Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster

 This might be the first time since the roster was initially set that the Minnesota Vikings website has 53 players on the active roster and 16 players on the practice squad. Players have come and gone with such frequency and injuries have removed players often enough that it was tough to keep up with the roster action. No players were seriously injured on Sunday and the only tweak to the practice squad was Monday's addition of undrafted rookie defensive back Luther Kirk and releasing Nate Meadors. It's only Wednesday so there's still time for roster juggling before Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. If there is any roster juggling, hopefully it's not due to injuries. 

The Linebackers

The Vikings were all set to enter the 2020 NFL season with their best linebacker depth in years. Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, and Eric Wilson are a strong starting trio. Ben Gedeon, Cameron Smith, and fourth-round rookie Troy Dye are diverse and solid backups. The linebacker group was swimming in talent and numbers. That depth started being whittled away from the start of training camp. A false positive COVID test led doctors to discover that Smith has been living with a significant heart condition. Open heart surgery to fix that condition has forced him to miss the season. If all continues to go well, he should be able to continue his football career next year. Perhaps less optimistic is the situation with Ben Gedeon. He apparently hasn't been cleared for concussions that he suffered last season. In light of those scary health situations, the foot/ankle injury that Troy Dye suffered against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 seems cute. He's on injured reserve. So, all three expected backups are now on three different injured lists. Dye could return in as few as three weeks. Gedeon could be activated as soon as he clears the concussion protocols. Then we get to Anthony Barr. The play-caller and leader of the defense was lost for the season when he tore a pectoral muscle against the Colts. Four of the Vikings' expected six linebackers are out from weeks to the entire season. The unfortunate circumstances forced the installation of a special door at TCO Performance Center for new linebackers. Former Cal standout (Go Bears!) was added during training camp. Former New York Giants starter Ryan Connelly was a waiver addition on cut-down weekend. Former Denver Broncos starter Todd Davis was signed last week after Barr was placed on injured reserve. While the Vikings' linebacker situation isn't great it's fortunate that experienced linebackers like Connelly and Davis, in particular, were available when they were desperately needed. The expectation here is that once he's learned more of the intricacies of the Vikings defense that Davis will join Kendricks and Wilson as the linebackers when three are on the field. Injuries are a part of football but it's a brutal thing to have such a concentrated injury hit on one position group. 

Here's a look at the Vikings roster in advance of their Week 4 game against the Houston Texans. 

Offense (26 Players)

Quarterbacks (2)
 8 Kirk Cousins
 4 Sean Mannion

Running Backs (4)
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison

31 Ameer Abdullah
23 Mike Boone

Fullbacks (1)
30 C.J. Ham

Receivers (7)
19 Adam Thielen
18 Justin Jefferson
81 Olabisi Johnson
12 Chad Beebe
11 Tajaé Sharpe
17 K.J. Osborn
85 Dan Chisena

Tight Ends (3)
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin

Offensive Tackles (4)
71 Riley Reiff
75 Brian O'Neill
69 Rashod Hill
74 Oli Udoh

Guards (3)
78 Dakota Dozier

73 Dru Samia
72 Ezra Cleveland

Centers (2)
56 Garrett Bradbury
61 Brett Jones

Defense (24 Players)

Defensive Ends (5)
91 Yannick Ngakoue
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
57 D.J. Wonnum

90 Jalyn Holmes
52 Eddie Yarbrough

Defensive Tackles (5)
93 Shamar Stephen
96 Armon Watts
94 Jaleel Johnson
51 Hercules Mata'afa
66 James Lynch

Linebackers (5)
54 Eric Kendricks
50 Eric Wilson

40 Todd Davis
57 Ryan Connelly

47 Hardy Nickerson Jr.

Cornerbacks (6)
21 Mike Hughes
20 Jeff Gladney
24 Holton Hill
27 Cameron Dantzler
29 Kris Boyd
38 Harrison Hand

32 Mark Fields II

Safeties (3)
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris

44 Josh Metellus

Special Teams (3 Players)

Kicker
 5 Dan Bailey

Punter
 2 Britton Colquitt

Long Snapper
58 Austin Cutting

Practice Squad

  3 Jake Browning, QB
  7 Nate Stanley, QB
15 Alexander Hollins, WR
86 Brandon Dillon, TE
40 Jake Bargas, FB
76 Aviante Collins, G/T
68 Kyle Hinton, G
64 Blake Brandel, T

67 Albert Huggins, DT

66  Abdullah Anderson, DT

48 Blake Lynch, LB

49 Cale Garrett, LB

43 George Iloka, S
32 Mark Fields II, CB

35 Luther Kirk, DB

  7 Chase McLaughlin, K

Here are the players that have been placed on the various reserve lists:

Reserve Lists

Reserve/Physically Unable To Perform
42 Ben Gedeon, LB

Reserve/Injured

99 Danielle Hunter, DE

55 Anthony Barr, LB

65 Pat Elflein, G

45 Troy Dye

79 Kenny Willekes, DE

46 Myles Dorn, S

Reserve/COVID-19
None!

Reserve/Non-Football Illness
59 Cameron Smith, LB

Reserve/Opt-Out
98 Michael Pierce, DT

Flea Flicker Week 4 Power Rankings

 Here's one look at how the 32 teams rank after the third week of the 2020 NFL season.

1.   Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)
2.   Baltimore Ravens (3-0)
3.   Seattle Seahawks (3-0)
4.   Green Bay Packers (3-0)
5.   Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0)
6.   New England Patriots (2-1)
7.   Buffalo Bills (3-0)
8.  Tennessee Titans (3-0)
9.   Los Angeles Rams (2-1)
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
11. Arizona Cardinals (2-1)
12. San Francisco 49ers (2-1)
13. Oakland Raiders (2-1)
14. Indianapolis Colts (2-1)
15. Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
16. New Orleans Saints (1-2)
17. Houston Texans (0-3)
18. Los Angeles Chargers (1-2)
19  Chicago Bears (3-0)
20. Cleveland Browns (2-1)
21. Minnesota Vikings (0-3)
22. Detroit Lions (1-2)
23. Atlanta Falcons (0-3)
24. Philadelphia Eagles (0-2-1)
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
26. Carolina Panthers (1-2)
27. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1-1)
28. Denver Broncos (0-3)
29. Miami Dolphins (1-2)
30. Washington Redskins (1-2)
31. New York Giants (0-3)
32. New York Jets (0-3)

Until next week.

Vikings-Titans

 The Minnesota Vikings continued their losing ways to start the 2020 NFL season. This time, it's a 31-30 loss to the Tennessee Titans at US Bank Stadium. 31-30 looks better than 43-34 and 28-11. The Vikings looked better on offense and defense than they did in Week 1 and Week 2 losses to the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts. As some spots wonk once honked they don't post pictures in the standings. A loss is a loss no matter how good some things might look and the Vikings are 0-3. 

