Punter Speaks

Since the specialization of their positions in the last 40-50 years, kickers and punters have been a little different. Unless they kick a game-winning field goal or stick a punt inside the 5-yard line they are rarely accepted on the team as fellow football players. They practice by themselves over on a side field. They should be rarely seen and preferably never heard. Until now. Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe is not only unlike any other football player. He's unlike any other kicker or punter. He's definitely unique. Fortunately for all of us, Chris Kluwe is a punter that speaks. In a chaotic time his seems to be the only reasonable voice out there. Kluwe approaches issues logically. Too often those that are logical in their thinking lack imagination. Kluwe's logical ways is nicely spiced with a vivid imagination. In a recent article in the New York Times, the writer referred to Kluwe as the most interesting player in the National Football League. That's not the best sampling site but Kluwe would be the most interesting in any circle. With an incredible grasp of the English language, he writes and speaks well on a wide range of topics. Somewhat surprisingly, one of those topics wouldn't be football. He knows little of his own sport. His father says that the NFL punter could only name 14 of the 16 teams in the Vikings' conference. Other things simply interest him more but if you ask him about the physics of punting a football he's got it covered. Recently, Kluwe has received a lot of attention for his views on same sex marriages. His words have been some of the most eloquent and logical that I've heard. After hearing his comments, many have stated that the NFL punter says exactly what they have always wanted to say but never quite had the words. I know exactly how they feel. When Kluwe speaks everything just seems to make sense. So much so that it's difficult to imagine anyone being against same sex marriage after reading or listening to his words. It's a basic human right that everyone should have.

When Chris Kluwe decides to hang up his punting shoes I don't think that he'll be short of things to fill up his time. He currently plays bass in the Minneapolis band Tripping Icarus. All topics, except maybe football, seem to interest him so he never has shortage of books to read. He consumes them. This is remarkable considering his great interest in role playing games. I know very little of this activity so I can't really speak of it. I do understand that to do it well you can't rush through it. With a wife and two little girls, Chris Kluwe is a very busy man. It's remarkable to me that he has enough time in the day to do all those things that interest him. He stresses the importance of balancing all that is in your life. Most have far less to balance.

As for his current day job, Chris Kluwe is one of the best punters in the NFL. I've thought as much since he joined the Vikings in 2005. The Seattle Seahawks had signed him as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA. When the Seahawks released him before the start of the season the Vikings immediately grabbed him. The Vikings had played their last preseason game that year against Seattle and I've always wondered if it was something of a job interview for Kluwe. Whatever happened, the Vikings never looked back. He's punted the ball well and consistently. While some teams have their punters inflate their averages by booming punts whenever possible, Kluwe has made his mark as a directional punter. He's quite skilled at pinning teams inside their own 20-yard line. His hang time and accuracy allows for the coverage team to negate the opponent's return game. Personally, I wouldn't trade Chris Kluwe for any other punter in the league. The Vikings haven't had a punter for any significant length of time since Greg Coleman in the '80s. It's always nice to not have to worry about a particular position, even punter, for a while. Kluwe has provided that stability since 2005. I believe that he's only signed through next year. My guess is that any re-signing is dependent on whether he wants to keep playing football. I sure hope that he does but I understand if he has more important things to do. If he chooses to walk away from the game, I am thankful for the contact that he maintains through Twitter. His tweets are frequently hilarious and always thoughtful. It's never boring with Chris Kluwe around.

Trade Deadline

Today was supposed to be the NFL's trade deadline. Hurricane Sandy pushed that back 48 hours to Thursday. This deadline usually passes without much notice. In most everything he does, commissioner Roger Goodell has the best of the league in mind but he can get a little squirrely with some things. His quest for an 18-game season is pure idiocy. There's no reason for it. For someone supposedly so incredibly concerned with player safety adding two games seems like the last thing Goodell should pursue. The trade deadline is another of his pet projects. It used to be after the week six games. Goodell, and others, felt that was too early in the season. They felt that moving it back two weeks would ignite more trade interest among the teams. I believe that the NFL power people are envious all of the attention that the trade deadline gets in the other  professional leagues. The midseason trading frenzy in baseball, basketball and hockey is sometimes more active than their offseason. The weeks leading up to those deadlines is filled with chatter. Rumors are everywhere. The NFL wants people thinking and talking NFL all of the time. Whether it's real or fantasy football, it seems that people are already talking about the NFL around the clock. The NFL always wants more. They want the attention around their trade deadline that the other leagues have. In moving the deadline back two weeks the thinking is that teams will be more inclined to deal. More players might be injured forcing teams to look for replacements better than those found on the streets. Later in the season, even just two weeks, teams might see that the season is lost or that they need something extra to chase the playoffs. Another two weeks might push teams into being buyers or sellers. At least that is the hope in the NFL's New York offices. Personally, I don't buy it. There might be more trades. Which isn't really saying too much seeing as there are rarely any trades at the deadline. I just don't think that it makes much difference when they set the deadline. In season football trades won't ever be a big deal. Certainly nothing like the other sports. It usually takes too long to incorporate a new player into a football team. Fairly big names like Marshawn Lynch, Braylon Edwards and Carson Palmer have moved at recent trade deadlines but it's fairly rare. This year, the Carolina Panthers might move running back DeAngelo Williams. Kansas City might trade receiver Dwayne Bowe due to ongoing contract issues. They can't keep using the franchise tag on him. There could be others. If even one of those players is traded to another team this deadline will be more active than most. Nothing like the other leagues but maybe Goodell will be smiling. We'll find out Thursday.

Take care everyone on the east coast.

Game Day

It was strange to not have a Minnesota Vikings game yesterday. I missed them. Missed them even more considering how poorly they played Thursday. I was kinda hoping for a do over.

There may not be any more annoying coaches than either Seattle's Pete Carroll or Detroit's Jim Schwartz. Both might be terrific coaches but they are tough to watch on the sidelines.

The Vikings face those two annoying coaches over the next two weeks. Starting next week with Carroll and the Seahawks.

I sure do miss Sidney Rice. He should still be catching passes in Minnesota and not Seattle.

Detroit rookie receiver Ryan Broyles is going to be a very good football player. He's seeing more playing time with the broken leg suffered by Nate Burleson last week. Broyles had a great college career at Oklahoma. If not for a knee injury he would have been one of the first receivers taken in last spring's draft. Still, the Lions took him in the second round for his potential. Two touchdowns in two weeks is only a start.
With Calvin Johnson, Titus Young Sr. and Broyles the Lions have a dangerous receiving group.

It will be a real treat to see running backs Adrian Peterson of the Vikings and Marshawn Lynch of the Seahawks playing on the same field next week. They are two of the most physical runners in the league and a blast to watch. Hopefully, the Vikings can control Lynch and keep him out of his "beast mode."

The Green Bay Packers sure seemed to struggle with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A Jaguars team missing running back Maurice Jones-Drew. I wouldn't mind seeing that struggling continue. I just hope struggling leads to a loss.

The Chicago Bears had a similar type of struggle with the Carolina Panthers. Like the Packers, they still won.

The Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants game was interesting little fight. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo played about as bad a first quarter as I've ever seen. He had a couple interceptions that might have been his most accurate throws. The Giants did just enough to lead 23-0. Before the third quarter was over the Cowboys were leading 24-23. The Giants `came back to win 29-24. It was a weird game. Despite the horrible beginning, the Cowboys outplayed the Giants. 22 of the 29 points that the Giants scored were field goals and a defensive touchdown.

It was really sad to see New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma playing football this year.

Next week is bad news for the Seattle Seahawks.

Stay Safe East Coast.

Game Day

It was horrible to watch South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore go down with a brutal knee injury. He was just getting back to his brilliant self following a torn ACL last year. The seriousness of this injury was obvious. You can often see the quality of a person by the reaction of his friends and foes in tough times. When Lattimore was about to be taken from the field the entire South Carolina AND Tennessee teams came to him. It was one of the worst and best things that I've ever seen on a football field. I can't wait to see Marcus Lattimore running the football again like few can.

Utah was supposed to be the worst team in the Pac-12. Cal did about everything they could to change that opinion in a 49-27 loss. Directv and their idiocy may have saved my sanity by keeping this Cal game away from me once again. The best that Cal can hope for is a record of 6-6. They would have to beat Washington, Oregon and Oregon St. to accomplish that. That's a tough task.

This Alabama team might be able to beat some NFL teams.

From a Sports Illustrated players poll on the most overrated player in the NFL:

Tim Tebow      34% of the vote
Mark Sanchez    8
Tony Romo        8
Michael Vick       4
Ray Lewis          3

First of all, I don't really see how a backup quarterback can be considered overrated. Second of all, New York Jets fans must feel terrific about their team's quarterback position. Third of all, I don't see how a player as accomplished as Ray Lewis can be anywhere near this list. He's 37! He's not going to play like he's 25. Before his injury he was still playing linebacker better than most linebackers a decade younger.

"I've eaten burritos bigger than you."
                 -Texans defensive end J.J Watt to Ravens back Ray Rice

NFL Network's most recent episode of their fantastic "A Football Life" series documented the San Francisco 49ers days of Eddie DeBartolo Jr. Former 49ers executive Carmen Policy admitted that he was told to fire Bill Walsh 7 or 8 times.

"I'd rather fall down. I'd run by him. I don't even try to get close to him. If I ran into Peyton Manning in practice, they'd probably let me go. They'd probably let my position coach go."
                -Broncos linebacker Von Miller

Dan Patrick: When did you turn in your 49ers fan card?
Aaron Rodgers: April 23, 2005

I found this little nugget, talked about on Peter King's podcast, very interesting. At Tennessee, Peyton Manning's backup at quarterback was current Colorado Rockies baseball player Todd Helton. At Mississippi, Eli Manning's backup quarterback was current Oakland A's baseball player Seth Smith. Helton and Smith were teammates in Colorado for a while. Both Manning's, Helton and Smith were coached by David Cutcliffe during their college football careers.

