Vikes-?????

[harvey lee]

ALl I can say is they have a long way to go including coaching. They were outplayed and coached tonight against a 500 team.

[mike morris]

There went out playoff chances. All Washington needs to do next week is beat out a half-strength Dallas squad and they have beat us out. Odds are definitely in their favor.

[SledNeck]

We are the S-word.

McNabb plays well in domes.

[Whoaru99]

Definitely outcoached. They should have went to passing much sooner to try to open up the run, IMO.

[blue_healer_guy]

players play, coaches do not. These are men, high schoolers need coaching.

[Whoaru99]

Afaik, the coaches call the plays for the Vikes.

Sure, the players have to execute, but when you time and time try to run the ball against an 8 or 9 man front for (essentially) a whole half, that's just plain stupid play calling/coaching - IMO, of course.

And, yes, I agree their actual playing didn't help matters either with the turnovers, etc.

[Scott K]

How hard is it to see that there is 9 men standing in front of you, then decide lets run the ball , Im sure childress doesnt have much faith in Jackson, but come on! If there is 9 men standing in front of you there is only 2 covering your recievers!

They sure laid an egg!

[boatfixer]

Apparently very hard, If you don't have a QB that can audible ( or is not allowed to audible ) then you are stuck with the play that was called. It is easy for other teams to see how 1 dimensional this team is. How well have we rushed the last 3 games?

[hanson]

I kind of feel bad for Adrian Peterson, the guy can run but the Vikes aren't giving him much of a chance to do what he does best.

When a team comes out and says they are going to put everyone on the line and stuff the run game down, you have to adjust. The Bears did it, the Redskins did it, and we'll see it next week as well. Most other teams would adjust to this but the Vikes keep calling run plays between the tackles. Just frustrating!

Can AP catch the ball? Can our offense do some different things to get the ball in his hands? Short swing passes to the outside, screen passes, or even running him off tackle. When the guy gets the ball and gets moving, he obviously makes things happen. Running him between the tackles looks like it isn't going to work anymore.

Another thing that became very apparent was the Vikes definitely telegraph their plays. Lone setback and the ball is going up the middle. Receivers spread wide and we are passing. Third and long will also be a pass play. It was nice to see them mix it up a little in the second half but how much football game do you have to watch to notice the game plan isn't working.

Guess that seams to be the theme of the entire year... this is our plan and we are sticking to it. Jackson is our QB and we are sticking with him. That has been Childress's plan since day 1. And when the Vikes were winning big, it seamed like that plan was the most ingenious thing to come along.

But this game was no different than the Bears game last week. We won last week because the Bears could not move the ball on offense at all. The Vikes should have lost last week too.

[bassNspear]

I just dont understand what Tj is doing. The guy has great talent, but hes not using it. Example. When he stands in the pocket, and throws the ball like he should, with his feet under him, hes solid. But 90% of the time that he throws, hes off balance, or in jumping in the air.

I understand that he might be getting pressured becuase everyone plays 8 or 9 in the box, but dont you think he would have figured it out that he has to have his feet under him.

Hopefully they get lucky, and win next week with a washington lost.

[soldoncass]

It is not unusual for Joe Gibbs to out coach another coach. His teams may get out played, but they rarely get out coached. Now the Vikes............... is a different story! I believe having Rice and Winfield hurt made a big difference, but the play calling, adjustments, etc. remind me of chess.........we are running the ball up the middle no matter what defense they are in, or in chess....I'm making this "play" even though my opponent had me check-mated in 4 moves the last 4 times I played him, when I moved there.HE WAS JUST LUCKY!!!!!!!

In fairness, I was impressed with 2 moves we made. The on-side kick surprise, and the challenge of the TD. Gibbs made 1 bad one(went for 2 before half-time), and we made 2 good ones. We beat him 2 to 1, HE WAS JUST LUCKY........ right.

[harvey lee]

Does it really make a difference if the Vikes make the play-offs? They are not going anywhere anyways. They can beat the poor teams but when they come up against a better team, its all but history.

[jltimm]

So true....So true!

[ole]

If the Vikes can duplicate this years draft and also find an experienced QB along with a D end they should be good to go in a year or two. JMO ole

[Juneau4]

How well has Peterson rushed-- When he sets up 5 yds. back its a pass. 7 yds its a run. With all the scholars in the NFL playing defense even they can figure out whats going to happen before it does Seeing how its Christmas MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL and as Christ gave hope to all mankind, the Vikings have given hope to hundreds of thousands of Saints and Redskins fans. Happy Holidays.

[Scott M]

Dissappointing loss on Sunday night, no doubt. My perspective on the team had completely changed though after five wins. I was cautiously optimistic that they were a good #6 playoff time. I'm not saying I was dillusional, but they could run the ball and play pretty darn good defense, recipes for an upset in warm or cold weather, home or away. But these last couple games they have been outfoxed really badly. Jackson looks horrible. There are no changes being made from a coaching standpoint. The coaching tries stuffing a square peg in a round hole...How about we fit the team to our strengths?

I don't see Washington losing against a Dallas team with nothing to play for. In all honesty they probably deserve it more than the Vikings with what they've been through. I expected Washington to roll over a couple weeks ago but to their credit, they didn't.