The Vikings found a pass-receiving threat other than Adam Thielen. First-round pick Justin Jefferson was dynamite in his third professional football game. 

7 receptions, 175 yards, 1 TD

His 71-yard touchdown was a beauty. Not only was it a beauty but it also gave the Vikings a comfy 24-12 third quarter lead. Unfortunately, there was still about 23 minutes left to play. That comfy lead didn't last long as the Titans responded with two touchdowns, 13 points, and closed the third quarter with a 25-24 lead. 

Perhaps it's a sour rehashing of the sequences following Jefferson's touchdown but it feels like the Vikings responded to the supposedly comfy lead by playing not to lose while the Titans played to erase the lead with haste. For the most part, it appeared that the Vikings played with much more energy than they had in the first two games. Playing better helps. Converting some first downs helps. A young, exciting player like Jefferson emerging helps. But I can't get away from the worrisome fact that the game was lost in the seven minutes following Jefferson's big touchdown. Despite briefly retaking the lead in the fourth quarter, it never felt like the Vikings regained control of the game. 

And their final possession was horrible. With plenty of time (1:44) to do something, they did nothing. Four plays, 1 yard, and a Hail Mary interception. The Titans defensive line, three-man defensive line, thoroughly dominated the Vikings offensive line in those four plays. The Vikings even received some penalty luck when emerging terror Jeffrey Simmons was called for a questionable roughing the passer penalty. As Mike Zimmer said, the final possession was a complete disaster. 

Could've/Should've's

-Dan Bailey's missed field goal

-Holton Hill nearly ended the game with an interception on the Titans' final possession

-Adam Thielen catching Kirk Cousins' Hail Mary throw 

 

If any of those had gone the Vikings way, this is probably their first win. It's silly to dwell on things that could've/should've happened. They didn't happen. A loss is still a loss no matter how close it could've/should've been a win. 

The Vikings are 0-3. They have to win out before their Week 7 bye.

@Houston

@Seattle

Atlanta

That's a tough stretch but the Vikings have to stop losing. They have to start winning. That's all there is to it. 

I can't leave this disappointing loss without mentioning some Vikings that did stand out:

Justin Jefferson

7 catches, 175 yards, 1 TD

-here's hoping that this is the start of something very special

Dalvin Cook

22 carries, 181 yards, 1 TD

2 catches, 18 yards

Harrison Smith

9 tackles

1 tackle for loss

1 interception

1 pass breakup

How often does a team lose a game when they have a running back with 199 total yards and a receiver with 175 yards? Again, pictures don't come with the standings. The Vikings lost another one. 

Flea Flicker Week 3 Predictions

 It't time for a Minnesota Vikings win. Here's a swing at predicting the Week 3 NFL games. 

Tennessee Titans @ Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings have to get their shit together. 

Chicago Bears @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Falcons

The Bears are magically 2-0. The magic ends in Atlanta.

Los Angeles Rams @ Buffalo Bills

Pick: Rams

The Bills skipped through the Jets and Dolphins. Now it's time for a challenge. 

Washington @ Cleveland Browns

Pick: Browns

The Browns found some rhythm in Week 2. 

Oakland Raiders @ New England Patriots

Pick: Patriots

Based on their respective play in Week 2 this game looks like fun.

San Francisco 49ers @ New York Giants

Pick: Giants

Will either team have enough healthy players to field a complete team?

Cincinnati Bengals @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Eagles

Someone is going to get their first win. 

Houston Texans @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Texans

Chiefs in Week 1. Ravens in Week 2. No team has faced a tougher start to the 2020 season than the Texans. They finally break through in their third tough matchup.

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Colts

This could be a really long season for the Jets.

Carolina Panthers @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers nearly knocked off the Chiefs in Week 2. They should have enough against the Panthers. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Buccaneers

The Broncos might've had a shot if they hadn't lost their quarterback. And their best receiver. 

Detroit Lions @ Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Cardinals

It's still so early but it feels like the Cardinals are starting to roll.

Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: Seahawks

Are the Seahawks playing stadium noise louder than the rest of the teams? Are all big games involving the Seahawks played in Seattle. It feels like they have at least 10 home games every year. 

Green Bay Packers @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Saints

The Saints rebound from a poor outing against the Raiders.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens

Pick: Ravens

This game should be a blast. 

What Could've Been

 The Minnesota Vikings expected to open the 2020 NFL season with this defense. 

RE Yannick Ngakoue

DT Jaleel Johnson

NT Michael Pierce

LE Danielle Hunter

LB Anthony Barr

LB Eric Kendricks

LB Eric Wilson

CB Mike Hughes

CB Jeff Gladney/Cam Dantzler/Hoton Hill

S Harrison Smith

S Anthony Harris

Well, that isn't quite factual. By the time that Yannick Ngakoue was acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Vikings knew that Michael Pierce had opted out on the season due to COVID concerns and they probably knew that Danielle Hunter might miss a game or more. 

This is the Vikings defense that might be trotting onto the US Bank Stadium field to stop the Tennessee Titans tomorrow.

RE Yannick Ngakoue

DT Jaleel Johnson

NT Samar Stephen

LE Ifeadi Odenigbo

LB Eric Wilson

LB Eric Kendricks

LB Hardy Nickerson Jr./Ryan Connelly

CB Holton Hill

CB Jeff Gladney

S Harrison Smith

S Anthony Harris

What a difference a few weeks can make in the NFL. This isn't intended to be a mopey look at how some unfortunate circumstances dismantled a potentially dominant defense. Sure, it's a look at what could've been but it's also a look at what might be. It's exciting to think about a 2021 Vikings defense that includes the return of a healthy Anthony Barr and Michael Pierce and likely Yannick Ngakoue on a long-term deal. It will also include a more experienced cornerback group. None of that does anything for the remaining 14 games this season. The Vikings will be relying on some players tomorrow that were supposed to be role players this season. A couple of those players, Hardy Nickerson Jr. and Ryan Connelly, weren't even expected to be needed on the 53-man roster. All of these players will be relied upon to handle Ryan Tannehill, slow Derrick Henry, and keep the Titans from scoring more points than the Vikings offense scores. This daunting task kinda reminds me of a Thursday night game against the Arizona Cardinals in 2015. That depleted defense wasn't supposed to handle anything that the explosive Cardinals offense was going to throw at them. That Vikings defense showed up then and I believe that this Vikings defense will show up tomorrow. In Ngakoue, Kendricks, Smith, and Harris they have difference-makers, game-changers at each level. I expect them to make plays but it will take a group effort, a team defense. The Vikings have to get players in the Titans backfield, they have to get multiple players to Henry, and the cornerbacks have to play more to their talent than their age. If I had to pick a player to step up in a big way, that player would probably be Eric Wilson. But it sure would be nice to see an interior defensive lineman like Armon Watts or Jaleel Johnson rip apart the interior of the Titans offensive line. I like this "depleted" Vikings defense and I expect good things tomorrow. 

