T-Jack's Dallas disaster sets Vikings back

Football Betting Lines

10/23/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adrian Peterson was the National Football League's leading rusher entering last Sunday's game in Dallas. And, it was a homecoming of sorts for the star rookie, who grew up about 90 minutes east of Texas Stadium in Palestine and provided over 50 tickets to friends and family members.

Time for a great story...right?

Well, things started well. Peterson carried the ball four times for 27 yards and caught one pass for 12 yards on the Vikings' first drive, a possession that just happened to culminate with a brilliant touchdown run by the dynamic back.

From that point on, the emerging superstar touched the ball just eight more times while Vikings coach Brad Childress turned things over to the league's worst starting quarterback, Tarvaris Jackson.

Jackson responded by completing just 6-of-19 passes for 72 yards as Minnesota (2-4) fell to Dallas, 24-14, and took up residence in the NFC North cellar, a place they will most likely inhabit for the rest of the season.

The second-year signal-caller was especially bad when the Vikings were backed up, often throwing wildly and missing open receivers.

"We always talk about making the routine plays routinely," Childress said. "We're not talking about throwing it through the eye of the needle. But making those throws routinely and with merit based on the look that says that's where you are supposed to throw it and then making that routine throw there."

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Childress hasn't done much in Minnesota, but all he needs is the jump suit and an aircraft carrier to proclaim "mission accomplished" on Jackson.

The Vikings mentor has proven beyond a shadow of doubt that Jackson is just not an NFL signal-caller. In a league built for offense, T-Jack's numbers are an embarrassment. The second-year player has completed 45-of-98 passes for a humiliating completion percentage of 45.9. His passer rating is the league's worst at 48.7 and he has thrown for just two touchdowns.

Perhaps more importantly, the veteran players have started to turn on Jackson. Receiver Bobby Wade broke open on a pattern deep in Dallas territory Sunday and Jackson hesitated, throwing the ball late. The miscue enabled Cowboys safety Roy Williams to get back in the picture and break up the play.

When Jackson approached Wade on the sidelines, FOX's Pam Oliver reported that the veteran told the young QB to "throw the ball where it's supposed to be thrown and then come talk to me."

"It was a conversation about playing within the game," Wade said afterwards. "It was more or less a veteran player trying to relay some experience in game situations and about relaxing and continuing to play regardless of what is going on around us.

"I hate to lose. When you have opportunities like that...we have to do a better job. We are not satisfied just competing with these guys. We felt like we had the opportunity to beat them."

Later in the game, when Jackson failed to pull the trigger again and took a coverage sack, cameras caught All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson rolling his eyes at his woeful QB.

Even Childress had some choice words for the overmatched QB on the sidelines.

Is it piling on?

It's not hard to understand the frustrations of players like Wade and Hutchinson, but they also have to realize that none of what is going on can be placed at Jackson's feet.

Nearly every objective observer knew Jackson was not ready to play in the NFL but Childress ignored the empirical evidence and shoved him down the throat of a team that is one mediocre quarterback away from the top of the pedestrian NFC.

"You'd have to ask them that," Childress said when asked if Jackson has lost his team. "On a team you don't take like a straw poll every week. Yeah, I think those guys have confidence in him. He's the leader, he directs the huddle, he directs the show. Do they want production? Sure, they do, but they want to make sure that he doesn't throw it to the other team as well."

Adding injury to insult, the Vikings revealed Monday that Jackson suffered an avulsion fracture of the index finger on his right hand midway through his tepid performance.

"The joint is sore, swollen and in a splint," Childress said at his Monday press conference.

Minnesota will continue to evaluate the injury but don't be surprised if it is used as an excuse to sit Jackson for good and hand the team to veteran Kelly Holcomb.

"You want to win football games; our team needs to have confidence in the guy that is playing underneath the center," Childress said. "He needs to get those looks, but by the same token you don't want to sacrifice those wins and you want a guy that gives you the best chance to win."

INVISBILE MAN

Wade should actually feel for Jackson because he knows first hand how Childress misuses talent. Despite the presence of Mewelde Moore, a player that has returned two punts for touchdowns over the past two seasons and averaged 10.7 yards per clip, the Vikings coach continues to use Wade as a punt returner.

The receiver has looked extremely uncomfortable while returning nine punts this season for just 57 yards. Wade, who often struggles with decision-making as a returner, had a chance to give the Vikings good field possession Sunday on one return but failed to field a short Mat McBriar punt and allowed it to roll, turning the momentum.

