Minnesota Vikings Week 3 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday 23-16. Offensively, it wasn’t pretty. The defense and special teams carried the Vikings to the win and a 3-0 start to the season. Here are some of the players that made the big win possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Jordan Addison, WR

Jordan Addison has had a slow start to the season. With Justin Jefferson departing early in the first quarter with an ankle injury, the Vikings really needed Addison to get untracked. He did.

5 catches 

90 yards

1 TD

On the Vikings only offensive touchdown drive of the game, Addison had 71 of the 73 yards. The final 41 was the touchdown. If Kyler Murray had been a bit more accurate with his throws, Addison would’ve had an even bigger game. Including another long touchdown. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Eric Wilson, LB

Once again, this Vikings defense had several contenders for Defensive Player of the Game honors. Eric Wilson was a game-long menace against the Buccaneers. 10 tackle and 1.5 sacks. He made plays behind the line of scrimmage, at the line of scrimmage, and in coverage. 

Wilson may have gotten away with couple facemask penalties. In his defense, they looked more like touches of the facemask rather than grabs. 

Special Teams Player of the Game

Myles Price, Returner

Finally. Myles Price took a kick a back for a touchdown. I believed that he’d get one last season as a rookie. He didn’t. His 68-yard kick return against the Packers in Week 1 kick-started that great comeback. His 86-yard punt return score against the Buccaneers got the Vikings off to a hot start. Those seven points ended up being the difference in the game. 

Special Teams Honorable Mention:

Will Reichard, K

With the way that the Vikings offense has struggled through three games, Will Reichard might be the team’s MVP after the entire defense. He scored all of the points in last week’s 9-3 win over the Chicago Bears. He scored 11 of the 23 points on Sunday against the Buccaneers. He’s the best kicker in the league and one of the most impactful football players on the Vikings. 

Vikings Trade J.J. McCarthy

“I believe organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations.”

      - Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell

Sometimes, no one failed. Sometimes, it simply doesn’t work out.

The Minnesota Vikings selected quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy with the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Yesterday, the Vikings traded McCarthy to the New York Giants for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. 

As one of the few fans that still believes in J.J. McCarthy’s potential, I’m disappointed in the trade. If I’m forced to be realistic with the situation, I get it. Really, I have no choice but to get it. If one were so evil as to script a horror-filled, initial two-plus years for a young quarterback, it might be McCarthy’s start with the Vikings. He lost his rookie season to a torn meniscus suffered in his first preseason game. Anointed the starter in his second season, three separate injuries forced him to bounce between the field and sideline throughout the season. McCarthy was never on the field consistently enough to establish any consistency. Still, he managed to start 10 games and lead his team to a 6-4 record in those games. It might not always have been pretty but the first starts of a young quarterback often aren’t always pretty. Ultimately, only wins matter and McCarthy won more than he lost. For what it’s worth, the Vikings selected Christian Ponder with the 12th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was given three seasons to prove his worth as the starter. He never showed anything close to the potential in those three seasons that McCarthy showed in those 10 games. As the head coach, it’s probably safe to assume that Kevin O’Connell has a higher standard for quarterbacks than Leslie Frazier. Going into McCathy’s third season, the Vikings signed Kyler Murray to compete for the starting job. Neither quarterback really separated himself from the other. It felt that experience was the tiebreaker and Murray had that. The “lost” quarterback competition was the beginning of McCarthy’s end in Minnesota. I hoped that it wasn’t but I felt that it was. When the Vikings released Alan Page early in the 1978 season, I was forced to understand that my feelings on a player simple don’t matter. It’d be a beautiful thing if all of your favorite players could stay with your favorite team forever. It might not be a successful thing but it’d be a beautiful thing. 

After news broke of the J.J. McCarthy trade, Kevin O’Connell and general manager Nolan Teasley addressed the media. Both addressed sentiments that they believe McCarthy’s NFL story has yet to be written, that they believe he has the potential to succeed. If they truly believe any of that, why trade him? The truth is that the Vikings decision-makers no longer believed that J.J. McCarthy has the potential to be the team’s long-term answer at the all-important quarterback position. Agree or disagree, they should know better than any of us. I’ve been waiting since Fran Tarkenton retired in 1978 for the Vikings to draft their next long-term franchise quarterback. For nearly 50 years, I’ve wanted the next drafted quarterback to be that quarterback. Tommy Kramer, Steve Dils, Wade Wilson, Rich Gannon (technically, the Vikings traded for Gannon but they still got him as a rookie), Brad Johnson, Daunte Culpepper, Christian Ponder, Teddy Bridgewater, J.J. McCarthy. I wanted every damn one of them to be Tarkenton’s heir. Most showed potential. A few showed great potential. Without fail, the future of each was wrecked by injuries. The Vikings quarterback story since Fran Tarkenton has been so frustrating. J.J. McCarthy is simply the latest quarterback in that story. 

The media and many fans want to blame someone for the failure of the Vikings - McCarthy union. Why does there always have to be someone to blame? The situation with team and player on draft day is very different than the situation today. Teams would have a much better success rate if the draft was done in hindsight but you can’t redo something that’s already been done. If McCarthy hadn’t missed his rookie season and missed time during his second season, I believe that he’d be the starter this season. But it really doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what I believe. Those injuries happened. That can’t be undone. McCarthy’s time as a Vikings quarterback was disrupted too often for him to ever get comfortable in the job. Is that anyone’s fault? The only way to prevent injuries in football is to never play. No one failed at their job. The draft is always a risk, a gamble. The Vikings took a shot with J.J. McCarthy. It simply didn’t work. 

I’m disappointed in the trade. Mostly because another first-round quarterback didn’t become the Vikings next franchise quarterback. I’m also disappointed in the fifth-round return. Then again, I’m often surprised by the compensation in most NFL trades. 

Moving forward, best of luck J.J. McCarthy. Unless the Minnesota Vikings are involved. Thank you for the fun of the ten games that you played. 

Vikings - Buccaneers

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-16 on Sunday. The Vikings are 3-0.

It’s a win. It wasn’t a pretty win. Actually, it was a nice game from the defense and special teams but the Vikings offense has to get better. A lot better.

I’d like to say that the Vikings offense looked rough because receiver Justin Jefferson left in the first quarter with an ankle injury. He spent most of the rest of the first half on the sideline with his helmet on his head and looking itchy to get back in the game. He never got back in the game and the offense definitely missed him. 

Kyler Murray looked out of sync all game. Very little looked right with him. At least he finished the game. Murray’s best throw was his first throw. It was probably the only throw that looked in rhythm. Of course, the throw went to Justin Jefferson. A nice 22-yarder to start one of the two best drives of the game. The last offensive play of the drive was a 10-yard catch-and-run to Jefferson. Unfortunately, that 10-yard play was on 3rd-and-19. The Vikings had to settle for a 54-yard Will Reichard field goal. 

The other good drive of the game came after the Buccaneers had tied the score at 10-10. Unlike the first good drive, this good drive ended with a touchdown. Four plays, 73 yards. 71 of those yards came on two plays. The first was a 30-yard sideline throw to Jordan Addison. The great toe-tapping catch of Addison saved Kyler Murray from another overthrow. Three players later, Murray chucked a 41-yard pass to Addison. He caught the ball at about the three, hit the ground untouched, and rolled into the end zone for a touchdown. 17-10 Vikings with about four minutes remaining in the first half. That was the score at the half. 

Thanks to strong defenses on both sides, neither of the offenses moved the ball much. The Buccaneers punted nine times. The Vikings punted 8 times. 17 punts. The teams combined for 20 first downs. Combined, the offenses were 4-32 on third down. It was that sort of game. 

The difference in the game may have been the 86-yard punt return touchdown by Myles Price. It’s been ten years since the Vikings returned a punt for a touchdown. Price showed big return potential as a rookie last season. His 68-yard kick return in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers was one of the key plays in that wild comeback win. His 86-yard punt return score yesterday against the Buccaneers provided the winning margin. On a day the Vikings offense struggled, the special teams score was critical. 

After a rough first half in the Week 1 game against the Packers, the Vikings defense has been outstanding. With the offensive struggles, the Vikings needed that sort of performance. 

Kyler Murray and the Vikings offense have to get things figured out. Hopefully, Justin Jefferson misses zero games. Things can get difficult when a team loses their best and most explosive player. Still, the Vikings have too many playmakers, not named Jefferson, on offense to make moving the chains so difficult. Maybe being at home next week will ignite the offense. Next up is a home game against the Miami Dolphins. A rematch of Super Bowl VIII. 

