The Minnesota Vikings had the best defense in the NFL against the run last season, but the worst against the pass. Find out if improvement is on the way and thus a jump in the standings Jeff Alexander’s 2007 NFL Preview of the Minnesota Vikings for Point-Spreads.com.com.
The fruits of the defense’s labor earned coordinator Mike Tomlin one of the most prestigious coaching jobs in the NFL this offseason but cost Minnesota a rising star and a respected locker room leader. Now the pressure falls squarely on Childress. As the head man he is going to have to show adeptness as an evaluator of personnel and as an offensive mind as he continues to implement the system that made him a success while helping build an annual contender in Philly.
The Vikings’ defense was terribly good versus the run, coming within spitting distance of the NFL’s all-time record for fewest yards allowed before Steven Jackson’s 142 rushing yards in Week 17. In fact, several opponents simply surrendered on the ground, opting instead to hoist it up on every down. That, along with an ineffective pass rush, earned Minnesota the league’s worst pass defense, despite an otherwise solid secondary.
Mike Tomlin’s departure paved the way for the team to bring in another Tampa-2 disciple in Leslie Frazier, who coached defensive backs for the Super Bowl champion Colts last season. The interior defense gets the job done, but some speed on the outside to get some pass rush is clearly what this team is still lacking. If Brian Robinson can make some noise as a rookie from the defensive end spot, the Vikes should be among the best defenses in the NFL.
Combine a top notch defense with a solid ground attack and you have got yourself a team that can win some games. There’s only one more thing that Minnesota needs: time. Expect a couple more seasons before the Purple sees the playoffs.
New England Patriots 2-1
San Diego Chargers 5-1
Indianapolis Colts 7-1
Chicago Bears 16-1
Baltimore Ravens 25-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 30-1
Cincinnati Bengals 25-1
Denver Broncos 25-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Dallas Cowboys 25-1
Carolina Panthers 25-1
Seattle Seahawks 18-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 35-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 60-1
New York Jets 40-1
Miami Dolphins 55-1
Tennessee Titans 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 60-1
Buffalo Bills 100-1
Washington Redskins 40-1
Arizona Cardinals 40-1
Saint Louis Rams 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 45-1
San Francisco 49ers 20-1
Minnesota Vikings 50-1
Green Bay Packers 40-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Oakland Raiders 75-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
