Throwback Thursday: The First Big Game

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Justin Jefferson’s Statistics Climb

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

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

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

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

Watching Justin Jefferson play football is a wonderful treat.

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

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

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

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

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

Minnesota Vikings Week 11 Superlatives

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

Offensive Players of the Game

Sam Darnold, QB

20 completions

32 attempts

246 yards

2 TDs

8 carries 

18 yards

1 TD

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

Justin Jefferson, WR

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

Defensive Player of the Game

Patrick Jones II, OLB

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

His stats:

5 tackles 

2 sacks

3 tackles for loss

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

Special Teams Player of the Game

Ryan Wright, P

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

Vikings - Titans

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

The penalties.

Titans

13 accepted penalties

91 yards lost

Vikings

3 accepted penalties

35 yards lost

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

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

Enough with the penalties. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flea Flicker Week 11 Predictions

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

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

Minnesota Vikings @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Vikings

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

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Bears

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

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Detroit Lions

Pick: Lions

I wish that I could pick the Jaguars.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Dolphins

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

Los Angeles Rams @ New England Patriots

Pick: Rams

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

Cleveland Browns @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Saints

This one required a coin flip.

Indianapolis Colts @ New York Jets

Pick: Colts

The Jets are a mess.

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Ravens

The Ravens knock down the soaring Steelers.

Atlanta Falcons @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Falcons

Kirk Cousins makes Sean Payton sad. Again.

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: 49ers

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

Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills

Pick: Bills

The Bills hand the Chiefs their first loss.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Bengals

This should be a real fun QB duel. 

Houston Texans @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Texans

The Texans get right against the Cowboys. 

Tennessee Titans All - Time Team

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

Offense

Quarterback

Warren Moon

Running Backs

Earl Campbell

Derrick Henry

Wide Receivers

Charley Hennigan

Kenny Burrough

Tight End

Frank Wycheck

Offensive Tackles

Brad Hopkins

Michael Roos

Offensive Guards

Bruce Matthews

Mike Munchak

                               

Center

Carl Mauck

Defense

Defensive Ends

Elvin Bethea

William Fuller

Defensive Tackles

Ray Childress

Curley Culp

Linebackers

Robert Brazile

Gregg Bingham

George Webster

Cornerbacks

Chris Dishman

Samari Rolle

Safeties

Ken Houston

Blaine Bishop

Special Teams

Kicker 

George Blanda

Punter

Brett Kern

Returner

Billy “White Shoes” Johnson

Minnesota Vikings 53-Man Roster

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

Minnesota Vikings 53 - Man Roster

Offense (25)

Quarterbacks (3)

14 Sam Darnold

12 Nick Mullens

19 Brett Rypien

Running Backs (3)

33 Aaron Jones

32 Ty Chandler

27 Cam Akers

Fullback (1)

30 C.J. Ham

Receivers (5)

18 Justin Jefferson

  3 Jordan Addison

83 Jalen Nailor

  4 Brandon Powell

11 Trent Sherfield

Tight Ends (3)

87 T.J. Hockenson

84 Josh Oliver

86 Johnny Mundt

Offensive Linemen (10)

74 Cam Robinson

64 Blake Brandel

56 Garrett Bradbury

67 Ed Ingram

75 Brian O’Neill

76 David Quessenberry 

78 Walter Rouse

66 Dalton Risner

65 Michael Jurgens

69 Dan Feeney

Defense (26)

Defensive Linemen (5)

97 Harrison Phillips

90 Jonathan Bullard

99 Jerry Tillery

61 Jalen Redmond

50 Levi Drake Rodriguez

Outside Linebackers (6)

58 Jonathan Greenard

43 Andrew Van Ginkel

15 Dallas Turner

91 Patrick Jones II

52 Jihad Ward

98 Bo Richter

Inside Linebackers (4)

  0 Ivan Pace Jr.

51 Blake Cashman

  6 Brian Asamoah

54 Kamu Grugier-Hill

Cornerbacks (6)

  2 Stephon Gilmore  

  7 Byron Murphy Jr.

  1 Shaq Griffin

21 Akayleb Evans

23 Fabian Moreau

29 Dwight McGlothern

Safeties (5)

