Wednesday, October 27, 2010

MIN @ GB Recap

The games between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers are often the most intense and emotional. Sunday was no different as the Vikings traveled to Lambeau Field in what was probably be quarterback Brett Favre's last trip to his old stomping grounds. Leads changed quickly, with the Packers scoring the first touchdown of the game but the Vikings being the ones ahead at halftime. Everything seemed to go against the Vikes in the second half, from missed calls by the officials to costly interceptions, and the Packers left their home field the victors by a margin of 28-24.

In typical Vikings fashion the offense took its usual first few drives to heat up and finally get on the scoreboard. Favre could not connect with any receiver on the first two possessions, and the pressure from the Packers pass rush was hot on his trail all evening, sacking him only once but putting him on his back six other times. The Vikings quarterback enjoyed more success on the third drive he commanded and was able to hook up with one of his favorite targets from last season, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. In one of the more ingenious play calls of the season, Favre handed the football off to Harvin at the 17 yard line who then showcased his immense versatility and took it in for his first rushing touchdown of the year. The running game experienced it's best game of the season, amassing 196 yards on the ground. Running back Adrian Peterson accounted for 131 of those yards, carrying the ball 28 times and putting it in the end zone once before halftime. Like I've said before, the Vikings will have a great chance in every game they play if Adrian Peterson can continue to produce as he did Sunday. On the contrary, they will be unable to contend against most legitimate opponents if Brett Favre still throws interceptions at the worst times. The blame of much of these turnovers can be placed on the offensive line, but Favre has the infamous reputation of doing anything it takes to win a game with his arm, and it seems most of the time this year those efforts have ended with picks for the defense. He ended Sunday's game with three of them. Favre took a severe beating from the Packers defense, and there is no doubt he has put his body on the line for this team. However, his gun-slinging, risk-disregarding mentality has more often than not harmed the Vikings rather than benefit them, as seen in the 2009 campaign. Many fans will say the officials beat the team from Minnesota Sunday Night, but in the end turnovers and lack of line protection ended up doing the Vikings in.

The Vikings defense allowed almost 200 yards of offense in the first quarter against the Packers. However, they were eventually able to lock in against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the offense, ending the game only giving up a total of 379. The pass defense struggled to contain the receivers of the Packers, and the defensive line did not sack Rodgers once. The play of the defensive backs is correlated to a certain degree with the pressure the defensive line can put on, and that theory is certainly applicable to this situation. While end Jared Allen did pull in a rare interception, he still only has one lone sack on the year, something that has left fans in Minnesota concerned. The defensive line looks like they are 10 years older than they actually are, and seemed overwhelmed by even the simplest blocking schemes. Nose tackle Pat Williams definitely looks his age, and has had little to no impact in the pass defense. The loss of defensive back Cedric Griffin for the rest of the season is also something that will effect the defense for the worse. On the bright side, linebacker Chad Greenway had one of the best games of his year with 12 total tackles, and the linebacking corp was able to hold the Packers tight ends to four receptions on the evening. Safety Madieu Williams also pulled in a clutch interception in the end zone. The Vikings defense gave another rock solid performance Sunday, but they are going to need more out of Jared Allen and the rest of the defensive line if they expect to hold any leads for the offense.

The Vikings are going to have to solve the issue at the quarterback position, whatever that means, if they expect to remain relevant in an NFC that is softer than most years. If Favre is injured and these injuries are effecting his game, he needs to come out for at least a few games and mobile backup Tarvaris Jackson should be given a chance to work with the plentiful weapons the offense has. Otherwise, the results in games against opponents like the Packers will be the same: close, nail-biting losses at the hands of their grizzled quarterback and his average offensive line.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

DAL @ MIN Recap

Desperation was in the air as the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys faced off Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis. Both teams were 1-3 and looking to avoid falling even farther out of playoff contention. Penalties were the name of the game, and Dallas accrued 11 of them. Despite the early flags, the Cowboys controlled the game until Percy Harvin's 95-yard kickoff return to start the second half gave the Vikings the momentum they needed.

