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

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. 

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. 

Minnesota Vikings Roster Moves

An injury forced the Minnesota Vikings to make some roster moves. Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury he suffered in Sunday’s 30-27 win over the Chicago Bears. This is a significant loss for the Vikings defense. He’s third on the team in tackles (59). He also has six tackles for loss and three sacks. The numbers are great. His play is even better. He’s at his best when he’s moving forward. He’s terrific against the run. He’s a wrecking-ball when blitzing. It’s an understatement to say that defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to blitz. Pace is arguably his best blitzer. He will be missed. Hopefully, his stint on injured reserve is the minimum four weeks.

Now what? There’s really no replacing Ivan Pace Jr. With his instincts and movement, he’s such a unique football player. The Vikings had to do something. They signed Jamin Davis off of the practice squad of the Green Bay Packers. Originally drafted by the Washington Commanders with the 19th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He appeared in 50 games, with 36 starts, over three-plus years in Washington. With 282 tackles, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception, Davis had the numbers of a defensive contributor. He apparently didn’t fit with the plans of new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. Davis was released on October 22. The Packers signed him to their practice squad on October 29. Now, he has a shot with the Vikings. At 6’4” and 234lbs, Davis has intriguing size. Even more intriguing is his freakish athletic ability. He ran a 4.4 forty and had a 42” vertical leap at his Pro Day. Despite a solid college career at Kentucky, it was probably that Pro Day performance that got him selected in the first round. 

It wasn’t all bad injury news for the Vikings. Outside linebacker Gabriel Murphy was activated off injured reserve. The undrafted rookie was one of the stars of training camp. Just when he was really taking off an injury took him off the field. That injury kept him sidelined until he was able to practice in recent weeks. Now, he’s good to go. If he can regain the form he had during training camp, Murphy might be able to provide a late season pass-rushing boost. 

Get healthy soon, Ivan Pace Jr!

Minnesota Vikings Week 12 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings found a way to turn a comfortable win into a nail-biting overtime win. Caleb Williams did have a lot to do with things going awry in the final moments of regulation. The Vikings responded to the late collapse with defensive dominance and offensive excellence in overtime. Here are some of the players that made the 30-27 Vikings win over the Bears possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Sam Darnold, QB

This could go to a trio of playmakers. Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones made big plays all day. Each went for over 100 yards. It was Sam Darnold that made the offense mostly hum all game.

22/34

330 yards

2 TDs

He was excellent every time that he had to be. That was especially true on the overtime possession. He handled a sack on the first play and a couple penalties for 15 yards. 

6/6

90 yards

With 11 points in the final 22 seconds of overtime, the Bears had all of the momentum. In overtime, the Vikings defense took that momentum away and handed it to Darnold to win the game.

Defensive Player of the Game

Jonathan Greenard, OLB

All season, Jonathan Greenard has been wrecking the intentions of offenses. 

Against the Bears:

6 tackles

2 sacks

4 tackles for loss

His sack of Caleb Williams on the second play of overtime took all hope from the pesky Bears. Greenard should be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.

Special Teams Player of the Game

Jerry Tillery, DL

This was very much a tale of highs and lows for the Vikings special teams. There was a blocked field goal. There was a recovery of a muffed punt. John Parker Romo made all three of his field goal attempts and all three of his extra point attempts. Those are the highs. The Vikings special teams also gave up a 55-yard kick return that was crucial in the Bears frantic comeback. Then there was the failed onside kick recovery that gifted the Bears the opportunity for a regulation-ending, game-tying field goal. 

Jerry Tillery gets the nod here for his block of a first-half Bears field goal attempt. In a game that ended in overtime, his play was huge in this game. 

Vikings - Bears

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday. For a while, it looked like the Vikings would cruise to a comfortable win. They led by 14 points in the second half. They had an 11-point lead with about two minutes to play. Then the Bears and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams made it very uncomfortable. That 27-16 lead disappeared into an even 27-27 at the end of regulation. Over the final 22 seconds of the fourth quarter, the Bears scored a touchdown, scored a two-point conversion, recovered an onside kick, and kicked a game-tying field goal. Fortunately, Vikings kicker John Parker Romo knocked in a 29-yard chip-shot field goal with 2:10 to play in overtime. They needed an extra period to do it but the Vikings defeated the Bears, 30-27.

