J's Reaction - Week 9

Box-score

Earlier in the week, as always, I wrote up what I thought the keys to the game were. Let's revisit them:

• Take advantage in the red-zone - CHECK; The Vikings were able to make the most out of their redzone opportunites. Adrian Peterson and Sidney Rice both had TD's.
• Improved safety play - CHECK; Good to have Madieu Williams healthy. He showed why the Vikings signed him with a huge INT in the end-zone.
• Someone step up at MLB - Eh...; Napoleon Harris was pretty invisible, but didn't make any glaring mistakes. The Vikings still miss E.J. Henderson...A LOT.
• Force turnovers - CHECK; The Vikings got after Schaub/Rosenfels and had two INT's to go along with a fumble recovery and another forced fumble.
• Good game from the special teams - CHECK; The Vikings didn't give up any big plays for once and contained the dangerous Jacoby Jones. Kluwe did a good job angling his punts towards the sidelines and the coverage units were excellent today. 4 of Kluwe's 6 punts went inside the 20 yard line.
• Big game from AP - CHECK; Adrian had a very quiet first half, outside of a 1 yard TD plunge, but the Vikings kept trying to get him going in the second half and he responded. Peterson busted several big runs in the second half and accounted for the majority of yards on the Vikings' final TD drive. Peterson finished with 139 yards on the ground.
• Contain Mario Williams - CHECK; He did have one sack, but Cook did his job for the most part today and kept him out of the game for the most part.

I only started making Win/Loss predictions the past 3 games and I'm now at 3-0 (hey sometimes ya gotta toot your own horn, right?)

Observations:

• Jared Allen drew heavy criticism among fans at the beginning of the year when he got off to a slow start, but he had 2 sacks today and forced a fumble. He's on pace for 14, which is exactly why the Vikings wanted him. He creates pressure on every play, even when he doesn't register a sack. He was worth every penny and was huge in the 4th quarter today.
• Another player under a lot of criticism early in the year was Bernard Berrian. Some Vikings' fans were even comparing him to Troy Williamson (seriously...). Berrian will drop the occasional balls, but he makes up for it with big plays. He made a great catch on the first play of the game while being double covered down the sideline. Frerotte's pass was late and a bit underthrown, the safety came over at the last second, but Berrian made a nice adjustment and somehow came down with it. He later made a leaping grab on the sideline, spun around the defender and was gone for a 49 yard catch and run. Berrian was the best available WR this off-season and he's proving that. Berrian now has TD receptions in 4 straight games and went over 100 yards for the 3rd time this season.
• Gus Frerotte showed once again why he is the starter. Frerotte did a great job managing the game today. He only threw for 182 yards, but had 3 TD's. His only INT came off a ball that deflected off of Bernard Berrian's shoulder and unfortunately went for 6 the other way. It was a ball that Berrian should've caught, but Frerotte also could've put it more on the numbers..
• The Vikings have used Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor in the game more lately and it seems to be effective. Another thing they've done is motion the FB into the slot. Nafahu Tahi in the slot, really? I don't think it really scares anyone, but they did the same thing with Jeff Dugan on Visanthe Shiancoe's TD. Jim Kleinsasser and Jeff Dugan were both split out wide, with Berrian in the slot.
• I thought the offensive PI call on Aundrae Allison towards the end of the half was extremely ticky-tack. I guess that makes up for the one called on Detroit's Leigh Bodden in the Vikings 12-10 win over the Lions.
• Visanthe Shiancoe has 4 TD's on the year and 3 of them have come on what looks to be the same play, a chip and release straight up the seam.
• The Vikings still gave up too many big plays over the middle of the field. Owen Daniels shredded us with 11 catches for 133 yards.
• Darren Sharper is probably playing his last season as a Viking. Sharper seems to have lost a step, takes bad angles, and misses too many tackles. He did come up with the Texans' onside kick though.
• As I'm writing this, Brad Johnson has been benched in Dallas after throwing 2 picks in the first half and looking like crap. Brooks Bollinger came in to start the 3rd quarter and threw a pick on his first throw. You can't help but laugh.