Bleacher Report - Articles by Eric Rhody

Brett Favre As A Minnesota Viking: The Pros and Cons

Eric Rhody — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:47:47 -0400

As Favre Watch '09 heats up, it seems Brett Favre has interest in only one team, the Minnesota Vikings. Whether or not it will actually happen, is left for only time to tell.

But as a Vikings fan, I'm conflicted. There are numerous advantages and disadvantages if Favre were to come to the purple and gold.

Cons

Durability

Things started out pretty well for Favre with the Jets last season. After an 8-3 start, and a victory over the undefeated Tennessee Titans, many pundits crowned the Jets as the hottest team in the AFC.

Favre himself was playing great. He had thrown six touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals, the eventual NFC Champions, and he seemed to be getting in the groove with his new team.

However, things fell apart in December. Favre suffered a bicep injury, and subsequently, his numbers dipped. The Jets went 1-4 over the last leg of the season, while Favre threw nine TDs and nine picks.

The hottest team in the AFC suddenly was 9-7 and out of the playoffs. Rumors began to stir that Favre wasn't a good teammate in New York, and was apathetic at best during practice and games.

Worse, Favre never had surgery on his bicep, a procedure recommended by doctors. So if Favre came into Minnesota carrying the same attitude and injury, would he just be an interception machine?

Who exactly would he be playing for?

If reports are correct, Favre wants to play for Minnesota so he can get back at Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers.

So if Favre is just out for personal gain, what does this mean for the Vikings? Does this mean Favre is going to be throwing the ball 80 yards deep into triple coverage? Or will he just be doing this against the Packers?

Either way, Favre HAS to be a team player if he comes to the Vikings. If he's out for revenge, chances are, he will fail.

Stunting other QBs' development

Tarvaris Jackson would likely be knocked down the third string on the depth chart, and John David Booty would have to be cut. Little known undrafted free agent Sean Glennon out of Virginia Tech would also have to be cut.

It's no secret that Favre would be a one year fix in Minnesota. Favre plays a season, the Vikings either win a Super Bowl, or don't, and it's over.

What does that leave the Vikings with after? Back to square one with Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

Of course, Favre could 'mentor' Jackson, but how much good would that really do? Jackson showed he could be a good quarterback at the end of last season, highlighted by a four touchdown performance in Arizona.

John David Booty has yet to even take a snap. What if he is actually the gem the Vikings have been so desperatly seeking? The same goes for Sean Glennon, although it is far less likely he will be a diamond in the rough.

The Vikings seemed to have their quarterback situation comfortably locked in before this Favre controversy started. If Favre came in, the entire depth chart would be a jumbled mess, and when he leaves, it seems like nothing would have changed.

Pros

The Buzz

Favre playing for the Vikings would be an amazing sight. Imagine No. 4 trotting out onto Lambeau Field and lining up under center...for the Vikings.

The Monday Night Football contest between the Vikings and Packers would likely have record viewership, merchandise sales would soar, and the Metrodome would finally fill seats that it has had trouble filling in recent years.

Zygi Wilf wants a new stadium, and the only way to get that is for fans to actually be interested in watching the Vikings play football. Favre would make them more than interested.

He IS better than Jackson and Rosenfels

Despite being past his prime, Favre can still play quarterback, and he can still do it better than any other QB on the Vikings roster.

Analysts everywhere agree, the Vikings are one quarterback away from a Super Bowl run. If a journeyman like Gus Frerotte and a D-II unknown like Tarvaris Jackson could lead the Vikings to a 10-6 record, imagine what Favre could do.

Bernard Berrian could be more utilized as the deep threat that he was supposed to be, and Percy Harvin would contribute as well.

The Vikings D-line is terrifying, with the Williams Wall and Jared Allen anchoring. The secondary continues to improve, and EJ Henderson and Chad Greenway could easily become a fantastic linebacker duo in the ranks of Urlacher and Briggs.

Plus, with Adrian Peterson in the backfield, Favre would have the best running game he's ever had in his career. The Vikings have all the tools necessary for Favre to lead the team to a Super Bowl title. It's only a matter of if he would use them correctly.

It's Brett Favre!

With Favre as your QB, you can rest assured at least one thing, it will be interesting.

Vikings fans have seen that whole 'interesting' thing before in the past. Denny Green and Randy Moss did more than enough to make things 'interesting'.

The only problem is, fans are sick of 'interesting'.

They want to win.

Aaron Rodgers Is Still The Best Quarterback In The NFC North

Eric Rhody — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:04:30 -0400

With the acquisition of Jay Cutler, the Chicago Bears have already been dubbed by pundits as the future NFC North Division champions. On top of that, Cutler is supposedly by far the best quarterback in the NFC North.

I say no.

Aaron Rodgers, easily one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL, is still the best QB in the NFC North.

Even as a Vikings fan, I feel one of the biggest stiffs this year in the Pro Bowl was Rodgers. Under tremendous pressure to fill Favre's shoes, Rodgers stepped up to the plate and posted excellent numbers.

