2010 Vikings season a complete failure!
By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 01/05/2011
There is no sugar-coating the disappointing Vikings 2010 season — plain and simple, they did not get the job done. The Vikings’ two-year run of NFC North titles is over, and the reality of a 6-10 season, last in the Division, is humbling.
Last year the Vikings had 10 Pro Bowl players after a 30-27 overtime loss at New Orleans in the NFC Championship. But this year’s team had just one and turned into a group of 53 individuals. Week after week that became more evident.
They tried to patch up some offensive holes as the season went on, but this team failed on offense. Trading for Randy Moss and Greg Camarillo did not help. And when Childress cut Moss, all hell broke loose. This was easily the most dysfunctional season of Vikings football I can remember.
The 2010 Vikings, for the most part, felt to a man like they were not rewarded financially for last year’s 12-4 season. And with Favre missing training camp again and Sidney Rice having hip surgery, Favre being rewarded with a $1 million salary per game for 2010 was an issue. It was clear his teammates did not like it.
It started and ended with quarterback Brett Favre; he came back for a second and final season, but the magic was gone. Last year’s 33 touchdowns with just seven interceptions were not revisited.
Favre struggled all year; he battled injury after injury — and Childress. Throw in his off-the-field distraction with the re-evaluation of Jenn Sterger and the sex-texting scandal from two years ago — that distracted this team also.
Favre threw only 11 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions, primarily because his offensive line had a sub-par year. Favre got hit a lot this year. Another issue was the team gradually tuning out Head Coach Brad Childress and his style, then quitting on him in the second Green Bay game with a humiliating 31-3 loss at the Dome.
The Vikings were 1-5 in the NFC North and for the first time since 1990 are dead last. They beat only one team with a winning record. With nearly 20 free agents on this year’s team and labor issues ahead off the field, Leslie Frazier will have his hands full as head coach in 2011.
What have the Vikings done the last 30 years?
Their home stadium has a hole in the roof in the very last year of their lease agreement. When Vikings owner Zygi Wilf was asked where the Vikings would play their home games in 2011, he said, "In Minnesota." No Super Bowls, eight Division titles and 13 playoff appearances. Since 1961, the Vikings have had only eight head coaches.
After Leslie Frazier was officially introduced as the eighth head coach in Vikings history Monday January 3, Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf and Team President Mark Wilf stand by their organizational structure at the top — meaning no general manger.
Under Brad Childress, the last four years the Vikings made a lot of sweeping changes: They totally redid their training staff, training and weight room areas, and coaches' offices and players' locker room.
Childress during his nearly four years did reach the playoffs twice, and the Vikings won back-to-back NFC North Division titles for the first time in 30 years. They also reached the NFC Championship game and would likely have won the Super Bowl had the Vikings not gotten a five-yard penalty for 12 men in the huddle with the ball on the 30-yard line in the final minute of a 27-27 tie game.
Winter Park under Childress became Fort Knox — no access for media inside the building — and paranoia became business as usual under Childress. What will change under Frazier? This is the third time the Vikings have replaced a head coach (Bud Grant, Dennis Green, and Brad Childress) with one of the previous head coach's assistant coaches.
There have been different measures of success and failure following that decision. The Vikings celebrated 50 years of Vikings football in 2010: four Super Bowl appearances, 23 playoff appearances and 17 Division titles.
Since 1980, the Vikings have been in the playoffs only 13 times with eight Division titles. Between 1980 and 1990, the Vikings made the playoffs twice. From 1992 to 2001, the Vikings won four Division titles and made the playoffs eight times — all under Dennis Green.
From 2002-2005, the Vikings under Mike Tice made the playoffs once. Recap 1980 to 1990: two playoffs, 1991 to 2000: eight playoffs, and 2001 to 2010: three playoffs.
Great 2010 accomplishments!
It will be tough to keep the New England Patriots from reaching and winning Super Bowl XLV in Dallas for many reasons. They were 8-0 at home, 10-2 vs. AFC; they have won eight in a row, and they are the hottest team going into the playoffs.
They were 6-1 vs. 2010 playoff teams. New Orleans won the Super Bowl last year and was the highest scoring team (510) in football last year. The Patriots have scored 518 points this year, and Head Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have both won three Super Bowls already.
New England 's Brady will be the NFL's MVP: He led the Patriots to the best record (14-2) and be the highest scoring team in the NFL with 518 points. Brady threw 36 touchdown passes for 3,900 yards and only four interceptions; his QB rating was also number one at 111.0. Houston's Arian Foster led the NFL in rushing with 1,616 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.
Jamaal Charles of Kansas City finished second for the playoff-bound Chiefs with 1,467 yards rushing, and he averaged a whopping 6.4 per carry.
The Oakland Raiders were 8-8 and swept the AFC West and were 6-0. They are the first team since 1970 to sweep their Division and miss the playoffs.
The San Diego Chargers last year were 13-3; in 2010 they were 9-7 and missed the playoffs. However, they were rated number one in total offense (most yards per game) and in total defense, allowing the fewest yards per game in the NFL.
The Chargers, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Dallas and Arizona were 2009 playoff teams and missed in 2010. The Vikings scored 470 points in 2009 and just 281 this year. If you protect the football, you have a great chance to win. Case in point: The New England Patriots committed an NFL best — only 10 turnovers.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, and on WDGY-AM 740 Monday-Friday at 12:17 pm and 4:17 pm; he also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.
