SteelCrazy
10-28-2009, 08:19 PM
The Minnesota Vikings have the best young running back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson, who is just starting to reach his prime at 24.
They have an aging quarterback in Brett Favre, who sometimes acts his age, which is 40.
So what did Vikings coach Brad Childress do against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday? He ran Peterson 18 times and had Favre throw 51 passes. That strategy backfired when Favre committed two turnovers in the fourth quarter that the Steelers turned into touchdowns and a 27-17 victory.
Another good example of how the Vikings paid the price for throwing too much came in the third quarter, after Peterson was stopped for no gain at the Steelers 1 on first down. Childress didn't go back to his running back. He had Favre throw two incomplete passes and kicked a field goal.
Even the Steelers seemed stunned by the decision at a time when the Vikings trailed by six.
"You have the best running back in the world, and you don't run it," Steelers safety Ryan Clark said. "That shows respect for our front seven."
Steelers linebacker James Farrior also chimed in, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "Maybe too much respect."
Why not let the best back in the game have more than one chance try to get the yard?
The Vikings didn't have the look of a well-coached team.
After they took the ball with 14:08 left in the game, a 35-yard yard Favre pass to Sidney Rice was called back by a holding penalty. An 8-yarder to Greg Lewis was called back by an illegal shift, which was followed by a false start. And a 10-yard touchdown pass to Rice was overturned by a questionable tripping call.
The Vikings had the ball for 7:32 on the drive. Then Favre, looking like an old man, held the ball too low and too long. Brett Keisel slapped it away and LaMarr Woodley returned it 77 yards for a touchdown.
The Vikings stayed in the game when former Florida standout Percy Harvin returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown.
Then Keyaron Fox grabbed a pass that went through Chester Taylor's arms and returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown to wrap it up.
http://jacksonville.com/sports/football ... _backfires (http://jacksonville.com/sports/football/2009-10-28/story/midweek_confidential_vikings_strange_strategy_back fires)
They have an aging quarterback in Brett Favre, who sometimes acts his age, which is 40.
So what did Vikings coach Brad Childress do against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday? He ran Peterson 18 times and had Favre throw 51 passes. That strategy backfired when Favre committed two turnovers in the fourth quarter that the Steelers turned into touchdowns and a 27-17 victory.
Another good example of how the Vikings paid the price for throwing too much came in the third quarter, after Peterson was stopped for no gain at the Steelers 1 on first down. Childress didn't go back to his running back. He had Favre throw two incomplete passes and kicked a field goal.
Even the Steelers seemed stunned by the decision at a time when the Vikings trailed by six.
"You have the best running back in the world, and you don't run it," Steelers safety Ryan Clark said. "That shows respect for our front seven."
Steelers linebacker James Farrior also chimed in, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "Maybe too much respect."
Why not let the best back in the game have more than one chance try to get the yard?
The Vikings didn't have the look of a well-coached team.
After they took the ball with 14:08 left in the game, a 35-yard yard Favre pass to Sidney Rice was called back by a holding penalty. An 8-yarder to Greg Lewis was called back by an illegal shift, which was followed by a false start. And a 10-yard touchdown pass to Rice was overturned by a questionable tripping call.
The Vikings had the ball for 7:32 on the drive. Then Favre, looking like an old man, held the ball too low and too long. Brett Keisel slapped it away and LaMarr Woodley returned it 77 yards for a touchdown.
The Vikings stayed in the game when former Florida standout Percy Harvin returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown.
Then Keyaron Fox grabbed a pass that went through Chester Taylor's arms and returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown to wrap it up.
http://jacksonville.com/sports/football ... _backfires (http://jacksonville.com/sports/football/2009-10-28/story/midweek_confidential_vikings_strange_strategy_back fires)