcome return of kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola. John Parker Romo and Jack McQuaide were remarkably steady in their place but Reichard and DePaola are needed on the field. The only other roster tweaks has been the usual shuffling of the practice squad. Part of that shuffling includes the eye-opening addition of former New York Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones. In a handful of days in November, the sixth pick in the 2019 NFL Draft went from top-salaried starter to practice squad member. The Giants are still paying that top salary so the Vikings have a talented and intriguing quarterback on the cheap. The signing of Jones is more forward-looking than an addition for the moment. If he makes any impact on the Vikings, it would be next season. If player and team are in agreement, Jones could sign a deal in the offseason to provide competition/veteran presence with J.J. McCarthy. With those changes in mind, here’s a look at the current roster of the Minnesota Vikings. 

Minnesota Vikings 53 - Man Roster

Offense (25)

Quarterbacks (3)
14 Sam Darnold
12 Nick Mullens
19 Brett Rypien

Running Backs (3)
33 Aaron Jones
27 Cam Akers
32 Ty Chandler

Fullback (1)
30 C.J. Ham

Receivers (5)
18 Justin Jefferson
  3 Jordan Addison
83 Jalen Nailor
  4 Brandon Powell
11 Trent Sherfield

Tight Ends (3)
87 T.J. Hockenson
84 Josh Oliver
86 Johnny Mundt

Offensive Linemen (10)
74 Cam Robinson
64 Blake Brandel
56 Garrett Bradbury
66 Dalton Risner
75 Brian O’Neill
76 David Quessenberry 
78 Walter Rouse
67 Ed Ingram
65 Michael Jurgens
69 Dan Feeney

Defense (25)

Defensive Linemen (5)
97 Harrison Phillips
90 Jonathan Bullard
99 Jerry Tillery
61 Jalen Redmond
50 Levi Drake Rodriguez

Outside Linebackers (6)
58 Jonathan Greenard
43 Andrew Van Ginkel
15 Dallas Turner
91 Patrick Jones II
52 Jihad Ward
98 Bo Richter

Inside Linebackers (4)
51 Blake Cashman
54 Kamu Grugier-Hill
  6 Brian Asamoah
57 Jamin Davis

Cornerbacks (5)
  2 Stephon Gilmore  
  7 Byron Murphy Jr.
  1 Shaq Griffin
23 Fabian Moreau
29 Dwight McGlothern

Safeties (5)
22 Harrison Smith
24 Camryn Bynum
44 Josh Metellus
26 Theo Jackson
20 Jay Ward

Special Teams (3)

Kickers (1)
16 Will Reichard

Punter (1)
17 Ryan Wright

Long Snapper (1)
42 Andrew DePaola

Practice Squad
95 Travis Bell, DL
63 Coy Cronk, OL 
81 Lucky Jackson, WR
  8 Trishton Jackson, WR
13 Daniel Jones, QB
82 Jeshaun Jones, WR
21 Kelvin Joseph, CB
28 Bobby McCain, CB
48 Calvin Munson, LB
59 Gabriel Murphy, OLB
34 Nick Muse, TE
36 Zavier Scott, RB
89 Thayer Thomas, WR
45 Max Tooley, LB
25 Nahshon Wright, CB
35 Sammis Reyes, TE

Injured Reserve
  5 Mekhi Blackmon, CB
  9 J.J. McCarthy, QB
71 Christian Darrisaw, T
36 NaJee Thompson, CB
63 Jeremy Flax, OL
  0 Ivan Pace Jr. 
94 Taki Taimani, DL 

Practice Squad/Injured
68 Henry Byrd, OL

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Throwback Thursday: Original Teams

This Flicker was originally posted 5/16/19. 

The NFL's celebration of it's 100th season is going to bring a lot of football history fun. Part of that celebration will be honoring the small towns where professional football started.

From NFL Football Operations:

ORIGINAL TOWNS

Nearly 100 years after the NFL was born in Canton, Ohio, the league will honor the 13 Original Towns, which were home to the 14 teams of the league’s inaugural season.


CityTeam 
Akron, OhioAkron Pros
Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo All-Americans
Canton, OhioCanton Bulldogs
Chicago, IllinoisRacine Cardinals, Chicago Tigers
Cleveland, OhioCleveland Tigers
Columbus, OhioColumbus Panhandles
Dayton, OhioDayton Triangles
Decatur, IllinoisDecatur Staleys
Detroit, MichiganDetroit Heralds
Hammond, IndianaHammond Pros
Muncie, IndianaMuncie Flyers
Rochester, New YorkRohester Jeffersons
Rock Island, IllinoisRock Island Independents

A quick glance at those 14 original teams reveals no teams that play today. There's actually two. The Decatur Staleys are the Chicago Bears. The Racine Cardinals are today's Arizona Cardinals. 

Hockey has an Original 6. The NFL has an Original 2. The 1920s was a daily struggle for football teams that wanted to make it in the NFL. Professional football wasn't well received. Each year of that first decade was a revolving door of teams coming and going. 

1920: 14 teams
1921: 21-Green Bay Packers joined the fun
1922: 18
1923: 20
1924: 18
1925: 20-New York Giants joined the fun
1926: 22
1927: 12
1928: 10
1929: 12

The NFL was mostly populated with teams from small Midwestern towns in that first decade. While that was fun for those plucky towns there was a concerted effort by the NFL in the latter half of the decade to establish a presence in the bigger cities. It wasn't a good deal for the small towns but it was deemed necessary for the overall survival of the league. At the start of the next decade, few small towns remained. 

1930 NFL 
Green Bay Packers
New York Giants
Chicago Bears
Brooklyn Dodgers
Providence Steam Roller
Staten Island Stapletons
Portsmouth Spartans
Chicago Cardinals
Frankford Yellow Jackets
Minneapolis Red Jackets
Newark Tornadoes. 

In 1930, only five teams were competing in the NFL that are still competing today. The Portsmouth Spartans joined the fun that year and moved to Detroit in 1935 where the team became the Lions. The Spartans/Lions joined the Bears, Cardinals, Packers, and Giants as the First 5(?). 

The Boston Braves joined the fun in 1932. Their name would unfortunately be changed to the Redskins the next season. Credit racist owner George Preston Marshall for that. The team moved to Washington D.C. in 1937.

Through the league's first 13 seasons (1920-32), 36 teams had tried and failed to make a go of it in the NFL. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates (Steelers) and Philadelphia Eagles joined the fun in 1933. 

1933 was probably the first season in which the NFL finally started to resemble a league that might be a precursor to today's NFL. One reason for that was that the league was split into East and West. Another reason was that most of the teams survive today. Even if some of those teams have changed names and cities. There was finally some degree of stability. Eight of the 10 teams that competed in 1933 compete today. 

East
New York Giants
Brooklyn Dodgers
Boston Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Pirates

West
Chicago Bears
Portsmouth Spartans
Green Bay Packers
Cincinnati Reds
Chicago Cardinals

The Cleveland Rams joined the fun in 1937.

The NFL finally experienced some consistency and increasing public acceptance in the 1930s. After a decade of significant struggle, the league seemed to have a future. Just when it seemed like things were getting better, new challenges were coming. 

The World War II years were tough. Many players joined the fight. The public was preoccupied. Some teams had to join forces to get by but the league survived. The latter half of the 1940s brought a rival league. Unlike previous rivals, the All-America Football Conference was a legitimate rival. So much so, that the NFL was forced to absorb three of the AAFC's teams to end the rivalry. The Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers were two of those teams. The Baltimore Colts were the third. The franchise history of the Colts is wacky. It's too wacky to detail here. The AAFC Colts team that was absorbed by the NFL isn't the Colts team that plays in Indianapolis today. The Colts team that survives today is actually the team that came out of the 1951 New York Yanks team that became the 1952 Dallas Texans. I'll leave it at that. 

