The Vikings have signed WR Bethel Johnson.  Johnson will help in multiple receiver sets and returning kicks.

The Vikings special teams are probably a little better than average right now, but they have potential to do better.   The Vikings are allowing 8.3 yards per punt return and 20.8 yards per kick-off return.

Ryan Longwell has hit 12 of 14 FGs and 5 of 6 XPTs.  Punter Chris Kluwe has been excellent so far this season.  Kluwe is averaging 40.4 yards per punt, and 34.8 yards net.  Kluwe has done a remarkable job so far of placing the ball inside the opponents 20 yard line, which he has done 36% of the time.

Mewelde Moore is only averaging 7.1 yards per punt return, but he’ll do better than that.  Troy Williamson has a 23.3 yard average return on kick-offs.

I call luck when there no time left and you hieve the ball into the endzone with 7 people and your guy comes down with it, oh and there cant be any time left, Or you got a team threatining they come all the way down the field and before they get a chance to get into the endzone they run out of time, these are lucky times. What we did is rely on Mike Timlin and his defensive front and the rest of the guys to get us out of a jam. I mean there no way you can tell me that we are only capable of scoring on teams in the 4th quarter when there defense is OBVIOUSLY not tired of being on the field cause we sure dont keep them there. I would like Brad to step his game up and be that Veteran that we need, because this is starting to be Unexceptable. Oh I did tell everyone GOOD JOB didn’t I.

What an amazing football game to watch.  The Vikings gave Lions QB Jon Kitna enough rope to hang himself and he sure did.  The Vikings out-scored the Lions 23-0 in the 4th quarter.  Brad Johnson completed 26 of 34 passes for 201 yards with a TD and an INT.  RB Chester Taylor played a good football game carrying the ball 26 times for 123 yards (4.7 ypc) and caught 5 passes for 31 yards.  Travis Taylor caught 4 passes for 44 yards and a TD.  RB Mewelde Moore caught 5 passes for 38 yards.

LB EJ Henderson made 3 tackles and intercepted a pass that he returned 45 yards for a TD.  LB Ben Leber made 1 tackle, a sack and recovered a fumble that he returned for a TD.  The Vikings dominated the line of scrimmage on defense allowing the Lions only 16 yards rushing on 11 carries (1.5 ypc).  The Lions completed 23 of 42 passes for 201 net yards passing, but the Vikes picked off 3 passes.

During the season you need a little luck at some times, hopefully the Vikings didn’t use it all up against the Lions.

Marcus, Travis, and (my buddie if he catch the ball ) Troy, you guys are following in a linage of recivers that we are used to seeing do incredibe things on the offensive side of the ball so please don’t be offended if we seem to be alittle impaitient with your learning curve. I have no idea why we would allow our featured reciever to be suspended and end up with the enemy, but I do know that Randy(Moss) pretending to pull down his pants to the Packers was not that bigg a deal. We got bigg mouth Roy(really good) coming up and I just want to see you guy really step your game up like a Chris(Carter),Jake(Reed), or a Randy would win we need a win. See yo Sunday.

You gotto be kidding me Brad (Johnson) theres less that 15 seconds left on the clock and you gone throw a pass to the middle of the field and have the gull to call everyone to the line like you was going to get another pass off. Man this guy is really starting to get on my nerves that was not smart the guy had aleast 2 more opprotunities to go for the endzone, so much for the guys in the both calling you the Master of the 2 minute drill. It isn’t all his fault Troy(my young friend if you catch the ball) Williamson had a game changing pass go right through his hands, and MARCUSSSSS DANG you had that one dog, two plays that not only keep that game going but possibly we win. Will you guys please just like I DO appreciate the fact that you have a DEFENSE now and allow them some REST ( like other teams get). Thanx for letting me vent.

The Lions offense is starting to show life in the last two weeks with 58 points, problem is their defense gives up faster than they can score them (72 allowed).  The Vikings have had trouble scoring this season (15.8 points per game) but their defense has been super.

The Lions must not turn the ball over if they’re going to have any chance to win this football game.  The Lions have passed twice as many times as they’ve run (150-75) and I don’t see that changing any time soon.  RB Kevin Jones (253 yards rushing) has made the most of his limited chances, and the Lions should use him more, but I don’t think they will this week because the Vikings only allow 89.0 yards rushing per game and 3.4 yards per carry.  Look for Kitna (1,081 yards passing) to attack the Vikings secondary with Roy Williams (25 rec, 384 yards) and Mike Furrey (22 rec, 242 yards).  Kitna also likes to throw to RBs Kevin Jones (21 rec, 131 yards) and Shawn Bryson (6 rec, 84 yards) out of the backfield.

The Vikings prefer to run the ball with Chester Taylor (85 carries, 298 yards), but the Lions strength is their run defense which allows only 86.5 yards rushing per game and 3.0 yards per carry.  Brad Johnson (927 yards passing) has to be licking his chops to face the Lions secondary.  The Lions have allowed their opponents to complete 71.3% of their passes for 1,172 yards with 10 TDs and zero INT!   Look for Johnson to chop up the Lions with short passes to Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor, Jermaine Wiggins and Marcus Robinson.  Also look for Johnson to throw a few passes to Chester Taylor and Mewelde Moore out of the backfield. 

The Vikings will score the most points they have all season and their defense will force Kitna to make a couple of huge mistakes.

Brad Johnson is an old quarterback and I’m starting to wonder how much he has left in the gas tank.  The Vikings are throwing alot of short passes and it seems like Johnson might not have enough arm strength left to get the ball deep.  Johnson has completed 81 of 136 passes (59.6%) for 927 yards with 2 TDs and 3 INT.  Johnson’s QB rating is a very average 75.8.  If the Vikings consistantly get their running game going, it would take alot of pressure off of Johnson and his below-average receiving corps.

The Minnesota Vikings are playing offense a little too close to the vest and it’s been costing them football games.  Brad Johnson completed 25 of 44 passes for 267 yards with a TD and 2 INT.  Chester Taylor had a rough time with 10 carries for 23 yards and he caught 3 passes for 14 yards.  WR Marcus Robinson caught 5 passes for 78 yards and a TD.  TE Jermaine Wiggins caught 6 passes for 59 yards. 

The defense came to play again on Sunday.  Antoine Winfield had 11 tackles and DT Kevin Williams had 7 tackles and a sack.  The Bills ran the ball 33 times for 95 yards (2.9 ypc).  The Bills completed 23 of 32 passes for 201 net yards.

The Vikings are going to have to open up the offense if they want to compete for the NFC North Title.