It's always strange to have a football Sunday without the Minnesota Vikings. I'll find a way to survive. The NFL has seen fit to make it possible for me to watch the Vikings next two opponents in the very same game with Seattle visiting Detroit. Leslie Frazier wants me to do some advance scouting so I'll probably watch that game.

Field Position

When I was first learning about the great game of football my father would always stress the importance of field position. He would always say that teams are in pretty good shape if they can start each possession at the 20-yard line or better. He'd add that the offense was successful if they could convert at least one first down. Scoring wasn't all important but moving the ball, gaining some field position was. Of course, the optimum would be for each drive to end with a touchdown but that's not realistic. A first down or two can do the job and eventually lead to something good. Announcers routinely mention that a team is winning the field position battle but in the wide open, passing of today's NFL we are always hung up on scoring. We often ignore the importance of field position. I know that I do.

The Minnesota Vikings offense has struggled recently. There are many reasons for that.  So many have beaten to death all those reasons. Few have touched on the issue of the Vikings' field position. They should because it has most certainly played a role. The Vikings have started way too many drives in the shadow of their own goal posts. The offensive play book is greatly reduced when they are backed up like that. The risks are too great to stretch the field. It's great that the Vikings have Adrian Peterson to run the ball out of there. The downside is that the defense knows that the Vikings have Adrian Peterson to run the ball out of there. They stack the line of scrimmage with confidence that the run is the call. Sometimes they have gotten the ball out of that precarious position. Too often they haven't. Even a good punt will put the opponent around midfield. From there they only have to work with half field. If the Vikings defense stands up and forces a punt their offense is likely pinned deep again. It's a very unfortunate cycle that is tough to break. This past Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a perfect example of this. In the first half the Vikings kept going three and out from deep in their own territory. The Buccaneers kept starting drives at midfield or better. It was brutal to watch. Of course, the best way to flip the field position battle is to move the ball. With the Vikings recent issues on offense that's been easier said than done.  When the playbook is limited because of field position a struggling offense struggles even more.

The Vikings have to fix this field position problem. They can do this with the return game or turnovers. Both would greatly help that struggling offense. Most importantly they have to string together some first downs. Christian Ponder with a full playbook at his disposal would make for a more confident and comfortable quarterback. The offense would immediately become more successful.

Vikings-Bucs Thoughts

I think that the Minnesota Vikings needed a full week of practice. Vikings lost their first home game of the year, 36-17.

That game really sucked. Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans might see it differently but I think that it really sucked.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder really needs to get his game back on track. He could really use some better protection but much of the offensive issues start with him. He just doesn't look real comfortable right now. He has over a week to get it together.

After cutting the Buccaneers lead in the second quarter to 13-7 the Vikings looked like they had something going. The defense finally forced a three and a out. The offense started moving the ball again but Bucs safety Rhonde Barber forced an Adrian Peterson fumble. Before you know it the score was 20-7.

Similar thing in the third quarter after Peterson broke a 64-yard touchdown that brought the score to 30-17. The Vikings defense got another three and out. The offense did nothing. The defense did its job again. Some extracurriculars between Vikings defensive end Jared Allen and Bucs tackle Donald Penn was followed by an Allen sack. The Metrodome was about to explode. The offense had to do something to keep the momentum going. They did nothing. The door that was slightly open was slammed shut.

That door was slammed shut and locked when the Buccaneers drove about 87 yards in over nine minutes spanning the third and fourth quarter to score their final touchdown. They converted five third downs.

Vikings defensive end Brian Robison has been terrific the past couple games. In the first half last night he knocked down three passes at the line of scrimmage. He came so close to intercepting all three. He'll be thinking about those chances.

Adrian Peterson had his second straight excellent game. 123 yards on 15 carries. He finally broke a long run on his 64-yard touchdown.

The Vikings targeted receiver Jerome Simpson on deep throws several times. They only connected once. They really need to see some success on those throws. They need someone to take pressure off Peterson and the awesome Percy Harvin.

They need tight end Kyle Rudolph too.

One game changer and perhaps season changer was when Vikings corner Chris Cook left the game with what has been reported as a broken wrist. This is a tough loss. Cook has been terrific. Hopefully he'll be back this season. The Vikings need him. At least they have better corner depth than they've had in recent years.

An indication of the game in general was a horrible shotgun snap by Vikings center John Sullivan. On third and long, late in the game, the usually steady Sullivan was low with the snap and Ponder was sacked. It ended an offensive opportunity before it started. I can't remember the last time Sullivan was off with a snap.

I really liked Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin coming out of Boise St. last year. His impact last night was the real difference for the Tampa Bay offense. He was great. 135 yards rushing. 214 total yards. Two touchdowns. He has a very bright future. I would have preferred that he'd waited for another week to break out like this.

It's interesting, maybe only to me, to note that the Vikings three losses on the season were due in large part to stellar performances by rookies. Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and now Doug Martin.  Those three youngsters often made the Vikings look foolish.

I really think that the Vikings needed this game. They travel to Seattle in week 9. That's a real tough place to play. Going into this season I saw the 49ers and this Seahawks game as the Vikings' toughest tasks before their week 11 bye. The Vikings surprised the 49ers. They have to take care of the Seahawks too. After the bye the schedule gets real brutal with Chicago twice, Green Bay twice and Houston in the last six games.

On a positive note. It's a real treat to hear Mike Mayock announce a football game. He knows his football. Just to add to his incredible impact on the game the late Steve Sabol had a lot to do with Mayock finding his football career. Brad Nessler completes one of the best announcing teams around.

The Vikings have some work to do in the next week plus.

That game sucked.

Throwback Thursday: Shaughnessy's All-Time All-Americans

On my recent travels I happened upon an old Esquire football book written by Clark Shaugnessy in 1943. It only cost a buck at the time! Shaugnessy was one of the greatest offensive innovators football has ever known. Some have called him the "father of the T-formation." He didn't invent it but he certainly made it his own. When he consulted the Chicago Bears to a 73-0 blowout of the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship game weeks before he led his own Stanford team to a Rose Bowl victory and #1 ranking, he became a coaching legend. Clark Shaugnessy knew his football. In this book he selected the greatest football games, plays, backfields and an All-Time All-American team. I'll likely return to his other lists at later dates but today I'm presenting his All-Time team. Back in those days the players played both offense, defense and special teams so of course there are only eleven players on this team. Here they are:

Quarterback: Earl "Dutch" Clark   Colorado College 1927
Right Halfback: Harold "Red" Grange   Illinois 1924
Left Halfback: George Gipp   Notre Dame 1919
Fullback: Jim Thorpe   Carlisle 1911
Tackle: Bronko Nagurski   Minnesota 1929
Tackle: Wilbur "Pete" Henry   Washington & Jefferson 1919
Guard: William "Pudge" Heffelfinger   Yale 1889
Guard: T. Truxton Hare   Pennsylvania 1900
Center: Bob Peck   Pittsburgh 1916
End: Don Hutson   Alabama 1935
End: Brick Muller  California 1921

-it is great to see Cal represented on this list
-Clark, Grange, Thorpe, Nagurski, Henry and Hutson are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
-Heffelfinger likely should be in the Hall of Fame as he was the first known professional football player. If nothing else, his contract is Canton.
-it's interesting that Shaugnessy placed Nagurski at tackle. The Bronk played the position but was mostly a fullback. Nagurski or Thorpe? Oh, my. Both had to be on the team.

Bounty Mess

So, the NFL Players Association is going back in time in their defense of the New Orleans Saints players that took part in a bounty system. The union is using the "Smash for Cash" program run by Green Bay Packers defensive end Reggie White nearly twenty years ago as evidence that the NFL once accepted a bounty system. White had a system of rewarding his teammates monetarily for big plays in games. Since the league allowed it then, the union claims that's enough to say that it's a-okay now. This is ridiculous on so many levels that I initially thought that the whole thing was a big joke. First of all, just because something was legal at some point in the past doesn't mean that it should be legal now. Only a couple of years ago it was fine to inflict helmet-to-helmet harm on opponents. There's a whole list of things that could be done on a football field during the career of Reggie White that would draw fines and suspensions now. The union must see that this path is absurd. Beyond going to the relative distant past to justify the Saints bounty system, White's "Smash for Cash" isn't even the same thing. Unfortunately, White is no longer with us to explain his program but LeRoy Butler is. White's teammate on those Packers teams says that they did not reward for the injury of opposing players. They only rewarded for big defensive plays. Interceptions, fumbles, sacks, etc. It wasn't a bounty system. This distinction has been one of my biggest issues throughout this entire bounty mess. For some reason everyone seems to lump bounties with pay-for-performance. Outside of money possibly being involved, they have absolutely nothing in common. One is slightly outside of being legal. One is so far outside of being legal it might even be considered criminal. Bounties are rewards for injuring opposing players. Why anyone would consider intentionally injuring other players on par with intercepting a pass is beyond me but so many have tossed them all in the same bucket. Football is an incredibly brutal game when everything is done within the rules. The only proof that I ever needed that the Saints cared little for the rules of the game was found in watching the 2009 NFC Championship game. That Saints defense only cared about breaking Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. By thier actions and reactions it was obvious that defense didn't care at all whether there were penalties or injuries. Saints idiot defensive coordinator Gregg Williams admitted as much when he said that they didn't care about the penalties. Bounties toss out the mutual respect that professional football players must have for one another in order to keep the game from going down a very dark path. The misnamed Saints just didn't care. They perpetuated a complete disrespect for their peers and for the game. They can't dive into the past to justify what they did. Nothing can justify it so why even try.

