Week 17 Thoughts

The Vikings are in the playoffs!

Minnesota Vikings 37
Green Bay Packers 34

Playoffs!

The same two teams play again next week. This time in Green Bay.

3-13 in 2011 to 10-6 and playoffs in 2012.

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson finished with 199 yards rushing. He was 9 yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105. Peterson's last carry nearly got it. Instead, it set up Blair Walsh's playoff clinching 29-yard field goal. One year ago yesterday, Adrian Peterson had reconstructive knee surgery. He responded with 2,097 yards rushing. Simply amazing football player.

I should have a vote for MVP. For whatever reason I don't. I've heard a lot of arguments for/against Peterson and for/against Peyton Manning. Tom Brady pops up too. In all those arguments I've yet to hear any one mention that Peterson has rushed for nearly 500 more yards than #2 Alfred Morris. If you judge Peterson's season against the rest of the league there really is no comparison. He nearly lapped the field.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder made some plays. He even hit Jarius Wright on a deep throw. Something that his many critics said that he couldn't do. He's playing much better. They need him to be even better in the playoffs.

It looked easy at first with the Vikings marching down the field and scoring on their first three possessions. Unfortunately, two of those scores were field goals so the lead was only 13-0.

Aaron Rodgers took care of that fairly quickly

The Vikings defense nearly disappeared when cornerback Antoine Winfield left when he aggravated his broken hand. Rodgers and receiver Greg Jennings took advantage of Marcus Sherels. It was ugly. The Vikings really need Winfield on the field. His talent and leadership is crucial.

Blair Walsh started and finished his rookie season with game winning field goals. He's been fantastic.

The Vikings seemed to catch a break with receiver/kick returner Randall Cobb sitting out this game with an injury. Jeremy Ross took his place on returns. I enjoyed his big returns a whole lot more when he was doing it for Cal a few years ago. Ross was a nice pickup for the Packers. He's always been an electric returner.

Cobb will be back next week. He's dangerous.

Actually, I'd be a dangerous receiver with Rodgers throwing the ball. Really, I would.

The Vikings defense has to be a lot better next week. Rodgers had his way with the defense late in the game.

I don't understand why coaches can't grasp the simple fact that turnovers are automatically reviewed. Packers coach Mike McCarthy challenged a Vikings fumble recovery when he should have known that it was going to be reviewed anyway. It cost his team a 15-yard penalty. It cost the Vikings more. Jordy Nelson showed that he had a better understanding of the basic rules than his coach when he tried to grab and hide that red flag.

It's a stupid rule. It's one that will be changed in the offseason but it's inconsistent handling was a huge break for the Packers. It nearly cost the Vikings the game. When Packers receiver James Jones tried to reach the ball across the goal line, he fumbled. The Vikings recovered in the end zone for a touchback. That was the ruling on the field. Turnovers are automatically reviewed. Read after me, Mike McCarthy. Turnovers are automatically reviewed. Instead of waiting for that automatic review, McCarthy, with emphasis, threw the red challenge flag. The problem with this rule and the reason why it will be changed is that this "illegal" challenge should negate any review at all. The Packers are also charged with a 15-yard penalty. The play on the field should stand. At least, that is how it's been handled up until this call. The Vikings should have had possession of the ball at the 35-yard line. Instead, replay showed that Jones had broken the plane with the ball and it was, in fact, a touchdown. The Packers got that touchdown and the Vikings were screwed. The good thing is that the correct call was made. The bad thing is that the wrong call was made on the field under the rule that applied to that game. Unless, of course, the NFL changed the rule, because it's a stupid rule, and didn't tell anyone. The better thing is that the Vikings still won and are in the playoffs.

With the AFC playoff picture pretty much set at the start of the day most of the morning games were little more than amped up exhibition games.

Congratulations to Cincinnati Bengals rookie receiver Marvin Jones on his first career touchdown. Jones is one of my favorite Cal receivers ever. Great kid. Terrific football player. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton should be happy for a while with A.J. Green, Jones, fellow rookie Muhamed Sanu, Andrew Hawkins and tight end Jermaine Gresham catching his passes.

The Dallas Cowboys visited the Washington Redskins for the NFC East title. Neither team played like they wanted to win the game in the first half. The Redskins decided that they wanted to play next week and took over in the second half.

During the telecast of the Washington-Dallas game Al Michaels mentioned that Redskins dynamite rookie back Alfred Morris was drafted with the pick that they obtained from Minnesota for Donovan McNabb. There's no doubt which team got the better of that trade.

Morris and Robert Griffin III are just rookies. Rookies!

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints defense. Based upon yards surrendered, the 2012 Saints are the worst defense in NFL history. Nicely done.

So the playoffs are set with:
NFC
1. Atlanta Falcons
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Washington Redskins
5. Seattle Seahawks
6. Minnesota Vikings

Matt Ryan, Colin Kaepernick, Aaron Rodgers, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson and Christian Ponder are the starting quarterbacks of those six teams. 4 have never played in the NFL playoffs before. Ryan's never won in the playoffs.

AFC
1. Denver Broncos
2. New England Patriots
3. Houston Texans
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Indianapolis Colts
6. Cincinnati Bengals

Andrew Luck is the only quarterback in that group that's not been  in the playoffs. Actually, I'm not sure if Matt Schaub has ever been healthy for a playoff game.

Next week is really bad news for the Packers.

Game Day Thoughts

"Mr. Slingin' Sammy Baugh can chunk that cabbage."-Grantland Rice

It's a real shame that we no longer see sports writing like that. How about SMU's star halfback of the 1930s Bobby Wilson being described as "a lizard-legged little bundle of mobile murder." That writing would keep me reading.

Win and in. The Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers today for a chance to clinch a spot in the playoffs. It's all on the Vikings today. They win. They play next week. For a team that finished the 2011 season at the bottom of the NFC North with at 3-13, a shot at the playoffs in 2012 is a shock to nearly everyone outside of Minneapolis. Actually, there's a huge slice of the Vikings fan base that expected something closer to last year. You gotta believe!

I'm not sure that I can handle the 1:35 PST start of the Vikings-Packers game. I'm so used to the Vikings playing at 10:00. I may need medical attention sometime between 10:30 and noon.

I'm surprised that all six AFC playoff spots are set before the final weekend. Maybe it's not all that unuusual but it feels that way. The only suspense is the seeding. The Denver Broncos will likely secure one of the byes. The Houston Texans have the edge for the other. The Texans are something of a puzzle. As soon as they look like the dominant team of the league they get throttled by a solid team. They've bounced back nicely from their three losses. That bodes well for today but all the teams in the playoffs are good and you don't get a chance to bounce back.

Four of the teams are set in the NFC. The winner of tonight's Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins game claims one of the open spots as the NFC East champ. The Vikings can claim the final Wild Card with a win. It's that simple. All the teams that are still alive for a shot at the playoffs are heavy Packer fans today. The hope here is that they hate the Packers after today.

It was great to see Vikings kicker Blair Walsh and fullback Jerome Felton make the Pro Bowl. Walsh has been simply dynamite as a rookie. Felton was signed as a free agent this past offseason. The Vikings didn't make a big splash in free agency. It was really barely a ripple. Felton was one of those free agents. He'd bounced from the Detroit Lions to the Carolina Panthers to the Indianapolis Colts in his previous four years. He's found a home in Minnesota. Running back Adrian Peterson hasn't had a decent lead blocker since his rookie year with Tony Richardson. He has one now. Felton has been an excellent find.

Earlier this season there was all kinds of gossip that exiled New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton was going to jump to the Dallas Cowboys. Supposedly there was a loop hole in his contract that would allow him to essentially become of a free agent. His Dallas home made the Cowboys the likely landing spot. It was all a ridiculous bag of guesses, hunches and assumptions. It was another example of the idiots in the media trying to make a story where none existed. This past Friday the Saints and Payton agreed to a contract extension. So much for those jackass rumors.

"Their best offensive play is calling timeout."-Michael Rosenberg on the less than stellar New York Jets offense.

Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl (nice name) was a great game. Texas Tech defeated Minnesota 34-31. It was probably the best bowl game that I've seen so far this year. It looked like Minnesota had the game secured late but Texas Tech scored a touchdown with just under two minutes left to tie. Then later intercepted a pass to set up the winning field goal. I had my doubts that Minnesota could keep up with the wide open Texas Tech offense but they controlled that game before they gave it up late.

The Alamo Bowl matching Texas and Oregon St sounded terrific but I missed it. Michigan St.-TCU in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl (another nice name) was a good one as well. Looked like it. I missed that one too. I only saw parts of the blowouts yesterday. Too many of those.

Sports Illustrated recently ranked the top 8 performances in bowl game history. I liked #7 best.
7. Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama
    1963 Orange Bowl
Some math: Oklahoma ran 60 plays from scrimmage. Four were incomplete passes and zero were for scores, meaning a Sooner was tackled 56 times. Jordan had 31 of them.
Incredible.

Go Vikings!!!