4,038 yards, a 28/13 TD/INT ratio, and a 93.8 quarterback rating. The icing on the cake is the 63.6 percent completion percentage.

Now many would say "That's pretty good, but of course Cutler did better, right?"

Wrong.

Cutler had a good season, but Rodgers beats him in nearly every category. Cutler threw for 4,526 yards, a 25/18 TD/INT ratio, and had an 86.0 QB rating, while completing 62.3 percent of his passes. Looking at those stats, Cutler only beat Rodgers in passing yards.

Many criticized Rodgers for his failure in clutch situations, but I blame that on situations beyond his control. Rodgers nearly led the Packers to victory in Week 10 against the Vikings, orchestrating a Brett Favre-like drive to bring the Packers into field goal range. Only problem? Mason Crosby missed the kick.

It is also a well-known fact that the Packers defense is mediocre and gave up countless yardage to opponents. Rodgers isn't exactly playing cornerback, so is it really his fault if the defense can't step up to the plate?

People also forget that Rodgers is only a year older than Cutler. Cutler is being hailed as a "bright, young future star," while Rodgers is being "hailed" as "the guy who replaced Favre."

Amazingly, when you stack Rodgers' stats this season against Favre's historic 2007 campaign, they are extremely similar. Favre threw for 4,155 yards with a 28/15 TD/INT ratio and a 95.7 quarterback rating, along with a 66.5 completion percentage.

Favre threw for more picks than Rodgers in 2007, the same amount of touchdowns, and only barely edges him out in yards and rating. The real icing on the cake is that Rodgers easily did better than Favre this season, where Favre fell to a 1-3 record in December.

Cutler is a good quarterback, and could become great, but I feel Rodgers is simply better.

It's Official: Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears

Eric Rhody — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:35:06 -0400

Chicago fans, get ready.

Your franchises' first competent QB in nearly two decades is coming to the Bears.

NFL.com reported that the disgruntled Broncos quarterback has been traded to the Chicago Bears. The Bears have apparently sent Kyle Orton and two first round picks for Cutler. The Bears have received a fifth round pick.

I'll continue to update this page as more information becomes avaliable.

Cutler's whirlwind drama with the Broncos stemmed from reports that new head coach Josh McDaniels attempted to deal him away for Patriots' quarterback Matt Cassel. After weeks of meetings, missed calls, and overall miscommunication, the saga has finally ended with Cutler being traded to the Bears.

But questions still remain. How will the Broncos spend their draft picks? Will Kyle Orton start in Denver? Could the Broncos still sign another QB? How will Cutler fare in Chicago? Who got the better end of the deal?

The answer to these questions, likely won't become apparent for a while.

The Minnesota Vikings Won't Get Jay Cutler

Eric Rhody — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:21:30 -0400

Yes, it's time for yet another article on Jay Cutler, but this time with somewhat of a twist.

The Vikings won't get Jay Cutler.

Why? Well, the main reason is they already had their shot. Allegedly, the Vikings nearly had a three-team deal in place that would have sent Matt Cassel of the New England Patriots to the Broncos, Cutler to the Vikings, and Vikings' draft picks to the Patriots.

But we're also hearing Childress and other members of the Vikings' staff were not "sold" on some of Cutler's elements.

They're not sold on Cutler, but they're totally sold on Jackson and Rosenfels? Haha. Ok.

Even if the Vikings were to somehow get back in the Cutler sweepstakes, they'd find themselves stacked against at least seven other teams. At this point, I'd say that Cutler is most likely to end up with the Lions.

Another reason I can think of is, what exactly do the Vikings have to offer? The Broncos would no doubt want a quarterback in return, and trading Cutler for Jackson would be like trading John Elway for Ryan Leaf.

Not that I think that Cutler is as good as Elway, or that Jackson is as bad as Leaf mind you, but that it would be that lopsided.

The Vikings' draft picks wouldn't be too hot either. Unless they pulled a Mike Ditka and traded their entire draft away, and I think we all know they won't.

Teams like the Lions have more to offer, mainly in the way of draft picks. Jay Cutler for the 1st and 22nd overall picks? Sounds like a good deal to me. Cutler would even have a great target in Calvin Johnson if he went to Detroit.

But the most off-beat reason I can think of, Cutler is whiny. That's an undeniable fact. The Vikings have worked their rears off to clean up the team's image. At one point, the Vikings may have been worse than the Raiders when it came to behavior.

The team was entangled in an embarrassing "Love Boat" incident, head coach Mike Tice scalped Super Bowl tickets, and Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss continued to make headlines with their seemingly endless antics.

For the first time in years, the Vikings have a fairly "clean" team, save for a few guys (*cough*BryantMckinnie*cough*). Adrian Peterson has become like Randy Moss, only without the attitude. So would having another whiner on the team really help matters?

That may not seem important to some, but if Zygi Wilf wants a new stadium, image is going to play a key role in getting it.

