Tag: Minnesota Vikings

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Barr and Carr Believe this will be a Bounce-Back Year

Based on past trends and the present roster, the Minnesota Vikings are poised to bounce back from the disappointing 2018 season. Several insiders including Anthony Barr and David Carr believe the Vikings are primed for a stellar year, but is it too early to be drinking the purple Koolaid?

It’s that time of year — when football fans are busy making bold predictions about the upcoming season. While I don’t give much credibility to armchair quarterbacks, I do put stock in actual NFL analysts like David Carr. The former quarterback and number-one overall pick predicts Zimmer, with the help of Gary Kubiak, will win his first ring this year. “This offense will undoubtedly be better with Gary Kubiak and Kevin Stefanski running the show,” Carr said on NFL.com. “Cousins played some of his best football in Washington under Kyle Shanahan, whose offense is a clone of Kubiak’s. Kubiak won a ring as Denver’s head coach in 2015, and now he helps Zim get his.”

Carr isn’t the only one who expects big things from the Vikings, as team captain Anthony Barr recently raved about Minnesota’s budding offense and agreed that the team is on the brink of a successful season. “Every year that we’ve had a down year, we’ve always bounced back,” Barr said on Good Morning Football. “The masterminds they have on the offensive side are going to pay dividends.” As a player, Anthony is closer to the team than a reporter could ever be, and I trust him when he says this will be a better year. It’s also worth noting that during the offseason, Barr turned down more money from the New York Jets to stay with the Vikings. He obviously sees more potential in his coaches and teammates here in Minnesota, or he would have left for greener pastures.

Endorsements from respected players aside, past performance also indicates the Vikings will bounce back in 2019. From a historical perspective, the team performs better during odd years. Here’s a brief rundown of the past few seasons under Zimmer’s leadership:

2014: 7 wins, 9 losses, missed playoffs

2015: 11 wins, 5 losses, made playoffs

2016: 8 wins, 8 losses, missed playoffs

2017: 13 wins, 3 losses, made playoffs

2018: 8 wins, 7 losses, 1 tie, missed playoffs

Let’s hope history repeats itself. I think Spielman’s draft picks, along with Kubiak’s coaching, will propel us into the postseason. So grab a glass folks, it’s time to drink some purple propaganda.

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Fran Tarkenton, Bart Starr, and a Lesson for Kirk Cousins

A football legend was lost today with the passing of former Packers quarterback Bart Starr. The Hall of Famer didn’t play for the Vikings, but Minnesota’s own star in Fran Tarkenton recognizes him as one of the greats. The late quarterback may even have a lesson for Kirk Cousins.

Tarkenton spent several years playing against Starr and the Green Bay Packers during the 1960’s and 70’s. They may have been competitors on the gridiron, but there was a mutual respect between the two signal-callers. Fran was as devastated as anyone about the passing of Starr: “This is a very sad day… Bart Starr passed away. Bart Starr is the greatest human being ever to play in the National Football League.”

Years have passed and football has evolved since Starr last put on a helmet, but the legacies of the past live on. Fame, and especially fortune were certainly different in that era, even when accounting for inflation. When Starr won back to back Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967, he was earning $100,000 per year. Today that would equate to about $765,000, which is far short of the monstrous deals that quarterbacks currently receive. The highest paid player of 2019 should be Russell Wilson at $35,000,000. I’m all for players maximizing their earning potential, but I also respect Starr for playing for less in a time where there was greater risk of injury.

He didn’t set a gaudy standard for how much money franchise players should make, but Starr did set a more important standard off the gridiron. As a player, head coach, and member of the community, Bart is remembered as being humble and kind. Troy Aikman remarked on Twitter: “Bart Starr was a true gentleman and one of the kindest people I knew. I had elbow surgery following our ‘95 Superbowl in Birmingham and Bart made a visit to the hospital. To this day, not sure how he even knew I was there.” Even as a division rival, he was undoubtedly a classy competitor.

How does Kirk Cousins stack up to Starr? When it comes to being a team player and stand-up guy, I don’t think it should be viewed as a competition. Cousins does a great deal of work for those in need with The Julie & Kirk Cousins Foundation, and there are many other selfless individuals around the NFL. What’s important is that Starr led by example and left a legacy for others to follow.

