The Fergus Falls Daily Journal

The Vikings, a new season begins

By Tom Grout

September 9, 2008

3 comments

I know it’s the first game of the season and there is a lot of football left to play, but last nights Viking/Packer game was a big one and the Vikes came up short.

The game was big for both teams. The Vikings want to show the league and the division that they are a team to be reckoned with. They wanted to start out the season beating last year’s division leader and set the tone for the upcoming season. The Packers wanted to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke and that they will be just fine without Brett Favre as their quarterback.

The first round went to the Pack. They didn’t look dominating in any phase of the game but they did the things necessary to win with a couple of big plays. If I were a Packer fan I would be excited but I also see a lot of room for improvement and although Aaron Rodgers had a good game, he wasn’t all that great and I was not comparing him to Favre which I think would be unfair.

The Vikings looked the same as always. The defense played ok but like they have a lot in the last few years are always giving up the big plays and at a key point in the game. The special teams again were not all that special either giving up a big punt return that really turned the game around.

Offensively Adrian Peterson ran for 100 yards and looked just as good as he did last year. The passing game was horrid. Tarvaris Jackson is just not the guy. He can’t seem to read defenses fast enough and when he did pass he was off the mark. If he wasn’t able to run he would be pathetic. Our receivers were also having a hard time getting open so that didn’t help much either.

I have always questioned the play calling under Brad Childress and again last night there were numerous times I scratched my head after a play. The season just got under way so I won’t be too picky, but if the Vikings don’t win this year I would thing Childress’ job would be on the line.

-The Twins had a day off yesterday and I think they needed it. Let’s face it; they just haven’t been playing all that well in all phases of the game. I know most of the blame has been directed toward the bullpen and understandingly so as they have really struggled. But they have made mistakes defensively, running the bases and not hitting in key situations.

I’m not writing the season off or anything, but we have to realize the Twins just aren’t that good, yet. Sometimes because we are such avid fans we don’t step back and look objectively at the team. For one, they are awfully young and not just in the pitching staff. The starting outfield with Young, Gomez, and Span are all under 25. They have a fairly young infield with Casilla and Buscher. Buscher is also not your prototypical third baseman as he is a singles hitter.

The starting pitching is all very young, they have a lot of potential, but still make rookie mistakes and they need to learn how to adjust when they aren’t going well in a game. As a Twins fan I am very optimistic for the future. These young kids are now getting their first taste of what a pennant race is all about. That should make them better players in the future.

-Just briefly, I had my neck surgery on Friday and I will be home for awhile. I’m doing ok but I am a little wore out and need some rest. As luck would have it one of the things that could go wrong in surgery did, as I have lost my voice. I speak with a raspy whisper and it takes a lot of energy just to get that out. They are hoping it will come back but only time will tell. Until then all my friends will have to get used to the new quiet Tom which I’m sure they will all enjoy.