1953 was the first year in which all of the teams that competed still compete in the league today. 

East 
Cleveland Browns
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins
Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Giants
Chicago Cardinals

West
Detroit Lions
San Francisco 49ers
Los Angeles Rams
Chicago Bears
Baltimore Colts
Green Bay Packers

The only changes since 1953 has been the addition of expansion teams and one big merger with a rival league. And, unfortunately, the relocation of a few franchises. 

I've always found the early years of the NFL fascinating. The rag-tag nature of the league, the small town teams, the incredible characters that simply pushed, scraped, scratched, pulled, fought, and refused to let a dream die. It may have been the big cities (and Green Bay) that survived but the Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Pottsville Maroons, Columbus Panhandles, Providence Steam Roller, Duluth Eskimos, Frankford Yellow Jackets, etc. helped make the NFL what it is today. Those teams didn’t survive but they should be better remembered. It shouldn't take a 100 year celebration to honor those teams that competed, the players that played, the coaches that coached, and contributors that contributed to finally know about them. But it's still fun that the league is doing it. 



 

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Minnesota Vikings Week 15 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings secured their 12th win of the season with a 30-12 takedown of the Chicago Bears on Monday night. Here are some of the players that made the win happen.

Offensive Player of the Game
Aaron Jones, RB

Against the Bears:

18 carries
86 yards
1 TD (1)

2 catches
20 yards

Aaron Jones ran well throughout the game. He was especially impactful in the second half. The Vikings have had difficulties all season punching the ball into the end zone from up close. Jones had a second half 1-yard touchdown. Cam Akers had another in the second half.  

One of Jones’ biggest plays was taking a short pass 17 yards on third-and-17. 

The Vikings offense felt a little off all game. Aaron Jones was the one offensive player that didn’t look off. 

Defensive Player of the Game
Jonathan Greenard, OLB

Jonathan Greenard could be Defensive Player of the Game every game. He’s been a beast all season. He’s been terrific getting after the quarterback. He’s been terrific against the run. He should be in the conversation for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Against the Bears:

6 tackles
1 sack

Greenard’s sack was a strip-sack that Blake Cashman recovered. That big play led to the Vikings first touchdown of the game. It felt like it was the Vikings game from that moment. 

Greenard harassed Caleb Williams for four quarters. 

Special Teams Player of the Game
Will Reichard, K

Against the Bears:

3 FGs (52,31,46)
3 extra points

It’s great having Will Reichard back. He missed a month with a quad injury. He was dynamite before the injury. He’s been dynamite since his return. The Vikings have a problematic kicking history. As a rookie, it feels like Reichard has already put that history in its proper place.




Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Vikings - Bears

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. The score was a fairly one-sided 30-12. The Bears didn’t see the end zone until a fourth-down attempt against Vikings backups with about five minutes left in the game. 

The Bears had given up on the season a few weeks ago. By all appearances, they are tanking for the second time in Ryan Poles’ three years as general manager. Nice. The Vikings interviewed him when they were searching for a general manager during the 2022 offseason. It sure looks they chose wisely when they hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. No matter the effort-level, the Bears have often been a pain for the Vikings. That is especially true on Monday night. The Vikings have faced the Bears in the prime time slot more than any other team. Beating the Bears have never been easy. At least, the game wasn’t in Chicago. Around Halloween. 

The game was in Minnesota and it was spectacular. It was a white-out game as the Vikings wore their “Winter Warrior” all-white uniforms. The fans wore white. It was beautiful. The game also had special meaning as legends Cris Carter and Jake Reed were honorary captains and honored former teammate Randy Moss and his battle with cancer. They held Moss’ #84 jersey aloft as they approached midfield for the coin toss. Current Vikings legend, Justin Jefferson, further honored Moss during his touchdown celebration. Jefferson also donned a Moss jersey during his postgame press conference. Get healthy, Randy! #mosscancer.

The game. It never really felt like the Bears posed a threat. The only real threat to the Vikings was their own play. The offense never really felt like they were in sync. After about a month of pinpoint passing, Sam Darnold was off on several throws. He missed some wide open receivers. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison probably should’ve had a repeat of last week’s 100-yard games. It wasn’t just Darnold that was a little off. Jefferson dropped what was sure to be a 30-yard touchdown. Three plays later, Darnold threw his first interception in about a month. If Jefferson does what he always does, catch the ball, the Vikings probably put the Bears away in the first half rather than the second half. While the offense was a little hit-and-miss through most of the game, they did have some second half success running the ball. Aaron Jones and Cam Akers scored touchdowns from the one-yard line. Goal-line running has been a season-long problem. Those short scores were refreshing to see and a positive moving forward. The Vikings defense had a bit better night than the offense. They were terrific on third and fourth downs throughout the game. The Bears couldn’t sustain drives. The pass rush had Caleb Williams on the run. The defense snuffed out a couple second half scoring opportunities and forced the Bears to settle for field goals. The final, late touchdown felt charitable. 

Some of the offenses’s difficulties could be attributed to an injury to right tackle Brian O’Neill. After losing left tackle Christian Darrisaw for the season, the Vikings simply can not lose O’Neill as well. He’s been excellent all season. Fortunately, he returned to the game. That was reassuring. Then, he left again just before the half. That wasn’t good. He returned to the game in the second half and finished the game. That was reassuring. 

The best thing the Vikings offense did was converting third-and-longs. The worst thing the Vikings did was getting into third-and-longs. 10 penalties are way too many penalties. 


I suppose it’s a good thing that the Vikings put up an 18-point win despite some ragged play. Particularly on offense, they can play so much better. Most of the problems feel correctable. Darnold was a little off on some throws. Jefferson had a shocking drop. He was shocked. I was shocked. Everyone was shocked. That sure touchdown would’ve put the Vikings up 17-0 early in the second quarter. Instead, it was only 13-0 at the half. If there’s reason to worry, it’s that the Vikings can’t keep putting up games with some inconsistent play. The Bears are a team that’s probably been more focused on the offseason than the games still in front of them. The Vikings have no more such games. 

12-2.

The Vikings are 12-2 with a playoff spot secured. If they win their remaining three games, they win the NFC North and perhaps even the NFC’s #1 seed. The final three games are tough. 

@Seattle Seahawks
Green Bay Packers
@Detroit Lions

Each game is against a team either in or fighting for the playoffs. In that sense, the playoffs start next Sunday. 


Monday, December 16, 2024

Minnesota Vikings Monday Night Record

The Minnesota Vikings host the Chicago Bears tonight. It will be the Vikings 69th appearance on Monday Night Football. More often than not, the games have gone well. In advance of the big game, here’s a look at the previous 68 results. 

