Coming into the 2010 campaign, Minnesota had plenty of reasons to believe that a Super Bowl trip was in the cards this season, especially after they were able to convince quarterback Brett Favre to come back for one final run to glory.
But after an 0-2 start to their season, the Vikings and their fans are gasping for air, looking for a way out of a hole that is threatening to bury their post-season ambitions before they truly got started.
To his credit, Favre has taken his lumps in stride over the past two weeks, accepting a large portion of responsibility for the failings of his team thus far. It hasn’t quieted his or the team’s critics, but it has earned him even more respect in the locker room, as he’s deflected the heat from his teammates onto himself.
According to AP Sports writer Jon Krawczynski, Favre firmly believes that the key to kick starting a winning streak lies in getting the Vikings on the same page, especially on offense, as Minnesota has been uncharacteristically turnover prone in the first two weeks.
Making smart decisions with the ball is the first step on that path, but finding some measure of consistency in the receiving corps is equally important, as there really hasn’t been one particular player that’s stepped up their play thus far.
Not having Pro Bowl wide receiver Sidney Rice on the field definitely hasn’t helped in that regard, but until he’s able to return, the Vikings will have to find ways to get production out of their other players at the position, most notably Bernard Berrian, who’s done next to nothing this year.
If Favre and the Vikings can string together a series of wins in the coming weeks, it will have to come courtesy of an increased level of focus on eliminating the mental mistakes that have plagued them through the first two games, and while no one is counting them out just yet, a win this week against Detroit is an absolute must.
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Written by Chris Kolb
Topics: Minnesota Vikings