Perspective

It's tough being a fan. When the game ends the work really starts. Whether your team wins or loses you always want answers. Why did they do this or that? Why didn't they do this or that? After Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder had a fairly brutal game against the Arizona Cardinals, Vikings fans were in a fever. What's wrong with Ponder? It didn't seem to matter that the Vikings won the game. It didn't seem to matter that the Cardinals have a very talented defense. In my long career as a Vikings fan I have often been guilty of explaining away any Vikings inefficiencies as something that they failed to do well enough. It was always on them. I couldn't accept or didn't think to accept the possibility that the Vikings' opponents had something to do with their issues. There was no way that the opponents' offense or defense made the plays that they needed to make. Through the years I've tried to remember that there are two football teams on that field trying to win the game. In this past game against the Cardinals, the Vikings defense had a difficult time keeping running back LaRod Stephens-Howling under control. The player whose teammates call "Hyphen" was terrific all day. He slipped past tackles. He broke tackles. The Vikings defense had been extremely efficient at tackling all season. They weren't very efficient at getting this Cardinal ball carrier to the ground. It's unlikely that they forgot how to accomplish this most basic of football skills in one game. Give "Hyphen" some credit. He played great. The Cardinals defense played great against the Vikings passing game as well. It wasn't so much what the Vikings did poorly. It was more what the Cardinals did well. It's all about your perspective.

The Vikings still need to tackle better and Ponder needs to play better. 

Game Day Thoughts

The Minnesota Vikings defense defeated the Arizona Cardinals yesterday 21-14. Every win counts the same but the Vikings offense left a whole lot to be desired. Maybe they were planning for the Cardinals and the Thursday game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while they should be taking them one at a time. There was just something off. Fortunately, the defense was terrific. They added a score of their own in the second half to make up for lack of offense. That score ended up being the difference in the game.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder had his worst game of the season. Maybe even the worst in his short career. He was 8 of 17 for only 58 yards and two interceptions. Fairly brutal statistics. You have to credit the Cardinals defense for the constant pressure. Ponder never looked comfortable. 

That lack of offense was surprising considering the 153 rushing yards that the Vikings got from running back Adrian Peterson. He would have been over 200 yards if the Vikings could have strung some first downs together. Once again, he was inches away from breaking long touchdown runs. He's had a gimpy ankle for a couple of games now but you couldn't tell from his running yesterday. He was awesome. Hopefully that ankle can hold up through the Thursday game. He'll then have some time to better heal after that.

Congratulations Harrison Smith. The Vikings rookie safety had his first career interception and touchdown on the same play. The first of many to come. 

As with offensive linemen it's often best when cornerbacks are never mentioned during a game. Too many people use interceptions to judge corners. That's a mistake. If they are doing their job the ball is never thrown their way. Vikings corner Chris Cook has rarely been mentioned this season. He did an excellent job yesterday against one of the best receivers in the league in Larry Fitzgerald.

The biggest problem with the Vikings offense yesterday, and with any offense that is struggling, was third down conversions. If you can't stay on the field you are going to have problems. The Vikings converted only one in ten opportunities. The only first down in the second half was on the last play of the game and it came on a fourth down attempt. It's tough to win that way.

Fortunately, the Vikings defense played great. They gave up more yards than was comfortable but kept the Cardinals from scoring. They added a score of their own in Smith's interception return and they sacked John Skelton seven times. Defensive ends Brian Robison (3 sacks and a forced fumble) and Jared Allen (2 sacks) were excellent. 

Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington is a tremendous football player. I liked him a lot in the 2010 NFL Draft out of TCU. He's excellent in pass coverage and pretty much everything else expected from a linebacker. He might be as complete a linebacker as any in the league. He's fun to watch unless you're a fan of the team playing the Cardinals.

Missing a bunch of running backs, the Cardinals got some great work from LaRod Stephens-Howling. The Vikings had a real tough time getting hold of the little guy. He gashed the Vikings repeatedly.

The Cardinals are now 4-3 after starting 4-0. They have three of the best teams in the NFC, maybe the NFL, in front of them with the 49ers, Packers and Falcons. Their bye is in that stretch to allow for them to momentarily come up for air. That's real tough road for a team that had a real great start.

I hate the Thursday games. It's not a safe scheduling practice. If the Vikings have to play a Thursday game it's nice to have that game and the preceding game at home as they do this week.

I caught the Washington Redskins-New York Giants game at the right moment. After the Vikings game I switched just in time to see Eli Manning connect with Victor Cruz on a 77-yard scoring play. It ended up being the game-winning play.

Then, I switched to the New Orleans Saints-Tampa Bay Buccaneers to catch the ending of that terrific game. It was fun to see the creamsicle Bucs uniform. That pirate on the helmet might be a little goofy but I always liked those uniforms.

Great game by Buccaneers receiver Vincent Jackson. 7 catches for 216 yards and a touchdown. I was skeptical of his free agency signing this past offseason. For a receiver over 30 it seemed a bit pricey. I was wrong. Jackson has been a difference maker. The Vikings have to keep him in check this Thursday.

The Buccaneers last play looked to be a potential game-tying touchdown pass to Mike Williams. The officials ruled that Williams had stepped out of bounds, he was pushed, and couldn't be the first player to touch the ball. Technically, quarterback Josh Freeman was still touching the ball when Williams returned to the field. This strikes me as a stupid rule. If the player is pushed out of bounds he should be able to return to the field and still be involved in the play.

It was great to see the old New England Patriots uniforms. Another one of my favorites.

The Patriots always seem to get decent production from their running backs. Perhaps because they throw the ball so much it's such a shock when they run. I'd sure like to see former Cal back Shane Vereen get more of a chance. He's got some nice skills.

It's a miracle! New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez actually looked great at the end of regulation against the Patriots. He may have found a nice friend in rookie receiver Stephen Hill.

The Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers are starting to click. Everyone that pays attention to football should have expected that.

The Houston Texans defense was awesome. I think that they came in pissed after the Packers took them apart. The Baltimore Ravens offense is dangerous and they were shut down.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has never seemed very athletic to me. The way that he can extend plays with his feet never ceases to amaze me.

Welcome back Terrell Suggs.

This week is bad news for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!

Game Day

In a football series that started in 1892 it's amazing that the points scored is separated by only four points. Cal has scored 1896 points. Stanford has scored 1892. After yesterday's disappointing game Stanford now has a 14 point edge.

Stanford wins the 2012 Big Game 21-3.

This game might have been one of the most frustrating Big Games that I've seen. Despite letting tight ends running free a few times too many, Cal's defense played well enough to win. The offense really did the defense no favors. From converting zero third downs to turnovers, the offense did very little. Stanford's defense completely destroyed Cal's running game. The two times that Cal moved the ball inside the Stanford 10-yard line they tried to score on the ground. They'd shown no ability to run against Stanford so it's a mystery as to why they'd try. The failed running attempts led to the field goal and an interception on 4th down. What could have been 14 points ended up being 3 and a very depressing loss. I just don't understand why coach Jeff Tedford insisted on forcing a running game that clearly wasn't working. With receivers Keenan Allen, Chris Harper, Bryce Treggs and tight end Richard Rodgers, Cal has the weapons to hurt an opponent through the air.

The AFLAC trivia question asked for the Cal and Stanford quarterbacks in the 1982 Big Game. The game with The Play. Everyone knows that was Gale Gilbert and John Elway. Not enough know that Gilbert played in five straight Super Bowls. 4 with the Buffalo Bills and 1 with the San Diego Chargers. Doesn't matter one bit that he lost all four. No other player has ever been part of five straight Super Bowl teams. Not even Elway.

When you play Stanford you have to cover the tight ends. It's been that way for a while now. I have no idea why Cal kept letting the Stanford tight ends run free.

Stanford running back Stefan Taylor is a fierce runner. He approached 200 rough yards yesterday.

Even in down years Cal has routinely fielded a good to great offensive line. This year isn't one of them.

Cal is the most penalized team in the nation in terms of yards. That's a tough path to successful football.

Stanford receivers caught very few passes cleanly. I guess that the important thing, for Stanford, is that the passes were caught. Just sloppy hands.

Someone should tell FOX halftime host Erin Andrews that Cal does, in fact, play in Berkeley.

I really like Charles Davis as an announcer. He was working the West Virginia-Kansas St game for FOX. I've enjoyed his work for NFL Network for a few years now. I'm glad that he's enjoying a greater TV presence. He knows his football.

West Virginia doesn't play much defense. To win they have to score a ton. Fortunately for them quarterback Geno Smith scores a ton. He didn't yesterday against Kansas St. His Heisman challenger on the other side of the field, Collin Klein, had a monster game.

Virginia Tech's Michael Cole had the luckiest interception that I've ever seen. He'd tripped while playing his deep safety position. While lying on his back the ball found him.

Cole's interception is a perfect example of the fine line between being a goat and being a hero. If the pass had been completed, it was slightly high, Cole would have been in no position, flat on his back, to prevent the likely touchdown.

I really like Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins. "He doesn't catch the ball. He takes it out of the air." He's only a sophomore but I think that he's the best receiver in the nation. He might even have been the best last year as a freshman.

Barkevious Mingo. I love that name.

Another keeper is Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux.

If you play college football away from the spotlight the best way to get some attention is to face Notre Dame. Since Notre Dame is televised everywhere you get a national audience. You also get to play in front of announcer Mike Mayock. If you're a good football player Mayock will find you. That was the case yesterday for Brigham Young defensive end Ezekial (Ziggy) Ansah. He didn't join the Cougar football team until 2010 so he's very raw. At 6'7" 270lbs and fast, his upside is enormous. Ansah immediately draws comparisons to Jason-Pierre Paul of the New York Giants as a player short on football experience but incredibly long on football talent. He'll be a first round choice next spring.

There is no site in college football more depressing than a bunch of clowns dressed in red running around a football field with the axe. Cal must get that thing back next year.