Some Football Thoughts

 Here are some of the football thoughts that have been on my mind recently.

1. Gale Sayers. 

2. Local and national media writing off the Minnesota Vikings' season after only two games is lazy journalism. An unfortunate trend of Mike Zimmer's time with the Vikings is one or two horribly played games at the start of the season. San Francisco in 2015. Pittsburgh and Detroit in 2017. Buffalo in 2018. Green Bay and Chicago in 2019. The Vikings went on to make the playoffs in three of those four seasons. A more fortunate trend of Zimmer's time with the Vikings is an ability to rebound from one or two horribly played games at the start of the season. 

3. Even more difficult to stomach than lazy journalism during Minnesota's rough start to the 2020 season has been all the damn images of Trevor Lawrence photo-shopped into a Vikings uniform. 

4. Gale Sayers.

5. More lazy journalism. Making a connection between Stefon Diggs being in Buffalo and the Vikings' offensive struggles through two weeks. First of all, Diggs was with the Vikings for rough offensive starts in 2017, 2018, and 2019. So, he wasn't a cure-all for these horrible early season games in MInnesota. Second of all, the Vikings scored four touchdowns and scored 34 points in Week 1. Adam Thielen had a strong game in Week 1. Diggs had a strong game in Week 2. Look, I'm a big fan of Stefon Diggs and I miss him. He's a terrific receiver and so much fun to watch. He's also no longer with the Vikings. Team and player have moved on. The lazy journalism should move on as well. 

6. It's a damn shame that the general public hasn't dealt with a global pandemic as well as the NFL. Even rogue coaches that decided that they were above the protocols were dealt with quickly and firmly. 

7. I've yet to see one of their games through two weeks but the Arizona Cardinals sure look like a fun team. I'm not a fan of Kliff Kingsbury's offense but I'm a fan of his football players. Larry Fitzgerald has always been one of my favorites. I can't get enough of watching him doing doing the simple, beautiful act of catching a football. Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, Chandler Jones, Budda Baker, Christian Kirk... There's some fun football being played in Arizona. 

8. Here's hoping for an end to this injury plague that's hitting the league. 

9. Maybe it’s just me but it sure feels like the Seattle Seahawks have at least 10 home games each season.

10. Pac-12 football is coming back! Stay safe. 

11. RIP Gale Sayers. 

Throwback Thursday: 100 Greatest Chicago Bears

 This Flicker was originally posted on 5/26/19. 

With yesterday's sad news of Gale Sayers' passing he and his special Chicago Bears career have been on my mind. It's no wonder that his teammates called him "Magic" as there was something magical about Sayers. The gliding manner with which he ran with the football was difficult to believe. He was beautiful on the football field. He had a quiet dignity off of it. The world was a better place with Gale Sayers in it. I can't believe he isn't. RIP. 

The 2019 season will be the 100th season of the Chicago Bears. As part of their Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook, longtime NFL writers Dan Pompei and Don Pierson put together a list of the 100 Greatest players in franchise history.