The Vikings may have collapsed over the game’s final seconds but they dominated overtime. The Bears won the coin toss and got the ball first in the extra period. 

Bears overtime possession:

1st&10: Caleb Williams scrambled for a yard.

2nd&9: Caleb Williams sacked by Jonathan Greenard for -12 yards

3rd&21: Delay of game

3rd&26: Caleb Williams passed short to D.J. Moore for 10 yards

4th&16: Tory Taylor punted 54 yards to Minnesota 22-yard line

The best defensive sequence of the game for the Vikings was probably that one. They seriously needed it. With that 11-point comeback, the Bears had all of the momentum. The Vikings defense took that momentum away and handed it to the Vikings offense. 

Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has had some fine moments this season. He’s a big reason for the 9-2 record. Due to his pre-Minnesota career, most pundits have been waiting for him to fail. They have consistently sniffed at any hint of failure. This, his eleventh game with the Vikings, was probably Darnold’s best game. His best sequence of the game was the team’s overtime possession.

10 plays, 69 yards. Those 69 yards set up Romo’s game-winning kick.

Darnold on the drive:

6 attempts

6 completions

90 yards

He had to overcome a sack on the first play of the drive and 15 yards in penalties. 

His throws:

7 yards to T.J. Hockenson on second-and-17

13 yards to Jordan Addison on third-and-10

20 yards to Justin Jefferson on first-and-15

9 yards to Aaron Jones and first-and-20

12 yards to Hockenson on second-and-11

29 yards to Hockenson on second-and-8

The last throw to Hockenson put the ball on the Bears nine-yard line. On the next play, Darnold took a knee in the middle of the field to set up the game-winning field goal. Darnold’s day was done. He’d led his team throughout the game and took it over in overtime. The game-winning drive is the sort of drive that is expected from a quarterback that’s selected with the third pick in the draft. 

Caleb Williams played like a quarterback that’s selected with the first pick in the draft. Getting this game experience against him has to be a good thing for the Vikings defense. I look forward to the Bears visit to US Bank on Monday night in Week 15. With this game in the books and on film, Brian Flores, the defensive coaches, and the players should have a nice plan for the rookie in a few weeks. But Caleb Williams is going to be a problem for a while.

I think Justin Jefferson is getting frustrated with the defenses he’s facing. Being great comes with its own share of problems. 

Against the Bears:

2 catches 

27 yards

Jefferson did have a 40-yard touchdown called back for a Brandon Powell pick play. I’ve seen officials overlook transgressions similar to the one Powell made. He tried to play the pick off as incidental contact but the officials weren’t buying the act. It’s unfortunate as Jefferson earned the opportunity to score and put this game away. That’s what he’s paid to do. It doesn’t show up in his stats but Jefferson did get the ball moved about 60 yards with pass interference penalties. One would’ve been a 41-yard touchdown had Jaylon Johnson not been pulling on Jefferson’s jersey. It was such an obvious penalty that it was hysterical that Johnson complained about the call. 

The attention paid to Jefferson opened things up for the rest of the team’s playmakers.

Jordan Addison

8 catches

162 yards

1 TD (2 yards)

T.J. Hockenson

7 catches 

114 yards

Aaron Jones

22 carries

106 yards

1 TD (2 yards)

3 catches

23 yards

129 total yards

The Bears paid a heavy price for the extreme focus on Jefferson. 

The Vikings have won four straight games. The past three have been road wins. At 9-2, they now play three consecutive games at US Bank. First up is the Arizona Cardinals.

Flea Flicker Week 12 Predictions

It’s Week 12. Here are some guesses at the games.

Byes: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Vikings

Soldier Field is always difficult for the Vikings. They must prevail.

Detroit Lions @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Colts

Very hopeful.