Flea Flicker Week 3 Predictions

It’s on to Week 3. Here are guesses at the games.

Minnesota Vikings @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings bump their record to 3-0.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Buffalo Bills

Pick: Bills

The Chargers need to get their shit together to make this the intriguing game it should be.

Carolina Panthers @ Cleveland Browns

Pick: Panthers

After stunning the Buccaneers last week, the real Browns return this week. 

New York Jets @ Detroit Lions

Pick: Lions

The Lions are another team that needs to get their shit together. 

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Texans

These are the two best 0-2 teams in the league. One of them has to win this game.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Chiefs

Chiefs roll.

Tennessee Titans @ New York Giants

Pick: Giants

Even without Jaxson Dart, the Giants should handle the Titans.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Bengals

Bengals roll.

Seattle Seahawks @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Seahawks

The Seahawks should easily handle the Commanders without Jayden Daniels.

New England Patriots @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Jaguars

This could be a fun game.

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers 

Pick: 49ers

49ers roll.

Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Ravens

It’s only Week 3 and both teams really need this game. 

Las Vegas Raiders @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Saints

The Raiders are surprising 2-0. Their undefeated ways end this week. 

Los Angeles Rams @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Rams

Rams roll over Sean Payton.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Eagles

The Eagles should handle Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum at quarterback. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings travel to Tampa Bay for tomorrow’s Week 3 game against the Buccaneers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been in the league since 1976. Initially, they were one of the worst teams in league history. Then they surprised everyone with a singular playoff run in 1979. Then they went into a long stretch of mediocrity. Things changed for the Buccaneers in the 2000s. They won Super Bowl XXXVII with an excellent defense. They won Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady. One of the peculiar aspects of the Buccaneers history is that the league jammed them into the AFC West in their first season. Perhaps as peculiar, the league flipped them to the NFC Central division after a single season in the AFC. Geography be damned, from 1977-2001, the team from Florida competed in the same division with the Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Detroit Lions. On the eve of this big game between former division foes, here’s an All - Time Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers All - Time Team

Offense

Quarterback 

Tom Brady

Running Back

Warrick Dunn

Fullback

Mike Alstott 

Wide Receivers

Mike Evans

Chris Godwin

Tight End

Jimmie Giles

Tackles

Paul Gruber

Tristan Wirfs

Guards

Ali Marpet

Davin Joseph

Center

Tony Mayberry

Defense

Defensive Ends

Lee Roy Selmon

Simeon Rice

Defensive Tackles

Warren Sapp

Gerald McCoy

Linebackers

Derrick Brooks

Hardy Nickerson

Lavonte David

Cornerbacks

Ronde Barder

Donnie Abraham

Safeties

John Lynch

Cedric Brown

Special Teams

Kicker

Martin Gramatica

Punter

Josh Bidwell

Kick Returner

Micheal Spurlock

Punt Returner

Karl Williams

Emlen Tunnell’s All - Time Team

Former New York Giants safety Emlen Tunnell was one of the best football players of the 1950s. He was one of the best football players in NFL history. In his terrific autobiography, Footsteps of a Giant, Tunnell selected his All - Time Team. All of the players on the team played during his time in the league. So, this is clearly a team of the best players Tunnell played with and against. I always enjoy seeing who the best players think are the best players and Tunnell put together an interesting team. Here is that team.

Emlen Tunnell’s All - Time Team

Offense

Quarterback

John Unitas, Colts

Norman Van Brocklin, Rams, Eagles

Charlie Conerly, Giants

Otto Graham, Browns

Tunnell’s comments:

I’m not ducking when I pick four quarterbacks. Unitas was the best all-around man, but Van Brocklin, Graham, and Conerly were superior to John in some phases of play. Van Brocklin was the greatest long passer of my time. People forget that Graham was a remarkable runner. Conerly, a superlative strategist and leader, didn’t have the receivers or, perhaps, the passing offense that complimented the other three.

Halfback

Hugh McElhenny, 49ers

Ollie Matson, Cardinals

Fullback

Jim Brown, Browns

Steve Van Buren, Eagles

Marion Motley, Browns

Tight End

Billy Wilson, 49ers

Tunnell’s comments:

Billy Wilson unquestionably was the greatest end I played against. He wore me out. After tailing Billy for an afternoon I was bushed, physically and mentally. 

I’ve long thought that Billy Wilson was one of the most underrated receivers, and football players, in league history. It’s a damn shame that his Hall of Fame debate has fallen on the deaf ears of the voters for decades. 

Spread End

Tom Fears, Rams

Tunnell’s use of “tight end” to describe Billy Wilson and “spread end” to describe Tom Fears nicely describes offensive football schematics of the 1950s. 

Tackle

Roosevelt Brown, Giants

Lou Rymkus, Browns

Guard

Frank Kilroy, Eagles

Abe Gibron, Browns

Tunnell’s comments:

Abe Gibron brought maneuvers to guard play that had never been executed before. As Abe puts it, he “went first,” which means that he led plays through areas that guards weren’t expected to penetrate. Critics say Abe went first because he beat the snap. I watched him on hundreds of plays, and I’m still not sure how he did it. 

I like Tunnell’s comments on Gibron because he’s another player that seems to be lost in history. 

Center

Frank Gatski

I’m a little surprised that Jim Parker didn’t make Tunnell’s team. 

Defense

End

Andy Robustelli, Rams, Giants

Len Ford, Browns

Gino Marchetti, Colts

Tackle

Arnie Weinmeister, Giants

Ernie Stautner, Steelers

Linebacker

Chuck Bednarik, Eagles

Bill George, Bears

Joe Schmidt, Lions

Tunnell’s comments:

My selection of three middle linebackers may seem unfair to the tremendous outside backers I’ve seen, but I’m convinced that Schmidt, George, and Bednarik could have been just as great on the outside as they were in the middle.

Safety

Jack Butler, Steelers

Jack Christiansen, Lions

No Emlen Tunnell?!? 

Halfback

Otto Schnellbacher, Giants

Russ Craft, Eagles

Dick Lane, Rams, Cardinals, Lions

Tunnell’s comments:

Otto Schnellbacher, my partner in the original umbrella, wasn’t called “The Claw” just because some writer was desperate for a colorful nickname to put in his story. Otto had marvelous hands, and it was no trick for him to grab a long pass one-handed. He is one of the few on this honor team of mine that doesn’t have a long service record. “Ots” led the NFL in interceptions in 1951 and then retired, just like that. Craft isn’t remembered or appreciated by many fans because Russ played at a time when the football writers weren’t immortalizing defensive players the way they do today. Russ had a couple of years in when I came up to the Giants, and he was the first defensive back to impress me with his knowledge of receivers and his ability to cut down the angles. 

I always enjoy seeing and hearing corners referred to as halfbacks. 

Emlen Tunnell is one of my favorite players from one of my favorite football eras. There really isn’t enough written about him. I’m glad that I finally got my hands on his autobiography. 

Favorite Minnesota Vikings Defensive Lines

The Minnesota Vikings have pieced together an intriguing defensive line. It’s an interesting group for their NFL origins as well as their diverse talents and potential.

Levi Drake Rodriguez - 2024 seventh-round pick

Jalen Redmond - signed out of the XFL in 2024

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins - 2025 fifth-round pick

Elijah Williams - 2025 undrafted

Caleb Banks - 2026 first-round pick

Domonique Orange - 2026 third-round pick

Until using high-end picks on Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Vikings had gone the bargain route to build their defensive line. Jalen Redmond emerged as a difference-maker last season. Another leap this season and he’s in the conversation with the league’s best. Levi Drake Rodriguez and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins might be on a similar trajectory. Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange have the physical talent to be early draft picks. Both immediately add large and physical presences to the Vikings defensive line. Both have the size, talent, and potential to dominate. Elijah Williams made the roster and flashed at times as a rookie last year. His biggest obstacle to getting on the field is his five linemates. 

I really like this Vikings defensive line group. I liked it last season when the undrafted and late-round youngsters were outplaying high-priced additions Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. I liked the group even more when high-end talents Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange were added. This really is a talented group with a high ceiling. For his first three years in Minnesota, defensive coordinator Brian Flores really had to scheme much of the pressure. Now he has the defensive line talent that can only enhance those schemes. Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Elijah Williams, Caleb Banks, and Domonique Orange are fun and talented football players. I can’t wait to see how they grow, work, and evolve together. I believe that they are already a very good group. They might become a great group. How great? If the Vikings have had a history of riches at any position it's been the defensive line. Strong defensive fronts are a tradition in Minnesota and that tradition started with one of the most disruptive defensive lines in the history of the NFL. The Four Norsemen. The Purple People Eaters. Three Dots and a Dash. No matter how they were known they were great.

