If Robert Griffin III is that good, teams can get him a lot cheaper at the No. 3 spot than the No. 2 spot.
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A plan to "go live" in 2016 would reduce the number of games the Vikings would need to play at the University of Minnesota.
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Packers are the favorite at 6-1. The Super Bowl champion Giants? 15-1.
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Commissioner Roger Goodell shared his thoughts on several key issues facing the NFL right now, including the possibility of soon having a team in L.A. again.
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The award honors a player for his off-the-field work as well as for his playing excellence.
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The former Viking looks like a slam dunk for the Hall of Fame, but so do a bunch of other receivers.
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At Mounds View High School, volunteers mounting a petition drive to stop public funding for a Minnesota Vikings stadium had many supporters
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Council vote called crucial to jobs. Members not hopping on board.
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Work continues on financing plan for Vikings' top stadium choice.
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The standout linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens earned 21 votes from the media, seven more than the NFL sack leader.
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Or, "How Stupid Are People That Believe Wide Receiver Is An Unimportant Position?".

OK, you all know by now that once again, for the stupidest reason I've ever heard, Cris Carter has been denied entry into the Hall of Fame. Again. For the fourth freaking time.

Now, if you haven't heard, the reason rumored is that the Hall of Fame voting committee considers Wide Receiver to be one of the more unimportant positions in the NFL, and the statistics absolutely show this. There is an incredible dearth of WRs in Canton- only Kickers and Tight Ends are less represented. And it's not just the Hall of Fame that has this opinion- I've seen and heard the most ludicrous suggestions out there that a top-level WR just isn't important.

Well, let's focus on that, shall we? Let's take a Leap of Faith and explore just how worthless that position really is.

This is a bit of a break-down, by the way, to enlighten the morons who hold to this position. Now, I'm not going to say I understand the game of football as well as the Hall of Fame committee... but I truly, truly disagree with them in their assessments of Wide Receivers and their value.

One of the stupidest things I've ever heard/ seen held up as proof that WRs are essentially ‘side shows' for a real NFL team is Randy Moss' final season. Moss leaves New England, New England picks up Deion Branch (who nobody can consider superior in any way to Moss), and they do just fine. Moss goes to Minnesota, does very little to help team win games, and is kicked out and then winds up in Tennessee, where he has equally little impact and is out of the league the following season. And since Moss is arguably in the top 3 of WRs all-time, clearly, this is a perfect example that the position isn't that important?

>smacks forehead... hard<

OK then. Let's sample another piece of Randy Moss-related history. Oh, say, the 1998 Minnesota Vikings and the 2007 New England Patriots. There are two very interesting similarities between those two teams: both set the record for most points scored in a regular season, and both featured... >gasp< Randy Moss, with absolutely no other player having been on both teams. Gee, that's a mighty coincidence- the arrival (as it was his inaugural season with both teams) of Randy Moss twice creates unprecedented offensive juggernauts.

What would you weigh more? This fact, or the previous one of his disastrous final season? It's amazing how many people seem to prefer the latter as evidence of a WR's value. As a side note, when Minnesota did pick up Moss that year, my friend (who is actually a Packer fan, curse his soul) texted me- "Well, AP just got his 2K yard season". Keep that little tidbit in mind... we'll cover it more later.

Now then, let's move along to another subject I'd like to discuss- last night's Super Bowl. Two top-tier quarterbacks. Two decent pass rushes, two decent run games. Two talented, seasoned, intelligent head coaches- themselves likely headed to Canton one day (alongside their QBs, in all likelihood). Now, this one could be argued very effectively either way, but personally there was one key difference that the Giants- you know, the team that won- had in their favor that the Patriots did not- a group of very talented WRs. Yes, Wes Welker had a great game, that drop aside. Deion Branch was okay. Chad Ochocinco... well, he made a catch and then I think tweeted about it so much he never saw the field again. On the other side of the ball were Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham, doing his best David Tyree impersonation of saving the day in a critical moment. (Oh yeah. It was a WR who essentially make the Giant's success possible... in a single play.) While you can't knock Wes Welker, even despite that one critical dropped pass, the WR corps as a whole for the Giants trumped the Patriots' WR corps... and lo and behold, it was the Giants who won. (Again, I know there are other factors, and the overall weighted importance of this one part can be debated ceaselessly- but to me, it was the main part of the Giant's win.)