Idiots of Troy

USC coach Lane Kiffin is on the fast track to becoming the most hated football coach in America. At any level. His brief career as head coach of the Oakland Raiders was enough evidence for me that he has zero clue as to how to be a decent human being. Nobody was disappointed when Al Davis finally fired him. Somehow he got the head job at Tennessee. Fortunately for everyone in Knoxville he wasn't there long. When Pete Carroll fled USC for the Seattle Seahwks to avoid NCAA sanctions Kiffin jumped at the chance to come back to Los Angeles. If there was ever a perfect match between school and coach, it's USC and Lane Kiffin. Everybody outside of USC hates USC. Every school in the Pac-12 hates USC. If Colorado and Utah don't hate USC yet, it's because they haven't been in the conference long enough. They will. Everybody hates USC. Some think that everyone hates USC because of their success, mostly in football. That's only the start. USC skips through their happy existence thinking that rules don't apply to them. At least none of the rules that apply to everyone else apply to them. Kiffin is the same way. His way is the only way. His needs are all that matter. His latest skirmish with decency took place this week in El Paso. His team is down there preparing for their New Year's Eve Sun Bowl game against Georgia Tech. USC and Kiffin have been a real joy for the city of El Paso. Trojans defensive lineman Leonard Williams tweeted that El Paso is a "shitty city." This is after linebacker Tony Burnett had to apologize for disparaging Georgia Tech and El Paso earlier this month. Kiffin and his team of brats topped that by showing up an hour late for a dinner with the Georgia Tech football team. Tired of waiting, Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson took his team and left. These ridiculous acts of USC really didn't really surprise me at all. With Kiffin leading the way I pretty much expect things like this.

You'd think that a team that just finished a two-year ban on bowl games would be more appreciative of being at one. Perhaps USC is pissy that they didn't get a bigger bowl. Perhaps they are taking those frustrations out on El Paso and Georgia Tech. Perhaps they should have turned down the Sun Bowl invitation if it didn't meet their standard. There's probably a bunch of teams that would have been honored to be in El Paso this week. USC could have avoided all these issues if they'd played closer to their expectations for this season. They were supposed to be great but they really weren't. 

2013 Pro Bowl Selections

No one's saying how much longer we will be having a Pro Bowl. If I had a say, and I should, I say that we keep the game and return it to the week following the Super Bowl. That's just me. I like the Pro Bowl. The players have to get back to giving a respectable effort. No one's expecting a Super Bowl effort just a respectable effort. Show respect for the fans, the game and each other. That shouldn't be too difficult. Football is fun. Here's the selections for the 2013 Pro Bowl:

NFC                                                                          

Quarterback                                                                      

Aaron Rodgers  Packers                                               

Robert Griffin III  Redskins                                          

Matt Ryan  Falcons                                                       

Running back                                                             

Adrian Peterson  Vikings                                                

Marshawn Lynch  Seahawks

Frank Gore  49ers

Fullback

Jerome Felton  Vikings

Receiver

Calvin Johnson  Lions

Brandon Marshall  Bears

Victor Cruz  Giants

Julio Jones  Falcons

Tight End

Tony Gonzalez  Falcons

Jason Witten  Cowboys

Tackle

Russell Okung

Joe Staley

Trent Williams

Guard

Jahri Evans  Saints

Mike Iupati  49ers

Chris Snee  Giants

Center

Max Unger  Seahawks

Jeff Saturday  Packers

Defensive end

Jason Pierre-Paul  Giants

Julius Peppers  Bears

Jared Allen  Vikings

Defensive tackle

Justin Smith  49ers

Henry Melton  Bears

Gerald McCoy  Buccaneers

Outisde linebacker

Aldon Smith  49ers

DeMarcus Ware  Cowboys

Clay Matthews  Packers

Inside linebackers

Patrick Willis  49ers

NaVorro Bowman  49ers

Cornerback

Charles Tillman  Bears

Tim Jennings  Bears

Patrick Peterson  Cardinals

Free Safety

DaShon Goldson  49ers

Earl Thomas  Seahawks

Strong Safety

Donte Whitner  49ers

Returner

Leon Washington  Seahawks

Special Teams

Lorenzo Alexander  Redskins

Kicker

Blair Walsh  Vikings

Punter

Thomas Morstead  Saints

AFC 

Quarterback

Peyton Manning  Broncos

Tom Brady  Patriots

Matt Schaub  Texans

Running back

Arian Foster  Texans

Jamaal Charles  Chiefs

Ray Rice  Ravens

Fullback

Vonta Leach  Ravens

Wide receiver

A.J. Green  Bengals

Andre Johnson  Texans

Reggie Wayne  Colts

Wes Welker  Patriots

Tight end

Rob Gronkowski  Patriots

Heath Miller  Steelers

Tackle

Joe Thomas  Browns

Duane Brown  Texans

Ryan Clady  Broncos

Guard

Marshall Yanda  Ravens

Logan Mankins  Patriots

Wade Smith  Texans

Center

Maurkice Pouncey  Steelers

Chris Myers  Texans

Defensive end

J.J. Watt  Texans

Cameron Wake  Dolphins

Elvis Dumervill  Broncos

Defensive tackle

Geno Atkins  Bengals

Vince Wilfork  Patriots

Haloti Ngata  Ravens

Outside linebacker

Von Miller  Broncos

Tamba Hali  Chiefs

Robert Mathis  Colts

Inside linebacker

Jerod Mayo  Patriots

Derrick Johnson  Chiefs

Cornerback

Champ Bailey  Broncos

Jonathan Joseph  Texans

Antonio Cromartie  Chargers

Free safety

Ed Reed

Strong safety

Eric Berry  Chiefs

LaRon Landry  Jets

Returner

Jacoby Jones  Ravens

Special teams

Matthew Slater  Patriots

Kicker

Phil Dawson  Browns 

Punter

Dustin Colquitt  Chiefs

I really think that the NFL should change the linebacker position for the Pro Bowl. All six outside linebackers selected this year play for teams running a 3-4 defense. This is a defense that isn't even used in the game. They are forced to play out of position while the best 4-3 outside linebackers are left back on the mainland. Outside linebackers in the two defenses play very different positions. There's enough of each to warrant honoring players in both defenses. The 3-4 outside linebackers basically play a rush end position the majority of the time. They should just let them rotate into the game at defensive end. Let them stand up if they have to. The way it is now the 4-3 linebacker get robbed every year. Everybody votes for sacks. 

Minnesota Vikings center John Sullivan was robbed. Packers center Jeff Saturday isn't even a starter on his own team. How he makes the Pro Bowl is a mystery. 

Throwback Thursday: Quick Turnaround

Going into the 2012 NFL Draft the Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings held the first three selections. The Colts and Vikings earned those spots by being bad teams in 2011. The Redskins traded into that second spot but they didn't have to move up very far. They weren't very good either. One of the Vikings three wins was against that Redskins team. On this, the final weekend of the 2012 season, the Colts are one of the six AFC teams moving on to the playoffs. The Vikings and Redskins have a chance to earn two of the NFC playoff spots. Last year, all three teams were playing for draft position on the final weekend. This year they are playing for a spot in the playoffs. Quite a turnaround.

The selections that all three teams made with their first selections of the 2012 Draft are major reasons for the quick turnaround. Quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, in particular, look like they have the skills to keep their teams competitive for a decade or more. They've been incredible. Both have played and led like veterans rather than the rookies that they truly are. The remarkable thing about these two quarterbacks, on and off the field, is that they are so different and so similar. The Vikings ended up trading back a spot and selected tackle Matt Kalil with the fourth pick of the draft. His performance is a little more difficult to judge due to the position that he plays but it's no real stretch to say that Kalil has made an incredible impact on the Vikings offensive line and the team. He's been outstanding. The Vikings are set at the important left tackle position for a long time.

The Colts, Redskins and Vikings are much happier now than they were a year ago. They are playing meaningful games in January. Playing for a chance for an even more important game in February. Much of that is due to the selections that they made at the top of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Red Zone

This isn't about the scoring area at opposite ends of the football field. This is about the game day shows offered up by Directv and NFL Network of the same name. Red Zone. The viewing preference of others is really no business of mine but I can not imagine ever finding these programs of any interest.

It's my understanding that both programs are quite popular. Especially among the the always growing number of fantasy football enthusiasts. Red Zone force feeds scoring plays to the attention deprived football fan. There's always action. There's always scoring. Especially during the early Sunday games. With anywhere from 10-14 games going on at once there's bound to be a team or two inside the real red zone. I can't really blame fans for their interest in this hyper action. You lose the huddles, the timeouts, maybe even the commercials. You get scoring plays and nothing but scoring plays. You get the Cliffs Notes version of a football game. You lose the story of a football game with this Red Zone. I love the story.

The funny thing about the Red Zone is that there are two of them. I was confused by this at first. Since I was never interested in one it didn't matter much that there were two. Andrew Siciliano hosts for Directv and Scott Hanson hosts for NFL Network. Both are NFL Network hosts of Total Access but go their separate ways on Sunday. Since I don't watch either Red Zone I really don't have an opinion on either host. I've heard that Hanson approaches a breakdown nearly every Sunday so that would be a draw. I like both on NFL Network so I'd imagine that both do a terrific job in this gig.

