Weekend analysis and notes on the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins.
Rick Spielman was under plenty of scrutiny last winter but yesterday at TCF Bank Stadium the Vikings general manager looked like a football savant. Spielman draft choices, including rookies Teddy Bridgewater and Jerick McKinnon, led a parade of explosive plays as the Vikings out-scored the Falcons 41-28 to even their record at 2-2.
Spielman was on the spot going into the NFL Draft last spring after quarterback Christian Ponder, his first round pick in the 2011 draft, faltered in 2013 after helping the Vikings to the playoffs the previous season. Spielman chose Bridgewater late in the first round this year, even though most other teams passed on the Louisville quarterback who yesterday in his first pro start passed for 317 yards and led the Vikings offense to its best day of the season. And it was also last spring that Spielman chose an obscure running back from Georgia Southern named McKinnon in the third round. He came off the bench against the Falcons to run for 135 yards.
Receiver Jarius Wright almost matched McKinnon’s 135 yards, coming up with a career high 132 yards on eight catches. Spielman chose Wright on the fourth round of the 2012 draft and his speed blends perfectly with a giddy-up gang of young offensive talent.
That group of playmakers includes Cordarrelle Patterson, one of the NFL’s most explosive talents for catching passes and returning kickoffs. Yesterday Patterson, who probably drew extra preventive attention from the Falcons’ defense, caught two passes for 38 yards and averaged 43 yards on two kickoff returns. Patterson is one of three No. 1 draft choices Spielman maneuvered to obtain in 2013.
The Vikings showed off a think fast, move faster attack yesterday. Bridgewater processed his decisions like a veteran—sometimes tip-toed and sometimes ran away from pressure—and consistently released the football quickly and with accuracy. Several times he took off and ran with impressive foot speed, complementing the track-like acceleration and high speed motoring to McKinnon, Wright and Patterson.
Another leg came in handy yesterday, too—the right leg of third-year placekicker Blair Walsh. Yup, another Spielman find. Walsh was taken in the sixth round of the 2012 draft and replaced veteran Ryan Longwell whose leg strength was no match for Walsh. In the win over the Falcons, Walsh made four of five field goals including one from 55 yards.
The Vikings offensive line was outstanding, making it possible for the flashy playmakers to score points. And while the defense had its struggles, it was resilient enough to shut out the Falcons in the fourth quarter after Atlanta had started the period with a 28-27 lead. The Vikings made a habit of blowing games in the fourth quarter last year but that looks like a problem solved. “We hung in there and we fought,” head coach Mike Zimmer told KFAN Radio after the game.
For now why scrutinize the meltdowns of last year or Spielman’s hot seat last winter? Not after yesterday when the Vikings young offensive talent had too much juice for the Falcons.
The Timberwolves open training camp this week and players will hear owner Glen Taylor refer to Adrian Peterson. The Vikings running back allegedly abused his four-year-old son and is facing criminal charges. During the first week of training camp Taylor always talks to players about the importance of their personal conduct.
In the past Taylor’s topics included spousal abuse but not child abuse. “We hadn’t even thought of that,” he told Sports Headliners.
The NFL has provided newsmaking examples about assaults, shootings, drinking and drugs. Hornets NBA forward Jeffery Taylor, who is being kept away from his team as he awaits an October 8 court date on domestic assault charges, is a reminder that pro basketball isn’t immune from issues.
Taylor will cover various subjects in his talk including how important it is for players to be involved with the community, and also respectful toward fans. He mentioned a potential situation where a player could find himself with a fan that has had too much alcohol. “You just have to learn to walk away,” Taylor said.
Twice in the past Taylor was interested in buying the Vikings. The last time was before the Wilf family acquired the club from Red McCombs in 2005. The NFL told Taylor what it believed the franchise was worth but the Wilfs and their group of investors were willing to pay more. “I think I bid like $525 (million) and I think theirs was closer to $600 (million), and I didn’t counter,” Taylor said.
Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins is popular in Lawrence, Kansas and the Kansas City area because of his freshman phenom season for the Kansas Jayhawks in 2013-2014. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Wolves hosted an exhibition game in Kansas City in the coming years. The Missouri city was once home to the NBA’s Kings and has interest in acquiring a team again.
The Gophers’ win over Michigan Saturday was the 25th for Minnesota in the rivalry that started in 1892. The Gophers have now won more times in Ann Arbor, 13, than in Minneapolis, 12. Michigan leads the all-time series, 73-25-3.
Minnesota, 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten, will probably be favored by odds-makers to win each of its next three games—at home against Northwestern and Purdue, and then at Illinois. The Gophers could be undefeated in the Big Ten going into the Iowa game in Minneapolis on November 8. Iowa is a favorite to win the Big Ten West Division but the Gophers prompted some notice as a factor in the division race by defeating Michigan.
The Purdue game on October 18 will be part of the 100th Homecoming celebration at the University of Minnesota.
The public season tickets renewal percentage for Gophers men’s basketball for the 2014-2015 season is more than 95 percent. If Minnesota impresses during the nonconference schedule it wouldn’t be surprising to see nearly all of the Big Ten games at Williams Arena sell out.
Condolences to the family of former Gopher Jed Dommeyer who passed away earlier this month. Dommeyer led the Gophers in scoring during the 1955-1956 season averaging 19 points per game.
Twins first baseman Joe Mauer finished the 2014 season with four home runs in 455 at bats. Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner had four homers in 66 at bats. Jim Kaat, perhaps the best hitting Twins pitcher in club history, hit three home runs in 83 at bats in 1964, according to Baseball-reference.com.
Former Twins players who had productive seasons included first baseman Justin Morneau who won the National League batting title with a .319 average playing his first season with the Rockies. Ex-Twin Michael Cuddyer, now a Rockies teammate, won the NL title last year. Former Twins center fielders Ben Revere and Denard Span finished fifth and sixth in the National League batting race with averages of .306 and .302. The two tied for the league lead in hits with 184 each. Revere was third in stolen bases with 49, and Carlos Gomez, another ex-Twins center fielder, had 34 to finish fourth. Span, with 31, was fifth.
No one close to the Twins will be surprised if a decision comes this week on manager Ron Gardenhire’s future. He has a record of 199 wins and 291 losses the last four seasons, losing more than 90 games per year. Gardenhire has one season remaining on his contract.