If the Vikings (6-5) are going to qualify for the playoffs they will need much more production from their pass receivers than Minnesota had yesterday in a 28-10 loss to the Bears in Chicago.
The receivers, led by Jerome Simpson’s three drops, couldn’t catch numerous passes. The Vikings had 159 yards in passing offense while rushing for 114 yards. The offense converted on only 37 percent of third down plays (33 percent on fourth downs). The team played without injured wide receiver Percy Harvin who has been the most effective Viking this season making longer receptions.
“I put this loss on the receiving corps not making enough plays down the field,” said Dean Dalton, the former Vikings assistant coach who now has an NFL show on Sirius Satellite Radio. “In a passing league, if you don’t have that threat you become one dimensional no matter how great Adrian Peterson is.”
Second-year quarterback Christian Ponder completed 22 of 43 passes and threw one touchdown pass and one interception. His stats probably looked worse than how he performed. “I think Christian Ponder made reasonably good decisions today,” Dalton said. “The receiving corps has been a huge disappointment (this season) because they haven’t been able to make explosive plays. They (the Vikings) have got to find a way to get production out of the vertical passing game. Peterson can (then) be even more productive.”
Simpson’s first drop yesterday came in the opening quarter. On a third down and four yards to go he couldn’t catch a ball that would have sustained a drive, and the Vikings then settled for a field goal.
Simpson, an offseason free-agent acquisition, has caught just 12 passes for 138 yards and no touchdowns in seven games this season. “He’s a leader of the clubhouse,” Dalton said. “This kid has great speed. He has great athleticism. We have not seen that productivity, that consistency (needed).”
Tight end John Carlson (a more costly 2012 free-agent acquisition) and wide receivers Stephen Burton and Michael Jenkins also dropped balls yesterday. The best receivers were tight end Kyle Rudolph and wide receiver Jarius Wright who combined for 12 receptions and 104 yards.
Dalton said the Vikings “defense can be outstanding” and the “rushing game excellent” but the downfield threat in the passing game has to emerge in the team’s remaining games. He also said receivers coach George Stewart is “outstanding” but the players have to execute better including the most basic of fundamentals like looking the ball into their hands.
Yesterday the Vikings did give up 28 points but the Bears sometimes only had to move the ball short distances to score. The defense, Dalton said, was also on the field too long because the offense couldn’t sustain drives.
With five regular season games still on the schedule, the offense, including Ponder and the receiver corps, will have some make-good opportunities including next Sunday in Green Bay against the Packers.
Worth Noting
Dalton’s son Devon Dalton plays the tuba in the Auburn marching band. Dalton is a season ticket holder for Tigers’ home football games and said it was hardly a secret this fall that head coach Gene Chizik was going to be let go despite winning the national championship only two years ago. Dalton was amused recalling some band members were promoting his name as Chizik’s successor. “They’ll find a southern fella,” Dalton said.
An NFL college scouting executive told Sports Headliners he doesn’t think Gophers senior MarQueis Gray will be drafted by an NFL team. The 6-4, 250-pound Gray is unlikely to have a professional opportunity to play quarterback but might get a free agent look as an H-back, or tight end, according to the authority.
He projects 50 or more underclassmen leaving school early for the 2013 NFL Draft. He said defensive tackle has the potential to be a particularly deep position.
Here are Sports Headliners’ final Big Ten football power rankings: Ohio State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana and Illinois.
Look for the Gophers coaches, with the players off this week before beginning preparations for their bowl game, to emphasize recruiting including junior college prospects.
John Revere, father of Twins outfielder Ben Revere, has been named Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association among schools in the Football Championship Subdivision. He is the running backs coach at Eastern Kentucky.
The Minnesota Football Coaches Association will announce its 2012 Mr. Football winner on December 9. The 10 finalists are Marley Allison, Edina; Jake Disterhaupt, Moose Lake-Willow River; Chase Morlock, Moorhead; James Onwualu, Cretin-Derham Hall; Noah Scarver, Washburn; Shaun Schindler, Hutchinson; Bridgeport Tusler, Osseo; Brett Watercott, Becker;Jake Wieneke, Maple Grove; Alex Wood, Lakeville North.
Noel Mazzone, who was an assistant coach for the Gophers from 1992-1994, is in his first season as offensive coordinator at UCLA and is being credited with the Bruins’ turn-around season that includes a Pac-12 South Division championship. UCLA plays at Stanford for the Pac-12 championship on Friday night.
John Gagliardi, who retired earlier this month as the winningest college football coach of all time, has seen his Saint John’s teams struggle the last few seasons but as recently as 2007 was the Liberty Mutual Division III College Coach of the Year.
The Gophers basketball team plays at Florida State (4-1) tomorrow night on ESPN2 as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge series. The Seminoles are a potential top 25 team led by senior Michael Snaer who is making almost 41 percent of his three point shots and could be one of the nation’s best shooting guards. The game starts at 6:15 p.m. Minneapolis time.
Minnesota (6-1) won fifth place in the Battle 4 Atlantis with an opening game loss to top 10 ranked Duke and victories over Memphis and Stanford. Minnesota’s good fortune against Stanford included more than Andre Hollins being fouled on a desperation shot from near mid-court at game’s end, and then converting three free throws for a 66-63 victory. Maverick Ahanmisi, Hollins’ backup at point guard and a 5.4 points per game scorer, came off the bench in the first half to make five free throws by throwing his body into the Cardinal defense and drawing fouls.
Apple Valley High School’s Tyus Jones is one of only two juniors included on the preseason prep All-American team announced earlier this month by USA Today High School Sports. Jones is one of three point guards on the 10-player roster. The Eagles open their season on December 4 at St. Louis Park High School.
Former Timberwolves assistant coach Eric Musselman is now an assistant at Arizona State.
Gophers baseball coach John Anderson said his team has 38 games scheduled for next year, with 22 at the Metrodome and 16 at the new Siebert Field including the opener on April 5. The $7.2 million facility will seat about 1,500 fans.