The Vikings produced a mere 188 yards on offense, 126 less than the Cowboys amassed. Quarterback Brett Favre accounted for 118 yards through the air and went through the game without an interception, a rare occurrence this season. However, the offensive line was up to its usual antics, letting the Dallas defense get to Favre three times and giving up many more hits to their QB. The line has yet to really show any kind of stability this year, and the play of the offensive tackles, Phil Loadholt and Bryant McKinnie, appears to have digressed from last season. One reason for the lack of protection may be the absence of starting center John Sullivan, who has not played since Week 3. Even with the below-average performance from the offensive line, running back Adrian Peterson still ran for 73 yards and scored a clutch touchdown in the third quarter. Peterson remains the most consistent weapon on the team, and he has came through every time the Vikings have called his number. Favre did a nice job of managing the game when he was given enough time to find an open receiver. He targeted Moss six times, and the two connected for a total of 55 yards. Favre threw a beautiful ball to Moss in the end zone that was dropped, but it looks like the two are starting to develop a bit of chemistry. Once again, it took awhile for the Vikings offense to find its footing, but they stayed away from the lethal turnovers that haunted them in the previous game against the Jets. The Vikes were able to put the game away with Ryan Longwell's 38-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

The lone blemish in the otherwise fantastic Vikings defensive performance Sunday was the containment wide receiver Roy Williams. Although he only had 28 yards, Williams was able to get free for two Cowboy touchdowns. Cornerback Lito Sheppard struggled all day covering receivers in the red zone and was also responsible for a touchdown pass to rookie Dez Bryant. The defensive line was unable to sack Tony Romo, but they still managed to put six hits on the Dallas quarterback, and the pressure had a definite effect on the passing game. The play of the line and the rest of the pass defense forced Romo to rely on screen passes to running back Felix Jones during the majority of the game. With the exception of his three touchdown passes, Romo never really looked comfortable in the pocket. A pass deflection on one play led to an interception at the hands of linebacker E.J. Henderson, one of his two picks on the day. The running game wasn't much of a factor for Dallas, as no player on the team ran for more than 32 yards. The only exceptions were a few longer scrambles from Romo when he found openings in the line. The Cowboys, usually a pass-happy team, actually tried running the ball 28 times, to no avail. All-in-all, the Vikings defense did a stellar job against the Cowboys Sunday, and this time the offense was finally able to reciprocate the support it was given from its counterpart.

While the scoreboard wasn't nearly as tilted as it was last time these two teams played, the Vikings ended up on top again, thanks in most part to the stellar play of their defensive unit. Nonetheless, the defense will have to step it up again next week when they travel to Lambeau Field, home to one of the more threatening passing attacks in the league. The Vikings will have to hope their once-again decimated secondary will be able to stay with the Packers' skilled receivers in Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and James Jones. If the Vikings defensive line can get past the Packers offensive line, which itself is injury riddled, the passing attack of Green Bay might not as much of a factor which, in combination with the Packers' non-existent running game, could lead to positive results for the team in purple and gold.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Minnesota Timberwolves Season Preview

Needless to say, things for the Minnesota Timberwolves have not gone well ever since superstar and franchise face Kevin Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics at the end of the 2007 season. Frustration was building for the forward after three straight seasons without a playoff appearance, and a trade of some sort had been on the horizon long before it happened. The Wolves traded Garnett for Al Jefferson, a young, talented post player, some draft picks and a few other players who have since moved on from Minnesota. Jefferson had been dubbed the unofficial replacement for Garnett, and while he was more than effective in the time he was here, the Wolves could never manage to put a serviceable team around him. Nonetheless, Jefferson was traded to the Utah Jazz this offseason for two draft picks and center Kosta Koufos, all but erasing any consolation the Wolves had received from sending the greatest player in their history to Boston.

The Wolves have managed to win 61 totals games in the three seasons since Garnett left, leaving fans apathetic and at times oblivious their state even has a pro basketball franchise. David Kahn was named president of basketball operations in 2009, and he has done everything he can to give the Wolves roster a fresh-faced and promising face. While the promising aspect has yet to be determined, the Wolves are coming into the 2010-2011 seasons as one of the youngest teams in the league, with the oldest player on the team being 29-year-old Luke Ridnour.

