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Smash Articles
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CHILDRESS -
DECISION TIME!!! Last year we watched the monkey humping the door knob for the greater part of the year with Brad Johnson at the controls knowing that our future was with Tarvaris Jackson on the bench. The season was lost, not by observing a specific won-lost record at any particular junction of the season, but by knowing there was a quarterback (Brad Johnson) that was incapable of converting a 3rd and long consistently. Every week, I wondered, when was Childress going to pull the hook on Johnson, only to see TJ's opportunity at developing experience fade away. The result was that the kid only got two starts and four total appearances in 2006. Opportunities lost ... great choice BC! By the way, were is Brad Johnson now? Don't get me wrong, Jackson occasionally misses the mark, but so does everyone else. The kid definitely has the stuff ... all that is needed is development through on the job training. To be direct, our offensive woe's can be directed at and placed at the feet of dropped passes. As kids, we used an analogy ... if it hits your hands they your expected to catch it, and if you don't come up with the ball, then the fault lies with you. Ferguson, Wade, and Williamson have so many drops this year, it's no wonder that the Jackson hasn't the stats to blow up a balloon. How many times are we going to listen to, we could have won this game, but we, yes we, dropped the ball. From what I've seen this year, there is no question that our best receiver is Syd ... this kid can catch the ball. I didn't think I'd ever see it again, ever, but Syd has "The Hands" as close to Chris Carter as I've seen since his retirement. The gods have bestowed upon him a special gift in those hands, and there is no question that those hands belong on the field. Experience be dammed! So what do we hear the announcers say ... this kids is only 21-years old, as if this is some commandment-from-on-high justification for sitting Syd on the pine. We have a young team and this kid needs reps, and a whole lot of them, to grow. Syd is our future, not Robert Ferguson. There, I said it. This other kid Aundrae Allison, is also very impressive. I haven't a clue what's limiting his playing time, but I'd certainly like to see him get a few more touches. From what I've seen of "A-Squared" he doesn't wait for stuff to happen, he makes things happen. Could it be that Aundrae is our explosive perennial John Randle lurking on our bench. His catching ability alone deserves a long and hard look. We're at the 1/2 way point, and the kids are stepping up. It's now apparent that This 2007 draft class is off the charts and maybe for the ages. Brad, it's time to get off the pot and get these kids what they desperately need ... experience. They aren't going to learn it sitting on your bench. As for Williamson, his role has to change. In my opinion, you're wasting his god given talents by asking him to be Randy Moss. Since he's blazing fast, you've asked him to run the sideline to catch the ball over his shoulder. It is now apparent that Troy is not cut from that cloth. If Troy was able to make that catch he'd execute it just about every time but he is just not capable. This should be one of Syd's primary roles. He has the talent to grab just about anything out of our heavenly skies ... and there is no other comparison to how he does it. If you want Williamson to be effective, have him run crossing routes over the middle all day long. His success rate in that role is apparent. His speed in front of the defense makes him a very dangerous commodity to deal with. With this speed in front of the defense they will be forced into developing the patients for the play to develop. The most important factor of all in running Troy on crossing routes is that if the defense chooses to cover him, that will in fact open up lanes for Peterson to run in. Choose your poison! Brad baby! You're using way too many 3-step drops! This is a clear indication that you don't trust your offensive line to hold their blocks, you don't trust your receivers to get open in zones, and you don't trust your quarterback in the pocket. Brad, never forget the axiom, "You expect more ... you get more"! It's that simple. How many times have we seen Tarvaris take his three steps only to have the primary covered. DB's aren't stupid. There is nothing more unsettling that having to hold onto the ball like a limp dack in your hand. There is also a distinct disadvantage in running this play. Regardless if the ball is in the air or not, they aren't calling pass interference as for any Viking receiver that is within the 5-yard chuck zone. Brad, you've become dependent upon it and they've taken it away. Yes, the three step drop has its place, but god, give us a break. Childress, learn from your mistakes. You said, "Our future lies with our draft picks". Well if that's true, and according to history, it is, it's time to fish or cut bait. Give your rookies their due! The veterans have gotten their shot and the ball has been left to lie on the ground. Maybe the shake-up with force the veterans to get their heads out of their butts. The Viking Ghost
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