Now, I said we'd return to my friend's text earlier, and we'll do so now. I wanted to cover the Giant's WR corps first because it plays into this. Ever notice a top-level WR do a ‘disappearing' act? When the Pats made their SB run in 2007, Moss pretty much did just that in the playoffs. And while Cruz had his TD (and salsa dance!), he himself made a lengthy disappearance after. But therein lies the threat of a top-level WR- they draw so much attention that they open things up for other players in other positions- TEs, RBs, lesser WRs. Now, WRs aren't the only ones to do this- Adrian Peterson's trend of drawing eight men in the box has an opposite effect, so to speak. But how do we get the best out of our superstar running back? It's no secret around here- we need a top-tier WR to stretch the field. Outside of our offensive line, it's our biggest gap on that side of the ball, and it's well known it would immediately make our offense much better.

This is a passing game, ladies and gentlemen. And that's not exactly a recent trend. Yes, offenses have become more prolific in recent years thanks to new helmet-to-helmet rules and rules regarding hitting a defenseless player, but football's been a passing game since the 70's. Is WR the most important guy on the field? No, that honor remains uncontested- the QB. But let's consider too, just as a great QB can make average WRs look equally great- so to can great WRs make average QBs look great. (Another Randy Moss reference! See- Matt Cassel, career comparisons between Patriots and Chiefs of.) It is the most ludicrous assumption that WRs are the most unimportant guys on the offense.

And with that in mind, it is absolutely ludicrous that the man who finished his career number two in career receptions and touchdowns, and still currently stands number 4 in touchdowns is not in the Hall of Fame, just because some people are so stupid as to genuinely believe that WR is an unimportant position. How well would the Vikings have fared in 1998 with just Randy Moss? Would we have won 15 games? I don't believe so- we would have still been good, but not 15-1 good. Cris Carter absolutely was a game changer on two of the three teams he played for (Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings- the whole ‘Miami Dolphins' stint at the end of his career is a bit of a ‘lost year', albeit for a guy well past his playing days by then).

And yet... he's still not in the Hall of Fame. All thanks to the stupidest reason imaginable.

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Ever since the Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" at Super Bowl XXXVIII, the National Football League has attempted to get acts for their Super Bowl Halftime shows that they think a majority of people would find unoffensive." Last night's featured performer was Madonna, who put on a significantly better show than what I was expecting.

(Remember when Madonna was getting her videos banned from MTV back in the late 80s/early 90s? I guess 20 years does a lot to kill controversy.)

But now, it appears that we're going to have to worry about our halftime shows getting even more "family friendly." By this point, unlike Brian Griffin up there, I'm guessing that everyone has, indeed, heard about the bird.

The NBC censors missed this by a couple of seconds, but I'm guessing that's all that it's going to take in order for things to get toned down even further than they already have been.

With that in mind. . .what suggestions do you folks have for next year's Super Bowl halftime show?

Oh, and not for nothing. . .but apparently Madonna's performance did higher ratings than the actual game itself. Take that news however you'd like.

Madonna is more popular than the NFL. Source says the halftime show drew a 48.3 overnight, which is higher than the game's 47.8.

— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) February 6, 2012

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Well, the 2011-12 NFL season has been over for roughly 12 hours now, which means it's time to start speculating on the 2012-13 season, obviously. The folks that set the betting odds. . .which you should use for entertainment purposes only, mind you. . .apparently don't think much of the Minnesota Vikings' chances next season, which shouldn't be surprising.

The Vikings have opened as 75-to-1 shots to win Super Bowl XLVII, according to the folks at Bovada. Those are the same odds being given to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the St. Louis Rams. The only teams that are given less of a chance at this point are the Cleveland Browns and the Jacksonville Jaguars, both of whom are listed at 100-to-1.

How does it look for the rest of the NFC North, the Green Bay Packers are the overall favorites at 5-to-1. . .and coming off of their brilliant post-season run, why wouldn't they be? Bovada has the Detroit Lions at 18-to-1, and they've got the Chicago Bears at 30-to-1. The New York Giants. . .you know, the team that just won the Super Bowl. . .are listed at 15-to-1, which puts them behind seven other teams.

Things get a little better if you check out the sportsbook at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. There, the Vikings are merely a 60-to-1 shot, giving them the same odds as the Oakland Raiders and the Arizona Cardinals. The teams behind them are Cleveland (75-to-1), Tampa Bay (100-to-1), the Washington Redskins (125-to-1), and Jacksonville (150-to-1). The MGM Grand has the New England Patriots as next year's favorites at 5-to-1, with the only team in NFL history to go at least 15-1 and not win a single playoff game right behind them at 11-to-2. The Giants are at 8-to-1 here, putting them behind four other teams. As far as the NFC North is concerned, the Bears are at 17-to-1 and the Lions are at 18-to-1.