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Dolphins

The Patriots are pesky. The Dolphins should roll.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New York Giants

Pick: Buccaneers

With their current strategy, the Giants probably don’t win another game this year.

Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Commanders

The Cowboys are another team that might not win another game.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Carolina Panthers

Pick: Chiefs

The Chiefs should rebound from their lost of the season.

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans

Pick: Texans

The Texans should handle the Titans.

Denver Broncos @ Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: Raiders

The Raiders stun the Broncos.

San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers

Pick: 49ers

The 49ers must get healthy. 

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: Cardinals

Played in Seattle, this one’s a toss-up.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Los Angeles Rams

Pick: Rams

The Rams end the six game win streak of the Eagles. 

Baltimore Ravens @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Ravens

I hope this game lives up to my imagination for it. 

Chicago Bears All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings travel to Chicago this weekend for a big game against the Bears. The Bears are one of only two teams to compete in all 105 seasons of the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals are the other team. The Bears have a long, often successful history. Unfortunately for younger fans, their “glory years” were before the Super Bowl became a year-ending spectacle. The Bears have won nine league titles. One of those was Super Bowl XX. It’s been a while but some of the greatest teams in league history have come out of Chicago. On the eve of the big game, here are some of the best players in the long history of the Chicago Bears. 

Chicago Bears All - Time Team

Offense

Quarterback 

Sid Luckman

Running Back

Walter Payton

Fullback

Bronko Nagurski 

Wide Receivers

Harlon Hill

Brandon Marshall

Tight End

Mike Ditka

Tackles

Joe Stydahar

George Musso

Guards

Dan Fortmann

Stan Jones

Center

Bulldog Turner

Defense

Defensive Ends

Richard Dent

Khalil Mack

Defensive Tackles

Link Lyman

Dan Hampton

Linebackers

Bulldog Turner

Dick Butkus

Brian Urlacher

The middle linebacker tradition in Chicago is ridiculous. No other team can boast the riches at any position that the Bears can boast at the middle linebacker position. Bulldog Turner, Bill George, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Brian Urlacher. It’s a tradition so great that I’ve selected a middle linebacker trio. I’ve done that at the expense of outstanding outside linebackers like Otis Wilson, Lance Briggs, and Joe Fortunato. 

Cornerbacks

Charles Tillman

J.C. Caroline

Safeties

Red Grange

Roosevelt Taylor

Special Teams

Kicker

Robbie Gould

Punter

Bobby Joe Green

Kick Returner

Gale Sayers

Punt Returner

Devin Hester

That’s a terrifying return duo. 

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Semifinalists

The 25 modern-era Semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 were announced on Wednesday. Among the list of former players are six in their first year of eligibility.

Luke Kuechly

Eli Manning

Terrell Suggs

Earl Thomas

Adam Vinatieri

Marshal Yanda

The list also includes 17 players who were Semifinalists for the Class of 2024.

Richmond Webb reached this stage of the process for the first time. Steve Wisniewski was a Semifinalist for the Class of 2014.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Semifinalists

Eric Allen, CB

Jared Allen, DE

Willie Anderson, OT

Anquan Boldin, WR

Jahri Evans, G

Antonio Gates, TE

James Harrison, LB

Rodney Harrison, S

Torry Holt, WR

Luke Kuechly, LB

Eli Manning, QB

Robert Mathis, Edge

Steve Smith Sr., WR

Terrell Suggs, Edge

Fred Taylor, RB

Earl Thomas, S

Adam Vinatieri, K

Hines Ward, WR

Ricky Watters, RB

Reggie Wayne, WR

Richmond Webb, OT

Vince Wilfork, DT

Steve Wisniewski, G

Darren Woodson, S

Marshal Yanda, G

The next step in the Modern-era process is the cut to 15 finalists later this year. Then there’s the big vote before Super Bowl LIX. 

Every year, the focus of the election starts with the players in their first year of eligibility.

Luke Kuechly

Eli Manning

Terrell Suggs

Earl Thomas

Adam Vinatieri

Marshal Yanda

In my opinion, Luke Kuechly and Marshal Yanda are most deserving of first-ballot induction. Each were the best in the league at their position for pretty much the entirety of their careers. I can see all six eventually making it. I can even see all six making it with fairly brief waits. If it wasn’t for Patrick Willis’ bizarre five-year wait, I’d say that Kuechly is a slam-dunk. Who knows with these voters. 

If it was up to me the modern-era members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 would look something like this:

Luke Kuechly

Antonio Gates

Jared Allen

Torry Holt 

Steve Smith Sr.

I think that it’s far more likely that Willie Anderson or Darren Woodson make it ahead of Steve Smith Sr. In my book, Smith is a Hall of Famer. Other than his 2005 Triple Crown season, his stats might not measure up to the people that actually vote. Stats aren’t everything. Smith was one of the best receivers of his era. 

A receiver blockade is building again. Five receivers are among this year’s 25 Semi-finalists. Larry Fitzgerald will join the group soon. At least one must be part of this year’s Class. I’d like to see Smith but I’m fine with Torry Holt. He edges out Reggie Wayne. 

I believe that Luke Kuechly, Antonio Gates, and Jared Allen are easy picks. Kuechly might be the best linebacker I’ve seen since Jack Ham. Many were stunned that Gates didn’t make it in his first year of eligibility last year. He should make it in his second year. Allen has been a finalist every year since 2021. Allen, Holt, and Reggie Wayne are the only players from that 2021 finalist room still waiting for that Hall call. Dwight Freeney leapfrogged Allen in the pass rusher queue last year. The voters can’t allow Robert Mathis or Terrell Suggs do the same this year. Allen has waited long enough. 

The cut to 15 is up next. 

Throwback Thursday: The First Big Game

The University of  California and Stanford take the field Saturday for the 127th playing of the Big Game. The Battle for the Axe. Cal is seeking to keep it. Stanford is trying to get it back. They can't have it. 

The Big Game is one of the great rivalries in college football. It's two games behind Oregon-Oregon State as the most played rivalry in the west and the 13th most played rivalry in the nation. Cal and Stanford started their football rivalry on March 19, 1892. The Big Game name didn't land on the game until the one that was played in 1900.

The very first football game was played on the Berkeley campus in 1881. That's when the class of '81 challenged the class of '80. The class of '80 prevailed in a game that more closely resembled rugby than the game that most considered American Football. This game sparked an interest in the sport and games with teams outside the campus. From 1882-85, Cal played a game that resembled English rugby against various club teams from San Francisco. They were 8-1-2 in these games. It was a fine time but everything changed when Oscar Shafter Howard appeared on the scene. A Californian, he played football at Harvard and graduated in 1885. When he returned to the west coast he brought American Football with him. He sold Cal on the sport and volunteered to coach them and any rugby club in San Francisco who would convert to this new game. What followed was the birth of American Football on the west coast.

Over the next six seasons Cal's football team posted a 20-4-1 record against club team competition. It's all that they had. Stanford decided to change that. Leland Stanford Jr. University was established in 1891. Some Stanford students were interested in starting a football team immediately. In that first fall term those students approached John R. Whittemore seeking his help in organizing a team. Whittemore had attended school in the east and played at Washington. He agreed to help and became the playing coach and captain of Stanford's first football team.

Cal got wind of Stanford's little football team and issued a challenge to meet on Thanksgiving Day for a game. Whittemore knew that there was no way that he could get the Stanford team ready in time and declined the challenge but left the door open for a game in the spring. When the progress of his team met his approval, Whittemore looked to arrange the game. Cal eagerly agreed and a game was scheduled for March 19, 1892 on the Haight Street grounds in San Francisco.

One of the most frequently told stories of the first Big Game was that of Stanford's team manager Herbert C. Hoover. Future President of the United States Herbert C. Hoover. When both teams showed up for the game neither team showed up with a football. The fault for this little issue has always been placed on Hoover. While placing the blame of this significant snafu on a future President might make the story a little more interesting it's not entirely accurate. Why isn't Cal manager Herbert Lang blamed? Or the official, Jack Sherrard? Or anyone from either team? Anyway, there was still the problem of no football. David Goulcher, the owner of a sporting goods store in downtown San Francisco, volunteered to remedy the problem. He set off on horseback and returned with a ball an hour later. The first Big Game kicked off at 4:11 p.m.

Here are the lineups for that first game in this long series.

California
Walter H. Henry, left end
John H. White, left tackle
Newton Wachhorst, left guard
J.C. Pierce, center
Alfred Dubbers, right guard
Henry Hay, right tackle
Arthur H. Mau, right end
Raymond H. Sherman, left half
George H. Foulkes, right half-captain
Guy R. Kennedy, quarterback
Loren E. Hunt, fullback

Stanford
Charles H. Hogg, left end
Ellsworth L. Rich, left tackle
Stewart D. Briggs, left guard
Arthur H. Barnhisel, center
Charles C. Adams, right guard
Claude S. Downing, right tackle
Milton D. Grosh, right end
John R. Whittemore, left half-captain
Paul M. Downing, right half
Thomas K. Code, quarterback
Carl C. Clemans, fullback

Stanford was apparently a real quick study in this new game of football. Or Whittemore was an excellent teacher. It was probably a little bit of both. Cal had been playing this game for about six years. Stanford had been playing it for a few months. Stanford won the first Big Game 14-10.

The second Big Game was also played in 1892. December 17, 1892. That game ended in a 10-10 tie. Those two games kicked off 133 years of football fun.

It would be a lot more fun if Cal could even the all-time series. It currently stands at 66-53-11 in Stanford's favor. That has to change. 

Justin Jefferson’s Statistics Climb

Justin Jefferson is just over half through his fifth NFL season. He’s jetting past the receiving numbers of the great receivers that came before him. In Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans, he passed Torry Holt’s NFL record for most receiving yards through five seasons. 

1	Justin Jefferson	6811
2	Torry Holt	6784
3	Randy Moss	6743
4	Jerry Rice	6364
5	Julio Jones	6201

Jefferson passed Holt with seven games still to play in his fifth season. Jefferson reached 6811 yards in 70 games. It took Holt 80 games to reach his five-year total. If one was to factor in the 7+ games that Jefferson missed last year to a hamstring injury, Jefferson is nearly a full season ahead of the numbers put up by Torry Holt, Randy Moss, and Jerry Rice. 

Randy Moss has the NFL record for most yards through six seasons with 8375 yards. At his current pace of 97.3 yards/game, Jefferson should reach that total at about this point next season. 

Watching Justin Jefferson play football is a wonderful treat.

Jefferson is a big part of the incredible receiver tradition of the Minnesota Vikings. Cris Carter and Randy Moss are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One could argue that Ahmad Rashad and especially Anthony Carter should join them. Jefferson is on pace and hell-bent on earning first-ballot induction. Here’s where he ranks in the Vikings great receiver tradition for receiving yards. 

Rank	Player	Yards	Games
1	Cris Carter	12383	188
2	Randy Moss	9316	113
3	Anthony Carter	7636	133
4	Justin Jefferson	6811	70
5	Adam Thielen	6682	135
6	Jake Reed	6433	134
7	Sammy White	6400	128
8	Steve Jordan	6307	176
9	Ahmad Rashad	5489	98
10	Stefon Diggs	4623	70

Jefferson could pass Anthony Carter and move to #3 this season. 

It’s great to see Steve Jordan and his very underrated career earn a spot in the Top 10. He also has an argument for Canton inclusion that has yet to be had. 

Cris Carter and Randy Moss are two of the greatest receivers to ever step on a football field. I truly believed that no Vikings receiver could ever step into their orbit. Then, along came Justin Jefferson. Jerry Rice and his ridiculous career numbers are in danger of being reached. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 11 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings ground out a gritty ten-point win over the Tennessee Titans, 23-13. The offense put the ball in the end zone three times. That was an improvement over last week’s four field goal affair. The defense was terrific again. Here are some of the players that stood out in the Week 11 win. 

