Why the Herschel Walker trade made more sense at the Time.
You heard me right, I am saying that the Herschel Walker trade which will go down as probably the worst in the History of the NFL, which propelled the Dallas Cowboys to three Championships, and the Vikings to zero playoff wins for nine years, was actually a smarter trade at the time.
Why this trade was smarter was because, they felt they had a legitmate chance to win the Super Bowl, what were the reasons.
One: 1987-Vikings had gone only 8-7 remember 0-3 with Scrubs then lambasted two very good teams on the road in New Orleans, and San Fransisco, onlt to lose in the last minute at Washington to a team that ended drubbing the Broncos in the Super Bowl
1988-Vikings went 11-5 defeating the Bears twice, yet someone losing to the Packers twice, remember this is 1988. Then lost in the Conference Semis to San Fransisco, a team they only lost to by three earlier in the year, due to a miraclous Steve Young scramble. Who won the Super Bowl
1989-This team had a good quartback in Wade Wilson, a Pro-Bowl Receiver in A.C., Two Pro-Bowlers in the secondary in Joey Browner, and Carl Lee. They had a fierce pass-rush led by Chris Doleman, and Keith Millard to go along with Hank Thomas, They also had former Pro-Bowl linebackers in Mike Merriweather and Scott Studwell. This team was loaded on Defense. They had a very good o-line too with Randall Mcdaniel, and Gary Zimmerman both pro-bowlers. They had a solid tight-end in Steve Jordan. This was possibly the most talented team in Vikings History. So at 3-2 they traded for Herschel Walker, thinking he would be the final link to get them to Super Bowl, it made sense on paper. If the Vikings had won the Super Bowl, then no one would complain about this trade today. But they ended up only 10-6 thanks to two one-points losses, and a overtime loss in Cleveland, Van Waiters bring up nightmares anyone. Then they managed to go drubbed in San Fransisco again. But as the Jerry Burns era would go, this was a team that could not win close games. I really believe with better coaching, one of those late 80's teams would have gone to the Super Bowl, and won.
Now- I believe with a healthy Randy Moss next year, and the additions to could have made being thirty million under the Salary Cap, they would have gone into next year as the Second Best team in the NFC. Without Moss, the third-best team in their own division.
Is this a stretch? No.
As I laid out earlier, the Vikings are about an average offense without Moss. They don't run the Ball very well, teams will be more bold in blitzing Daunte now that they don't have Moss to contend with, they are about average now at receiver. They won't have Moss' double coverage opening things up. Daunte is on his own now, and we will wait to see the results.
Their Defense even if it improves to just medicore, which is about all I expect at best. Can't win games with this type of Offense. So combine to medicore units, you have a medicore football team. Combine the Vikings offense with Moss, you have a Top offense, and hopefully a medicore Defense, and in the NFC that's about all you need, to be better than everyone but Philly.
Bottom Line: The Walker trade was done for a team, they thought had a chance to go to the Super Bowl, this trade only ensures medicority.
Why this trade was smarter was because, they felt they had a legitmate chance to win the Super Bowl, what were the reasons.
One: 1987-Vikings had gone only 8-7 remember 0-3 with Scrubs then lambasted two very good teams on the road in New Orleans, and San Fransisco, onlt to lose in the last minute at Washington to a team that ended drubbing the Broncos in the Super Bowl
1988-Vikings went 11-5 defeating the Bears twice, yet someone losing to the Packers twice, remember this is 1988. Then lost in the Conference Semis to San Fransisco, a team they only lost to by three earlier in the year, due to a miraclous Steve Young scramble. Who won the Super Bowl
1989-This team had a good quartback in Wade Wilson, a Pro-Bowl Receiver in A.C., Two Pro-Bowlers in the secondary in Joey Browner, and Carl Lee. They had a fierce pass-rush led by Chris Doleman, and Keith Millard to go along with Hank Thomas, They also had former Pro-Bowl linebackers in Mike Merriweather and Scott Studwell. This team was loaded on Defense. They had a very good o-line too with Randall Mcdaniel, and Gary Zimmerman both pro-bowlers. They had a solid tight-end in Steve Jordan. This was possibly the most talented team in Vikings History. So at 3-2 they traded for Herschel Walker, thinking he would be the final link to get them to Super Bowl, it made sense on paper. If the Vikings had won the Super Bowl, then no one would complain about this trade today. But they ended up only 10-6 thanks to two one-points losses, and a overtime loss in Cleveland, Van Waiters bring up nightmares anyone. Then they managed to go drubbed in San Fransisco again. But as the Jerry Burns era would go, this was a team that could not win close games. I really believe with better coaching, one of those late 80's teams would have gone to the Super Bowl, and won.
Now- I believe with a healthy Randy Moss next year, and the additions to could have made being thirty million under the Salary Cap, they would have gone into next year as the Second Best team in the NFC. Without Moss, the third-best team in their own division.
Is this a stretch? No.
As I laid out earlier, the Vikings are about an average offense without Moss. They don't run the Ball very well, teams will be more bold in blitzing Daunte now that they don't have Moss to contend with, they are about average now at receiver. They won't have Moss' double coverage opening things up. Daunte is on his own now, and we will wait to see the results.
Their Defense even if it improves to just medicore, which is about all I expect at best. Can't win games with this type of Offense. So combine to medicore units, you have a medicore football team. Combine the Vikings offense with Moss, you have a Top offense, and hopefully a medicore Defense, and in the NFC that's about all you need, to be better than everyone but Philly.
Bottom Line: The Walker trade was done for a team, they thought had a chance to go to the Super Bowl, this trade only ensures medicority.
posted by Stew at 8:05 PM
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