So, the gambling community doesn't think much of the Minnesota Vikings' chances next season. But, as we're prone to say around here. . .

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With draft speculation season getting started in earnest today, the folks at the SB Nation mothership have released their latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft and, in this version, the Minnesota Vikings get a new trade partner when it comes to their #3 overall selection.

In this case, our new trade partner is the Seattle Seahawks, who have the 12th overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. They move up to select Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, and with the Vikings moving down nine spots, they end up selecting a player I like quite a bit in Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick's weed arrest is going to get his name bumped down on some draft boards but he is a first rate corner whose legal troubles pale in comparison to Chris Cook.

I don't know. . .the last time the Vikings spent a first round pick on a guy that was allegedly a pot head, it worked out fairly well for them. I mean, Percy Harvin has been pretty good, right?

Seeing this scenario made me curious as to what the Vikings could actually get from the Seahawks in order to make this trade happen, so I pulled up the Draft Pick Value Chart. Based on it, the Vikings' #3 pick is worth 2,200 "points," while Seattle's #12 pick is worth 1,200. That means the Seahawks would have to make up 1,000 points somewhere (if we're going by the chart). The Seahawks also have the 43rd overall selection, which is worth 470 points, which isn't nearly enough to make up the difference.

In this particular scenario. . .and keep in mind, this is just speculation. . .it appears that the Vikings could get #12, #43, and the Seahawks' first-round pick in 2013 in order to make this trade happen (since a 1st rounder next year would be worth approximately the same as a 2nd rounder this year). I don't know about you, but given the chance, I would hope that this team would absolutely jump at that.

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One of the big strengths that people mentioned when they talked about Minnesota Vikings' quarterback Christian Ponder leading up to the 2011 NFL Draft was his intelligence. He graduated early from Florida State University and managed to get a Master's degree before he was drafted by the Vikings last season.

The one thing that we didn't know is that Christian Ponder is also, apparently, clairvoyant.

A lot of people picking the Giants. My guess is 21-17 Giants. Excited for @MarkHerzlich to be out there

— Christian Ponder (@cponder7) February 5, 2012

Ponder managed to get the exact score and everything. I mean, a 21-17 score in the NFL isn't exactly a rarity or anything, but it's still kind of cool. Now, if he had told us how the Giants would get to 21 (via a safety, two field goals, a touchdown, and a touchdown with a failed two-point conversion), that would have been pretty impressive.

Here's hoping that some of Christian Ponder's psychic abilities translate onto the field next season after he gets a full off-season of camps and interaction with the coaches to hone his skills.

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So, the running story thing will exist for at least one more go. Perhaps more. Perhaps not. We shall see, for difficult to see the future, it is.

I've re-edited this story, placing the original parts after the jump, with the date on the top to keep things clear. Since we last discussed the inevitable discussion, there have of course been some interesting developments. The biggest of course is that Peyton Manning's doctors have cleared him to play, but Jim Irsay has said that the Colt's doctors have not.

There are two ways (at least) to see this information. One, Peyton Manning really isn't ready to play yet, but he got some ‘friendly doctors' to say so. Of course, when it comes to medical stuff, it's never as cut and dried as we'd all love to believe- hence the whole ‘second opinion' thing that exists in the medical community. The second possibility here, and I've got to give credit to my grandmother for thinking this one right off the bat before I had even considered it, is that Irsay is making sure he's got a good reason to either cut or trade Manning. Despite the fact that Indy's getting Lucky, there's no denying Manning's impact on that franchise and that city, and his popularity amongst the fans is extreme. Even if it is the logical decision to do so, Irsay may face major fall-out from the fan base for cutting Manning just to move on- hence his desire to have a good reason to do so.

Either way, it is almost a near certainty that Manning will not be a Colt for much longer. Whether he will be an outright free agent, or potential trade bait prior to March (when the Colts will owe him his big bonus), is a different story entirely. My money is on Irsay swinging a trade- he could easily net at least a first rounder plus some for Manning, and for a team that's rebuilding, that's by and far the smart route to go. However, Peyton Manning is a unique player in many capacities, and he is one of the few who could essentially determine his own future. If Irsay were to set up a trade for a team that Manning has no interest in playing for, don't count out his ability to block it himself.