Offensive Players of the Game

Sam Darnold, QB

20 completions

32 attempts

246 yards

2 TDs

8 carries 

18 yards

1 TD

After last week’s three-interception outing, Sam Darnold needed an efficient game. Not only was he on target throughout the game, he had a few magician-like escapes of certain sacks. The victory margin and his stat line would’ve been more impressive if Jalen Nailor had held on for a 46-yard touchdown. The pass was a beauty and right on Nailor’s hands. It should’ve been a catch.

Justin Jefferson, WR

Justin Jefferson gets special mention as he again put his name in the NFL record book. His 81 receiving yards gives him 6,811 yards for his career. That’s the most receiving yards through five years in NFL history. He still has seven more games to play in his fifth season. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Patrick Jones II, OLB

As with most games this season, the defensive player of the game could go to nearly any number of players. This Vikings defense is very much a team defense. Patrick Jones II gets the nod in this game. 

His stats:

5 tackles 

2 sacks

3 tackles for loss

Several Vikings pass rushers spent most of the afternoon in the Titans backfield. They tallied five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Jones, as much as anyone, was rarely slowed by the Titans offensive line.

Special Teams Player of the Game

Ryan Wright, P

Ryan Wright stepped on the field for his first punt in the second half. That punt went for 66 yards. Due to a sputtering offense, he punted five times in the second half. Three of those pinned the Titans inside their 20-yard line. His second punt was inside the five-yard line and wonderfully downed by Trent Sherfield Sr. at the two-yard line. It was perfect team work and execution. 

Vikings - Titans

The Minnesota Vikings completed a season sweep of the AFC South. After earlier wins against the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Vikings defeated the Tennessee Titans 23-13. While there were some nervous moments, the game never really felt that close. The Vikings benefited greatly from an incredibly undisciplined Titans team. 

The penalties.

Titans

13 accepted penalties

91 yards lost

Vikings

3 accepted penalties

35 yards lost

That’s a one-sided penalty ledger. Even more one-sided is that seven of those 13 penalties gave the Vikings a first down. One in particular was quite painful for the Titans. On fourth-and-goal from the one, Titans safety Mike Brown launched into the facemask of Vikings receiver Jordan Addison. This looked like a momentum-changing and score-altering play by the Titans. Instead, the personal foul gave the Vikings a new set of downs from inside the one. After Titans head coach Brian Callahan threw a tantrum and earned another personal foul penalty, the ball was inched even closer to the goal. Sam Darnold dove over for the score on the next play. The game’s commentators debated the initial personal foul but Brown did launch into the neck-facemask-head area of Addison. That’s a penalty. If the teams were reversed, Callahan would’ve been arguing for the penalty. 

The penalties were a significant factor in this game. It was a two-score game in part because of them. The Titans were horribly undisciplined in this game. That’s on Callahan. He should be looking in a mirror rather than railing on the officials. Offensive tackle Isaiah Prince was called for lining up off the line on three occasions. One of which took a Titans touchdown off the board. Three times! It’s a mental error on the player but it’s also horrible coaching. Vikings fans notoriously rail about being on the wrong side of the official’s calls. It feels a little odd to be on this side of them.

Enough with the penalties. 

After a week of settling for four field goals against the Jaguars, it was refreshing to see the Vikings offense get in the end zone. They did so on three occasions. Darnold threw a beauty to Addison for 47 yards to open the scoring. Darnold dove in for #2 and tossed a short and easy one to Cam Akers for #3. Darnold should’ve had a third touchdown throw. He threw another beauty from midfield. It should’ve been caught by Jalen Nailor in the end zone. Instead it went through his hands. This was an opportunity that shouldn’t have been missed. 

Replacement kicker John Parker Romo added a 40-yard field goal to go with his two of three extra points. 

The 23 points, and three touchdowns, was definitely an improvement over last week’s four field goal offensive performance. It was still a sputtering performance. The first Vikings punt didn’t come until the second half. They proceeded to punt four more times in the second half. They had seven possessions over the final 30 minutes. All but two went for only 3-5 plays. One of the two “productive” possessions was the final touchdown drive. The other was eight plays and a punt. That sputtering offense gave the Titans some hope that they really never should’ve had. 