It's clear from the growing popularity of both Red Zones that I'm in the minority. People love this way of viewing Sunday football games. Fantasy football has brought about a new kind of football fan. A fan of players rather than a team. A fan of point producing plays rather than a game. I enjoy watching football games. Some of the best that football has to offer is between the red zones. I'm not looking for highlights on Sundays. I'm looking for football games.

Football Christmas

Football has been a part of Thanksgiving pretty much since football, as we know it, was conceived. That's not been the case with Christmas. The NFL now crowns a champion in February. There once was a time when the champion proved themselves before Christmas. Or, right around Christmas. The 1955 and 1960 NFL Championships were played on a Monday, the 26th, to avoid conflict with the Sunday Christmas Day. The Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles were happy those Christmas seasons.

The Christmas-NFL conflict really started in 1971. The AFL and NFL were finally one league and there were more teams involved in the playoffs. There were two games that Christmas Day. The Cowboys beat the Vikings in the early game so we'll ignore that one. The second game was the Dolphins and the Chiefs and it was a classic. The longest game ever played. Some say that it took about a day to finish. It took less than that but it messed up a lot of holiday dinners. That game changed the way the NFL approached Christmas. The league avoided Christmas after that. In 1976 they started the season a week early to avoid a conflict in December. In 1977, '83 and '88 the NFL split playoff games between Saturday and Monday to avoid the Christmas Sunday. The league has relaxed their avoidance of Christmas games over the past couple decades. The current 17-week season pretty much makes it mandatory. The season routinely stumbles into January now. Thanks to that '71 Dolphins-Chiefs marathon the NFL still empties the schedule if Christmas is on a Sunday. The games are later and number two at most. The rest are the day before or after. The NFL doesn't bow to much but they try to show respect to Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Everyone. 

Week 16 Thoughts

Minnesota Vikings 23
Houston Texans 6

When asked if the Minnesota Vikings were a playoff team Christian Ponder had this to say after the game:
"You're a playoff team only if you're in the playoffs."
Nice dose of reality.

If the Vikings defeat the Green Bay Packers next week, they're in the playoffs. Beating the Texans and the New York Giants loss to the Baltimore Ravens put the Vikings in control of their playoff life.

The Minnesota Vikings played their most complete game since beating the San Francisco 49ers way back in September. All of the talk leading up to the game centered around the season and records of running back Adrian Peterson. Most didn't give the Vikings much of a chance of defeating the Texans. Instead of succumbing to the lack of expectations the Vikings played like a team fighting for the playoffs. They controlled this game.

It was clear at the end of the game that the Vikings priorities sided more with winning than improving Peterson's already ridiculous season. Toby Gerhart got the late carries and scored the final touchdown. Even Matt Asiata got a carry to close the game. This game was all about a pursuit of the playoffs. While I hope that Peterson can pass Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record next week against the Packers, making the playoffs is the sole goal.

J.J. Watt is a beast!

The Vikings defense was the story of this game. Holding one of the most dynamic offenses in the league to only two field goals was amazing. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams really has his team peaking at the right time. The Texans had a shot at turning the game early in the 3rd quarter with a 1st and goal on the 1-yard line. The Texans couldn't get that yard and had to settle for a field goal. They never scored again. They never even threatened to score again. Texans quarterback Matt Schaub never really got into a rhythm. Receiver Andre Johnson made some plays gaining 97 yards. He was pretty much the only offensive player that did anything. The Vikings completely shut down the running game. Stuffing the run wrecked the effectiveness of Schaub's play action.

I saw Texans running back Arian Foster sitting on the bench more often than I saw him in the backfield. I later learned that he was out due to an irregular heart beat. I hope that's not as serious as it sounds.

Quarterback Christian Ponder paced the offense. He played smart and managed the game. Completing 16 of 30 passes for 174 yards and a short touchdown to Kyle Rudolph. He even did some damage on the ground with 48 yards. 222 yards from Ponder is a delightful total for a team that his depended on Peterson for about a month. He spread the ball around with Rudolph, Michael Jenkins, Jarius Wright and even Jerome Simpson all making plays to extend drives.

Simpson has been frustrating all year. He was signed as a fee agent in the offseason to provide a speedy, downfield threat. He's done very little. Nagging injuries has hampered him some. His frequent drops are due more to concentration issues than nagging injuries. He's a tremendously gifted football player but he plays a little out of control. He needs to settle down. I worry about his ball security. I worry about his drops. Just when I'm worrying too much he makes a catch like he did in the 4th quarter. Making a remarkable sideline catch that moved the chains. He was well covered and really had no room to come down in bounds. He went up, secured the ball and got his feet down. The Vikings really need him to make more big plays like that.

Rookie receiver Jarius Wright is another pass catcher that can make an impact moving forward. He started getting playing time when Percy Harvin went down with an ankle injury. The Vikings are starting to incorporate more plays that take advantage of his quickness.

With all the attention paid to Peterson, the receivers have to get open, give Ponder a target and make plays. They have to make the defenses pay for ignoring the passing game. Ponder is starting to find a nice groove.

The defense was awesome.

It was about two minutes into the 3rd quarter before the announcers mentioned Ponder's marriage. I'm not sure why it had to be mentioned at all but I was surprised that it took that long.

Safety Harrison Smith just continues his fantastic rookie season. His sack and forced fumble ended the Texans last hope at a comeback. He's a terrific football player.

The Vikings have gotten amazing production from their rookies. Tackle Matt Kalil may/should be Pro Bowl bound. Smith and corner Josh Robinson have helped turn the secondary from sad to a strength. Tight Rhett Ellison has made an impact with his blocking, occasional receptions and special teams play. He's emerging as a vital do-everything type player. Jarius Wright is starting to make his presence felt in the passing game. As important as all those players have been, it's impossible to ignore the impact of kicker Blair Walsh. As soon as the team crosses the 50-yard line they are in his field goal range. He set an NFL record for 50+ yard field goals in a season. I can only remember one made field goal all season that wasn't right down the middle. His kickoffs have been phenomenal. My only complaint would be that the Vikings have kicked too many field goals. They need to turn more of those into touchdowns. Still, if the Vikings need a field goal I'm glad that it's Walsh doing the kicking.

The defense was fantastic.

Peterson gained 86 yards rushing on 25 carries. He's gained 1898 yards on the season. In the season finale at home against the Packers, he needs 208 yards to break Dickerson's record.

The Texans defense did a fantastic job against Peterson. His entire rushing total was gained on a handful of runs. He was tackled right around the line of scrimmage on all but those runs. The defense stacked the box and often blitzed corners to help. Essentially all of the Texans defense was sent straight at Peterson as a matter of routine. Fortunately, Ponder made enough plays to make the Texans pay. The Vikings were more interested in winning the game than pursuing records where the Texans were more interested in preventing records than winning the game.

I really like several of the Texans defensive players. J.J. Watt is an absolute beast. It's difficult to believe that he's only in his second season. He's not alone on this defense. One of their best players, linebacker Brian Cushing, is out for the season with a knee injury. They have terrific players in linebackers Brooks Reed and Connor Barwin. Rookie Whitney Mercilus has a bright future. Jonathan Joseph is one of the best corners in the game. These are also very young players and just touching their potential. They're really good now. They could be scary good soon.

J.J. Watt is a beast.

The Vikings defense was better!

The Dallas Cowboys are a very dangerous team at the end of games. Opponents have not been able to put them away. They were at it again yesterday against the New Orleans Saints. The Cowboys came back and forced overtime. Every week they seem to be doing that. Unlike previous games, the Cowboys lost in overtime. It was a blow to the Cowboys playoff hopes. If they can squeak into the postseason, this is a team that is rarely out of a game.

I love watching Baltimore Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin catch footballs. It was a weekly how-to-catch show when he and Larry Fitzgerald were on the same team.

It wasn't only Boldin making fine catches for the Ravens yesterday. All the Ravens pass catchers were making plays for quarterback Joe Flacco. Torrey Smith in particular. He's a dangerous football player. As a fan of the receiver deprived Vikings team, I envy teams that have receivers that really help their quarterback.

I think that the Green Bay Packers were working out some kinks in taking apart the Tennessee Titans by the tune of 55-7. I hope that they have few points left for next week.

I was pleased to see Arizona Cardinals safety Justin Bethel take a blocked field goal back for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears. He was a 2011 sixth round choice out of little Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. I probably wouldn't know a thing about him if Presbyterian wasn't on Cal's schedule during the 2010 season. This was one of those games that shouldn't have been played but Bethel might have been the most skilled player on the field. He was everywhere. I couldn't understand how he wasn't on an SEC roster. His small school experience might set him back a couple of years in development but he has an NFL future.

The Seattle Seahawks have scored 58, 50 and 42 points in the last three weeks. I tend to look lightly on the first two seeing as the point totals were against Arizona and Buffalo. Teams that couldn't get out of their own way in those games. 42 points against the 49ers is legit. I wouldn't engrave the Seahawks spot in the Super Bowl just yet. They haven't been a good road team but as quarterback Russell Wilson has improved the team has improved away from Seattle. They won't face Arizona and Buffalo in the playoffs and they'll most likely play every game on the road. Maybe it's because I strongly dislike Pete Carroll but I don't see them doing much in the playoffs despite their high scoring ways.