22 Harrison Smith

24 Camryn Bynum

44 Josh Metellus

26 Theo Jackson

20 Jay Ward

Special Teams (2)

Kickers (1)

96 John Parker Romo

Punter (1)

17 Ryan Wright

Long Snapper (0)

Practice Squad

47 Jake McQuaide, LS

37 Myles Gaskin, RB

36 Zavier Scott, RB

25 Nahshon Wright, CB

28 Bobby McCain, S

55 Andre Carter II, OLB

68 Henry Byrd, G

  8 Trishton Jackson, WR

81 Lucky Jackson, WR

82 Jeshaun Jones, WR

89 Thayer Thomas, WR

72 Julian Pearl, T

48 Calvin Munson, LB

85 Robert Tonyan, TE

45 Max Tooley, LB

95 Travis Bell, DL

35 Sammis Reyes, TE

Injured Reserve

  5 Mekhi Blackmon, CB

  9 J.J. McCarthy, QB

71 Christian Darrisaw, T

36 NaJee Thompson, CB

63 Jeremy Flax, OL

45 Jordan Kunaszyk, LB

34 Nick Muse, TE

16 Will Reichard, K

42 Andrew DePaola, LS

94 Taki Taimani, DL 

Injured Reserve/Designated To Return

59 Gabriel Murphy, OLB

Throwback Thursday: All-Time HBCU NFL Team

 This Flicker was originally posted on 7/5/18. 

The NFL's history is filled with players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The talent that's come out of these schools rivals, even exceeds, that of the "big time" conferences. Some of the best of that talent can be seen in this All-Time NFL Team of players from HBCUs.

Quarterback

Steve McNair, Alcorn State

Running Backs

Walter Payton, Jackson State
Leroy Kelly, Morgan State

Receivers

Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State
John Stallworth, Alabama A&M

Tight End

Shannon Sharpe, Savannah State

Offensive Line

Roosevelt Brown, Morgan State
Art Shell, Maryland-Eastern Shore
Jackie Slater, Jackson State
Rayfield Wright, Fort Valley State
Larry Little, Bethune-Cookman

Defensive Line

Deacon Jones, South Carolina State/Mississippi Valley State
Willie Davis, Grambling State
Buck Buchanan, Grambling
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern

Linebackers

Robert Brazile, Jackson State
Willie Lanier, Morgan State
Harry Carson, South Carolina State

Defensive Backs

Willie Brown, Grambling State
Mel Blount, Southern

Ken Houston, Prairie View A&M

Donnie Shell

***

The talent on this team is ridiculous.

22 players. 21 are honored in Canton.

The one player not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is the quarterback. Steve McNair.

Black colleges have sent an abundance of talent to the NFL at all positions but quarterback. That has more to do with the league's coaches and owners being so unwilling for so long to give a black quarterback a shot. Many think that Warren Moon was the first great black quarterback. Even he was forced to start his throwing career in Canada due to the racial prejudices of the league’s white decision-makers. Doug Williams and James Harris had some fine moments. Maybe they would've had more if their path was less rocky. Maybe Parnell Dickinson could've been the first great black quarterback if he'd been given a chance. Joe Gilliam? Eldridge Dickey? Charles Brackins? Willie Thrower? None had the opportunities routinely and repeatedly given to modestly talented white quarterbacks.

HBCUs have sent much more football talent than the above All-Time Team to the NFL. Here are some of the players that I had to reluctantly leave on the bench.

Lem Barney
Elvin Bethea
Richard Dent
Bob Hayes
Charlie Joiner
Emmitt Thomas

Aeneas Williams

Ken Riley

That's eight Pro Football Hall of Famers sitting on the bench. The talent doesn't end there. Here are a few players that have a strong case for Canton induction.