Furthermore, rumblings are that the Tennessee Titans fan base has already started a little grass-roots movement to get Manning. There are a few things to mention on this front, as it's very interesting to me. First off, I can't imagine Irsay would trade Manning inter-divisionally; that would be suicide in many senses. Conversely, Manning would likely love to play for the Titans, because a.) they are a good team with a good O-line that he could easily take into at least a few deep playoff runs, and b.) he could totally Favre the crap outta Indy for at least a year or two by doing so. Now mind you, this whole ‘get Manning' thing is a fan movement, and the team itself has said nothing- but it is equally important to remember that teams are not allowed to talk about any real desire to get Manning outside of the vaguest hypotheticals, because as Manning is still a Colt, it could violate league tampering laws. One would think the Titans would be interested in him, but there's no guarantees.

So, Viking fans, let's continue this discussion. Two thoughts to ponder here, as well as continuing to discuss the topics brought up originally (again, for a refresher on the basic stuff, take the Leap of Faith to see the original points brought up). Thought the first- if Manning were to be put on the trade circuit, should the Vikings make an offer, and how much? For a rebuilding team, trading away first round picks is not an ideal thing, to be sure, but would a player of Peyton Manning's caliber make that a rule to break? And secondly, let's continue a discussion that was brought up in the comments from our first round- what are the odds Manning, should he be a free agent with his own fate in his hands, would be interested in joining the Purple Pride? What would we, what could we, offer him to make it an "offer he couldn't refuse"? (Or, of course, should we offer anything at all?)

Again, either jump straight into the comments, or refresh yourself on some of our first talking points after the Leap of Faith. Also, as always, I wouldn't suggest voting until you're sold on a point, as it's going to be the same continuous poll, and you can't change your mind. (Either most of you are clearly already sold on your position, or weren't listening the first time.)

Original Story Lines- January 30^th, 2012

OK- so let's get to it. Peyton Manning, arguably at least the greatest QB of this generation, is looking more and more certain to become a completely unrestricted free agent in the near future, likely in early March. Of course, we could all be thrown for a loop and have the Colts decide to retain him and either draft/ not draft Andrew Luck regardless (although the Colts have openly state they intend to take Luck), but signs are pointing more and more towards Manning's time in Indy being over, with the public spat between him and owner Jim Irsay being perhaps the biggest indication.

For quite a few NFL teams, this leads therefore to the big question- to get Manning, or not to get Manning. Currently the two biggest names floated out there for said pick-up would be the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets, although much of this is still all speculation, as you can't really do anything more than that while Manning still is with the Colts, and while his health still does remain uncertain.

And while the Vikings have not said anything either way, I know the question would of course come up for us. I knew before I even wrote this that the first two reactions would be a.) "OMG PEYTON MANNING! GETHIMGETHIMGETHIM!!!!!", and b.) "OMG NOT ANOTHER OLD QB NONONONONO!!!!". Both reactions, while knee-jerk in nature, are quite valid. Peyton Manning is, after all, Peyton Manning- he's a guy who can QB you right to the Super Bowl. Conversely, he is older now, has recently had serious health issues with his longevity on the field put to serious question, and Viking fans are, by and large, sick and tired of the ‘old QB carousel' that has happened in Minnesota, with Brett Favre's 2009 miracle being really the only positive during that time.

But there are more layers to this onion than just those two obvious thoughts. What about Christian Ponder? What about Joe Webb? Is adding a veteran QB- granted, one, who if healthy, probably has about 4 more years of very high-level play still left in his tank- entirely a wise move with our current QB situation? Would Manning accept being our lead QB all while also playing mentor to two potential starters down the road? And what of said two potential starters- after battling for the #1 spot, with the word being that battle would continue in the coming season's training camp (and likely right through pre-season), would they be OK with that battle immediately becoming for the #2 spot, a la what happened to T-Jack when Favre came to town? Is our team good enough right now for immediate Super Bowl runs, even with Manning the magnificent behind center? Is Manning healthy enough to survive behind our O-line, which, even should we get Matt Kalil, is likely to still be at best league average in 2012? And what of the salary cap- is it financially feasible for us to have such a surely expensive player on the roster?

Discuss these questions (and now more!) below. And again, be careful with that poll, can't change your mind later!

Poll

Peyton Manning as a Viking. Yes or No? (Be careful, you can't change your mind later!!!)

• Let's do this. Super Bowl!
• No way. Not worth it.