It's incredible that the AFC playoff teams are set with a week to go. The seeding still remains but we know the teams. Texans, Broncos, Patriots, Ravens, Bengals and Colts. Congratulations to those teams. Especially the Colts. First pick in the draft to the playoffs in the same season is remarkable.

Next week is bad news for the Packers!

Game Day Thoughts

"Every play can be your last one so make it a good one."-Jim Brown

One year ago tomorrow Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson suffered a knee injury that ended his season. Some thought that it would mark the end of the running that made Peterson such a unique back. He has rushed for 1812 yards so far this season without the knee brace that marks every other running back that has shredded a knee. He is within reach of 2,000 yards and even Eric Dickerson's NFL record of 2,105 yards.

I thank the Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals and Washington Redskins every day for passing on Adrian Peterson in the 2007 NFL Draft. The Lions and Browns are likely happy with receiver Calvin Johnson and tackle Joe Thomas but the selcetions of JaMarcus Russell, the late Gaines Adams, Levi Brown and LaRon Landry in front of Peterson make the others cringe. Actually, it's not just Peterson. That 2007 Draft was incredible. The four unhappy teams could have selected not only Peterson but also Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch or Darrelle Revis. Johnson, Thomas, Peterson, Willis and Revis are among the best at their positions that I've seen in my lifetime. Lynch isn't bad either.

If Peterson can have a career best day against the Houston Texans today, he'll break the NFL game and season record. Perhaps even on the same run. He set the single game rushing record in his rookie year with 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers. He's 294 yards behind Eric Dickerson's record.

Today would be a fine day for Peterson to have a career day. First of all, he's been playing at a ridiculous level. The game is in Houston. Peterson is from Texas and spends a decent part of his offseason in Houston. The number of family and friends in the stands has soared past 100. And, he's playing football at a ridiculous level.

If the playoffs started today, the Vikings would be the #6 seed in the NFC. Due to the screwy nature of the tie breaking procedures, they could win their final two games and not make the playoffs. They need help but the only thing that really matters is that they win these final two games against the Texans and Green Bay Packers.

Former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Lomas Brown admitted in a radio interview to allowing a pass rusher to get through to hit and hopefully injure a struggling Scott Mitchell. He wanted Mitchell out of the game and didn't see his coach making that move. That's about as pathetic as anything I've ever heard take place on a football field. Making it even more pathetic, Brown sounded fairly proud of this. Lomas Brown is also one of the former players that is part of the head trauma lawsuit against the NFL. What a tool.

Steve Young was sure looking snappy in his Christmas coat during the ESPN Monday Night pregame show on Saturday night.

Congratulations to Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson on breaking Jerry Rice's season receiving yardage record. He's put himself about a chip shot away from 2,000 receiving yards. Outstanding football player.

New Cal coach Sonny Dykes hired Barry Sacks as his defensive line coach. I can think of no better name for a defensive line coach.

Dykes is putting together a coaching staff well versed in recruiting. In addition to the nicely named Sacks, running backs coach Pierre Ingram, special teams and inside receivers coach Mike Tomerdahl and secondary coach Randy Stewart have all spent time as recruiting coordinators at various stops in their careers. Stewart was actually a recruiting coordinator at Cal over a decade ago. It's certainly not unusual for long time college assistant coaches to have spent time as recruiting coordinators. That experience is nice to have. Especially for a program that is going through a coaching transition like Cal.

The college bowl games continued yesterday with a couple of good ones:

Yesterday's R& L Carriers New Orleans Bowl turned out to be a terrific game. Louisiana-Lafayette defeated East Carolina 43-34. The big Bowls get all of the attention but these smaller Bowls are often the most entertaining. I remember the days when my Dad always looked forward to the fireworks of the Holiday Bowl. This was back in the late '70s and early '80s when BYU was a Holiday Bowl staple. BYU-SMU in 1980 was one of the most thrilling Bowl games ever played.

In the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl, Boise St. defeated Washington 28-26. Boise St. intercepted a pass in the closing seconds to seal the game. The one disappointing thing to come out of this game was the announcers mentioning that 8 of the 12 Pac-12 teams were playing in bowl games. I didn't have to be reminded that Cal was one of the four with nothing to do this time of year.

Go Vikings!!!

Jim Brown Speaks

Cleveland Browns running back legend Jim Brown was making the radio and podcast rounds in Minnesota this past week. His opinion has been on the minds of those associated with the Vikings as they feel that they have a running back that's on a legendary path. Everyone wants to talk about Adrian Peterson. To talk about the best Minnesota people looked to the best. Brown is particular about the backs that he'll discuss. Fortunately, Peterson is one of the few that the will. The two have grown close over the years due to a mutual respect. Many people think that Jim Brown can be an ass with his views on football these days. His opinions are certainly strong but I enjoy hearing them. He speaks about football pretty much the same way that he played. He holds nothing back. It helps when he has nothing but great things to say about Adrian Peterson. He loves Peterson's brutal running. More importantly he loves how Peterson carries himself off the field. His priorities.

I enjoy hearing Jim Brown react to the mention of former running back greats. When Gale Sayers' name was mentioned there was a clear admiration. During one of Brown's interviews this week he mentioned being at a Super Bowl with seven of the best running backs of all time. Having a passion for football history and a great respect for Brown's opinions on this, I tried to guess who the seven might have been. It would have helped to know which Super Bowl. He mentioned Ollie Matson later in the interview so I started there. It also made me think that the seven backs played around the time of Brown's Cleveland Browns days. Here's my guess as to the running back greats in that group with Brown. Ollie Matson, Bobby Mitchell, Lenny Moore, Joe Perry, Gale Sayers and Jim Taylor. I'd sure love to hear the discussion that took place with that group. Tough, physical running was the only way to run with the football in those days. A style of running that perfectly describes that of Adrian Peterson.

They're Human Too

A few weeks ago I heard a caller on a Minnesota Vikings radio program complain about quarterback Christian ponder getting engaged during the football season. I wonder what that caller thinks of Ponder following through with that engagement with his marriage to ESPN reported Samantha Steele earlier this week. During the football season fercryinoutloud! With two weeks remaining in a playoff push Ponder gets engaged and married! What the hell is wrong with this guy? Where's his priorities? It seems that fans, in general, see football players as action figures that are hauled out on game days. These fans don't see football players as fathers, husbands, sons and brothers that are trying to find that perfect Christmas gift for a loved one. They don't see football players as a person that craves a cheeseburger after practice. They don't see football players as human.

Football players are human. They make every day decisions like the rest of us. There isn't a time of the year that getting engaged is closed to us. Why should there be with football players? If one of us took off on a weekend to marry our dearly beloved no one would would blink an eye if we were back to work on Monday. NFL players have a different weekend than common folk during the football season. Nearly all are busy on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday usually make up the weekend for the NFL crowd. Ponder acknowledged that by darting off this past Monday to marry his gal. He was back to work on Wednesday. Their Wednesday would be our Monday. When a football player is facing a life changing decision he shouldn't have to check with us. He also shouldn't have to put it off until the season is over. Football players have a life beyond the game that they play. They may play that game for our entertainment but the rest of their week should be their own. They're only human. Just like the rest of us.

Throwback Thursday: Al Davis

Probably due to my recent reading of Michael MacCambridge's biography of Kansas City Chiefs and American Football League founder Lamar Hunt, I've been thinking about Al Davis. It's a little scary. I think that some people forget that Davis was an innovative football coach before he was a rebellious owner. Only George Halas and Paul Brown took a similar path from football man to football team ownership. Many see Al Davis as a bit of a wild man, a little crazy but his football career was remarkable and influential.

Davis refined his football theories with the San Diego Chargers under the guidance of Sid Gillman in the early days of the AFL. Much of the passing that we see today on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and even Saturdays can be traced back to the teaching and coaching of Gillman. His influence on offensive football is as great as any coach before or after. Gillman influenced Davis and Don Coryell who in turn influenced Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs and Norv Turner and on and on. As long as footballs are thrown and route trees are run, Gillman will be on the sideline. But this isn't about Gillman. Al Davis saved the Oakland Raiders when he was hired as coach. He also started acquiring ownership of the team. The Raiders were a mess but Davis would soon change that. He brought a new way of doing things. He brought an attacking offense and a ferocious defense. The team on the field perfectly reflected the man that created it. He spread the opponents defense by stretching it vertically. Big-armed quarterback. Fast receivers. Although I always found it interesting that his greatest receiver was one of the slowest to ever play the position in Fred Biletnikoff. This was really more of an example that football ability was his first priority. Davis brought football respect to Oakland and it stayed there for most of the next 40 years

I felt that Davis' "us against them" view was a little naive. His hatred of NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle was, in my opinion, misdirected. He felt personally wronged by Rozelle in the AFL-NFL wars. Davis was the AFL commissioner when the two leagues agreed to merge. He may have felt that Rozelle stole that continued title from him. His anger would have been better directed at his fellow AFL owners. They negotiated the truce behind his back. You'd think as commissioner that Davis would be a part of those talks. He wasn't and that had nothing to do with Rozelle. His feud with Marcus Allen was sad and unfortunate. It didn't seem that Davis could forgive or forget. If all of his personal issues against pretty much everyone was used as motivation for his team it mostly worked. His Raiders won three Super Bowls and seriously contended for several more. Davis put a lot of "stuff" out there that annoyed a lot of people. Mixed in with all of that was some great, great football. His legacy really should rest more on that.