Roger Brown
L.C. Greenwood
Otis Taylor
Everson Walls

Just silly with talent. The talent was at these "small" schools because it wasn't welcome at the "big" schools. The smart NFL teams sent scouts to these schools in the 1960s and early 1970s. The 1960s Kansas City Chiefs benefited greatly. So did the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers. It's really no surprise that the rise in the scouting of the HBCUs coincided with the escalating AFL-NFL wars. There were more professional teams and it resulted in a hotly contested race for talent. The AFL had the edge at these long-neglected schools and it helped catch the NFL and force a merger in only seven years. Despite being loaded with talented players and greatly impacting the NFL the Historically Black Colleges and Universities have long been over there on the periphery of college and professional football. It's well past time to celebrate these schools and the players that played there. The Black College Football Hall of Fame has been inducting players since 2010. It's a grassroots effort that's slowly gaining traction and now they're getting support from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They deserve more support and attention. Just look at the players. Silly with talent.

Minnesota Vikings Midseason Awards

I saw that Mark Craig doled out Minnesota Vikings Midseason Awards for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I figured that I’d do the same. At the somewhat midpoint of the 2024 NFL season, with a 7-2 record, the Vikings are well positioned for a run to the playoffs. That isn’t bad for a team that many talking heads had pegged for only six or seven wins. Here are some of the highlights from the first nine games. 

Victory of the Year

The Week 2 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Week 3 win over the Houston Texans, and first half of the Week 4 win over the Green Bay Packers was the best stretch of the Minnesota Vikings 7-2 start. It grabbed the nation’s attention and shot the team up all Power Rankings. So, what was the Victory of the Year? I’m going with the win over the 49ers. I figured that the Vikings could compete with any team. That win showed that they could. The 49ers were the defending NFC champs. They were a few plays away from being NFL champs. The Vikings Week 2 win over the 49ers confirmed that last year’s win was no fluke. Following the loss to the Vikings, the 49ers had some difficulty finishing games as they dealt with their annual run of injuries. They were mostly healthy against in Week 2 and the Vikings outplayed them at nearly every turn. The 23-17 final score made the game feel closer than it was. The Vikings dominated one of the best teams in the league. 

Most Valuable Player

Aaron Jones, RB

I want to go with Justin Jefferson as I believe that he is the team’s most valuable player. I agree with Mark Craig here. Aaron Jones has been the Most Valuable Player. His versatility and physicality has made the offense closer to the offense that head coach Kevin O’Connell sees when he designs and calls his plays. 

Best Offensive Player

Justin Jefferson, WR

Through 3.5 games, this was probably Sam Darnold. If he’d been the best offensive player for the next 5.5 games, the Vikings would probably be undefeated. Justin Jefferson is and has been the best offensive player. The 97-yard touchdown against the 49ers was a blast. He’s scored touchdowns. He’s made his usual mind-bending catches. Despite all that he’s done, he’s yet to have one of those ridiculous 150+-yard games. With all of the attention that he draws, Jefferson probably tilts the field more than any player in the league. Even when he doesn’t touch the ball.

Best Defensive Player

Blake Cashman, LB

The Vikings defense has been great because of all 11 players. It’s very much a team defense and picking one doesn’t feel right. Despite that, the defense didn’t quite look right during the three games that Blake Cashman missed. He suffered a turf toe injury against the New York Jets in Week 5 in London. Even with the bye week that followed the international trip, he missed the Week 7 game against the Detroit Lions and Week 8 game against the Los Angeles Rams. Both losses. Both teams successfully attacked the area that Cashman effectively covers. He was missed. In the six games he played, he quarterbacked the defense and made plays all over the field. 

Best Special Teams Player

Will Reichard, K

Will Reichard has been outstanding. Unfortunately his fantastic rookie season hit an unfortunate bump with a quad strain. He’s out for at least the next three weeks. Before the Week 9 game against the Indianapolis Colts and that injury, Reichard had been perfect on field goals and extra points. For a franchise plagued by kicking woes, Will Reichard has been a revelation. I can’t wait for his return to the field. 

Most Underrated

The Defensive Line

Perhaps the biggest defensive concern entering the season was the defensive line. It was my biggest defensive concern. The starting line of Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, and Jerry Tillery easily passed under everyone’s radar. Phillips is considered solid by nearly every metric. “Solid” is typically a disguised way of saying a player is “ok.” At best, Bullard and Tillery are considered journeymen. This season, together and individually, the trio have been terrific. They do all the upfront grunt work that is the basis of everything that’s done behind them. Undrafted rookie Taki Taimani and Jalen Redmond have provided strong rotational support. 

