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41-0.

The Minnesota Vikings picked a bad day to play their worst game ever under Dennis Green.

The Vikings were beaten, pillaged, and plundered by the New York Giants on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game. The awful defense reverted to its December form after a great Divisional game effort against the Saints, the offense hit the field already trailing 14-0, and the special teams are almost equally to blame as the defense in what has been nicknamed the Massacre at the Meadowlands.

Simply put, the Vikings secondary made QB Kerry Collins look like Joe Montana in his prime and the defensive line made the Giants' offensive line stir up memories of the Washington Redskins' Hogs of the late 1970s and early 80s. The Vikes' offensive line made the Giants' defense to look like...well, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, and the WRs put forth an effort so porous that Moss wasn't the only one taking plays off. .

The loss is even more painful than the 41-0 score would indicate. A more favorable path to the Super Bowl could not have been paved for the Vikings. First, on the last week of the regular season, K Martin Gramatica missed what is usually an easy FG for him in Lambeau as Favre and the Pack gift-wrapped the #2 seed for the Vikes on Christmas Eve. Next, the Vikes' worst nightmare, facing the Rams again in the playoffs, was avoided thanks to the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card round. Finally, another team the Vikings feared, whether they would admit it or not, was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Eagles became the third team to save Minnesota's season when they disposed of the Bucs. All these good breaks went for naught on Sunday.

Minnesota fans shouldn't be terribly surprised. After all, this is the team that lost to one of the worst Super Bowl teams of all time, the 1998 Atlanta Falcons (along with the 1980 Philadelphia Eagles and 1985 New England Patriots) at home after inexplicably blowing a 20-7 lead. Sadly, this is not an anomaly. The Vikings have not even been close in their last 6 playoff loses, being pounded by an average of 18 points and giving up over 30 points a game. Of these games, the Vikes were favored 3 times and were playing at home twice. Someone needs to let Las Vegas in on a little secret: the Vikings cannot win the big one.

Dennis Green is a good coach...but he's not a good big-game coach...not even close. His personnel decisions are difficult to criticize because both WR Randy Moss and QB Daunte Culpepper were eyebrow-raising selections that couldn't have turned out better. Bringing in QB Jeff George two years ago saved the 1999 season from being an absolute nightmare (instead it was merely a bad dream). And the most recent first-round selection, DT Chris Hovan, looks promising...Hovan was the only player who didn't quit on Sunday. Unfortunately, there's no time for promising prospects in Minnesota. WR Cris Carter has one year left (if that), DL John Randle is done, the secondary is not worthy of a Conference USA school (other than S Robert Griffith), and now WR Randy Moss is looking for the first flight out of town. Add to all this the fact that the NFL foresees the Vikings packing up and moving within the next few years as they look to put the future Vikings in the NFC West (presumably in San Antonio or Los Angeles). Owner Red McCombs has more than a few decisions to make. Fire Green? It's difficult to fire someone responsible for 8 playoff berths in 9 years and forming one of the best offenses in NFL history. Moreover, even if it was the 41-0 talking when Moss mentioned his desire to exit the state of a thousand lakes, if Green is gone, so goes Randy.

So, what next? Look at the potential free agents: RB Robert Smith, LB Dwayne Rudd, WR Matthew Hatchette, WR Chris Walsh, and DT Tony Williams. The list contains the offensive MVP (through November) in Smith, the best LB on the team by far in Rudd, the closest thing the Vikings have to a #3 WR in Hatchette, a great special teams player in Walsh and arguably the team's best defensive lineman in Williams. Carter may have played his last game. The Vikes have little to no cap room, and they blew a chance to wrap up Moss for several years when they couldn't agree to an extension early this season. The doomsday prospects are all too real. About the only sure thing for the Vikings is that they will have a quality QB for at least a few more years (but who knows about more than that).

If Carter returns for a farewell season, the stage is set for a "one last chance" season for Green and his Vikings. Re-signing Smith is a must, and the team desperately needs to retain at least either Rudd or Williams. The draft will be key, as the 27th pick could produce CB Fred Smoot, CB Nate Clements, or CB Willie Middlebrooks. All seven rounds need to be utilized as if each was the first, and at least five of the selections should be used on defense, preferably the first five. It's hard to stay positive about the Vikings after this latest embarrassment, but if Cris Carter sees fit, Dennis Green should get one more year to take his team to the Super Bowl...finally.