Yesterday was Lee Roy Selmon Day in Florida. Nice honor for a great football player. He was taken too soon.

49 years ago yesterday Jim Brown became the NFL's all-time leading rusher on an 8-yard run against the Philadelphia Eagles.

It's amazing that Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Terrell Suggs has returned to the active roster. His season looked to be in jeopardy when he suffered an offseason Achilles tendon injury. Stay healthy Suggs.

The Minnesota Vikings have the second highest total of snaps taken by rookie draft picks. The Cleveland Browns are first. For some reason the snaps don't include those of kicker Blair Walsh. I have no idea why special teams snaps aren't included. This important study can lead to varied conclusions. A large rookie presence can be an indictment of the preceding talent. I prefer to see it as a compliment of the choices that the Vikings made in this last NFL Draft. Matt Kalil, Harrison Smith, Josh Robinson, Rhett Ellison and Walsh have been terrific. Hopefully, recevier Jarius Wright will join that group soon. He's been slowed by a preseason ankle injury. The Vikings could use the speed that he could provide.

Go Vikings!!! Stay healthy, everyone.

Big Game Saturday

Despite being way too early in the season, Cal and Stanford battle today in the 115th Big Game. A game like no other game. Stanford issued a challenge to Cal in 1892 and the rivalry was on. These were the days before Memorial and Stanford Stadiums so that first game was played on a field at Stanyan and Haight in San Franciso. When I found that intersection now I found old Kezar Stadium. The location of the first Big Game was the site of the eventual home of the San Francisco 49ers. That might only interest me. Somehow, Stanford won the first Big Game by a score of 14-10. Cal had been playing football for just over a decade at that point. Since the two schools hadn't played before then, I assume that football was a fairly new thing in Palo Alto. So that first Stanford win might have been one of the bigger upsets in the rivalry. Personally, I find every Stanford win fairly upsetting. Including that first one. The schools didn't play for the axe back then. That didn't start until 1933. Things are right in the world only when that axe is sitting in Berkeley. That should happen today.

I've seen a bunch of Big Games. In all of those games three individual performances stand above the rest. In the 1990 Big Game Cal running back Russell White and Stanford running back Glyn Milburn had an epic duel. Milburn ran for 196 yards. White ran for 177 yards. It was an incredible "whatever you can do, I can do better" performance from both backs. Stanford upset Cal 27-25. Perhaps the greatest individual performance that I've ever seen from a football player was that of Cal cornerback/returner Deltha O'Neal in the 1999 Big Game. Cal was taken apart by Stanford 31-13. At times it looked like the game was Stanford vs O'Neal rather that Stanford vs. Cal. O'Neal did everything possible to keep Cal in the game. He returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown. He returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown. He intercepted a pass in the end zone. I've never seen a team so rattled by one player in a game that they won so easily.

Anything can happen in this game. Don;t turn away. Even if it's in October.

Go Bears!!! Beat Stanford!!!

European Vacation

In this week's owner's meetings, the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers were selected to represent the NFL in London next season. September 29 to be exact. Supposedly it's an honor to be selected.

I don't like it. I've never liked these trans-Atlantic games. The NFL loves them. They want to expand their international name. That's easy enough to understand. I just disagree with doing so at the expense of their hometown fans. They only get eight regular season games. Losing one is a significant chunk. The Vikings-Steelers game next year is a home game for Minnesota in London. Some, perhaps many, of the Vikings fans will see a European vacation in September as an extravagance beyond their means. I feel bad for them. I feel bad for the teams too. Much of the football season is built on routine. The constant Thursday night games that we have now is disruptive enough. Traveling and adjusting to London shatters the weekly routines. The game is a big deal over there. Like a little Bowl game in the middle of the season. Nothing about this game is anything like what the teams know. Fortunately, both teams are going through the same things. Fortunately, both teams have their bye the following week. Very thoughtful.

The Vikings owners are excited about being selected so maybe I'm just a fool. The owners don't have to play the game. It's easy for them to afford the trip. It's easy for them to adjust to the travel and to watch the game in comfort. Pose for some pictures. Shake some hands. I'd like to hear how the players feel about this European vacation. I know how this fan feels.

Throwback Thursday: 11 Greatest NFL Moments

In the Pro Football Hall of Fame's terrific 50th anniversary book, they put together the 11 most significant events in the history of the NFL. I don't think that they ranked them. They only picked them. Here they are:

1. 1958 NFL Championship game
2. The challenge from the AFL
3. Pete Rozelle's appointment as commissioner
4. League formation in 1920
5. The signing of Red Grange
6. NFL Draft
7. Reintegration
8. Monday Night Football
9. Super Bowl
10. Ice Bowl
11. AFL-NFL merger

It's difficult to criticize any of these choices. I tend to think that the AFL-NFL merger and the Super Bowl are connected. The latter was a direct result of the former. At first glance I didn't see that the Ice Bowl was significant enough to warrant inclusion. After reading the selectors opinions on the game I can better understand the inclusion. Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers were one of the most significant teams in league history. That game was not only a fantastic game it also put the exclamation point on Lombardi's coaching career and the Packers dynasty.

The event not on this that should be on any list of the most significant in league history is the 1932 tie-breaker game between the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans. For their first thirteen years the NFL crowned the team with the best regular season record as the champion. There was no championship game. The professional league followed college football on pretty much all matters of importance. Including the naming of a champion without the benefit of a championship game. At least there was no BCS back then. That and so many other things would change following this Bears-Spartans game. When the 1932 regular season ended with the Bears and Spartans tied at the top of the standings the NFL entered into a postseason for the first time. Because of severe weather in Chicago the game was moved indoors. Due to a smaller playing area the rules for this game had to be adjusted. When the play went out of bounds or was downed near the sideline the ball was moved away from the sidelines for the next snap. This brought about the introduction of the hash marks the next year. Forward passing rules were modified due to the play on the field of this game. This was one of the final steps toward the passing game that we know today. With these rules modifications the NFL for the first time stepped away from the college game. This was a huge step for the still young professional league. Most importantly the excitement generated by this "championship" game was like a light bulb going off for the league. Starting in 1933 the NFL would stage a Championship Game. That alone makes the Bears-Spartan one of the most significant games ever played. When you consider that it also led the NFL to leave the path paved by college football you have one of the most important events in NFL history.

By the way, the Bears won the game, 9-0.

End of Ray?

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has a torn triceps. The injury has ended his season. It may also be the end of his fantastic career. At 37, he's still playing football at level that players a decade younger can't reach. He'd been thinking about retirement even before the injury. That happens when an NFL player approaches the age of 37. Most rarely make it that far. Having an injury demand that the time is now doesn't feel right. Not for Ray Lewis. A football warrior should set those terms.

Lewis wants to watch his kids play the game that he loves. He doesn't want to hear about his kids playing the game. He wants to be on the field watching them play. I can't imagine the coaches being too comfortable with that arrangement. I see Lewis being respectful but I've also see him watching his kids play. Even Pop Warner games. The intensity of Ray Lewis the football player can be seen in Ray Lewis the football father.
It's fun to watch from a distance.

Ray Lewis has been one of the elite football players of his generation. Of any generation. He ranks with the best that the game has ever seen. I feel fortunate to have been a football fan during his time. His leadership, passion, intensity and love of the game will always be remembered. His football skills and instincts were a joy to watch. For all of that you've done for and in football, the Flea Flicker thanks you Ray Lewis.

Big Game Tragedy

So, the Cal-Stanford Big Game is this Saturday. Some might miss it because it shouldn't be this Saturday. It's not supposed to be this early. Whichever Pac-12 slappy decided to schedule the Big Game in the middle of October should be assigned to some post where they will cause less harm. All of the other Pac-12 rivalry games are scheduled for the end of the season. Where they should be. There must be a reason for this wrong but it can't be a good one. There is no good reason for the Big Game to be this early in the season. It's bad enough that Cal has had a few recent seasons in which the regular season has closed with a team other than Stanford. Even in those messed up seasons Cal and Stanford have at least met in November. This season is a tragedy.

Much of the greatness of rivalry games is the tradition. I don't see why anyone would mess with tradition but they do so repeatedly. Tradition is part of the beauty of college football. Now it's just tossed aside without a thought. Many of the traditional conferences have been blown up or scattered. That's all been about money. Sadly, money has become more important than tradition. Now they are messing with one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football. That has more to do with stupidity than money. It ain't right.

This entire college football season has been something of a disaster. Directv has seen fit to yank Cal games from me because of their idiotic refusal to come to an agreement with the Pac-12 Networks. The supreme sports provider is a supreme moron. It doesn't take a genius to see that the Pac-12 is a major conference. Nearly half of the twelve teams have spent time in the top-10. 3/4 of the teams have been part of the top-25. The conference's presence in college football is significant. Directv is making a real mistake in thinking otherwise. It shows their real lack of sports chops. It's been over thirty years since I last saw so few Cal games. All thanks to the stupidity of Directv. Luckily, one of the few games that I can see is the upcoming Big Game. It just isn't when it should be.

Game Day Thoughts

The best thing that can be said about the Minnesota Vikings 38-26 loss to the Washington Redskins is that they fought back. They put themselves in a hole and scratched and clawed their way back into the game. Frustrating. They are now 4-2 on the season.

Robert Griffin III is a chore for a defense.

After two clock stopping plays the Vikings defense was in position to force a Redskins punt with over three minutes to go and a one possession game. Next thing you know Griffin has gone 76 yards for a heart attack inducing, game clenching touchdown.

Griffin makes the Redskins a tough out every week. Great football player.

That Alfred Morris is a nice looking running back. I've been hearing a bunch about him but had yet to see him play. He only gained 47 rushing yards but he gained some big yards.

