Rich Gannon : Vikes favorite to win NFC North

[HarveyWallbangers]

I won't say that Allen isn't a good DE. I don't think he's the best in the NFL, but he's probably in the top 5. I don't think I'd trade Kampman for him. But because of Allen and the trade up for Johnson, they had one pick in the first 4 rounds. Allen better be darn good to throw most of a draft away for him. I won't even say they made bad moves, but I think some Packer fans needs to chill out over their moves. We hear the same thing every year. Until they actually do it on the field, I still say the division comes down to us. Meaning I don't think the Vikings are suddenly going to win 12-13 games and just take control of the division.

[Lurker64]

I think that Allen is far from the best DE in the game. He's certainly one of the more productive sack artists.

OK, how many of those sacks were accrued against some of those shitty teams in the AFC West???

Quite a few, and none were in the fourth quarter (despite the fact that the Chiefs lost a lot of games that were close at the start of the fourth quarter.) He's a good player, but, like all players, he's not as good as he's hyped to be.

[Iron Mike]

I think that Allen is far from the best DE in the game. He's certainly one of the more productive sack artists.

OK, how many of those sacks were accrued against some of those shitty teams in the AFC West???

Quite a few, and none were in the fourth quarter (despite the fact that the Chiefs lost a lot of games that were close at the start of the fourth quarter.) He's a good player, but, like all players, he's not as good as he's hyped to be.

Lemme see, how did we do against the AFC Worst last year?

9/23 vs. SD W31-24

10/29 vs. DEN W19-13

11/4 vs. KC W33-22

12/9 vs. OAK W38-7

Excuse me for not shaking in my boots at the thought of having to face the Queens with the addition of Jared Allen.

Oh, BTW--how did we do against the Queens w/o Allen last year?

9/30 W23-16

11/11 W34-0

:P

Rich Gannon can stick that up his purple and black ass.

[Bretsky]

Also agree that depth wise the Packers are deeper

MN defense may be better overall if you just look at the starters

At some point I have to put some blind faith in TT and that is where it starts. If TT didn't think his youthful OL would be adequate this year he'd have used free agency to lock up one of the qualithy OG's out there. We have loads of money.

If the OG's hold up and Rodgers is at least decent, Green Bay shouldn't give 5 games to the Vikings. And putting more faith in TT, if there was a chance Rodgers was junk, TT would have used some of that huge cap space to trade for or sign a backup veternan QB.

[RashanGary]

The Vikes have a great DL and a great run game. They've paid blockbuster contracts to some of the biggest UFA free agent difference makers like, such as: Bernard Barrian, Steve Hutchinson and Jared Allen in the last two years. They have sold out to win now. If they don't win the division after we lose our HOF QB and continue to focus on the big picture then I consider the Vikings a laughable joke.

[Kiwon]

The paper champions of the NFL....go Queens.

That's right. Anything can happen once the season starts.

Favored in May doesn't mean very much. But the sports guys have to choose someone.

[mission]

i read the first line of tarlams first post and thought he was kidding

then i realized he wasnt ...





and yes, ive "studied" film... that's why i know tj aint ever gonna be shit.

[GBRulz]

All you people slamming the vikes, saying they have no QB and claiming the Pack is the favourite need a reality check. They made some decent moves this off season and they have a beast at RB that is no longer a rookie.

We made one significant move, and that's at the QB position. As it stands, their QB has over a season of starts, ours has zero.

I hope you are all correct in what you are saying, but at this stage, I think Gannon is making a fair appraisal. Until I actually SEE A-Rod beat another NFL team, he's just a first year starter. And we all know, first year starters struggle. I'd love for him to beat the Vikes in the opener.

I'm just glad we play them at home first and not in their place. That levels the playing field a bit. I know M3 won't be underestimating them like a lot of people here.

Tar - every off-season the Queens are the declared paper champions. It's almost become comical, which is why alot of people are dissing what Gannon says.

This beast RB that you speak of .... remind me again his record against us? Yeah, well until he starts torching our ass like Moss did, I won't worry. I'm not saying he isn't good, but you guys act like he single handedly will beat us. Let's not forget who their head coach is

[woodbuck27]

TT is probably still kicking himself that the Vikes "stole" Brad Childress from under his nose, forcing him to hire a lesser coach.

Tavaris Jackson has a chance to be another J.P. Losman if he keeps developping.

Nice SLAM!

[MadtownPacker]

In reegards to the depth question, the Packers would be done if they lost Grant, they have nobody behind him. The Packers would also struggle at the WR position iof they lost Jennings imo.

Not really, we were like 6-1 before Grant got meaningful carries last year. Do you really think that we aren't much better equipped to handle the loss of Jennings than the Vikings would be to lose Berrian? We still have Driver, Jones, Nelson, and Lee. The Vikings would have Rice, Wade, Ferguson, and Shiancoe.

If the run game is as bad as the start of last year there is no way in hell Rodgers fuels a 6-1 start like his predecessor did last year. As it is I dont see a 6-1 start either way.

[vince]

My take on Jackson would also be that, why couldn't he improve? There's obviously room for him to improve and we all agree that players tend to improve each year over their first 2-3 if they are granted a starting positions. It's talked about here as far as Packers are concerned. Now if he does improve. Watch out!

Because I have seen things with him that QBs don't typically improve at once they get to the pros. I think he's inaccurate on throws over 15 yards. He doesn't display a natural feel for the game. He could possibly learn that, but the Vikings want to win now. I'm not sure he'll get the time to improve that. If he doesn't improve this year, Childress could be gone and he may not be the starter next year.

His athletic ability is virtually the same as Rodgers (according to combine numbers). Both have good escapability. His arm strength is about the same as Rodgers (maybe slightly less arm strength). Both have enough arm strength on most throws. They aren't elite, but good enough. From what I've watched of Rodgers (mostly preseason), he seems much more accurate than Jackson. That might be the least valued and most important aspect of a QBs game. Also, Jackson isn't dumb, but Rodgers is top notch in the intelligence department. ARod's learning curve wasn't as large as Jackson's learning curve (Rodgers coming from Cal and Jackson from Alabama State), and he's had an extra year in the offense to learn (since he was drafted the year before Jackson). Both have durability concerns.

Great post Harv.

[motife]

John David Booty is probably the answer right now at QB in Edina or Eden Prairie or wherever they are now.

Trying to "improve" Tavaris Jackson is like trying to improve Kyle Orten or Tim Couch.

or Rex Grossman.


Watch. Jon Kitna and the Lions offense will go downhill fast without Mike Martz.

It will be very odd seeing a Martz offense in S.F.

[Tarlam!]

Michele, I understand that it's the same every year. I also get that we have the superior coaching staff and front office. I get that we have a better prepared QB, better depth and and and.

I already conceded somewhere that I bow to those with more knowledge.

Still doesn't stop my waking up in a cold sweat fearing the dreaded AP, despite his 0-2 record against us.

Mark me down as the guy who doesn't want to push the Karma envelope too far this year.

[Tarlam!]

and yes, ive "studied" film... that's why i know tj aint ever gonna be shit.

So the staff coaching the Vikings would appear to disagree with that. And Harv, it's not what they are saying, it's clearly the way they have been reacting.

The real test should come for both Jackson and Grossman, BTW, when Tampa releases whoever they release at QB....

[GBRulz]

Mark me down as the guy who doesn't want to push the Karma envelope too far this year.

Then I guess it's a good thing that the poster's game isn't against MN !