Jets Crash

It seems like only yesterday that New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan was saying that as long as he is the coach, Mark Sanchez is his quarterback. Now, Greg McElroy is starting this Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. Things change. It was already getting nutty at quarterback for the Jets when they traded for Tim Tebow in the offseason. I don't know how you can go from a quarterback that's having trouble throwing in Sanchez to a quarterback that's never been able to throw in Tebow. The Jets couldn't so they skipped to McElroy.

It's hard to believe that the Jets are only a couple of years removed from back-to-back AFC Championship games. It's even more difficult, for me, to believe that Sanchez was the quarterback for both games. I never understood the infatuation with Sanchez. There were many "experts" that preferred him to Matthew Stafford in the 2009 NFL Draft. It's a mystery. Sanchez only started for one year at USC. That one year was up and down. Mostly down in the games that I saw. People still loved him. Rex Ryan sure did. The Jets traded a bunch for him. The Jets were a happy bunch when their young quarterback helped the team reach those AFC title games. Sanchez wasn't making the mistakes that he's been making since. He's been playing like the quarterback that I saw at USC.

The Jets woes aren't all on Sanchez. Losing all-everything corner Darrelle Revis and play making receiver Santonio Holmes early in the season was brutal. Losing Revis changed that entire defense. The team lost it's swagger. When that happened everything started to crumble. The Jets have to find a way to get that swagger back. Rex Ryan is a terrific football coach. Few know defense better. He's always been great with the players. The quarterback situation and the incredible run of injuries killed the Jets' season. They just need to get this season behind them. See what Greg McElroy has in these last two games. Get healthy and look towards 2013.

2,000

Six NFL running backs have rushed for over 2,000 yards in a single season.

O.J. Simpson
Eric Dickerson
Barry Sanders
Terrell Davis
Jamal Lewis
Chris Johnson

Simpson's 2003 yards in 1973 was the most impressive. It had never been done before and he did it in 14 games. The remaining five were accomplished in 16-game seasons. Dickerson's 2,105 yards in 1984 is the NFL record. There was a time not long ago when 1,000 rushing yards in a season was a defining milestone. Even in today's passing league, 1,000 yards doesn't mean much anymore. You only have to average 62.5 yards/game to hit the mark. A modest total at best. 1,500 yards is a more significant target. The backs that dare to be truly great look past that number. 2,000 yards is what they see. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been staring at 2,000 yards since he entered the league in 2007. The closest that he came before this season was his 1,760 yards in 2008. Coming off a severe knee injury last December many didn't think that Peterson would even approach 1,000 yards this season. After 14 games, he's at 1812 yards. He has over 400 yards more than the next back, Marshawn Lynch. In the last 8 games Peterson has gained 1,313 yards. He's averaging 164 yards/game during that time. At his current pace, he'll finish with 2,140 yards. The way that he's running he could end up with much more.

While I had little doubt that Adrian Peterson would come back from his injury sooner and better than anyone expected. I never expected him to come back running better than even his previously high standard. This is the best that I've ever seen him run and I saw him put up 296 yards in a single game against the San Diego Chargers in 2007. If he can top that total against the Houston Texans this Sunday, the single game and season record will be his. Peterson came into the league looking to grab every rushing record in the books. Some of the most treasured are coming into focus. It starts at 2,000.

Week 15 Thoughts

Minnesota Vikings 36
St Louis Rams 22

Ha! Terry Bradshaw, during the Fox pregame show, said that the Rams were going to end Adrian Peterson's streak of seven consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Well, Peterson didn't stop at 100. He rushed for 212 yards with an 82-yard TD. He now has a career high of 1812 yards on the season. With games at Houston and at home against Green Bay he's 294 yards from Eric Dickerson's NFL record of 2105. 147 yds/game. Considering that his he's gained 296 yards in a single game before, that record is in reach.

Here's Peterson's yardage breakdown by quarter:

1st   8 carries for 8 yards
2nd  5 carries for 111 yards
3rd  6 carries for 23 yards
4th   5 carries for 70 yards

Over the past eight games, Peterson has rushed for 1,313 yards, the most over any eight-game span in a single season in NFL history. Amazing football player.

More important than Adrian Peterson's record quest, the Vikings have to keep winning. They're at 8-6 now. If they keep winning, they're in the playoffs. The Texans and the Packers are about as challenging as any team in the league. The Vikings face each one to close the season.

People will likely complain about Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder's 131-yard passing day. He completed 17 of his 24 passes. He spread the ball around to seven different receivers. He didn't turn the ball over. He also showed a lot of fight when he broke through a likely sack on his 5-yard touchdown run to open the scoring. I'd love to see more passing yards but Ponder helped the Vikings get a very important win yesterday. The Vikings offensive statistics resemble those of teams decades ago. Just because they don't fit the picture that fans expect these days doesn't mean that something is broken. All that matters are wins and the Vikings got one.

Peterson's running was the big story in the win but nearly as important was the kicking of rookie Blair Walsh. In a fourteen point win, Walsh made 5 field goals. He scored 18 of the Vikings 36 points. He might set all the team kicking records in his first season. Not really but he's setting a bunch. He set the team touchback record earlier in the season. He broke Ryan Longwell's record of six 50-yard field goals in a season. With three 50+ yarders yesterday, he's tied the NFL season record of eight. With a lot of rookies playing big roles for the Vikings, Walsh's impact has been one of the biggest.

Rookie tackle Matt Kalil has proven all season that he was worthy of the fourth pick in the draft. He's had an excellent season. One thing that has really impressed has been his downfield hustle. He's routinely looking to send little defensive backs flying on long Peterson runs. Everything about Kalil's game has been impressive.

Defensive end Everson Griffen scored on a pick-6 when he dropped into coverage. It's unfortunate that it took an injury to starting end Brian Robison for Griffen to see more playing time. Griffen can do a lot of things that most defensive linemen can't do. He's an extremely versatile, game changing football player.

Robison's shoulder injury doesn't look good right now. Hopefully, the MRI will show something better. If he's out for a while it's fortunate that the Vikings have a player as talented as Griffen to step up. Losing Robison would be a significant blow to the defense and especially the line rotation.

The Vikings defense played great until the Rams rallied late in the game. The line got decent pressure on Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. Especially during a stretch in the second quarter when the Vikings put up 17 points real quick. They had Bradford rattled. Unfortunately, he started gaining yards in chunks late in the game. Fortunately, the Vikings had built a decent lead but Bradford made it tense at the end. Some of that was due to corner Antoine Winfield being taken out to rest his balky ankle. Marcus Sherels, while feisty, doesn't provide the kind of presence that Winfield does. Against the Texans and Packers, with Matt Schaub and Aaron Rodgers, in the coming weeks the coverage has to tighten. Hopefully, corner Chris Cook, who has been out for several weeks with a broken wrist, will be back for those games.

The Vikings caught a break when Bradford missed a wide open Givens at the end of the first half. That misfire gave the Vikings an opportunity to get points of their own before the half. Unfortunately, hacked up time management led to a field goal rather than a possible touchdown.

I love it when Vikings owner Zygi Wilf gives his tie to a player with a standout game. Adrian Peterson got the the purple tie yesterday. It was a fine looking tie.

It seems like it was only yesterday that Bradford had no decent receivers to catch his passes. Now, he has a bunch of extremely promising pass catchers. Danny Amendola, Austin Pettis and Brandon Gibson are nice targets. Rookies Brian Quick and Chris Givens make this a group that will keep Bradford happy for a long time. Quick and Givens were receivers that I really liked in the past Draft.

I like Amendola but it was a horeshit move to spike the ball into the camera crew after his touchdown. The ball bounced right into the face of a guy simply doing his job.

Rams corner Cortland Finnegan is a nasty football player. Perhaps more than any other player in the league Finnegan is a player that you love if he's on your team and hate if he isn't. He and rookie Janoris Jenkins are an excellent corner combo.

Rams running back Steven Jackson still runs great. He's a load to tackle. Terrific catching the ball too. Congratulations Steven Jackson on going over 10,000 career rushing yards.

I think that the Atlanta Falcons got a little tired of people questioning their worth as one of the top teams in the league. At 11-2 going into this week you'd expect more respect. Maybe they'll get it after taking apart the New York Giants 34-0.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were also shut out. No one could stop them from scoring about a month ago. The Saints did yesterday.

The play of rookie quarterbacks has been outstanding this year. Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III have received a ton of deserved attention. Fellow Redskins rookie quarterback Kirk Cousins filled in nicely for Griffin yesterday in a win over Cleveland. Brandon Weeden and Ryan Tannehill have been terrific as well. Russell Wilson has often played as well as any of them. He looks nothing like a rookie. It's at least fifteen years too early to compare this group to the quarterback class of 1983 but they still bring up memories of Hall of Famers John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly.

Bills receiver Stevie Johnson had one of the best catches I've seen since Cris Carter did it all the time. I say check it out. Fantastic catch.