Minnesota Vikings Monday Night Record

10/26/70: Los Angeles Rams, W 13-3
9/20/71:   @Detroit Lions, W 16-13
10/25/71: Baltimore Colts, W 10-3
9/18/72:   Washington Redskins, L 21-24
1023/72:  @ Chicago Bears, L 10-13
11/19/73: @Atlanta Falcons, L 14-20
11/11/74: @St. Louis Cardinals, W 28-24
10/27/75: @Chicago Bears, W 13-9
10/4/76:   Pittsburgh Steelers, W 17-6
11/29/76: @San Francisco 49ers, L 16-20
10/24/77: @Los Angeles Rams, L 3-35
9/11/78:   Denver Broncos, W 12-9 (OT)
9/25/78:   @Chicago Bears, W 24-20
10/15/79: @New York Jets, L 7-14
9/14/81:   Oakland Raiders, L 10-36
11/2/81:   @Denver Broncos, L 17-19
11/23/81: @Atlanta Falcons, L 30-31
1/3/83:     Dallas Cowboys, W 31-27
12/5/83:   @Detroit Lions, L 2-13
10/26/87: Denver Broncos, W 34-27
12/19/88: Chicago Bears, W 28-27
10/30/89: @New York Giants, L 14-24
12/25/89: Cincinnati Bengals, W 29-21
10/15/90: @Philadelphia Eagles, L 24-32
11/11/91: Chicago Bears, L 17-34
11/2/92:   @Chicago Bears, W 38-10
10/25/93: @Chicago Bears, W 19-12
10/10/94: @New York Giants, W 27-10
12/26/94: San Francisco 49ers, W 21-14
10/30/95: Chicago Bears, L 6-14
12/18/95: @San Francisco 49ers, L 30-37
10/28/96: Chicago Bears, L 13-15
12/1/97:   Green Bay Packers, L 11-27
10/5/98:   @Green Bay Packers, W 37-24
11/8/99:   Dallas Cowboys, W 27-17
12/6/99:   Tampa Bay Buccaneers, L 27-24
12/20/99: Green Bay Packers, W 24-20
10/9/00:   Tampa Bay Buccaneers, W 30-23
11/6/00:   @Green Bay Packers, L 20-26 (OT)
11/19/01: New York Giants, W 28-16
1/7/02:     @Baltimore Ravens, L 3-19
9/20/04:   @Philadelphia Eagles, L 16-27
11/8/04:   @Indianapolis Colts, L 28-31
11/21/05: @Green Bay Packers, W 20-17
9/11/06:   @Washington Redskins, W 16-13
10/30/06: New England Patriots, L 7-31
12/17/07: Chicago Bears, W 20-13
9/8/08:     @Green Bay Packers, L 19-24
10/6/08:   @New Orleans Saints, W 30-27
10/5/09:   Green Bay Packers, W 30-23
12/28/09: @Chicago Bears, L 30-36 (OT)
10/11/10: @New York Jets, L 20-29
12/13/10: New York Giants, L 3-21
12/20/10: Chicago Bears, L 14-40
11/14/11: @Green Bay Packers, L 7-45
10/21/13: @New York Giants, L 7-23
9/14/15:   @San Francisco 49ers, 3-20
10/3/16:   New York Giants, W 24-10
10/31/16: @Chicago Bears, L 10-20
9/11/17:   New Orleans Saints, W 29-19
10/9/17:   @Chicago Bears, W 20-17
12/10/18: @Seattle Seahawks, L 7-21
12/2/19:   @Seattle Seahawks, L 30-37
12/23/19: Green Bay Packers, L 10-23
11/16/20: @Chicago Bears, W 19-13
12/20/21: @Chicago Bears, W 17-9
9/19/22:   @Philadelphia Eagles, L 7-24
11/27/23: Chicago Bears, L 10-12

Overall Monday Night Record: 31-37
Home: 19-10
Away: 12-27

The 2010 season was a disaster for the Minnesota Vikings. It was one damn thing after another. The highlight of that season was the collapse of the Metrodome roof. That collapse forced the Vikings to play an unscheduled Monday night game. They were supposed to play the New York Giants on 12/12/10. With the collapsed roof, the game had to be rescheduled for Monday night (12/13/10) at Detroit’s Ford Field. The scheduled Monday night game against the Chicago Bears the following week (12/20/10) was played at TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota. That wasn’t the end of the season’s scheduling oddities. Weather turned the Week 16 game at Philadelphia into a rare Tuesday night game. The scrambling nature of the final month’s schedule was a fitting end to that disastrous season.  

The Bears have been a popular Monday night opponent for the Vikings. Tonight’s game will be the team’s 18th matchup. Currently, the Vikings are holding a 9-8 edge. Let’s see it bump to 10. 


Sunday, December 15, 2024

Flea Flicker Week 15 Predictions

Week 15! For most of its 125 years, the NFL would be in the post season, or offseason, by the 15th week. In today’s NFL, there’s still four games remaining in the regular season. Here are some guesses at this week’s game.

Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings
Pick: Vikings
One of this week’s Monday Night games is up first. At 11-2, the Vikings must keep pace with the one-loss Detroit Lions in the NFC North. 

Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns
Pick: Chiefs
The Chiefs have needed a bit of luck for many of their 12 wins. They shouldn’t need much luck against the Browns.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Tennessee Titans
Pick: Bengals
The Bengals have lost several close games. This one shouldn’t be close.

Washington Commanders @ New Orleans Saints
Pick: Commanders
Fresh off their Week 14 bye, the Commanders roll.

Baltimore Ravens @ New York Giants
Pick: Ravens
Rematch of Super Bowl XXXV. Same result.

Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers
Pick: Panthers
The pesky Panthers finally get a win with their pesky ways.

New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Pick: Jets
How do you pick a game between teams waiting for the offseason. 

Miami Dolphins @ Houston Texans
Pick: Texans
Some pundits make have had these two teams in the AFC Conference Championship game. If they can get it together, the Texans still have a shot at the big game.

Indianapolis Colts @ Denver Broncos
Pick: Colts
This is a pick against Sean Payton.

Buffalo Bills @ Detroit Lions
Pick: Bills
Big Game! It’d be nice if the Bills take it.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Philadelphia Eagles
Pick: Eagles
The Battle for Pennsylvania. Despite their success this season, I haven’t been sold on the Steelers. It’s probably Russell Wilson. If the Steelers win this game, I might be buying.

New England Patriots @ Arizona Cardinals
Pick: Cardinals
The Cardinals have had a rough couple weeks. They should rebound against the Patriots.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Los Angeles Chargers
Pick: Chargers
The Chargers roll.

Green Bay Packers @ Seattle Seahawks
Pick: Seahawks
The Seahawks prevail at home.

For some reason (money), the league jammed a second Monday night game into the Week 15 schedule. 

Atlanta Falcons @ Las Vegas Raiders
Pick: Falcons
The Falcons finally win.

Saturday, December 14, 2024

My Time All - Time Chicago Bears Team

I picked an All-Time Chicago Bears Team in advance of the season’s first Minnesota Vikings-Chicago Bears game. Here’s a different look at the Bears in advance of the season’s second Vikings-Bears game on Monday night. It’s a team made up of some of the best Bears players during my time as a Vikings fan. With two Super Bowl appearances and one memorable win, Chicago has had some fine teams and great players. 

Offense

Quarterback
Jim McMahon

Running Back
Walter Payton

Fullback
Roland Harper

Wide Receivers
Brandon Marshall
Alshon Jeffery

Tight End
Greg Olsen

Tackles
Jimbo Covert
James Williams

Guards
Mark Bortz
Tom Thayer

Center
Jay Hilgenberg

Defense

Defensive Ends
Richard Dent
Khalil Mack

Defensive Tackles
Dan Hampton
Steve McMichael 

Linebackers
Lance Briggs
Mike Singletary
Brian Urlacher

Cornerbacks
Charles Tillman
Donnell Woolford

Safeties
Gary Fencik
Dave Duerson

Special Teams

Kicker
Robbie Gould

Punter
Brad Maynard

Returner
Devin Hester

Friday, December 13, 2024

Ranking The NFL’s Receiver Duos

With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison teaming for 265 yards and five touchdowns last Sunday, I’ve been thinking about the league’s top receiving duos. I decided to rank them. It’s a subjective thing. Very subjective. Jefferson and Addison, of course, top the list. They are the best. 

