Peterson has 409 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Packers this season.

The Minnesota Vikings tumultuous 2012 season has come down to Saturday night. When the season started, many NFL analysts had the Vikings in the 4-6 win range. Last August, if you would have said THIS Minnesota Vikings team will make the playoffs, you would have had your Helga hat rights revoked. With a handful of rookies a barely second-year quarterback that had yet to prove himself and a Pro Bowl running back coming off a devastating ACL and MCL tear, this team had little hope. But here we are on January 4, 2013 with wildcard in hand, looking to play the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the playoffs.

The Vikings have surpassed all expectations of the 2012-2013 season and are looking at a bone chillingly cold playoff game at Lambeau Field Saturday night. With an impressive team showing last Sunday afternoon, the Vikings are poised to beat all odds and head deep into the playoffs.

Christian Ponder and Adrian Peterson both need to have games similar to their performances Sunday to give the Vikings a chance. Peterson, who came nine yards short to breaking the NFL all-time rushing record, has rushed for 409 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Packers this season. But even with huge numbers from Peterson, the Packers have proved they can allow these rushing yards and still win. Ponder will need to play at the level he did on Sunday to have any shot at keeping the Vikings in the game. Ponder, who threw for 234 yards and three touchdowns Sunday is listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game due to an elbow injury he received in last week’s game.

The Packers will be getting back almost all of their weapons that have been out with injuries this season. CB Charles Woodson has been cleared to play after missing the majority of the season with a broken collarbone. Wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb have also been cleared to play. The Vikings have listed Christian Ponder as questionable as well as CB Antoine Winfield, with a hand injury.

I haven’t made a game score prediction all season and I’m typically not the most optimistic Vikings fan in the world (Hello! I live in Wisconsin!). A few stats I like: The Vikings are 1-0 in playoff games at Lambeau Field and the Packers are 2-4 in their last six home games. I was also very encouraged by the play of Ponder last week and thought was the most well-rounded I had seen the Vikings all season. I’ll take Vikings 24-21. See you in Georgia!

Kim’s prediction: I write for the Vikings, I’m a fan of the Vikings, I gotta pick the Vikings. Call me a homer but I think in the cold the Vikings’ run game will have more success than the Packers’ passing game.  It won’t be a shootout like last weekend, though.
Vikings 23, Packers 21

The Vikings ability to advance in the playoffs will likely depend on QB Christian Ponder’s play on Saturday, not Adrian Peterson

After winning against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Vikings earned themselves another border battle.  This time it’ll be in the playoffs on Saturday at Lambeau Field.

“Playoffs!? That was awesome,” said quarterback Christian Ponder.

The Vikings last made the playoffs during the 2009 season with Brett Favre at quarterback.  Only 13 players from that squad remain with the Vikings.

Ponder, who is in his second season in the NFL and first full year as the Vikings starter, will be making his first playoff start on Sunday.  Ponder will be among many of the young Vikings who will be new to the playoff intensity they will see on Saturday.

“We know that it is a high pressure situation, but for me, I’m going to try to treat it like I’ve done the past several weeks. We’ve treated that like playoffs games,” said Ponder. “Our number one goal is to get to the Super Bowl and win it and have a ring on our finger. We’re just going to prepare and work hard like we do every week.”

Despite Adrian Peterson’s dominance against the Packers during the regular season, the Vikings will sink or swim based on how Ponder plays.

Exhibit A — Vikings loss to Green Bay:

• Christian Ponder: 12/25 for 119 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions
• Adrian Peterson: 21 rushes for 210 yards and a touchdown

Exhibit B — Vikings win against Green Bay:

• Christian Ponder: 16/28 for 234 yards and three touchdown (no turnovers)
• Adrian Peterson: 34 rushes for 199 yards and a touchdown

Peterson fell eight yards short of Eric Dickerson’s all-time NFL rushing record

Almost one month ago this Minnesota Vikings team was all but counted out of the playoff hunt. The Vikings had just left Lambeau Field, licking their wounds after a 23-14 loss. QB Christian Ponder put the loss on his shoulders, after a dismal showing and Head Coach Leslie Frazier said every game after that would have to be treated like a playoff game.

And the Vikings were ready. They went on to win their next four games; home against the Bears, at the Rams, at the Texans and home against the Packers, to sneak into the playoffs, nabbing that last wildcard spot.

“Just a great job by our football team,” Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier said moments after the game. “I’m so proud of our guys. A complete team effort all the way across against a very good football team. For our guys to be as resilient as they were throughout this ballgame…our fans were terrific throughout this game. It’s the first time in a long time I felt like, playing against Green Bay and being at home, we truly had home-field advantage because our fans were loud, they made it hard for their team to really function at times, and we needed that. I’m very, very grateful to our fans that really had an impact on this ballgame at Mall of America Field.”

» Continue reading “Vikings Run Past Packers and Right Into Playoffs”

Are you pondering for a new Vikings QB? If yes, CALM DOWN!

Take a deep breath, everyone. Step away from the edge. It’s going to be okay.

After Sunday’s (mostly) terrible loss to NFC North rival Green Bay 23-14 on their turf, Minnesota Vikings fans are looking for someone to blame. And all those fingers are pointing at Christian Ponder.

Ponder, who admittedly had a less-than-stellar game, went 12 of 25 for 119 yards and two interceptions. These two interceptions were each at crucial points in the game, when the Vikings were driving.

“This one definitely hurts. With what‘s at stake in the season this game was important,” said Ponder. “For what this games means to the team, the state, with how Adrian [Peterson] played, it’s disappointing to go out and throw two interceptions.”

Running back Adrian Peterson had an incredible game, running for 210 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown run – the longest of his career. Ponder pessimists are pushing for an immediate benching of the second-year quarterback. But Vikings fans need to take a step back for a moment and look at the big picture.

Keeping in mind we’ve got four games left in the 2012 season, Ponder has 14 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 2,305 yards and averages 6.0 yards per completion. Looking for comparison? Drew Brees in his second year at the San Diego Chargers helm had 11 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 2,108 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per completion.

» Continue reading “Pondering a New Quarterback? You Aren’t the Only One..”

EW. PACKERS! EW.

Coming off big losses, the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers will meet up for a division game Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The Packers (7-4) are coming off their most lop-sided loss since December, 2007. The Vikings (6-5) are coming off a less-than-stellar performance in Chicago where they fell to the Bears 28-10.

“I was (surprised),” said RB Adrian Peterson, who recorded his fifth straight 100-yard rushing game with 108 on 18 carries. “We had a great week of practice. We just came out and couldn’t get anything going. We’ve just got to shake it off and move forward.”

The Vikings had numerous turnovers and miscues that led to their defeat in Chicago, including two turnovers that led to touchdowns. The Vikings will look to Peterson to get back to their winning ways. Peterson has five straight 100-yard games, averaging 147 yards per game during this span and running for 727 yards. The Packers have lacked at the running back position, with their top three running backs running for 739 yards all season. Good news for Peterson? Packers defensive end CJ Wilson, who specializes in stopping the run game, has been all but ruled out Sunday.

» Continue reading “Vikings Take on NFC North Rival Packers Sunday”

Minnesota Governor explains decision to pay for part of Vikings Stadium: During an interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Gov. Dayton explained that the current stadium deal (that just passed) was the best available option at the time.

“I’m not one to defend the economics of professional sports.  It’s a world unto itself.  Any deal you make in that world doesn’t make sense from the way the rest of us look at it.  That’s just a given.

“The bottom line was:  do we want to create several thousand jobs by building this new facility?  Do we want to keep the Minnesota Vikings in Minnesota?  Do we want an NFL franchise here in our state?  We accomplished all that.  We’re going to have a chance to build something that I think Minnesotans can be very proud of.  It’s going to distinguish the city of Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota for decades to come.

