Joe Webb, Brett Favre
Ford Field was full of C squads today. The crowd was barely engaged (and didn’t fill the stadium). The FOX announcers wore purple, which is the best thing I can say about them. And the Vikings, who played like a team already on their 5 month cushy vacation. And what was with Favre and his #4 cap? He couldn’t be bothered to wear a Vikings cap? Change it out at half-time?
I think like many, I had high expectations of Joe Webb after his performance on Tuesday against the Eagles. In the first half, Joe wasn’t doing himself any favors. He threw an INT, when he could have run for the first down. He overthrew a totally open Lorenzo Booker. He checked down to Peterson leaving no room for him to run. Joe Cool didn’t have a spectacular, or even good, first half, swinging me back to the opinion that we should use our first round pick on a QB. The o-line was decent on pass protection, but couldn’t open up even a sliver of space for Adrian Peterson to run through, leading Frazier to try Toby Gerhart in his stead. Webb took several sacks in the second half. O-Line failure or hanging on to the ball too long? A little of both it seemed.
Leslie Frazier: Future Head Coach was unable to motivate the defensive secondary.
The Vikings defense during the first half was atrocious. They played like a team that didn’t care if a loss would result in the Vikings holding last place in the division for the 1st time since 1984. Frank Walker missed tackle after tackle. He commented about the Timberwolves dancers looking like replacements this week, because he’s a class-act like that. Well, Frank, here’s a little news for you: it would be GREAT if you could even PLAY like a replacement player. Two words: you suck. If Leslie Frazier brings Walker back next year, I will have serious doubts about the Wilf’s choice in our new head coach.
Coming out of half time, the defense was ready to go. Or not. The Lions marched down the field like the Vikings’ defense hadn’t left the locker room. The drive ended with a field goal. Things improved with a delicious pick-6 by Jared Allen in the waning minutes of the 3rd quarter. Allen now has more TDs than Bernard Berrian this season. It was an amazing play that ended in the end zone with his modified non-knee-to-the-turf calf roping celebration. Would it be enough to swing the momentum in the Vikings’ favor?
No. The Vikings could not get it together. Webb missed Percy several times. Frank Walker continued to be one of the worst cornerbacks I have ever seen. A late on-side kick was similarly wasted due to poor execution. The broadcast ended with Favre running alone down a tunnel without congratulating the winning team.
And so ends the incredibly painful 2010 Vikings season. It’s been a long and disheartening one. Here’s hoping for a better 2011 season full of excitement and low on the drama. Skol Vikings Nation!
PS – Just because the season is over doesn’t mean I won’t be blogging. There’s a lot still to cover: the play-offs, the Super Bowl, the CBA negotions, the draft and progress on a new stadium. I’ll be here. I hope you will, too.
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