It's hard to fathom that as I type it, but after watching the Vikings dismantle the Cardinals, is it time to start considering them one of the NFC's favorites to be a Super Bowl team?This was one of those wins that makes you stand up and notice. Admittedly everything went right for the Vikings: they got an early lead, forced the Cardinals to become one dimensional and then teed off on Kurt Warner. But by holding the Cardinals under 20 points for the first time since Week 3, they showed that this is a better team than we may have expected.
They've had the defense all year, with a front four that is nearly unblockable. Add in Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor and you've got one of the best running games in the league. But now that Tarvaris Jackson is actually throwing accurate passes to Vikings receivers, it's suddenly possible to start dreaming of seeing purple in Tampa this February.
Since coming in for the injured Gus Frerotte last week, Jackson has thrown five touchdowns and no interceptions in six quarters. Before this recent stretch, Jackson had thrown 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in his first 21 games as a pro.
Now it's possible that Jackson will melt back into his three-step drop and bounce the pass to the receiver approach that he had earlier in his career, but if he can just give Minnesota semi-competent quarterback play, the rest of the team is good enough to get Minnesota to the Super Bowl.
It doesn't hurt that there really isn't a team in the NFC that looks invincible now that the Giants are Plaxico-less. I still can't believe that a Jackson or Frerotte-led team will end up in the Super Bowl, and Minnesota is one court ruling away from being in major trouble. But after the wins over the Cardinals and Bears, it's at least time to give the Vikings credit, when they were sitting at 1-3, it would have seemed impossible to ever consider that they could be in a discussion of potential Super Bowl teams.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-15-2008 @ 1:09AM
matt said...
I think it's more that the Arizona Cardinals are circling the drain.
This team thought the NFC Championship was a month ago when they beat the Cowboys.
The irony is that if the Cowboys get into the playoffs, they'll likely face the Cardinals in Arizona and they'll completely obliterate them.
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12-15-2008 @ 12:54PM
yungyung said...
do you watch football, why would the cowboys obliterate arizona anyone can win that matchup....The vikings are superbowl contenders if tarvaris jackson plays the way he does, but he likes to play jenkyl and hyde, they can't win it with gus the turnover machine, if this is the way tarvaris can play with such accurate passes thrown, it makes you see why minesota didn't really want brett favre in the offseason
12-15-2008 @ 2:05PM
matt said...
Jackson's performance yesterday was a complete fluke.
He threw a few nice passes, don't get me wrong but Arizona was beat up by that O-Line and never recovered. They did not want to tackle. The Vikings are a running game + defense, and nothing more. Jackson is replaceable like the parts of an old lawnmower.
The Vikings will be in the running next season after they acquire one or two of the following:
1. Donovan McNabb
2. Jeff Garcia
3. Chris Simms
Tavarius Jackson is not capable.
A team that can stop the run, i.e. Dallas/NYG/Philadelphia will obliterate the Vikings as well as the Cardinals. I'm sorry.
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12-15-2008 @ 2:36PM
matt said...
Also add Sage Rosenfels and Rex Grossman to that mix of decent free agent QB's that are all huge upgrades over Tavarius.
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12-15-2008 @ 4:10PM
MNJayW said...
Seriously? Grossman? As a man who bleeds purple and gold, while living in Bears territory I can say that Grossman may have a better arm, but his decision making is just as bad if not worse than T-Jack. Grossman? Seriously.
12-15-2008 @ 2:24PM
yungyung said...
Chris Simms haha...yeah you know nothing about football and shouldn't be replying to this article...and in case you haven't noticed no one can stop adrian peterson from doing what he wants, he sees eight in the box no matter what
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12-15-2008 @ 5:57PM
DaveS99 said...
In a word... NO!
I am a Viking fan and what happened against Chicago 2 wkks ago and Arizona yesterday, represent the best case scenario many were predicting when they picked the Vikes to do well at the beginning of the year. However, I think they are vulnerable. Look no further then what Aikman said during the game. In a nut shell, he said that as good as the Vikings running game is, it should be setting up the pass - but it is not. In other words, despite TJack's play yesterday, he and Gus are below average QBs at best. Couple that with an improved, but still average receiving core and less than stellar pass protection (I'm talking about you Bryant McKinnie), and the Vikings are one demensional on offense. I hope I am wrong...
The Vikings will have a good test on Sunday and an even better one the final week against a Giant's team that may be fighting for home field.
The fact is, the Vikings have a great defense and are fun to watch now that they have a great pass rush. They have AWESOME running backs and a great run blocking o-line. But every aspect of their passing game is average at best and it will catch up to them sooner or later...
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12-15-2008 @ 7:50PM
patriots said...
soon they'll be superbowl contender......let travaris jackson grow a little more and then you got a super bowl contender.
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12-16-2008 @ 7:58AM
D1 said...
This is the NFL anyone can win, but cudos to the vikings for there super efforts the whole team
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12-22-2008 @ 8:25AM
bill said...
the only the vikes will be supper bowl contenders is if they can hold on to the ball and not keep fumbling it so much and that is the only way that will happen
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12-31-2008 @ 3:38PM
Bryce said...
alright guys. tarvaris jackson is the future in minnesota. he's better than what you guys think. he's got his on moments and his off moments but he is the future. they're not gonna go after a quarterback like mcnabb. he'll be back in philly. and rex grossman? seriously. he's nothing. the vikings are a growing team. every year they get more and more players to improve there team. super bowl this year? probably not. what i'm saying is. next 5 years watch out for minnesota. they'll be super bowl favorites in the near future. oh and yes tarvaris jackson will be there quarterback. you can't give up on him. he's gonna be a good franchise quarterback someday just wait and watch him shine.
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