At the same time, however, winning a Super Bowl plays a far larger one. If the Vikings want a realistic shot at a Super Bowl, they should trade for Cutler.

But at this point, it won't happen. Cross your fingers fans. The Tarvaris Jackson Show looks like it's going to play one last time.

EDIT: It's just my luck that the moment I posted this article, NFL.com reported that Cutler had been traded to the Bears. Well, my reasoning still stands!

John David Booty: A Surprise Still Sitting on the Vikings' Bench?

Eric Rhody — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:15:12 -0400

Not many Vikings fans know, or even care about the oft-mentioned third string quarterback.

What they do know is usually limited to John David Booty's funny last name, and that he was a USC quarterback. A school that has brought us good quarterbacks like Carson Palmer and Matt Cassel. As well as forgettable ones such as Matt Leinart and Rodney Peete.

But with all Vikings fans up in arms over the current QB situation in Minnesota, I am surprised Booty's name is not brought up.

Personally I ask, why not?

He has spent a year under the Vikings current system, so he at the very least has a grasp on what the Vikings expect.

Is Booty an NFL quarterback?

Well, he is extremely accurate, and is a graduate of a pro-style offense at USC. However, he does not have the rocket arm like many quarterbacks have. But is that really necessary?

Booty could easily be a Chad Pennington type player, who does not have to rely on the long ball to thrive. At the same time, Pennington has struggled more than he has flourished in the NFL.

So would a pseudo-Pennington really help the Vikings?

Many pundits crowned Booty as the most pro-ready quarterback in the lower end of the draft. Like I mentioned, sitting on the bench for a year could have done nothing but good for him.

I am not saying Booty will be the next Tom Brady, or will be the Vikings' savior. But after the Vikings went 8-3 with Gus Frerotte, a game manager at best, under center.

Would they benefit even more from an accurate pocket passer?

All these are very pressing questions, but I think most importantly, the Vikings should at least keep Booty as an option.

Fans see a bleak quarterback picture when they look at this on paper. Sage Rosenfels, Tarvaris Jackson, or John David Booty? We have all seen what Rosenfels and Jackson can do, but Booty has yet to see any action thus far in the NFL.

Who knows? We could very well see the starting quarterback be none other than John David Booty under center on week one.

Training camp is likely where all these questions will finally be answered. The beauty of this league is the never ending surprises.

The Greatest Players of All Time: Team by Team

Eric Rhody — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:10:23 -0400

Each team in the National Football League has at least one player. One player to always fall back on. One player that showed dynamic skills beyond their years. Whether they're the league doormat, or one of the dynasties, ever team has one player that is their greatest player of all time. It is extremely difficult to narrow down the choices for most teams down to just one player, especially when a team has a rich history like the Packers or Steelers. I know I will likely have many choices you will disagree with, so I encourage you to voice your opinion in the comments section. The only criteria is that past incarnations of the franchise also count (for example: St. Louis Cardinals = Arizona Cardinals, etc.)

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Daunte Culpepper's Fall from Grace

Eric Rhody — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 05:27:32 -0400

At the conclusion of the 1999 season, Dennis Green and the Vikings had a problem.

They had gone 10-6 that year. By most standards, that wasn't too bad but they were coming off a 15-1 season where they missed the Super Bowl by a field goal.

So by all accounts, with the nucleus of that team still intact, they should have gone even further.

That wasn't exactly the case.

Randall Cunningham, their star quarterback the previous season, couldn't manage to stay productive. The once mighty Vikings found themselves trapped in a 2-4 start.

Fortunately, the troubled veteran Jeff George put together the greatest season of his career to raise the Vikings to an 8-2 record and a playoff berth. A win over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wildcard round was good, but a wild shootout loss to the St. Louis Rams in the Divisional round marked the end of a disappointing season.

And in came Green's problem. Cunningham ended up with Dallas, and Jeff George was allowed to be released. So only one option remained on the Vikings roster.

Daunte Culpepper.

The talented quarterback out of Central Florida was picked 11th overall in 1999 by the Vikings, and rode the bench as the third string quarterback all season. Despite being a first round pick, could he really be trusted to take control of the Vikings well oiled machine?

2000 was seen as a make or break year for a Vikings Super Bowl title. Cris Carter, one half of the Vikings' star receiving duo, was showing signs of age, as was John Randle, the Vikings' defensive anchor. The Vikings also had many talented players with contracts expiring at the end of the season.

Still, the majority of the superior players were on the team, and Randy Moss was only getting better. All that remained was the hope that Culpepper could step up to the plate.

Culpepper was shaky at the start of the season, throwing four picks to one touchdown in his first two starts. However, the Vikings managed to win both games, so nothing was declared amiss.

As the Vikings cruised to an 11-2 record, Culpepper began to blossom, and was consistently having good games. The Vikings sputtered at the end of the season by dropping three games in a row, but they still had a first round bye with an 11-5 record.