Wish there was something that could be done at QB and HC. These vets that are going to the Pro Bowl are getting old...How do you send 7 and not make the playoffs?

[196thDLR]

I really hate it when I get stupid. The thoughts that were creaping into my head were, maybe the coaching staff isn't so bad, perhaps T. Jack really does have the brains and talent to play at the NFL level, and perhaps there really is a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown !!!

Seeing that it is Christmas Day I should be a little kinder in may thinking. However, on second thought, I really think I should be taken in to the 5th floor of the Hibbing Hospital.

[papabear]

to quote Denny Green, "they are who we thought they were."

The Vikes do not deserve to make the playoffs. Tis team started horrible flashed in the pan and returnd to horrible. The coaching unit has a great running tandem and has used them to success but abandons them when they get stumped because they have no imagination or guts to make it work. Run the ball down their throats until something good happens. 15 rushes for AD is sad.

[Hammer Handle]

I don't think we were outcoached. People like to always blame the coach.

We all know all we have on offense is a run attack. Jackson looked good a few weeks for the best way to help the passing game is to establish the run. We were able to do that for several games.

Then, against the Bears...we couldn't. We won, but didn't look good. Jackson looked terrible.

Washington knew this, so played to stop the run. And, they did. Jackson tried to step up early in the game and had several HORRIBLE passes.

What more could they do?

[SledNeck]

Of course we were outcoached. Coaches call the plays and Washington called the right plays over and over.

[Jigging Bob]

I think we should get rid of Jackson or use him as a back up. He is not the answer. When defenses are stacked at the line it should be fairly easy to pic apart the D for any quarterback with any sort of vision. There is virtualy no coverage on our recievers. Which are also part of the problem. We definatly don't have any Chris Carters or Randy Moss's out there. We need to be able to stretch the field. Then we can let Peterson & Talor dance to the end zone.

Jackson is pretty quick when running out of the pocket but I am still not sold on his abilities to throw acuratly, make good decisions or all & all play as a starter. Next year we need to pick up a QB & some recievers. Our current recievers need to catch a plane on out of MN. But the way they catch & fumble I am sure they will drop & lose their plane tickets to. My 2 cents.

[Scott K]

I agree with most of this, except Rice is going to be an excellent reciever! He just needs a qb to throw to him!

[Hammer Handle]

So, what should our coach have done?

He has done great this year with what he has. He has some talent on this team, but as far as a passing game (except for maybe Rice), he has little to work with.

So, Washington set-up a team to stop the run of the Vikings and passed a lot on the Vikings tough running D. Duh! So, what is the solution...have the Vikings pass more? Throw more interceptions? We can't get open deep, and if we do our quarterback can't find them. We can't get open shallow unless we establish the run.

I think Childress is doing great for what he has to work with. Our quaterback is learning (I hope), but is he the answer? It will take him YEARS though. On many teams in the NFL, he would be a 3rd backup quaterback.

[Scott K]

Anyone have any game predictions for this weekend? I know its not going to matter because Washington will more then likely win their game. But, are the Vikings going to win? Loose? Play good,bad?

I predict the Vikings will loose a close game, but it wont matter because the Skins will win their game.

[jltimm]

I think they will beat denver rather easily, but it is the queens so anything is possible? Anyone remember the Arizona Cardinal game in which the queens found a way to lose?

[A R Johnson]

We have been out coached alot this year, and saying chilly has done great this year with what had to work with is crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tadster]

I agree with the fact that Jackson has played poorly the last couple of games...but people need to remember he has yet to play a full season in the NFL. Dallas fans were ready to run Troy Aikman out of town in his first couple of seasons(1988/1989)...same for Marino, Peyton Manning. And if you dont think good coaching has anything to do with it...I think you are way off base. Teams blitz young QB's, throw exotic coverages at them, etc. because they realize that young QB's are going to make mistakes...Romo is a great example, he has had some great games and some lousy ones this year...Favre looked horrible against the Bears...

As far a Childress goes...the jury is still out. He had to know after the San Fran game that teams were going to put 8 or 9 guys in the box whenever AP was in the backfield....why not run 3 and 4 wideouts with him in the backfield and run quick outs, slants, etc. and force them out of it? Guarantee you better coaches would have...I am not sold on Childress at all... Also, they have a pretty young team at key positions on offense(QB, WR, RB), so it will be uneven at times....the OL is, IMO, overrated with the exception of Birk/Hutchinson...McKinnie is awful...see him get turned around and watching his guy disrupt plays more than making good blocks. Next year should be better assuming they draft well(still in need of a pass rushing DE)...Udeze isnt the answer...James may not be either...need some LBs than can cover in passing situations...anyhow, even if the Vikes would have made the final wildcard spot, they most likely would be out after the 1st round anyhow...

[mshs1]

The defense scores we win- the defense forces turnovers we win. TJ throws under 12 passes per game we win.The opposition stacks Nine on the line we follow the plan run right- maybe in the third quarter we run Wade in crossing patterns. We are ending the year where we began same uninspired offensive play calling. I guess we don't have the players who can implement Chili's system. It is what it is and we are stuck with it.