100. Patrick Mannely, LS, 1998-2013

 99. Doug Plank, S, 1975-82

 98. Trace Armstrong, DE, 1989-94

 97. Bobby Joe Green, P, 1962-73

 96. Eddie Jackson, S, 2017-Present

 95. Larry Morris, LB, 1959-65

 94. Jim Dooley, E, 1952-54, 56-57, 59-62

 93. Herman Lee, T, 1958-66

 92. Bill Osmanski, FB, 1939-43, 46-47

 91. Bob Wetoska, T, 1960-69

 90. Beattie Feathers, HB, 1934-37

 89. Mike Pyle, C, 1961-69

 88. Joey Sternaman, QB/K, 1922-25, 27-30

 87. Luke Johnsos, E, 1929-36

 86. Alan Ellis, CB, 1973-77, 79-80

 85. Jay Cutler, QB, 2009-16

 84. Tom Thayer, G, 1985-92

 83. Willie Gault, WR, 1983-87

 82. George Blanda, QB/K, 1949-58

 81. Brandon Marshall, WR, 2012-14

 80. Alson Jeffery, WR, 2012-16

 79. Dennis McKinnon, WR, 1983-85, 87-89

 78. Donnell Woolford, CB, 1989-96

 77. Bennie McRae, DB, 1962-70

 76. J.C. Caroline, DB, 1956-65

 75. Akiem Hicks, DT, 2016-Present

 74. Kyle Long, G, 2103-Present

 73. Tommie Harris, DT, 2004-10

 72. Mark Carrier, S, 1990-96

 71. Kevin Butler, K, 1985-95

 70. Matt Suhey, FB, 1980-89

 69. Bill Wade, QB, 1961-66

 68. Dick Barwegen, G, 1950-52

 67. Ed O'Bradovich, DE, 1962-71

 66. Mike Hartenstine, DE, 1975-86

 65. Dick Gordon, WR, 1965-71

 64. James Williams, T, 1991-2002

 63. Mike Brown, S, 2000-08

 62. Robbie Gould, K, 2005-15

 61. Willie Gallimore, HB, 1957-63

 60. Khalil Mack, LB/DE, 2018-Present

 59. Julius Peppers, DE, 2010-13

 58. Wally Chambers, DT, 1973-77

 57. Jim Osborne, DT, 1972-84

 56. Roosevelt Taylor, DB, 1961-69

 55. Johnny Lujack, QB, 1948-51

 54. Ed Brown, QB/P, 1954-61

 53. Jim McMahon, QB, 1982-88

 52. Joe Kopcha, G, 1929-35

 51. Keith Van Horne, T, 1981-93

 50. Mark Bortz, G, 1983-94

 49. Ray Bray, G, 1939-42, 46-51

 48. Fred Williams, T, 1952-63

 47. Dave Duerson, S, 1983-89

 46. Doug Buffone, LB, 1966-79

 45. Otis Wilson, LB, 1980-87

 44. Johnny Morris, FL, 1958-67

 43. Wilber Marshall, LB, 1984-87

 42. Richie Pettibone, 1959-68

 41. Neal Anderson, RB, 1986-93

 40. Ken Kavanaugh, WR, 1940-41, 45-50

 39. Harlon Hill, WR, 1954-61

 38. Link Lyman, T, 1926-28, 30-31, 33-34

 37. George Halas, E, 1920-29

 36. Red Grange, HB, 1925, 29-34

 35. George Musso, G, 1933-44

 34. Matt Forte, RB, 2008-15

 33. George Trafton, C, 1920-32

 32. Paddy Driscoll, QB/K/P, 1920, 26-29

 31. Charles Tillman, CB, 2003-14

 30. Gary Fencik, S, 1976-87

 29. Rick Casares, FB, 1955-64

 28. Lance Briggs, LB, 2003-14

 27. Olin Kruetz, C, 1998-2010

 26. Ed Healey, T, 1922-27

 25. Ed Sprinkle, E, 1944-55

 24. Joe Fortunato, LB, 1955-66

 23. George McAfee, HB/DB, 1940-41, 45-50

 22. George Connor, T/LB, 1948-55

 21. Joe Stydahar, T, 1936-42, 45-46

 20. Devin Hester, KR/PR/WR, 2006-13

 19. Steve McMichael, DT, 1981-93

 18. Jay Hilgenberger, C, 1981-91

 17. Stan Jones, T, 1954-65

 16. Bill Hewitt, E, 1932-36

 15. Mike Singletary, LB, 1981-92

 14. Brian Urlacher, LB, 2000-12

 13. Jimbo Covert, T, 1983-90

 12. Richard Dent, 1983-93, 95

 11. Dan Hampton, DT/DE, 1979-90

 10. Danny Fortman, G, 1936-43

   9. Doug Atkins, DE, 1955-66

   8. Bulldog Turner, C/LB, 1940-52

   7. Bill George, G/LB, 1952-65

   6. Mike Ditka, TE, 1961-66

   5. Gale Sayers, HB, 1965-71

   4. Sid Luckman, QB/P/DB, 1939-50

   3. Bronko Nagurski, FB/T, 1930-37, 43

   2. Dick Butkus, LB, 1965-73

   1. Walter Payton, RB, 1975-87

***

This is a fine list. I get a little nervous when a list like this is undertaken, especially with a team that has a long history of success like the Bears, due to the simple fact that pre-Super Bowl NFL history is rarely treated with the proper respect. People tend to have a very short memory and the Bears have a very long history. The team's best years were their first 25 years. Seven of their nine NFL titles came between 1921 and 1946. Dan Pompei and Don Pierson did a fine job of acknowledging all 100 years. 

The Bears have such a strong history that six Hall of Famers can be found among the players ranked in the 30s.

Paddy Driscoll

George Trafton

George Musso

Red Grange

George Halas

Link Lyman

How many NFL teams can put up 30 of their best players and still have Hall of Famers left over?

George Blanda is way down at #82 but he's not in the Hall of Fame for his Bears career. He may have spent 10 years with the team but he's in the Hall of Fame for what he did after he left Chicago.

One of the Bears greatest players is also the team's founder. No other team can say that.

Speaking of Halas, the Bears have employed a lot of great players with the name of George.

George Halas
George Connor
George McAfee

George Halas

George Trafton

George Musso
George Blanda
Bill George

One problem that I do have with this list is that two centers (Jay Hilgenberger and Olin Kruetz) are ranked ahead of George Trafton. 

It's easy to see that Pompei and Pierson think highly of the Bears current defense. Khalil Mack sits at #60 with a single year in Chicago, Akiem Hicks sits at #75 after three years, and Eddie Jackson sits at #96 after two years. It's actually no surprise. Before they're done, I can see all three moving up this list. Especially Mack. 

Minnesota Vikings 54-man Roster

While nowhere near the MASH unit in San Francisco, the Minnesota Vikings have dealt with some recent injuries. The most significant is the loss of linebacker Anthony Barr to a torn pectoral muscle. He was placed on injured reserve this week and is done for the season. The loss of Barr forced the promotion of linebacker Hardy Nickerson Jr. from the practice squad. That's a short-term solution. A longer-term solution will probably be found in the expected signing of former Denver Broncos starting linebacker Todd Davis. He's going through the COVID protocol and I'm guessing will start his time in Minnesota on the practice squad. Guard Pat Elflein injured his thumb during practice last week and was placed on injured reserve. His absence is expected to be weeks rather than the entire season. Dru Samia stepped in at right guard against the Indianapolis Colts. Brett Jones was promoted from the practice squad to help offset the interior line loss of Elflein. Defensive end Danielle Hunter has been dealing with a neck injury for over a month. He started the season on injured reserve and could be activated as early as next week. Hopefully he's activated. They need him in the lineup so damn bad. So, the Vikings will be without Barr for the season, Elflein for a few weeks, and Hunter for, hopefully, one more week. 

Other than dealing with those few injuries most of the Vikings' roster juggling since the start of the season has been the usual back-and-forth between the active roster and the practice squad. Seeing as only two safeties were kept on the initial 53-man roster some of the game day back-and-forth was with that position. More liberal practice squad rules due to COVID has increased the back-and-forth movement.  Defensive tackle Abdullah Anderson and familiar safety George Iloka have been added to the practice squad in the past week. 

I currently have 54 players on the active roster and two vacancies on the practice squad. I'm guessing that Todd Davis will be added to the practice squad before he's added to the active roster once he's acclimated to his new team. I'm also looking at cornerback Mark Fields as the player moved from the active roster to the practice squad. Those moves would get the roster down to 53 and the practice squad up to 16. 

Offense (26 Players)

Quarterbacks (2)
 8 Kirk Cousins
 4 Sean Mannion

Running Backs (4)
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison
23 Mike Boone
31 Ameer Abdullah

Fullbacks (1)
30 C.J. Ham

Receivers (7)
19 Adam Thielen
18 Justin Jefferson
81 Olabisi Johnson
12 Chad Beebe
11 Tajaé Sharpe
17 K.J. Osborn
85 Dan Chisena

Tight Ends (3)
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin

Offensive Tackles (4)
71 Riley Reiff
75 Brian O'Neill
69 Rashod Hill
74 Oli Udoh

Guards (3)
78 Dakota Dozier

73 Dru Samia
72 Ezra Cleveland

Centers (2)
56 Garrett Bradbury
61 Brett Jones

Defense (25 Players)

Defensive Ends (5)
91 Yannick Ngakoue
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
57 D.J. Wonnum
52 Eddie Yarbrough
90 Jalyn Holmes

Defensive Tackles (5)
93 Shamar Stephen
96 Armon Watts
94 Jaleel Johnson
51 Hercules Mata'afa
66 James Lynch

Linebackers (5)
54 Eric Kendricks
50 Eric Wilson
45 Troy Dye
57 Ryan Connelly

47 Hardy Nickerson Jr.

Cornerbacks (7)
21 Mike Hughes
20 Jeff Gladney
24 Holton Hill
27 Cameron Dantzler
29 Kris Boyd
38 Harrison Hand