"Bobby Wade could have done a better job of fielding the football and not letting it bounce in the kicking game," Childress said.

"He was able to drop it about 35 yards," Wade added. "So I am trying to run up and at the same time, it's all about ball possession and trying to make good decisions back there. You don't want to have it come off your chest trying to run up under it. It was a good bounce. It's probably one I wish I could have back but it happens."

Moore would likely have caught the punt easily but was standing on the sideline.

In the past Childress has deactivated Moore, a running back, because of the presence of Peterson and Chester Taylor along with special teams standout Naufahu Tahi.

But, an injury to Tahi meant Moore was active Sunday and he could have helped since he is the best punt returner the Vikings have. Instead, Childress stayed with the status quo.

If Dunder Mifflin ever needs to hire a head coach, you can bet they will be calling the 612 area code.

TAMPA-2

If you just look at the bottom line, the Vikings defense performed admirably Sunday. After all, the unit only surrendered 17 points to the NFC's best offense, and scored a touchdown of its own. But Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo completed 31-of-39 passes against the Vikings soft zone.

The problem remains philosophy. Minnesota's version of the Tampa-2 defense if far too rigid with little room for adjustments, making things far too easy for opposing coaches to game plan.

For instance...Antoine Winfield, the team's best cornerback, lines up at left corner in the base defense and moves to the slot in the nickel. Rookie Marcus McCauley takes over at left corner in the nickel and Cedric Griffin always lines up at right corner.

If you are Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and you want a McCauley-Terrell Owens matchup, you know exactly what to do before the game even starts. It also makes things painfully easy for opposing quarterbacks, who don't have to worry about pre-snap reads and identifying players. They already know where each and every player will be.

"If you're a young player, they are going to come after you," Vikings defensive backs coach Joe Woods said. "They're going to game plan. They're going to say, 'We've got Antoine over here, we've got Cedric Griffin over here and we've got Marcus McCauley over here. Who do we want to go after?' That's just dealing with reality. I just tell my guys, 'You've got to go out each week and just be ready to play because you're going to see the best.'"

It's obvious by Woods' comments that he understands what opposing defenses are trying to do, but the Vikings refuse to make it more difficult for them.

And, it doesn't end with the secondary. You want the team's best run-stuffer (Pat Williams) or best blitzer (Ben Leber) off the field? Just put in a third receiver.

Worried about the blitz? Protect the A-gaps, the Vikings come from a different angle about once a month.

It all comes down to trust, and the Minnesota coaching staff just doesn't trust its players to understand more complex schemes and assignments.

A TANK SIGHTING

With starting safety Dwight Smith out of Sunday's game at Dallas, the Vikings went with veteran Tank Williams, who started an NFL game for the first time since the 2005 finale with Tennessee.

Williams signed with the Vikings last year but was injured in the preseason and did not play.

"I'm definitely looking forward to it," Williams said before the game. "You never want it to happen in a manner like this, but you definitely have to make the most of your opportunities when you're out there."

Williams played OK. Cowboys Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten caught 10 passes but gained just 86 yards as Williams proved to be a sure tackler. The former Stanford star finished the game with five tackles and a pass breakup.

DADDY COMES TO TOWN

Vikings fans will finally get to see the coach that spawned the object of their contempt when Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Metrodome.

Childress was Reid's offensive coordinator during the Birds' run of four straight NFC Championship Game appearances, although Reid never let Childress call plays on a consistent basis in the City of Brotherly Love.

The two are still friends and remarkably similar in how they run a football team. Both are very stubborn and struggling mightily in their respective markets. Of course, Reid has a history of success to fall back on, while Childress is 4-12 in his last 16 games as the Vikings coach and has been nowhere near as successful as his much-maligned predecessor, Mike Tice.

"Systematically it's the same," Childress said of his system and Reid's. "Approximately the same, with different lead players, them with a (Brian) Westbrook and a (Correll) Buckhalter and us with a Chester Taylor and a Peterson."

The Eagles are playing poorly this season and Reid has been dealing with that and personal problems. His two oldest sons have recently been incarcerated on a litany of drug and gun charges. That said, expect Philadelphia to get back on track in Minneapolis.

Childress is a poor copy of Reid and just doesn't have the wherewithal to keep pace with his mentor.