The Vikings defense has been mostly terrific all season. Other than the stunning 98-yard touchdown throw from Will Levis to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, the Vikings defense dominated the Titans offense. That stunning play was an outlier and it skews the final statistics. Other than that single play, the Titans rarely threatened the Vikings end zone. That play. Vikings punter Ryan Wright put a wonderful punt inside the five-yard line and Trent Sherfield Sr. downed it at the two-yard line. First play, the Vikings nearly tackled Tony Pollard in the end zone. Second play, Will Levis dove back to the two-yard line. Third play, the Vikings loaded up on a blitz. Stephon Gilmore left Westbrook-Ikhine for the safety. Joshua Metellus’ angle was a little off and the Titans had a stunning 98-yard score. That lone play gave the Titans hope in an otherwise one-sided game. With that play, they have hope and momentum in a 16-10 game. 

Fortunately, the Vikings lone productive possession of the second half followed that stunning play. A nice 35-yard kick return by Ty Chandler gave the offense decent starting position. Darnold guided the offense the remaining 65 yards. The short 3-yard catch and run by Akers put the much-needed touchdown on the board and bumped the Vikings lead to 23-10 with about three minutes left in the third quarter. The pesky Titans could only add a field goal over the final 18 minutes. 

A win is a win. The Vikings are now 8-2 on the season. They visit the Chicago Bears next week. The offense must play better as the Vikings enter the final stretch of the season. There are too many empty possessions. Against better teams, that can’t happen. The defense just has to keep doing what they’ve been doing. I feel like they’ll get even better with better offensive efficiency leading to hopefully bigger leads. 8-2 is a very good place to be. 

Flea Flicker Week 11 Predictions

It’s already Week 11. Here are some guesses at the games. 

Byes: New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers 

Minnesota Vikings @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Vikings

After relying on four field goals against the Jaguars, the Vikings must get their offense untracked. 

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Bears

Despite what many continue to say, this is the league’s third oldest rivalry. It’s the most contested rivalry but it is not the oldest. Bears-Cardinals and Packers-Cardinals are older. 

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Detroit Lions

Pick: Lions

I wish that I could pick the Jaguars.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Dolphins

With Tua Tagavailoa knocking off the rust, the Dolphins are getting back to their explosive ways. 

Los Angeles Rams @ New England Patriots

Pick: Rams

Rematch of Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl LIII. Unlike those bigger games, the Rams take this one.

Cleveland Browns @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Saints

This one required a coin flip.

Indianapolis Colts @ New York Jets

Pick: Colts

The Jets are a mess.

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Ravens

The Ravens knock down the soaring Steelers.

Atlanta Falcons @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Falcons

Kirk Cousins makes Sean Payton sad. Again.

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: 49ers

The 49ers continue their quest to get back on track.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills

Pick: Bills

The Bills hand the Chiefs their first loss.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Bengals

This should be a real fun QB duel. 

Houston Texans @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Texans

The Texans get right against the Cowboys. 

Tennessee Titans All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings travel this weekend to Tennessee to play the Titans tomorrow. In another iteration, the Tennessee Titans were the Houston Oilers and an original member of the American Football in 1960. The Oilers were an immediate hit as they won the rival league’s first two championships. After nearly a decade of competing for players and fans, the Oilers and the rest of the AFL’s teams agreed to a truce in 1966 and fully merged with the NFL in 1970. The Oilers fielded wildly entertaining teams in the late 1970s and early 1990s. Led by the remarkable running of Earl Campbell and a strong defense, the 1970s Oilers had the great misfortune of playing in the same division as the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 1978 and 1979 seasons were ended by those Steelers in the AFC Championship game. The 1990s Oilers were a high-flying, high-scoring offensive juggernaut led by Warren Moon. Unfortunately, those entertaining teams were repeatedly confounded in the playoffs. The wild popularity of those fun teams made the departure in 1997 for Nashville heartbreaking. The team played as the Tennessee Oilers in 1997 and 1998 and became the Titans in 1999. The Tennessee Titans have had spotty success. The highlight of their time is easily the 1999 season that ended in Super Bowl XXXIV. Led by Steve McNair, the Titans were a yard short of either tying the St. Louis Rams and forcing overtime or winning in regulation. Instead, they lost the big game 23-16. Over their 27 years in Tennessee, the Oilers/Titans have made the playoffs ten times and won their division five times. On the eve of the big game, here is a look at some of the best players in the occasionally fun history of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oiler/Tennessee Titans. 