32 Mark Fields II

Safeties (3)
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris

44 Josh Metellus

Special Teams (3 Players)

Kicker
 5 Dan Bailey

Punter
 2 Britton Colquitt

Long Snapper
58 Austin Cutting

Practice Squad

  3 Jake Browning, QB
  7 Nate Stanley, QB
15 Alexander Hollins, WR
86 Brandon Dillon, TE
40 Jake Bargas, FB
76 Aviante Collins, G/T
68 Kyle Hinton, G
64 Blake Brandel, T

67 Albert Huggins, DT

     Abdullah Anderson, DT

48 Blake Lynch, LB

     George Iloka, S
26 Nate Meadors, DB

  7 Chase McLaughlin, K

Here are the players that have been placed on the various reserve lists:

Reserve Lists

Reserve/Physically Unable To Perform
42 Ben Gedeon, LB

Reserve/Injured

99 Danielle Hunter, DE

55 Anthony Barr, LB

65 Pat Elflein, G

79 Kenny Willekes, DE

46 Myles Dorn, S

Reserve/COVID-19
None!

Reserve/Non-Football Illness
59 Cameron Smith, LB

Reserve/Opt-Out
98 Michael Pierce, DT

Flea Flicker Week 2 Power Rankings

 Here's one look at how the 32 teams rank after the second week of the 2020 NFL season.

1.   Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)
2.   Baltimore Ravens (2-0)
3.   Seattle Seahawks (2-0)
4.   Green Bay Packers (2-0)
5.   Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0)
6.   New England Patriots (1-1)
7.   Buffalo Bills (2-0)
8.   Los Angeles Rams (2-0)
9.   New Orleans Saints (1-1)
10. Arizona Cardinals (2-0)
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1)
12. Dallas Cowboys (1-1)
13. San Francisco 49ers (1-1)
14. Tennessee Titans (2-0)
15. Houston Texans (0-2)
16. Oakland Raiders (2-0)
17. Indianapolis Colts (1-1)
18. Philadelphia Eagles (0-2)
19  Atlanta Falcons (0-2)
20. Los Angeles Chargers (1-1)
21. Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
22. Chicago Bears (2-0)
23. Detroit Lions (0-2)
24. Cleveland Browns (1-1)
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
26. Carolina Panthers (0-2)
27. Denver Broncos (0-2)
28. Washington Redskins (1-1)
29. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)
30. Miami Dolphins (0-2)
31. New York Giants (0-2)
32. New York Jets (0-2)

Until next week.

Vikings-Colts

 That was terrible. Just terrible. The Minnesota Vikings lose to Indianapolis Colts, 28-11. Terrible. Terrible. Terrible. 

The Bad:

 Just about everything. 

More specifically:

1. Time of possession. After holding the ball for only 18:44 in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, the Vikings hold the ball for only 21:35 against the Colts. Terrible. 5:59 of that 21:35 was on the first drive of the game. Terrible. 

2. First downs:

Colts: 24

Vikings: 12

Terrible. If a team isn't converting first downs, it only follows that the team isn't maintaining possession of the football. Just like the Packers last week, the Colts offense was on the field way too much. The Vikings offense was on the field way too little. 

3. Total yards:

Colts: 354

Vikings: 175

4. Kirk Cousins was off all game. When he wasn't missing receivers he was forcing it to Adam Thielen. Cousins threw three interceptions. The was first on a pass forced to Thielen. The third was behind Olabisi Johnson but still on and then off his hands. Johnson probably should've caught the pass but it was off target. An accurate throw and it's an easy pass and catch. The middle interception was a Hail Mary at the end of the half. Cousins had a terrible game. 

5. Anthony Barr left the game in the first half with a shoulder injury. Hopefully, hopefully he misses no further time. 

6. The Vikings allowed Mo Alie-Cox to look more like Travis Kelce than Mo Alie-Cox.

7. The Vikings need receiving options other than Thielen. They have other receiving options. Olabisi Johnson, Irv Smith Jr., Kyle Rudolph, Tyler Conklin, Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, and Justin Jefferson. It sure would be nice to see Jefferson with some targets while the game is still in hand. Cousins just has to hit these other receiving options when he has them. 

8. The officials were terrible. The most blatant officiating blunder was the safety. I've never seen a safety called on a player that was tackled on the 3-yard line. Cousins' forward progress was never stopped until he was tackled on the 3. He was never not moving forward until he was tackled at the 3. The officiating was terrible throughout. 

9. There was so much more that was terrible but I'm getting headache. 

The Good:

1. Yannick Ngakoue got his first sack. He also forced a fumble on the play. 

2. The young cornerbacks got another game of experience. There was going to be some bumps as these talented, young players gain experience. They will get better. I truly believe this. 

3. Dalvin Cook ran well. He needs more than 14 carries and 16 total touches. The offense couldn't stay on the field long enough to do much of anything. 

4. The defense didn't play as terribly in the second half. 

Summary:

That's two terrible games to start the season. At least the offense got something going in the second half of last week's game. The offense never got anything going yesterday. The defense played a little better this week. The Vikings have to forget these two terrible games, get out of their own way, and start playing football. 

Flea Flicker Week 2 Predictions

 It's on to Week 2 of an odd NFL season. 

Minnesota Vikings @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Vikings

A must-win game in Week 2. That's not a good way to start a season. 

New York Giants @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Bears

I want to go with the mild upset but I can't. 

Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Cowboys

Both teams have talented, explosive offenses. Shootout?

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers

PIck: Packers

Everything went the Packers way last week. Even when a player (Jaire Alexander) guessed wrong he lucked himself into making a game-turning play. The Lions lost a game they had no business losing. As for this game, the Lions are feisty but the Packers are better. 

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Titans

The Titans should bully their way to a win.

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Bills

The Bills are simply more talented on all sides of the ball. 

San Francisco 49ers @ New York Jets

Pick: 49ers

The 49ers are just hoping that they can dress enough healthy players to field a team. They still have enough to handle the Jets.

Los Angeles Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Rams

Like the 49ers, the Eagles are struggling greatly with injuries. At full strength this game has the potential to be a terrific game. As it is, the Rams have the edge. 

Denver Broncos @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Steelers

The Steelers are a strong AFC challenge to the Chiefs and Ravens.

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: Buccaneers

The Buccaneers should rebound. 

Washington @ Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Cardinals

Both had surprising Week 1 wins. I'm going with the team that has more talent on offense. 

Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chiefs

All Chiefs in this one. 

Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans

Pick: Ravens

Chiefs in Week 1. Ravens in Week 2. That's a rough way to start the season. It's the Ravens in a fun game. 