  1592 votes | Results

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A Suggestion For Next Year's Super Bowl Halftime Show

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If I were to follow the prevailing winds going through the NFL, I suppose I would say that the Pats should put there name in the running for Peyton Manning .

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  Jan 2, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys wide receiver Justin Blackmon (81) walks along the sidelines after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against the Stanford Cardinals in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cowboys won 41-38 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE Okay, let’s talk Draft!  As we all know by now, our beloved Vikings have the number three overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.  The big question is what will they do with it?  Will they draft that can’t-miss offensive lineman we need so desperately, to [...]

And With The Third Pick Of The 2012 NFL Draft, The Minnesota Vikings Select… - The Viking Age - The Viking Age - A Minnesota Vikings Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

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The Vikings normally don’t sign free agents over 30 (other than those named Favre), but there could be an exception this year if Vernon Carey comes on the cheap.
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The Vikings had more than their share of struggles in the defensive backfield, but they weren’t alone. Every team in the NFC North has questions and concerns in their secondary, just not as pronounced as the Vikings’ troubles. We take a look at the defensive backs for each of the NFC North teams.
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Vikings RB Adrian Peterson may not be ready for the regular season, one of their many problems.

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He's not a good QB in the sense that he has never passed for 3100+ yards or 20+ TDs in any season of his career.

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We all know that it's going to be a long offseason for the Minnesota Vikings as they try to bounce back from a horrid 3-13 2011 season in which nothing went right. At least for now, it appears that the Vikings and their front office have become aware of that reality.
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The Ramsey County Commissioners voted 4-3 today to approve a $20.66 million contract to clean up the state's largest Superfund site, the decommissioned Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in Arden Hills. The vote closely mirrors sentiment on the county board toward the prospect of the land hosting a new Minnesota Vikings stadium.


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Justin Fritze will be breaking down where every team in the NFL currently stands for us here at TOJ, going from worst to firsta continuing today with the Minnesota Vikings - The NFL is the only sport that can say without pause that anyone can win on any day at any venue, home or away.

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Hot News for OT Patrick Brown
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It happened swiftly, just as Jaguars owner Shahid Khan said it would. Mike Mularkey will be the fourth head coach in Jacksonville Jaguars history, sources told the Times-Union on Tuesday night. The decision came 40 days after the Jaguars fired Jack Del Rio, who was in his ninth year with the franchise, after a 3-8 start this season. Mularkey interviewed in Atlanta on Tuesday, one of three offensive coordinators known to have interviewed for the position so far. Paramount for the Jaguars will be developing quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who the Jaguars drafted 10th overall in last year's draft, and Mularkey was part of the quick development of Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.


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I know it's a cool talker and everything - that explains why Bob Sansevere did a whole paragraph about i tA - but the Peyton Manning-to-Minnesota stuff is just absurd.

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Phil Sears-US PRESSWIRE I know it’s a cool talker and everything – that explains why Bob Sansevere did a whole paragraph about it - but the Peyton Manning-to-Minnesota stuff is just absurd. Do I even need to list the reasons why? It should be obvious to even the most delusional of fans why this topic is totally off-the-rails nuts. In case you’re hazy I’ll do a rundown. And it won’t take long: 1. Peyton Manning wants nothing to do with a rebuilding team at this point in his career. He wants to win now. 2. The Vikings promoted Rick Spielman to [...]

Peyton Manning Is Not Coming to the Vikings. So Stop It. - The Viking Age - The Viking Age - A Minnesota Vikings Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

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No better to way to kick off the 2012 NFL offseason than by serving up some comments from Brett Favre , who just completed his first year outside the NFL bubble in two decades.

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When one season ends, another begins. The NFL concluded its “on field” season when the clock hit...
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Ravens could send Lewis into retirement with a Super Bowl run.


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Coach Leslie Frazier turned to a familiar face from his coaching past to help him reinforce the Vikings' defense for the future.

Alan Williams, the Colts' defensive backs coach the past 10 years, was handed the defensive coordinator duties on Jan. 19. His predecessor, Fred Pagac, who oversaw the defense the past 22 games, agreed to stay on staff and return to his previous role as linebackers coach.

"The thing that really stuck out to me (about Williams) was how good of a teacher he was and how well he communicated and related to the players," said Frazier, who helped Williams coach Indianapolis' defensive backs under Tony Dungy's guidance in 2005 and 2006.

So, after months of speculation that the Vikings might ditch the 4-3, Tampa 2-based defense they've embraced...
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