The only answer

There are a lot of reasons why I didn't want Brett Favre to sign with the Vikings. I don't really need to go over them again, as much as I would like to. But, I do understand that there are a couple of reasons why the Vikings did make this move.

The fact of the matter is that this was a decision that came from years of ineptitude in the front office, in the coaching staff, and on the field. The Vikings have become a team that a lot of people either don't like or don't care much about. And that is true in Minnesota. Everybody knows about the loyalty and conviction of Kansas City Chiefs fans, Pittsburgh Steelers fans, and Denver Broncos fans. It takes a lot to get them down. This is not, and never really has been the case in Minnesota. Many people in Minnesota feel one or a couple of the following things about the Vikings: that they are unwilling to spend money or spend it wisely; that they are chokers; that they, until recently, were a team full of thugs; and, most importantly, that they will never win a Super Bowl.

Because this viewpoint has been born of years of arrests, playoff losses, and interceptions, something big had to happen to regain the support of Viking nation. Adding to the urgency, the Vikings play in arguably the worst stadium in professional football. The Metrodome, now nearing 30 years old, is finished. The lease is up in 2011, and at one point there was hope that a new stadium would be available by then. But it is too late for that now. The Minnesota Twins will move into a brand-new downtown stadium next spring, and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team will begin playing at their new field on campus this September. The Vikings couldn't manage to work out a deal to continue to share a space with the University (the Gophers played their home games at the Metrodome until this year), so now they are left trying to find funding for a stadium in a community where a lot of money was just spent to build two new fields.

Attendance has been down the last two season, with blackouts being avoided only when local television stations have ponied up to buy remaining tickets--they have no choice, since a blackout would result in their losing a lot of cash from advertisers. Since Zigi Wilf took over as owner of the team, a slow and steady change has occurred. Wilf brought in Brad Childress as head coach, and the two helped clean up the locker room, getting rid of players with 'histories', and replacing them with guys like Chester Taylor and Steve Hutchinson. The team hit the jackpot with Adrian Peterson, and has managed to make some pretty big moves through free agency and trades, bringing in big name and big production guys like Hutchinson, Bernard Berrian, and Jared Allen.

All of this has been nice, and I'm sure it's appreciated by Vikings fans. But support is still waning. Why? Because the team does not win. Last year they made their first playoff appearance of the Wilf/Childress era, but it has become clear that until the team addresses the quarterback position, the rest is for naught.

Enter Brett Favre.

Today I become a card-carrying conspiracy theorist. Well, what I'm about to propose isn't exactly a conspiracy; it's more of a marketing/publicity plan. Here goes: The signing of Brett Favre by the Minnesota Vikings is not, in fact, a desperate move to try to squeeze a Super Bowl victory out of a talented team in 2009; rather, it is a measured attempt to bring back some credibility and excitement to a team that hasn't had either of those things in years, and a shot at making the Vikings "the team" during first few seasons of the next decade.

What am I talking about? At first glance, signing Favre this year didn't seem to me like enough to help with future ticket sales or a bid for a stadium. But after mulling it over, it starts to make sense. A lot of people are up in arms about the timing of the deal, and the effect it will have in the locker room. Surely, allowing Favre to skip training camp and then come in and be named the starting quarterback on his first day--at a cool $12 million--is going to rile up some distrust and some jealousy. But that is OK for the final purpose this move is trying to serve.

This is more about winning over the fans, the media, the NFL, and future free agents than it is about the 2009 team. I mean to suggest that the Vikings are not trying to win a Super Bowl this year. In fact, it would be better if they didn't win the Super Bowl. What the Vikings have done is put people in the seats, put themselves in the position to sell a bunch of purple #4 jerseys, and prepared themselves to make some big moves in the 2010 offseason.

With Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, the Vikings could very realistically have expected to win the division, maybe win a home playoff game, and have a decent season. Unfortunately, everybody 'knew' that there was no chance for them to actually win the Super Bowl with those quarterbacks. Signing Favre is a debatable football move; many think he makes them the best team in the NFC, and most of the critics of the move admit that he at least makes them better off than they were without him. If all goes to plan, they will win 10 or 11 or maybe even 12 games, and make a little playoff run. Either way, with Favre in the mix, the perception is that there is at least a chance they can go all the way. But if all goes to plan, they will not reach the Super Bowl.

How could that be? Because in 2010, neither Brett Favre or Brad Childress will be in town. Essentially, they are being used as pawns. Childress is the out front in the Favre recruitment because he is the head coach; he even picked him up from the airport. But in the best case scenario, Childress is not the Vikings head coach in 2010. There are too many qualified and proven guys available, and if the Vikings land one of those guys, coming off of two straight playoff appearances, they will have gained more than anybody expected they could have from signing Favre.

Bill Cowher, Mike Shanahan, Tony Dungy, Mike Holmgren, Brian Billick, and Jon Gruden are all without jobs this season. Surely Shanahan and Billick will be ready to take a job soon, and Cowher seems to be waiting for the perfect situation. Dungy and Holmgren will insist that they are done for good, but if the right offer came along, do we really believe they would pass? Let's consider two 'positive' outcomes to the Favre signing:

One possibility is that Favre proves to be exactly what the Vikings needed; they have a successful regular season, make it through the NFC playoffs, and make their first Super Bowl appearance in over 30 thirty years. Yes, many people would be very excited about this. Here's the problem: this option leaves the Vikings with no future. Brett Favre cannot play again in 2010, unless the level of desperation (from both parties) reaches absurdity unimaginable. And, frankly, if the team makes it that far, they have to re-up with Childress, and that is nothing but bad news.

On the other hand, say the Vikings go 10-6, win a playoff game, then bow out. Favre retires, and the Vikings land Cowher or Shanahan or Dungy. Suddenly, in February of 2010, they still have this incredibly talented roster, Sage Rosenfels has learned the offense and watched a future Hall of Famer run it, and if they really want to, they have a few months to look for a better quarterback, if there is one available. Let's face it, risky or not, if this roster was caoched by one of those guys mentioned above, making a big trade for a quarterback like Donovan McNabb or even Carson Palmer or Marc Bulger would be worth whatever they had to give up. Or stick with Rosenfels, and use that first round pick to add even more talent to this stacked roster. Oh, and all the distrust and animosity towards the head coach? He'll be gone, and in his place somebody who demands respect, and deserves it.

Can anybody honestly say that the Vikings would not be scary with a proven, elite head coach? Given their roster, a serviceable quarterback, and free reign over the team, would it not be reasonable to expect one or two Super Bowl appearances from a coach like Cowher? I think it very reasonable. Conspiracy theory or not, as a Vikings fan I almost have to hope that this is the outcome. How else will I make it through this year?

Vikings 20, Lions 16

Sunday's victory over the Detroit Lions was pretty typical for the Vikings. They played about one good half of football total, committed some really confusing and infuriating penalties, turned the ball over, and still put together two huge fourth-quarter drives to win the game.

After 30 minutes, it didn't really look like the Vikings were ready to play football. They came out as flat as an NFL team possibly can, and that is saying a lot for a team that generally struggles in the first quarter. Almost every Lions-Vikings game seems to go the same. The Lions play as well as they are capable of, which isn't all that good, and Minnesota does what they can to keep it close, usually by turning the balling over and giving up big plays. That was today in a nutshell.

Stepping back a little, one will notice that the Lions managed just 267 yards of offense and were 3-11 on 3rd downs (one of those came on a Vikings penalty). The Vikings contributed three first downs to the Lions on penalties today. The Lions were also o-2 on 4th downs, both times electing not to kick short field goals with one of the the best kickers in the league.

But the Vikings ran the ball very well, and Tarvaris Jackson looked pretty good filling in for Gus Frerotte, who is slowly falling apart with each week. Jackson was 8 of 10 for 105 yards in the second half, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to Visanthe Shiancoe to put the Vikings up 17-13. Jackson did make one incredibly bad decision, tossing a ball that fluttered in the air after he was hit on a throw into quadruple-coverage. Somehow the ball fell incomplete, though a few Lions had a chance to catch it. But, Jackson did show why is he capable of being an NFL quarterback: He has a huge arm, and when he is accurate, can make any throw (that is, he can put the ball in any spot). He hit Sidney Rice for 15 yards on the sideline to convert a 3rd and three, and on the Vikings final drive he found Bobby Wade for 15 yards on 3rd and four.

Chester Taylor made the most of his short time in the game. He ran 17 yards for a 3rd quarter touchdown, and caught a screen pass and scrambled for 15 yards in the final few minutes. The team has to be at least a little concerned about Adrian Peterson's three fumbles. Another time a fumble was ruled on the field, though the call was over-turned, as Peterson was clearly down when the ball came out. Still, the Vikings had to use a challenge because of it. This was the first time coach Brad Childress stuck with Peterson following fumbles. Down the stretch Peterson stayed in the game, though Childress has been known to use Taylor more in games were Peterson has fumbled. 