Too many field goals. The Vikings should have been up 21-0 in the first quarter. Three times they marched to the Redskins ten-yard line or further. Three field goals in the first quarter and a fourth later in the game. They have to find a way to put the ball in the end zone. A touchdown instead of field goals on just two of those and the Vikings are in position to win at the end of the game. Even with Griffin's back breaking run.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder has been real accurate this year. He had a couple really bad throws yesterday.

Redskins safety Madieu Williams did more in one play against the Vikings than he did in three years with the Vikings.

The Vikings aren't quite good enough to survive many mistakes. They had two turnovers deep in their own territory. Williams' career highlight directly led to a touchdown. Former Cal favorite Lorenzo Alexander's fumble recovery led to a one play touchdown drive. Those 14 points were killers.

They also need to prove that they can win on the road.

The Vikings really need to get (and keep) receiver Jerome Simpson in the lineup. They can move the ball but when they need to move it fast or in big chunks they often look handicapped. They need someone that can hurt defenses deep.

Percy Havin is awesome. Best football player in the league right now. Simpson really needs to bring some assistance opposite him.

Nice effort by the Dallas Cowboys at the end of their game against the Baltimore Ravens. Especially the receivers. They just mosey back to the line of scrimmage as precious seconds tick off the clock. They could have gotten in a couple more plays to get in better field goal position. Instead they have to attempt and miss a 51-yarder. Ravens win.

The Seattle Seahawks  are completely different team in Seattle. They shook down the New England Patriots yesterday. Vikings play there in three weeks.

I hate seeing receiver Sidney Rice playing for Seahawks.

I hate seeing Seahawks coach Pete Carroll celebrate. Anything.

Twice now I've seen Patriots quarterback Tom Brady called for intentional grounding on passes thrown down the middle of the field. The officials called it in this last Super Bowl and they did it again yesterday. Making that call is assuming way too much. Too much of every team's passing game is timing. The officials can't possibly know if a receiver is supposed to be in that area. You can't guess intent. I hate that call.

The undefeated Atlanta Falcons stayed that way but the Oakland Raiders threw them a scare.

Too bad the San Francisco 49ers can't play all their games against the AFC East. Seems like the 49ers start to feel pretty good about themselves and they get slapped down. The Vikings did it a few weeks ago. The New York Giants did it yesterday. Too many gifts given to the Giants defense.

49ers receiver Kyle Williams had nice smack down on Antrell Rolle on one of those interception returns.

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is a beast.

Looks like Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has his groove back.

Wow. The Texans sure played some stupid football. Two of Jordy Nelson's touchdown receptions came after the Texans defense had forced the Packers offense off of the field. Stupid penalties put them back on. Nice way to hand the Packers the points that fueled a blowout.

I find it really annoying when players take it upon themselves to mock the celebrations of other players. Last night James Jones mocked Arian Foster's little Buddha bow. Nice. Just score a touchdown like you've been there before and expect to be back. Or, be original and do your own thing. Be professional.

Next week is bad news for the Arizona Cardinals.

Game Day

Cal took care of Washington St by a score of 31-17 in Pullman. I sure wish that I could have watched the game. Directv sucks! I actually like listening to Cal's radio broadcasting team of Joe Starkey and Mike Pawlawski but I really miss actually seeing the game. Directv sucks!

Keenan Allen had a great game. 11 catches for 166 yards. His 69-yard touchdown started the scoring and set the tone of the game in Cal's favor. I really like the way that Allen plays receiver. Very few receivers run with the ball as well as Allen.

Pretty much the best thing that Cal did was keep Washington St out of the end zone. The Cougars scored two touchdowns but could have scored much more with the way that they moved the ball. Cal bent but didn't break.

Cal now sits at 3-4 with the ridiculously scheduled Big Game up next. Come on! It's the middle of October and Cal is playing Stanford. That's messed up.

Go Bears! Beat Stanford!

Notre Dame and Stanford put on a show. Excellent defense. It sure looked like Stanford's Stefan Taylor scored that touchdown in overtime. Officials thought otherwise and Notre Dame won 20-13.

Irish linebacker Manti Te'o would look awesome in Vikings purple next year.

LSU Defensive end Barkevious Mingo has the best name ever.

Every time that I see South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore I come away even more impressed. I'm pretty impressed. He gained very little against the LSU defense but he had some of the best 2-yard runs that I've seen.

It's fun to watch South Carolina's Ace Sanders return punts.

Still with South Carolina. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has a very bright future. Only a sophomore, he dominates.

Fond memories flowed over me when I found the Army-Kent game on TV yesterday. I was catching passes from my brother on that very field several years ago. Perched on the Hudson River, Army's Michie Stadium is a beauty.

I love football in all of it's forms but I could not possibly care any less about the first BCS rankings unveiling. That organization is a disaster.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson returns to the scene of the crime. His knee was thrashed in Washington last year. He's back this year. The Redskins should be very afraid.

Further proof that Jerry Jones has lost his mind. The Dallas Cowboys opened a Victoria's Secret Pink store inside Cowboys Stadium. Fercryinoutloud!

Sports Illustrated player's poll:
Who is the most underrated player in the league?

6% Justin Smith
5    Maurice Jones-Drew
5    Fred Jackson
4    Andre Johnson
4    Matt Forte

117 players received at least one vote while only Smith, Jones-Drew and Jackson were named ten or more votes. Now, it's real difficult to criticize how the players actually see themselves and the league. But seeing that Smith, Jones-Drew and Johnson are pretty much universally considered among the best in the league at their positions I don't really see how they can be considered underrated. Still, I always find it interesting to see the views of those that actually play the game.

"Nope. They're still using human beings."
     -Vikings defensive end Jared Allen when asked if teams were blocking him any different this year.

Andrew Luck's game-winning drive against the Green Bay Packers last week was amazing.

Here's to a healthy football Sunday.

Character

There have been many reasons for the Minnesota Vikings unexpected success so far this season. The defense, Percy Harvin, Christian Ponder's steady quarterback play, Percy Harvin. It's not so obvious but I think that the character of the team is the biggest reason. The character of the veterans that remain and the character of the young players that have been added. In a recent interview defensive end Jared Allen said that he wasn't sure what to expect this season. An exodus of players that he knew and the introduction of so many young players that he didn't know worried him. His skepticism was shattered at training camp. In the way that the young players worked. In the way that they bought into the program completely. In the way that the coaches didn't allow inexperience to be an excuse. In all of this Allen saw hope.

General manager Rick Spielman has made character a priority when he looks at the Vikings team that he has and the one that he wants it to be. That character might be best seen in rookie kicker Blair Walsh. After the first rookie mini camp following the draft the Vikings released veteran kicker Ryan Longwell. They'd seen enough of Walsh in one weekend to know that he could be "the guy." Despite being the only kicker on the roster Walsh saw every kicker on the street as his competition. He had the team's confidence but he found no personal job security. He felt that he had to earn his job every day. Too many players take what they have for granted. Even kickers. After the first game in which Walsh kicked a field goal to force overtime and another to win in overtime Walsh praised the rest of the team for putting him in position to do his job. He said nothing of his kicks. Fellow rookies Matt Kalil, Harrison Smith, Josh Robinson and Rhett Ellsion have all made an immediate impact on the Vikings early success. Not only do they look like future team leaders they are making strides in that direction now. On the field and off the field they haven't let inexperience be an excuse for not doing the job. The example set by the coaches and the veterans can be seen in the character shown by the rookies.

Hall of Very Good Class of 2012

Ken Crippen posted in Professional Football Researchers Association Ken Crippen 6:34am Oct 6 Congratulations to the PFRA’s Hall of Very Good Class of 2012: Bill Bergey Position: Linebacker Teams: 1969-73 Cincinnati Bengals, 1974-80 Philadelphia Eagles Curley Culp Position: DT Teams: 1968-74 Kansas City Chiefs, 1974-80 Houston Oilers, 1980-81 Detroit Lions Kenny Easley Position: DB Teams: 1981-87 Seattle Seahawks L.C. Greenwood Position: DE Teams: 1969-81 Pittsburgh Steelers Lester Hayes Position: DB Teams: 1977-81 Oakland Raiders, 1982-86 Los Angeles Raiders Jack Kemp Position: Quarterback Teams: 1957 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1960 Los Angeles Chargers, 1961-62 San Diego Chargers, 1962-69 Buffalo Bills Eddie Meador Position: Defensive Back Teams: 1959-70 Los Angeles Rams Ray Wietecha Position: C Teams: 1953-62 New York Giants Swede Youngstrom Position: G-T-E-C Teams: 1920-21 Buffalo All-Americans, 1921 Canton Bulldogs, 1922-23 Buffalo All- Americans, 1924-25 Buffalo Bisons, 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs, 1926-27 Frankford Yellowjackets* *Only includes years in the APFA/NFL

RIP Alex Karras

Former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras passed away yesterday due to kidney failure. He was 77. Many people likely remember Karras most from his acting. For his role in the sitcom "Webster" and especially for his wonderful performance as Mongo in "Blazing Saddles." Despite never having seen him play football live I remember him best for playing defensive tackle like few ever have.

Many of Karras' teammates and opponents routinely describe him as one of the best defensive players of their time. Much of what they say and what I've seen in game film reminds me of Warren Sapp. Karras was just a relentless ball of fury. Blowing up plays before they start. Harassing quarterbacks. The most remarkable thing about Karras was that he was essentially blind on the field. His vision was horrible. He reacted to colors. As a defensive tackle he was in the middle of the madness that takes place in the trenches. With everything whipping around he was able to separate opposing uniforms with incredible accuracy and find the man with the ball.