Bart’s personal stats speak for themselves (24,718 career passing yards), but one must not forget that he had the best coach he could’ve asked for in Vince Lombardi. If Kirk Cousins wants to prove his haters wrong by winning a championship, he should try to follow in Starr’s footsteps. Leading a team to the Super Bowl is a ton of pressure to put on yourself, and Cousins needs to stay humble. To find ultimate success with the Vikings, he’ll have to lean on experienced head coach Mike Zimmer and his new veteran assistant Gary Kubiak. The two are well respected in the league, and their guidance can help Cousins become a star.

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Who Would be the Most Devastating Loss?

This time of year, fans of all football teams look at their rosters like Jack and Rose looked at the Titanic while it was still at port: blissfully and ignorantly. Such an amazing work of mankind, such talented rosters, what could possibly go wrong? As the Vikings set sail in search of the Lombardi, the metaphorical iceberg is a devastating injury.

American football is brutal on the body… Darwin would be mesmerized watching players adapt or succumb to natural selection. Only the toughest survive the gridiron, while many athletes are unexpectedly taken down in freak accidents (i.e. Teddy Bridgewater). As another season approaches, I look at the Vikings roster and wonder what would be the most devastating position or player to lose besides quarterback Kirk Cousins.

I asked my followers this very question on Twitter (@PurpleReignNews) and received a mixed bag of responses. Some felt veteran safety Harrison Smith would be the biggest loss as he quietly leads Mike Zimmer’s defense, while others deemed skill players like Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, or Dalvin Cook the most valuable. Obviously, I’d hate to lose any player – no one “deserves” an injury and they can sometimes be career threatening, but injuries in the NFL are very common and it’s a realistic question.

In my opinion, the biggest loss would be Adam Thielen. Minnesota’s offense is still finding its identity, and the work ethic and talent that Thielen brings to the locker room is irreplaceable. He led the Vikings in receiving yards last year with 1373, and losing a leader with such an inspiring success story would surely leave fans and teammates at a loss. After the legendary Minneapolis Miracle, it wouldn’t be hard to root for Stefon Diggs instead, but I don’t think he’s as vocal a leader as Thielen. Without Thielen, Diggs would also undoubtedly face more double-teams, and it would force untested players into full-time roles.

An injury-free season is an unrealistic dream, but I’m praying to the purple gods that Thielen can stay healthy this year.

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Can Jordan Taylor Grab a Roster Spot?

https://twitter.com/andycarlsonshow/status/1117435672728625154

With the established duo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs already starting at wide receiver, the Minnesota Vikings are hoping to expand the group to a trio of elite talent this year. Jordan Taylor was added earlier this offseason, but can the ex-Bronco find a long-term home in Minnesota?

There’s plenty of reason to think he can. Despite tallying 2,588 yards over four years at Rice University, Taylor went undrafted, but he was quickly picked up by the Denver Broncos after the 2015 NFL Draft. With the Broncos already owning a full stable of established receivers like Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, he saw little playing time in the Mile High City. In his three years in Denver, the 6’5” receiver was only targeted 45 times.

Production aside, Taylor was a favorite amongst both fans and teammates in Denver.  During his rookie season out west, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning struggled with injuries in the months leading up to the postseason.Taylor spent long hours before and after practice running routes for Manning, who needed a receiver to work with during his rehab. During this time, the two developed a bond on and off the gridiron. “I don’t think I could have gotten through my rehab and gotten back if it had not been for him. I am very grateful for his help.” said Manning. Peyton thanked Taylor by buying him his first suit, and he frequently raved about the young receiver he nicknamed “Sunshine”. Manning went on to win his second Super Bowl that year.

Taylor’s experience in Denver should help his chances, but two hip surgeries kept him sidelined in 2018, and he’ll have to stay injury free if he wants to stick with the Vikings. Fortunately, he already has an advocate in Minnesota. Former Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak joined Minnesota’s staff a few months ago, and he undoubtedly helped bring Taylor to the north. If he can stay healthy, the fifth-year receiver will face some stiff competition behind Diggs and Thielen – check out my recent podcast on his counterparts HERE. Nonetheless, I’m expecting Taylor to beat the injury bug and shine with the Vikings.

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The Fastest Viking

Jeff Badet may not be a household name, but Vikings fans could soon come to know the speedy second-year receiver. Having run a blazing 4.27 second 40-yard dash back in college, Badet believes he’s the fastest man on the roster, but will speed be enough to earn him a starting gig?