Pretty lame move by Seahawks coach Pete Carroll in running a fake punt with a thirty point lead against the Buffalo Bills. Carroll just makes it easier and easier to hate the Seahawks. I guess that the clown just wanted to get a second consecutive 50-point game. Nice.

The Bills played the Seahawks in a home game in Toronto. I'm not so sure that the Bills will be allowed back in the states. They were horrible. Dropped passes. Turnovers. Every single decent play seemed to be followed by a breakdown.

The Dallas Cowboys keep finding ways to win. If they can keep doing that to a playoff spot, they'll be dangerous in January.

New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork says that if things got desperate at quarterback for his team, he'd get the call. If Tom Brady and Ryan Mallett went down, he'd be under center. Now, that's something that I'd like to see. Not to see the actual quarterbacks get hurt but to see a 350 lb quarterback.

The San Francisco 49ers played like a Super Bowl contender. The New England Patriots played like one too in the second half. That turned into a terrific game. I wouldn't be surprised if these two teams played again.

I like Fox's broadcast team of Charles Davis and Gus Johnson. I was quite pleased to see that they had the call of the Vikings-Rams game.

Next week is bad news for the Texans.

Game Day Thoughts

California high schools finally got into the state football championship games several years ago. Currently, teams from five divisions that won their section championship are chosen from northern and southern California to meet for the state title. There's always controversy when teams are chosen in a room rather than decided on the field. There's always going to be deserving section champions that have to stay at home. As with college football, I don't understand why a pure playoff system is so hard to accept. Like California, Texas is a large state. Unlike California, Texas has a high school playoff system that results in an on the field state champion. I guess that California doesn't want to blow up the long loved section playoffs. Despite it's faults, California's football state championships are a good thing and a great weekend. This was that weekend.

Here are those games:
Open Division: De La Salle 48 Centennial 28
Division I: Granite Bay 21  Long Beach Poly 20
Division II: Serra 42  Oakdale 15
Division III: Madison 38  Marin Catholic 35
Division IV: Central Catholic 66 Santa Fe Christian 7

Congratulations to the state champions and all the kids competing in high school football for the pure fun of the game.

Long Beach Poly has sent more football players to the NFL than any other high school in the country. They were clearly the more talented team when they stepped on the field to face Granite Bay. It was amazing to watch this game. The Poly kids played that game in complete shock that the team opposite them would not quit. Long Beach Poly just showed up while Granite Bay came to play football.

Central Catholic of Modesto is a monster. It was 59-7 at the half. Over 500 yards rushing.

The Madison-Marin Catholic game was as terrific as the score indicates. Madison couldn't get out of their own way at the start of the game. Marin Catholic was up 21-0 pretty much immediately. I was probably most interested in this game. It provided a first look at Marin Catholic's Cal-bound quarterback Jared Goff. For no other reason but a hunch, I see Goff and current Cal redshirt Zach Kline as the likely Golden Bear quarterbacks for perhaps the next five years. Goff moves real well in the pocket. Sliding and moving up in the pocket to avoid the rush. It's amazing how many quarterbacks don't do this well. These slight movements buy time and provide throwing windows.

Oakdale showed more effort and heart in a 42-15 loss than most teams show in a win.

De La Salle just keeps on winning. Four consecutive state championship game wins. It's pretty cool to hear their band play that Cal fight song. I haven't heard that song played after a win in quite some time.

The high school games were more interesting than the early college football bowl games. The lower college division playoff games are more interesting too. Goes to show you how much fun a college playoff would be.

Minnesota Vikings superhuman running back Adrian Peterson is looking past 2,000 yards rushing and shooting for Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105. Most seemed to doubt that Peterson could come back from his brutal knee injury. Even fewer thought that he would come back better than before. They shouldn't doubt his intentions now. He's an amazing football player. If he can hit his goals, the Vikings chances at the playoffs improve.

The Vikings need to win their remaining three games for any shot at the playoffs. Even then they need some help but all they can do is their part of things. Peterson carries the Vikings offense but quarterback Christian Ponder has to make plays. He has to make defenses pay for all the effort made to stop the running game.

The Washington Redskins made the unusual move of entering the season with a rookie starting quarterback and a rookie backup quarterback. When Robert Griffin III was injured last week against the Baltimore Ravens, Kirk Cousins came in and led the Redskins to an overtime victory. Playing it safe with Griffin, Cousins will get the start today against the Cleveland Browns.

Reports are bouncing around that the Green Bay Packers are going to part ways with tight end Jermichael Finley. It was only a couple of years ago that Finley worried me, as a Vikings fan, more than any other pass catcher on the Packers. He's an awesome talent. He also seems to be an awesome problem.

Go Vikings!!!

Bounty Over?

The great hope here is that we heard the last of the Saints bounty crap when former commissioner Paul Tagliabue made his ruling this week as arbitrator. I doubt that this is the end mainly because this is never going to end. Drew Brees won't let it. Brees and the rest of the Saints and their fans seem to think that Tagliabue's ruling exonerated the team from anything to do with the bounties. I don't think that they were listening. I know that they didn't read it. Tagliabue did toss out the player suspensions that current commissioner Roger Goodell handed down but it ends there. Tagliabue said that there's tons of evidence proving that the ridiculous bounty shenanigans did take place. He just didn't think that players were to blame. He said that the organization, the coaches and such were the problem and the players were simply doing as they were instructed. In my book, this is absolute confirmation of the bounties and exoneration of absolutely nothing. The Saints were guilty and Brees and the rest of those Saints shouldn't really be all that happy with themselves. Their guilt is stronger now than it was months ago.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has been one of the most outspoken critics of the league and especially Roger Goodell throughout this drawn out process. I enjoy most of Florio's writing and many of his views. With his previous life as a lawyer he was a tremendous source of information and explanation during the lockout. I agree with some of his criticisms of Goodell's investigation and handling of the bounty accusations. It really wasn't handled very well. I disagree with about everything else that Florio has to say about this mess. He was a guest on Peter King's podcast this week to discuss Tagliabue's ruling. Florio said that if Jonathan Vilma, the coaches and whoever else had really put up a bunch of money for any player that took Brett Favre out of the 2009 NFC Championship game, there would be "a bunch of Jeff Gillooly's running around trying to kneecap someone" on game day. I guess that he didn't watch the game. That's exactly what I saw that day. I saw a bunch of Saints player running around with more than stopping the Vikings offense on their mind. One of the idiot Saints player "blew up" Favre long after he had handed the ball off  to Adrian Peterson. I've seen quarterbacks hit like that when they are looking pitch on an option. There isn't much chance of Favre running the option. I've never seen a quarterback get hit like that as he's watching the running back with the ball. It wasn't so much that they hit him it was how they hit him, when they hit him and how often. The intent to injure was obvious. There were too many late hits on Favre when he actually threw the ball to not be suspicious of something. One Saints player was fined for three separate hits. That's ridiculous. No player has ever before received fines for three different hits in one game. When news of the bounties came out it explained a lot. I just wish that people would stop making excuses for what the New Orleans Saints did. Some have said that it was ok since other teams have been doing similar stunts for years. That's really no excuse but I've still never seen a team play with such a complete disregard for the rules or with less respect for their peers. All of the Saints sketchy actions were made so much worse when they were told to stop and didn't. They were told to knock it off. Didn't. Then lied about it. Pretty classy. It doesn't matter that the player suspensions were lifted. The acknowledged guilt lasts and will forever taint that New Orleans Saints Super Bowl season.

Analytics

I'm not sure why so many have gravitated towards numbers to explain away sports. Bill James and all the other mathematicians have turned baseball into a game of percentages. More like rolling a dice than anything involving a ball. This trend is creeping into football. Some teams even have an analytic department. There are websites devoted to the crunching of play on the football field into numbers, charts and graphs. Two of the most prominent are Aaron Schatz's Football Outsiders and Neil Hornsby's Pro Football Focus. There's a lot to like about these numbers. Quantifying the play of an offensive lineman has never been done before. Every other position in football generates some statistics that allows one to evaluate performance on the football field. Tackles, receptions, yards rushing, touchdowns, sacks, etc. Each paints a picture that we've used to judge a football player for decades. These numbers have never been an absolute judge but they can be pretty accurate. Now the offensive linemen are getting their own numbers. It's fine day, or sad, for the fat guys.

These number crunchers have also brought to us numbers that we've never seen before. You can find the production of backs and receivers on various downs and distances. Team defense in the third quarter. An offense's two minute efficiency. Pretty much anything that strikes your fancy has probably been broken down into an easily manageable number.

The problem that I have with numbers explaining away football is the use of them in making decisions going forward. I don't think that numbers generated from past performances can accurately predict football players making plays. Percentages probably say that a kick returner shouldn't bring a kick back from nine yards deep in the end zone. I'd let Percy Harvin return a kick if he caught the kick in the stands. I've seen football players do things that no number would say that they could or should. I think that all of these numbers are great in revealing how teams and players have performed. I think that it's a mistake to rely on these numbers to tell teams or players how they should perform.