Alex Karras deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Along with Lavvie Dilweg, Mac Speedie, Jerry Kramer and now Cris Carter, Karras is at the top of the list of players that have been unfairly ignored. It's ridiculous. I've often wondered if Karras' Hall of Fame absence was due to his suspension for the entire 1963 season for gambling. The punishment was overly excessive for an offense that was little more than betting among friends but commissioner Pete Rozelle had to make a statement. Paul Hornung was suspended at the same time for the same offense and he sits comfortably in Canton. Since nothing else explains Karras' absence the suspension is all that I have. I'm just sick of seeing former greats finally honored when they are gone or never honored at all. Alex Karras will always be a Hall of Fame football player in my book.

RIP.

Wayward Jets

Watching the Houston Texans and the New York Jets play this past Monday night was a little disappointing. The last time that I saw the Jets play on a Monday night it was an entirely different experience. In 2010 the Jets were a much different team when the Minnesota Vikings visited. They were so much like their coach, Rex Ryan. They were cocky but they backed it up with a ferocious defense. Offense too. Minnesota hadn't yet become the disaster that they would be that season. But the signs were definitely there. Randy Moss had just returned for his brief, disruptive farewell visit and Brett Favre was beginning to show every bit of his advanced age. The Jets were monsters in the first half against the Vikings. Some second half magic from Favre, the last of his brilliant career, made the game much closer than it really was. That Jets team looked like one that would excel for a while. They don't look anything like that team now. The New York Jets are a mess. It's sad really. For a couple of years their rivalry with the New England Patriots was one of the best in the league. It's rivalries like the Jets-Patriots was for those years that make the NFL great. Now, the Patriots have to look outside their division for a team that infuriates them like Ryan and his team could.

Losing receiver Santonio Holmes and especially corner Darrelle Revis to injury took more from the Jets than their individual talents. It took away their swagger. Their edge. The Jets managed to keep the game with the Texans close. Losing only by a score of 23-17. A one possession game. Considering how the respective teams have played this year that's a huge step forward but the Jets kept the game close through pluck. They played like the little underdog giving it their all. They didn't play like a Ryan-led team going to war. I never thought that I'd think it but maybe playing Tim Tebow would bring back that Jets fight. That bite. The most fire that I saw from the Jets came from Tebow when he converted a fake punt. Mark Sanchez returned to the field and the team punted for real four plays later. Tebow's big play fizzled. I've never had faith in Tebow's passing but then I've never had much faith in Sanchez's passing either. I do have faith in tebow's passion. Maybe that's what the Jets need most right now.

Harvin

Minnesota Vikings receiver, runner, returner Percy Harvin is playing football right now at a level that I have rarely seen. Lawrence Taylor, Jerry Rice. Reggie White, Ed Reed and a few others have had stretches of play like this. When they step on the field the other players can only watch.

The Vikings have been one of the surprise teams in the league through five games. At 4-1 they are tied with the Chicago Bears at the top of the NFC North. An intense defense and steady Christian Ponder are big reasons for the surprising start. The biggest reason is the unbelievable play of Percy Harvin. His 814 combined yards lead the league but he didn't score his first offensive touchdown until this past game. He gained less than thirty offensive yards in a week four win at Detroit but his 105-yard opening kick return score set the tone. The Lions never recovered. His return rattled an already shaky kick coverage group. Harvin's true impact has to be seen rather than perused in a stat sheet. The way he runs. The tackles he breaks. His moves. His acceleration. His sheer determination. He's a team leader but he rallies the team most by his example. No player his size plays as physical. Few players of any size plays as physical. Percy Harvin is a beast.

Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway says that Harvin is the best player in the league right now. Some in the media have tossed about MVP thoughts. It's great that others are finally seeing the dynamic play of Harvin. Defenses have been seeing it since he entered the league. Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier has often mentioned having opposing defenses coaches coming to him talking of the chore that Harvin presents to them. He'll be the focal point of the opposing defenses moving forward. I think that Harvin likes it that way. The Vikings will keep finding ways of getting him the ball. He says that he's just doing his job. The more demanding the job the better. Percy Harvin is doing his job of football as well as or better than I've ever seen.

Game Day Thoughts

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Tennessee Titans 30-7. They did what they were supposed to do. Good teams defeat teams that they are supposed to defeat. This Vikings team has ventured into the arena of good football teams. It was probably their most complete game as they were comfortably in control the entire game. The one disappointment was losing the shutout when they gave up a late touchdown.

Through the good there were some mistakes.

Quarterback Christian Ponder threw his first interception of the season. And then his second. They were actually on consecutive pass attempts separated by halftime. Hopefully his next pass was the start of another long streak.

Too many field goals. I love what rookie kicker Blair Walsh has done in his young career. I just wish that he was spending all of his time on extra points and kickoffs.

Vikings rookie safety Harrison Smith was ejected in the second quarter for some extracurriculars. He's too important to the Vikings defense to do something so stupid. He's been a real difference maker only four games into his NFL career. He had a fumble recovery and a big stop before his ejection. Smith seems to be a fiery football player. He has to control that.

Smith's college teammate and fellow rookie Robert Blanton got his first real shot on defense after the ejection. He made a nice play on Chris Johnson to foil a 4th and 1 attempt late in the game. The Titans lone touchdown was caught by tight end Jared Cook between Blanton and and fellow safety Jamarca Sanford but he did a fine job in his first NFL action. I think that Blanton has a future lining up next to his fellow Notre Damer.

Defensive coordinator Alan Williams has made a huge impact in his first year with the Vikings. The system is basically the same. The effort is higher. Much higher. The defense swarms to the ball. They should have had the Vikings first shutout since 1993.

Percy Harvin is a beast.

Adrian Peterson is too. He's getting oh so close to running a long ways.

Titans rookie receiver Kendall Wright looks good. He was an explosive little weapon for Robert Griffin III at Baylor. He looks like he's bringing the same thing to the NFL.

After running for over 140 yards last week against San Diego, Titans running back Chris Johnson did pretty much nothing against the Vikings. He just doesn't look like the same back that went for over 2000 yards only a few years ago.

The Indianapolis Colts showed a whole lot of heart in coming back from a 21-3 deficit against the Green Bay Packers. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia last week. The passion in his team was obvious. Get well soon Coach Pagano.

Green Bay Packers rookie cornerback made a nice interception of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. I like what I've seen of Hayward this season.

 I've never seen Packers kicker Mason Crosby miss a kick like that.

The Baltimore-Kansas City game looked like a Ravens game of old. A 9-6 win. That hurry-up, point-a-minute offense kinda stalled yesterday. The Ravens defense and the running of Ray Rice can still grind out wins in those tough games. That Baltimore-Houston game in two weeks could be epic.

After being shocked by the Vikings the San Francisco 49ers have gone back to taking apart opponents. The Jets last week. The Buffalo Bills this week. The 49ers win both by a combined 79-3. That defense is fierce.

Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway is having the best season of his career. He's been an excellent football player for the Vikings but some of his best work has been off the field. His foundation benefits several causes  including children suffering from life-threatening conditions. One of the more unique aspects of his foundation's work is the help that they provide for the families of the children. They provide education and most importantly support for the siblings and parents. Everyone suffers when a child is hurting.

Next week is bad news for the Redskins.

Game Day

I hate to be all pissy on this happy football Sunday but this college football season sucks. I miss going to Cal football games. Especially with a shiny, new Memorial Stadium. Short of being at the games I miss actually seeing the games. Directv failing to add the Pac-12 Networks is ridiculous. The supreme sports provider can supremely suck it.

Cal destroyed #25 UCLA 43-17. I wish that I had seen it.

Notre Dame should never have stepped on a football field with those helmets.

West Virginia with quarterback Geno Smith leading the way has absolutely no problem scoring points but they don't play a lick of defense.

Going to back to the Minnesota Vikings-Detroit Lions game of last week for a moment. Many people, Vikings fans included, have complained about the low production of the Vikings offense against the Lions. While gaining about 250 yards might not be stellar I think that people are ignoring the impact that two kick return touchdowns have on an offense. This takes away two possessions from the offense. That's two opportunities to gain yardage and consume time. Not possessing the ball also keeps the defense on the field. This is certainly not to say that scoring touchdowns on returns is a bad thing. There is no bad in scoring touchdowns. It simply changes the game. Changes the time of possession. Changes offensive production. The Vikings offense did exactly what it needed to win that game.

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan is a riot. He had this to offer after his team was dismantled by the San Francisco 49ers last week:
"Here's a recipe for getting your ass kicked. 2 for 13 on third down. That's 15%. 4 turnovers. A blocked punt when they rush one guy. Giving up 245 yards rushing. How's that for a recipe."

"Everyone wanted perfection, but come on-the last guy who was perfect they nailed to a cross. And he wasn't even an official."
     -former replacement official Jeff Sadorus

Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely was called for unnecessary roughness against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. He was then fined for his dastardly act. I never would have imagined either punishment landing on a kicker.

I've seen former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett run for a 99 yard touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings in 1983 way too many times. I've even seen it in my sleep. I saw it the first time that Monday night. Now I find out that the play was called for fullback Ron Springs to get the ball. He wasn't even on the field. The Cowboys had only 10 players on the field. Dorsett took the ball from his startled quarterback in his own end zone and didn't stop until he was in the Vikings endzone. Happy times.

Too many people have been counting out the Tennessee Titans in their game today against the Vikings. With most people picking the Vikings to finish at the bottom of their division and the league this is amazing. Too many people are ignoring that the Titans have played the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions. They have given up a ton of points to some of the highest scoring teams in the league. No team is an easy win and the Titans are far better than their 1-3 record.

I'm not used to having to wait until the afternoon for the Vikings game. It's going to be a long morning. Next week too.

It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers-Philadelphia Eagles game for me in the morning. Maybe Atlanta-Washington. Or that Colts-Packers. Too many possibilities.

Just happened to catch a game of  Wheel of Fortune on TV. The answer to the puzzle was "Minnesota Vikings." That has to be a good sign.