The Vikings' latest postseason disappointment leaves a team in shambles with a painful past and a questionable future

January 17, 2001

A rather disturbing amount of college football athletes have declared their eligibility for April's NFL Draft, a number of whom are not ready to play on the next level...which reminds me of the recent deterioration of the college basketball game due to ungodly amounts of underclassmen leaving early for the NBA...here's some analysis on who's making a mistake and who's not...

Intelligent Exits

Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech--Is he ready? No. Should he have left? Yes. Contradiction? Not exactly. Think about it. I don't care how many national titles or Heismans any given player could get by staying one (or in Vick's case, two) more year(s), practically guaranteed status as the #1 overall selection in the NFL Draft is impossible to pass up. Vick was beaten up this year by mediocre defenses looking to take his head (and hype) off with one shot. Teams like West Virginia and East Carolina punished him with constant cheap shots and late hits to try and knock him out of the game, and when six Pitt defenders collapsed on top of him and nearly broke his ankle, the decision was made. Vick couldn't afford to have that happen over the course of another entire season.

David Terrell, WR, Michigan--The most polished junior prospect in the draft, without question. Terrell was ready to play in the pros last year at this time, and now he will depart Ann Arbor and make an immediate impact on whichever team grabs him. The magnitude of his impact will be determinant on which team chooses him...assuming (as everyone should) that San Diego grabs Vick at #1, Terrell could go anywhere from #2-#5. Best for Terrell: #2 to Arizona (decent QB in Plummer, great opposite-side WR in Boston), #3 Cleveland (solid QB in Couch, also other good WRs in Kevin Johnson and Northcutt), and #5 to Atlanta (dome makes for fast track and great running game with J.Anderson for balance). Bad for Terrell: #4 Cincinnati (though it would make for the best young WRs in the NFL...Warrick, D.Scott, R.Dugans & Terrell, the Bungles still don't have a QB)

Kenyatta Walker, OT, Florida--Loads of experience as a fourth-year junior, and also big-game/pressure experience while in Gainsville. In this draft that lacks senior OT standouts (save Texas' Leonard Davis), Walker could easily be a top-10 selection.

Gerard Warren, DT, Florida--As the only underclassman DT in a draft also void of more than a couple (D.Lewis, Miami; R.Seymour, UGA) senior DT-studs, Warren is a sure-fire first round pick and could go in the top five.

Justin Smith, DE, Missouri--Dominated in a conference full of solid OTs, breaking Missouri's career record for sacks in only three seasons...Smith will be a Pro Bowler at some point, it depends on his coaching and surrounding cast as to when that happens...

January 12, 2001

Questionable/Confusing Choices

Koren Robinson, WR, NC State--A great raw talent for sure, but one more year in Raleigh would have guaranteed being the #1 WR taken next year...he won't have that honor this year with Terrell declaring.

Michael Bennett, RB, Wisconsin--Although Bennett could easily pass McAllister as the #1 RB taken after a solid combine and some great team workouts, another year at Camp Randle could have propelled him to the #2 pick overall in next year's draft (behind Michigan QB Henson)

Ja'Mar Toombs, FB, Texas A&M--Toombs was a three-year starter at College Station, which never hurts, but his speed needs to improve if he wants to be a feature back in the NFL...however, he would be a great versatile FB a la the Jets' Richie Anderson...but Kiper has him listed as an OLB prospect...hmmm. Too many question marks as to what role he would play is exactly why he should have stayed.

Inexplicable Exits

Quincy Carter, QB, Georgia--He was seen as a top-10 selection during the college preseason if he left early, but after a terrible junior year, Carter raised question marks in the heads of many NFL scouts with his decision. The only logical reasoning behind this is that Carter feared that his stock would drop even further if he stayed and either got injured again or didn't even retain his starting job for the Bulldogs next season.

Josh Booty, QB, LSU--Booty's only future is as a career NFL backup, which is a respectable (and financially secure) position due to all the QB injuries these days...but Booty needed one more year in college if he wanted to ever be considered a potential starter. Also, why waste another chance to make a run for the SEC Title? Probably fear that QB Rohan Davey would have won the starting job (which he should have had all along).

Rudi Johnson and Heath Evans, RBs, Auburn--While both have considerable talent, another year together in the Auburn backfield would not only drive the Tigers back to the SEC Title game, but also increase their skill level and awareness in preparing for the pros. Without it, they will enter the NFL as projects.

Ronney Daniels, WR, Auburn--Another War Eagle making bad decision...Daniels will never be more than a #3 WR on an NFL team.

Nate Clements, CB, Ohio St.--Maybe he was sick of losing to Michigan every year...whatever it is, Clements did not live up to his preseason/early season hype of being #1a to Jamar Fletcher's #1 ranking as college football's best junior cover man and now has chosen to leave early instead of staying and improving his game and his stock.

