Jeff: Vikes Need to Park The Bus

I was talking with Jer yesterday about the Vikes big tilt with Pittsburgh Sunday. Both of us, and we're probably not alone in Vikings Nation, have been treating this winning streak like a no-hitter in progress: don't talk to the pitcher, or in this case, don't get too excited or talk too much about it for fear of being the jinx. This Sunday's game is no different, but I guess I'll risk the jinx and discuss it a little bit. If the Vikes get blown out, hey at least you know who to blame. I said earlier in the year I thought Pittsburgh would be the best team in the NFC, and I still believe they'd beat Seattle (also the Seahawks have had as much bad luck as the Vikes over the years, so despite their gaudy record and Shaun Alexander rushing for 413 TD's, I still don't trust them), especially with how they looked last week in manhandling the Bears (am I alone in saying that even if the Bears somehow got homefield I STILL wouldn't pick them to represent the NFC? Maybe it's me). Still, and here's where I get really nervous saying this, I think the Vikes have a pretty good chance on Sunday. Like the Steelers did last week vs Da Bears, getting an early lead will be critical for whoever wins Sunday.

First look at the Steelers: Even if Big Ben's thumb was 100%, I still would rather force him to beat me than dealing with Fast Willie Parker and The Bus all afternoon. Look, I like Roethlisberger, but I still think he's overhyped. Pittsburgh has ran more in the last two seasons than any other team in football. I'm not saying Big Ben is a bad QB, but he's certainly not a game changer either. He's attempted more than 25 passes in a game this season 5 times, and the Steelers lost 3 of them. In the two wins he had a modest 225 yds and 1 TD against San Diego, and went for just 177 with 2 TD's and a pick in an ugly win over Baltimore.

For the Vikes during their 6 game win streak, they have not trailed by more than a field goal. As Ron Burgandy would say "I'm not even mad- that's AMAZING!" They never trailed Detroit or the Giants, and were down 14-7 to the Pack at half, but 13 whole 2nd half points were enough to win. They pounded Cleveland, at Detroit they were down 3-0 for a grand total of 47 seconds before taming the Lions, and never trailed in the win over St Louis last week. There's a lot of factors contributing to the win streak, but the fact Minnesota has not had to overcome a 2nd half deficit (in the Green Bay game, Koren Robinson returned the opening kickoff of the 2nd half to tie it and they would not trail again) cannot be overlooked. Brad Johnson has been very, well, Big Ben-like in his ability to do just enough to win here, and personally, I'd like to keep it that way. How confident are you in BJ rallying the Vikings down more than a TD? I do not want to have that confidence tested against a team like the Steelers. NOt only is their defense outstanding as usual, but with the Bus, Fast Willie, and the forgotten Duce Staley, there's not a better team in the league at sitting on a lead and killing the clock. The Vikings have been good, as well as fortunate, and to beat the Steelers, that trend needs to continue.