New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: Patriots

I love seeing a puzzled Pete Carroll on the sidelines. 

New Orleans Saints @ Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: Saints

This could be a fun wrap on Week 2. 

Pro Football Hall of Fame Modern-Era Nominees

 The Modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021 were announced on Wednesday. The list of 130 former players is headlined by a couple of players in their first year of eligibility. Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson. Each was a finalist for the same Heisman Trophy. They were both selected at the top of the 1998 NFL Draft. It's only right that they enter Canton together. 12 of the remaining 128 nominees are also in their first year of eligibility. 

Calvin Johnson

Jared Allen

Kevin Williams

Charles Tillman

Logan Mankins

Steven Jackson

Wes Welker

Heath Miller

D'Brickashaw Ferguson

Justin Tuck

Jerod Mayo

Roddy White

The roster of nominees consists of 65 offensive players, 49 defensive players and 16 special teams players. The list of Modern-Era nominees will be reduced to 25 semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 finalists in January.

MODERN-ERA NOMINEES FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2021

*Finalist in 2020.

QUARTERBACKS

(8): Drew Bledsoe, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Jeff Garcia, Dave Krieg, Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair

RUNNING BACKS

(17): Shaun Alexander, Mike Alstott (FB), Tiki Barber, Earnest Byner, Larry Centers, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Jamal Lewis, Eric Metcalf (also WR/KR/PR), Glyn Milburn (also WR/KR/PR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters

WIDE RECEIVERS

(13): Donald Driver, Henry Ellard (also PR), *Torry Holt, Calvin Johnson, Chad Johnson, Derrick Mason, Muhsin Muhammad, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Hines Ward, *Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Roddy White 

TIGHT ENDS

(7): Dallas Clark, Ben Coates, Keith Jackson, Brent Jones, Heath Miller, Jeremy Shockey, Wesley Walls

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

(20): Willie Anderson (T), Matt Birk (C), *Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), *Alan Faneca (G), D’Brickashaw Ferguson (T), Kevin Glover (C/G), Jordan Gross (T), Kent Hull (C), Olin Kreutz (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Chris Samuels (T), Jeff Saturday (C), Chris Snee (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

(15): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen (DE), Ray Childress (DT/DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Leslie O’Neal (DE), Michael Dean Perry (DT/DE), Simeon Rice (DE), *Richard Seymour (DT), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Greg Townsend (DE/LB/DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Kevin Williams (DT), *Bryant Young (DT)

LINEBACKERS

(16): Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Tedy Bruschi, London Fletcher, Seth Joyner, Clay Matthews Jr., Jerod Mayo, Willie McGinest (also DE), *Sam Mills, Joey Porter, Chris Spielman, Takeo Spikes, Pat Swilling (also DE), Darryl Talley, *Zach Thomas, Patrick Willis

DEFENSIVE BACKS

(18): Eric Allen (CB), Ronde Barber (CB/S), *LeRoy Butler (S), Nick Collins (S), Merton Hanks (S), Rodney Harrison (S), James Hasty (DB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Tim McDonald (S), Allen Rossum (DB), Asante Samuel (DB), Bob Sanders (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Adrian Wilson (S), Charles Woodson (CB/S), Darren Woodson (S)

PUNTERS/KICKERS

(12): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Ryan Longwell (K), Nick Lowery (K), Reggie Roby (P), Rohn Stark (P), Matt Turk (P)

SPECIAL TEAMS

(4): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Mel Gray (PR/KR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR)

The Final Process:

Eighteen finalists will be presented to the 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee on the eve of Super Bowl LV. The Finalists will consist of 15 Modern-Era Finalists and the recently named Senior Finalist, Drew Pearson; Contributor Finalist, Bill Nunn; and Coach Finalist, Tom Flores. The 15 Modern-Era Finalists will be trimmed during the meeting from 15 to 10, then from 10 to five. The Senior, Contributor, Coach finalists, and the Final Five Modern-Era Finalists are voted “yes” or “no” and must receive at least 80 percent support. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021 is the result. The selection process by-laws provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.

If I had a vote the Modern-Era members of the Class would look like this:

Automatics:

Peyton Manning

Charles Woodson

From there:

LeRoy Butler

Tony Boselli

Alan Faneca

LeRoy Butler and Tony Boselli have been waiting for too long. I'd like to include a receiver (Torry Holt or Reggie Wayne) but I think that Alan Faneca is too deserving. Receiver is a problem. A logjam is forming. Again. I wouldn't be surprised if Calvin Johnson makes it in his first year but I don't think that he's the automatic, first ballot Hall of Famer that Randy Moss was in 2018. Johnson should join the receiver queue that has Wayne and Holt at the front of it. For logjam reasons alone I should include a receiver in this Class. I just hate going that route over going with the most deserving regardless of position. 

I currently see a Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021 that looks like this:

Peyton Manning

Charles Woodson

LeRoy Butler

Tony Boselli

Alan Faneca

Drew Pearson

Bill Nunn

Tom Flores

Other than the first two and last three, I might see it differently tomorrow. Or next week. 

As a Minnesota Vikings fan, I'd be thrilled to see Jared Allen make it in his first year of eligibility but I don't seen him as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. That designation needs to be reserved for the truly special players. It's been handed out too freely in recent years. I think that Kevin Williams quietly had a Hall of Fame-quality career. I also think that he might have a Richard Seymour-like Hall of Fame wait. Just on the outside year after too-many years. 

Congratulations to the 130 Pro Football Hall of Fame Nominees. 

Remembering Steve Sabol

 This Flicker was originally posted on 9/4/18. Steve Sabol passed eight years ago today. Every football game reminds me of Sabol. So I think about him often. 

Both wonderful and sad memories flooded over me when I happened upon this article by Frank Fitzpatrick of the Philadelphia Inquirer. In June of 2012 I had the opportunity to visit and tour the NFL Films facility in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. It isn't often that already grand expectations are so thoroughly exceeded. To see the place where all that magic and cinematic art is created was incredible. I'll never forget it. I saw Steve Sabol's corner office. The door was open. I'd heard that it always is. I went inside. I looked at the walls. I looked at his desk. Everywhere you look in the NFL Films building there's something interesting to see. It's also true of this office. When I was in this building, and especially in Steve Sabol's office, I felt like I was in a space that was a whole lot better than anything outside the walls.

Steve Sabol died about three months after I visited NFL Films. His father, Ed Sabol, followed just over two years later. The greatest gift that the Sabols gave us wasn't the art that they put on film. It was the people that they left behind. The magic continues at NFL Films.

