As we all know, the Minnesota Vikings, outside the ownership and direction of Zygi and Mark Wilf, have largely been run by a three-headed committee: Brad Childress, Rick Spielman, and Rob Brzezinski. Unlike most other teams, there is no actual GM (although many see Spielman at times as such, he doesn’t actually hold the title or in fact the authority that comes with it), and the three are given their respective positions and powers and expected to work together towards the goal of the betterment of the team.
And of course, there’s been a change- Leslie Frazier as the new head coach and the new third of this chimera-style leadership, replacing Brad Childress. Another significant change of note is that Frazier does not have the full power that Childress had over the 53-man roster: most likely a result of some regret on Zygi Wilf’s part stemming from the whole Randy Moss fiasco.
While at times this complex manner of running things seemed to work just fine, there were obviously a lot of bumps in the road- and for every ‘incident’ the public and media were aware of, it’s probably safe to say there were three we didn’t. NFL.These difficulties became especially exacerbated during last season, highlighted in particular again by Mossaggedon.
So, with a positional change in the leadership, but the structure remaining essentially otherwise the same, how will the Vikings fare in the future under this system? Let’s explore after the jump.
Tag Archives: Randy Moss
How Will The Minnesota Vikings’ Triumvirate Fare?
Posted by admin
on March 5, 2011
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In gloomy Cowboys season, Dez Bryant emerges as a star
Posted by admin
on November 25, 2010
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Dez Bryant has miles to travel before he can be considered The Second Coming of Michael Irvin, but some early comparisons are inevitable as the rookie wide receiver leads the Dallas Cowboys with eight touchdowns this season (six receiving, two punt returns) in 10 games.
First, there’s the iconic, at least in these parts, No. 88 worn by both (so, too, did Drew Pearson). Physically, Bryant and Irvin are similar in stature (6-2) and weight (at 217, Bryant is about 10 pounds heavier than Irvin was in his prime). Both are tireless workers who exhibit an inextinguishable passion for their sport.
Bryant, 22, has another trait that brings the Hall of Famer to mind: He is powerful, and freakishly talented, when a football sails near him and even more dangerous after he locks his mitts around it.
He’ll be on display when the Cowboys host the New Orleans Saints in the second act of the NFL’s Thanksgiving Day tripleheader (Fox, 4:15 p.m. ET).
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Quarterback Jon Kitna told The Dallas Morning News that he never has seen a receiver with Bryant’s attitude after the catch. Not even Irvin.
“It’s almost as if people around him are irrelevant,” Kitna said. “His goal is to get to the goal line and, if you just happen to be in the way, you’re in the way. He’s kind of like (Minnesota running back) Adrian Peterson out there. … It’s hard for me to even think about that. It’s like a Walter Payton-mentality.”
Dallas defensive end Igor Olshansky says Bryant is blessed with “God-given ability.”
“He is a star, no question,” he said.
Bryant needs only three catches against the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving Day to break the franchise rookie record for receptions held by Bob Hayes (46 in 1965).
In the Cowboys’ last six games, Bryant has outproduced the two receivers, Miles Austin and Roy Williams, who start ahead of him. During that span, the rookie has as many catches as the pair combined (27), and more yards (359) and receiving touchdowns (six), than the duo (267 and 5). Bryant’s 44 receptions for 547 yards trails only tight end Jason Witten (50 catches) and Austin (49).
“Dez is playing lights-out right now,” Austin told reporters.
Unlike Irvin, however, Bryant prefers the silent route when he is not gliding downfield on the go-route. The rookie is nowhere near as effervescent with the sports reporters as the playful, boastful former University of Miami Hurricane was back in the day.
Bryant again ducked the press Wednesday in the Cowboys locker room. He has refused to speak after the last few Cowboys’ games, believed to be still stung by criticism he received following his refusal to lug Williams’ shoulder pads during a rookie “hazing” ritual in training camp.
Rather than wag his gums, Bryant lets his legs do the talking. Still raw and unrefined, Bryant is slowly but surely developing into the impact wide receiver the Cowboys believed he could become.
Cowboys general manager Jerry Jones— he also owns the Cowboys and serves as team president — traded up with the New England Patriots in last spring’s draft to snatch the Oklahoma State underclassman. Bryant was the 24th overall selection, despite lingering doubts by some NFL teams regarding his alleged character flaws and a troubled background.
The NCAA had ruled Bryant ineligible three games into his junior season after he lied about his dealings with former Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders. He subsequently declared for the draft.
Jones, who once coveted a college star named Randy Moss but was deterred by character questions during a period when Irvin was giving the owner off-the-field headaches, remained undaunted this time.
As Bryant continues to try and absorb the basics and the nuances of his position, his reliability seems to have increased after the season’s first month. In late July, he suffered a high-ankle sprain, forcing him to lose out on valuable learning time in training camp. He did not play in a preseason game.
“For him to have missed all the time he missed during training camp and to have had the start he’s had, it has been very impressive,” said Jason Garrett, the Cowboys interim head coach.
“The other part about Dez that can’t go unnoticed is he has a tremendous passion and enthusiasm for the game. At practice, nobody catches more balls than Dez Bryant. He has the trainers throwing it to him, the backup quarterbacks, the coaches. He loves to play the game.”
NFL: Miami Dolphins go with Chad Pennington at QB, bench Chad Henne
Posted by admin
on November 11, 2010
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Chad Pennington is replacing Chad Henne as the Miami Dolphins‘ starting quarterback.
Coach Tony Sparano made the announcement after practice Wednesday. The Dolphins (4-4) play host to Tennessee on Sunday, when Pennington will make his first start since he suffered a season-ending right shoulder injury in Week 3 last year.
“They both have strengths, and certainly weaknesses,” Sparano said. “At this particular time, my decision is Chad Pennington’s strengths might be suited a little bit more for where we need to be.”
The Dolphins trail New England and the New York Jets by two games in the AFC East and lost to both teams at home, but their schedule eases in the second half of the season. Henne has led the offense to only 11 touchdowns and has 10 interceptions, three in Sunday’s loss at Baltimore.
Thursday Night Football: AFC vs. NFC. First place vs. first place. Talented offense vs. bruising defense.
At the midway point of the NFL Jerseys season, the host Atlanta Falcons (6-2) and the Baltimore Ravens (6-2) will see how they stack up against each other in prime time tonight on the NFL Network.
Wide receiver Roddy White was limited in Atlanta’s final practice and has been listed as questionable.
The Falcons hold a half-game lead over defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans in the NFC South, and Baltimore is tied for the AFC North lead with Pittsburgh.
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Shaun Hill is back as starting quarterback, with Matthew Stafford injured.
Stafford hurt his right shoulder in Detroit’s loss to the New York Jets and will miss at least Sunday’s game at Buffalo. Hill broke his left arm against the New York Giants on Oct. 17 but is healed.
Panthers: Matt Moore’s season-ending shoulder injury will give rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen another shot to lead the woeful Panthers.
Coach John Fox told Clausen after practice that he’ll start Sunday at Tampa Bay.
Patriots: Kicker Shayne Graham has joined New England. He replaces Stephen Gostkowski, who was placed on injured reserve with a thigh injury, shelving him for the rest of the season.
Vikings: Wide receiver Percy Harvin is fighting another migraine headache. Coach Brad Childress said that Harvin was not at team headquarters and did not participate in practice.
Meggett sentenced: Former NFL player David Meggett was sentenced to 30 years in prison after his conviction in a Charleston, S.C., court on charges of criminal sexual conduct and burglary, authorities said, in a case involving an encounter with a college student at her house in North Charleston in January 2009.
Meggett was a running back and punt returner in the NFL from 1989 to 1998, six years with the New York Giants, three with New England and one with the New York Jets.
Titans: Speaking for the first time since Minnesota waived him Nov. 1, wide receiver Randy Moss said he’s sorry things didn’t work out with in Minnesota and that he isn’t upset with the Vikings or coach Brad Childress for waiving him.
Bills: Shawne Merriman’s first practice with his new team in Buffalo didn’t last very long. Coach Chan Gailey said Merriman strained his lower right leg and that it’s not “anything major,” but declined to offer any specifics.
San Francisco 49ers QB Troy Smith impresses coach
Posted by admin
on November 3, 2010
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(11-02) 23:08 PDT — Coach Mike Singletary did everything but explicitly state that Troy Smith would be the starting quarterback when the team returns after this week’s bye to prepare for a home game against the Rams.
Singletary suggested that Smith exhibited the kind of leadership at quarterback he found missing in the team’s first seven games.
“Leadership is the ability to bring the entire offense together, knowing you’re going to have setbacks,” Singletary said Tuesday. “To me, it’s very important that the quarterback understands that’s his role. Making sure guys have the right body language … and making sure that when things happen on the field, to not allow that to come to the sidelines.”
Singletary saw all of that in Smith, and that’s why the head coach mentioned after the game that he was most impressed with how Smith handled a headset malfunction during the 49ers’ 24-16 win over Denver.
“I told him what you did was your job, and I appreciate that. Now let’s not just be a one-game guy.” Singletary said. “Now we have to continue to be more detailed about what we’re doing.”
Though the rest of the players will have this week off, Smith will meet with offensive coordinator Mike Johnson to work on the “nuances” of the playbook, according to Singletary.
“I have to be the hardest-working guy in the building; that’s been etched in my brain,” Smith said.
Mum on Moss: Singletary said he couldn’t comment on whether he wanted to claim former Vikings, Raiders and Patriots receiver Randy Moss on waivers. At the time Singletary spoke, Moss hadn’t been released yet and teams can’t comment on players still under contract. But, if Singletary isn’t interested in a player, he usually says it, whether the player has been released or not.