Ranking of the NFL’s Receiver Duos

1.   Justin Jefferson/Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
2.   Cooper Kupp/Pakua Nakua, Los Angeles Rams
3.   Tyreek Hill/Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
4.   A.J. Brown/DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
5.   Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
6.   Deebo Samuel/Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
7.   Stefon Diggs/Nico Collins, Houston Texans
8.   Mike Evans/Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
9.   Amon-Ra St. Brown/Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
10. DK Metcalf/Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
11. Keenan Allen/D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears
12. Amari Cooper/Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills
13. DeAndre Hopkins/Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
14. CeeDee Lamb/Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys
15. Michael Pittman Jr./Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
16. Terry McLaurin/Noah Brown, Washington Commanders
17. Rashod Bateman/Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
18. Garrett Wilson/Davante Adams, New York Jets
19. George Pickens/Van Jefferson, Pittsburgh Steelers
20. Marvin Harrison Jr./Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals 
21. Drake London/Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons
22. Christian Watson/Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers
23. Ladd McConkey/Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers
24. Brian Thomas Jr./Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Calvin Ridley/Tyler Boyd, Tennessee Titans
26. Jerry Jeudy/Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns
27. Malik Nabers/Darius Slayton, New York Giants
28. Chris Olave/Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints
29. Adam Thielen/Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers 
30 Courtland Sutton/Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos
31. Jakobi Meyers/ Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders
32. Kendrick Bourne/Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots


Thursday, December 12, 2024

Throwback Thursday: When The League Got Squirrelly With The Divisions

 This Flea Flicker was originally posted on 2/21/19

The National Football League and the American Football League agreed to merge on June 8, 1966. The immediate result of that agreement was a unifying championship game at the end of each season, a combined draft, and an end to the bidding war over players. In 1970, the two rival leagues fully merged into one professional football league. One often overlooked result of the merger was the introduction of divisions into the NFL's traditional Eastern-Western alignment. Since 1933, the NFL had separated the teams into Eastern or Western Divisions/Conferences. From 1933-49 it was Divisions. From 1953-66 it was Conferences. From 1950-52, the three seasons following the absorption of the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Colts from the All-America Football Conference, the teams were split into American and National Conferences. That bit of nomenclature was foreshadowing of what was to come about 20 years later. After the 1966 merger, the NFL got a little squirrelly with the separation of their teams. Probably due to the lateness of the merger announcement, the 1966 season was more of the same. 15 teams divided into Eastern and Western Conferences. 

Eastern Conference
Dallas Cowboys
Cleveland Browns
Philadelphia Eagles
St. Louis Cardinals
Washington Redskins
Pittsburgh Steelers
Atlanta Falcons
New York Giants

Western Conference
Green Bay Packers
Baltimore Colts
Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings

It was in 1967 that the NFL got squirrelly. The New Orleans Saints joined the league. Now, there were 16 teams. Those 16 teams could be nicely separated into two conferences of eight teams each and four divisions of four teams each. 

Eastern Conference

Capitol Division
Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins
New Orleans Saints

Century Division
Cleveland Browns
New York Giants
St. Louis Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers

Western Conference

Coastal Division
Los Angeles Rams
Baltimore Colts
San Francisco 49ers
Atlanta Falcons

Central Division
Green Bay Packers
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings

This was the NFL from 1967-69. The most surprising aspect of this alignment for me has always been its delightful alliteration. Four divisions with the names Capitol, Century, Coastal, Central. Who would've thought that Pete Rozelle and his pals had that sort of whimsy in them?  The Central Division is the only division that survived the complete NFL-AFL merger. The good old Central continued until the NFL's most recent realignment in 2002. The four teams of the Central make up today’s NFC North. They are the only four teams that have stayed together since the NFL got squirrelly in 1967.

A couple things.

I sure do miss seeing the Colts as the Baltimore Colts. I also like seeing them on the National Football side of the ledger. The same is true for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns.

The NFL has rarely been very good with geography. They have gotten better in recent years but how can anyone ever seriously place teams from Atlanta and Baltimore in the West? The Cowboys have terrific rivalries with the Redskins, Giants, and Eagles but they aren't geographical rivals.


Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Minnesota Vikings Overlooked Defensive Line

The Minnesota Vikings entered the 2024 season fielding a starting defensive line group with modest NFL beginnings. 

Jonathan Bullard
Harrison Phillips
Jerry Tillery

Jonathan Bullard was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. 

Three years with the Bears (2016-18)
Two years with the Arizona Cardinals (2109-20)
One year with the Seattle Seahawks (2020)
One year with the Atlanta Falcons (2021)

This is Bullard’s third year in Minnesota. As perhaps their top run-stuffer, he’s found a home with the Vikings.

Harrison Phillips was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was a productive role player and frequent starter for four seasons. It wasn’t enough for the Bills to prioritize his re-signing. The Vikings did prioritize his signing. He was one of the first free agent additions of the new Kwesi Adofo-Mensah - Kevin O’Connell regime. He’s been a defensive mainstay and team leader ever since. He signed a contract extension before the start of the season. 

Jerry Tillery was selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s easy to say that Tillery has yet to live up to his round one draft status. The 2019 NFL Draft was a draft loaded with high-level interior defensive linemen. 

Quinnen Williams
Ed Oliver
Christian Wilkins
Dexter Lawrence
Jeffery Simmons

Tillery was the sixth defensive tackle selected in that first round. He’s the only one not playing on a gigantic second contract. After two-plus years with the Chargers, Tillery was released. The Las Vegas Raiders. After one-plus years with the Raiders he entered free agency in the offseason. The Vikings signed him. They had a role for him and gave him a shot. 

The 2024 Vikings defensive line has been fronted by a trio passed over and passed on by several teams. They may even have been passed over in some manner by 31 teams. Seeing as the trio and the defense behind them are one of the best run defenses and best overall defenses in the league, it was to the Vikings benefit. 

The players behind the trio have been even more overlooked by the league.

Jalen Redmond
Taki Taimani
Levi Drake Rodriguez

None of the three were drafted. 

Undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, Jalen Redmond was signed by the Carolina Panthers. He didn’t make it out of camp. He signed with the Arlington Renegades of the XFL last December. After a productive season, he signed with the Vikings in June. He earned a spot on the team’s practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster in November. He’s been making an impact ever since. Redmond played his way to a starting opportunity against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. He didn’t disappoint. The Vikings may have found a gem in Jalen Redmond. 

Undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, Taki Taimani earned a roster spot out of training camp. He crafted a run-stuffing role until an injury landed him on injured reserve. Like Redmond, he has a future in Minnesota.

Levi Drake Rodriguez was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s a raw talent with intriguing pass-rushing potential. With his small-school, under-sized, Texas roots and unheralded draft status, it’s easy to think of John Randle when thinking of Rodriguez. He’s yet to make an impact on the field, as he’s only been active for one game. He’s an intriguing football player. 

Going into the season, the Vikings defensive line was one of my biggest concerns. That concern was due to the overlooked status of the players. After 13 games, I celebrate it. They are the most unheralded players on a very good defense. They are also an important part of the success. 


Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Minnesota Vikings Week 14 Superlatives

With their 42-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Minnesota Vikings enjoyed their best offensive output of the season in Week 14. Despite waiting until the second half to really get rolling, it was great to see. There had been too many close wins over the last six weeks. It was somewhat relaxing to watch the Vikings coast to a victory. Here are some of the players that made the somewhat relaxing win possible. 

Offensive Players of the Game
Sam Darnold, QB
Justin Jefferson, WR
Jordan Addison, WR

The statistics of the Vikings three offensive stars tell the story. 

Sam Darnold’s game:
22 attempts
28 completions
347 yards
5 TDS

Justin Jefferson’s game:
7 catches
132 yards
2 TDs (12, 52)

Jordan Addison’s game:
8 catches
133 yards
3 TDs (49,11,6)

Addison’s first quarter 49-yard touchdown started the offensive explosion. Jefferson’s 12-yard touchdown ended the first half. The trio really got cooking in the second half. The Falcons defense had no answers. 