“It can be used 355 days a year when the Vikings aren’t playing in it as the people’s stadium, for all sorts of other uses that will enhance the quality of life in our state.  Time will tell whether we get a deal or not, I think it’s going to be a good deal when we look back with the perspective of time.”

Will the Vikings new stadium be able to host the Super Bowl?: Gov. Dayton believes so:

“I will do whatever I possibly can. I worked for (Gov.) Rudy Perpich when he spearheaded getting the Super Bowl here in 1992.”

Dayton said he figures chances of Minnesota getting a second Super Bowl should be “reasonably good. I don’t mean within a decade. They (NFL) don’t just jump at the chance to go to northern climes. But we’ll get one — I’m very confident.”

Will the Vikings put forth the extra money for a retractable roof?: Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf hinted that is possible:

“We’re going to try to get the maximum number of features within the budgets that we can make this a facility that is going to be exciting to the fans,” Mark Wilf said. “We know it’s a competitive landscape to attract our fans to the facility and we’re going to want to make it something special. To the extent that (a retractable roof) can get there, we’re going to try to do it.”

State lawmakers put a provision in the bill that allows for a retractable roof, but the Vikings would have to pay the extra cost.

The price tag of such a feature isn’t immediately known because the architects have yet to be hired…

Packers announce they will eventually retire former-Vikings QB Brett Favre’s #4: However, they are waiting to do so at the appropriate time.  Most likely, until the wounds can heal from Favre wearing purple for two seasons.

Packers president Mark Murphy said the team will wait “probably in a year or two,” according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Will E.J. Henderson be back wearing purple in 2012?:  E.J. Henderson is still unsigned on May 20th, while his younger brother signed a one-year contract with the Vikings back in March.  Sid Hartman believe E.J. will re-join the Vikings and his younger brother on the field in Minnesota next season:

There is still a good chance that E.J. Hendersonwill sign with the Vikings once he agrees to a contract paying the linebacker quite a bit less than the $6.7 million he was paid last year. Henderson still is demanding the same pay he got last year.

What’s Adrian Peterson’s probability for training camp?:  We all know AP will be coming back from a season-ending knee injury, but Peterson is keeping a positive, yet realistic mindset throughout off-season training and rehab:

“To be honest with you I feel like 50-50,” Peterson said. “I feel like honestly, sitting here telling you the truth, I’ll be able to participate doing certain things. I think I’ll be able to participate.”

Minnesota Vikings players spend their off-season in the weight room:  Last season, the Vikings didn’t have a normal off-season due to the NFL lockout.  This season, the players are taking full advantage of the Vikings facility:

Nearly the entire team is at Winter Park for Phase 2 of offseason conditioning, and most of the veterans have been working with Kanavy intensely since Phase 1 began in late April. Rookie draft picks arrived this week.

“With all we’ve been through the last two years, I thought they would come back in April maybe a little disorganized, willing to work but not sure about the direction,” Kanavy said. “But they’ve been impressive. They are determined to be in the conversation this year.”

And leaders are emerging. Kanavy cites second-year quarterback Christian Ponder, third-year backup quarterback Joe Webb, sixth-year defensive end Brian Robison and seventh-year linebacker Chad Greenway as a few of the tone-setters in the weight room and in on-field conditioning.

Ponder, who was hampered by several minor injuries the past two years, appears clearly bigger than his NFL-listed weight of 229 pounds and is working toward injury prevention due to “increasing strength and a balanced nature throughout his entire physique,” Kanavy said.

Ponder went from a college conditioning program to training for the draft, which Kanavy says is often drill-specific and doesn’t account for the entire body. Now he has time to build strength so he can better absorb bodily trauma on Sundays and recover from injuries more quickly, Kanavy said.

2012 Training Camp Dates Released: This week, the Minnesota Vikings announced the dates for training camp in Mankato, Minnesota.  The Vikings will report to camp on Thursday, July 26 and it will break three weeks later on Thursday, August 16.