How 'Bout Them Queens?

[Fritz]

Sorry, Ras, but I'm laughing at what I see as the usual Minnesota Vikings scenario. Before the season, the Vikes get some good press. Then, at some point in the season - not at the end, mind you - the whole nation gets caught up in some kind of weird Queens Fever, and everybody sees them as THE team no one wants to play in the playoffs. It happened all the time in the Denny Green years, and now it happened again.

What was it, a mere month ago, when the Vikes were on a roll, and they were the team the supposd national experts said had what it takes to unseat the Packers and the Cowboys? You know, that tough defensive line and the great running game - the ingredients that add up to playoff wins. I got tired of hearing that - even heard it from a friend of mine who is a Packer fan.

Alas, it wasn't the playoffs yet, and it's a long season. So here we are, playoff time, and the Queens are nowhere to be found.

I suppose this sounds like Viking bashing, and to some extent it is, but it's really more of a sports writer/talk show host bashing. It's a long season, and to start crowniong any team the 'team nobody wants to play' champion before they even get into the playoffs is a bit ridiculous. I guess it's the knee-jerk-iness of it that irks me. People who want to fire a coach after one loss, or fire a GM after one season - a pet peeve. And on the opposite side, people who see a stretch of four or so games and want to make final pronouncements on a team.

[Harlan Huckleby]

If the Vikings had an OK QB, like Aaron Rodgers or even just Brian Griese, they would be in the playoffs.

[The Leaper]

Yeah...the QB position is what held them back this year. They've got a good team otherwise, but once teams realized that all you had to do was stop AP and force the Vikings to throw, it was difficult for the Vikings to find success.

They never really scared me in terms of the postseason...too one-dimensional on both offense and defense. You need balance to be scary in the postseason. The talking heads all couldn't stop touching the big stiffy AP gave them after he ran over the Chargers...as if the Chargers defense was as good as it had been in recent years. It wasn't.

[BallHawk]

I still can't understand why they got so much hype around them. The media made it seem like they were going to go on a crusade through the playoffs.

The Vikings will make it to the postseason next year, though. I guarantee that. With or without Tavaris Jackson they will be competing in the playoffs.

Of course, they'll be the Wild Cards. Don't see them knocking us of our perch anytime soon.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I still can't understand why they got so much hype around them. The media made it seem like they were going to go on a crusade through the playoffs.

The Vikings will make it to the postseason next year, though. I guarantee that. With or without Tavaris Jackson they will be competing in the playoffs.

Of course, they'll be the Wild Cards. Don't see them knocking us of our perch anytime soon.

I'm still not that sold on MN. They still don't have a reliable QB, a below avg WR corps and no right side of the OL. Their secondary overall is average. Teams showed they can run to the outside on their D. Unless they get some big upgrades somewhere, They likely will end up at 8-8 again.

[Scott Campbell]

I still can't understand why they got so much hype around them.

Because of the winning streak and AP.

[gbgary]

they were/are just too one-dimensional. they need a qb in the worst way. maybe jeff garcia will come help them out for a year.

[packers11]

ESPN said the packers and cowboys should watch out for them in the playoffs...

I'm still waiting...

[ahaha]

They're sending 7 guys to the probowl. I wonder how many times a non-playoff team has had that many.

[BallHawk]

I still can't understand why they got so much hype around them.

Because of the winning streak and AP.

Way overhyped, though. They beat Oakland, the Giants, Detroit, and San Francisco. 3 sub .500 teams and a mediocre playoff.

[Spaulding]

Jackson was mediocre to bad for parts of the season and starting to click during their winning streak. It's definitely on him for some of the teams struggles but by God, have you ever seen a worse starting wide receiving corps? Rice looks like he's legit but when he was out I think you'd be hard pressed to come up with anyone on the team short of dump offs out of the backfield to Taylor or Peterson what would likely be positive.

Living in Minnesota, it even pained me to see Williamson open by 10+ yards and drop a ball that hit him square in the chest. Reminds me of one of those football movies where they got the WR sticky gloves Maybe he'll get them next year.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Williamson won't be with MN next year. I'm not sure who's going to take a chance on him. He's bloody awful.

[Lurker64]

Williamson won't be with MN next year. I'm not sure who's going to take a chance on him. He's bloody awful.

I don't think anybody is desperate enough at WR to actually take a flyer on Williamson, even at the veteran's minimum. He's that terrible.

[Tony Oday]

Williamson will be on another team next year for sure...there will be a team that will take a flyer on a former 7th pick.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think Jackson has a lot of talent and has a shot of becoming an excellent QB. He needs time and coaching. His competitive instincts are there.