Some fans have already boarded the Badet hype train, but I’m not buying his purple propaganda just yet. Before training camp last year, Jeff made a bold statement: “I know I’m the fastest guy on the Vikings.” Badet even made a point of saying he was faster than Trae Waynes, who is known as Minnesota’s fastest player and will be competing against players from around the league in a speed competition later this summer. Jeff’s claim got some attention from the press, but it didn’t get him beyond the practice squad.

Having not lived up to his self-set expectations in year one, I question the validity of Jeff’s amazing 40-yard dash time. If the time of 4.27 seconds is accurate, then he may indeed be the fastest Viking, as Waynes clocked in at 4.31 seconds. That being said, Badet’s time was recorded by Oklahoma staff back at his college pro-day, so the numbers may have been fudged to boost his draft stock. Trae did his dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, so his time carries a lot more credibility. A race between the two would be a real thrill, but declaring the “Fastest Viking” isn’t a top priority for Minnesota’s coaches.

Offensive Coordinator Kevin Stefanski and advisor Gary Kubiak will spend the next few months searching for a third wide receiver worthy of playing alongside Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, and the competition is wide open. Diggs and Thielen used their coachability and crisp route-running to become stars in the NFL, so Badet will need more than speed to make it in the big leagues. Having tallied 1,700 yards during his college career at Kentucky, and later Oklahoma, there’s reason to believe he has talent beyond his speed.

https://twitter.com/KY_Clips/status/1056175574530617345

The Vikings certainly think Badet has a chance to make the roster, as they gave him $75,000 to stay in Minnesota and away from the interested New York Jets. I like his potential, but it remains to be seen if he can run away from the competition.

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Kicking Curse Potentially Solved

Ever since Blair Walsh shanked a field goal wide-left at the end of the 2015 season, Vikings fans have lived in fear of field goals. With an unexpected pick at the end of the recent NFL draft, Minnesota coaches may be close to solving the kicking curse once and for all.

Missed field goals are always blamed on the kicker. Special teams coach Mike Priefer blamed Walsh’s woes on weight loss, while fans faulted the Vikings for bringing in the wrong guys to try to solve the riddle. Blame as you wish, but it seems suspicious that a promising rookie like Daniel Carlson would fold so fast, or that the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history (Dan Bailey) would suddenly struggle with the Vikings. Consider this: it might not be the kicker’s fault.

Now that’s a hot take, but hear me out. Through all the shifts in personnel, there have only been two constants: special teams coach Mike Priefer, and long snapper Kevin McDermott. Kevin has been with the Vikings since Walsh’s troubles began in 2015, and Priefer left this year. During the draft, GM Rick Spielman chose to bring in rookie Austin Cutting to create some competition.

The long-snapping position is often overlooked, but it may be more critical to kicking than fans think. A skilled snapper will deliver the football cleanly and consistently to the holder at the exact right moment, and the ball should also go through the correct number of revolutions in the air to avoid “showing laces” to the kicker when it’s placed on the ground. McDermott was Blair Walsh’s snapper during his infamous miss, and he did indeed show him laces.

I’ve heard nothing but good things about Kevin since he replaced Cullen Loeffler in 2015, and Bailey spoke highly of him upon his arrival back in September: “Kevin is obviously really good at what he does.” That being said, Vikings kickers seemed to have a lot less trouble when Loeffler was around. Minnesota’s current long snapper also lost a chunk of his finger in a wild game against the Rams last season, and that could certainly impact his ability to consistently snap the ball.

It’s hard to judge how good of a job Kevin has done, but I’m glad the Vikings are leaving no stone unturned this season. Austin Cutting of the Air Force Academy was one of the top long snapping prospects in this year’s crop, and he might be able to help Spielman finally crack the case.

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Meeting the Hometown Hero: A Night with C.J. Ham

C.J. Ham may not be the face of the franchise for the Minnesota Vikings, but he’s a hometown hero in Duluth, Minnesota. I too am a Duluth native, and I had the unique opportunity to meet the fullback when he spoke at a banquet for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Duluth is two hours north of Minneapolis, and it’s one step short of the arctic tundra. As a hockey town, it’s the last place you’d expect to produce a professional football player, although Bud Grant grew up just a mile away in Superior, Wisconsin.

Like his teammate Kirk Cousins, C.J. is the son of a minister who credits his success to family and faith. The 5’11” blocker was raised in a blue collar neighborhood and is a rare success story to come out of Denfeld High School.

