- No Quit
- Brett Favre
- Bernard Berrian
- Greg Camarillo
- Visanth(e) Steussie?
- Iron Man
- Bryant McKinnie
- Hands Of Stone
My quick take after yesterday’s BIG WIN.
For a team in turmoil and a locker room full of players who don’t really respect their head coach, they did not pack it up to wait for next season.
That’s an excellent sign for Vikings fans because saving their coach’s job doesn’t appear to be a motivating factor for these players. As Jared Allen told reporters after the game, “We won one for us.”
The sad thing is, if the Vikings are going to play the way they played for most of the game yesterday, they’re definitely going to need the no quit attitude in order to overcome their own poor play.
The team only really started to shine when Favre took control of a no-huddle offense and Leslie Frazier dialed up numerous blitzes to put pressure on Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson.
BRETT FAVRE
Had a career game in terms of yardage, with 446 yards on 36 completions from 47 attempts. Forty-seven attempts.
Brett Favre‘s best performance of the year saved his coach’s ass.
BERNARD BERRIAN
I really think the story of this game is about Bernard Berrian‘s return from the dead.
It is, at least, the most important storyline for our immediate future. The offense has been needing him to emerge as a threat all season long but better late than never. Unfortunately, it was awfully late.
Yesterday, however, Berrian was a rock star, hauling in nine catches for 89 yards which included a 22-yarder for a first down that put the Vikings in field goal range in overtime to win it.
If this marks the ever-elusive bonding of Favre and Berrian, then that bodes very well for the Vikings chances in this no-margin-for-error second half of the 2010 season.
GREG CAMARILLO
Greg Camarillo may have had the play of the game. His hustle turned a sure touchdown into zero points for the Cardinals and another chance for the Vikings on the strip he made on Kerry Rhodes’ interception return during the Vikings first offensive series.
It kept the Vikings from falling into the early hole they’ve become all too accustomed to this season.
More importantly for the long-term, though, Camarillo caught four passes for 66 yards and in the process seemed to establish some comfort between himself and his quarterback.
VISANTH(E) STEUSSIE?
Is Visanth(e) Shiancoe the second coming of Todd Steussie?
You’ll remember Todd Steussie as the left tackle who played alongside Hall of Famer Randall McDaniel during the 1990s and was seemingly congenitally incapable of staying onside?
DIGRESSION: One of the funniest moments in Vikings history for me was when, after yet another offsides penalty by Steussie, center Jeff Christy punched Steussie in the head when they returned to the huddle, apparently upon Steussie’s direction.
Shiancoe is jumping offsides far too often and in critical situations these days. Don’t be going all Steussie on us, Shank.
He made up for it, though, with his clutch catches late in the game culminating in his touchdown catch to force overtime. [WATCH the Vikings Game-Tying Touchdown Drive Against the Cardinals.]
IRON MAN
Cue up Black Sabbath: I….am….Iiiiiiron Maaaaannnnnn.
Looks like Brett Favre and Percy Harvin are competing for the title of Iron Man this season. On a gimpy ankle and without the Moss Cushion, Harvin turned in another nearly-stellar performance with nine catches for 126 yards and an additional 70 yards on kick returns.
It was a nearly stellar performance because, of course, for the second week in a row, Harvin coughed up the ball on a play that led to an opponent’s score. This time is was a fumble on a kick return that the Cardinals picked up and ran directly for a touchdown.
Last week, Harvin couldn’t hold onto a ball he originally caught, which was picked off by New England and which led to a Patriots’ touchdown on the ensuing series.
Is Percy the new Peterson?
BRYANT McKINNIE
One of the benefits of tanking this season would be to get a high draft pick with which we could take a real left tackle. Bryant McKinnie was responsible for Brett Favre taking a couple of shots and for the interception Favre threw late in the third quarter on a second-and-goal because Favre was hit by McKinnie’s guy after the left tackle was badly beaten on an inside move.
HANDS OF STONE
Chad Greenway couldn’t hold onto a gift interception on a laughably poor pass by Derek Anderson early in the game that, had he not taken it in for a score himself, would’ve at least set the Vikings offense up with a goal-to-go opportunity.
Instead, the Vikings forced a punt and the ensuing drive resulted in nada.
Will someone please make our defensive players stay late after practice to play catch? Please?