Hello fellow Vikings!
I feel crazy that it's already Week Two, and this is only my first blog post of the season. Grad school has been chomping away at me, and I'm more grimly determined than ever that this be my last year. I've realized at the mature age of 28 that I need a more breathable work-life balance, and that the ivory tower just isn't for me. Thank goodness for football to give me some light in my life! It's been a weird and wacky season so far for us. The most traumatic part, of course, has been the miserably-timed Teddy Bridgewater injury.
I find it funny now, looking back to when we drafted him and I growled for about three days, hating him violently and saying dubiously, "I hope I'm wrong that he sucks, but I don't think I am." Well, I was wrong, and I'm sure Me-Back-Then would have found it very strange that Me-Right-Now is so upset at his loss!!!
So far as his injury goes, I feel for him in a very major way: not only have we lost our star QB, I suffered a very similar injury that ended my athletic career in high school and put paid to my dreams of a college swimming scholarship. Hopefully, since he has first-class medical care, and his insurance company actually gives a damn whether or not he runs again, and we're 15 years further into the treatment of horrific knee injuries, he comes out of it much better than I did! Not only that, but he has Adrian Peterson, who is blessed with the most miraculous healing flesh, to mentor him through the ungodly hell known as Rehabilitation (trust me...it's the worst) as well as a team who has been doggedly determined to make sure they bust up every other team on the docket so he can relax and heal without worrying.
Plus, he has Coach Zimmer to tie his shoelaces!
Big ups to Shaun Hill stepping up in a big way, especially last week vs the Titans. What a game that was! I think my heart was in my throat more than in its proper place for at least 50 of the 60 minutes of gameclock.
Which brings us to the big news of the season - trading a first and forth for the perennially lackluster Sam Bradford to replace Teddy.
Unlike a lot of people I was fine with this trade. Sure, Bradford has never lit the NFL world afire the way he did in his Heisman season for Oklahoma. But the Vikings don't need him to light up the night - we need him to not screw up. Sure, he's been battered. But not one of the NFL offenses he's been on has had a show running back like Adrian Peterson. Those defenses come up and start harassing Bradford and All Day is going to be ALL THE WAY into the endzone. We also have some stellar mid-field and short field options, particularly my favorite Kyle Rudolph. Rhett Ellison is solid for blocking, and Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs have stepped up in nothing short of a spectacular way. If our boys can work together, establish a new rapport, and our line and the lure of Adrian Peterson and potential of Rudolph and Cordarrelle Patterson can keep defenses honest, we'll have our shot at 11 wins and a playoff slot. And best of all - if Bradford gets battered or tired, we have sturdy, loyal, long-timer Shaun Hill there to pick up our pieces. Losing Teddy was one hell of a blow I was not ready for, but we've got plenty to be thankful for.
SKOL!
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