Vikes- 'All in' is still a risky bet- 1999 over again?

**dabears54** · 09-05-2010, 12:44 PM

Jim Souhan: 'All in' is still a risky bet

VIKINGS 2010 SEASON PREVIEW A letdown seems likely after everything went right in '09.

The Vikings may be little more than an average team in 2010.
That may sound like an insult. It's not. It's a prediction that invokes human nature, injuries, luck and quality of competition.

The 2009 Vikings finished 12-4, then beat the Cowboys in the playoffs. The franchise had not won 13 games in a season or come so close to playing in a Super Bowl since 1998.

The 2009 and 1998 seasons shared a few similarities:

• Old quarterbacks who exceeded expectations, in Randall Cunningham and Brett Favre.
• A rookie receiver who slipped in the draft and made the Vikings offense almost impossible to defend, in Randy Moss and Percy Harvin.
• A loss in the NFC title game, played in a deafening dome, that will always haunt Vikings fans.

In 1998, Cunningham regressed during the biggest game of his life, Robert Smith ran out of bounds when he could have run out the clock on the Falcons and Gary Anderson missed his first field goal of the season.

In 2009, the Vikings were penalized for a 12th man in their huddle coming out of a timeout, and then Favre threw his worst interception of the season at the worst possible time.

We may be about to witness another similarity. The 1999 Vikings won five fewer games than their predecessors. The 2010 Vikings, despite the return of Favre and one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, should also be expected to decline.

If the Vikings finish, say, 9-7, we know how Minnesotans will react. They will call for coach Brad Childress to be fired. They will turn on Favre. They will invoke Vikings history and wonder why they are so singularly cursed.

What fans should recognize is that the 2010 Vikings could play quite well and still regress. That's the reality of the NFL, and sports in general. Luck matters.

cont

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vi...mP:QiUiacyKUUs

**purplejokr** · 09-05-2010, 07:39 PM

It IS a risk. Building a Super Bowl team isn't easy. There is no instruction manual.

In fact, this article is reflective of the Bears' approach as well. They made a Super Bowl appearance, saw a glaring deficiency at QB and neglected it. While the rest of the team deteriorated over the years. Today, the Bears may very well HAVE the QB they need to win a Super Bowl but now much of the rest of the team needs attention.

Sometimes, you have to go "all-in" to give yourself the best chance to win.

**dabears54** · 09-08-2010, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by purplejokr

It IS a risk. Building a Super Bowl team isn't easy. There is no instruction manual.

In fact, this article is reflective of the Bears' approach as well. They made a Super Bowl appearance, saw a glaring deficiency at QB and neglected it. While the rest of the team deteriorated over the years. Today, the Bears may very well HAVE the QB they need to win a Super Bowl but now much of the rest of the team needs attention.

Sometimes, you have to go "all-in" to give yourself the best chance to win.

Guess we shall see soon enough, but think you are way underestimating the changes the bears have made : )

here's an intersting article from SI:

Best Team That Won't Make the Playoffs

King
Things aren't starting out well with no Sidney Rice, Brett Favre's ankle a worry and Percy Harvin week-to-week regarding his availability.

Hack
Brett's ankle, Sidney Rice's hip, and a killer month of October (at Jets, v. Cowboys, at Packers, at Patriots) will be too much for this drama troupe to overcome

Star Who Has A Subpar Season

Bettis
Adrian Peterson, Vikings: Because Sidney Rice is gone, teams are going to force Brett Favre to beat them without his No. 1 target, which means Peterson is going to catch the brunt of defenses.

Layden
Brett Favre, Vikings: Clearly last season, the best of Favre's career, was sent from the heavens. But that only happens once. Favre is already physically compromised and Sidney Rice is out. Vikings fans will paper the stadium with No. 4 jerseys, but they're likely to witness an all-time great who stayed one dance too long.

Byrne
Brett Favre, Vikings: OK, maybe I'm just playing the odds here. But is it humanly possible to piece together another epic season after turning 40? I say no.

Non-Star Who Has Breakout Season
Perloff
Zack Bowman, Bears: The third-year cornerback out of Nebraska has a nose for the ball and should improve on his six interceptions last season.

Coach Who Won't Be Back in 2011

Layden
Brad Childress, Vikings: The Vikings are a train wreck waiting to happen. The early schedule is tough, Favre is already getting his ankle juiced and the season hasn't started yet. Easy to imagine a public spat between the QB and the coach by November, right in the middle of a three-game losing streak that drops the Vikings to wild-card status and then a quick exit from the playoffs.

Bonvissuto
Lovie Smith, Bears: While I think Chicago will be an improved bunch this season, they won't make the playoffs and that will mark the end of Smith's roller-coaster era as Bears coach.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz0ywIVCU4n

**Evernight** · 09-08-2010, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by dabears54

Guess we shall see soon enough, but think you are way underestimating the changes the bears have made : )

here's an intersting article from SI:

Best Team That Won't Make the Playoffs

King
Things aren't starting out well with no Sidney Rice, Brett Favre's ankle a worry and Percy Harvin week-to-week regarding his availability.

Hack
Brett's ankle, Sidney Rice's hip, and a killer month of October (at Jets, v. Cowboys, at Packers, at Patriots) will be too much for this drama troupe to overcome

Star Who Has A Subpar Season

Bettis
Adrian Peterson, Vikings: Because Sidney Rice is gone, teams are going to force Brett Favre to beat them without his No. 1 target, which means Peterson is going to catch the brunt of defenses.