Cleveland '95

I can't stay away from this team. Fortunately NFL Films feels the same as their most recent episode of "A Football Life" covers that Browns team and its incredible collection of coaches and talent evaluators. It was Bill Belichick's first head coaching job. He's such a head coaching fixture now that it's hard to imagine him just starting out with a team other than the New England Patriots. At 38, Belichick was the youngest head coach in the league when Art Modell hired him to be the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 1991. Belichick was born a football junkie. His father, literally, wrote the book on scouting methods. Junior couldn't get enough of the game. When he got his first head coaching job he surrounded himself with fellow football junkies. Whenever I see the list of football minds that started their football lives with that Cleveland team I just can't believe it. Michael Lombardi was the only one that had some history in the league. He had spent time with football trendsetters like Al Davis and Bill Walsh. When he speaks of his NFL days he speaks of his four years with Belichick with same reverence. Current general managers Thomas Dimitroff, Scott Pioli, Browns Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome and Mike Tannenbaum all started with that Cleveland team. Dimitroff's story has always intrigued me the most since his day job was on the Browns grounds crew. He'd head up to the football offices at night all sweaty and dirty to moonlight as an NFL scout. Incredible start for one of the most interesting personalities in the league. Phil Savage was also on that staff. He would return to Cleveland as the new Browns general manager. Belichick introduced this bunch of young talent evaluators to professional football. He did the same with a group of young coaches. Current Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz was there. Former New York Jets and Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini was as well. Pat Hill, Kirk Ferentz and Nick Saban found some pretty decent to fantastic head coaching success in college football. Saban referred to his Cleveland Browns days as "one of the best experiences of my coaching career." This group of twenty somethings were labeled with unfortunate nickname of "slappies." This is the second time that I've heard reference to "slappies" in the football world. Brian Billick used the term "slappy" to describe his football playing skill level when he tried to make it as a tight end in the '70s. It's short for slapdick. It doesn't sound affectionate but it brought about a closeness in this football laboratory. They didn't know anything but they had this incredible passion for the game. A bunch of them even pooled their meager finances and lived together. Their stories of those early days in their football careers are priceless. That's what makes this group and this time so special. The people involved knew that they were working towards something great. That's what makes Art Modell's decision to move the Browns so brutal. Especially to the fans of the Browns. The announcement of the move happened during the 1995 season. That team fell apart after a very promising season the year before. There was a somewhat civil war in the stands at every home game. I suppose that Modell wanted a fresh start in Baltimore. It's the only way to explain the firing of Bill Belichick after that disastrous last season in Cleveland. They only people that made the move with the team were Newsome, Savage, Pioli, Mangini and Schwartz. The other thing to make the move was the player grading system created by Belichick and his group. That first draft in Baltimore was essentially put together while everyone was still in Cleveland. A draft that would include Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis. The Ravens would win a Super Bowl five years after the move. Belichick's Patriots would win three Super Bowls. Those four Super Bowls are pretty solid proof that what those football junkies were doing in Cleveland was pretty grand. And a serious blow to the people of Cleveland.

Bad Jet Luck

It was horrible to see the New York Jets lose cornerback Darrelle Revis for the season with a torn ACL. It always sucks to see any player go down with an injury but to lose a football player like Revis is just bad for the game. He's one of the best players in the league and one of the best cover corners to ever play. Some opposing receivers might be happy if they don't like to be challenged. It's a tough blow to a Jets team that's struggling to find their way. Having a USC quarterback leading the team will do that. Mark Sanchez's job just got harder when receiver Santonio Holmes suffered a Lisfranc injury in the last game. The Jets were taken apart by the San Francisco 49ers in that game by a score of 34-0. The Jets are in trouble after only four games. Their two most skilled players are now out for the season. With the Houston Texans up next it's a bad place to be.

Injuries have always been a part of football. No player is spared. From the stars to the last player on the practice squad. It's simply part of the game. I just feel for a team that loses their leaders and stars seemingly at once. The Jets losing Revis and Holmes in consecutive weeks is simply brutal. The Washington Redskins lost defensive leaders Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker for the season in the same game. I can't help but think of the Kansas City Chiefs losing running back Jamaal Charles and safety Eric Berry at the beginning of the 2011 season. The Chiefs promising season was torn apart before it could even get started. Multiple injuries so close together in occurrence are simply brutal. It's tough enough to recover from one but two is a bit much. It certainly proves the importance of depth.

Here's hoping for a complete recovery for Darrelle Revis, Santonio Holmes, Brian Orakpo, Adam Carriker and everybody else that suffers from the football collisions. Stay healthy NFL players!

Throwback Thursday: Searching For The Franchise QB

Despite having one in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Minnesota Vikings have had a terrible time finding that franchise quarterback. Fran Tarkenton was by far the best thrower to call Minnesota home but even his Vikings career was a little odd. Just as he was getting the hang of the professional game he was traded to the New York Giants. Five years later the Vikings traded to get him back. Fortunately for Tarkenton and the Vikings the best years of his Hall of Fame career were in that second stint with the team. In the five years when Tarkenton was away, the Vikings had a parade of quarterbacks that were mediocre at best. Joe Kapp had one terrific year that took the Vikings to a Super Bowl but a contract squabble put end to Kapp's time in Minnesota. Besides that one great season Norm Snead, Gary Cuozzo, Bob Lee and Bob Berry held back an otherwise excellent football team. If Tarkenton had been there the whole time the Vikings likely would have lost more than four Super Bowls. Who knows? Maybe they would have won one or two or more. Tommy Kramer was drafted in the first round a couple of years before Tarkenton retired as the heir apparent to the Vikings quarterback job. At times, Kramer was brilliant. Sometimes he was brutal. He was always exciting. He might have become the franchise quarterback that he was drafted to be if not for all the injuries. He was in and out of the lineup throughout the '80s. Towards the end of that decade Wade Wilson split time with Kramer. He was more consistent but not nearly as talented. When the offensive minded Dennis Green was hired as head coach in the early '90s the Vikings started a parade of quarterbacks, young and especially old, that has lasted nearly twenty years. Rich Gannon, Sean Salisbury, Jim McMahon, Hall of Famer Warren Moon, Brad Johnson, Randall Cunningham, Jeff George, Kelly Holcomb(!?!), Gus Frerotte, Brooks Bollinger, Tarvaris Jackson, future Hall of Famer Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb. Between Cunningham and George the Vikings drafted Daunte Culpepper in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He was handed the starting job the next season and played so well that the team ended their season in the Conference Championship game. In 2004 he had one of the greatest passing seasons in league history. At that point the future of the Minnesota Vikings and Daunte Culpepper looked very bright. That future went dark the in 2005 when Culpepper tore up his knee. He never played for the Vikings again. He was never the same again.

Outside of Culpepper and both of Tarkenton's tours, the Vikings have never had the same starting quarterback for five consecutive years. Kramer was around for a longer period but he was in and out of the lineup so often due to injury that there was no continuity. The Vikings have had several quarterbacks with great seasons. Tarkenton had a bunch. Kramer and Wilson each made Pro Bowls. Moon was excellent for a couple of seasons. Cunningham played out of his mind in 1998. Culpepper in 2004. Favre had one of his best seasons in 2009. It's so difficult to build when you never know who is going to be your quarterback from one season to the next. Favre pushed that decision into training camp. Twice! The Cunningham- and Favre-led teams came within a whisper of a Super Bowl. Those seasons were a lot of fun but anything short of a Super Bowl victory is a season that ends in a loss. A strategy that didn't work. Relying on a quarterback for only one year results in a team starting over the next year. For the majority of their 52 years the Vikings have lacked any real sense of stability at the quarterback position. Hopefully that has now come to an end.

In 2011 Christian Ponder joined Tommy Kramer and Daunte Culpeppper as the only quarterbacks to be selected in the first round by the Minesota Vikings. In only a handful of games Ponder has shown much of what it takes to be a franchise quarterback. His progression from his rookie season to this year has been remarkable. He's got the passing skills. His work ethic and leadership are excellent. He wants to get better. More importantly, he knows that he needs to get better.

For a team that has been successful for most of its history the lack of franchise quarterbacks is surprising. They've had only one in Fran Tarkenton. They've had a few that were terrific for a year or two. They've had a bunch that simply got the job done. They managed the game. They didn't get in the way. Actually, sometimes they did. Personally, I feel that a team like the San Francisco 49ers have been a little selfish with their run of elite signal callers. Frankie Albert, Y.A. Tittle, John Brodie, Joe Montana and Steve Young. Except for a little hiccup between Brodie and Montana that's over fifty years of continuous excellence under center or in the shotgun. That's just not fair. Hopefully Ponder starts a run for the Vikings similar to the one that Albert started for the 49ers in the '40s.

Vikings Drafts

When I think of NFL Drafts that built champions I immediately think of some of the Pittsburgh Steelers drafts of the early 1970s. In particular, their draft of 1974. Bill Walsh did some really nice drafting throughout his time with the San Francisco 49ers. I still think of those Steelers drafts first mainly due to the incredible concentration of talent in only a few drafts. In 1974 the Steelers drafted Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Mike Webster. All four are honored in Canton. Incredible. Those four stars were added to earlier draft choices like Mean Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Jack Ham and Mel Blount. That's only counting their Hall of Famers. It's no wonder that the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the decade. Those drafts in the early '70s built champions. The draft is still the best way to build an NFL team. Even in this era of free agency.