DE Jim Marshall

DT Alan Page
DT Gary Larsen
DE Carl Eller

Alan Page and Carl Eller are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Many feel that Jim Marshall belongs there as well. Gary Larsen was the least acclaimed of the four but he was solid. He even played in a couple of Pro Bowls. All four made the Pro Bowl in 1969. The Vikings had the best defense and one of the best teams in the league for several years beginning in 1969 and the four up front were the reason. Doug Sutherland eventually replaced Gary Larsen in 1974 but this line played together for a remarkable ten years. That sort of consistency doesn't happen much these days.

The Vikings drafted some solid defensive linemen in the mid- to late-1970s that the team hoped would step up when the greats that preceded them stepped down. Doug Martin was often outstanding. Mark Mullaney was solid. The Vikings just couldn't put together a complete group. That was the case until the late 1980s when another great defensive front popped up in Minnesota.

DE Chris Doleman
DT Keith Millard
DT Henry Thomas
DE Al Noga

This line had a few seasons of outstanding play. Chris Doleman is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Keith Millard played a couple of seasons like few defensive players ever have. He was Defensive Player of the Year in 1989. If injuries hadn't derailed his career, he'd be in the Hall of Fame with Doleman. Henry Thomas did all of the dirty work. He ate up blocks. He took up space. He stopped the run. Al Noga was a terrific pass rushing threat opposite Doleman. This front probably would have received much more attention if the team had more success. The Vikings were really good at times but never great. They also played in the same conference as dominant, even dynastic, teams like the San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins. The Vikings did manage to knock off one of those 49ers teams while on their way to the NFC Championship game in 1987. Millard, Doleman, Thomas, and Noga swarmed Joe Montana and the 49ers offense into utter frustration in that playoff game. 

One of the greatest players in the history of the Minnesota Vikings is defensive tackle John Randle. Through most of his brilliant career he was the lone threat on the defensive line. His first Pro Bowl and All Pro selection came in 1993. That Vikings defensive line was probably the best of his 11 years in Minnesota.

DE Chris Doleman
DT John Randle
DT Henry Thomas
DE Roy Barker

Doleman was traded to the Atlanta Falcons after that season and Randle never again had a line partner close to his caliber in the destruction of opposing offenses.

It wasn't until the latter half of the 2000s that the Vikings tradition of strong front fours returned. That front was completed when the Vikings acquired defensive end Jared Allen from the Kansas City Chiefs in a trade. The Vikings had their missing pass rusher and another dominant defensive line.

DE Jared Allen
DT Kevin Williams
DT Pat Williams
DE Ray Edwards

This defensive line was great. No one ran on the Williams Wall. Jared Allen and Ray Edwards could just tee off on opposing offensive tackles. Kevin Williams could also apply some pass rushing pressure up the middle. Allen and both Williams' made a couple of Pro Bowls. Allen is the fifth Vikings defensive lineman to have a bust in Canton. Kevin Williams should soon be the sixth. Brian Robison was the link between this great defensive line to the next one. 

DE Everson Griffen
DT Sharrif Floyd
DT Linval Joseph
DE Brian Robison

That terrific line evolved into this one with the emergence of the freakishly talented Danielle Hunter. If Sharrif Floyd hadn’t had his career ended by a surgical mishap, this defensive line would’ve been ridiculous. 

DE Everson Griffen
DT Tom Johnson
DT Linval Joseph
DE Danielle Hunter

Danielle Hunter is still building on his likely Hall of Fame career. Unfortunately he’s doing so with the Houston Texans. It was a sad day when he departed Minnesota. Despite his ridiculous talent, he wasn’t an ideal fit in a Brian Flores defense. That doesn’t take away from his presence on one of the great defensive lines in the Vikings great history of defensive lines. 

The first, great Minnesota Vikings defensive line set an incredibly high bar for the franchise. That bar is one of the best in NFL history. The current line is loaded with talent and very young. There’s great potential in the group. Who knows? Maybe they'll take a run at the Purple People Eaters. That's a bold suggestion. A Super Bowl title(s) would certainly help their cause.

 

Minnesota Vikings Roster Tweaks

Injuries have forced the Minnesota Vikings to make some tweaks to the roster. Fortunately the tweaks have been more precautionary than roster overhauls. None of yesterday’s moves involved the 53-man roster. After last year’s relentless run of injuries, it’s still a little worrisome. 

Vikings rookie punter Brett Thorson exited Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears with a sore hamstring. The extent of the soreness has yet to be revealed but it was enough of a concern to bring back Johnny Hekker. Yesterday, he was signed to the practice squad. As soon as I heard that the Vikings were concerned enough with Thorson’s injury to look at available punters, I hoped that Hekker was one of them. He’d competed with Thorson for the punting job through training camp. Hekker is familiar with the kicking battery of kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola. If Thorson can’t punt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Hekker should be able to easily step in as the holder. The continuity of the kicking battery is critical. After 14 years of experience, Hekker can easily handle the actual punting part of the punter job.

With Jordan Mason on injured reserve, Aaron Jones Sr. had a heavy workload against the Bears. 23 carries on a soggy, spongy turf and his 31 years clearly has the Vikings decision-maker concerned about the sustainability of leaning so heavily on Jones while Mason is out. That’s why the Vikings signed Jarret Patterson to the practice squad yesterday. The signing results in the following running back room.

Aaron Jones Sr.

Demond Claiborne

DeeJay Dallas

Jerome Ford - practice squad

Jarret Patterson - practice squad

Jones must stay healthy. While I really like what I’ve seen from DeeJay Dallas, I hope that speedy rookie Demond Claiborne gets much more than a few carries in the coming weeks. 

Signing players always means losing players. To make room on the practice squad for Johnny Hekker and Jarret Patterson, the Vikings released receiver Trayvon Rudolph and cornerback Bryce Phillips. 

The Vikings also announced that defensive tackle Taki Taimani has been waived from injured reserve. 

An NFL roster is always a fluid thing. Hopefully, any further roster tweaks made by the Vikings isn’t due to injury. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 2 Superlatives

On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings had a gritty 9-3 win over the Chicago Bears. A rainy day and soggy turf wasn’t made for offensive fireworks. Bears head coach Ben Johnson boasted last week that his offense would threaten league scoring records. Introductions to Brian Flores and the Vikings defense were apparently needed. That explosive Bears offense could only manage three points. That wasn’t enough. Here are some of the players that made the big 9-3 win possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Aaron Jones Sr., RB

The Vikings offense scored nine points, had 11 first downs, and managed 246 yards. In today’s NFL, those are meager numbers. In this game, it was enough. Aaron Jones provided a significant slice of those 246 yards.

23 carries

105 yards

Many of those yards were critical yards.

Honorable Mention: The Offensive Line

Defensive Players of the Game

All of them

All of them is every player that took a snap and every coach. This was dominant team defense. While it was the entire defense that shut down the Bears “mighty” offense, there were some singular players that made singular plays.

Dallas Turner

5 tackles

2 sacks

Through two games (two wins), Dallas Turner has arguably been the Vikings best player. In Jordan Love and Caleb Williams, Turner has harassed two of the most difficult to sack quarterbacks in the league on nearly every dropback. His sack of Tyson Bagent ended the game yesterday and sealed the big win.

Isaiah Rodgers recovered a D’Andre Swift fumble on the Vikings one-yard line and blocked a field goal that would’ve tied the score at 6-6. Those two plays likely took 10 Bears points off the board. In a game the Vikings won 9-3, that’s a big deal.

Jalen Redmond forced the fumble that Isaiah Rodgers recovered and helped keep the Bears potent run game in check. He also deflected a pass.

Special Teams Player of the Game

Will Reichard, K

With three field goals providing the winning points, Will Reichard is an easy choice as the Special Teams Player of the Game. His third field goal doinked off an upright. Even his “misses” are good. 

Vikings - Bears

Defense!

The Minnesota Vikings kicked three field goals during a rainy, soggy football game in Chicago. The Bears kicked only one. A 9-3 NFL game feels like a foreign thing in the current era. This game was more like one played in the 1970s. 

9-3. After running up 59 points against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, Bears head coach Ben Johnson boasted about his offense challenging league scoring records. He’s probably whistling a sad and different tune after running into the Vikings defense. For four quarters, the supposed offensive wizard had no answers for the defense Brian Flores put on the field. That defense was outstanding. 

