From KFAN.com
There seems to be a quiet confidence in the air at Winter Park this week. Viking players have even embraced the underdog role, regardless of the fact that they aren’t necessarily the ‘dogs.
The final six quarters of the regular season, against Chicago and New York, seem to have provided the Vikings with a semblance of momentum, but players are certainly mindful of how everything derailed in early December. The vibe in the locker room, however, suggests that this team has seen and experienced it all. They’ve sniffed the mountaintop air at 10-1, they’ve tasted mud at 11-4, and now they’re ready to move forward.
After listening to Vikings players in the locker room, and after talking with various people “in the know,” it appears as if two factors stand out above the rest if the Vikings intend on advancing to the NFC Championship Game:
1.) How well will the offensive line play? Are we talking Carolina game? Or Giants game?
2.) How will the Vikings slow the Cowboys passing attack?
Bryant McKinnie and Phil Loadholt will likely shoulder the largest responsibilities on Sunday, because they must prevent pass rushers DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer from beheading Brett Favre.
The Cowboys have tallied 16 sacks over the last four games, and they’ve pitched two shutouts. Only one team has scored more than 21 points against the Cowboys defense all season (Giants, twice).
“There’s things you have to do, first of all, with those two outside edge rush guys,” Brad Childress said. “They can bring the heat from the outside. With that said, a guy like (Keith) Brooking, they feature him blitzing. He does a great job of timing up his A-gap blitzes. And then I look at the nose guard, (Jay Ratliff), can bring pressure any way you want it. He can walk the center back, he can make quick move and beat you with quickness in there, and then they wave people in and have some pretty good people that they bring in the game in their nickel situations.
“The conventional ways (to offset the pressure), adding a tight end, adding a running back, mixing scat in where there’s nobody in the backfield, you have to mix it now. (Defenses) are too good if you’re only showing them one kind of protection. Typically they’re going to break a protection down.”
As far as slowing the Cowboys passing attack, that revolves around two things: Getting pressure on Tony Romo, and limiting yards after the catch (i.e. tackling properly). If Romo takes a three-step drop and completes a 5-yard pass, the Vikings defense must make sure Dallas gains only five yards, rather than 15.
“(Romo) is very elusive back there,” Jasper Brinkley said. “A good quarterback. Great quarterback. Fire hot right now in the playoffs. When he throws that quick stuff, it’s all predicated on tackling receivers and getting them down. A lot of missed tackles after contact and it turns into a big play.”
“It’s important,” Benny Sapp said. “You’ve got to tackle. You’ve got to get off the field, especially on third downs. You’ve got to make those tackles and make the plays.”
On top of that, the Vikings safeties and linebackers must keep tabs on TE Jason Witten, who caught 94 passes for 1,030 yards this season. According to Football Outsiders, the Vikings rank in the bottom 1/3 of the league when it comes to defending tight ends in the passing game. This obviously comes as no surprise to anyone who’s watched Vernon Davis and Jermichael Finley run roughshod in the Metrodome.
- Interestingly enough, we’re halfway through January and hardly anybody has talked about the future status of Brett Favre, who signed a two-year contract upon arriving to Minnesota.
Surely we won’t know anything officially one way or the other until August or September, but what will it take for Favre to hang up the pads for more than just OTAs and training camp? If the Vikings lose in the playoffs, will he return for yet another season? Or is this a discussion that is so drenched in drama that maybe we should just leave it alone until further notice?
When asked about retirement on Wednesday, Favre smiled and said, “Good try.”
But as he always does, Favre eventually opened up.
“You know what? All I want is to beat Dallas,” Favre said. “To even think about next year is doing myself an injustice, and this team. I came here for one reason, and that’s to hopefully lead this team to the Super Bowl this year, not next year. We have that opportunity. I’m not good enough to focus on this game, what may happen in the next few weeks, and then next year. I’m going to devote every ounce of energy to this game.
“I see us sitting here having this press conference again next week. If that doesn’t happen, to me it’ll be a shock.”
At this time last year, Favre’s former team, the Jets, were watching the playoffs from their couches at home. Favre nursed a torn biceps. Health issues certainly played a role in Favre’s decision-making process last year, but this year he’s gone relatively unscathed.
“Coming into this year, having that opening press conference and talking about having surgery, but also finding out having a rotator cuff tear, and the fact that I’d been throwing, and throwing OK, but here we are in the playoffs and my arm feels… I’m throwing the ball as well as I threw it back then, two years ago.”
- Brad Childress wouldn’t go into detail, but he said Antoine Winfield (foot), who played only in nickel and short-yardage situations against the Giants, will see more action on the outside this Sunday.
- Childress also said his defense has practiced all season with music blaring over the speakers. This helps simulate a raucous Metrodome atmosphere, and it forces the Vikings defenders to learn how to communicate non-verbally.
- Pat Williams (elbow) spent the bye week treating. Childress expects him to be near 100% on Sunday. It sounds like Pat feels the same way.
“I’m good. Same old same old. Got up this morning early, came to work ready to go. Smiling as usual.”