It's way, way, way too early to be comparing the recent drafts of the Minnesota Vikings to those of the '70s Steelers or Walsh's 49ers. The Vikings haven't done anything yet. Still, they are getting tremendous contributions from their young football players. In particular the players selected in the last two drafts. 16 players from those drafts are part of the 53 man roster. Two others, unfortunately, suffered season ending injuries during the preseason. If they're recovery is complete they'll add to that total. It's hard not to be excited about the future. General manager Rick Spielman and his scouts have done an incredible job of finding talent since he joined the team in 2006. He was rewarded with the top personel position at the end of least season. His 2012 Draft looks like it could be something special. All of the hopes start with quarterback and 2011 top pick Christian Ponder. If he becomes the franchise quarterback that all champions need, the last two drafts will be difference makers. In addition to Ponder the Vikings found starters in tight end Kyle Rudolph, safety Mistral Raymond and guard Brandon Fusco in that 2011 Draft. Also added were important role players like defensive tackle Christian Ballard, corner Brandon Burton, defensive end D'Aundrae Reed and receiver Stephen Burton. Some of those players are expected to be starters soon. Ballard, in particular. There have been immediate and important contributions from several of the rookies found in the 2012 Draft. First round selections of tackle Matt Kalil and safety Harrison Smith have paid off and then some. Both look to be elite talent on the field and team leaders for a long time. Cornerback Josh Robinson has firmly established himself in nickel defenses. In today's pass happy NFL the nickel corner is pretty much a starter. Robinson has played like a keeper. The last rookie starter made an impact immediately. Kicker Blair Walsh. His big leg won the season opener against Jacksonville. Through four games the Vikings offense has too often had to rely on field goals. Walsh's leg and accuracy has been critical to the Vikings surprising 3-1 start. We have yet to see the limit of his range. The Vikings now are in field goal range soon after crossing midfield. His kickoffs have tilted the field position battle in the Vikings favor. Last season the Vikings had 19 total touch backs. Walsh has 19 touchbacks in four games. His impact has been huge. Fellow rookies including tight end Rhett Ellison, safety Robert Blanton and linebacker Audie Cole have made strong contributions on special teams. Receiver Jarius Wright has been slowed with an ankle injury suffered in the last preseason game. It's hoped that his outside speed will provide a spark when he returns.

The Vikings have drafted well in the early rounds for much of the past decade. They haven't had nearly the success in the mid to later rounds. That has depleted their depth and and forced the team to lean on free agency more than they would have liked. They've had better success in the last few years with players like center John Sullivan and defensive tackle Letroy Guion. So far, the last two drafts look like the kind of difference making drafts from which champions are formed. Talent has been introduced in all phases. Offense, defense and special teams. Whether they actually become champions obviously remains to be seen. From this perch, the talent, work ethic and leadership needed to get where all teams want to go looks to have been found in the Vikings recent drafts. Now, they have to do the work.

Get Well Chuck

Indianapolis Colts rookie head coach Chuck Pagano has been diagnosed with leukemia. Colts owner Jim Irsay said that the cancer is treatable. It's not expected that Pagano will return to the sideline this year but it's possible that he could assist from the pressbox at the end of the season. All that pales in comparison to the battle ahead of Pagano. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians will be the interim coach. He has asked Irsay if he can keep the light in Pagano's office on during this time. Very nice. Arians knows something of what Pagano has in front of him as he has had his own battle with the terrible disease in defeating prostrate cancer.

The Flea Flicker sends thoughts and prayers to Chuck Pagano and his family.
Get well soon, Coach.

Game Day Thoughts

It is fantastic to have the regular officials back.

The Minnesota Vikings end an eleven game losing streak against division foes in their 20-13 victory over the Detroit Lions. At 3-1, the Vikings equaled their win total of a year ago. In the fourth week of this season.

Nice start to a game. Percy Harvin takes the opening kickoff 105 yards for an immediate touchdown. Percy Harvin is a beast!

Then Marcus Sherels. Pesky, little backup corner took a punt back 77 yards for a touchdown the first time the Vikings touched the ball in the second half. Sherels has a nice little football story. Earned a training camp invite after an open tryout a few years ago. Earned a spot on the practice squad that year. Kept plugging away until he earned the punt return job last year. The Vikings keep looking for a more explosive player but no one can take the job from the steady Sherels. His extremely reliable hands and nifty little moves keep him in the lineup. He had yet to hit that big return until yesterday.

Also a beast, Adrian Peterson ran for 102 yards on 21 carries. He added another 20 yards on receptions. He was inches from running for a long ways on several occasions. His cuts and power are strong. There may still be some rust to shake off but Adrian Peterson is back. He kept the chains and the clock moving yesterday.

This win was on the defense. They were terrific all day against one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Until the late desperation touchdown, the Lions could only manage two field goals. The defensive line got sacks when they needed them. Keeping a quarterback like Matthew Stafford from even attempting a pass is the best way to stop a quarterback like Stafford. Defensive end Everson Griffen sacked Stafford on fourth down in the red zone to end the Lions first real scoring threat in the second half. It was tense at the end when the Lions had the last position in a seven point game. Griffen and Jared Allen kept Stafford from even attempting a Hail Mary with a sack. The defense preserved a lead the entire game and kept a high scoring team from coming back at the end. The defense is making strides every week.

With two touchdowns on returns, a strong defensive performance and productive running from Peterson, Toby Gerhart and even Harvin this game the Vikings were strikingly similar to some of the Chicago Bears teams of several years ago. Those Bears rode games like this into the Super Bowl in 2006. I could live with that.

Antoine Winfield played like he is 26 rather than 36. Maybe he can play corner as long as  Darrell Green.

Rookie safety Harrison Smith had some big plays on Detroit Lions All-Everything receiver Calvin Johnson. He broke up a sure touchdown with a well timed hit. The other was nearly an interception.

Fellow safety Jamarca Sanford made his presence felt with a forced fumble after a big run by Mikel LeShoure. He continued his big play ways by recovering that fumble.

It's been a very long time since Vikings highlights came from the safety position.

The Vikings safeties had 14 total passes defensed all of last season. Smith and Sanford had 6 yesterday.

I actually came into this game worried about Sanford. He's a tough, solid tackling defender. Excellent special teams player. He's just prone to some errors in the defensive backfield. The Lions can kill you if the slightest mistake is made. He was forced into a starting role when Mistral Raymond went down with an ankle injury last week. Raymond was playing well. Sanford responded with solid play yesterday. It's great to see this kind of performance at the back of the defense.

Welcome back Jerome Simpson.

"He was like a little kid on Mt. Dew."
     -Christian Ponder on Simpson's return to practice last week.

Simpson had 3 catches for about 50 yards. It doesn't show up in his stat sheet but he added about another 50 positive yards on a couple pass interference penalties. His speed presents a threat that the Vikings didn't have the first three weeks of the season.

Simpson's sheer joy on the football field is infectious. I love seeing football players really enjoy doing what they do.

Except for Peterson's running, the Vikings offense wasn't exactly prolific. Quarterback Christian Ponder played more of a game manager role. The Lions defensive line deserve much of the credit for disrupting passing lanes and applying decent pressure. Right tackle Phil Loadholt had some difficulties with end Cliff Avril. Ponder had to move a lot. The Lions did a great job of defending the short passing to Harvin and tight end Kyle Rudolph. The screens to Harvin that worked so well through three weeks were mostly a disaster yesterday.

This win against the Lions showed that each phase can be the difference in a game. Yesterday the special teams provided the points. The defense kept the Lions from doing pretty much anything. The offense did enough to keep the ball and control the clock. Most importantly, the Vikings are now 3-1.

The announcers of the Vikings-Lions game pointed out that the Lions are now 7-10 in thier last 17 games. That stretch followed a 5-0 start to the 2011 season. That's pretty poor for a team that some considered a Super Bowl ccontender. Just shows that play on the field should be more important than potential.

Congratulations to Drew Brees on his 47th consecutive game with a touchdown. Tying John Unitas' NFL record. Anytime that you are standing next to Unitas you are standing really tall. There was a time when some said that Unitas' record was one of those that would never be touched. In today's passing game I don't think that any passing record is out of reach. It's unfortunate that the tying touchdown should have been called pass interference on Marques Colston. Brees left little doubt with a couple of other touchdown passes.

Aaron Rodgers' touchdown throw to Greg Jennings was amazing. Being able to see Jennings through all that traffic was amazing. Getting the ball through all that traffic was even more amazing. Rodgers also had to dodge a bunch of unfriendly pressure in the backfield. Just a remarkable throw.

Rodgers had some difficulties last Monday night. Most was due to horrible protection in front of him.
His play yesterday was beautiful. My goodness, I wish that he didn't play for Green Bay. The way that he played in the first half I was real surprised that the Saints made it close.

The San Francisco 49ers bounced back nicely from their supposedly surprising loss to the Vikings last week. They dismantled the New York Jets 34-0.

It was great to see 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick get his first NFL touchdown. Not many NFL players have come from my hometown. Kaepernick certainly has his fans in Turlock.

It's really stupid to label any team as the best in the league in the early weeks of the season but everyone does. Me too. I've been saddling the San Francisco 49ers with that title as well as the Atlanta Falcons and the Houston Texans. Every team, no matter how strong, has a challenge every week. The 49ers faced one last week with the Vikings. The Falcons had their own difficulties with the Carolina Panthers yesterday. The 49ers lost. The Falcons had a remarkable comeback to disappoint a really frisky Panthers team. The Texans aren't having much difficulty with anybody.

I really don't understand the lack of attention paid to the Houston Texans. That defense is terrific. JJ Watt is probably the league's defensive MVP through the first quarter of the season.

So, the Green Bay Packers attempted a fake punt on their OWN 18-yard line. They succeeded. At home and playing a reeling New Orleans Saints team makes that gamble pretty appealing.

"I'm not sure if I've ever seen the Philadelphia Eagles play worse defense than they did on that drive."
     -broadcaster Cris Collinsworth during the Giants-Eagles Sunday Night game

This gave me a belly laugh. Cris Collinsworth has long been one of the best, if not the best, football broadcasters in the business. It's blunt statements like this that truly set him apart from all of the rest.

Next week is bad news for the Tennessee Titans.