Offense

Quarterback

Warren Moon

Running Backs

Earl Campbell

Derrick Henry

Wide Receivers

Charley Hennigan

Kenny Burrough

Tight End

Frank Wycheck

Offensive Tackles

Brad Hopkins

Michael Roos

Offensive Guards

Bruce Matthews

Mike Munchak

                               

Center

Carl Mauck

Defense

Defensive Ends

Elvin Bethea

William Fuller

Defensive Tackles

Ray Childress

Curley Culp

Linebackers

Robert Brazile

Gregg Bingham

George Webster

Cornerbacks

Chris Dishman

Samari Rolle

Safeties

Ken Houston

Blaine Bishop

Special Teams

Kicker 

George Blanda

Punter

Brett Kern

Returner

Billy “White Shoes” Johnson

Minnesota Vikings 53-Man Roster

Fortunately, injuries haven’t forced the Minnesota Vikings to tweak their roster this week. Knock on wood. Here’s hoping that continues through the season and playoffs. Losing a kicker AND long snapper in one game was unusual and ridiculous. How often does a kicker get placed on injured reserve? Across the NFL, it’s happened twice in the last week. Unfortunately, one of those is the Vikings. Get well soon, Will Reichard. The Vikings also lost their long snapper for a few weeks. Andrew DePaola injured his hand against the Indianapolis Colts. That injury required a surgical procedure. As a result, he was placed on injured reserve. Currently, the Vikings have no long snapper on the active roster. Veteran Jake McQuaide was signed to the practice squad. As long as DePaola is out, McQuaide will apparently live a gameday yo-yo existence between the practice squad and active roster. Other than a rather unusual special teams situation, this week’s roster looks just like last week’s. That’s a good thing. Hopefully, the only roster changes moving forward are injured players being activated. In advance of their Week 11 game against the Tennessee Titans, here’s the Minnesota Vikings 53-man roster. 

Minnesota Vikings 53 - Man Roster

Offense (25)

Quarterbacks (3)

14 Sam Darnold

12 Nick Mullens

19 Brett Rypien

Running Backs (3)

33 Aaron Jones

32 Ty Chandler

27 Cam Akers

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

67 Ed Ingram

75 Brian O’Neill

76 David Quessenberry 

78 Walter Rouse

66 Dalton Risner

65 Michael Jurgens

69 Dan Feeney

Defense (26)

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)

  0 Ivan Pace Jr.

51 Blake Cashman

  6 Brian Asamoah

54 Kamu Grugier-Hill

Cornerbacks (6)

  2 Stephon Gilmore  

  7 Byron Murphy Jr.

  1 Shaq Griffin

21 Akayleb Evans

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 (2)

Kickers (1)

96 John Parker Romo

Punter (1)

17 Ryan Wright

Long Snapper (0)

Practice Squad

47 Jake McQuaide, LS

37 Myles Gaskin, RB

36 Zavier Scott, RB

25 Nahshon Wright, CB

28 Bobby McCain, S

55 Andre Carter II, OLB

68 Henry Byrd, G

  8 Trishton Jackson, WR

81 Lucky Jackson, WR

82 Jeshaun Jones, WR

89 Thayer Thomas, WR

72 Julian Pearl, T

48 Calvin Munson, LB

85 Robert Tonyan, TE

45 Max Tooley, LB

95 Travis Bell, DL

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

45 Jordan Kunaszyk, LB

34 Nick Muse, TE

16 Will Reichard, K

42 Andrew DePaola, LS

94 Taki Taimani, DL 

Injured Reserve/Designated To Return

59 Gabriel Murphy, OLB