The drafting of Wesley Johnson and acquiring of forwards Martell Webster and Michael Beasley has given the Wolves a more athletic team than the previous two seasons. The forwards are the strength of the team. Beasley can both drive to the basket and take a jump shot, and Wesley Johnson should be an excellent marksman. 2008 first round pick Kevin Love has quietly become one of the most consistent rebounders in the league and should receive more playing time nightly than he did last year, something that become a subtle area of controversy for the Wolves. The team put a huge amount of money in center Darko Milicic and will look to heavily utilize him at the position along with newcomers Nikola Pekovic and Kosta Koufas. If Milicic plays consistently and up to his contract, it should allow Kevin Love to flourish at his more natural power forward position rather than play at a spot he is a bit too undersized to really succeed in. Beasley will likely be used at small forward where his athleticism will be tested against players smaller and quicker than him. Forward Anthony Tolliver, another acquisition, will be an interesting wild card off the bench. Though he is listed at 6-7, rookie Wes Johnson will see the majority of his time on the perimeter as a shooting guard, where he will be able to use his fantastic shooting ability which has been showcased training camp and the preseason so far. Guard Corey Brewer is renowned for his defensive prowess, although his dribbling and shooting skills still leave much to be desired.

One question mark of the team is the point guard position. Second year player Jonny Flynn, though undoubtedly the most skilled point guard on the roster, was turnover-ridden and inconsistent last season and will not be ready for the start of the season. Luke Ridnour will be the starting point guard at the start of the season, giving the Wolves a veteran presence in the backcourt. Though Ridnour is one of the more intelligent players on the team, Flynn's quickness and explosiveness will surely be missed when Minnesota has to go up against some of the premier point guards in the league. Sebastian Telfair gives the team depth at the position.

Projected Starting Lineup:

C- Darko Milicic
PF- Kevin Love
SF- Michael Beasely
SG- Wesley Johnson
PG- Luke Ridnour

Season Prediction: 24-58

While this season will be an improvement over the woe and misery of last year, the Minnesota Timberwolves still have light years to go until they are anything even resembling a playoff threat. David Kahn has constantly encouraged fans to be patient with the team and coach Kurt Rambis. However, Rambis has had a full year to put his system into place, while at the same time Kahn has gone out and found his own players. Several of Kahn's moves have led to frustration, confusion and most importantly, indifference, in Timberwolves fans, and many view this as the year Kahn needs to put his money where his mouth is. If there is any future for the Wolves, there needs to be some signs of life and potential on the court this season. There is no real franchise player of the team like there previously was with Kevin Garnett and even Al Jefferson, leaving the auditions to the likes of Kevin Love, Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson. If one or more of them can embrace the leadership role and set an example for the other inexperienced players, brighter days may be ahead for owner Glen Taylor and his team. Until that day comes, the Wolves will continue to be an afterthought on the Minnesota sports landscape.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

MIN @ NYJ Recap

Anticipation was high for the Minnesota Vikings' Monday Night Football match against the stout New York Jets after two weeks that saw a scandal involving the starting quarterback and a blockbuster trade that brought back a familiar face. The game started out slow, with the only scoring through the first half being three straight Jet field goals. The Vikings offense started itself up beginning in the third quarter when Brett Favre connected with newcomer Randy Moss on a 37-yard touchdown pass. Favre kept the momentum flowing with two more TD passes to speedster Percy Harvin before abruptly snapping it with an interception to Dwight Lowery that was returned for the game-clinching touchdown, leading to a 29-20 New York victory.

The only way to describe the Vikings offense through the first two-and-a-half quarters is "stagnant". They wasted the prime field position they were given on the opening kickoff and only managed one first down through the first three drives. The Vikes were unable to stop the blitzing of the Jets and could not make any even resembling a threatening drive. In fact, the Vikings punted on their first five drives of the game. It didn't help that Favre ended another drive when he fumbled a snap from center. Randy Moss, who had huge things expected of him, was all but invisible in the first half. Neither the running nor the passing game were able to keep the offense on the field until things started changing in the third quarter. The vintage Randy Moss touchdown finally gave Favre and the offense the confidence it needed, and the passing game began to click. Following the touchdown, Brett and the rest of the Vikes drove on the Jets at will, and Harvin made the more than potent Jets pass defense look like the Detroit Lions, who the Vikings had dismantled in their previous game. Adrian Peterson did his part in the running game and had a nice 20-yard reception to go with 88 rushing yards. However, this writer could feel a sense of impending doom as the Vikings prepared for a final drive in the remaining few minutes of the game. Favre had been in this position for the Vikings game before, with both positive (see: 49ers game last year) and negative (see: NFC Championship Game) results in the end. Alas, every Vikings fan had their fear realized when Dwight Lowery picked off a pass intended for tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and took it back for a score. Much like the last contest of the 2009 season, Brett Favre had single-handedly gave the Vikings a great chance to win a game that they were supposed to lose, only to hand it right back on a silver platter.