Randy Moss was not perfect, and he still single-handedly scorched the Saints' secondary and carried the Minnesota Vikings to a 34-16 win over the New Orleans Saints on Saturday. In a game that saw him drop two catchable passes, Moss was still the star, as he had only two receptions...but took both of them all the way, going 53 and 68 yards. More impressively, about 120 of the yards came after the catch. It is so thrilling to watch the best player in the NFL make it look so easy when he is motivated...which he cleary was today. The Vikes may have hung half-a-hundred on the tough Saints defense if Moss had made the two catches that he dropped in the second quarter. Nonetheless, the Vikes rolled and seem to have made the spark to start a title run, whether it's in New York against the G-Men or at home against McNabb's Eagles next week. The team may have played it's best game of the year, scoring the most points it had all year and giving up only 16 points--6 of which came on a meaningless late TD.

Saints Cry: "No Moss, No Moss!"

Moss held his own personal track meet in the Metrodome on Saturday, breaking world records in the 53 and 68 yard dashes.

Even the Vikings defense made an appearance in this well-rounded team effort. DT John Randle got three tackles and a sack, along with a few additional QB hurries and the secondary played a solid game for Emmitt Thomas's group. The Vikes defensive line colllapsed the pocket all day on Aaron Brooks, who was forced to drop back to pass 50+ times as the Saints played catch-up. Brooks was off on several throws in the first half, and a couple of drops by Saints WRs bailed out the Vikes D early. As the game progressed, however, there was more pressure and less time for Brooks to find open targets. Brooks was forced to dump the ball often, which accounts for rookie RB Chad Morton's playoff record-tying 13 receptions. It wasn't a perfect game for the Vikings defense, however, as S Orlando Thomas and CB Kenny Wright both were injured during the game, forcing rookie S Tyrone Carter and CB Keith Thibideaux to step in and make plays, which they did. Time will tell if the Vikes can continue to play timely D, which I like to call it, giving the offense a chance to get up early and make the other team play from behind.

DT John Randle played his best in recent memory and the Vikes had Brooks on the run early and often

Defense Shows Up after Prolonged Post-Thanksgiving Break

Culpepper Shows No Ill-Effects of Injured Ankle during Great Performance

QB Daunte Culpepper was incredible Saturday, shrugging off the effects of a high-ankle sprain. Culpepper accounted for 353 total yards, including a key 30 yard scramble toward the end of the first half that set up a TD pass to Cris Carter en route to a 17-3 halftime lead. Culpepper looked much more comfortable than he did in the last three regular season losses, playing easily his best game since the Thanksgiving trashing of Dallas (much like the rest of the team). On a personal observation, Culpepper, usually one of the Kings of the Early Timeout, did not need to waste a TO early during either half. If the Vikes have to travel to Giants Stadium next Sunday, it will be pivotal for Culpepper to both play the physical and mental game he played on Saturday against the Saints. The Vikings offensive line deserves an enormous amount of credit, protecting their injured QB against the best front four in the NFL, allowing no sacks and only a few QB pressures.

Culpepper displayed wonderful vision and scrambled only when necessary

Gruden's Raiders Romp 27-0

Jon Gruden celebrated his Raiders' 27-0 burial of the Miami Dolphins by thanking the raucous Oakland fans in the south end zone following the game, something that most players would be scared to do considering how unstable Darth Raider's cheering section can be. His actions after the game are a microcosm of why Gruden is the NFL's best coach, as his Raiders move the the AFC Title game to face either the Ravens or Titans next Sunday afternoon. Gruden has the fire that many coaches lack, and at 37, he's the NFL's youngest coach and will hopefully be around for a few more decades. His facial expressions are priceless and his reactions are entertaining (note the huge Gruden mask one Raider fan was wearing...looking like Frankenstein with veins and eyeballs popping out...a perfect tribute). Watch for Jon Gruden to up-end whoever his Raiders face next week by simpy outcoaching the opponent...both of which have much more talent man-for-man than the Raiders...but then again that has been the case all year, and they still win. Wanna know why? I think you know my opinion on that.

