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Vikings stuck with Childress next year


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Here is a link to the story quoting Wilf (you have to sign in).

 

Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress' job secure through 2008, owner Zygi Wilf says

BY SEAN JENSEN

Pioneer Press

Article Last Updated: 11/25/2007 11:17:47 PM CST

 

 

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Moments after Brad Childress presided over a key victory, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf guaranteed his handpicked coach's job security through the 2008 season.

 

After a disappointing 4-6 start, Childress was speculated to be on the hot seat, according to national Web sites, and he was bashed in Vikings forums by fans, including one who started a Fire Brad Childress Web site. But Wilf, who hasn't publicly commented on the Vikings in more than a month, dismissed any possibility of his coach being ousted after this season.

 

Asked if Childress would return in 2008, regardless of how this season concludes, Wilf said, "Absolutely."

 

"There was never a question," Wilf said. "You need time for a team to coalesce and to get together. This is the ultimate team sport, and everyone has to play their part, and it will take some time. And we're doing it, and everyone is stepping up."

 

Despite the Vikings' rocky start, Wilf said, he was confident his team would right its season.

 

"There never was a doubt in my mind that this team would work together and get to where we're going to be, which is (to be) a contender," he said.

 

"We're going to get to the playoffs, with this hard work."

 

At 5-6 with five games remaining, the Vikings have little room for error. But Wilf said he is encouraged by the positive steps that his franchise has taken under Childress, and he defended remarks that the Vikings were "lucky" to land running back Adrian Peterson.

 

"Everyone kept saying, 'You were lucky in the draft,' " Wilf said. "I will tell you something. You shouldn't depend on luck. You need to depend on good people. Good players. Good staff. Good personnel guys."

Wilf noted that in addition to Peterson, the Vikings drafted receiver Sidney Rice, who has scored three touchdowns this season, including a 60-yarder Sunday against the New York Giants.

 

"This is an organizational effort, from personnel, to coaches, to players," Wilf said. "Everyone has a part in it, and we all try to do the best we can to help each other."

 

In the midst of his third season as owner, Wilf said Sunday was his most enjoyable day, with his Vikings routing the team for whom he rooted for most of his life.

 

"It was enjoyable because of the way we played, and the way we were able to put it away, on both sides of the ball," Wilf said. "Everybody realized how important this game was, and we all stepped up and we all responded. We didn't slack off in the second half."

 

Wilf, dressed in a black suit, was seen racing down the Vikings' sideline as Dwight Smith returned an interception 93 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Wilf even entered a prohibited area reserved for Vikings employees in official team garb.

 

His purple tie didn't count.

 

"I think they caught me on TV a couple of times, running down to catch Dwight Smith," said Wilf, who added that he would watch only from the sideline at Giants Stadium.

 

Asked how far he ran, Wilf said, "I don't know.

 

"I was strutting down. I was very excited. It was a very important part of the game. Things could have turned the other way, but we did not let up."

 

Wilf admitted that the 41-17 score was a surprise, but he noted that everyone stepped up, rattling off players such as quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, safety Darren Sharper and linebacker E.J. Henderson.

 

"Everyone really showed their form today," Wilf said.

 

But his confidence in his team wasn't fleeting.

 

The morning after Thanksgiving, Wilf flew to the Twin Cities from New Jersey to attend the Vikings' Friday practice.

 

"I wanted to be with the team," said Wilf, who also visited the team Saturday night at its hotel. "I just wanted them to know I'm always thinking about them, and I wanted to really be with them on Thanksgiving Day weekend."

 

:D

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I guess we all knew this was coming... but a win against Ziggy's old favorite club sealed the deal. The Vikings do have a shot at the playoffs as they may be able to control their destiny. Next three weeks are going to tell as they play Detroit and Chicago at home with SF on the road in between. If they can win all three they would be 8-6 with Washington and Denver the last two weeks. They have a shot at 9-7 and that could very well get a wild card berth in the crazy NFC. Not drinking the purple kool aide... just pointing out some stuff.

 

Remember AD may be back next week......... :D

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Here's my summary of the Childress game plan for the next year and a half...

 

1st and 10:

2 yard run off Right Tackle or Incomplete pass to Williamson

 

2nd and 8:

3 yard run off Right Tackle or Incomplete pass to Williamson

 

3rd and 5:

3 yard pass to Wade + 1 yard after the catch

 

4th and 1:

Punt

 

For the life of me, I will never understand the Childress strategy of throwing the ball short of the First Down marker. It has failed over and over for the last year and half. He also seems to like to run away from his Billion dollar left side of the O-line (Hutchinson and McKinney) I guess because he thinks he is tricking the opposing Defense or something clever like that. And I can't wait to see which reject Philadelphia Eagles players he will bring in over the next off-season! :D

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Worth noting that except for the Packers debacle, the Vikings have been in every game this year, their losses totaling just 30 points. Maybe Zygi thinks they are just a player away from being a real contender?

 

 

They probably are a QB away. I have heard they are interested in Derek Anderson, but that report doubted the Browns would let him go easily.

 

The Vikings are rumored to have impending restricted free agent Derek Anderson "No. 1 on their list," according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Interestingly, Anderson and last year's most prized restricted free agent QB, Matt Schaub, have the same agent. Unless someone blows them away with a trade offer, however, the Browns seem more likely to hang onto Anderson for at least one more season. It isn't like Brady Quinn's five-year, $9.2 million deal is too hefty for a backup quarterback.

Edited by Randall
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The nice thing about the Vikings recent success is that their draft pick has moved down. So if the Browns tenour Anderson and it costs a 1st and 3rd to get him the Vikings will not have to give up a potential top 10 pick but may indeed end up giving a mid to late teens or even early 20's instead.

 

Pesonally I would be much happier with that scenario if we do go after him. However, if the Viking continue to do well with T-Jax as QB do the Vikings even go after Anderson? Childress is convinced this guy is progressing and may try and stick with him.

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I know I'm gonna eat some bullets here, but I've always thought Childress was part genius. It is awfully hard to prove said genius with the worst starting QB in the NFL. Still, the team is taking positive steps in my opinion. Very good O-line. Sidney Rice is a stud waiting for a quarterback. If they can find a decent veteran quarterback, this team is a definite 08 playoff team.

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Considering what offense players we had prior to 2006 and what he had to work with when he got here, I think this team is improving and he desrves another year.

 

Look at the key players on offense when he arrived and tell me where they are at:

 

QB - Duante Culpepper

RB - Michael Bennett, O-Smith

WR - Marcus Robinson, Travis Taylor, Troy Williamson

TE - Jermaine Wiggins

 

Actually Williamson is still starting, but I don't know for how long. Tarvaris Jackson is 5-2 as a starter!?!?!?

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