Frank Fitzpatrick of the Inquirer/philly.com:

At NFL Films, Steve Sabol’s legacy lives on

Even after brain cancer stole both his mobility and his instantly recognizable nasal voice, Steve Sabol would occasionally roll his wheelchair through NFL Films' corridors, adding art or a newly discovered artifact to the walls, checking in on a Hard Knocks soundtrack, leaving inspirational messages for producers he'd helped prepare for a day they understood was coming too soon.

"When he was dying, I came in and he'd left this note on my desk," said Keith Cossrow, a senior coordinating producer for the iconic company Sabol and his father built. "It said, `There's no future in any job. The future lies in the man who holds the job.'"

For the 300 employees of NFL Films, the future arrived on Sept. 18, 2012. Sabol, whose father, Ed, was then 96 and ailing in Arizona, died that day at 69. After 50 years, there was no founding-family member guiding the company that bore the clear and distinctively creative imprint of the Sabols, and in particular Steve.

Yet despite the dire predictions that followed the death of the creative dynamo behind NFL Films' revolutionary success, the quality and quantity of work has continued to expand.

In 2013, NFL Films received a record 24 Sports-Emmy nominations. There were 18 more in 2016, another 21 in 2017. The workload keeps growing, with documentaries and football-related content for, among others, ESPN, NBC, Fox, HBO, Showtime, Amazon and the NFL Network.

"People wrote our obituary when Steve got sick and again when he died," said Cossrow. "There was a feeling from some people that we were slowly being eaten alive by all the changes in technology, that we were dinosaurs. … But the people at the NFL from the commissioner on down made the same judgment: There's no reason to change anything."

There are several reasons NFL Films has successfully transitioned from the Sabol era — a half-century's foundation of excellence on the creative side, stable leadership from NFL broadcasting chief Howard Katz on the business side, young producers dedicated to the company's traditions but unafraid to experiment, and, maybe most significantly, the tangible legacy of Steve Sabol.

NFL Films was built on the Sabols' passion for football and their devotion to story-telling. And in the South Jersey offices and studios where he spent so much of his life and into which he poured so much of himself, Steve Sabol's story goes on.

"A lot of people around here were raised on his hip," said Vince Caputo, who heads the audio department. "They gleaned a lot of what he liked and didn't like. That knowledge isn't going to go away. Steve is still present in so many ways."

An 8-foot-tall bronze statue of a young Sabol, camera jauntily perched on a shoulder, has stood since 2014 at the Mount Laurel headquarters' entrance. Though associates believe he'd have been embarrassed by the garish homage, the monument acts as a symbol of Sabol's ongoing influence.

"We miss his presence, of course," said Kelly Viseltear, vice president for budgets and production management. "But he's never really left.  You can feel it. The producers Steve taught carry his vision every day. And they put it into the mind-sets of each new producer that comes through. We don't skip a beat."

That tutelage, according to Ken Rodgers, senior coordinating producer, made the post-Sabol transition as smooth as an NFL Films edit.

"Steve allowed us to train under him," Rodgers said. "Not just when he was sick for those 18 months, but the years leading up to that, He became an artist-in-residence here rather than the president of NFL Films. A lot of the business aspects he transitioned to other people. He started to do the things he enjoyed rather than the things he had to do. Howard Katz was running the business side. On our side, he entrusted several producers with the creative vision."

‘Steve’s house’

Sabol's corner office has been left virtually undisturbed. His detailed files on players past and present are sourced constantly. The 35 Emmys he won — a third of NFL Films' 105 — fill the display cases. Every hallway is a football museum he curated, its walls teeming with artwork, photos, front pages, historical artifacts, even the collages he created in his home studio.

"One weekend I was sitting in a conference room watching a game and Steve comes walking through. He's wearing a bathing suit and he's carrying two paintings that he's going to hang on a wall," recalled Cossrow. "He looks in and says, `OK, when I'm dead, make sure this is part of the documentary about me.'"

The decor reflected Sabol's love of football and art so thoroughly that after he died some said being in the building was like being in someone's home when they were away.

"This is Steve's house," said Caputo.

In 2002, when NFL Films moved into its new, $45 million,  200,000-square-foot facility in a suburban corporate park near Route 73, Sabol's hallways served as directional guides.

"People would say, `Go down to the Lombardi photo and turn left,'" said Viseltear. "Then one day you'd come in and he'd have changed the entire wall. His design eye was amazing. All the new things were beautiful and perfectly placed. But nobody knew how to get around the hallways."

Several of Sabol's notes and memos can still be seen in the offices of the stable of senior producers and executives he personally groomed — Cossrow, Rodgers, Ross Ketover, Chris Barlow, Pat Kelleher.

If  "What would Steve do?" had been NFL Films' motto before his departure, it's become a mantra in the years since.

"Steve was arguably the most creative mind in sports television, so you always wanted to know what he thought," said Ketover, senior executive who now heads the company. "His instincts for an edit, for the tone of the piece or a piece of music were better than anyone I ever met. When Steve was here and when he wasn't, we had that motto: What would Steve do? We still think about that whenever we're putting a show together."

Not long before he passed, Sabol gathered the creative and business leadership together. By then he'd developed aphasia — an impairment of one's speaking ability. Still, he managed to convey his feelings.

"When he died, it caused us to sputter personally. But company-wise and professionally, things went smoothly," Rodgers said. "At that meeting he told us how much he trusted us and how confident he was that we'd keep doing things the way we had for five decades with respect to creativity and pushing envelopes."

Ed Sabol died in 2015. His wife of 74 years, Audrey, and daughter, Blair, are still alive. Steve's only child, Casey, operates a music business in California. Still, many at NFL Films continue to believe it's a family-run business.

"We've always been close here, so when Steve died, it felt like his sons and daughters had inherited the family business," said Cossrow, "and that now was the time to make the family proud."

Football and film

The essence of NFL Films' success is implied in its name, the twin passions of football and film, that led to the company's founding in 1962, but the continuity of its staff and vision can't be overlooked, employees said.

"We're like the Steelers," Cossrow said. "We don't go for the splashy, high-priced free-agent very often. We build from within. Most of us have been here 20, 30, 40 years. We have a system we're comfortable with."

The 18 months between Sabol's diagnosis and death were as busy as they were difficult.  The NFL Network was demanding more content. Hard Knocks, HBO's candid look at one team's training camp, was beginning to take off. A deep-dive series for NBC Sports called Turning Point was starting up. The number of documentaries in the acclaimed A Football Life series was expanding.

"We were just too busy to think, `Our boss is sick. Our boss is dying,'" said Cossrow. "One of the last times I ever met with Steve, I brought him a lineup for that season's A Football Life. He said, "Jesus Christ, how are you guys going to do all this?' Steve had a certain ways of articulating things even in his reduced state."

