Because of an injured back, quarterback Gus Frerotte didn’t start the last three regular season games of the year for the Vikings but he was the most important player in the locker room this season. That’s the opinion of former Vikings’ assistant coach Dean Dalton who assisted Sports Headliners with identifying the team’s most valuable players, most improved, pleasant surprise, and best rookie and coach during the Purple’s 2008 season.
Frerotte, 37, began pre-season and the regular season as a mentor to 25-year-old Tarvaris Jackson. Then he took over as the team’s starting quarterback after two games. He helped the Vikings to eight wins in 11 games including at Detroit when he was injured and replaced by Jackson. But Frerotte continued to be supportive of Jackson and a team leader. Dalton, who now analyzes the Vikings and NFL in the media, said Frerotte’s attitude avoided a potentially “divisive” and dysfunctional locker room situation.
No surprise that Dalton likes Adrian Peterson as offensive MVP. Peterson led the NFL in rushing with 1,760 yards. “This team is not in a position to play for the playoffs without him,” Dalton said before Sunday’s win over the New York Giants.
Dalton is an admirer of team sack leader Jared Allen (14.5) but his choice for defensive MVP is tackle Kevin Williams. He describes Williams as such a “force inside” that he makes Allen’s job easier and more effective at defensive end.
The special team’s MVP is kicker Ryan Longwell who won last Sunday’s game with a last minute 50 yard field goal against the Giants that made sure the Vikings qualified for the playoffs. Longwell accounted for 127 points of the team season total of 379. “Ryan Longwell is steady,” Dalton said. “He’s money. He gets a lot of points for this team.”
Jackson and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe are co-title holders for most improved. Jackson threw seven touchdown passes and only one interception in the last three games of the season, all starts. The Vikings won two of the three playoff drive games.
Dalton would like to see Jackson stop taking open field hits when he runs but he praised the “maturity and poise” shown by the 2006 second round draft choice. “He’s the quarterback everybody wanted him to be right now,” Dalton said prior to Sunday’s game.
Shiancoe came to the Vikings as a free agent in 2007 and was a flop last season and for awhile this year. He was dropping balls earlier in the season and not showing “courage” going over the middle of the field, according to Dalton. But after awhile Shiancoe was used more on vertical patterns, started catching passes and did display courage in the middle of the field. He caught 42 passes including seven touchdowns compared with totals of 27 and one last season. “I would say his blocking is adequate now where before it was poor,” Dalton said regarding another improved aspect of Shiancoe’s play.
Bernard Berrian, the pricey wide receiver who came here as a free agent from Chicago, is Dalton’s most pleasant surprise pick. Initially Dalton thought spending that money (reportedly $42 million) was a “big reach” but Berrian began to produce when Frerotte took over at quarterback. His vertical speed (seven touchdowns) made the running game of Peterson and Chester Taylor better.
Tyrell Johnson is an easy choice as top rookie. He was a capable replacement for Madieu Williams at free safety early in the season when Williams was injured. Johnson, a second round draft choice, led a minimal rookie group comprised of six players.
Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier did the best coaching job on the staff, Dalton said. He also said the Vikings had a “bend but not break” defense that was efficient in limiting red zone scoring. “They’ve been great at creating turnovers and if you give them the lead they’re monstrous,” Dalton said. “Plus, they continue to be the best running defense in the National Football League.”