Online Exclusive

By Dev Panchwagh

VIKINGS ON THE MOVE

Don’t look now, but the Minnesota Vikings have quietly become serious playoff contenders. Led by the dynamic tailback duo of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, the Vikings have run off a nice string of victories to get out of the hole they created for themselves at the beginning of the season.

The key to the Vikings’ viability is second year quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who has done a much better job of protecting the football and completing only those throws he is capable of completing. He has grown into the role of a manager, and understands that with Peterson and Taylor in the backfield, he will have favorable matchups to work with in the passing game if he stays patient.

In his last four starts, Jackson has averaged a quarterback rating of 98.9, which is a far cry from the 26.4 and 44.2 outputs he produced at the beginning of the season. In these contests, Jackson has also completed nearly 80 percent of his pass attempts. The main target for some of those completions has been another rookie, Sidney Rice.

Even if the Vikings is not able to continue its win streak and bust through the playoff field this season, the seeds for future success have definitely been planted in Minnesota.

CHINK IN THE PATS' ARMOR

So the prevailing question has been, how exactly did the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens dent (but not break) the impenetrable New England force field, and can that same attack be duplicated?

What the Eagles and Ravens accomplished was due primarily to tremendous game planning by the coaching staff. Both the offensive and defensive staffs saw the spots to strike in the Patriots’ machine, and they adjusted their personnel groupings accordingly.

I don’t foresee another team being able to duplicate such "success" during the remainder of the season. The Steelers seem to have the best shot of doing some of the things that Baltimore and Philadelphia did on the offensive side of the ball, given that they have the depth of receivers to spread the field and a smash-mouth running game, but they will not be able to get pressure on Tom Brady.

The Giants have the ability to get the pressure against the Patriots’ offense, but the offensive line will not hold up well in pass blocking situations.

So for all intensive purposes, the Patriots’ last two scares should be just that. 

RUSSELL'S TIME TO SHINE?

A number of people are wondering why the Oakland Raiders have yet to insert rookie quarterback JaMarcus Russell into the starting lineup. After all, other rookies such as Jon Beck and Trent Edwards have found their way into games and neither was the top pick out of the 2007 class.

Like the Bills and the Dolphins, the Raiders are not going anywhere this postseason. So the time appears right for the rookie from LSU to play. But Russell’s development curve might take longer than head coach Lane Kiffin anticipated. Moreover, the No. 1 pick in the draft missed all of training camp, so he is that much more behind than the rest of his fellow rookies.

What the Raiders are doing is actually a good move. Russell is still a raw prospect and is not ready to take snaps as the starter. He consistently had trouble recognizing certain coverages in college and overall, was not able to make the soundest decisions when it counted most. A year on the bench will do the rookie some good, just as it did for players like Carson Palmer, Tony Romo, Philip Rivers and, oh yeah, Brady.

REMEMBERING SEAN TAYLOR

Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor was laid to rest this week, with thousands of mourners attending the services. Taylor was on the brink of putting together his best season as a pro before his life was ripped away from him ever so swiftly.

In his time in the league, he never quite played up to his full capability, but his talent was always on display. He had the size of a linebacker, but ran as well as corner. His range was tremendous. Although Taylor did dish out some questionable hits in his career, he was feared as a knockout artist over the middle. He laid into receivers to separate them from the football.

The Redskins will certainly miss Taylor’s presence on defense. More importantly, they will miss his presence as a person.