Throwback Thursday: Fandom

"My love of the Steelers might be the purest thing in my life, just because it's always been there and it's so unquestioned. I love the Steelers like a golden retriever loves a tennis ball."-Kirven Blount

I noticed this quote in last week's issue of Sports Illustrated. It describes very well my love of the Minnesota Vikings. Kirven Blount is the son of Sports Illustrated writer, contributor and author Roy Blount Jr. The younger Blount fell for the Steelers as a child around the time that the elder Blount spent the entire 1973 season with the team for his excellent book, About Three Bricks Shy of a Load. Kirven was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers at a time when they were getting ready to win a bunch of Super Bowls. I was taken by the Minnesota Vikings at about the same time when they were losing a bunch of Super Bowls. One of which was  to those Steelers. Despite four Super Bowl losses and no return to the big game since 1977, I've never regretted for one moment being a Minnesota Vikings fan. Not even when most around me were celebrating three Oakland/L.A. Raiders and five San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl wins. My time with the Vikings has been well spent and it's been a blast. Sure, it could have been better.

Like Kirven with the Steelers, it seems that the Vikings have always been a part of me. I can't remember a day that I was aware of football and I wasn't part of the Vikings faithful. There had to have been a few days but I can't remember a single one. Falling in with a team that easily may not be a shock when that team is nearby. The 49ers and the Raiders were my local teams and everyone around me seemed to be a fan of one or both. The Vikings were a half a continent away and they might as well have been much more. I discovered and learned of Minnesota as a result of being a fan of the their NFL team. A little Minnesota Vikings fan in the middle of California. It's just the way it was.

The fun part about being a Vikings fan in the early '70s was that they were either in the Super Bowl or seriously contending for it. They made it to three in a four stretch. The Buffalo Bills of their day. It wasn't so fun that they always ended their playoff runs with a loss. If you told me then that the Vikings wouldn't make it back to a Super Bowl for over 35 years I would have thought that you were nuts. Kirven certainly had the better run. Four championships in the '70s. Two more in the last decade. The Vikings will get some of their own. I have no doubt. The fun part is the ride and I'm settled in for a long ride.

Harvin Bashing

For the past week I've been shocked by the number of negative comments made by the media and especially the fans about Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin. He was placed on the injured reserve list last week due to a sprained ankle. He injured the ankle against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 4. The Vikings didn't make the move to injured reserve until last week because they held out hope that his ankle would come around with rest and rehab. When it was discovered that the ligament in the joint was torn that hope died. Injuries are unfortunate but they are part of football. It's certainly not Harvin's fault that he injured his ankle. He even returned to the field against the Seahawks which, as it turned out, was probably not the best idea. The injury was especially devastating as Harvin was having such a fantastic season. His versatility impacts so much of the Vikings offense and special teams. He had been the only real threat from the receiver position and in his absence quarterback Christian Ponder has struggled often.

Percy Harvin leaves everything out on the field and he plays a pretty brutal brand of football. He never shies from contact. The manner in which he plays the game has made him a fan favorite. That's why the negativity towards him is so shocking. Most of it stems from his words and actions during the offseason. He stayed away from a mini-camp due to uncertainty with his role in the Vikings offense. Some assumed that he was grumbling about his contract. Some just saw him as another prima dona receiver. He just wants to win and just wanted to know how the team was going to use his varied skills. It was a valid concern seeing as he was standing on the sideline far too often last season. Fans started to jump off Harvin's bandwagon. Most jumped back on when he got off to such an outstanding start. He really carried the team through the first few weeks. Now that he's injured and not playing, fans and media think that he has issues. Sure, he has issues. He's injured and he wants to be playing football. He's not happy right now. He's a competitor and he wants to help his team get into the playoffs. People think that he has an attitude problem because he hasn't been on the sideline like other injured players. Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher have been mentioned. Different person, different situation. People have to accept that not all players see everything exactly as we want them to. Many fans and some idiot media say that Harvin's throwing a fit because of money. I still say that he's unhappy because he's not playing. Radio announcer and former Vikings linebacker Pete Bercich thinks that Harvin has played his last game for the Vikings. I think that Bercich is an idiot. None other than the owner of the team has stated that signing Harvin to a long term contract is on the "to do" list for this offseason. I tend to believe the owner rather than a radio hack.

Percy Harvin has been an incredible football player for the Minnesota Vikings. I think that continues and that the fickle fans will forget all about their bitching about him when something new comes around to bitch about.

Intentional Grounding

I find intentional grounding one of the most questionably enforced rules in the books. Unnecessary roughness, especially when it comes to hits on the quarterback, is pretty bad too but the officials are strongly encouraged to err on the side of safety. Still, it's a judgement call on either side of safety. All penalties are a judgement call. Intentional grounding has become something that only seems to bother me. The problem that I have is that quarterbacks have started to dance around the rules of intentional grounding and it's forced officials to make calls that they really shouldn't be making.

Intentional grounding seems straight forward enough. If the quarterback is in the tackle box, the area between the two offensive tackles, he can't dump the ball to avoid a sack. If he does throw the ball away while still in that box, the pass has to reach the line of scrimmage and there has to be an eligible receiver in the area. These are nicely defined rules. They were so well defined that quarterbacks started to take advantage of them. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was clearly grounding the ball intentionally to avoid a snarling Jared Allen sack but he'd be a step outside the tackle box. He'd get away, get outside the box and just dump the ball out of bounds or in the ground. It looks bogus but he saves the yardage and gets another shot. He also avoids potentially painful hits. He was staying nice and clean and inside the rules. The problem that I have with the enforcement of the rule started when intentional grounding opened the scoring in last year's Super Bowl. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was facing intense Giants pressure while back to pass in his own end zone. Finding no one open he fired the ball deep down the middle of the field. He was in the tackle box. The ball sailed over the line of scrimmage but there was no Patriots receiver in the area. It was ruled intentional grounding in the end zone and a safety for the Giants. I saw a similar call against Brady in the field of play this year. The problem that I have with this ruling is that the official is making a judgement on intent. The name of the rule implies a judgement of intention but the officials are making a judgement of the intention of an offensive scheme. So much of today's passing offenses are dependent on timing and adjustments during the play by the quarterback and the receiver. Based on what they see the receiver has options for his route. The quarterback sees the same thing and reacts accordingly. The Patriots likely have route adjustments when Brady is in trouble. Basically Brady could be throwing the ball down the middle of the field simply because he expects a receiver to be there and not because he is avoiding a sack. The officials are making that distinction. We see passes thrown to vacant areas fairly often due to a missed communication and it's accepted as such. The official is judging the intention of Brady. I think that's a mistake. I'm pretty sure that I'm alone on this as I never hear anybody else think anything of it.

Week 14 Thoughts

Minnesota Vikings 21
chicago bears 14

Now at 7-6, the Vikings likely need to win all three remaining games for the playoffs. Even then they'll need some help. All that they can worry about is their side of things. Those three games are at St. Louis, at Houston and closing with Green Bay at home. Pretty tough task but that's what it's going to take to get to the playoffs.

Adrian Peterson and the defense won this game. Until quarterback Christian Ponder can start making teams pay for all the attention paid to stopping Peterson that's how it's going to be. Peterson was awesome. So was the defense. They finally made stops on third down. They also got some big plays from rookies.

Peterson had 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns by the end of the first quarter. He finished with 154. Ponder didn't hit 100 yards passing  in four quarters. Losing receiver Percy Harvin to injury has to be overcome in the remaining games.

Ponder made some clutch throws. He converted some third downs. It's a stretch to say that he played poorly despite the meager yardage. His one interception was on a deep throw at the end of the first half. It didn't amount to much since there were only seconds left. It was still a throw that he shouldn't have made as he wasn't able to set his feet to get the distance that he needed. Rookie Jarius Wright was open on the play but the pass was way short. Making off balance throws is perhaps Ponder's biggest problem. He keeps doing it and he keeps paying for it. He's got to stop doing it.

4 of Ponder's 11 completions went to Michael Jenkins. Each converted a third down. Each was big.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph should never end a game without a reception. He's too big of a target and too much of a weapon. He did catch the Bears onside kick attempt so he did make an impact.

The Vikings liked corner A.J. Jefferson's size (6'1") when they acquired him from the Arizona Cardinals just prior to the start of the season. It paid off when starter Chris Cook broke his arm during the season. Jefferson has provided nice coverage but for a player of his height he should make more plays on the ball. He's right there but receivers repeatedly catch balls over him. That shouldn't happen. He did make a nice play to break up a pass to Brandon Marshall on third down in the second half.

Despite that one play by Jefferson, the Vikings can't find an answer for Marshall. He had about a dozen drive extending receptions two weeks ago. He had 160 yards yesterday. Quarterback Jay Cutler and Marshall have been a deadly combination.

The Vikings have to find a receiver like Marshall of their own. A receiver that can just go up and make a play. They had one with Sidney Rice but he got away. They might have drafted one last spring in Greg Childs but he tore the patella tendon in both knees in training camp. Hopefully he can come back but he has a tough road ahead of him. If the Vikings pursue a big receiver in free agency, Danario Alexander is doing for the San Diego Chargers exactly what the Vikings need in Minnesota.

Vikings rookie safety Harrison Smith bagged his second pick-6 of the season. I've said it before and I'll say it for as long as Smith plays Vikings football, it is so great to finally have a playmaker at the back of the Vikings defense.

Smith received some recruiting attention as a running back in high school. His two interception returns for touchdowns this season showed those running back skills.