Culpepper's stats that year were impressive for a first year starter. 33/16 TD/INT ratio, 3,937 passing yards, and a 98 QB rating. These numbers were good enough for him to earn a spot in the Pro Bowl.

The Vikings stomped the Saints in the Divisional round, 34-16, with Culpepper having another solid game. They went into the NFC Championship as the favorites. After the disappointments of 1998 and 1999, the Vikings found themselves in a strong position to win their first Super Bowl.

Things didn't quite turn out that way.

The New York Giants destroyed the Vikings in every possible way. The Giants posted a 14-0 lead before the Vikings offense had even come onto the field. Culpepper's performance that day didn't help matters. He threw three picks as the Giants ended up with a 41-0 victory over the Vikings.

The loss proved to a truly crushing blow to the Vikings. Robert Smith, their star running back at the peak of his career, retired prematurely. John Randle left to Seattle. The once great Vikings, were falling apart at the seams.

Culpepper's next two seasons proved this to be a fact. He struggled in 2001 and 2002, leading the Vikings to a 4-7 (in an injury shortened season) and 6-10 records respectively. Dennis Green was shown the door at the conclusion of the 2001 season, leading to the hiring of Mike Tice. Other big names such as Cris Carter also left the team.

Culpepper's 2003 campaign proved to be more successful. He returned to the Pro Bowl and led the Vikings to a 7-7 record before falling to injury. The Vikings won their last two games, but narrowly missed the playoffs.

Things were looking up as Culpepper entered the 2004 season. The Vikings posted a 5-1 start as Culpepper was already posting career numbers. He had three games where he had tossed for five touchdowns.

But in what was becoming a pattern with the Vikings, they fell apart midseason and dropped three straight before rebounding with another two wins while Culpepper continued to throw for career stats.

The Vikings went 1-5 over the last stretch and ended up 8-8. However, through a series of fortunate chances, the Vikings made the playoffs, and they were being matched up against NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers.

To say the Vikings and Culpepper made a mockery of the Packers at Lambeau that day would be an understatement. As Randy Moss best put it, "We whooped their ass."

Culpepper threw for four touchdowns in a 31-17 blowout, but more notoriously, Randy Moss "mooned" the Packer faithful after burning Al Harris for Moss's second touchdown catch of the day.

The Vikings weren't able to ride that hot game into the next week however, as they fell to Donovan McNabb and the Eagles in the Divisional round.

Still, Culpepper's 2004 numbers were MVP worthy. 39 touchdowns, 4,717 yards, and a 110.9 passer rating.

As the Vikings entered the 2005 season, they were faced with a number of changes. They had a new owner in Zygi Wilf, and Randy Moss was traded to the Raiders, with Troy Williamson tagged as his successor.

Still, many people believed that Culpepper could work around, and even thrive, through these changes.

But everything that could go wrong, did.

Troy Williamson had the speed of Randy, but couldn't catch the football. Wilf and Culpepper locked horns in a battle over Culpepper's role on the team, and contract negotiations.

Culpepper's play suffered as well. He threw SIX interceptions in the first two games of the 2005 season, with ZERO touchdowns. He managed to rebound with a three TD, 300 yard performance in week three, but by than, the damage had already been done.

The Vikings slid to a 2-4 record. That's when the unthinkable happened.

Culpepper was having another bad game against the Panthers in week 7, when a shot to the knee sent him writhing in pain on the turf of Bank of America stadium.

The diagnosis was not good.

Culpepper sustained damage to three of the four major ligaments in the knee: the ACL, PCL and MCL. Not only was this certainly season ending, but it may has well have been career ending.

Culpepper's involvement with the "Love Boat" scandal did nothing to help matters, neither did his disagreements with new head coach Brad Childress. Culpepper was dealt to the Miami Dolphins at the end of the season.

From there, he found no success.

As a starter for the Vikings, Culpepper went 37-40. He also went to three Pro Bowls, and still holds a Vikings team record with 39 touchdowns in a season.

His dramatic fall is one that fascinates me to this day, and I find it unfortunate that most Vikings fans look back with disgust at the career of Daunte Culpepper.

But in truth, I think it's safe to say we'd kill for a quarterback who could even come close to Culpepper in his prime. I'm one of those people who likes to think what if.

What if Moss had stuck around? What if Culpepper was never injured and found enough success to still be the Vikings starter to this day? What if he was still starting when Robert Smith was at long last succeeded by Adrian Peterson?

I suppose some questions were never supposed to be answered, and all of those "what if..." questions will probably never have an accurate answer.

But for now, I tip my hat to Daunte Culpepper. The last great Vikings quarterback.

The Five Worst Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks of All Time

Eric Rhody — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:10:05 -0400

When I last made a list of Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks, it was on the five greatest. It was certainly a hard list to make, but this one felt almost harder. It really did pain me to put a few of these guys on here, but I think other Vikings fans will feel the same. As much as they have a rich history in quarterbacks, the Vikings also had their share of the bad ones. Here's my take on who were the worst. The only criteria is they must have started a game for the Vikings.