Best Rookie

Will Reichard, K

Again, Will Reichard has been outstanding. 

Best Coach

Kevin O’Connell, Head coach/offensive playcaller

Brian Flores, defensive coordinator

I wanted to single out the great coaching of Brian Flores but I didn’t want to exclude the incredible work of Kevin O’Connell. Individually and collectively, O’Connell and Flores are the best playcallers in the league. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 10 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Offensively, the 12-7 win wasn’t pretty. They moved the ball well. They didn’t finish drives well. Considering the Vikings scored no touchdowns, they didn’t finish drives at all. Thankfully, the defense and special teams were outstanding. Here are some of the players that made the win possible. 

Offensive Players of the Game

Aaron Jones, RB

T.J. Hockenson, TE

Josh Oliver, TE

It’s difficult to pick an offensive player of this game. Despite 400 yards of total offense and easily moving the ball from one end of the field to the other, the Vikings scored zero touchdowns. Three red zone interceptions and settling for four field goals was a poor result for solid offensive work. 

Aaron Jones ran well. 

17 carries

88 yards

As a team the Vikings ran the ball a robust 43 times for 169 yards. Jones accounted for 52% of those yards. There was concern when he left the game with an apparent chest/rib injury. There was even more concern when he rode a cart into the locker room. Fortunately, he was able to return and close out the game. Whether because of the interceptions or simply part of the game plan, Vikings play-caller Kevin O’Connell really leaned into the run game. Jones effectively paced that strategy.

T.J. Hockenson returned to the field last week against the Indianapolis Colts. He made a few catches for modest results. He made a greater impact and looked more like his game-breaking self on Sunday against the Jaguars. 

8 catches

72 yards

The highlight of his production was a catch up the seam for 26 yards. The catch and run looked like it might go for much more than 26 yards. 

Josh Oliver was signed in 2023 for his blocking prowess more than his receiving. With the return last week of Hockenson, it’s a little surprising that Oliver’s most productive receiving stretch has been the past two weeks. He had 5 catches for 58 yards and a touchdown last week. This week:

4 catches

52 yards

28 of the 52 yards came on one big catch. 

Jones, Hockenson, and Oliver accounted for 225 of the 402 yards gained by the Vikings offense. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Blake Cashman, LB

This should go to the entire Vikings defense. The Jaguars gained 143 total yards (87 yards passing, 56 yards rushing). The dominance of that offense was so thorough that it’s surprising they managed a touchdown drive. 70 of the 143 total yards came on that single drive. It was very much an outlier. The Vikings team defense was impressive. 

Blake Cashman gets the nod here for his return to the field. A turf toe injury had kept him off the field the previous three games. Factoring in the Week 6 bye, he’d been out for a month. He was missed and his return was great to see. 

For the game:

5 tackles

1 sack

2 tackles for loss

Cashman had a second sack taken away because he got a piece of Mac Jones’ facemask. I guess the officials can see that illegal act when the Vikings are guilty of it. 

It was great to see Blake Cashman back on the field. 

Special Teams Player of the Game

John Parker Romo, K

Jake McQuaid, LS

It was disappointing that the Vikings offense, despite moving easily down the field, had to settle for four field goal attempts. Those 12 points were enough to gain the win. To get those points, the Vikings had to rely on two players that were signed last week. Injuries to kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola last week against the Indianapolis Colts forced the Vikings to go searching for emergency replacements. They didn’t have to look far for their kicker. John Parker Romo was on the roster through the offseason and into training camp. Veteran Jake McQuaide has 17 years of solid long snapping experience. The Vikings were fortunate that he was available and waiting for a call. He’s even shared some time with head coach Kevin O’Connell and special teams coordinator Matt Daniels with the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings were forced to rely on a new kicking battery. Other than one snap that made holder Ryan Wright work a bit to place the ball, the new kicking battery was perfect. They were four-for-four on the field goal attempts. The Vikings desperately needed each of them. 

Vikings - Jaguars

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday. The final score was 12-7. It’s a win but it wasn’t a model of how a game of football is played. If one was to look at the game statistics without knowing the final score, one would be certain that the Vikings had taken apart the Jaguars by a score more like 42-7. It was a strange game.