The Vikings defense maintained its same "bend, but don't break" philosophy. While they were able to keep New York to one single touchdown, the Jets still converted on several third downs and gave kicker Nick Folk the opportunity to put 15 points on the board. That number could have been significantly lower had the Vikings stopped the seemingly overpowering running game and the intermediate passing routes. Jet running back LaDainian Tomlinson ran for a shocking 94 yards on 20 carries, with Shonn Greene adding 57 yards and touchdown on a mere 10 carries. With stats like that, it appears the Minnesota Vikings reign as the best run defense of the NFL is history. The interior has been sliced through on several occasions this season, with the game against the Miami Dolphins being another example. The pass defense was only marginally better. The rain of the evening had a prominent effect on the game, and miscues from the Jets receivers assisted the Vikings on many plays. Receivers Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Santonio Holmes, who in combination were targeted by quarterback Mark Sanchez 30 times, only contributed 13 total receptions as a group. Sanchez certainly had the time to make these throws. Once again, the defensive line looked dumbfounded against the talented Jets offensive line, and end Jared Allen continued his season of irrelevance. The pass rush has not been nearly as effective as it were last season, when Minnesota led the league in sacks as a team. The Vikings, as a whole, have six sacks so far in 2010, 10 less than they did through four games last year. In comparision, Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has 8.5 by himself. The Vikings need to find ways to get to the quarterback if they want to have any shot at being a player in the NFC North.

The Vikings need to put this game behind them in a hurry, as the next three games are going to be absolutely brutal. The true test of strength starts this Sunday when the Dallas Cowboys come to the Metrodome. The Cowboys have been a huge disappointment so far this year and, much like the Vikings, were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders. They will be looking for revenge after the disaster they experienced in the playoffs last year against the Vikings. When the smoke clears Sunday evening, one team will be one step closer to salvaging its season while the other will be left with its fans calling for the firing of a head coach.

Monday, October 11, 2010

A Disappointing End

The Minnesota Twins' run in the postseason ended abruptly Saturday night after one of their most impressive regular seasons in recent memory. Despite facing their seemingly unbeatable arch-rivals, the New York Yankees, optimism was still high in Minnesota, and popular opinion was that this would finally be the year the Twins would end up on top if these two teams met in the playoffs, even though though Minnesota had been struggling towards the end of the year.

Regardless, three games later the results are the same as the last three times New York and Minnesota have met- the Yankees are going on, and the Twins are stuck watching the rest of the postseason unfold on their couches. Twins hitters only managed seven runs through three games against the Yankees' stellar pitching staff. Minnesota was outhit at a clip of 33 hits to 21 and outscored by 10 runs in the series. All of the fault can't be places on the Twins' bats, however. No starting pitcher gave up less than four earned runs in any game, with Brian Duensing giving the crowning performance in the finale with five through 3.1 innings. It truly looked like the nerves had gotten to the Twins, with no primer example than the sixth inning in the opening game. Starter Francisco Liriano had cruised through the first five innings before running into a impassable mental roadblock. In what could likely be called the turning point of the series, Liriano gave up four funs on three huge hits to Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada and Curtis Granderson. The Twins hitter didn't exactly do their part to support Liriano. Had the Twins managed to strand less than an amazing 10 left on base, the series could have ended up differently than it did. Nonetheless, the Twins weren't able to take advantage of the opportunities they were given, and the Yankees experienced very little resistance in putting the away the rest of the series.

So where should the blame be placed for the early exit? On the shoulders of the hitters, pitching staff and manager Ron Gardenhire, most likely. The pitchers were average while the hitters, including superstar catcher Joe Mauer and fan favorite Jim Thome, seldom gave the ball-throwers any sort of cushion, with the exception of the first game, where the Twins scored a generous four runs. Mauer and Thome only managed four hits combined in the series, although Thome did score two runs in the opener. The Twins hit two home runs against the Yankees and it was apparent that the power just was not there. The ability to hold onto a lead in the first two games was another vital reason the Twins were unable to pull off the upset. Liriano was given a three-run lead in the first game before suffering his meltdown in the sixth, and Game 2 starter Carl Pavano was given a run off the bat in the second inning. Ron Gardenhire also made a few questionable managerial decisions during the series and, after giving one of his signature performances, was ejected in Game 2 after arguing balls and strikes. No matter how one looks at it, it was a group disappointment, from the coaches to the players.