Ham regularly visits his parents who still live in Duluth, and on friday he stopped by his former high school to see a mural that was created in his honor. A quote from C.J. on the artwork reads, “Growing up in Duluth’s West End, you work hard and earn everything you get. It’s 100 percent possible to reach your dreams, and dreams really do come true if you are willing to work for them.”

In high school, Ham ran track and fell in love with football. His days at Denfeld earned him an opportunity to play college football in South Dakota, where he ironically became a Viking at Augustana.

C.J.’s transition to college wasn’t easy. As an overwhelmed freshman lacking a good friend group, he briefly stepped away from the sport he loved most. “I quit football… packed up, and came back to Duluth,” he admitted. His absence from Augustana didn’t last long, as his close-knit family and supportive community encouraged him to go back to the gridiron.

After returning to Augustana, Ham ran for over 2,600 yards and tallied 35 touchdowns. As it turned out, college wouldn’t be the last time he played for the Vikings.

Even though Ham has gone pro, people from his past say he hasn’t changed. IST Crossfit owner Chris Bell used words like “appreciative” and “humble” to describe Ham at the banquet, who used to frequent Bell’s Duluth-based gym.

As a Minnesota Viking, Ham has proven to be a talented fullback, but what I admire most about him is his character. C.J.’s mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few weeks ago, and Ham immediately rushed home to give her a hug and tell her how much he loves her. That’s the kind of guy I want in the locker room.

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My Compliments to the Chef


The recent suspension of cornerback Holton Hill has some fans questioning GM Rick Spielman’s judgement. But, Slick Rick’s gambles have paid off in the past as evidenced by Dalvin Cook.

Much like Holton, Dalvin “The Chef” Cook was deemed a “problem child” coming into the 2017 draft, and his run-ins with the law ran him right out of the first round.

Despite Dalvin’s checkered past, the Vikings spent a second-round pick on the Florida native, and it has certainly paid off. The former FSU Seminole (and their all-time leading rusher) quickly turned into a real asset for Minnesota, logging 4.7 yards per attempt over his first two years in the north. Cook’s ability to catch passes also makes him a much more dynamic back than predecessor Adrian Peterson.

Injuries excluded, Minnesota’s lead back has stayed out of trouble and proven Rick right for taking a risk. With so many stars missing time due to suspensions, Spielman is undoubtedly glad to have someone like Cook on the roster. Aside from his obvious skillset, Dalvin has a no-nonsense attitude and leads by example in the locker room. Former Vikings corner and respected coach Terence Newman recognized Cook’s work ethic during his rookie year:

“He’s a young man who comes to work, he gets in his locker, he minds his own business.”

Off the gridiron, Dalvin is also becoming a respected figure in the Twin Cities community. Back in June, he won the first-ever “Iron Viking” charity cooking contest, and he passed on his skills to kids from the Boys & Girls Club a few months later. The amateur cook was also recently spotted at a high school basketball event where he interacted with some lucky players and fans.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv2-li1Bgyp/

With his great work ethic and undeniable talent, I expect the chef will be serving touchdowns in Minnesota for years to come.

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A Message From Kirk Cousins: Have Faith

Last weekend, I capitalized on the rare chance to see Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins off the gridiron. The $84 million man spoke to a crowd of 2,000 (many of which were purple disciples) at River Valley Church. As the son of a pastor, Cousins effortlessly preached a clear message – have faith.

The Illinois native comes across as a confident man, but he made some humble revelations about his past. As a high school sophomore, Kirk found himself stuck on the JV team, and an ankle injury nearly stole his chances of playing college football. Despite the setbacks, he bounced back as a junior and caught the attention of Michigan State scouts.

Cousins credits his perseverance and faith for a record-breaking college career, one in which he brought the Spartans to their first ever Big Ten Championship game. Today, he feels blessed to be leading the Vikings out of the tunnel on Sundays. While he may not have won the Lombardi last year, he easily won over this crowd. With all the applause, I was surprised the SKOL chant didn’t break out.

Kirk stressed how grateful he is to be playing for Minnesota, but he acknowledged that last season’s shortcomings left him humbled yet again. With such a talented roster and supportive fanbase, Cousins said he can’t wait to get back to business. Regardless of next year’s results, the Vikings locker room leader has faith that the franchise will win a championship with or without him. He concluded his visit to Apple Valley with a bold proclamation that brought the audience to its feet and filled the church with cheers:

“This team is going to win a Super Bowl.”

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