Sidney Rice has hip surgery....out at least half the season!

[mngolf19]

I expect it will mean more running game. And will put more pressure on AP to not fumble. Gerhart will be fine as a change of pace and breather for AP. I expect Favre to make all the JAGs at WR left to look better than they are but they'll still become a more run oriented team for the first half season anyway. If Rice comes back fine in week 9 then I'll say they win all 8 remaining games and that gives them probably a 11 wins. So it may be a tough start for MN.

confident that old man river doesn't falter down the stretch like last year i see

Well considering he didn't falter down the stretch last year. I don't get it. MN lost 4 games on grass. The grass is the common denominator and what both players and the beat writers say was the reason for those.

[mngolf19]

I expect it will mean more running game. And will put more pressure on AP to not fumble. Gerhart will be fine as a change of pace and breather for AP. I expect Favre to make all the JAGs at WR left to look better than they are but they'll still become a more run oriented team for the first half season anyway. If Rice comes back fine in week 9 then I'll say they win all 8 remaining games and that gives them probably a 11 wins. So it may be a tough start for MN.

By "change of pace" you mean going from running fast and angry to running slow and high? I haven't seen him play but everything I have read on Gerhardt this summer has described his performance as not adequate. What, other than homerism, makes you think he's going to be a good complement?

He catches well, he can only block better than AP, and due to better timing he will run inside better than AP. I'm not saying he's the next Jim Brown. He's adequate as the backup/change of pace to AP. That's homerism?

[Bossman641]

chilly now says they have not ruled out IR

He's just pissed at Rice for letting it get to this point and trying to prove a point. I'll bet he doesn't go on IR. PUP for sure.

Chilly? Proving a point? Are we talking about the same guy here?

[mngolf19]

They just traded for Greg Camarillo too. Don't know anything about that guy other than he was a Dolphin.

[hoosier]

I expect it will mean more running game. And will put more pressure on AP to not fumble. Gerhart will be fine as a change of pace and breather for AP. I expect Favre to make all the JAGs at WR left to look better than they are but they'll still become a more run oriented team for the first half season anyway. If Rice comes back fine in week 9 then I'll say they win all 8 remaining games and that gives them probably a 11 wins. So it may be a tough start for MN.

By "change of pace" you mean going from running fast and angry to running slow and high? I haven't seen him play but everything I have read on Gerhardt this summer has described his performance as not adequate. What, other than homerism, makes you think he's going to be a good complement?

He catches well, he can only block better than AP, and due to better timing he will run inside better than AP. I'm not saying he's the next Jim Brown. He's adequate as the backup/change of pace to AP. That's homerism?

Running well inside definitely was not part of the several reviews of his preseason performance that I have read. His receiving skills, combined with the fact that his blocking skills are not nonexistent, doesn't really make him a good changeup in my book. An adequate third down back, maybe.

[mngolf19]

I expect it will mean more running game. And will put more pressure on AP to not fumble. Gerhart will be fine as a change of pace and breather for AP. I expect Favre to make all the JAGs at WR left to look better than they are but they'll still become a more run oriented team for the first half season anyway. If Rice comes back fine in week 9 then I'll say they win all 8 remaining games and that gives them probably a 11 wins. So it may be a tough start for MN.

By "change of pace" you mean going from running fast and angry to running slow and high? I haven't seen him play but everything I have read on Gerhardt this summer has described his performance as not adequate. What, other than homerism, makes you think he's going to be a good complement?

He catches well, he can only block better than AP, and due to better timing he will run inside better than AP. I'm not saying he's the next Jim Brown. He's adequate as the backup/change of pace to AP. That's homerism?

Running well inside definitely was not part of the several reviews of his preseason performance that I have read. His receiving skills, combined with the fact that his blocking skills are not nonexistent, doesn't really make him a good changeup in my book. An adequate third down back, maybe.

Yeah I know what your saying. But they are doing vanilla stuff in preseason, he hasn't run behind the complete starting OL yet this year, and some of what I am getting out of him is that the Vikes want him to be more of an Ahole when playing. He's a little too nice right now.

For those that think they should have kept Taylor. Everyone would have preferred that but they couldn't pay $12M to a player that gets 150 touches a year.

[hoosier]

If I'm not mistaken Camarillo was used primarily as a slot receiver in Miami. Are the Vikings seeing him primarily as an insurance policy in case Harvin is out for a while too? As far as I can tell neither Harvin nor Camarillo fit the mold of replacements for Rice and his toughness and route-running abilities. Berrian isn't that either.

[MichiganPackerFan]

Hoosier, what the hell is your avatar?

[swede]

Hoosier, what the hell is your avatar?

I assumed it was either a cartilaginous fish or the last Republican to leave McCain's headquarters on November 5th, 2008.

[hoosier]

Hoosier, what the hell is your avatar?

I assumed it was either a cartilaginous fish or the last Republican to leave McCain's headquarters on November 5th, 2008.

Swede is closer than he knows. It is a blobfish. The closest thing on earth to formless matter.

[mraynrand]

Hoosier, what the hell is your avatar?

I assumed it was either a cartilaginous fish or the last Republican to leave McCain's headquarters on November 5th, 2008.

Swede is closer than he knows. It is a blobfish. The closest thing on earth to formless matter.

Here's that McCain Republican:

[mngolf19]

If I'm not mistaken Camarillo was used primarily as a slot receiver in Miami. Are the Vikings seeing him primarily as an insurance policy in case Harvin is out for a while too? As far as I can tell neither Harvin nor Camarillo fit the mold of replacements for Rice and his toughness and route-running abilities. Berrian isn't that either.

I think your on to something here. Walker would likely be the fill in for Rice and Camarillo would be the fill in for Harvin. Unless they are thinking Harvin could play out wide some too?

[hoosier]

If I'm not mistaken Camarillo was used primarily as a slot receiver in Miami. Are the Vikings seeing him primarily as an insurance policy in case Harvin is out for a while too? As far as I can tell neither Harvin nor Camarillo fit the mold of replacements for Rice and his toughness and route-running abilities. Berrian isn't that either.

I think your on to something here. Walker would likely be the fill in for Rice and Camarillo would be the fill in for Harvin. Unless they are thinking Harvin could play out wide some too?

That sounds right (Walker=Rice and Camarillo=Harvin). The problem is that Camarillo is strictly a possession type guy who lacks Harvin's speed and elusiveness. Berrian basically has one route he can run effectively. If Walker has really been able to overcome his knee issues and whatever else contributed to his huge decline after 2006 then the Vikings will be in decent shape. If not, then defenses are going to load up on Peterson and dare Favre to beat them. In that case look for some big plays and also a fair number of bone-headed plays by your veteran QB.

[RashanGary]

This hurts the Vikings. Rice is a prototype Favre target, maybe more than any receiver he's worked with since Sterling Sharpe.

He's a big body with great hands, catches the ball well in traffic and can go up for the jump ball. Favre thrives at throwing the covered slant, covered out, covered post and covered jump ball. Rice is the type of receiver that doesn't create great separation, but he's great at catching in traffic and using his body.

Favre isn't going to change. He's going to still throw those tight slants, tight outs, jump balls. . . The difference is, I don't think they'll be caught as often now.

[RashanGary]

This is the headline at the star tribune

"Keep in mind that Favre helped make Rice"


Well, it shouldn't be a problem then. Favre can just make a new guy, since he's the guy who makes them.