Fellow rookie, corner Josh Robinson nearly got his own pick-6. His return early in the game was ruled a touchdown on the field but replay showed that he had stepped out at the 5-yard line.

The Vikings 2012 Draft class continues to excel. Tackle Matt Kalil is already one of the top players in the league at his position. Safety Harrison Smith has been outstanding. Josh Robinson looks to be a starter at corner for a long time. Tight end Rhett Ellison does pretty much everything on offense and special teams. Receiver Jarius Wright has made some plays since he had to step up with the loss of Harvin. Kicker Blair Walsh has been nearly perfect. This class will be Vikings mainstays for a decade, maybe more.

Defensive end Brian Robison had a sack and a forced fumble. The loose, bouncing ball headed upfield and a Bears lineman fell upon it for an 8-yard gain. I hate when the bad guys benefit from a great play by the good guys.

The players around the league are wearing patches commemorating the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 50th Anniversary. Punter Chris Kluwe took the opportunity to stand up for a Hall of Fame injustice. He had a note attached over the patch calling for the induction of former Raiders punter Ray Guy. I see a fine coming.

Seeing the snow fall outside the Metrodome kinda brought back really fine memories of old Metropolitan Stadium and the days when the Vikings played in the snow. It's easy to say from the comfort of a couch but I miss those days.

Jerry Angelo made the personnel decisions for the Bears for over a decade until he was fired last offseason. For whatever reason, he never saw the need to even try to add anything close to a playmaking a receiver. It was a mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. After kicking Angelo out the door, the Bears traded for Marshall and drafted Alshon Jeffery. Marshall has proven to be a difference maker for a while now. Jeffery should provide an excellent option opposite Marshall. He was outstanding at South Carolina. He has the size and hands to do the same in the NFL.

When Mike Martz was running the Bears offense they traded tight end Greg Olson to the Carolina Panthers. The extremely talented Olson was wasted in a silly offense that didn't use tight ends. The Bears probably regret that trade now.

It's good to see Panthers quarterback Cam Newton turning things around in his last few games. The expectations for him after an outstanding rookie season were way too high. He's a terrific football player.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles should never run with the football. There's not enough time in a game. He ran for a touchdown yesterday but it looked as if he was running in mud. Most linemen run faster than Foles. He's a very slow football player. I'm faster and that's just sad.

New York Giants back David Wilson was a kick returning beast yesterday. He took one 97 yards for a touchdown. When the Saints finally kicked away from Wilson, Jerrell Jernigan took it back about 60 yards. Counting interceptions, punts and kicks, the Gaints had over 400 yards of return yardage. The Giants had their offense moving but those returns were brutal for the Saints. Nearly 300 of those yards were on kick returns. Big returns immediately following a score just suck away momentum.

Wilson added another 100 yards on the ground with 2 TDs. The Giants might have found another weapon for their playoff chase.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III left the game against the Baltimore Ravens with a knee injury. It looked like a significant hyperextension at best. It was promising to see him standing on the sideline as his team won in overtime behind fellow rookie quarterback Kirk Cousins. Griffin is a brilliant, fun football player. The league is better with him on the field. I'm hoping for the best.

Playing the Arizona Cardinals can sure make a team feel good about themselves. This time it was the Seattle Seahawks taking apart the Cardinals. 58-0.

I'm really looking forward to tonight's Houston Texans-New England Patriots game.

Next week is bad news for the Rams.

Game Day Thoughts

Army-Navy is a beautiful game. I had the honor of attending one of these games.

It was difficult to see Army lose the way that they did. Quarterback Trent Steelman did everything he could to will his team to a win.

I know that TV loves the drama but they really should have backed off and given Steelman some space after the game. It was a tough time for the kid and they wouldn't get the camera away from him. It was ridiculous.

Congratulations to Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel on winning the 2012 Heisman Trophy. Only a freshman, Johnny Football could win a couple more of these things.

Apparently after the Heisman awarded the number of Manziel autographed items exploded from about eight to thousands on ebay. Texas A&M says that most are fake. The memorabilia parasites make me sick.

If I had a Heisman vote, I would have had a hard time not voting for Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o.

Te'o also tops my list of college players that I'd like to see playing in Minnesota next year.

Adrian Peterson is pulling away from every other runner in the NFL.

It is simply brutal that Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin landed on injured reserve this week. His injured ankle was more severe than hoped. He was having a fantastic season. At least one of the Vikings receivers has to step up and be a threat on the outside. Someone. Anyone. Please.

Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver said that not only is Peyton Manning one of the best quarterbacks ever. He's the best offensive coordinator in the game. This is one of the best comments that I've heard to describe what Manning brings to a football team.

Against the Raiders last Thursday, Manning switched to sidearm to fit a pass around Raiders defenders to Demaryius Thomas on a quick slant. It was one of the most amazing adjustments that I've ever seen a quarterback make. Thomas was his hot read on a Raiders blitz. The windows on a slant open and close in an instant. Manning had to hit Thomas in that window or suffer a likely sack. I had to rewind and watch that play several times to be sure that I had seen what I thought that I had seen. Just amazing.

This little nugget came from a Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs executive in the early '60s. I'd love to see this kind of comment in a scouting report today:
"He can run a 220 in twenty seconds with a goat under each arm."

Does the NFL fine players to justify questionable calls on the field? I hope not but that's the only explanation for the $15,750.48 fine tossed at Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen for his clean hit on Aaron Rodgers. Griffen was flagged for roughing the passer when his hit forced a game changing interception by Jared Allen. Griffen hit Rodgers in the chest as he was throwing. No blows to the head or face. Not even a tap. It certainly wasn't a low hit. The NFL said that the hit was late. It affected the throw so I don't see how it could be considered late. It's a mystery. Griffen shouldn't have been flagged during the game. He certainly shouldn't have been fined after careful(?) viewing later.

Speaking of fines. I absolutely agree with the need and quest for safety but the fines are too frequent and too high. Beyond that, the amounts are just silly. The new CBA has some goofy calculation that results in fines like $21,725. It's no wonder that the lockout took so long if they took time to determine horseshit like that.

The Vikings have announced Oct. 13, 2013 as the day that ground is broken on the new stadium. That's getting real close to being a real great birthday present to me.

Tomorrow night's Houston Texans-New England Patriots is one of the most anticipated of the season. After all 16 of the Vikings games, it is for me.

That Texans-Patriots game is so anticipated that it's not even listed on the NFL schedule in my Vikings media guide. For some reason they have the Rams and Seahawks playing the Monday Night game of Week 14.

Next week the Patriots host the San Francisco 49ers. That's another keeper. There'll be a bunch of yahoos calling that a Super Bowl preview.

Go Vikings!

It's The NFL for Keenan Allen

Lost in the excitement of Cal's hiring of Sonny Dykes as the new head coach was receiver Keenan Allen's announcement that he was calling his college career done and heading to the NFL. The slight attention that this announcement received wasn't entirely due to Cal bringing in a new coach on the same day. It was also due to it not really being a surprise. Similar decisions by Aaron Rodgers, Marshawn Lynch, DeSean Jackson and Shane Vereen had a little suspense. Actually, that Vereen decision was a bit of a surprise. There was no suspense with Allen's decision. He came to Berkeley because Cal was offering his brother, Zach Maynard, a scholarship and the quarterback gig. No other school on Allen's radar did. Maynard played his last season at Cal and as a result so did Keenan Allen. Even beyond that little family dynamic it was pretty obvious from his first college game that Allen would soon be ready for the NFL. He is and he decided to make that move now.

Keenan Allen is a terrific, game changing football player. I've really enjoyed watching him play for Cal. With the ball in his hands, he runs more like a running back than receiver. Part of that is his willingness for contact. Receivers usually shy away from it. They hit the turf or run out of bounds. Allen will bull forward to get more yards. In that respect, he resembles a taller version of Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin. The running ability of Allen, while one of his greatest strengths, brings about his biggest problem. Sometimes he forgets to catch the ball. His game breaking running causes him to forget that catching the ball is only half the play. Sometimes he runs before he's made the catch. Nearly all of his drops come from this. He has excellent hands. He makes difficult catches look routine. He will occasionally have a drop because he's looking to run too soon. Allen certainly isn't alone with this problem. Every single person that has ever caught a football has probably at one time looked to run before the catch. Well, Baltimore Colts Hall of Fame receiver Raymond Berry probably never did. Allen has to realize that no run after the catch is possible without the catch. The other thing that could hurt Allen might come up at the Scouting Combine. I'm real curious to see his 40-yard time. He doesn't look fast on the football field. That could be due to his running being so smooth, so easy. He seems to glide. All this speed stuff could just be me. Last year, Marvin  Jones, Allen's receiving team mate at Cal, ran a sub-4.5 at the Combine. I would have guessed that he'd run around a 4.6. I'm pretty sure that Allen is faster than Jones. I'm sure that Keenan Allen will run a better 40 than I think. I'm sure that he'll be a first round pick. With the Minnesota Vikings incredible need at receiver, he's a player that they have to seriously consider. I wouldn't mind seeing Keenan Allen going from Cal to the Minnesota Vikings.

Thanks for the Cal years Keenan Allen. A little short but they were fun.