Caleb Williams is always a challenge. He’s probably the league’s most difficult to catch and tackle quarterback. He also has the arm to make throws to anywhere on the field from anywhere on the field. It’s a damn shame that he left the game with an apparent hamstring injury late in the fourth quarter. That injury happened inside the 10-yard line. Tyson Bagent is a skilled backup but that’s a difficult entry with the game on the line. The Bears had to settle for a field goal attempt. Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers blocked the game-tying, chip-shot attempt to keep the score at 6-3. The Vikings offense only had a couple sustained drives on the day. One of them followed the big special teams play by Rodgers. The drive ended with a field goal with just over a minute to play and gave the Vikings a 9-3 lead. The Bears needed a touchdown with just over a minute to play. That final field goal was ultimately the difference in the game. Last week, the Vikings rode a late fourth down stop of the Green Bay Packers for a Week 1 win. Yesterday, the Vikings rode this blocked field goal to a Week 2 win. 

Unlike most football fans, I kinda like gritty, defensive football games. Not every game has to be a shootout with bewildered and sloppy defenses. The respective offenses may have left plenty to be desired yesterday but it was a rainy day and a soggy surface. The Soldier Field turf is often a problem on the best days. Consistent rain just mucks up a football game. 

The Vikings are now 2-0 and on top of the NFC North. The two wins are also against division foes.

While the Vikings defense was terrific throughout the game. They still needed a couple singular plays to preserve the win. Isaiah Rodgers was involved in both. Each came with the Bears threatening the Vikings goal line. On the opening possession of the second half, Caleb Williams guided the Bears offense to the Vikings one-yard line. On first-and-goal from the one, Vikings defensive lineman Jalen Redmond stripped D’Andre Swift of the football and Rodgers recovered the fumble. If he’d recovered the ball cleanly, he’d probably have gone 99 yards for a score. No one was catching him. Instead, he had to fall on the ball to secure it. A quarter later, he had that blocked field goal. In those two plays, Rodgers kept the Bears from scoring as much as 10 points. He nearly had a third gigantic play to seal the win. Instead, his interception at the goal line was ruled out of bounds. For what it’s worth, I thought that he had both feet in the field of play before his heel hit that white stripe. The Vikings had to withstand two more Bears offensive plays from their own 12-yard line. It was a nervy two plays. Rodgers might not have sealed the win with a third big play but edge rusher Dallas Turner did. 

Through two weeks and two wins, Dallas Turner might’ve been the Vikings best football player in both games. Last week, he harassed Packers quarterback Jordan Love all day. Yesterday, he did the same thing to Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent. Again, Williams is difficult to catch and even more difficult to get to the ground. Turner did it once. He also sacked Bagent to end the game. 

The entire Vikings defense was great. Dallas Turner, Isaiah Rodgers, and Jalen Redmond highlighted the team play with the biggest plays. 

The Vikings didn’t generate a lot of offense. 246 total yards and 11 first downs won’t win a lot of games. Against the Bears, it was enough. Carson Wentz managed the game. Aaron Jones Sr. ran for 105 yards on 23 carries. His rushing and Justin Jefferson’s 55 receiving yards were nearly two-thirds of the Vikings modest offense. It was that sort of day. 

12 total points. With the meager scoring, it was interesting that each team scored a field goal on their first possession. So, half of the 12 points were scored in the game’s first ten minutes. Ben Johnson’s high-scoring offense couldn’t score again. The Vikings chipped in two more field goals. 

There were so many positives for the Vikings defense. One that must be mentioned is the solid play of first-round rookie defensive tackle Caleb Williams. With several more snaps than the first week, he made some plays. He got washed into the traffic of teammates on one play but the rest of his snaps looked positive. He was involved in six total tackles and had a tackle for loss. That was nice performance and a step forward for the gigantic rookie. 

Defense!

I can’t wait to see this Vikings defense on the field again. Up next is a road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3. 

Flea Flicker Week 2 Predictions

Week 1 was fun. It’s on to Week 2. 

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Vikings

With this game, there’s only one acceptable outcome. 

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Panthers

The Panthers defense should be feeling salty after giving up 59 points to the Bears. 

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Titans

I doubt I get this one right but it’s fun to pick against the Eagles.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots

Pick: Patriots

It’s also fun to pick against Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets

Pick: Packers

The Packers rebound from their humiliating beatdown by the Vikings.

Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: Buccaneers

Buccaneers cruise. 

New Orleans Saints @ Baltimore Ravens

Pick: Ravens

The Saints took the Lions to overtime in Week 1. The Lions might not be as frisky as some expected. The Ravens should handle the Saints.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans

Pick: Texans

This should be a fun game.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Jaguars

The Jaguars roll over Sean Payton.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers rebound from their stunning loss to the Cardinals.

Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Cowboys

Both had sad openers. Just going with the home team.

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Seahawks

The Seahawks should handle the Cardinals even if I was quarterbacking the team.

Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: 49ers

49ers roll.

Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

Chiefs roll.

Chicago Bears All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings are on the road for their Week 2 game against the Chicago Bears. The Bears are one of only two teams to compete in all 107 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 George Connor, 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 Voter Changes

The Pro Football Hall of Fame voting process has always been a controversial thing. Debating the greatness of a football career will always be a controversial thing. When several voters decided during the 2026 vote that Bill Belichick wasn’t deserving of first-ballot induction, the voting process was deemed flawed and some of the voters were revealed as petty, vindictive, and unqualified. I’ve long thought that football historians were far more qualified than most, if not all, of the media honks. All of the historians I know have an unbiased appreciation of every player and moment of football history. Sure, they have their favorite teams and players but they also have an honest view of their place in history. Among the media honks with a vote, too many only know of the players they covered and the era they lived. As a result, those voters would only consider the players they actually watched. So much for honoring and preserving the history of the game. It’s only the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s mission statement. After the mess of the Belichick vote, the process and the voters had to change and changes have now been made. Perhaps it needs to play out but the Hall’s shot-callers might’ve made things even worse. 

The Changes:

- reducing the number of voters

- eliminating the senior category 

- enshrining between three and seven candidates each year from a 15-player pool

  (13 players, one coach, and one contributor)

- scrapping the system that tasked the market-based selector to present the case for candidates

In regards to reducing the number of voters, 50 voters always felt like a reasonable number. In recent years, several voters have expressed little interest in voting on players before their time. Those individuals shouldn’t be part of the process. With that in mind, the 50 voters could use some trimming. After seeing the new roster of voters, some of the wrong voters were trimmed. 

The 28 Voters

• Jared Allen, Hall of Famer
• Howard Balzer, CardsWire, SiriusXM NFL Radio
• Jarrett Bell, USA Today
• David Birkett, Detroit Free Press
• Vic Carucci, WGRZ-TV
• Mike Chappell, CBS4/Fox59TV
• Peter Dougherty, Green Bay Press-Gazette
• Jeff Duncan, Times-Picayune
• Dan Fouts, Broadcaster, Hall of Famer
• Scott Garceau, 105.7 The Fan/WMAR-TV
• Bob Glauber, Author
• Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star
• Nicki Jhabvala, Pro Football Writers of America
• Lindsay Jones, The Ringer
• Ira Kaufman, JoeBucsFan.com 
• Ross Ketover, NFL Films
• Sam Kouvaris, SamSportsLine.com
• Jeff Legwold, ESPN
• Rob Maaddi, Associated Press
• Gary Myers, Author
• Sal Paolantonio, Senior National Correspondent, ESPN
• Dan Pompei, The Athletic
• Mike Sando, The Athletic
• Will Shields, Hall of Famer
• Jim Trotter, Retired, The Athletic & NFL Network
• Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News
• Eric Williams, Sports Illustrated
• Charean Williams, Pro Football Talk

Rick Gosselin and Ron Borges were two of the greatest advocates for deserving senior candidates. They were cut. Perhaps they were cut because they were so supportive of the players lost to ignorance. Seeing as the changes include eliminating the senior category, it’s pretty clear the current Pro Football Hall of Fame shot-callers do not care about football’s past and forgotten deserving senior players. Also, I like Dan Pompei but a flight to Canton in for the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions had me questioning his knowledge of football history. I was sitting behind Pompei on the flight and overheard him chatting with another passenger. They were discussing senior inductee Curley Culp. Despite being on the senior committee that selected Culp, Pompei couldn’t recall if he’d won a Super Bowl. Anyway, as much as I love Jared Allen, I’d rather see Gosselin and Borges voting on the Hall of Famers. Or John McClain. Or Clark Judge. I also believe that any voter that kept Bill Belichick from being the first-ballot inductee his career demanded should’ve been eliminated. That includes Vahe Gregorian. It’s horseshit that he made the cut. 