Layden
Brett Favre, Vikings: Clearly last season, the best of Favre's career, was sent from the heavens. But that only happens once. Favre is already physically compromised and Sidney Rice is out. Vikings fans will paper the stadium with No. 4 jerseys, but they're likely to witness an all-time great who stayed one dance too long.

Byrne
Brett Favre, Vikings: OK, maybe I'm just playing the odds here. But is it humanly possible to piece together another epic season after turning 40? I say no.

Non-Star Who Has Breakout Season
Perloff
Zack Bowman, Bears: The third-year cornerback out of Nebraska has a nose for the ball and should improve on his six interceptions last season.

Coach Who Won't Be Back in 2011

Layden
Brad Childress, Vikings: The Vikings are a train wreck waiting to happen. The early schedule is tough, Favre is already getting his ankle juiced and the season hasn't started yet. Easy to imagine a public spat between the QB and the coach by November, right in the middle of a three-game losing streak that drops the Vikings to wild-card status and then a quick exit from the playoffs.

Bonvissuto
Lovie Smith, Bears: While I think Chicago will be an improved bunch this season, they won't make the playoffs and that will mark the end of Smith's roller-coaster era as Bears coach.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz0ywIVCU4n

What 'changes' have they really made outside if bringing in an offense that doesn't fit the personnel and bringing in peppers? And if the 'changes' are so good why is every single bear fan I know down on this team? The reoccuring word being used to describe this team is something along the lines of 'garbage'. If the changes were truly that great, you'd think there would be at least a tiny shred of positivity somewhere.

**BearStuff** · 09-08-2010, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Evernight

What 'changes' have they really made outside if bringing in an offense that doesn't fit the personnel and bringing in peppers? And if the 'changes' are so good why is every single bear fan I know down on this team? The reoccuring word being used to describe this team is something along the lines of 'garbage'. If the changes were truly that great, you'd think there would be at least a tiny shred of positivity somewhere.

I'd say that the offense fits the personnel better than the previous offense....with one possible exception. The O line is suspect, but still could pull it together, though the odds are against that.

The O line is the real reason Bears fans ever utter the word garbage.

I will also say realistically, that if the defense doesn't get a bit more creative, Julius Peppers won't be enough to keep us from having to score 28 pts a game to win.

Still, optimism is always in full bloom before the season begins.

Bears will be a better team, but still may not win any more games.

**dabears54** · 09-08-2010, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Evernight

What 'changes' have they really made outside if bringing in an offense that doesn't fit the personnel and bringing in peppers? And if the 'changes' are so good why is every single bear fan I know down on this team? The reoccuring word being used to describe this team is something along the lines of 'garbage'. If the changes were truly that great, you'd think there would be at least a tiny shred of positivity somewhere.

Smaller quicker Wr like knox and hester and bennt do fit martz system( holt,bruce and az hakim all 6 foor or under.. fury and mcdonald on liosn under 6 ft).. so not sure where you get the personal doesn't fit, martz loves a Rb that can catch of out the backfield and forte on of the best in the NFL( 50+ catches each of first 2 years)

and 4th doesn't count as 'all bear fans are negative" ,sorry

**Evernight** · 09-08-2010, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by dabears54

Smaller quicker Wr like knox and hester and bennt do fit martz system( holt,bruce and az hakim all 6 foor or under.. fury and mcdonald on liosn under 6 ft).. so not sure where you get the personal doesn't fit, martz loves a Rb that can catch of out the backfield and forte on of the best in the NFL( 50+ catches each of first 2 years)

and 4th doesn't count as 'all bear fans are negative" ,sorry

Again, what 'changes' are being underestimated?

I don't know 4th, so you're right he doesn't count.

**4th and 26** · 09-08-2010, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Evernight

What 'changes' have they really made outside if bringing in an offense that doesn't fit the personnel and bringing in peppers? And if the 'changes' are so good why is every single bear fan I know down on this team? The reoccuring word being used to describe this team is something along the lines of 'garbage'. If the changes were truly that great, you'd think there would be at least a tiny shred of positivity somewhere.

We still have the same lame dick HC making the final decisions on things. People think we were close last year yet we mostly beat cream puff teams. 3 of our 7 wins were against the lions and rams which tells you we still suck. Some people will sugar coat things and ignore the facts of the problems we have had over the last 2 years. HC is worthless yet he still has a job. Offensive line is garbage yet some people think that when they finally showed up week 16 last year the problems were taken care of. Our defense was not that great but adding peppers will help but I am afraid it is not enough. Some people are banking on Tommie Harris returning to his old self and dominate the line which I think his probowl days are gone unless he is playing for a contract. Our DC is lame, our OC is overrated yet people keep refering to his St.Louis years and how Martz will turn our inexperienced wrs into weapons of mass distruction. Blah blah, the bears are who I think they are and that is a bad team. Once Lovies and Jerry the clown Angelo are gone we can have hope again on returning this team back to playoff team.

**4th and 26** · 09-08-2010, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Evernight

Again, what 'changes' are being underestimated?

I don't know 4th, so you're right he doesn't count.

Hester is going to get 4 td receptions this year.

**motownbear** · 09-08-2010, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by 4th and 26

Hester is going to get 4 td receptions this year.

homer lol

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