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Remembering Past Minnesota Vikings: Robert Smith

Eric Rhody — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:32:22 -0400

In the 70s, Vikings fans were entertained by Chuck Foreman and his combined running/ receiving abilities, an early precursor to today's West Coast Offense.

Today, fans are used to seeing flashy runs and amazing plays from Adrian Peterson. Peterson is no doubt the finest running back the Vikings have ever had, and he will smash franchise records if he continues to play healthy.

However, he is still a few seasons away from getting the Vikings' franchise career rushing yards record. Who currently holds that record? Robert Smith.

Smith was the face of the Viking's backfield in the late 90s, and after having his finest season in 2000, retired suddenly, putting a huge hole in the Vikings' backfield that was not filled until drafting Peterson in 2007.

Smith didn't need flashy moves or jukes to get yardage. He was a power back, and his rushing ability was simple, but very effective.

Early in his career, he was labeled a "bust" after being picked 21st overall in the 1993 draft. He battled injuries and fought for starting time during his first four years on the team.

But by the time 1997 rolled around, Smith finally had a breakout season. He rushed for 1,266 yards with six TDs, by far his most productive season. He followed it up with a Pro Bowl season in the historic 1998 season, where the Vikings went 15-1 and missed the Super Bowl by a field goal.

Smith was injured for 4 games in 1999, but still managed to rush for over 1000 yards. The next season, however, Smith posted the best numbers of his career. He rushed for 1,521 yards with seven TDs, and broke Chuck Foreman's franchise record for career rushing yards.

The Vikings were smashed 41-0 in the NFC Championship that year at the hands of the Giants, but the biggest shock came when Smith announced his retirement at the peak of his career.

The loss of Smith in the backfield led to a major kink in the Vikings' once amazing offense. They failed to make the playoffs the next three seasons, and squeaked in on an 8-8 record in 2004. At the time, Michael Bennett was tagged as Smith's successor in 2001 after being drafted 27th overall.

Initially, Bennett showed promise, even being named to the Pro Bowl in 2002. But injuries and ball handling problems led to a downturn in production, fans became impatient, and he was ultimately released in 2005.

Chester Taylor showed even more promise than Bennett, and had a great 2006 season. Had it not been for the drafting of Adrian Peterson, Taylor likely would still be starting for the Vikings today.

Vikings' fans held ill will towards Robert Smith after he supposedly " abandoned" the team after his most productive season, but over time, they came to appreciate the last great running back of their franchise.

If/when Peterson breaks Smith's franchise record, this author will surely not soon forget the runner that was a major gear in the Vikings' late 90s offensive juggernaut.

The Real Worst Team Of All Time: The 1976 Bucs Or The 2008 Lions?

Eric Rhody — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:46:35 -0400

After their final loss of the season, a 31-21 loss to Green Bay, the Detroit Lions became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16 in a season. However, they weren't the first team to go winless in an NFL season.

The Cowboys went 0-11-1 in 1960. The 1982 Colts went 0-8-1 in a strike shortened season. But the most notorious winless team was perhaps the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who went 0-14.

But ever since the Lions reached 0-16, people have debated who was truly the worse team. So who is it? Well, let's start by looking at the stats.

The '76 Bucs averaged a mere 8.9 points per game, and were shut out five times, the worst loss being a 42-0 rout against the Steelers. The highest amount of points they scored in a game was 20.

The '08 Lions averaged 16.7 points per game, and scored a high of 25 points. They were never shut out, however, they suffered a truly embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Titans. The Lions were destroyed 47-10 on Thanksgiving, the most lopsided defeat in Detroit's 69 game Thanksgiving history. They also suffered the notion of having the worst home point differential in NFL history (22 per game).

The '76 Bucs also had larger average losing margins. They lost on average by 20.5 points, while the Lions lost by, on average, 15.9 points.

The Lions ranked last in the league in defense, while the Bucs managed to rank 27 out of 28 teams in 1976. The Lions had a slightly better offense however, being ranked 30 while the Bucs were ranked 28.

But than you must consider some other factors. The Bucs were an expansion team. While they weren't expected to lose every single game, they were expected to at least be a poor team.

The Lions on the other hand, were coming off of a 7-9 season. While expectations weren't high (are they ever for the Lions?), especially after finishing the season 1-7, I don't think anyone expected an 0-16 season.

The Buccaneers losing streak continued well into their next season. They started 0-12 before winning their final two games. They set an NFL record with the 26 game losing streak.

The Lions have quite a losing streak themselves however. They currently stand at a 17 game losing streak, after losing to the Packers at their 2007 season finale.

I think it's also important to look at the coaches. John McKay coached the Buccaneers for another 8 seasons after 1976, and even managed to win two division titles during that span. He compiled a 44-88-1 career coaching record.

Rod Marrinelli only coached 3 seasons for the Lions, and compiled a 10-38 career coaching record.

