what do the vikings need?

Balla

Video Games Moderator

what do you think the vikings need to actually make it to the superbowl? when i say "what do they need" i mean like, better QB, Better WR, better coach etc etc..

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Experience. One new player or coach won't help them. They need some continuity. I think they'd have been better this year if they had been able to keep Mike Tomlin, but it's hard to keep coaches around when fans have such short leases of patience. It's really starting to get on my nerves all the. "Oh the Vikings should give up on Tarvaris and draft a QB next year" talk. I believe they traded three picks to move up and get him, and it'd be stupid to just give up on him after one year. It seems like all these fans want instant results. They all want these guys to be the next Peyton Manning. I think in the future Tarvaris Jackson will be a serviceable starter in the league. I don't think he'll be a Superstar, but I think he'll be solid. He has the tools, they just need refining.

A lot of people want a new head coach already. In my own opinion, I don't think they should've even hired him. But I think it would do the players some good to have a coach for more than just 2 years. I mean, if you really expected a lot from the Vikings this year, you're either stupid, or have way to high of optimism.

Freak

To be completely honest, after last week's game versus Dallas, I see nothing in Tarvaris Jackson that makes me think he'll ever be a capable NFL quarterback. And it's not that he's not making plays on his own -- I can forgive that in a quarterback for the first few years of his career -- it's that he seems to lack every single intangible needed to play the position and lead a football team. Even when he's got loads of time to throw, he completely misses his open receivers, and then refuses to listen to his coaches and teammates after making mistakes.

So anyway, I absolutely think the Vikings need a new quarterback. That said, I also think they need a new coach (badly), an experienced wide receiver (badly), a tight end, a right guard, a right tackle (really badly), someone who can rush the passer, a starting cornerback, and another safety.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

To add to there 4 safeties as it is? I agree on the new coach, but I think it's just too much to say they can turn it around in one season. Bryant McKinnie needs to stay consistent, sometimes he's solid sometimes he's a revolving door. And does Marcus McCauley even get a shot at corner? Or Cedric Griffin? Do these guys get anytime to mature? Anyway, RG and RT I admit I completely missed >.<

Freak

McCauley has shown potential and deserves a shot at a starting job somewhere down the line, but I've always found Griffin to be just awful. Even Winfield has been in way over his head this year (not just because he's hella short), but that may also be a case of there being no pass-rush.

As for safety, again, it may be that opposing QBs have too much time to throw, but Sharper just can't keep up anymore. He'd lost his step before he left Green Bay; now it's way too easy to run by him.

But getting back to Childress, I realize it doesn't look very good to fire a coach after two years, but it's become pretty clear to most that he's not a good fit, and the chances of him turning it around next season are like a zillion to one. It may mess with the young players a little bit, but in my eyes, Minnesota is a team that's really close to winning now; as many holes as I've said they need to feel, they've got two championship-caliber units going for them: a potentially-dominant rushing game, and an already-dominant rush defense.

I'm predicting we'll hear rumblings of a McNabb-to-Minny trade after this season.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

I wouldn't doubt that, but who'd he throw to? Troy Williamson couldn't catch a ball even with Stick 'em. I don't get why they even hired Childress in the first place. Maybe they can trade him back to the Eagles for Donovan McNabb

Freak

I've seen a lot of Vikes fans show excitement about Sidney Rice, and even Aundrae Allison... But no, like I said before, they must bring in an experienced wideout this offseason -- at the very least, something like Philly's signing of Kevin Curtis, or... well, for some reason I can't think of any other teams who brought in WRs except New England...

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

The Niners brought in Jackson but the team's been so awful he hasn't been able to make a difference. The problem with WRs it seems as though anyone who wants to get rid of a solid one is because they're a fucking pain in the ass. Would you want a guy like Porter?

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

SF brought in Darrell Jackson
ATL got Joe Horn
STL got Drew Bennett
WAS got Eric Moulds

Freak

Sorry, I should have clarified: teams that brought in WRs who've been PRODUCTIVE (ie. Curtis, Moss, Welker, Stallworth).