Feeling Minnesota: Who’s to Blame?

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

When you run the ball on offense and stop the run on defense, you’re supposed to win football games. It’s a tried-and-true recipe for success in the National Football League. The Minnesota Vikings have been very good at both over the past couple seasons, but their record would not indicate that. After this afternoon’s heartbreaking 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts to start this 2008 season 0-2, Vikings fans are exasperated. And the team isn’t very happy, either. So what’s the problem? Let’s spread the blame around:

• Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has not developed into the player the Vikings had hoped he would. The team traded up to get him in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft and thus far — uggh. Head coach Brad Childress keeps preaching progress (progress that has not been very evident to me) with Tarvaris. I used to think he had unlimited potential, but I’m beginning to wonder if his days as an NFL quarterback are numbered.
• Maybe Tarvaris should complain to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and coach Childress that they aren’t putting him in the best position to succeed. The team is calling plays like they don’t have any confidence in their quarterback. And they don’t. It’s no big secret. The Vikings are completely one-dimensional. Against the Colts, Adrian Peterson ran the ball 29 times. While he’s certainly built to handle that kind of workload at this stage of his career, teams will eventually load up the box to stop the run knowing full well the Vikings can’t beat anyone through the air.
• Dropped passes (especially in the endzone) don’t help matters. Whether it’s Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice or Visanthe Shiancoe, throwing and catching are the basics the Vikings haven’t mastered yet. Tarvaris isn’t always on the money. When he is, his receivers need to receive.

Here’s a wild idea. Jeff Garcia is on the hot seat in Tampa (even if Bucs head coach Jon Gruden says otherwise). I think the Vikings should cut their losses with Tarvaris, salvage what’s left of this season before it’s too late and trade a low round Draft pick for a guy they know can run their West Coast system. One could just argue for backup Gus Frerotte. But Jeff Garcia could be the guy. Maybe Tarvaris and the Vikes will somehow find a way to successfully coexist. But is it worth sacrificing more games or maybe another season for?

Source: NFL.com