Lesson learned for Childress

By Krupka  |   Tuesday, October 10, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Minnesota Vikings
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After falling 17-12 to the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, yours truly questioned the play calling of Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress. And no, I didn't question the overall play calling. I was just wondering where the running plays were.

In the second half of the dreadful performance in western New York, the Vikings ran the ball less than a handful of times. For the game, starting running back Chester Taylor only received 10 carries. After falling behind 14-6 in the third quarter, Childress abandoned the run. Although a late surge in the fourth quarter by the offense -- keyed by imperative defensive stops -- left the team with an opportunity to escape with a victory, the outcome was in favor of the home Bills.

Countless times, starting at the conclusion of the game and throughout the week leading up to Sunday's battle with the Detroit Lions, many of the Minnesota faithful hoped and pleaded Childress learned from his blunder, and would stay committed to the running game.

Some would argue that quarterback Brad Johnson is the offensive MVP or even the most important player to the entire team for this season based on the depth chart behind him. Contrarily, Chester Taylor is equally as important, if not more.

In the three victories Taylor is averaging 31 touches (27 carries) per game. And the Vikings are averaging 34:09 in time of possession in the wins. The common theme is to give Taylor the ball, control the clock, control the game, and win.

So this Sunday, with the Vikings trailing 17-3 in the third quarter, I asked myself: Did Childress learn from last week, and will he continue pounding the rock with Taylor?

And the prevailing answer was a resounding "yes." In the second half Taylor carried the ball 17 times, more than four times the amount of carries he received in the second half of the loss to Buffalo.

Thirty-one touches for 154 yards, and 36:39 of possession later -- Taylor and the Vikings were winners for the first time since Sept. 17.

Give the ball to Taylor.

Lesson learned.

Eric Krupka is a senior writer for RealFootball365.com He responds to readers email daily and can be reached at ekrupka@realfootball365.com

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