Define Intensity
The Vikings went to Arizona to paint the desert purple and got beat down harder than Tiger Woods by his golf club swinging swimsuit model wife Elin Nordegren. She had intensity. Something the Vikings lacked Sunday night.
On Sunday, the Cardinals neutralized the Vikings front four pass rush allowing Warner time to scan the field until Fitzgerald and Boldin broke open. They hooked up for 15 completions, almost 250 yards, and three touchdowns. (If only we had Mrs. Woods playing safety.) Zero sacks for the team leading in sacks.
Adrian Peterson was held to 19 yards on 13 carries. Didn’t we sign Brett Favre, the all time passing leader to command the offense? And yet, Peterson is below last years numbers with Jackson.
I know, it sounds like sour grapes and I’m sure there are calls for Brad Childress to get fired after a loss but I have to point out, the Vikings didn’t come to play on Sunday. The intensity level, to me, looked very low. Perhaps it wasn’t the intensity of the players, but the lack of with the head coach. (OK, now he’s getting to the Fire Childress after a loss chant)
Case in point. The Vikings were shut out in the second half except for the meaningless TD at the end of the game when the Cardinals already had the game in hand. Coach Childress did not adjust his game plan for the second half. With Peterson ineffective, they continued to send him up the middle forcing the issue leaving the Vikings in long third downs. Perhaps if Childress would have run Peterson to the outside on quick pitches and sweeps, it would have loosened up the Cardinal defense. Whenever Harvin runs the ball, it is always wide and he picks up big yardage. Why not attempt this with Peterson?
Continuing with the Childress plan, when he saw the front four ineffective against the Cardinal O line, why did he not blitz? The corners and safeties certainly weren’t covering the receivers so you may as well have blitzed them. Instead, he hoped and prayed the front four would pressure and sack him. On Sunday, that didn’t happen.
I’m not here today calling for the head coaches head because of the loss to the Cardinals. An arm or a leg would suffice for now. However, Favre has been able to carry the team up till now. And not saying that he won’t have a spectacular rest of the season. He probably will. But, and it’s a big but. (Kim kardashian proportions) But, defenses now have a blue print to stop the Vikings offense and now have a blue print to neutralize our defense. Childress must change it up, keep the defenses off guard,
Look what happened to Tiger Woods. Everything seemed to be running smooth for him and what happens. One fire hydrant and 10 hookers exposes a side that no one knew existed. I implore Brad Childress to learn from this lesson.
Next Sunday the first place Bengals come to town. With the Packers a mere two behind, this is a must win for the Vikings. Yes, I said it. A must win.
SKOL VIKINGS!
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