Those statistics:

Vikings offense:

82 plays

28 first downs

402 total yards

233 passing yards

169 rushing yards

42:19 time of possession

Jaguars offense:

43 plays

10 first downs

143 total yards

87 passing yards

56 rushing yards

17:41 time of possession

That’s a lopsided ledger. Holding the ball for over 42 simply shouldn’t result in only 12 points. This season, the Vikings have been efficient at scoring once they reach the red zone. Yesterday, they were horribly inefficient once they reached red zone. They settled for four field goals. At least those four field goals provided the points needed to win this game. Worse than settling for four field goals was Sam Darnold throwing three interceptions. Each eliminated opportunities to score. Each provided the Jaguars with a measure of hope. The Vikings were doing whatever they wanted until they approached the end zone. It was frustrating. Settling for field goals was frustrating. Turning the ball over was frustrating. Darnold did well in guiding the team down the field. He was terrible in forcing those three throws. 

Those interceptions. All three were terrible decisions. All three were terrible throws. However, Jaguars corner Tyson Campbell was holding Justin Jefferson when he deflected the pass and Foyesade Oluokun intercepted. It should’ve been a Jaguars penalty rather than a Vikings interception. Darnold’s second interception came on their next possession. After guiding the offense 76 yards on an impressive 17 plays, Darnold was intercepted by Montaric Brown in the end zone. This one definitely shouldn’t have been ruled an interception as the ball clearly hit the ground as Brown tried to control it. I was certain that the ball would be returned to the Vikings as the telecast returned from a commercial break. Nope. Somehow, the officials stuck with the call on the field. Incredible. Just like the Xavier McKinney “interception” earlier in the season, Darnold is stuck with an interception that was never actually intercepted. The officials have been a real problem for the Vikings in recent weeks. At least these questionable calls and terrible interceptions didn’t cost the Vikings the win. Darnold’s third interception ended another scoring opportunity as the Vikings drove the field to open the second half. This one was a legit interception. All three of these unfortunate throws were terrible decisions. Darnold was forcing something that really wasn’t there. He must make better decisions. Against a better opponent, those turnovers probably cost the Vikings the game. 

The Vikings defense was awesome. The Jaguars offense, led by Mac Jones, was simply overmatched. They were so overmatched that it’s shocking that they managed enough plays to manufacture a possession that ended in a touchdown. That possession was an outlier as the other nine possessions revealed an offense that couldn’t do much of anything against this defense. 

Jaguars possessions:

3 plays, 2 yards: Punt

9 plays, 70 yards: TB

3 plays, 9 yards: Punt

9 plays, 23 yards: Punt

3 plays, -3 yards: End of Half

4 plays, 15 yards: Punt

3 plays, 3 yards: Punt

2 plays, -4 yards: Fumble

2 plays, 2 yards: Interception

5 plays, 40 yards: Interception

15 of the 40 yards on the final possession came from a facemask call that wiped out a Blake Cashman sack. Incredible. The officials can make a facemask call. 

That 70-yard touchdown drive is such an anomaly that it doesn’t feel part of this game. That lone drive accounted for nearly half of the 143 yards the Jaguars had for the entire game. The Vikings defense simply dominated the Jaguars offense. Starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence was out but Mac Jones has a lot of starting experience. Jones lit up the Vikings defense on Thanksgiving in 2022 when he was with the New England Patriots. Holding an NFL offense to less than 100 passing yards and 100 rushing yards is an impressive accomplishment. 

Considering the Vikings won this game with four field goals, the kicking battery was crucial. So, it’s a little startling that two-thirds of that battery joined the team last week. Rookie kicker Will Reichard has been dynamite all season. After injuring his quad last week against the Indianapolis Colts, he was placed on injured reserve. John Parker Romo was signed during the offseason to compete for the Vikings kicker job. When Reichard was selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, Romo’s days on the roster were numbered. He was released early in training camp. With Reichard’s injury, Romo was brought back last week. Andrew DePaola is one of the best long snappers in the league. He suffered a hand injury against the Colts and was placed on injured reserve. Veteran Jake McQuaide was signed to replace DePaola. Just like that, the Vikings had a new kicking battery. Other than McQuaide making holder Ryan Wright work to spot one of his snaps, the battery was perfect. They were certainly perfect on putting the ball through the uprights for 12 points. 