We’ll see how the 2027 vote plays out but I have very little faith in these changes. Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter and the Hall’s board have made major changes to the process in their five years of running the show. Those changes are creating a pattern of addressing a mistake with a bigger mistake. For the sake of the Hall and football history, I hope I’m wrong. 

Throwback Thursday: Red Grange’s Football Tour

Through its first five years, the National Football League was a shaky and questionable business. The most popular sports in the 1920s were baseball, boxing, college football, and horse racing. Some folks probably sprinkled in tennis and golf before they even considered paying attention to professional football. Joe Carr, George Halas, Curly Lambeau, Chris O’Brien, Carl Storck, and the rest of the league’s leaders were scraping, scratching, doing everything they could to gain notice and traction with the media and public. Enter Harold “Red” Grange. 

The 1920s introduced the nation to sports celebrities. Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Bobby Jones, Helen Wills, Lou Gehrig, Man o’ War, and Bill Tilden thrilled a public that finally had some spare time. In his three years at Illinois, Red Grange joined those sports celebrities. People flocked to the stadium to see him live and to theaters to see his highlights. The NFL needed him. They needed him bad. 1925 was 11 years before the first NFL Draft. Every potential professional football player was essentially a free agent. In an attempt to gain a bit of respect and credibility with the public, the NFL had established a policy of no tampering with college football players that still had remaining eligibility. Grange’s last football game as an innocent University of Illinois student-athlete was at Ohio State on November 21, 1925. A day later, he was sitting on the sidelines at Cubs Park for the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers game. He was watching his new teammates shut out the Packers 21-0. Four days later, he played for the Bears against the Chicago Cardinals on Thanksgiving. 120 hours after his final college football game, Red Grange played in his first NFL game. Perhaps he wasn’t so innocent. 

If the general public wasn’t so thrilled to see Red Grange play professional football, they might’ve been suspicious as to how Grange signed with the Bears in only a matter of hours. The reality was that it had been in the works for weeks, maybe months. All of that and all that was to come was crafted by Grange’s agent. A theater owner named C.C. Pyle had an expansive plan for Grange, the Bears, and himself. C.C. Pyle was a piece of work but this story isn’t really about him. This story is about the ridiculous football marathon that kicked off soon after Grange joined the Bears. 

It’s really no stretch to say that the addition of Red Grange to the roster of the Chicago Bears and the NFL put player, team, and league on a whole other trajectory. All three needed each other. All three looked to profit from the new union. What happened after Grange joined the Bears could never happen today. It shouldn’t have happened in 1925. Grange and his new teammates played a lot of football. 

Most of the following is taken from Chris Willis’ excellent and incredibly thorough Red Grange: The Life and Legacy of the NFL’s First Superstar.

Red Grange’s Football Tour:

After playing in his final eight-game season for the University of Illinois, Grange played in the final two games of the Chicago Bears 1925 schedule:

11/26/25: Chicago Cardinals

11/29/25: Columbus Tigers

That was just the beginning. With Grange on the team, George Halas and the Bears went on a tour. It was a barnstorming tour with two parts. Here’s the first part.

Wednesday, December 2, at St. Louis All-Stars

Saturday, December 5, at Frankford Yellow Jackets (NFL game)

Sunday, December 6, at New York Giants (NFL game)

Tuesday, December 8, at Washington All-Stars

Wednesday, December 9, Providence Steam Roller (NFL game)

Thursday, December 10, Pittsburgh All-Stars

Saturday, December 12, Detroit Panthers (NFL game)

Sunday, December 13, New York Giants (NFL game)

Over 11 days, Grange and the Bears played eight games. At one point in the tour, they played six games in eight days. It was an insane schedule. The Bears had 20 players on their roster for these games. In those days, players played offense, defense, and special teams. Much to the disappointment of the fans in the stands, Grange did not play every minute of every game. The highlight of the tour was the December 6 game in New York. Attendance for the game was estimated between 65,000 and 70,000. Those were unimagined numbers for the NFL in the 1920s. The Bears won that game, 19-7. The crowd was thrilled when Grange returned an interception for a score to clinch the win. A frequently told story from this tour is from the stop in Washington D.C. Grange and Halas met President Calvin Coolidge at the White House. Illinois senator William McKinley made the introductions. “Mr. President, this is George Halas and Red Grange with the Chicago Bears.” President Coolidge responded by saying, “Young men, I’m very happy to meet you. I always did like animal acts.” 

During the Pittsburgh game, Grange injured his left arm while throwing a block on an interception return. It would impact his play for the final two games of this part of the tour. 

After a week of rest, Grange and the Bears continued their tour. The second part of the tour hit the south and west. 

Friday, December 25, 1925, at Coral Gables (FL) All-Stars

Friday, January 1, 1926, at Tampa (FL) Cardinals

Saturday, January 2, 1926, at Jacksonville (FL) All-Stars

Sunday, January 10, 1926, at New Orleans All-Southerns

Saturday, January 16, 1026, at Los Angeles Tigers

Sunday, January 17, 1926, at San Diego California All-Stars

Sunday, January 24, 1926, at San Francisco Tigers

Saturday, January 30, 1926, at Portland All-Stars

Sunday, January 31, 1926, at Seattle Washington All-Stars

Again, four days after completing an eight-game college football season, Red Grange played in his first NFL game for the Chicago Bears. Over two months, from 11/26/25 to 1/31/26, Grange and the Bears played 19 football games. Several of those games were on zero days rest. This was the 60-minute era. Players didn’t have the luxury of sitting and resting while the defense, offense, or special teams took the field. It was a 60-minute grind. It was a grind that Grange and the Bears did over and over again for two months. The only real break over those two months was the 12 days between the two parts of the barnstorming tour. At least it was a little time for Grange to rest his injured arm. The first part of the tour was mostly against NFL teams. The second part was mostly against “all-star” lineups. Those “all-star” teams might’ve been a little short on “stars” but they weren’t always a bunch of slappies. Stanford great and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Ernie Nevers played in the Florida games. University of Washington All-American George “Wildcat” Wilson played in the west coast games. 

Red Grange collected $125,000 for his first season as a professional football player. That was an unfathomable amount for the time. C.C. Pyle did alright for himself as well. In some respects, this initial business relationship had George Halas working for Grange and Pyle. Halas didn’t see as much take-home cash as his partners but he saw enough to keep his young team afloat during very difficult times. More important than profits for Halas and the NFL was the attention ignited by Grange and the insane barnstorming tour. Not every game was a sellout but every game brought much-needed attention to professional football. Some historians and pundits have said that Grange saved the NFL. I wouldn’t go that far but it was the first big step in the right direction for professional football. 

Post - Week 1 Minnesota Vikings Roster

An NFL roster is never really set. There’s the initial 53-man roster that’s set after the final trimmings. Then there’s often a variety of roster manipulations in advance of the first game. 

Post - Week 1 Minnesota Vikings 53 - man Roster

Offense (25)

Quarterback (3)

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Running Back (3)

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Demond Claiborne

Fullback (1)

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver (5)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

Tight End (3)

T.J. Hockenson

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Offensive Line (10)

Christian Darrisaw

Donovan Jackson

Blake Brandel

Will Fries

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Caleb Tiernan

Joe Huber

Trevor Keegan

Nick Samac 

Defense (25)

Defensive Line (6)

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Elijah Williams

Outside Linebacker (4)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Bo Richter

Chaz Chambliss

Linebacker (4)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Cornerback (5)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

Chuck Demmings

James Pierre

Zemaiah Vaughn

Safety (6)

Harrison Smith

Josh Metellus

Jay Ward

Theo Jackson

Jakobe Thomas

Jacob Thomas

Special Teams (3)

Kicker (1)

Will Reichard

Punter (1)

Brett Thorson

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola

***

After an offseason of wondering, it’s so great to see Harrison Smith on the roster. 

Until the next tweak, the above is the Minnesota Vikings 53-man roster. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 1 Superlatives

For nearly three-quarters of the game, the Minnesota Vikings did all they could to hand the Green Bay Packers a season-opening win. Over the final 20 minutes, the Vikings offense scored 29 points and the defense overwhelmed Jordan Love and the Packers offense. It made for a ridiculous, improbable 39-22 Vikings win. Here are some of the players that made thrilling win possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Justin Jefferson, WR

Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the league. When the Vikings offense needed a play, it was Jefferson that provided one. For six years, that’s often been the case. 