Defensive Players of the Game
Joshua Metellus, DB, LB, DL
Byron Murphy Jr., CB

The Vikings defense gave up nearly 500 yards. That wasn’t great. The best thing the defense did was keep the Falcons out of the end zone. The defense only gave up two touchdowns. They turned the Falcons over on downs twice. They also intercepted Kirk Cousins twice. Joshua Metellus got one in the first half. Byron Murphy Jr. got a big one at the one-yard line in the fourth quarter as the Falcons were driving for a momentum-changing touchdown. For their interceptions, Metellus and Murphy are defensive players of the game.

Special Teams Players of the Game
Brian Asamoah, Kick Coverage
C.J. Ham, Kick Coverage

The turning point of the game came in the fourth quarter after the Vikings had scored to take a 28-21 lead. On the kickoff following the score, Brian Asamoah knocked the ball out of Ray-Ray McCloud’s hands and C.J. Ham recovered at the Falcons 32-yard line. Seven plays later, the Vikings were in the end zone. Just like that, a 21-21 game was suddenly 35-21. 


Monday, December 9, 2024

Vikings - Falcons

It’s been a while. The Minnesota Vikings finally cruised to a win. Kirk Cousins returned to Minnesota with the Atlanta Falcons. Quarterback and team returned to Atlanta with a 42-21 loss. 

Through three quarters, this was the typical close game for the Vikings. The score was 21-21 entering the fourth quarter. It was all Vikings over the final 15 minutes. 21 points. 42 for the game. The turning point of the game came on the kickoff following the Vikings first touchdown of the fourth quarter. Brian Asamoah knocked the ball loose from the Falcons returner. C.J. Ham recovered on the Falcons 32-yard line. Seven plays later, a close 21-21 game was 35-21. Cousins and the Falcons were suddenly desperate with just over eight minutes to play. A Byron Murphy Jr. interception turned into a game-sealing, 98-yard touchdown drive. Considering the back-and-forth nature of the first three quarters, this game was closer than the 21-points final margin. Still, it was a decisive 21-point margin. 

This game became the Justin Jefferson/Jordan Addison game of my dreams.

Justin Jefferson’s game:
7 catches
132 yards
2 TDs (12, 52)

Jordan Addison’s game:
8 catches
133 yards
3 TDs (49,11,6)

Addison’s three TD game was the first for the Vikings since Stefon Diggs scored three against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019. I was at that game. It was beautiful. So was Addison ripping up the Falcons. Jefferson and Addison are the best receiving duo in the league. 

Sam Darnold has been terrific all season. At least statistically, this was his best game. 

22 attempts
28 completions
347 yards
5 TDS

Darnold’s five TD game was the first for the Vikings since Daunte Culpepper in 2004. Twenty years ago. 

This game was tied at 7-7 for most of the first half. The Vikings took their first lead with their second touchdown just before the two-minute warning. Excluding a kneel-down to end the first half, the Vikings had four first half possessions. Two ended with touchdowns. Two ended with punts. The Falcons consistently moved the ball. The Vikings didn’t. Just as they did against the Arizona Cardinals last week, the Vikings offensive line had early difficulties with the pass rush. Darnold was sacked four times. It felt like twice that. He was often stressed in the pocket. Just as they did against the Cardinals, the protection improved in the second half. Other than a couple kneel-downs that ended the game, the Vikings had five possessions in the second half. The first ended in a missed field goal. The next four ended with touchdowns. The Falcons had no answer for the Justin Jefferson/Jordan Addison duo. The Falcons had no answer for Sam Darnold. The gravy of all that offense was the 98-yard drive that ended with Aaron Jones scoring on a 15-yard burst. The bulk of the drive was the running of Cam Akers and Jones. It was great to see the Vikings drain the clock and seal the game on the ground. 

The defense has been the reason for many of the Vikings eleven wins. With Cousins and the Falcons offense slicing the defense for almost 500 yards, it’s easy to say that the offense carried the day. The Falcons took all nine of their possessions into the Vikings side of the field. Lost in all those yards is the fact that the defense only gave up two touchdowns. They intercepted Cousins twice (Joshua Metellus and Byron Murphy Jr.). They twice turned the Falcons over on downs. The Vikings defense did a great job of minimizing the damage of nearly 500 yards. 

Maybe it’s because 42 points looks so fancy but it feels like the Vikings offense is hitting its stride as they enter the final month of the season. The Vikings defense has been consistently reliable all season. The offense has been wildly inconsistent. Some of that might’ve stemmed from difficulties adjusting to defenses putting so many resources on slowing Jefferson. The offense often seemed lost when they couldn’t get the ball in the hands of their best player. In recent weeks, Addison has made defenses pay. T.J. Hockenson has made defenses pay. The Vikings have too many game-changing players to ever be stagnant on offense. Most importantly, Darnold has been playing his best ball in recent weeks. He’s played well all season but he’s taken his play to a whole other level the past few games. 

With four games to play, the Vikings are 11-2. Despite that sparkling record, they are still a game back of the Detroit Lions in the NFC North. If they want that Week 18 game against the Lions to be for the division title, the Vikings can not afford a loss. Next up is a Monday Night appointment with the Chicago Bears. 






Sunday, December 8, 2024

Flea Flicker Week 14 Predictions

It’s Week 14. Here are some guesses at the week’s games.

Byes: Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans

Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings
Pick: Vikings
Kirk Cousins returns to US Bank. It won’t go well for him or the Falcons.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
Pick: Titans
Five wins between these two teams. 

New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins
Pick: Dolphins
If the Dolphins have thawed out from their Thanksgiving at Lambeau, they should handle the Jets.

New Orleans Saints @ New York Giants
Pick: Saints
The Giants are tanking.

Carolina Panthers @ Philadelphia Eagles
Pick: Eagles
I’d like to see the plucky Panthers stun the Eagles. I don’t think I will.

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick: Browns
The Browns shocked the Ravens a couple weeks ago. Why not the Steelers?

Las Vegas Raiders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pick: Buccaneers
The Buccaneers roll.

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
Pick: Seahawks
Seahawks winning will help the Vikings clinch a playoff spot.

Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams
Pick: Bills
Bills winning will help the Vikings clinch a playoff spot. 

Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers
Pick: Bears
With the rate at which their players are getting injured, will the 49ers be able to field a complete team?

Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Pick: Chiefs
The Chiefs just seem to do enough and find a way to win.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Dallas Cowboys
Pick: Bengals
The Bengals are too good, at least on offense, to lose so much. 






Saturday, December 7, 2024

Atlanta Falcons All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings host the Atlanta Falcons tomorrow. The Falcons have been more afterthought than contender for most of their 59 years. The past 25 years have been much better than the previous 33. Their highlights are two Super Bowl appearances. They lucked into an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII. They watched a 28-3 second half lead evaporate in Super Bowl LI. On the eve of the big game, here are some of the best players in the franchise history of the Atlanta Falcons. 

Offense

Quarterback
Matt Ryan

Running Back
Gerald Riggs

Fullback
William Andrews

Wide Receivers
Julio Jones
Roddy Whits

Tight End
Tony Gonzalez

Offensive Tackles
Mike Kenn 
George Kunz 

Offensive Guards
R.C. Thielemann 
Bill Fralic

Center
Jeff Van Note

Defense

Defensive Ends
Claude Humphrey
John Abraham

Defensive Tackles
Grady Jarrett
Jonathan Babineaux

Linebackers
Jessie Tuggle
Tommy Nobis
Keith Brooking

Cornerbacks
Deion Sanders
Rolland Lawrence

Safeties
Tom Pridemore
Ray Brown

Special Teams

Kicker 
Matt Bryant

Punter
John James 

Returner
Deion Sanders


Friday, December 6, 2024

Walter Payton Man of the Year Nominees

The NFL had announced the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. The league has gone to great lengths to craft this award into the most honored of their annual awards. 