This wasn’t a pretty win. The offense moved the ball up and down the field but the play and decision-making close to the goal was terrible. The offense must get back on track. The defense and special teams were terrific. It’s a win. It’s a win that bumps the Vikings record to 7-2. This was the first game of a three-game road trip. Next week, they visit the Tennessee Titans. 

Flea Flicker Week 10 Predictions

It’s Week 10! Here are some guesses at the games.

Byes: Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks

Minnesota Vikings @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings can not afford a stumble in a very winnable game.

New York Giants @ Carolina Panthers

Pick: Panthers

Another European game. This one in Germany. I’m all in on a Bryce Young redemption tour. I am so sick of “talking heads” crushing a young quarterback when he hasn’t been given a chance to succeed.

New England Patriots @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Patriots

Matt Eberflus inches closer to being fired. 

Buffalo Bills @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Bills

While the Bills are rolling they still seem to struggle at times. I can see the Colts causing them some problems.

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

The Chiefs are going to lose one of these games. I don’t see that loss coming against the Sean Payton-led Broncos.

Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Falcons

The Saints are a mess. The Falcons roll.

San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: 49ers

The 49ers continue to get better.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Steelers

The steady Steelers stun the soaring Commanders.

Tennessee Titans @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers roll.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Eagles

The Eagles are an easy pick even if Dak Prescott was playing.

New York Jets @ Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Cardinals

The Cardinals might be the surprise team of the year. At least, their play has been a surprise to me.

Detroit Lions @ Houston Texans

Pick: Texans

The Lions get slapped off their throne by the unpredictable Texans.

Miami Dolphins @ Los Angeles Rams

Pick: Rams

The Rams continue their climb to contention. 

Jacksonville Jaguars All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings travel to Jacksonville this weekend for tomorrow’s game against the Jaguars. Joining the league in 1995, the Jaguars are one of the younger teams in the league. In something of an anomaly, the team’s most consistent success was found in their early years. They made the playoffs each year from 1996-99. 1996 was wildly successful for a two-year old team as the Jaguars made it all the way to the AFC Championship game. Since that strong four-year run, there have been scattered playoff appearances (2005, 2007, 2017, and 2022). On the eve of the big game here are some of the best players in the nearly 30-year history of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Offense

Quarterback

Mark Brunell

Running Backs

Fred Taylor

Maurice Jones-Drew

Wide Receivers

Jimmy Smith

Keenan McCardell

Tight End

Kyle Brady

Offensive Tackles

Tony Boselli

Leon Searcy

Offensive Guards

Vince Manuwai

Chris Naeole

                               

Center

Brad Meester

Defense

Defensive Ends

Tony Brackens

Kevin Hardy

Defensive Tackles

John Henderson

Marcus Stroud

Linebackers

Josh Hines-Allen

Mike Peterson

Daryl Smith

Cornerbacks

Rashean Mathis

Jalen Ramsey

Safeties

Donovin Darius

Jonathan Cyprien

Special Teams

Kicker 

Josh Scobee

Punter

Bryan Barker

Returner

Jamal Agnew

Flea Flicker Mid-Season All-Pro Team

The midpoint of a 17-game season is in the middle of the Week 9 games. That’s not even factoring in the chaos of bye weeks. Anyway, here’s a look at some of the best players from the first 8-9 games of the 2024 NFL season.

Flea Flicker Mid-Season All-Pro Team

Offense

Quarterback

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Running Back

Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

Fullback

C.J. Ham, Minnesota Vikings

Receivers

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Ja’marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Tight End

George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

Offensive Tackles

Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings

Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions

Guards

Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns

Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons

Center

Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs

Defense

Edge

T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Jonathan Greenard, Minnesota Vikings

