Hello, Vikings fans, and welcome to the all-new
Vikings Cavalcade website and blog!
The preseason has come and gone, and what a relief
it is. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching any kind of NFL football, but this
preseason seemed to go on forever! With
every game that passed, we saw some key players go down for the season. The
Vikings had five games this past month, and fans surely sweat a little whenever
the first teamers, primarily Teddy Bridgewater, went through their reps.
The only thing Phil Loadholt, Kelvin Benjamin and Matt Elam have in common is
that they will miss the entire upcoming season. The Bears lost highly-touted
rookie prospect Kevin White, and the Packers lost star receiver Jordy Nelson
(whom I spent significant money to draft in my first-ever auction league).
I think it’s safe to say we’re all glad the
preseason is over. There is truly nothing worse than losing a player to an
injury in a game that matters as much in the long run as you beating your buddy
in a game of Madden.
Preseason Review
The Vikings looked solid in all of the right places
this preseason. Thanks to having five games, Teddy Bridgewater was never in
play for too long and both offensive
coordinator Norv Turner and defensive coordinator George Edwards were able to
run several players through their respective game plans and get a solid look at
whomever they wanted.
Teddy looked about as crisp as any Vikings
quarterback I’ve ever seen in the preseason and he should make good strides
this year. If the Vikings can protect him on pass plays, I see the returns
proving to be huge because of how poised he continues to look in the pocket. With Adrian Peterson returning, the defense will have to respect the running
game, which could help Bridgewater immensely. Our QB has nothing to lose and
everything to gain with one of the best in the game lining up behind him.
The first team defense looked very efficient through
four games. There were some big plays given up, but nothing made me panic and
declare the 2015 Vikings a three-win team. Mike Zimmer and George Edwards
continue to shape the defense into their ultimate image, which might just
someday emulate the Purple People Eaters of old.
San Francisco
What a thrill it is to open the season on Monday
Night Football. This is a chance for Touchdown Teddy to begin writing his
legend. It makes me think of other great Monday night moments for the Vikes,
such as when Randy Moss silenced Lambeau Field in his rookie year. Will he
dazzle a nation watching with a long strike to Mike Wallace? Will Cordarrelle
Patterson finally show signs of returning to the player he was the second half
of his rookie year? And, what will AP do to redeem himself?
It’s hard to place a prediction for the purple and
gold this season. If everything goes according to plan, the Vikings should have
an improved year under Zimmer in season #2. However, these things hardly go the
way we want in Minnesota. Still, count me in the camp of hoping for the best. There is no doubt the Vikings are on the rise.
I don’t really do score predictions, but I feel like
if the 49ers are as bad as people have said, the Vikes should have no problem
dispatching them on the road. They have a rookie head coach and lost several
players in the offseason, but the lights of prime time have not been kind to
the Vikings lately.
In spite of what I just said, I think the Vikings win and return to TCF Bank Stadium 1-0 when the Lions come to town a week from Sunday. Oh, one more thing...
Skol Vikings!
Skol!
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