From the Commissioner Roger Goodell:

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award celebrates Walter’s enduring legacy of excellence on the field and compassion off it. This award is the league’s most prestigious honor, and are proud to recognize these 32 outstanding men for the positive impact they make in their communities every day. 

Simply being nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is a prestigious honor. All 32 players do and are involved in great things of the field. All are deserving of being handed the massive trophy. All 32 will be recognized for their great work during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The winner of the 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL honors.

The 32 Nominees

C.J. Ham, Minnesota Vikings
Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
Grady Jarrett, Atlanta Falcons
Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens 
Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers 
Andrew Billings, Chicago Bears 
Orlando Brown, Jr., Cincinnati Bengals 
Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns 
Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys 
Alex Singleton, Denver Broncos
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions 
Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers 
Jalen Pitre, Houston Texans
Kenny Moore II, Indianapolis Colts 
Arik Armstead, Jacksonville Jaguars 
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams 
Alec Ingold, Miami Dolphins
Deatrich Wise Jr., New England Patriots 
Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
Darius Slayton, New York Giants
Solomon Thomas, New York Jets
Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles
Larry Ogunjobi, Pittsburgh Steelers 
Curtis Robinson, San Francisco 49ers
Uchenna Nwosu, Seattle Seahawks
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans 
Bobby Wagner, Washington Commanders

Congratulations and Thank You to all 32 nominees. Each is deserving of the award. But, C.J Ham is the most deserving. 


Thursday, December 5, 2024

Throwback Thursday: A 1962 Snapshot Of The Career Statistical Leaders

I was recently reading Tex Maule's The Game. It's a fun, interesting look at the NFL's history up to the time that the book was published. The Game was published following the 1962 season. So all league, team, and game histories were through the 1962 season. I get a kick out of looking at history from such a snapshot perspective. For example, John Brallier was still considered the first professional football player in 1962. Nestled between a league chronology and author's note in The Game, Maule included the career leaders of some of the major statistical categories. It's an interesting look at football's first 40+ years.

A 1962 Snapshot Of The Career Statistical Leaders:

Most Yards Rushing, Lifetime
1. Joe Perry, 49ers, Colts, 1950-62: 8,280
2. Jim Brown, Browns, 1957-62: 7,459
3. Steve Van Buren, 1944-51: 5,860

Current Leader:
Emmitt Smith: 18,355

Most Passes Attempted, Lifetime
1. Bobby Layne, Bears, Bulldogs, Lions, Steelers, 1948-62: 3,700
2. Y.A. Tittle, Colts, 49ers, Giants, 1950-62: 3,169
3. Sammy Baugh, Redskins, 1937-52: 3,016

Current Leader:
Tom Brady: 12,050

Most Passes Completed, Lifetime
1. Bobby Layne, Bears, Bulldogs, Lions, Steelers, 1948-62: 1,814
2. Y.A. Tittle, Colts, 49ers, Giants, 1950-62: 1,750
3. Sammy Baugh, Redskins, 1937-52: 1,709

Current Leader:
Tom Brady: 7,753

Most Yards Gained Passing, Lifetime
1. Bobby Layne, Bears, Bulldogs, Lions, Steelers, 1948-62: 26,768
2. Norm Van Brocklin, Rams, Eagles, 1949-60: 23,611
3. Y.A. Tittle, Colts, 49ers, Giants, 1950-62: 23,396

Current Leader:
Tom Brady: 89,214

Most Touchdown Passes, Lifetime
1. Bobby Layne, Bears, Bulldogs, Lions, Steelers, 1948-62: 196
2. Sammy Baugh, Redskins, 1937-52: 186
3. Norm Van Brocklin, Rams, Eagles, 1949-60: 173
3. Charles Conerly, Giants, 1948-61: 173

Current Leader:
Tom Brady: 649

Passing Efficiency, Lifetime
1. Milt Plum, Browns, Lions, 1957-62: 57.2
2. Sammy Baugh, Redskins, 1937-52: 56.7
3. Bart Starr, Packers, 1956-62: 56.6

Current Leader:
Tua Tagavailoa: 68.0%

Most Passes Caught, Lifetime
1. Don Hutson, Packers, 1935-45: 488
2. Billy Howton, Packers, Browns, Cowboys, 1952-63: 470
3. Raymond Berry, Colts, 1955-62: 419

Current Leader:
Jerry Rice: 1,549

Most Touchdown Passes Caught, Lifetime
1. Don Hutson, Packers, 1935-45: 101
2. Pete Pihos, Eagles, 1945-55: 61
3. Hugh Taylor, Redskins, 1947-54: 58

Current Leader:
Jerry Rice: 197

Most Points Scored, Lifetime
1. Lou Groza, Browns, 1950-62: 902
2. Bobby Walston, Eagles, 1951-62: 881
3. Don Hutson, Packers, 1935-45: 825

Current Leader:
Adam Vinatieri: 2,673

Most Touchdowns Scored, Lifetime
1. Don Hutson, Packers, 1935-45: 105
2. Jim Brown, Browns, 1957-62: 81
3. Steve Van Buren, 1944-51: 77

Current Leader:
Jerry Rice: 197


Today's game is a different game.



Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class 2025 Finalists

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 could number as many as eight when they are inducted in Canton in August. There’s also a chance the Class could number as few as four. It’s a process. Five potential Hall of Famers moved a step closer in the process. The finalists in the Contributor, Coach, and Senior categories have been announced. 

Contributor Finalist
Ralph Hay

Ralph Hay’s contribution to the NFL was significant. One could argue that it’s the most significant contribution in the league’s 125-year history. As the owner of the Canton Bulldogs, he’s credited with calling a meeting of other professional football team owners. That meeting in his automobile showroom was the first step in the formation of the American Professional Football Association. The APFA became the NFL in 1922. It’s no stretch to say that the people present at that famed meeting on September 17, 1920 are the founding fathers of the NFL. The only attendees of that meeting with Hall of Fame busts are Jim Thorpe and George Halas. Thorpe had already established his Hall bona fides as a player. Halas was just starting his remarkable football life. It’s crazy that Hay’s singular contribution to professional football has been overlooked for 60 years. Some have argued that Hay’s contribution is recognized by the Hall’s Ralph Hay Pioneer Award. Let’s see, an award that’s been awarded sporadically (11 times) since 1972 or a beautiful bust. That’s silly. That can barely be considered a notice. The one problem with Ralph Hay’s selection as the Contributor Finalist is the Hall voters that now have a “yay” or “nay” say on his Hall of Fame future. There’s a significant number of voters that have closed the doors on any finalist that played, coached, or contributed before they were born. That’s a pathetic attitude for someone tasked with recognizing football’s past. Those people shouldn’t be in the room. Because they are in the room, I consider Hay a longshot. 

The other Contributor semifinalists in the Contributor category were K.S. “Bud” Adams, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Art Rooney Jr., Seymour Siwoff, Doug Williams, and John Wooten.

Coach Finalist
Mike Holmgren

Mike Holmgren coached the Green Bay Packers back to Super Bowl glory. Then he took the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl a decade later. He won a lot of games with both franchises. He’s done enough for a bust. As long as Buddy Parker is still waiting for his deserved Hall of Fame recognition, I have a problem with pretty much any coach that zips past him. 

The other Coach semifinalists in the Coach category were Bill Arnsparger, Tom Coughlin, Chuck Knox, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan, and Clark Shaugnessy. 

Mike Holmgren is a fine choice but Clark Shaugnessy is the coach I’d pick from the nine semifinalists. 