8 catches

92 yards

2 TDs

1 2-pt Rec

Jefferson scored the Vikings first touchdown of the game and the last. 

Honorable Mention:

Carson Wentz, QB

The play of Carson Wentz has to be acknowledged. Packer stupidity and dirty play took out starting quarterback Kyler Murray with a concussion before the first quarter was done. That put Wentz on the field. His lack of practice snaps showed as he struggled with accuracy throughout the game but he made the plays he had to make. His gritty play guided an unlikely comeback. Three touchdown passes, no turnovers. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Dallas Turner, OLB

Entering his third season, a lot was expected of Dallas Turner. He was ready for this opportunity. The draft day-trade of Jonathan Greenard showed that the Vikings knew he was ready. Against the Packers, Turner showed that he was ready. 

10 QB Pressures

4 QB Hurries

4 QB Hits

1 Sack 

1 Forced Fumble

There weren’t a lot of Vikings players that played well throughout the game. Dallas Turner was one player that did. 

Special Teams Player of the Game

Myles Price, Returner

Myles Price showed last year as an undrafted rookie that he has some pop as a returner. His 68-yard, third quarter return was a spark the Vikings desperately needed. It gave the offense a short field and set up Carson Wentz’s 16-yard touchdown toss to T.J. Hockenson. That brought the Vikings to within five points of the Packers. 

Kick Returns:

5 returns

179 yards

Punt Returns

1 return

13 yards

The only thing missing from Myles Price’s 18 games as the Vikings returner is a touchdown return. I thought that he was going to get it yesterday but it’s coming. 

Vikings - Packers

When Trey Smack smacked a field goal with 5:09 remaining in the third quarter, the Green Bay Packers held a 22-10 lead over the Minnesota Vikings. When the game ended, the Vikings had a 39-22 win over the Packers. A lot happened in those final 20 minutes. 

Over the final 20 minutes, the Vikings scored 29 points. The Packers scored 0. It was an improbable, ridiculous rebound. During those 20 minutes, the Packers actually did score three points. Early in the fourth quarter with the Packers holding a 22-17 lead, Smack booted a 40-yard field goal. On the kick, Vikings edge rusher Dallas Turner was flagged for an offside penalty. Instead of an eight-point lead, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur decided to toss the three points aside and take the penalty. That flipped a fourth-and-six to a fourth-and-one opportunity. The Vikings defensive line (rookie Domonique Orange) stopped the Jordan Love sneak about six inches short of the yard to gain. That little turn of events flipped the game. For more than three quarters, the Packers had all of the momentum. Suddenly, after that fourth down stop, the Vikings had some and they built on it. The Vikings offense responded with a seven-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. It was a drive heavily assisted by the officials. Three times, the Packers defense was flagged for an infraction on third down. Three times, the Vikings failed to convert and a penalty flag kept them on the field. These weren’t imagined penalties. The Packers kept doing stupid shit that kept the Vikings offense on the field. Football has rules for a reason and this undisciplined group kept breaking those rules. If the Packers are looking for a reason for this loss, they should start by looking in the mirror. 

The Packers undisciplined play started with a cheap shot that took Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray out of the game. Packers safety Javon Bullard and lineman Lukas Van Ness converged and hit a sliding Murray. Bullard used his helmet as a weapon while Van Ness took a swing at Murray’s head. It’s the kind of bullshit play that should get a player thrown from a game and suspended for a few more. For most of the rest of the game, I couldn’t help but wonder if knocking Murray out of the game was part of the Packers gameplan. Bullard and Van Ness collectively decided to take illegal shots at the head of a defenseless player sliding at the end of a run. It sure looked like the Packers had a plan to get Murray out of the game. With their undisciplined tactics throughout the game, I actually think it’s the way this defense is going to play. Great. It lost them this game. 

For the bulk of this game the Vikings didn’t play well. Offense, defense, special teams. The Packers dominated all aspects. That can happen when a team loses their quarterback in the first quarter. About the only thing the Vikings did right was not let the Packers get more than 12 points ahead. It actually felt like it could’ve ballooned to more than a three-score lead at any moment. Call it scrappy. Call it whatever. The Vikings did enough things to not let the score get out of control. That may have been as much a key to the game as the 29 points that closed it. 

Another reason for the win was the play of Dallas Turner

10 QB Pressures

4 QB Hurries

4 QB Hits

1 Sack 

1 Forced Fumble

Turner was in the Packers backfield as often as their backs. Big things are expected from the young edge rusher this offseason and this was the first step. 

How improbable was the Vikings rebound? According to OptaSTATS:

The Vikings are the first team in NFL history to be down 12+ points with under 20 minutes left in regulation and end up winning by 17+ points. 

That’s something. 

Another something is the play of the Vikings defense to close the game. The Packers final three possessions:

1. 3 plays, -22 yards - fumble

2. 2 plays, 7 yards - interception

3. 11 plays, 53 yards - turnover on downs

A further something is the Vikings offense scoring 22 points over 2:42 in game time. 

Thanks to a splash of Packer stupidity, the Vikings flipped a demoralizing loss into a thrilling win. The Vikings are 1-0. Now, it’s on to a trip to Chicago and a Week 2 matchup with the Bears. Hopefully, the Vikings can play an entire game against the Bears like they did for twenty minutes against the Packers. 

Flea Flicker Week 1 Predictions

The 2026 NFL Season is finally here. The Minnesota Vikings kick off the season against division rival Green Bay Packers. Here are some guesses at that game and the remaining games on the Week 1 schedule.

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Vikings

There’s only one way this game is allowed to go. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals

Pick: Bengals

This could be a fun game. 

New Orleans Saints @ Detroit Lions

Pick: Saints

The Saints stun the fading Lions.

New York Jets @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Titans

The team once called the Titans playing the team currently called the Titans. The Titans take it.

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Ravens

The team currently playing in Baltimore playing the team that used to play in Baltimore. The Ravens take it.

Atlanta Falcons @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Steelers

Do the Falcons even have a quarterback?

Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers

The Panthers stun the fading Bears. 

Cleveland Browns @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Jaguars

The Jaguars roll.

Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans

Pick: Bills

The NFL likes to tee up top games for Week 1. Other than the Vikings game, this is the best matchup of this Week 1. 

Miami Dolphins @ Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: Raiders

This game might be the opposite of Bills-Texans.

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Eagles

This is more a pick against the Commanders than a pick for the Eagles.

Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers roll.

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants

Pick: Cowboys

It’s no surprise this matchup is in prime time. The Cowboys have a bit more right now than the potentially emerging Giants. 

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

It’s easy to pick against the Broncos. Sean Payton is right there with Aaron Rodgers as the most annoying individuals in the league. 

Green Bay Packers All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers in first game of the 2026 NFL Season. The Packers have a long, sometimes glorious, NFL history. They have the most NFL titles (13). Four of those titles are of the Super Bowl variety. On the eve of the big game, here’s a team of some of the best players in Packers franchise history. 

Offense

Quarterback

Bart Starr

Running Back

Johnny Blood

Fullback

Clarke Hinkle

Wide Receivers

Don Hutson

Sterling Sharpe

Tight End

Ron Kramer

Offensive Tackles

Forrest Gregg

Cal Hubbard

Offensive Guards

Mike Michalske

Jerry Kramer

Center

Jim Ringo

Defense

Defensive Ends

Reggie White

Willie Davis

Defensive Tackles

Henry Jordan

Kenny Clark 

Linebackers

Dave Robinson

RayNitschke

Clay Matthews

Cornerbacks

Herb Adderley

Charles Woodson

Safeties

Willie Wood

LeRoy Butler

Special Teams

Kicker 

Ryan Longwell

Punter

Craig Hentrich 

Returner

Travis Williams

47 Minnesota Vikings Starting Quarterbacks

The Minnesota Vikings signed Kyler Murray in March to strengthen the quarterback room and to compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. Last month, Murray was named the starter. For the fourth consecutive year, the Minnesota Vikings will start the season with a new quarterback. 