Now the Vikings are one game closer to their first NFC North title. The Packers are basically done now, though they can play spoilers by beating Chicago. The Vikings could probably win just one more game and still win the division, assuming Chicago stumbles once or twice more. The Green Bay-Chicago game will be key. If Chicago loses that game, they will fall to 3-3 in the NFC North, and the Vikings would then hold a tie breaker. Jared Allen's health will be important after the cheap shot he took to his left knee. 

Imagine if Minnesota had held on against Indianapolis, and not fumbled the game away in Tampa Bay. They would be sitting even prettier  right now, though I think any Vikings fan will take where they are now.

Vikings 34 Bears 14

Disclaimer: This post is coming straight from the Minnesota Vikings fan in me.

Last night's victory over the Chicago Bears at the Metrodome was quite possibly one of my favorite Vikings games ever.  That is notable for a couple reasons: One, this year's team has been one of the most frustrating to watch, ever. Two, I don't think I can say that about any other game in during the Brad Childress-era. The Vikings, for the last years, have won ugly, and lost uglier. They are that team that should be winning, but can't seem to hold things together for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Sure, there have been some good ones with Childress. His one win over the Packers, this year, 28-27, was a nice win. Last year we saw a rash of blow-outs: The Vikings won 35-17 over San Diego, 41-17 over the Giants, 42-10 over the Lions, and 27-7 over the 49ers. In 2006, some wacky special teams plays helped us go 2-0 to start the season with wins against Washington and Carolina.

2002-2005, the Mike Tice years, had a slightly different feel. We were more of an underdog then, with much lower expectations. Simply put, everybody knew we were bad. The defense was awful. The 2002 season saw the team drop to 3-10 before winning the last three games in super exciting fashion: A last-second, 53-yard field goal from dinosaur kicker Gary Anderson, a make-or-break two-point conversation by Daunte Culpepper that lifted us over the Saints, and then a two-point conversion stop for our defense against Detroit in Week 17. 2003 was a disappointing year, but full of big wins on the way to 9-7. 2004 saw the vikings beat Green Bay in the Wildcard round. Enough said. 2005 saw a six-game winning streak.

Last night, the Vikings defied everything I have believed about them for years. They over came an early deficit. They pressure the quarterback for the entire game. They scored a 99-yard touchdown. They picked off Kyle Orton three times. They did all of that in one game. If that doesn't sound like much, then you haven't been paying attention to the Vikings for the past six or seven years.

If you get a chance to watch the highlights of that game, watch the end zone view of Bernard Berrian's 99-yard touchdown. I have rarely felt such pure, wild joy while watching football as I have been feeling watching the crowd realize how open he is with the ball in the air. The camera then follows his path to the end zone, and the Vikings bench is absolutely going nuts.I felt that way on the field twice in my playing career.

My senior year, we were the top dogs in our conference, and expected to go undefeated. We lost the first game. Our first home game, the following week, was against Stoughton. We were up by maybe 10 points in the fourth quarter, when our huge fullback suddenly burst through the line and ran alone 60 yards for the game-sealing touchdown. Zac Pettit was one of those guys who was bred for football, short, wide, and always looking to hit something. We were in a jumbo package, so I was on the sideline. When he got through the line and there was nobody in front of him, our entire team went nuts, and I felt a little choked up as I sprinted to meet him and everybody else in celebration. It was the start of a 10-game winning streak.

When I played club-football at Marquette University, we were the definition of rag-tag. We had about 20 guys on the team, some who hadn't ever played football. One of the guys was named Jason Harding. He was 27 or 28, and hadn't been enrolled at the University for at least five years, but played anyway. He started at wide receiver opposite of me, and played in the nickel package. 

We generally got beat up. Our small, unorganized team was going against 60-man junior varsity squads from schools around Wisconsin. The athleticism of those guys alone was enough to make it nearly impossible to win, especially since we hardly even practiced. On one long, demoralizing drive, some 19-year-old quarterback threw a pass into the end zone, and Harding picked it off. He was not that fast anymore at 27, but he somehow managed to rumble 101 yards into the end zone, probably our only score of the game. I remember going completely insane as he ran, for what felt like 15 seconds, down the opposite sideline. I lost my voice just from that play, screaming at him to score.

And that is the feeling the Vikings game me last night. It makes me smile just thinking about it. Jared Allen was incredible, and Adrian Peterson continues to prove that he is the best running back in the game. Gus Frerotte really only made one or two bad throws, and the secondary was great, other than the long touchdown they gave up in the first quarter. And a huge goalline stand.

In summary: An awesome game, one that might ease the sting of our eventual collapse. Without Kevin and Pat Williams, the Vikings might win only one more game this year. Tough, but at least we had this moment.