But the question remains, who was worse?

Both teams certainly were terrible. The stats say the Bucs, but other factors point to the Lions. If I absolutely had to choose, I'd say the 2008 Lions were indeed the worst team of all time.

The Buccaneers managed to become a respectable franchise, and won the Super Bowl in 2003 thanks to their revolutionary Tampa 2 defense.

The Lions on the other hand...well, let's just not go there.

The Five Greatest Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks of All Time

Eric Rhody — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:59:13 -0400

The Minnesota Vikings have had a surprisingly rich history in quarterbacks. Although they currently have massive problems at the position, this wasn't always the case. Since their inception in 1961, the Vikings have had a total of seventeen different starting quarterbacks. Some have been very good, and some have been atrociously bad. As a fan, here are my top five Vikings quarterbacks. There were a few tough cuts so I also made an honorable mentions category, as to avoid any big arguments in the comments section.

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How the Minnesota Vikings Can Fix Their Offseason in One Simple Step: Torry Holt

Eric Rhody — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:44:34 -0500

To say the Vikings' offseason has been unproductive is an understatement.

First, they apparently "solved" their quarterback problem by trading a fourth-round pick for Sage Rosenfels. In all honesty, I have no objections towards this move. It's an extremely low risk move that can only result in good things.

But I think most Vikings fans were thinking a whole lot bigger. Jeff Garcia is STILL a free agent. What happened to that? Matt Cassel was an option, why not pay the big bucks to get the missing piece for their organization?

Wasn't there a rumor about a Matt Hasselbeck trade? Or a Jay Cutler trade?

Well, regardless, you'd think they'd try just a little bit harder to get a bigger name. But it wasn't any harm done.

Than came the T.J. Houshmanzadeh debacle. When the top free-agent receiver doesn't want to play for you because of your quarterback situation, then you officially have a problem.

Still, the Vikings weren't losing anything so nothing was really wrong yet right? Wrong. Matt Birk, a six-time Pro Bowl center, left his hometown team for the Baltimore Ravens. The rumored reason was that he had problems with Brad Childress in the past.

Through all this, the Vikings haven't made ONE free agent signing. They've traded for Rosenfels and re-signed Heath Farwell and Jim Kleinsasser. Other than that, they've accomplished nothing.

However, there remains a beacon of hope.

Torry Holt, the only remaining shred of the Greatest Show on the Turf still playing for the Rams, asked for his release on Mar. 2.

If the Rams release him, this would be the golden opportunity for the Vikings to redeem their so far dismal offseason. Signing Holt would bring a player of a caliber whose actually better than Houshmanzadah.

Houshmanzadah is a one-time Pro Bowler. Holt is a 7 time Pro Bowler. Housmanzadah has 507 career receptions. Holt has 869. Houshmanzadah is 32. Holt is 32. The math is fairly simple.

Holt isn't washed up either. His last Pro Bowl season was in 2007, and the Rams were significantly held back this season due to coaching problems and an extremely poor defense.

Here's your shot Vikes. Go for it.

The Six Greatest Black Quarterbacks of All Time

Eric Rhody — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:07:28 -0500

Throughout the decades of football, no position on the field brings more glamour than quarterback. From Johnny Unitas to Peyton Manning, the quarterback is often the face of the team, and the locker room leader.

However, this position has almost always been dominated by whites. The belief that a black person could lead a team at quarterback did not come to fruition until a few breakthrough stars in the late 80s and early 90s paved the way for blacks to excel at the quarterback position.

There has been some good ones, some bad ones, and some real ugly ones. But here are my top six black quarterbacks.

The only criteria is the player must not be currently playing, so no Donovan McNabb for now.

6. Doug Williams

The only black QB to win a Super Bowl and a Super Bowl MVP had a less than spectacular career before it. Williams played a few promising years for the Bucs before leaving the NFL to play for the USFL's Oklahoma Outlaws due to a contract dispute in Tampa.

He returned a year later to Joe Gibbs' Redskins, initially backing up Jay Schroeder. After Schroeder went down with an injury several times during the season, Williams impressed Gibbs enough to be named the starting quarterback throughout the playoffs.

Williams led the Redskins to Super Bowl XXII, and torched the Broncos 42-10 while throwing 18-of-29 for 340 yards and four TD passes. For his amazing effort, he was named Super Bowl MVP.

Doug Williams' Super Bowl glory cannot be forgotten, but his stats didn't exactly stack up next to the greatest. In his career, Williams threw for 16,998 yards, and 100 TDs next to 93 INTs. On top of that, his career passer rating was a mediocre 69.4.

But his legacy is far more important, and his Super Bowl win opened the floodgates for black quarterbacks everywhere.

5. Marlin Briscoe

The first black quarterback of the modern era never got another shot after playing 11 games for the Broncos in 1968. He had a decent season, throwing for 14 TDs to 13 picks while rushing for 308 yards and 3 TDs.