2023: Kirk Cousins

2024: Sam Darnold

2025: J.J. McCarthy

2026: Kyler Murray

Once they crawled out of their early expansion days, the Vikings have remarkably been a consistently contending team. Over the past seven decades, losing seasons have been few and winning seasons have been many. The consistent success is remarkable because the Vikings always seem to be looking for a franchise quarterback. The only franchise quarterback in team history was Fran Tarkenton. He was drafted in the third round of the 1961 NFL Draft, the first draft in franchise history. Tarkenton was great. He was so great that the Vikings traded him away after the 1966 season. It’s rare for a team with no titles to have “glory days” but the Vikings had some. Those great years started not so much with Tarkenton’s departure as Bud Grant’s arrival as head coach. Within three years, Grant had the Vikings in the Super Bowl. The late ‘60s, early ‘70s Vikings were among the best teams in the league. The only thing missing from those teams, other than a title, was a franchise quarterback. To fix that problem, the Vikings traded for Fran Tarkenton. The only franchise quarterback in team history guided the Vikings to three more Super Bowls. Tarkenton retired after the 1978 season. He retired as the holder of every league career passing record. He held those records longer than any quarterback ever has. He has a bust in Canton. The Vikings have been looking for their next franchise quarterback since Tarkenton retired in 1978. There have been some contenders for the role over the years. When it looked like they’d found that quarterback, an incredible run of bad luck took that quarterback away. 

Since their first season in 1961, the Vikings have selected five quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL Draft. 

Tommy Kramer (1977)

Daunte Culpepper (1999)

Christian Ponder (2011)

Teddy Bridgewater (2014)

J.J. McCarthy (2024)

Tommy Kramer was always fun and often great when he was on the field. The problem was that he wasn’t on the field enough. Daunte Culpepper was on an upward trajectory until a knee injury ended his time in Minnesota. Christian Ponder was drafted to be a quarterback that he never had the talent to be. As with Culpepper, a horrible knee injury ended whatever future Teddy Bridgewater might’ve had with the Vikings. Each of the four quarterbacks was drafted to be the next great Vikings quarterback. Three showed great potential and the fourth was Ponder. Now, we come to J.J. McCarthy. He lost his rookie season to a torn meniscus last summer. At least publicly, the plan wasn’t for McCarthy to start as a rookie. At least publicly, the plan was for former high-pick, now journeyman Sam Darnold to be the starting quarterback in 2024. That was then. The plan last year was for J.J. McCarthy to be the Vikings 44th starting quarterback. Injuries turned it to a season of some highs and several lows. Injuries have forced the Vikings to play a at least three quarterbacks in half of Kevin O’Connell’s four seasons as head coach. That trend forced the team’s decision-makers this offseason to put together the deepest, strongest quarterback room possible. Kyler Murray was signed. Carson Wentz was retained. Murray and McCarthy competed for the starting job. Murray won that competition. When he takes the field on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, Murray will become the 47th starting quarterback in the franchise history of the Minnesota Vikings. 

47 starting quarterbacks. Here are those quarterbacks.  

1961:

George Shaw (4)

Fran Tarkenton (10)

1962

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1963:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Ron Vander Kelen (1)

1964:

Fran Tarkenton ((14)

1965:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1966:

Fran Tarkenton (12)

Ron Vander Kelen (1)

Bob Berry (1)

1967:

Joe Kapp (11)

Ron Vander Kelen (3)

1968:

Joe Kapp (14)

1969:

Joe Kapp (13)

Gary Couzzo (1)

1970:

Gary Couzzo (12)

Bob Lee (2)

1971:

Gary Couzzo (8)

Bob Lee (4)

Norm Snead (2)

1972:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1973:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1974:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Bob Berry (1)

1975:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1976:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Bob Lee (1)

1977:

Fran Tarkenton (9)

Bob Lee (4)

Tommy Kramer (1)

1978:

Fran Tarkenton (16)

1979:

Tommy Kramer (16)

1980:

Tommy Kramer (15)

Steve Dils (1)

1981:

Tommy Kramer (14)

Steve Dils (2)

1982:

Tommy Kramer (9)

1983:

Steve Dils (12)

Tommy Kramer (3)

Wade Wilson (1)

1984:

Tommy Kramer (9)

Wade Wilson (5)

Archie Manning (2)

1985:

Tommy Kramer (15)

Wade Wilson (1)

1986:

Tommy Kramer (13)

Wade Wilson (3)

1987:

Wade Wilson (7)

Tony Adams (3) - replacement games

Tommy Kramer (5)

1988:

Wade Wilson (10)

Tommy Kramer (6)

1989:

Wade Wilson (12)

Tommy Kramer (4)

1990:

Rich Gannon (12)

Wade Wilson (4)

1991:

Rich Gannon (11)

Wade Wilson (5)

1992:

Rich Gannon (12)

Sean Salisbury (4)

1993:

Jim McMahon (12)

Sean Salisbury (4)

1994:

Warren Moon (15)

Sean Salisbury (1)

1995:

Warren Moon (16)

1996:

Warren Moon (8)

Brad Johnson (8)

1997:

Brad Johnson (13)

Randall Cunningham (3)

1998:

Randall Cunningham (14)

Brad Johnson (2)

1999:

Jeff George (10)

Randall Cunningham (6)

2000:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2001:

Daunte Culpepper (11)

Spergon Wynn (2)

Todd Bouman (3)

2002:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2003:

Daunte Culpepper (14)

Gus Frerotte (2)

2004:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2005:

Daunte Culpepper (7)

Brad Johnson (9)

2006:

Brad Johnson (14)

Tarvaris Jackson (2)

2007:

Tarvaris Jackson (12)

Kelly Holcomb (3)

Brooks Bollinger (1)

2008:

Gus Frerotte (11)

Tarvaris Jackson (5)

2009:

Brett Favre (16)

2010:

Brett Favre (13)

Tarvaris Jackson (1)

Joe Webb (2)

2011:

Donovan McNabb (6)

Christian Ponder (10)

2012:

Christian Ponder (16)

2013:

Christian Ponder (9)

Josh Freeman (1)

Matt Cassel (6)

2014:

Matt Cassel (3)

Teddy Bridgewater (12)

Christian Ponder (1)

2015:

Teddy Bridgewater (16)

2016:

Shaun Hill (1)

Sam Bradford (15)

2017:

Sam Bradford (2)

Case Keenum (14)

2018:

Kirk Cousins (16)

2019:

Kirk Cousins (15)

Sean Mannion (1)

2020:

Kirk Cousins (16)

2021:

Kirk Cousins (16)

Sean Mannion (1)

2022:

Kirk Cousins (17)

2023:

Kirk Cousins (8)

Jaren Hall (2)

Josh Dobbs (4)

Nick Mullens (3)

2024:

Sam Darnold (17)

2025: 

J.J. McCarthy (10)

Carson Wentz (5)

Max Brosmer (2)

2026:

Kyler Murray

46 Quarterbacks:

George Shaw

Fran Tarkenton

Ron Vander Kelen

Bob Berry

Joe Kapp

Gary Couzzo

Bob Lee

Norm Snead

Tommy Kramer

Steve Dils

Wade Wilson

Archie Manning

Tony Adams - replacement games

Rich Gannon

Sean Salisbury

Jim McMahon

Warren Moon

Brad Johnson

Randall Cunningham

Jeff George

Daunte Culpepper

Spergon Wynn

Todd Bouman

Gus Frerotte

Tarvaris Jackson

Kelly Holcomb

Brooks Bollinger

Brett Favre

Joe Webb

Donovan McNabb

Christian Ponder

Josh Freeman

Matt Cassel

Teddy Bridgewater

Shaun Hill

Sam Bradford

Case Keenum

Kirk Cousins

Sean Mannion

Jaren Hall

Josh Dobbs

Nick Mullens

Sam Darnold

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Kyler Murray

Minnesota Vikings Unofficial Depth Chart

The Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in the season opener. In advance of the first game of the 2026 season, the Vikings released their “unofficial” depth chart. A team-released depth chart being tagged as “unofficial” is always interesting. It’s interesting because a depth chart released by the team is as “official” as a depth chart can get. I believe the league’s teams see these depth charts as “unofficial” because they don’t want to be committed to it. Despite their questionable nature, this depth chart can be interesting. Here’s a look at the first “unofficial” depth chart of the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings “Unofficial” Depth Chart

Offense

Quarterback

Starter:

Kyler Murray

Backups:

Carson Wentz

J.J. McCarthy

Running Back

Starter:

Aaron Jones, Sr.

