Vikings – Page 169 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Zimmer’s Vikings Path Similar to Grant

Posted on December 28, 2015December 28, 2015 by David Shama

Notes following last night’s Vikings win, and prior to today’s Gophers bowl game.

Coaching legend Bud Grant led the Vikings to a division title in his second season in Minnesota. Next Sunday in Green Bay second-year coach Mike Zimmer can lead the Vikings to the NFC North Division championship with a victory over the Packers.

In Grant’s first season of 1967 his record was 3-8-3 (14-game regular season). But in 1968 a rebuilt roster helped Grant coach the Vikings to a division winning 8-6 record.

Zimmer’s record last season was 7-9 but this fall his club has been one of the NFL’s surprise teams. Given minimal chance to win the NFC North before the season started, the 10-5 Vikings can put an end to the Packers’ recent dominance of the division with a win next Sunday night in Green Bay.

Bud Grant (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

There’s already some speculation Zimmer will become the Vikings’ best coach since Grant, the stoic field boss who led the franchise to four Super Bowls. Both men have shown a common sense and no-nonsense approach to leading their teams. The two are pure football men who are about substance, not flash. They have reputations for being able to judge personnel including whether players are committed to minimizing mistakes and doing what’s necessary to win.

Who wins at Lambeau Field next Sunday in a matchup of 10-5 teams? The offensive lines might have more to do with the game’s outcome than any other units. The Packers’ line was dreadful yesterday, allowing eight sacks in a 38-8 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was under so much pressure he had two fumbles that the Cardinals scooped up and ran into the end zone for touchdowns.

The Vikings’ defense, including the team’s sack specialists, might be “drooling” this week while watching film of the Green Bay offensive line. Zimmer has one of the NFL’s highest defensive I.Q.’s and is a master of disguising and then bringing pressure on quarterbacks.

The Vikings’ offensive line has also struggled with pass protection while showing efficiency to run block for Adrian Peterson, the NFL’s leading rusher. The Packers’ defense isn’t equal to the Vikings, but Green Bay did hold Minnesota to two touchdowns when the teams met in Minneapolis on November 22.

In that game the Vikings rushed for only 94 yards, including 45 from Peterson in a 30-13 loss. The Vikings will almost certainly need more than 45 yards from Peterson on Sunday. His offensive teammates can help him with a solid run-pass mix, and they do have a hot quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater who has only one interception in his last seven games while completing 60 percent or more of his passes.

Rodgers and the Packers have dominated the Vikings in the past. Minnesota’s last win in Green Bay was during the 2009 season. Some fans who root for the Purple might be cocky after last night’s 49-17 Vikings’ win over the Giants and the Packers’ meltdown in Arizona. Maybe the Packers’ offensive line has too many holes to patch but Rodgers is probably the NFL’s best quarterback and he can work miracles for his teammates. Just ask the Lions who Rodgers beat with a Hail Mary in Detroit earlier this month. …

A Gophers insider who is typically cautious didn’t hesitate in predicting a Minnesota win over Central Michigan tonight in the Quick Lane Bowl at Detroit’s Ford Field. The 5-7 Gophers are favored by several points over the 7-5 Mid-American team and Minnesota seems likely to cover the spread and win its first bowl game since 2004.

The program’s seven-game bowl losing streak is something head coach Tracy Claeys has talked to the team about, mentioning how the seniors can be the first upperclassmen to earn a postseason victory in several years. Claeys and most of the coaching staff have been at Minnesota since 2011 and are 0-3 in bowl games.

Among the top seniors is wide receiver KJ Maye who led the Gophers in receptions with 65 and receiving yards at 706. He is a much improved player after early career numbers that included 16 catches for 298 yards as a junior.

Maye believes he had a “great year” and when asked for a letter grade said “A-.” The 5-10, 199-pound former high school quarterback expects to be drafted by an NFL team and looks at the bowl game as an opportunity to impress pro scouts. What would he do with his first paycheck as a pro? “I’d put it in the bank,” he said laughing. “I am not touching it.”

Claeys said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle show yesterday his team is the healthiest it has been since midseason. Players who have been injured he indicated could play tonight in the bowl game include Jon Christenson, Scott Ekpe, Brandon Lingen, Steven Richardson and Rodney Smith. Claeys expressed concern about the conditioning of players who haven’t played for awhile.

Claeys expects to name his offensive coordinator soon, replacing Matt Limegrover who was let go. That person will also have responsibility to coach a position group. “My main thing is that whatever position they coach…it needs to be either tailbacks, quarterbacks or the tight ends,” Claeys said. “The less kids you have to worry about in practice, the better off you’re going to be on calling the plays on game days.”