December 31, 2000

RB Dan Alexander broke an Alamo Bowl record with 240 yards rushing

QB Eric Crouch accounted for 4 TDs (2 pass, 2 rush)

To say the least, it was not a good day for credibility in my predictions, but nonetheless, I couldn't be happier (well, almost). Nebraska made me proud this evening by absolutely blasting the Northwestern Wildcats 66-17, scoring the most points in NCAA bowl game history. The Blackshirts played easily their best game of the year, absolutely stuffing the Wildcats with the exception of two long RB Damien Anderson runs. It was great to see all the weapons that were severly under-used during the season get their big plays in this game, especially WB Bobby Newcombe, who landed the demoralizing blow to the Wildcats with a 60 yard TD reception on a slip screen from QB Crouch with just 20 seconds left in the first half to give the Big Red a 38-17 halftime lead. The score came two plays after Northwestern creeped within 14 with a 69-yard TD scamper from Anderson. Newcombe also nearly returned a punt for a TD in the first half, and threw a 70-yard TD to WR Matt Davison after a throwback from Crouch. If only he had been used like this in Norman or Manhattan...ugh. But anyway, it was another great bowl performance from Nebraska, winning the sixth of their last seven bowl games...and only the 95 Orange Bowl vs. Miami was anywhere near competitive. I regained some confidence in Solich, but next year will definitely be the year that decides whether or not he is the right coach for this team, as almost all the players will be his recruits and all the big games (OU, KSU, Notre Dame) will be at home.

Never Been So Happy to Be So Wrong

December 18, 2001

Why doesn't anyone cover Ricky Phroel....ever? I swear, the Rams put him in and teams are like "Hah, he's white, he can't play" and every crucial 3rd down he's wide open. It's sickening. So is his ridiculous referee-first down signaling. Ricky, you were good about 6 years ago when you were with the Cardinals. You suck now, it's just that no one covers you; and when they do (like the 1999 NFC Championship Game) you just close your eyes and hope the ball falls in your hands (just so happens it did that day).

Memo to all NFL defensive coordinators: LBs cannot cover Marshall Faulk.

You know, after watching his postgame interview (which he refused to criticize the Saints' pregame trash talking, saying they had a right to talk) and several interviews over the last few weeks, I find it harder and harder to hate Kurt Warner. Yes, he's an overrated QB, and if Dan Fouts ever says a duck of his is a perfect pass (like he did about 20 times Monday night) I'll throw up; but as a person you can't dislike the guy, he's too geniune.

Man, I was hoping both Aeneas Williams and Isaac Bruce had blown out knees. No such luck.

Speaking of Williams, doesn't he look 50 years old? I guess living in the desert so long quickens the aging process.

My Vikings are an awful team. I knew that missing the playoffs were a distinct possibility, but I didn't think Cris Carter was going to be such a whining baby all season. His crying and lack of heart this season is the primary reason Randy Moss has made such idiotic off-the-field statements. Moss has idolized Carter for better in the past, and now, for worse.

Dante Culpepper has regressed so much this season, I'm glad he's likely out for the year. Hopefully Todd Bouman can play his way into an offseason trade that hopefully will yield either a high draft pick or defensive help...preferably both. Culpepper has to come back willing to forget this miserable season.

Cris Carter...please, PLEASE retire.

I'm going to advocate something I usually don't...Denny Green's obsession for offense has irked me before, but if someone like LSU WR Josh Reed or Michigan's WR Marquise Walker is available for the Vikes' first round pick, I say take him. The Vikes need to replace Cris Carter and fast.

If no top-notch WR is available, I'd rather have a defensive guy like Florida CB Lito Sheppard, South Carolina DE/LB Kalimba Edwards (or...crossing fingers...DT John Henderson should he free fall) than an offensive lineman. There will be plenty of solid linemen in the mid-to-later rounds.

Is anyone more failed this season than Eddie George? Man, those must be some horrible injuries when some Redskins castoff Skip Hicks makes you look like Travis Jervey. And is there any better example of bandwagoning fans than the Titans fans heavily cheering Hicks and semi-booing George? Hah, and these people think they're real fans. Next season at this time Skip Hicks will have as many yards rushing as Jervey and George will be looking for 1,750.

Does Dallas think Quincy Carter is going to work out? Hahahaahaaha....
From the fake Quincy Carter on The Ticket: "If you want a true star and winning streaks to go far, you stick with your man Q-Car...if you want your winning streaks to be brief, you start that honky cracker Ryan Leaf."

Tom Brady is no Drew Bledsoe. The first three weeks of the season, Bledsoe had no running game and no defensive support. Screw this whole Brady is much better than Bledsoe crap. Brady is solid but if the Pats expose Bledsoe to the expansion draft, they'll be sorry.