Those numbers today would be considered average, but at the time the idea that a black man could play quarterback was absurd. 1968 was the same year Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and the same year the Civil Rights Movement was at its peak.

Marlin Briscoe was revolutionary in his own way, proving to the entire world that blacks were on the same level as whites, even in sports.

Despite being qualified to keep playing quarterback, Briscoe was converted to a receiver for the rest of his career, and played quite well. He went to the Pro Bowl as a receiver in 1970, after grabbing 57 receptions for 1036 yards and 8 TDs.

He was also a member of the historic 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only modern NFL team to have a perfect season.

But above all else, Briscoe is the grandfather of black quarterbacks, and a pioneer for all times. His 14 touchdowns remains a Broncos' rookie record.

4. Michael Vick

Too low? Too high? For now, No. 4 feels just right for Michael Vick.

Vick's dog fighting scandal stopped a higher ranking, and cut short an exciting career. He may still return, but it wouldn't be without controversy.

Vick was an explosive runner, and became the first quarterback of all time to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, but he never passed for more than 3,000 yards in a season, and never threw for more than 16 TDs.

It seemed like, in between all the hype, Vick didn't master actually playing the role of quarterback. His TD/INT ratio is slim, 71 to 52, and he had passed for just over 11,000 yards during his six-year career.

Vick could very well move up on this list if he returned to the NFL and had an even more successful career, emphasizing more on passing. But for now, Vick is stuck in the jailhouse, and at No. 4.

3. Steve McNair

"Air" McNair had a fantastic career, throwing for over 30,000 yards with 174 TDs and three Pro Bowl seasons, along with an NFL MVP award in 2003.

But the most infamous moment of McNair's career came at the end of Super Bowl XXXIV against the Rams, in what was the most dramatic ending in Super Bowl history and will forever be remembered in NFL lore as "One Yard Short."

With just 6 seconds remaining on the on the Rams' 10 yard line, McNair went for the game tying score with a pass to Kevin Dyson on the slant. However, Rams linebacker Mike Jones showed great awareness and wrapped Dyson up 1 yard short of the score.

The crushing defeat stopped McNair from possibly becoming the second black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. But the loss doesn't stop people from remembering McNair as a solid and reliable QB.

His injury-prone nature was the only thing that halted him from becoming the greatest.

2. Randall Cunningham

The epitome of "what if?". Cunningham was trapped on a Philadelphia Eagles team whose offensive philosophy was "Let Randall make a big play or two and the defense will take care of the rest."

Still, Cunningham had a fantastic career. Like Mike Vick, he could scramble fantastically, but unlike Vick, he could also throw.

Cunningham threw for more than 3,000 yards in five seasons as a quarterback, and holds the record for most rushing yards at the quarterback position. Combined with
four Pro Bowl seasons, it's hard not to make a case for Randall.

His potential was unlimited and it came to fruition in 1998 when he had one of the greatest supporting casts in history, and led the Vikings to a 15-1 record while throwing for 34 TDs to 10 INTs.

Had Cunningham been granted better coaching during his time in Philadelphia, and a better supporting cast, what could have been?

1. Warren Moon

No contest here really. Moon threw for nearly 50,000 yards, was named to nine Pro Bowls, and consistently led the Houston Oilers to the playoffs.

The only real knock against Moon was his inability to bring his team to a Super Bowl. Moon wasn't even able to guide the Oilers to a conference championship, nor was he able to do the same for the Vikings or Seahawks.

However, in the big picture, that hardly means a thing for the NFL and CFL legend. Moon's achievements earned him a place in both in the NFL Hall of Fame and the CFL Hall of Fame.

To be named to both Hall of Fames as a quarterback is an enormous achievement, it's even bigger when you haven't even been to a Super Bowl.

For All Vikings' Fans, There Will Always Be 1998

Eric Rhody — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:00:50 -0500

The Vikings are perhaps the most successful franchise in the NFL to have never won a Super Bowl. They've been to four...and were routed all four times. They've won the NFC Central/NFC North division 17 times.

They have a total of 25 playoff appearances. Twenty-five appearances and no title—none, zip, zilch. Nothing to show for it. The missing Super Bowl ring is perhaps the biggest monkey held over Minnesota sports.

The first generation of Vikings' fans followed Fran Tarkenton, Alan Page, Carl Eller, Gary Larsen, Bud Grant, and Jim Marshall. The 1970s yielded names such as Chuck Foreman and John Gilliam.

It also yielded the original Hail Mary, Roger Staubach's pass to Drew Pearson in the 1975 Divisional playoff game against the high-powered Vikings, who had earned a 12-2 record.

The 1980s were spearheaded by Tommy Kramer, a new stadium, and the return of Bud Grant and Jerry Burns...as well as the very painful Herschel Walker trade.

By the time the 90's rolled around, Minnesota football fans were tired of disappointment and "almost" winning it all.

Enter Dennis Green, a charismatic and innovative coach out of Stanford. Green made the Vikings a competitive and consistently winning team throughout the early and mid-90s, but he was harshly criticized for his inability to win playoff games.