Jordan Mason

Backups:

Demond Claiborne

Fullback

Starter:

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver

Starter:

Justin Jefferson

Backups:

Tai Felton

Wide Receiver

Starter:

Jordan Addison

Wide Receiver 

Jauan Jennings

Backups:

Myles Price

Tight End

Starter:

T.J. Hockenson

Backups:

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Left Tackle

Starter:

Christian Darrisaw

Backups:

Ryan Van Demark

Left Guard

Starter:

Donovan Jackson

Backups:

Joe Huber

Center

Starter:

Blake Brandel

Backups:

Nick Samac

Right Guard

Starter:

Will Fries

Backup:

Trevor Keegan

Right Tackle

Starter:

Brian O’Neill

Backups:

Caleb Tiernan

Defense

Defensive Line

Starters:

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez 

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Backups:

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Elijah Williams

Outside Linebacker

Starters:

Dallas Turner

Andrew Van Ginkel

Backups:

Chaz Chambliss

Bo Richter

Inside Linebacker

Starters:

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Backups:

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Cornerback:

Starter:

Isaiah Rodgers

Backups:

James Pierre

Zemaiah Vaughn

Cornerback

Starter:

Byron Murphy Jr.

Backup:

Chuck Demmings

Safety

Joshua Metellus

Backups:

Jay Ward

Jakobe Thomas

Safety

Starter:

Harrison Smith

Backups:

Theo Jackson

Jacob Thomas

Special Teams

Punter/Holder

Starter:

Brett Thorson

Kicker

Starter:

Will Reichard

Long Snapper

Starter:

Andrew DePaola

Punt Returner

Starter:

Myles Price

Backup:

Tai Felton

Kick Returner

Starter:

Myles Price

Backup:

Tai Felton

Demond Claiborne

***

First of all, it’s so great to finally see Harrison Smith on the field on the depth chart. Even though it took all offseason, training camp, and preseason for him to officially return, I’m not close to being ready to not seeing #22 roaming around the Vikings defense. 

The depth chart focus for most is Carson Wentz being named QB2. Maybe this will ease the twisted fixation on J.J. McCarthy. From college through his first 2+ years in the league, there’s been nothing normal about the coverage of the young quarterback. Maybe he can now get a bit of peace for a little while. 

Some Depth Chart Curiosities:

1. Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason as joint running back starters. 

2. In Nick Samac and Trevor Keegan, about half of the offensive line depth was added after cutdown day. 

3. The Vikings defensive line group is going to be fun. 

4. The overall depth, especially on defense, is much improved. 

5. For months, the depth at outside linebacker has been a concern for media and fans. The Vikings finally addressed that concern last week with the signing of Kyler Van Noy. His roster presence in shown in this depth chart as he’s currently on the practice squad. 

6. Welcome Back Harrison Smith

Flea Flicker 2026 Predictions

Here’s a guess at which teams win the divisions and which team wins it all. 

NFC North

1. Minnesota Vikings

2. Detroit Lions

3. Green Bay Packers

4. Chicago Bears

This is an easy pick. 

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys

2. Philadelphia Eagles 

3. New York Giants
4. Washington Commanders

The Cowboys take advantage of an Eagles fade. The Giants and Commanders could be lurking as any of the four could win this division. 

NFC South

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2. Carolina Panthers

3. New Orleans Saints 

4. Atlanta Falcons

This feels like a three-team race. 

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers 

2. Los Angeles Rams

3. Seattle Seahawks

4. Arizona Cardinals

Somehow, the 49ers edge the money-stacked Rams. The defending champs are left fighting for a playoff spot. 

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens

2. Cincinnati Bengals

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

4. Cleveland Browns

This is a two team race. 

AFC East

1. Buffalo Bills

2. New England Patriots

3. New York Jets
4. Miami Dolphins

The Patriots drop with a more challenging schedule. For the first time in a while, the Jets aren’t the worst team in the AFC East. 

AFC South

1. Houston Texans
2. Jacksonville Jaguars

3. Indianapolis Colts

4. Tennessee Titans

This division could be a lot of fun for a while. 

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Los Angeles Chargers

3. Denver Broncos

4. Las Vegas Raiders

This should be a fun three-team battle. 

Super Bowl
Minnesota Vikings over Buffalo Bills

Finally! 

Flea Flicker 2026 Awards Predictions

A new NFL season kicks off this week. Who will bring home some hardware in 2026? 

Most Valuable Player

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

Offensive Player of the Year

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Defensive Player of the Year

Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Houston Texans

Comeback Player of the Year

Kyler Murray, QB, Minnesota Vikings 

Coach of the Year

Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks 

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Caleb Downs, S, Dallas Cowboys

All-Pro Team

Quarterback

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

Running Back

Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers

Fullback

Max Bredeson, Minnesota Vikings 

Wide Receivers

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens

Tight End

Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

Offensive Tackles

Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings

Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles

Offensive Guards

Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts 

Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos 

Center

Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs

Defense

Edge Rushers

Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings 

Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans

Interior Defensive Linemen

Jalen Redmond, Minnesota Vikings 

Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants

Linebackers

Ernest Jones, Seattles Seahawks

Blake Cashman, Minnesota Vikings

Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens

Cornerbacks

Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos

Derrick Stingley Jr., Houston Texans

Safeties

Joshua Metellus, Minnesota Vikings

Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens

Special Teams

Kicker

Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings

Punter

Jordan Stout, Baltimore Ravens

Kick Returner

Myles Price, Minnesota Vikings 

Punt Returner

Rashid Shaheed, Seattle Seahawks

Core Special Teamer

Bo Richter, Minnesota Vikings 

Long Snapper

Andrew DePaola, Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings Roster: By Age

In the week since the roster was trimmed to 53 players, the Minnesota Vikings signed 35-year old outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and brought back 37-year old safety Harrison Smith. With those two additions, there’s now a curious and substantial experience to the roster, in general, and defense, in particular. Here’s a look at the 53-man roster broken down by age. Van Noy was initially signed to the practice squad. Until he jumps to the active roster, his advanced age isn’t reflected in this breakdown. 

Minnesota Vikings Roster: By Age

39

Andrew DePaola

37

Harrison Smith

33

Carson Wentz

31

Eric Wilson

Andrew Van Ginkel

Aaron Jones Sr.

30

Brian O’Neill

Blake Cashman

29

James Pierre

Josh Oliver

Kyler Murray

Jauan Jennings

T.J. Hockenson

Blake Brandel

28

Ryan Van Demark

Isaiah Rodgers

Byron Murphy Jr.

Joshua Metellus

Will Fries

27

Jalen Redmond

Jordan Mason

Justin Jefferson

Theo Jackson

Christian Darrisaw

26

Jay Ward

Brett Thorson

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Bo Richter

Trevor Keegan

25

Nick Samac

Will Reichard

Ivan Pace Jr.

24

Ben Yurosek

Zemaiah Vaughn

Myles Price

Joe Huber

Jordan Addison

23

Elijah Williams

Dallas Turner

Caleb Tiernan

Jakobe Thomas

J.J. McCarthy

Donovan Jackson

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Jake Golday

Tai Felton

Chuck Demmings

Chaz Chambliss

Max Bredeson

Gavin Bartholomew 

Caleb Banks

22

Jacob Thomas

Domonique Orange

Demond Claiborne

***

Since the Vikings have yet to announce a corresponding roster move after the addition of Harrison Smith, the roster currently holds 54 players. 

Assuming Kyle Van Noy will soon be added to the 53-man roster, the Vikings defense will occasionally have five players on the field over the age of 30.

Harrison Smith - 37

Kyle Van Noy - 35

Eric Wilson - 31

Andrew Van Ginkel - 31

Blake Cashman - 30

No worries. The Vikings also have some promising defensive players under the age of 25 playing with and learning from those graybeards.

Jakobe Thomas - 23

Jacob Thomas - 22

Jake Golday - 23

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins - 23

Chuck Demmings - 23

Caleb Banks - 23

Domonique Orange - 22

If all goes as planned, those youngsters will supplement a smart, experienced defense now and lead it in a couple years. 

Brian Flores has crafted a defense of smart players. For that defense to operate at its best, experienced and instinctive defenders like Harrison Smith, Joshua Metellus, Byron Murphy Jr., Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Andrew Van Ginkel are needed. 

I fell for the Vikings in the 1970s when the team was filled with brilliant players in their 30s. It was an experienced group that made Super Bowl appearances routine. Winning the damn game was the difficulty. As a young Vikings fan, that was my normal. While experience is a characteristic shared by these teams separated by decades, the current Vikings team is downright youthful compared to those great teams. Hopefully, the splash of experience is what it takes to finally get back to the Super Bowl. Just win it this time!