Defensive Tackle

Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants

Cam Hayward, Pittsburgh Steelers

Linebackers

Zaire Franklin, Indianapolis Colts

Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers

Blake Cashman, Minnesota Vikings

Cornerbacks

Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns

Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos

Safeties

Xavier McKinney, Green Bay Packers

Brian Branch, Detroit Lions

Special Teams

Kicker

Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings

Punter

Corey Bojorquez, Cleveland Browns

Returner

KaVontae Turpin, Dallas Cowboys

Minnesota Vikings Roster Moves

For the second consecutive week, the Minnesota Vikings lost players playing at an All-Pro level. Last week, it was left tackle Christian Darrisaw. He suffered a significant knee injury against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. His season is over. This week, it was kicker Will Reichard and long-snapper Andrew DePaola. In one game, the Vikings lost two-thirds of their kicking battery. Both are expected to miss a few games but should return this season. Reichard entered the Week 9 Sunday Night Football game against the Indianapolis Colts having made all 20 of his extra point attempts and all 14 of his field goal attempts. His rookie season couldn’t have started better. For a Vikings team plagued by a recent history of kicking woes, the perfect start to his career has been thrilling. Against the Colts, he missed his first two field goals and was laboring with an apparent leg issue after each missed field goal and each booming kickoff. He did make all three of his second half extra point attempts. It’s a quadriceps injury. There’s been mixed reports as to whether the injury happened before or during the game. Whenever it happened, he won’t be kicking for at least four weeks. The Vikings placed him on injured reserve. He is expected to return this season. The same is true for DePaola. He suffered a hand injury against the Colts. He finished the game but had a surgical procedure after the game that will sideline him for at least four games. He was also placed on injured reserve. 

The injuries forced the Vikings to make some roster moves. To fill the kicking and snapping vacancies, kicker John Parker Romo was signed to the 53-man roster and long snapper Jack McQuaide was signed to the practice squad. Romo is rejoining the Vikings after spending the 2024 offseason and the start of training camp on the team’s roster. Until Reichard was selected in the sixth-round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it looked like Romo was destined to be the Vikings kicker this season. Previously, he’s spent roster time with the New Orleans Saints (2022), Detroit Lions (2023), and Chicago Bears (2023) but has not appeared in an NFL game. That will change this Sunday. Having played for the San Antonio Brahmas during the 2023 XFL season he has experience with the NFL’s new kick off rule. He made 17 of his 19 field goal attempts with the Brahmas with a long of 57. At 36, McQuaide has a lot of NFL experience. He played for the Los Angeles Rams (2011-2020), Dallas Cowboys (2021-22), and Detroit Lions (2023). He was tapped for the Pro Bowl in 2016 and 2017. That’s a strong resume’ for a long snapper waiting for a call in the middle of a season. Additionally, McQuaide has experience with Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels from his time with the Rams (2018-19) and Cowboys (2021). Kevin O’Connell also has familiarity with his new long snapper from their shared time in Los Angeles. 

While losing Reichard and DePaola are significant losses, at least on paper, the Vikings did a strong job replacing them. If all goes as hoped, it will only be for four weeks. O’Connell even said yesterday that he hoped to get Reichard back on the field soon and ramping up for a return. Since McQuaide was signed to the practice squad rather than the 53-man roster, it appears that he’ll spend his time with the Vikings living the yo-yo existence of game day activations. 

While the Vikings were making those forced moves, they also signed defensive tackle Jalen Redmond from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. He’s appeared in five games this season. With three tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack, he’s been productive when given time in the defensive line rotation. To take Redmond’s place on the practice squad, the Vikings signed defensive tackle Travis Bell. Selected in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, he started the season on the Bears practice squad, was signed off that squad by the Atlanta Falcons, released by the Falcons, and signed by the Cincinnati Bengals. Bell remained on the Bengals roster through the offseason and training camp and waived during final roster cuts. The Bears signed him to their practice squad in September and released him a month later. Now, he has a shot with the Vikings. 

It wasn’t all bad injury news for the Vikings. On injured reserve since the start of the season, rookie outside linebacker Gabriel Murphy is returning to practice. After consistently flashing in training camp, it appeared that the Vikings had struck undrafted gold. His play was forcing tough but great roster discussions as to who was going to fill the Vikings edge rushing needs. Those discussions were tabled when he was sidelined with an injury. With his return to the field, the discussions return. 

Welcome to Minnesota John Parker Romo, Jack McQuaide, and Travis Bell. Get well soon Will Reichard, Andrew DePaola, and Gabriel Murphy.