After that debilitating loss to the Chicago Bears last Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings will not return to a game-day field until November 2nd, as a result of their Week 8 bye. While most of the players are enjoying a week's vacation before hitting the pads again next Monday, the coaches are by and large breaking down film and studying schemes in order to determine how to fix the lethargic Viking offense (or at least how to repeat last Sundays' yardage totals without shooting themselves in the foot with stupidity). However, whereas most pundits consider the Vikings' toughest part of the schedule behind them, I would beg to differ. Coming out of the break, here are the next four teams the Vikings have to face:
VS. Houston (a pass-first, ask questions later team, which doesn't bode well for the Purple secondary...Andre Johnson could run wild).
VS. Green Bay (Aaron Rodgers will likely pick us apart...when was the last time we beat GB?!)
AT Tampa Bay (That defense can shut down the run better than any in the NFC...uh oh)
AT Jacksonville (Can beat teams with run or pass and have stout defense...very tough to beat at home as well).
Following those games, the Vikes will play Chicago, Detroit, Arizona, Atlanta, and the New York Giants to close out the season, all presenting unique matchup problems to the current Vikings squad.
So, the question I am asking all Vikings fans right now is...do you think this team, coached by Brad Childress, can put together enough wins against that bunch to earn a playoff berth? For me, at least, the answer is a resounding NO! Sure, we scored 41 points against the Bears, but that will not be duplicated on a regular basis, and we still actually LOST that game.
Thus, as I have proposed in earlier posts on this blog, I am up for relieving Childress of his head coaching duties this week and allowing a fresh mind to pore over the rest of the schedule. Could a coaching move this late in the season sink the ship (oops...perhaps a bad pun to use with the Vikes?!)? Perhaps. However, it could also provide the spark the team needs to try something different and perhaps pull off a miracle run.
Keywords: Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings
