Koren Robinson

Q: Assess the damage of the Koren Robinson situation as it applies to the 2006 Vikings?

A: It will hurt on the field, as Robinson was the most proven skill position player on the roster on a team devoid of skill position talent. Robinson had good size and route running ability. Two things that should come in handy in the West Coast Offense. There are serious questions whether Troy Williamson has the strength to be a Number one receiver in 2006. Although Williamson has had a fine camp. The Vikings will probably really focus on trying to get Jermaine Wiggins the ball now that Koren Robinson won't be with the team. Robinson was the only player with enough ability to maybe develop in 2006 into a player who might require double coverage. Are the Vikings a way worse team because of this loss? No. But this is an important piece that needed to be in place for the Vikings to escape medicority.

One More Thought

I should give my opinion on the end of the game, With the Vikings trying to score from the 20 yard line for the win instead of kicking for a tie.


I was at the game and I was going to leave at the end of regulation regardless of the outcome.
I think it's a pretty slim chance Ryan Longwell gets injured there which was the defense given on Vikings Fan-Line for that play. But if they are so worried about this why not bring another kicker in for the pre-season just to get some reps or have back-up Punter John Torp do the kickoff. At the same time it really accomplishes nothing to try to see JT O'Sullivan try to sketch out a win besides pride. I guess since I had enough as a fan and was going to leave it would be hypocritcal to not say it was fine. I would have been fine if they kept playing, just to give a few more guys a chance to catch someone's attention. The players out there probably would have still wanted the game to go till a winner was declared.

I should note the Colts went 0-5 last year in the pre-season and tore it up in the regular season, and the Bills teams of the early 90's were terrible pre-season teams yet constantly the class of the AFC.

So my opinion is Neutral

Vikings vs Raiders Post-Game

I will break this down via category

The Good: The D-Line I really liked what I saw especially from the book-ends of Erasmus James and Kenechi Udeze. This might finally be the year the Vikings effort is rewarded with a big-time D-line but there was more. They were the catalysts to no First-Downs coming at the hands of the first-team D. I also saw stuff I liked from back-ups Ross Kolodziej, Ray Edwards and CJ Moseley. This is the unit I am look forward to watching play Saturday Night vs the Steelers.

Greg Blue: The Physical safety finished with a sack and six tackles, and looks to be closing in on a spot on the roster.

Heath Farwell: A big time hit to go with 9 tackles, he is looking like a gamer.

Tavaris Jackson: He could compete to be the Number 2 QB. He showed impressive running ability to go with his live-arm. Jackson led a impressive two-minute drive towards the end of the first-half. I am looking forward to seeing his progress these next few pre-season games.

The Bad:

The Vikings Running game: For a team so committed to the run, the run blocking wasn't there all night long. With the exception of a Tony Richardson TD run. Chester Taylor averaged only 2 yards per carry and he could have averaged less if not for displaying some elusiveness. The Vikings didn't seem to run towards the vaunted left-side too much, although Bryant McKinnie is just an average run-blocker.

J.T O'Sullivan- While showing me more as a scrambler than I thought he would. But O'Sullivan still has trouble making quick decisions from what I could see and has to force throws and you can't do that in the NFL. The end is near.

The Ugly:

Chad Greenway: Made a really nice tackle on the play he got injured on. Greenway was coming along nicely in camp. It's too bad he suffered the injury that he did. EJ Henderson will be the starting WLB for the Minnesota Vikings in 2006.

Mike McMahon: Although he threw a nice deep ball to Marcus Robinson. He looked erractic along with the rest of the offense when he was in the game.

Special Teams: Too major break-downs in the first quarter a kickoff fumble and a blown kick coverage led to 6 Raider Points. That will be the difference between winning and losing games in 2006.

Training Camp 4 -Vikings vs Raiders Preview

There isn't too much to report new at Vikings training camp.

The player reports have stated has had the been the best player in Training Camp is EJ Henderson. Henderson has lost weight and is moving around a lot better.

Another standout performer has been Kenechi Udeze who is also really moving well as he is now playing at about 270 pounds as opposed to 290. Udeze has been displaying an impressive combo of quickness and power.

Reports have a much improved Ciatrick Fason running for the Vikings last year.

WR Billy McMullen has been showing himself to be a Physical WR with good hands.

Here are my thoughts on Tommorrow's game vs the Raiders

*The second string QB battle I will be watching can the erractic Tavaris Jackson vs the erractic Mike McMahon.

*How cohesive the O-line will play with 3 new starters from a last year, and a part-time starter in Marcus Johnson becoming a full-time starter.

*Troy Williamson, I am planning on wearing my Williamson jersey tommorrow.

*The LB play in the cover 2.

Prediction: The Vikings might not look terribly cohesive due to personnel, coaching and scheme changes in the past 8 months. The Raiders have already played a game so they have that advantage, but they are also working in a new system. When I look at the Vikings though I really like their depth and I think they will try to win one for the home crowd.