By the time 1998 rolled around, the Vikings had a new owner in Red McCombs and a new desire to win.

The first step towards the Vikings' improbable run was the 1998 NFL draft. They received sensation Randy Moss, out of Marshall, who had miraculously not been drafted by any other team due to his off-the-field problems.

The Vikings took a chance by picking Moss, and the result was the final piece to an offensive juggernaut that couldn't be stopped.

Moss made an immediate impact, grabbing four passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns in his debut against Tampa. Moss would tie a rookie record with 17 touchdowns that season.

The Vikings destroyed the Buccaneers, 31-7, and it only got better after that. With support from veteran Cris Carter on the right side of the field and Robert Smith in the backfield, the Vikings' high-powered offense scored 556 points and broke the record for most points scored in the regular season.

Even after quarterback Brad Johnson went down in week two, the Vikings did not falter, and in fact, gained more steam, when Randall Cunningham came off of the bench to post the best season of his career.

He led the NFL in passer rating with 106 and only threw 10 picks to 36 TDs. The Vikings also had a truly perfect kicker in Gary Anderson. Anderson became the first NFL kicker of all time to have a "perfect" season—he did not miss any extra points or field goals during the regular season.

The Vikings cruised to an amazing 15-1 record, becoming only the third team in NFL history to do so. The 1985 Bears and 1984 49ers both went 15-1 and went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Twin Cities were buzzing with the wildest anticipation for football not felt since the glory days of the Purple People Eaters. The Vikings cruised past the Cardinals 41-21 in the Divisional round. What happened the following week shocked everyone.

The Atlanta Falcons went 14-2 in the regular season and had a fantastic offense led by veteran quarterback Chris Chandler and running back Jamal Anderson.

Still, no one expected the Falcons to compete with the Vikings in the NFC Championship, let alone win.

Early in the game, all went according to plan for the Vikings. After the Falcons managed to score first and go up 7-0, the Vikings quickly struck back when Cunningham threw a 31-yard strike to Moss to tie it up 7-7.

They followed up with two Anderson field goals and a Cunningham QB sneak for a 20-7 lead near the closing of the first half. The Vikings smelt blood, and as usual, went for the kill.

But as Cunningham was rearing back for a deep bomb, the ball was swatted away by a Falcons' defensive lineman, and the Falcons recovered deep in their own territory.

They capitalized on this, and scored a touchdown on a 17-yard pass from Chandler to Terance Mathis, cutting the Vikings halftime lead to 14-20.

The Falcons pulled closer as the second half began, when a Morten Andersen field goal brought the score to 17-20.

Matthew Hatchette, a Vikings' receiver who had only caught 15 passes all season, made the biggest catch of his career, when he leaped to catch a five-yard touchdown pass from Cunningham, putting the Vikings up 27-17 in the fourth quarter.

The Falcons responded with another field goal from Andersen to make the score 27-20. What happened next was the beginning of the end for the greatest Vikings' team ever to play.

With only a little over two minutes left to play, the Vikings drove to the Falcons 25. Anderson, the man who had not missed a field goal all season, came out to put the game out of reach for the Falcons.

With the kick being only 38 yards away, it was almost an automatic three points. But Anderson, for the first time all season, missed the kick.

An eerie silence fell over the Metrodome, as the unreal became a reality. The rejuvenated Falcons took full advantage and scored a touchdown with only 52 seconds remaining to play.

Denny Green controversially decided to knee the ball into overtime and hoped to bury the hatchet in the extra time.

The Vikings' high-powered offense went nowhere on two possessions, and Moss narrowly missed a bomb from Cunningham that would have pinned the Vikings down at the Falcons own 10.

The Falcons drove down to the exact same position on the field that Gary Anderson had missed his kick—their own 25. This time, Andersen would not miss, however, this Andersen's first name was not Gary.

Morten Andersen kicked the Falcons' game winning field, making the final score 30-27. The Metrodome was completely silent, save for the Falcons' celebration on the field.

On the sidelines, Cunningham buried his head in his hands in disbelief, and defensive tackle John Randle cried in fellow defensive end Derrick Alexander's shoulder as the two embraced.

For Vikings fans everywhere, it would be considered the worst loss in the franchise's history, worse than any Super Bowl loss that they endured in the 60s and 70s.

The Falcons would go on to be routed in Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami by John Elway's Broncos.

Vikings players canceled their trips and hotel reservations in Miami and watched with expressionless faces from their homes. Vikings' fans followed suit. It was a bitter pill to swallow on the cold January day over a decade ago.

No matter what mess the Vikings get themselves into, whether it be the current QB problems or their inability to put together a winning team, Vikings' fans everywhere can always reflect on 1998.

Where, for one season, their home team was almost the greatest in football, and every Sunday was met with excitement and joy. This author will never forget it. As Jim Marshall once said:

"Winning isn't everything, but losing sure is nothing."