Senior Finalists
Maxie Baughan
Sterling Sharpe
Jim Tyrer

If one is going to ignore players that played prior to 1960, all three of the above are fine choices. If it was up to me, the three finalists would’ve looked something like this:

Lavvie Dilweg
Verne Lewellen
Al Wistert

All three were among the very best players in the league, regardless of position. All three contributed greatly to championships. If any of the three had played their outstanding football careers in recent decades, they’d be inducted in their first year of eligibility. It’s insane that each is still waiting. At least, Wistert made it to the semifinalist stage this year. 

As for Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe, and Jim Tyrer. Each was among the best in the league at their respective position for the entirety of their career. I’m not sure what’s kept Baughan from getting much Hall traction over the years. Sharpe was on an early ballot Hall of Fame trajectory. He was one of the best receivers of his era. He was right there with Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Michael Irvin, and Andre Reed. Sharpe’s career was cut short by an injury. Then he was dumped in the “short-career” pile by lazy voters, pundits, and fans that rely solely on numbers to determine greatness. It’s not supposed to matter in the Hall of Fame process but Tyrer’s tragic post-career might be the reason he’s been waiting. His playing career was certainly Hall worthy.

The other Senior semifinalists were Ken Anderson, Lester Hayes, Bob Kuechenberg, Albert Lewis, Stanley Morgan, Al Wistert. 

The Modern-era Players are currently at the Semifinalist stage. The 25 that are still under consideration will have their numbers chopped to 15. The 15 finalists will be announced on December 28. 


Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Minnesota Vikings Week 13 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings rallied for a narrow 23-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Vikings offense didn’t do much over the first 43 minutes of the game. They scored 17 points over the final 17 minutes. The Vikings defense did just enough to keep the score within reach throughout the game. Here are some of the players responsible for the Vikings 10th win of the season.

Offensive Player of the Game
Justin Jefferson, WR

Over recent weeks, defenses devoted many of their resources to slowing down Justin Jefferson. That left him with itty bitty numbers. Against the Cardinals, it’s no surprise that the Vikings offense started clicking when passes started going Jefferson’s way. 

For the game:
7 catches
99 yards

For Jefferson, those are still modest numbers. The touches snapped the offense out of the fog they were in for much of the game. It was awesome to see him move the chains again.

Defensive Player of the Game
Jonathan Greenard, OLB

Jonathan Greenard was unstoppable and unblockable on the Cardinals final possession. The Vikings had taken a 23-22 lead with 1:13 to play. That left the Cardinals plenty of time to maneuver to field goal range. Here’s the Cardinals four-play possession:

1st-and-10: Kyler Murray five-yard pass to Michael Wilson (Harrison Smith)
2nd-and-five: Jonathan Greenard strip-sack of Kyler Murray, Murray recovers, -8 yards
3rd-and-13: Kyler Murray scrambles for three yards (Jonathan Greenard)
4th-and-10: Kyler Murray deep throw to Marvin Harrison Jr. is intercepted (Shaquill Griffin)

Greenard was relentless on this final defensive sequence. He swiped the ball out of Murray’s hand for the sack on second down. He chased Murray down to hold him to three yards on third down. The Vikings even called a timeout to get an exhausted Greenard a breather so he could be on the field for the fourth down. The pass rush got to Murray and forced the desperation throw that Griffin intercepted. 

Jonathan Greenard has been a beast all season. He should be in the conversation for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Special Teams Player of the Game
John Parker Romo, K

The Cardinals held a 9-6 lead at the half. There were eight field goals in the game. There were 10 attempts. This was a game of field goals. Since they won by a single point, the Vikings needed every one of the 11 points John Parker Romo provided. Despite missing one of his field goal attempts, he’s the special teams player of the game. 




Monday, December 2, 2024

Vikings - Cardinals

The Minnesota Vikings edged the Arizona Cardinals, 23-22. For most of the game, the Vikings offense didn’t do much. The defense managed to do just enough. In the end, a game that felt like it was going to be a very disappointing, frustrating loss ended in a one-point win. Gritty wins are rarely pretty wins. This was a very gritty win for the Vikings. 

Many fans and most pundits will complain about wins like this. I’m not quite sure how anyone complains about a win. A win is always a win and all wins are great. I get being frustrated about one’s team not playing well. I was frustrated for most of this game. The Vikings had two offensive possessions that lasted a total of six plays and gained a combined -8 yards. Through nearly three quarters, they could only mange six points. The Cardinals offense routinely approached or entered the red zone. The Vikings offense rarely did. It wasn’t until the end of the third quarter that the Vikings offense really did anything to concern the Cardinals. Excluding the end-of-game kneel-downs, on their final three possessions, the Vikings offense went touchdown, field goal, touchdown. They outscored the Cardinals 17-3 over the final 17 minutes of the game. That’s exactly what they needed to overcome a 13-point deficit. 

For the bulk of the game, the best thing the Vikings defense did was hold the Cardinals to five field goals. They had interceptions on the Cardinals first play of the fourth quarter (Byron Murphy Jr.) and last play of the game (Shaquill Griffin). Those were pretty great. Griffin’s interception sealed the game. 

The Cardinals offense really came to life when Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore left the game with a hamstring injury. Fabian Moreau replaced him and Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray immediately started picking on him. A couple pass interference penalties on Moreau triggered a couple of Cardinals scoring drives. The most significant one gave the Cardinals an opportunity to score their lone touchdown. That was a Murray toss to rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. Moreau was in coverage on Harrison. 

The best takeaway from this game is that the Vikings found a way to win. For about 75% of the game, things rarely went their way. When they most needed something, anything, Sam Darnold guided the offense to 17 desperately-needed points. He was brilliant over the final twenty minutes of the game. He found Justin Jefferson. He found Jordan Addison. He found T.J. Hockenson. Aaron Jones scored the go-ahead touchdown. All of the playmakers made plays. For the entirety of the game, the Vikings defense did just enough. Just like last week’s overtime win over the Chicago Bears, the best sequence of the Vikings defense was the Cardinals final offensive possession. Jonathan Greenard was a beast. Griffin sealed the win with a fourth-down interception. 

Through Kevin O’Connell’s two-plus years as head coach, the Vikings have routinely found a way to win close games. If only they could figure out a way to play a complete game. If they could play an entire game like they do when their desperate, one-score games will be a thing of the past. Their wins will be pretty wins rather than gritty wins. 

The Vikings are now 10-2. Next week, Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons come to US Bank. The Vikings need Stephon Gilmore healthy. The pass rush needs to get to Cousins. The offensive line must keep Sam Darnold safe. It’d be nice to see the Vikings play well for 60 minutes. 



Sunday, December 1, 2024

Flea Flicker Week 13 Predictions

It’s Week 13. Here’s some guesses at the games.

Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings
Pick: Vikings
The Vikings just swept their three-game road swing. They must win their three-game home swing. First up is the Cardinals. 

Los Angeles Chargers @ Atlanta Falcons 
Pick: Chargers
The Chargers rebound from their loss to the Ravens.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Bengals
This is a must-win game for the Bengals. They’ve been on the wrong end of a so many close games. If the playoffs are a hope, they must get on the other side of those scores.

Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots
Pick: Colts
This matchup was so much fun about two decades ago.

Seattle Seahawks @ New York Jets
Pick: Seahawks
The Jets collapse continues. How did this Jets beat the Texans?

Tennessee Titans @ Washington Commanders
Pick: Commanders
The Commanders end their three-game slide. 

Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars 
Pick: Texans
The Texans need this win.

Los Angeles Rams @ New Orleans Saints
Pick: Rams
The Rams roll.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers
Pick: Panthers
The Panthers have become a pesky team since Bryce Young’s return to the lineup.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Baltimore Ravens
Pick: Ravens
Game of the Week.

San Francisco 49ers @ Buffalo Bills
Pick: Bills
The 49ers are lucky that they play in a division in which .500 record puts you within a game of first place. They must get healthy.

