What to look for in Vikings’ Saturday matchup

By Krupka  |   Thursday, August 17, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Minnesota Vikings
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The 2006 Minnesota Vikings unveiled the new look, new attitude and new coaching staff in front of the home crowd on Monday Night. Their first preseason contest pitted them against the "Silver and Black" of the Oakland Raiders. Insignificantly, the Vikings lost the game, 16-13. Unfortunately, what was significant was the torn ACL sustained by No. 17 overall pick Chad Greenway, ending his rookie season before it could even start.

Then a day later, No. 1 wide receiver Koren Robinson led police on a high-speed chase just miles from the team's training camp site. He was arrested and charged with felony fleeing of police and five other misdemeanors, including DWI. With the likelihood of a year-long suspension for committing his third strike against the league's substance abuse policy, the Vikings have reshuffled their receiving corps and are moving on without him.

On Saturday, the team will travel to Pittsburgh for game two of its four-game exhibition schedule. One star player the team may not have to face from the reigning Super Bowl champions is quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers' signalcaller banged his thumb in practice on Wednesday and while it isn't thought to be serious, there's a chance he may not play against the Vikings.

In any event, here are some things and players to watch for Saturday Night:

The linebackers- On Monday, all three starters - Ben Leber, E.J. Henderson, and Napoleon Harris - played well. Leber showed why he is considered such a great fit for the "Tampa 2" defensive scheme, using his speed to make plays. He was stout in the running game, and looked fluid in coverage. Against Oakland, Henderson continued his strong showing throughout spring and summer, parlaying his stellar training camp into a terrific performance in live game action. Hopefully, Henderson can maintain the high level of play.

Harris, the starting middle linebacker, also played well Monday. He seems to fit in the middle, and the Vikings are hoping he can turn his potential into success this season. Dontarrious Thomas added an interception. Heath Farwell was impressive, racking up nine tackles, and Rod Davis seemed to be all over the field, too. Certainly, it was a great showing for a unit that has, to an extent, been looked down on all offseason. The starting trio of Leber, Henderson and Harris will be vital to the success of the defense. Facing the Steelers' offense should be a test, and will reveal more about how good the linebacking corps really is.

Offensive line- Overall, the line played well against the Raiders. The pass blocking was virtually flawless, but the run blocking was not quite up to par. The running lanes were few and far between, which should be expected when you have essentially four new starters on the line. New left guard Steve Hutchinson, formerly injured center Matt Birk, new right guard Artis Hicks and second-year right tackle Marcus Johnson all need to form a cohesive unit, along with left tackle Bryant McKinnie.

The main thing to watch will be how often Childress calls runs to the left behind the Hutchinson-McKinnie duo, and the improvement in run blocking against a defense that is leaps and bounds better than the Raiders'.

Running backs- Collectively, running backs Chester Taylor, Mewelde Moore and Ciatrick Fason gained 43 yards on 21 carries this past Monday, good for just over two yards per carry. Surely, that's not what Childress envisioned from his starting backs. Still, the two-yard-per-carry average was impressive, at least in Taylor's case, as he had no holes to run through. The coaching staff admitted that Fason has passed Moore in the race for the No. 2 back, but one would think Moore is the better option. What I'll be watching for is first, how does Chester Taylor look, and secondly, how much time and touches will Moore get. It will be imperative for the Tulane product to put forth a good showing in the opportunities he gets in order to reclaim his status as the second-string back.

Troy Williamson- Last year's No. 7 overall pick is now the No. 1 receiver in Minnesota. With Koren Robinson's season in doubt, the former South Carolina standout assumes the roll of the team's top target and will now be counted on heavily for production.

Kenechi Udeze and Erasmus James- Monday, the defensive ends, starters and backups were tremendous. After talking to New York Giants All-Pro and prolific sack artist Michael Strahan, the USC product and former first-round pick, Udeze, started a new training regiment, which he does with best friend and starting fellow starting end, James, also a former Vikings first-round pick. The two were explosive off the edge in the opener, constantly pressuring Raiders quarterback Aaron Brooks. If Udeze and his counterpart can continue wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks, the Vikings' defense that looked phenomenal Monday should continue harassing offenses around the league.

-Contact Eric Krupka with your questions and comments at ekrupka@realfootball365.com

Tackle the opposition with the Minnesota Vikings at Realfootball365.com
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