The season
is finally here and with that comes sweaty hands as I get ready to sit and
watch my favorite team in the whole world. The Vikings are on a two game
winning streak in St. Louis and looking to give Coach Zimmer his first win. What’s
going to happen over the next three hours?
Oh yes,
kickoff and the NFL season has begun. I absolutely love having Cordarelle
Patterson ready to take the ball on kickoffs. I love his decision to take the
ball where maybe few would consider and off he goes. Yes, there was a penalty
for holding but I still am all for his no fear running style.
The game definitely
had its ugliness with all the penalties but that can be fixed for next week.
The first half ends 13-0 in favor of the Vikings.
First half highs and lows
Josh Robinson’s miraculous interception on the
sideline just before half and Greg Jennings effort to haul in a touchdown from
Cassel both should be ESPN top highlights of opening Sunday.
Blair Walsh
connects on a 52 yards field goal which was a great sign. This not only is
great for the Vikes it is great for Walsh’s confidence. The game Sunday marks
the 3rd straight season in which Walsh has had a 50 plus field goal
in a game. I am also reminded that Blair did miss his last 3 field goals attempts
of over 50 to end last season. Way to go Blair and give the Vikes the extra
weapon in your leg. I am also very excited about the kickoff lengths Walsh hit
Sunday giving the Rams bad field position each time to start the drive.
The low came
for me with the Marcus Sherels incident trying to catch a punt. I was upset at
first that he was not given the opportunity to fairly catch it. I did realize
after replay that Blanton did in fact block Bates in Sherels. I then believe
there should have been thrown a flag for a violation of having his helmet off
while on the field. I also was disgusted with his lack of professionalism as he
is standing there celebrating as injured Sherels is laying there. Where is the
class in that? I find it ironic later in the game he does indeed get a penalty
for taunting. This is the kind of stuff the NFL could do without.
The second
half opens with a Rams surprise as they insert new quarterback, Austin Davis. I
loved the Vikings defense pinning their ears back and going full force.
A Vikings
defense that gave up 480 points last season and had 5 epic collapses in 2013
came Sunday to St. Louis and showed the NFL world that the Mike Zimmer lead
Vikings will be no push over.
A Vikings
defense that came up with 5 sacks (2-Everson Griffen, 1-Harrison Smith 1- Tom
Johnson and 1-Linval Joseph). This is the team that lost Jared Allen in the
offseason and yet sees 4 sacks from the defensive line.
The 2
interceptions just can’t be talked about enough. The effort of Josh Robinson I referred
to earlier but how about Harrison Smith stepping in front of a receiver ag
going 81 yards to the house. How about Defensive End, Everson Griffen’s hustle
to get ahead of Smith and lead the way. I call that true team work.
I am so sky
high on the defense it seems strange to write about the defense before the
offense. I don’t even know where to start with my eyes focused on Adrian every
time he took the handoff I was expecting a long distance sprint. He ends the
game with 75 yards which is a nice start to the season but to see a player on
the Vikings rush for more than 100 yards and his name is not AP. I give all the props in the world to
Cordarrelle Patterson for his 3 rushes and 102 yards. This win goes down in my
heart even more because the way the unexpected things happened Sunday.
I am of the opinion
based on late last season and the way Week 1 went in St. Louis for Cordarrelle
Patterson that the trade with New England that brought CP might just go down as
one of the best in team history. It is indeed early but based on the results
can you really argue this.
There were
so many positives to look at starting with the punting of Jeff Locke. I thought
he did a great job of punting and giving plenty of hang time for the coverage
teams to get their job done. I also thought the special team did a great job of
containing Rams’ speedster, Tavon Austin.
I loved the
job of tackling the defense did on Sunday. It is a definite need to happen if
the team wants to hang with the rest of the NFC North.
A win on the
road which the team failed to do all last year along with the lopsided score
was nice to witness instead of holding my breath in hopes we just hang on.
Was there a
better picture on TV than when Patterson took a bucket of water and doused
Coach Zimmer? The smile on Zimmer’s’ face was so nice to see.
The team
does have 15 weeks left but it is truly nice to say the Vikings are in 1st
place and undefeated. It is even nicer to say that Green Bay and Chicago are
both 0-1.
I picked the
Vikings to win 31-10 and came pretty close. I also had Patterson and the
Vikings defense on my fantasy team. What a day!!!!!
Thanks for
reading
Todd
Walkingstick
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