Vikings ride into bye 3-2

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 10/11/2006

 

For the Vikings it could be much better, but if you’ve watched them closely it could also be worse when you consider that, after trailing 17-3 in the fourth quarter to the winless 0-5 Detroit Lions, the Vikings and first-year Head Coach Brad Childress are 3-2. They have played three playoff teams from last year and are 2-1 against Washington , Carolina and Chicago .

 

Make no mistake about it: Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin’s unit is playing well after scoring two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter, sparking an incredible comeback in a 26-17 victory. So far the Vikings are way ahead on defense, led by Kevin and Pat Williams up front, linebackers E.J. Henderson, Napoleon Harris, and cornerback Antoine Winfield. The Vikings will have two weeks to savor this win and get ready for yet another 2005 playoff team, the NFC defending champion Seattle Seahawks, on October 22.

It’s about time to honor Foreman

The Vikings will honor future Hall of Fame guard Randall McDaniel by inducting him into the team’s Ring of Honor later this year. That’s great, and he’s obviously deserving; he’s one of the best to ever play the game.

 

However, for some strange reason, the team has failed to honor Chuck Foreman, one of the great Vikings to ever play in purple and gold. The man from Miami University simply was one of the greatest players to ever play in the NFL. It has to be something personal with somebody in the organization, because the numbers clearly point to his great accomplishments on some of the best Vikings teams of all time.

 

In 1974, Foreman was selected the NFC Offensive Player of the Year. If you recall, the great tradition of this organization was established in the late 1960s and ’70s with four Super Bowl appearances.

 

Foreman played in three Super Bowls, and was the all-purpose do-it-all running back when the Vikings played outside in the bitter cold at old Met Stadium in Bloomington . His versatility helped make Fran Tarkenton great. The Vikings’ West Coast offense back then depended on his ability to make things happen in both the running game and as a threat out of the backfield in the passing game.

 

Here are Foreman’s numbers: In seven years, he was All-NFC four times. The Vikings were 16-1 when he ran for 100 yards or more. He’s among the Vikings’ all-time leading scorers with 450 points and 75 touchdowns, 52 rushing and 23 receptions for TDs. He’s the only Viking ever to rush for 200 yards in a game.

 

He led the team in scoring for the most consecutive years, four, and the most consecutive games scoring a TD, seven. He led the Vikings in rushing with a team-record six years and the most consecutive years, also six.

 

Foreman is second to Robert Smith all-time in career team rushing yards, 5,879, and he still holds the team record for most rushing yards by a rookie, 801. Foreman is second to Smith in most seasons over 1,000 yards rushing, three, and most consecutive years rushing for 1,000 yards or more, also three.

 

Foreman is tied with Ted Brown for the most seasons leading the team in touchdowns, six, and consecutive seasons leading the Vikings, also six. He’s tied with Bill Brown for most career rushing TDs by a running back, 52. Foreman set this record in seven years while Brown took 13.

 

Most rushing TDs in one year? Foreman, with 13 in 1975-76. Most rushing TDs in a game? Three — Foreman did it twice; he’s tied with six other Vikings. In the playoffs, Foreman is number one with 860 career rushing yards and seven touchdowns. In receiving yards in the playoffs all-time, Foreman is second only to Cris Carter with 447 yards. 

 

The longest run in the playoffs in Vikings history is Foreman’s 62 yards on December 26, 1976, vs. the LA Rams. He also set the playoff record for most rushing attempts, 31, and average yards per run, 7.9.

 

It’s time that the Vikings organization buries the hatchet and honors the great Chuck Foreman. Number 44 deserves to be in the Vikings’ Ring of Honor. It’s a shame it has taken this long, and it clearly shows that the Vikings have allowed personal issues to cloud sound judgment and career accomplishment.