On special teams, Ryan Longwell is a steady and reliable kicker. It remains to be seen if the Vikings will continue to use Peterson as a return man.
Weaknesses
For as good as the Vikings were at running the ball and stopping the run, they were equally bad at passing the ball and stopping the pass.
Let’s start with the pass defense. It ranked 32nd last year, but the Vikings have addressed that. Jared Allen should help out with that. They also signed Madieu Williams and Michael Boulware to help at the safety spot.
Finally, they drafted Tyrell Johnson to help in the secondary. If Sharper, Winfield, and Griffin can raise their level of play, and Allen gives them the pass rush they have lacked, then the pass defense should be much improved in 2008. They forced a lot of turnovers in 2007. Now they just need to stop people from catching the ball.
That leaves the passing game. The Vikings ranked 32nd in pass attempts, 28th in passing yards, and 29th in passing touchdowns. They got third-receiver-type production out of their No. 1 and No. 2 receivers.
Darrell Bevell said this about Tarvaris Jackson, the Vikings’ third year QB, “He’s been outstanding this offseason. He's been in here watching and studying. He's been out here training, trying to get better at the things he needs to get better at, and I couldn't ask for anything more from him."
Jackson is the key to the 2008 season for the Vikings, and that is an excellent sign. The Vikings need to get more production out of their passing game. Jackson progressed well in year two, and if the Vikings are going to contend for the playoffs, and possibly advance to a Super Bowl, they need him to progress even more.
Even if Jackson is improving, the Vikings still have a weak receiving corps. Bernard Berrian will help, but he is by no means a proven No. 1 receiver, even though he is being paid like one. Sidney Rice showed promise as a rookie, but still needs to develop. Bobby Wade and Robert Ferguson are journeymen players.
The Vikings have many No. 2 and No. 3 receivers, but nobody that screams dominant No. 1 guy. Berrian and Rice are the most likely on the roster to emerge.
Prediction
I think the Vikings are in position to grab control of this division. They have the best offensive player in the division in Peterson, and the defensive line is probably the best in the NFL. They also have a great offensive line. All the pieces are in place to win the division and compete in the NFC.
The question mark is the quarterback and the passing game. If Jackson were a proven commodity, I would say the Vikings would be the favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. The problem is, they were first in rush offense and defense a year ago, and that only got them 8-8.
The Vikings need production in the passing game and can only go as far as Jackson takes them.
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