Hicks turns into a pleasant surprise for Vikings

By John McMullen  |   Thursday, September 25, 2008  |  Comments( 3 )

Minnesota Vikings
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Not a lot has gone right for the 1-2 Minnesota Vikings early this season.

Most of the problems can be traced back to the head coach's stubborn support of overmatched quarterback Tarvaris Jackson or the talented defense's strange habit of allowing two or three big plays each week.

Things finally turned the Purple's way against Carolina last week after coach Brad Childress mercifully pulled the plug on the Jackson experiment and the defense actually showed some consistency for 60 minutes.

Through all the travails, however, one position that looked like a disaster ready to unfold -- left tackle -- has been shockingly consistent.

When the NFL suspended the talented Bryant McKinnie four games because of a violation of its personal conduct policy, Childress was prepared to lean on one of his old guard from Philadelphia, Artis Hicks. Not exactly a comforting thought at the time; after all, Hicks was an abject failure at right guard before losing his spot to the underrated Anthony Herrara last year.

Most wondered how the Vikings could go a month with a young quarterback behind center and a player like Hicks manning his blind side.

Childress mumbled something about Hicks being a natural lefthanded player and most snickered, waiting for another easy opportunity to criticize the much-maligned coach.

Well, for once, Childress was right. While Jackson didn't last the month, it had nothing to do with Hicks, who has been solid if unspectacular. Jackson would have been a failure if he had Jonathan Ogden in his prime at left tackle.

Hicks has matched up with the Packers' Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, the Colts' Dwight Freeney and the Panthers' Julius Peppers so far this season, and the 29-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Memphis has held up, albeit with the help of assorted backs and tight ends.

It gets no easier this week with Tennessee's Kyle Vanden Bosch.

"He has another tough one in Vanden Bosch this week, so it’s not going to slow down to my knowledge," Childress said Monday. "So I just expect him to continue to keep competing and he has done a good job of that."

McKinnie is eligible to return next Monday after serving his four-game suspension, and most thought the Vikings would be desperate to see him.

They will be happy, but you can forget about desperate.
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About John McMullen

John is the managing editor of The Phanatic Magazine, the assistant managing editor of The Sports Network and the co-host of the highly rated 'Johns on Sports' radio show on WTBQ in New York. Every Saturday from 6:30-9 p.m. (et) you can hear John along with his co-host, John Gottlieb, talk to the...
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