Thoughts Around The NFL

The Minnesota Vikings are a mess.  That’s obvious.  And it gets worse with Adrian Peterson now sidelined with a knee injury.  Peterson basically has been their offense the past several weeks.  Without a quarterback to open up the offense, the Vikings will continue to become a rudderless ship. 

Peterson’s injury also raises a lot of concerns among scouts.  His durability definitely scared a few teams away during the draft process last spring despite his substantial talent.  Although the Vikings dodged a long-term scare this time, this organization has to be concerned about having a lot of money invested in a fragile franchise back.  Stay tuned. 

On another front, Tarvaris Jackson will return to the saddle at quarterback.  Jackson must stay healthy this time around so the organization can evaluate their future here.  They probably won’t have to spend too much time evaluating their in-house situation.  Jackson looks too fragile to be counted out as a starter.  He can’t stay healthy.  I don’t believe he’ll ever have the natural instincts to become a consistent passer.  He struggles against a strong pass rush and doesn’t make quick enough decisions with the football. 

On the coaching front, I believe it’s becoming more likely that Brad Childress will be let go following the season.  It was evident in their 34-0 loss at Green Bay that this team doesn’t believe in themselves or its head coach.  It’s a tenuous situation right now among players and coaches.  This is an organization that continues to struggle finding continuity and stability. 

Herman Edwards is making the right decision to go with Brodie Croyle at quarterback in Kansas City.  Damon Huard is a respected veteran, but is giving up too many turnovers for a passer with his experience and isn’t moving the offense consistently.  The bottom line is that this team isn’t going anywhere with Huard as they look ahead.  Going 8-8 with Huard without answering questions about Croyle would be counterproductive.  Croyle brings a youthful energy to the field.  They’ll take some lumps with Croyle, but they must find out what they have at quarterback for the future.  Croyle must show he can limit his mistakes and stay healthy to remain the long-term answer at quarterback.  The Chiefs hope Croyle shows enough to remain in their plans so they can focus on the rebuilding upfront along the offensive line. 

The most disappointing team on Sunday had to be the New Orleans Saints loss at home to St. Louis.  But let’s give the Rams a lot of credit.  Nobody expected them to win in New Orleans.  Suddenly this team is rallying around Scott Linehan after a dark cloud lingered over his head just a few weeks ago.  And despite all the injuries along the offensive line, we are seeing how valuable Steven Jackson is to this offense.  Marc Bulger has gotten more comfortable and he has a few respected targets in the passing game.  Linehan’s job should be safe if the Rams have a respectable finish to the season.  Behind the scenes, Jim Haslett has certainly been a strong presence in keeping the team together – especially on the defensive side of the ball.  There are a few people around the league who believe Haslett will gain consideration for a few head coaching openings.

Is Brian Billick’s time coming to an end in Baltimore?  If the Ravens continue to struggle badly, don’t be surprised if owner Stephen Bisciotti and Ozzie Newsome mutually decide its time to steer this franchise in a new direction.  Despite many attempts to fix the offensive side of the ball under Billick and his background coaching that side of the football, the organization has such a strong defensive culture on the field that mentally holds back the confidence level of building a productive offense.  That won’t change until the Ravens turn the page on Billick and Ray Lewis.  Billick has done a tremendous job managing personalities and motivating over the years in Baltimore, but his message has gone stale.  That’s why this franchise must clean house and start over behind a new nucleus of young players. 

At the quarterback position in Baltimore, it’s clear that Steve McNair is at the end of the line.  He’s physically faded badly to the point where he can’t protect the football.  The best thing the Ravens can do is allow Kyle Boller an opportunity to play out the season and determine whether he can reclaim the starting job for the long-term.  Boller has progressed and shows flashes of productivity, but he’s been too inconsistent during his bouts on the fields.  But also to be fair, the offensive line has been in transition the whole season with the Ravens mixing in younger talent and trying to overcome injuries to Jonathan Ogden.  At tight end, the organization has some decisions to make with Todd Heap.  His inability to stay healthy the past few seasons has been frustrating since his absence leaves a significant hole in the passing game.  Most of his injuries have been of the lower body – which draws concerns looking ahead. 

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