Rumors are that players with remaining eligibility will leave the program after the bowl game. “It happens everywhere,” Claeys said. “Especially at certain positions where only one (player) can play, or two can play at a time. …”

Passionate Gophers fans may speculate that among players who might transfer are reserves Berkley Edwards (running back) and Jacques Perra (quarterback). Competition for playing time next season at running back and quarterback looks challenging.

Claeys had his 47th birthday on Christmas Day in Detroit and the players sang Happy Birthday to their first-year coach.

University of Minnesota officials, including leaders from the Gophers athletic department, fly to Detroit today and return after the game. The team departed Minneapolis on Christmas Eve day and participated in bowl game activities including a dinner on Saturday night attended also by Central Michigan. Players received gifts including $200 gift cards from Best Buy and headphones.

With school not in session at Minnesota until next month, many Gophers won’t directly return to Minneapolis after tonight’s bowl game. Instead, they will head home including to warmer climates where their families reside.

The bowl game will be the coaching debut of Dan O’Brien whose title is assistant to the head coach, assistant defensive backs coach and co-special teams coordinator. O’Brien had been a senior administrator in the Minnesota athletic department overseeing football. Interim athletics director Beth Goetz now directly supervises football and some other sports.

The bowl in Detroit dates back to 1997 and has been known as the Motor City Bowl, Little Caesars Bowl and now the Quick Lane Bowl. Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center has more than 700 locations nationally, according to the company website.

The matchup between the Gophers and Chippewas might attract a crowd of less than 20,000 at Ford Field, a covered facility seating about 65,000. The game will be televised by ESPN2 and may draw a national TV audience of two million viewers or more.

That may seem like a high viewership number for a bowl game far down on the list of attractive sites and team matchups, but positives include being televised by a popular cable network during prime time hours with no other college football in direct competition for most of the event. Sportsmediawatch.com reported on January 14 of this year that the last Quick Lane Bowl had about 2.8 million viewers while the three College Football Playoff games each had 28 million or more viewers.

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Night Games No Hit with Vikings

Posted on December 21, 2015December 21, 2015 by David Shama

Nighttime—particularly for road games—is no friend of the Minnesota Vikings.

Losing on Sunday, Monday and Thursday evenings is a pattern for the Vikings who earlier this month were told the team’s home game next Sunday against the Giants will be played at night, instead of starting with a noon kickoff. A few conversations with Vikings players focused on how they fret about the boredom and anxiousness of the extra hours at a local hotel, and the change from routine caused by playing after dark.

“I hate it but, you know what, we gotta play a game,” said Vikings defensive end Brian Robison. “We gotta try to win.”

Adrian Peterson (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

The Vikings, 9-5, have been one of the NFL’s success stories this fall and could win the NFC North. The Giants, 6-8, had better playoff hopes when the game time was rescheduled but still have a chance at the postseason. Each team has two regular season games remaining. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson leads the league in rushing while experiencing a comeback season from his troubles last season. The Giants have high profile quarterback Eli Manning and their home territory is the nation’s largest TV market. All of that provides background as to why NBC and the NFL wanted Sunday’s matchup in Minneapolis switched to evening when it will be the only pro football game televised to the nation.

The Vikings have lost five consecutive Sunday night games and 11 of the past 14. It hasn’t helped that four of the last five have been on the road. Opponents have beaten the Vikings seven straight times on Monday evenings including an opening game loss to the 49ers this year. The Vikings have lost five of their last six Thursday evening games, including to the Cardinals earlier this month. Ten of those Monday and Thursday night losses have been on the home field of opponents.

Temperatures next Sunday night for the game with the Giants in TCF Bank Stadium will likely be in the high teens or low 20s. That doesn’t warm the heart of Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn. “I think it’s going to be cold. I don’t like the cold but this is an opportunity to go out there to showcase that we’re made to be in the playoffs,” Munnerlyn said. “I think it’s going to be a very good game. I am excited for the opportunity. ….”

Munnerlyn is an “antsy guy” on game days and sleep is difficult for him the night before. Playing on Sunday night presents an extra challenge because it means having too much time to be excited before kickoff. How will he relax and focus during those extra hours before game time?

“I don’t know what I am going to do,” Munnerlyn said last week. “I gotta figure it out.”

Robison can commiserate about the challenge of too much time. “I don’t like sitting in a hotel and just waiting all day,” he said. “I want to get up and be able to go after it. Those noon games, those 3:25 games are awesome. At the end of the day (next Sunday) you’re getting to play a game, you’re playing in prime time. Everybody is going to see you, so it’s about going out there and putting your best (effort).”

Vikings defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd was lighthearted about Sunday’s Giants game, joking about eight more hours in the hotel. “But I will enjoy it (the game). Prime time and we get a chance to play across the country, so it’s a good deal,” Floyd said.

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Wallace Wants Vikings Return in 2016

Posted on December 18, 2015December 18, 2015 by David Shama

Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace is headed toward his fewest receptions since his rookie year of 2009. His contract doesn’t guarantee he will return to the team, but he wants to stay in Minnesota.