The Steelers are good, I hate to admit it, but they are. I don't know who stepped into Kordell Stewart's body, but he can throw like Steve Young and run like Fran Tarkenton all the sudden. That defense has no standout superstar, but they can physically beat up any team. If they make it to the Super Bowl, I'd love to see them play smashmouth with the pretty boys from StL.

The worst FA signing of them all this past offseason must be Elvis Grbac. What a joke. If Brad Johnson was in Baltimore, they'd be ready to make a run at a repeat.

Keyshawn Johnson is just absolutely spectacular...as a possession receiver.

Detroit rookie QB Mike McMahon can play...and rookie DT Shaun Rogers is a monster in the middle. Yes, Denny, he was available in the second round, but you took...DT Willie Howard. (Shaking head)
The Lions will make the playoffs next year.

Brett Favre is still by far and away the best QB in football. It's sad to see WR Bill Shroeder as his primary target. Really, really sad.

Memo to Arizona head coach Dave McInnis...give the ball to RB Thomas Jones and wave bye-bye to free agent-to-be RB Michael Pittman.

Oh yeah, on the subject of Arizona, want to know why WR David Boston is in the top 3 of WRs in the NFL (with TO and Moss)? As Eugene Ahn put it, "His muscles have muscles."

By the way, while I'm making outlandish 2002 playoff predictions, the Cardinals will be joining the Lions in the postseason next year.

I hope the Big Dawg, that HUGE fat fan in Cleveland who wears the XXXXXL #98 jersey with the dawg mask, is arrested in conjunction with the bottle throwing incident Sunday. Come on, you know he threw one...hell, he probably threw all 20 of the ones he drank.

The Saints fans are just copycats, nothing more, nothing less. Except of course the whole paper bag on your head thing...that's priceless stuff.

Man, if the Bengals could just find a QB...ANY QB...

The Vikes are going to sign QB Romaro Miller to be the 3rd QB this weekend with Culpepper out...for pure comedic value, I'd love to see Bouman and Spergon Wynn get hurt Sunday...

Outlandish new players' homes predictions for 2002:

QB Drew Bledsoe, Houston Texans
RB Jamal Anderson, Cleveland Browns
WR Terry Glenn, Minnesota Vikings
TE Tony Gonzalez, Dallas Cowboys
LB Jamie Sharper, Dallas Cowboys

I will never be in just one fantasy football league again. In my 4 years as a fantasy GM in about 9 leagues, I have never once missed the playoffs or finished with a record worse than 10-4. (For the record, I have reached the "Fantasy Super Bowl" twice, losing both times). This season I was an embarrassing 5-8 (with a close final game to decide if I even make the f'n CONSOLATION bracket--and with Ricky Williams and Torry Holt lying duds on Monday night it's not looking good) and will suffer the wrath of both of my "partners" on this page all offseason for it. I outcoached myself almost every week--of my 8 losses I could have won at least 5 of them based on my lack of smart substitutions) From now on I need a "buffer" league to try and divert frustration from a failed league like this season's. Oh well, I won easily the most challenging fantasy sport, baseball... (IIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!)

Oh wait...you didn't think I forgot the whole South Bend situation, did you? Well, I have a huge annoucement to make on that end: My "contributing" editor (though he hasn't contributed but three updates in the last 13 months) has officially denounced his admiration for Jon Gruden since he took himself out of the running for ND coach. He should never be allowed to be on the Gruden wagon ever again...even if he becomes coach at ND because of the O'Leary debackle. He will only be allowed to be neutral...you don't have to like a coach to like a team (see my unconditional love for Nebraska and constant frustration with Frank Solich). Lou Holtz back to the Dame? That's like Osama bin Laden coming to NYC to be mayor. Don't think so, the way he was forced out.

--Now, there's not much left to say about college football this season...other than THANK YOUs to LSU for destroying the chances of another God awful Tennessee national title game appearance, Oklahoma State for exposing a vastly overrated Oklahoma team (and destroying the 2001 version of "give me the Heisman because I am on ESPN highlights all the time a la Charles Woodson" Oklahoma S Roy Williams' chances of being invited to NYC).

--First and foremost I should address the whole BCS situation...yes, I am a huge Nebraska fan, but that doesn't mean I think they deserve to be in Pasadena on Jan. 3. But then again, does anyone think Colorado or Oregon stand a better chance against Miami? The Canes should (READ: should) defeat my beloved Big Red and would do the same to either the Ducks or Buffaloes if they played even at 65% of their capabilities. We saw 100% against Washington and Syracuse...scary. In short, yes, Colorado and Oregon got screwed, but no, they wouldn't beat Miami either.

NFL ramblings...

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