Much of the grieving took place during production of the 2013 episode of A Football Life that was a heartfelt elegy for Sabol. Its final act in particular, an examination of the relationship between father and son tied to Ed Sabol's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, was an emotional experience for all.

In that summer of 2011, Steve Sabol could hardly speak. Recording a  tribute to his father proved both painstaking and liberating.

"It always made me happy was that Steve got to see Ed go into Hall," said Rodgers. "That was a capstone for both of them. But Steve had begun to lose his ability to put sentences together when we were working on the induction speech. He gave it on video and when he got out what he wanted to say, you could see it was an emotional catharsis for him. He needed to do that one more thing. Now he could allow nature to take its course."

Next year will mark the NFL's 100^th season, an event NFL Films has been gearing up for, an event the Sabols would have loved.

"Steve has been a big part of all our conversations about the 100th," said Maryann Wimberly, who heads the Player and Talent Department.  "We think of him whenever we talk about the stories we can tell, the way we'll tell them."

And so the business that grew out of a father's interest in filming his son's Haverford School football games moves on through its second half-century facing challenges that were unimaginable in 1962.

"The sports media world is so different now," Rodgers said. "It's up to us to try to find new ways to tell stories. A lot of people think we're only about slow-motion shots of spiraling footballs. But the fact is we invented reality documentary-style sports TV with Hard Knocks. And we're trying to be at the forefront in places like Amazon and Facebook."

On a recent afternoon, Steve Sabol's statue shimmered and sparkled in a relentless afternoon sun, a vision that might have inspired one of those poetic overlays he wrote for his groundbreaking films:

The August sun was a demon,

 Setting the bronze ablaze.

The hero's face fixed a distant place

As it shone through the searing haze.

"He's with us," Wimberly said. "He's with us every single day."

Throwback Thursday: All-Time Team Of Players I've Seen

This is an All-Time Team of Players I've Seen in games that I attended. I've done this before and I was thinking about it again while listening to John Randle and Warren Moon chat on last week's edition of Skol Stories. I haven't been to nearly as many NFL games as I would've liked. Being a life-long fan of the Minnesota Vikings while living every one of my days in California is a big reason for that. I've still attended several games over the past five decades. The first NFL game I attended was the Vikings-Oakland Raiders game in 1978. There are some players from that game on this team. The most recent game I attended was the Eagles-Vikings game at US Bank Stadium last season. That game will always be special as it was the first time I'd ever seen the Vikings play in Minnesota. It was a beautiful experience. I don't why it took so long for me to get there but it did. It was such a beautiful experience that traveling to Minnesota for a game was going to become an annual thing. Then a global pandemic hit. Anyway, here's an All-Time Team Of Players I've Seen. It was fun collecting the memories.

Offense

Quarterback
*Fran Tarkenton

Running Backs
#Adrian Peterson
*Emmitt Smith

Wide Recievers
*Cris Carter
*Jerry Rice

Tight End
*Dave Casper

Offensive Tackles
*Art Shell
*Ron Yary

Offensive Guards
*Randall McDaniel
*Gene Upshaw

Center
*Mick Tingelhoff

Defense

Defensive Ends
*Carl Eller
*Chris Doleman

Defensive Tackles
*John Randle
Kevin Williams 

Linebackers
*Ted Hendricks
^Randy Gradishar
#Patrick Willis

Cornerbacks
*Deion Sanders
Louis Wright

Safeties
*Paul Krause
Harrison Smith

Kicker
Ryan Longwell

Punter
*Ray Guy

Returner
Cordarrelle Patterson

*Hall of Famer
#Will be a Hall of Famer
^Should be a Hall of Famer

***

It might be considered a homer move to pick Fran Tarkenton over fellow Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Troy Aikman. Tarkenton did throw more passes for more completions, yards, and touchdowns than those three. Besides, it's my team.

Other than the final score, the only disappointing thing about the first NFL game I ever attended, Vikings @ Raiders in 1978, was that Alan Page had been released earlier that season. His release from the Vikings was a stunning blow then and still stings a bit now. Page was my favorite player then and one of my all-time favorites now. He'd be one of the defensive tackles on this team if I'd seen him play in 1978. 

One of the most fun football games that I attended was a Monday Night Vikings-49ers game in 1995. Well, other than the final score it was a fun. The game was a receiver clinic. Jerry Rice catching passes from Steve Young. Cris Carter catching passes from Warren Moon. As defending champs, the 49ers were the better team and jumped all over the Vikings in the first quarter. 21-0. At that point, it looked and felt like Carter put the Vikings on his back and willed his team back into the game. 27-20 49ers at the half. 37-30 49ers at the end. Every catch that Carter made throughout the game felt crucial. Each catch converted a first down or scored a touchdown. This was before fantasy football changed how games are presented. Being in the stands, live statistics weren't blasted on giant scoreboards. No one had a mini-computer disguised as a phone. If I had to guess the respective statistics of Rice and Carter, I would've guessed that Rice had about 10 catches for 200 yards and Carter had about 10 catches for 150 yards. In reality, the two receivers did this:

Rice: 14 catches, 289 yards, and 3 TDs

Carter: 12 catches, 88 yards, and 2 TDs

I was stunned the next day when I saw that Rice had gained over 200 more yards than Carter. I guess that the situational importance of each of Carter's catches added about 15 yards to each of those catches. It was being at this game that I learned that statistics don't always tell the whole story. 

Randy Gradishar should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster By Age

 Here's the Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster broken down by the age of the players on it.

35
Britton Colquitt

32

Kirk Cousins

Dan Bailey

31

Harrison Smith

Riley Reiff

30

Kyle Rudolph

Adam Thielen

29

Shamar Stephen

Anthony Harris

Dakota Dozier

28

Anthony Barr

Rashod Hill

Eric Kendricks

Sean Mannion

27

Ameer Abdullah

C.J. Ham

Eddie Yarbrough

26

Chad Beebe

Pat Elflein

Jaleel Johnson

Ifeadi Odenigbo

25

Mike Boone

Garrett Bradbury

Tyler Conklin

Dalvin Cook

Danielle Hunter

Yannick Ngakoue

Tajaé Sharpe

Eric Wilson

24

Ryan Connelly

Jalyn Holmes

Hercules Mata'afa

Brian O'Neill

Armon Watts

23

Kris Boyd

Dan Chisena

Austin Cutting

Troy Dye

Jeff Gladney

Holton Hill

Mike Hughes

Olabisi Johnson

K.J. Osborn

Dru Samia

Oli Udoh

22

Ezra Cleveland

Cameron Dantzler

Alexander Mattison

Irv Smith Jr.

D.J. Wonnum

21

Harrison Hand

Justin Jefferson

James Lynch