Cleveland Browns @ Denver Broncos
Pick: Browns 
It’s easy to pick against a Sean Payton-led team. That guy’s a clown. 



Saturday, November 30, 2024

Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals All-Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings host the Arizona Cardinals tomorrow. With that game in mind, I was thinking about the Cardinals history. It’s a long history. The Cardinals are the lone NFL team with a history that has a place in three centuries. It isn’t a strong history. Despite losing far more than they’ve won through their history, the Cardinals do have two NFL titles. Both titles (1925 and 1947) came before the introduction of a Super Bowl so fans and the media don’t pay them much mind. The Cardinals history is also one of movement. They’ve played a significant number of home games in three locations. Chicago, St. Louis, and Arizona. The history of the Cardinals is a history unlike any team in the league. 

Here’s a look at some of the best players in the long, interesting, modest history of the Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals.

Offense

Quarterback
Paddy Driscoll

Halfback
Charley Trippi

Fullback
Ernie Nevers

Wide Receivers
Larry Fitzgerald
Anquan Boldin

Tight End
Jackie Smith

Offensive Tackles
Duke Slater
Dan Dierdorf

Guards
Ken Gray
Conrad Dobler

Center
Tom Banks

Defense

Defensive Ends
Simeon Rice
Curtis Greer

Defensive Tackles
Calais Campbell
Darnell Dockett

Linebackers 
Chandler Jones
Karlos Dansby
Freddie Joe Nunn

Cornerbacks
Dick “Night Train” Lane
Aeneas Williams
Roger Wherli

Safeties
Larry Wilson
Adrian Wilson

The Cardinals have a strong defensive back tradition. I’d love to jam Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu onto this team somewhere. 

Specialists

Kicker
Jim Bakken 

Punter
Andy Lee

Returner
Ollie Matson



Friday, November 29, 2024

Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Room

When now-former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones cleared waivers, I didn’t think that there was a hint of a chance that the Minnesota Vikings would be interested in adding him to their quarterback room. Then I thought about it some more. I continued thinking about the possibility until it became a reality. On Wednesday, it was reported that the Vikings had signed Daniel Jones to their practice squad. Today, he’s reportedly arriving in Minnesota and joining the team. For now, he’s on the practice squad. We’ll see if he stays there. The addition of Jones gives the Vikings a robust quarterback room.

Sam Darnold
Nick Mullens 
Brett Rypien
Daniel Jones - practice squad
J.J. McCarthy - injured reserve

As far as the all-important quarterback position is concerned, the Vikings are in a very interesting situation. The addition of Daniel Jones makes it even more interesting. Sam Darnold was signed in the offseason to bridge the transition from Kirk Cousins to whomever. That whomever became J.J. McCarthy when the Vikings traded up one spot and selected the Michigan quarterback with the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. From that moment, Sam Darnold was the Vikings quarterback of the present and McCarthy was the Vikings quarterback of the future. When McCarthy showed himself to be a quick and dedicated study, those plans might have changed. There appeared to be a competition for this year’s starting job. That ended when McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in the first preseason game. His rookie season was over before it started. Now, he’s learning while he’s rehabbing and watching Darnold lead the team. For this season, this is Darnold’s team. 

Darnold has led the Vikings to a 9-2 record. Nick Mullens has stepped in on two occasions for a shaken-up Darnold. On each occasion, Mullens converted a third-and-long and returned to the sideline as Darnold returned to the field. In my opinion, Mullens is an effective #2. If you can live with an occasional interception, he’s a fun quarterback. With Darnold and Mullens, I doubt that Jones sees the field for the Vikings this season. It would take quarterback chaos to the level of last season for Jones to see the field. No one needs or deserves that sort of bad luck in consecutive seasons. 

The addition of Daniel Jones is more for the future than it is for the present. Moving forward, this is J.J. McCarthy’s team. I believe that Sam Darnold could lead the Vikings to a Super Bowl title and he’d still be signing a big deal with another team in the offseason. McCarthy was tapped to be the Vikings next quarterback when he was selected with that tenth pick and his early development apparently surpassed expectations. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said pretty much exactly that. With or without the injury that erased his rookie season, the Vikings need to pair McCarthy with a veteran quarterback next season.  Currently, he’s the only quarterback under contract for 2025. Now, the Vikings have perhaps two months to audition Jones for next season’s veteran quarterback role. Jones also has those two months to audition the Vikings as a place to rehabilitate his NFL career. There are few, if any, better quarterback teachers than O’Connell, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, and assistant quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator Grant Udinski. If Jones and the Vikings like what they see of each other, I’m hoping that he might agree to a contract similar to the $10 million deal that Darnold signed last offseason. Jones could, of course, opt for a starting opportunity elsewhere. I’m hoping that he sees learning and working with the Vikings as a better alternative. 

I really like the possibility of a 2025 Minnesota Vikings quarterback room that’s topped with J.J. McCarthy and Daniel Jones. 


Thursday, November 28, 2024

Throwback Thursday: Thanksgiving 1962

This Flicker was originally posted May 22, 2014.

The Detroit Lions have struggled for most of the past fifty years. Those struggles have made it difficult to imagine a time when the team was great. And there really was a time when they were pretty great. The Lions were one of the dominant teams of the 1950s. They played in four NFL Championship games in the decade, winning three of them in 1952, '53, and '57. The Lions nearly carried the success of the 1950s into the 1960s.

In the 1960s, Vince Lombardi built the Green Bay Packers into one of the greatest teams in NFL history. From 1961-67, the Packers won five NFL titles. The Packers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1960 NFL Championship game. In the locker room after the game, Lombardi promised his team that they would never again lose a postseason game. They never did. This was a great football team. Thirteen Hall of Fame players. One Hall of Fame coach. The Packers of the 1960s were so great that it's easy to forget about the other teams in the league. The Packers greatest challenge in the first three years of their dynasty came from within their own conference. In particular, it came from the Detroit Lions. In 1960, the Packers won the Western Conference with an 8-4 record. The Lions were second at 7-5. In 1961, the Packers won the Western Conference with an 11-3-1 record. The Lions were second at 8-5-1. In 1962, the Packers won the Western Conference with a 13-1 record. The Lions were second at 11-3. In each of the seasons, the Packers and Lions split their season series. The 1962 Green Bay Packers are considered by many the greatest team of the great Lombardi teams. On October 7, the Packers defeated the Lions 9-7 in Green Bay. This was a game that the Lions strongly felt should have been theirs. So much so that the team was about to explode when the Packers came to Detroit for the Thanksgiving Day rematch. The Packers entered that game with an 18-game winning streak. They had won 11 straight league games, a championship game, and six exhibition games. The Packers were 10-0 on the season. The Lions were 8-2. The Lions defense swarmed all over the Packers runners, passers, and blockers on that Thanksgiving Day. 23-0 at the half with the defense scoring a touchdown and a safety. The 26-14 final score made the game seem much closer than it was. Packers quarterback Bart Starr was sacked 11 times in the game. The Packers offense was physically beaten in this game. It was a beating so thorough that receiver Max McGee asked of Starr in the Packers huddle, "Why don't you throw an incomplete pass and nobody will get hurt." His battered teammates were left laughing in the huddle. It was all that they could do. This was one of the few times during the Lombardi years that the Packers failed to match the intensity of their opponent. The beatdown by the Lions didn't keep the Packers down for long. They won the rest of their regular season games and defeated the New York Giants for their second straight championship. The Lions had to settle for another second place finish in the conference.

The Detroit Lions of the early 1960s were a very good team that happened to play in the long shadow of a truly great team. From 1960-62, they might have been the only team to give Lombardi's team a tough time on a consistent basis. The two teams split their games during that time. If not for those Packers teams, the Detroit Lions might have followed their great 1950s with an excellent start to the 1960s.

Happy Thanksgiving.