Vikings 20 Raiders 17

A final side note I will be standing in ovation when Randy Moss is introduced tommorrow night. He is the most transcendant talent the Vikings have had and will have in my lifetime. He was a dominant game-changing player that was ran out of town, due to the Vikings deciding to go with a non-NFL quality coaching regime. While I never cheer against the Vikings, I wouldn't mind seeing Moss go deep once tommorrow.

Training Camp Notes 3

* Observers have been impressed by the play so-far of WR's Troy Williamson and Koren Robinson. The Vikings could be solid in this area by the time the season rolls around.

*It's sad to see Tank Williams' season end as early as it did. Tank would have leveled people in a way Vikings fans haven't seen since Joey Browner. But Dwight Smith is a more than capable replacement. Smith who was one of the Saints better defenders last year, although I would have been an average defender on the Saints, is very strong for his size with good ball skills, he does lack some speed, and will take an occasional misstep. But Smith is very familar with the Vikings-Tampa 2, and is an above average NFL starting S.

*The swelling in Kevin Williams' knee is a serious concern for me. As a healthy Williams means the difference between a top 8 and a medicore Defense for the Vikings. It probably means the difference between 10 wins and 8 wins.

*The ESPN INSIDER training camp preview and Gary Horton's report feels quite confident in the Vikings outside LB core in Leber and Greenway. But the defining issue of the Vikings D will be the Middle LB position. Although people in the know are said to be very impressed with D-Coordinator Mike Tomlin.

Training Camp #2

* Steve Hutchinson has been looking dominant in reports heard throughout camp, especially in 1 on 1 drills.

*Second round pick they acquired for Daunte Culpepper- Ryan Cook looks like a complete bust and a project due to poor footwork.

*Charles Gordon-DB-Rookie FA our of Kansas was really impressing before hurting his knee. Gordon who didn't get drafted because of speed, shows good movement and outstanding ball-skills. He was in the running to make the final 53.

*CJ Mosely -DT- is in danger of not making the team, due to the play of Veteran FA Ross Kolodzedji who has been solid replacing Big Pat. It would seem to me Moseley would be a good player in the Tampa 2 due to his combination of size and quickness.

*J.T. O'Sullivan- is 27 years old and throughly indecisive practicing against scrubs. J'T's NFL Career is winding down in the next month.

*Chris Kluwe is back and healthy, he will be the starting P on Sept.11

*The Viking Coaches really have taken a liking to Chad Greenway, and Napoleon Harris who is running away in the race to be the starting MLB.

*Chester Taylor has been very solid in camp so far. None of the previous concerns about his conditioning have arisen.

*Mewelde Moore's role is looking to be that of a starting Punt-Returner, change of pace back, and third-down specialist.

*Safety Greg Blue has played very fast in camp, which was his concern while also looking like he can be a hitter.

*

Training Camp #1

I should be posting more reguarly now that the Vikings are in training camp, and my schedule is going to give me more free time.

These are my thoughts on three issues

Number 1- Pat Williams reporting out of shape and put on the PUP to perform list. Yikes, Pat Williams was the Vikings best player in 2005, it wasn't even really close. Why was he so good because of awesome power to go with his girth. A leaner Pat Williams is quite possibly a less effective Pat Williams. To look at how players slide once they get into a new weight range look no further than Chris Hovan who went from an All-Pro player to the inactive list after bulking up to lose his quickness.

But even worse than Pat Williams being out of shape is ridicolous media rumors such as propagated by Charley Walters in today's Pioneer Press saying insiders suggest the Vikings should trade Pat Williams since he isn't a great fit for a Cover 2 to Dallas for DE Greg Ellis. This would be a stupid trade.

1. The Vikings have three young solid DE's they are trying to get more reps. The Vikings would have little need for Greg Ellis. Ellis is a slightly above-average starting end, but one of whom the Vikigns would have little use.

2. While Pat Williams isn't ideal for the scheme you don't trade away players who control blockers and shut down running lanes. Last Year, DR.Z of CNNSI talked about big Pat as being as dominate as any D-Lineman he had ever seen.

So I hope I don't have to hear that rumor again for a while.

Number 2- Tavaris Jackson as backup QB. Well, the Vikings could plan on running the ball alot which they would with Mike McMahon. Well, the Vikings sound quite impressed with Jackson's knowledge of the Offense, conditioning and development to even suggest such a thing. I wouldn't have a lot of confidence in this idea, but neither do I have a lot of confidence in Mike McMahon or Brad Johnson.

Number 3-Napoleon Harris in the Middle. Well of all the LB's on the Vikings roster the only one to ever be effective as a MLB was Harris. Napoleon Harris says that's his best position, and he did have his best year as a MLB in the 4-3 being coached by current Viking LB coach Fred Pagac. Word is EJ Henderson lacks the atheltic ability, and Dontarrrious Thomas the on-field knowledge to be a success at the position. We shall see, I wouldn't mind experimenting with Chad Greenway in the middle.