Wallace was acquired last March in a trade with the Dolphins to give the Vikings a deep-threat among their receiving corps. His contract reportedly pays him close to $10 million this season, but doesn’t assure a paycheck or roster spot next season from Minnesota. The Vikings can let him go at no cost to them, according to reports.

After a rookie season when Wallace caught 39 balls, he has totaled 60 or more receptions each year. Twice he has had more than 70 catches in a year, but this season, with three regular season games remaining, he has just 33.

Mike Wallace (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

Wallace has started every game except one but in three of those games never caught a pass. His games with the most receptions have totaled eight, six and four. It seems at times he has been used as a decoy, opening up space on the field for others. On other occasions he has been part of a failed Vikings passing attack characterized by poor blocking and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s inconsistencies.

Whatever the reasons for Wallace’s miniscule totals that include just two touchdown catches, he admitted being frustrated at times.

“Of course. I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t (get frustrated),” Wallace told Sports Headliners. “I’ve been like three or four games where I had zero catches. Of course you’re going to be upset, but…probably all three of those games we won, so it’s bittersweet. Definitely, first things first is win, but at the end of the day you’re still on the field and you want to do personal things. At the same time you gotta stay positive.”

The Vikings won two of the three games Wallace referenced, defeating the Bears and Falcons while losing to the Packers. In those games and all season he said he remained upbeat. He hasn’t voiced concerns, or made complaints, to coaches.

Wallace likes his teammates and coaches. They support one another and that has everything to do with wanting to remain a Viking. He is all about wanting to return in 2016.

“I love this team,” Wallace said. “I love the guys on this team. I love the coaches. It’s fun. These guys give me energy. …”

Starting this Sunday with a home game against the Bears, Wallace hopes for opportunities to be more involved as the 8-5 Vikings compete for the NFC North championship and a playoff run. The 29-year-old known for his extraordinary speed, wants a fast finish to the season.

“I am trying to, man,” Wallace said. “I am focused on it. I want it to happen. I love being on this team. I want to give myself the best chance to be on this team, try to have a strong finish. …”

Worth Noting

The Vikings had to score 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat the Bears in Chicago last month. Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery caught 10 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown.

It’s likely the Bears offense will feature a lot of quick screen passes to their receivers on Sunday—something the team has favored in its offense for a couple of seasons.

The Vikings started six rookies in their last game on December 10, the most in franchise history. Starting against the Cardinals were offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, linebackers Eric Kendricks and Edmond Robinson, cornerback Trae Waynes and safety Anthony Harris.

The Vikings have scored 11 special teams touchdowns since coordinator Mike Priefer joined the franchise in 2011—tied with the Eagles for the most in the NFL during that span.

Want to be a volunteer for the 2018 Super Bowl in Minneapolis? Maureen Bausch, the Minneapolis-based executive in charge of planning and executing the week-long celebration for the Super Bowl here, told Sports Headliners she expects about 8,000 volunteers will be needed for activities and events. Anyone applying will be vetted four times including online.

Bausch doesn’t expect a problem reaching the 8,000 total and anyone interested can sign up in the summer of 2017. The best way to stay knowledgeable about the process and Super Bowl 2018 news is to sign up now for email notifications at mnsuperbowl.com. And, no, you don’t receive a game ticket if you volunteer.

Mikko Koivu in Wild's Stadium Series uniform. — Mikko Koivu in Wild’s Stadium Series uniform.

The Wild will unveil the 2016 NHL Stadium Series Alumni uniform on Monday during the team’s game against the Stars at Xcel Energy Center. The Stadium Series uniform current Wild players will wear was unveiled in late November and jersey sales to fans have been so brisk club officials were anticipating another shipment before Christmas.

Tickets remain for the 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series weekend February 20-21. Starting at 4 p.m. on February 20 alumni from the Wild and North Stars will face alums from the Blackhawks. The next day beginning at 2:30 p.m. the Wild play the Blackhawks. Both games will be held outdoors at TCF Bank Stadium.

Former Gophers basketball player Jamal Abu-Shamala is now a financial services representative with Principal Financial Group and offices in Minnetonka.

Undefeated Hopkins is ranked No. 7 among midwest boys basketball teams by USA Today following last Saturday’s 89-81 win over previously unbeaten Apple Valley. The Royals are No. 25 in USA Today’s national rankings. Last week Apple Valley was No. 16 in the rankings but now is unranked.

Iowa Western Community College assistant coach James Bankhead is recruiting Minneapolis North forward Jamil Jackson and St. Croix Lutheran guard Ade Murkey. Iowa Western’s roster this season includes sophomore guard Andre Wallace who played at Eden Prairie High School. Iowa Western is ranked No. 10 in the latest NJCAA poll of Division I programs.

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