Teams have 24 hours to put a claim on Moss after he’s released. By midday, it will be known if the 49ers have claimed him.
Briefly: Vernon Davis said he twisted his ankle in the game, but said it’s fine and that he’ll run routes during the bye week. … Center Eric Heitmann was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury. The team used the spot to claim rookie pass rusher Thaddeus Gibson from the Steelers. Tackle Alex Boone, who played against Gibson at Ohio State, said Gibson should do very well with the 49ers.
Miami Dolphins mulling Randy Moss possibility
Posted by admin
on November 3, 2010
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The Vikings took the necessary steps Tuesday to formalize the release of wide receiver Randy Moss, which means any team now can file a waiver claim with the league if interested in acquiring him.
Count the Dolphins as one of the teams giving the situation serious consideration, a source said Tuesday.
Miami is intrigued by Moss’ size and downfield threat — who isn’t? — and the source said any organization would be “foolish” to not at least give him consideration for a roster spot.
If the Dolphins do decide to put in a claim for Moss, which would need to happen by 4 p.m. Wednesday, they would land him only if the 17 teams with worse records all decide against doing the same.
Waived players are awarded to the interested teams based on their records at the time the player is released, from least to best.
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Oakland Raiders’ Nnamdi Asomugha has ankle sprain; prognosis undetermined
Posted by admin
on November 2, 2010
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Raiders coach Tom Cable on Monday wasn’t ruling out the possibility that injured cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha will be able to play Sunday. Nor was he ruling out the possibility of Randy Moss becoming a Raider again.
An MRI exam performed on Asomugha’s right ankle revealed a sprain, but Cable said the team won’t know the severity until Wednesday.
“We’re doing all the tests and everything so we know exactly what’s going on,” Cable said. “It just appears to be an ankle sprain. How long that means “… We won’t know here for about 48 hours.”
Asomugha suffered the injury early in the fourth quarter Sunday when he stepped on the right foot of Seattle Seahawks receiver Golden Tate as they battled for a deep pass during the Raiders’ 33-3 victory.
Asomugha was helped off the field by medical personnel and has been unavailable for comment.
The resurgent Raiders (4-4) have other injury concerns heading into their showdown with the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) on Sunday. Wide receiver Louis Murphy probably will miss his second consecutive game as he continues to recover from a bruised chest, and tight end Zach Miller was on crutches after aggravating an injury to his right arch, though Cable said the crutches were precautionary.
Coincidentally, as two of the Raiders’ best pass-catchers are hobbled, one of the best ever is about to be placed on the waiver wire.
Moss reportedly was in the process of being waived by the
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Minnesota Vikings on Monday. Though his name was not on the league’s official waiver wire, his agent, Joel Segal, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that it is “merely a technical thing” before Moss is officially waived.
Teams have 24 hours from the time a player is waived to place a claim. The team with the worst record that places a claim gets the rights to that player.
Cable said the Raiders “have an interest in anyone we think can help us,” but, he added, “It hasn’t been a discussion yet, and then the fact that it just happened, and there’s so much that has to go on.”
When asked if placing a claim on Moss was a distinct possibility, Cable said: “Well, I wouldn’t (rule it out). I don’t think you ever do if you think it can make your team better.”
Moss played for the Raiders in 2005-06. He was traded before the 2007 season to the New England Patriots for a fourth-round draft pick, which turned out to be cornerback John Bowie.
Managing general partner Al Davis has blamed former Raiders coaches Norv Turner and Art Shell for the way Moss failed to produce the kind of results with Oakland the way that he did for the Vikings in his first stint there and for the Patriots.
“Randy Moss was great here for us,” Davis said Sept. 12, 2009. “We couldn’t satisfy Randy. That was our fault. He’s a truly great player. The idea when you get a great player is to make him happy and satisfy him.”
Moss has $3.38 million left on the $6.4 million he is due this season.
Miller was unavailable for comment Monday, though Cable said the tight end isn’t any worse than he was before the Seahawks game.
Miller leads the Raiders in receptions (34), receiving yards (461) and receiving touchdowns (four). But he caught only one pass for 8 yards against the Seahawks, missing part of the game so he could get treated in the locker room and on the sideline.
Brandon Myers is the only other tight end on Oakland’s 53-man roster.
Murphy said he is making progress from the bruised chest he suffered against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 24. However, he probably won’t play Sunday, Cable said.
Murphy collided with fullback Marcel Reece on a pass play while getting drilled in the back by cornerback Perrish Cox.
Murphy said he coughed up blood for a short spell as a result of the play. That prompted team doctors to sit him out Sunday against the Seahawks.
“They just held me out, even though I felt fine and my chest felt fine,” Murphy said. “But with me coughing up blood and having internal bleeding, they didn’t want to take any chances with that.”
Murphy leads all Raiders wide receivers with 21 receptions for 337 yards and one touchdown.