Vike brother
10-09-2007, 01:24 PM
The Vikings' 1-3 record doesn't sit any better in the locker room at Winter Park after five days off.
But on Monday, as they returned after their bye break, the Vikings were decidedly upbeat, their glass half full instead of half empty.
"The bye came at a perfect time," cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "We didn't think we'd be in this position, at 1-3. But we are, and we can't look back at those close games. Now, we have to regroup and refocus, and we need a string of wins."
Winfield ducked out of town for a few days. Veteran defensive tackle Pat Williams visited his family in Louisiana. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson cradled his newborn son for the first time Wednesday, and he rehabbed his groin injury so he can return to the starting lineup Sunday in Chicago. Rookie Adrian Peterson watched his alma mater, Oklahoma, defeat Texas in Dallas. And veteran safety Darren Sharper chilled at his Miami home.
"All the guys were frustrated to be 1-3, so everybody got away from it, and now we're all fresh," Williams said. "Everybody is back, and we're focused that we got to win this week."
Vikings coach Brad Childress noticed "a little bit of extra zip" in his players, as their full-padded practice Monday went 15 minutes longer than scheduled, and he highlighted that all of his players practiced.
"Hopefully, they were able to get fresh for the long haul," Childress said. "We've got 12 of these weeks, and God willing, another one and another one."
But the Vikings will have to make a move starting this month, against four 2006 playoff teams. That is why several players consider Sunday's game a must win. After playing at Soldier Field, the Vikings head to Dallas, then host Philadelphia and San Diego.
"Our schedule is ridiculous," Winfield said. "For us to compete and take a step forward, we need to win this game.
"You don't want to go 0-3 in the division."
Especially because, while standing pat, the Vikings took a step forward.
Although they did not play, the Vikings gained ground with the Bears upending previously undefeated Green Bay at Lambeau Field, and Washington defeating Detroit.
"It sets the stage for us to set our own destiny, over these next 12 (games)," receiver Bobby Wade said. "It's really crunch time for us. Every (game) is extremely important."
During his news conference Monday, Childress emphasized how "strongly" he feels about his team both in the locker room and on the field, a point his players reiterated.
Despite the team's disappointing start, the Vikings haven't blamed one another.
"We got to stay tight, because if we start finger pointing, things will go downhill, and the next thing you know, we're 1-7, or 1-8," Williams said. "Our team is good. I'm happy with my team. We got talent on both sides.
"But something is just missing. I don't know what it is. But we got to find it," he said.
To begin with, Williams said, the Vikings shouldn't obsess about the Bears.
"I'm excited to play them. But it ain't about the Bears," he said. "It's about us executing our game plan. If we do that, we'll win the game. We can't worry about what they're going to do."
Much of the Vikings' fortunes hinge on the play of the starting quarterback. Jackson missed the past two games with a groin injury, and veteran Kelly Holcomb didn't fare much better than the second-year quarterback. Jackson, the 33rd-rated quarterback in the league, is confident he can return to the lineup. He rehabilitated at his alma mater, Alabama State, during his visit to his hometown of Montgomery. On Friday, he even did some work on a practice field.
Asked if he will be able to return to the lineup Sunday in Chicago, Jackson said, "I'm pretty confident.
"The way it felt (Monday), and it's only going to get better."
Jackson said his focus is on getting his burst back.
"It feels good," he said of the groin injury he suffered in overtime of the loss to the Lions last month. "It's not 100 percent, but it feels good enough to go out there and play and do everything I've been doing."
But there are still reservations about fielding Jackson on the road, against an aggressive and athletic Bears defense. In addition to his own mobility, Jackson acknowledged that he has a lot of work to do to regain his rhythm.
"I've been out almost a month now, not really doing too much," he said. "I probably don't have all my speed back. But when the game comes, the adrenaline flows, and you don't think about it as much."
But on Monday, as they returned after their bye break, the Vikings were decidedly upbeat, their glass half full instead of half empty.
"The bye came at a perfect time," cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "We didn't think we'd be in this position, at 1-3. But we are, and we can't look back at those close games. Now, we have to regroup and refocus, and we need a string of wins."
Winfield ducked out of town for a few days. Veteran defensive tackle Pat Williams visited his family in Louisiana. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson cradled his newborn son for the first time Wednesday, and he rehabbed his groin injury so he can return to the starting lineup Sunday in Chicago. Rookie Adrian Peterson watched his alma mater, Oklahoma, defeat Texas in Dallas. And veteran safety Darren Sharper chilled at his Miami home.
"All the guys were frustrated to be 1-3, so everybody got away from it, and now we're all fresh," Williams said. "Everybody is back, and we're focused that we got to win this week."
Vikings coach Brad Childress noticed "a little bit of extra zip" in his players, as their full-padded practice Monday went 15 minutes longer than scheduled, and he highlighted that all of his players practiced.
"Hopefully, they were able to get fresh for the long haul," Childress said. "We've got 12 of these weeks, and God willing, another one and another one."
But the Vikings will have to make a move starting this month, against four 2006 playoff teams. That is why several players consider Sunday's game a must win. After playing at Soldier Field, the Vikings head to Dallas, then host Philadelphia and San Diego.
"Our schedule is ridiculous," Winfield said. "For us to compete and take a step forward, we need to win this game.
"You don't want to go 0-3 in the division."
Especially because, while standing pat, the Vikings took a step forward.
Although they did not play, the Vikings gained ground with the Bears upending previously undefeated Green Bay at Lambeau Field, and Washington defeating Detroit.
"It sets the stage for us to set our own destiny, over these next 12 (games)," receiver Bobby Wade said. "It's really crunch time for us. Every (game) is extremely important."
During his news conference Monday, Childress emphasized how "strongly" he feels about his team both in the locker room and on the field, a point his players reiterated.
Despite the team's disappointing start, the Vikings haven't blamed one another.
"We got to stay tight, because if we start finger pointing, things will go downhill, and the next thing you know, we're 1-7, or 1-8," Williams said. "Our team is good. I'm happy with my team. We got talent on both sides.
"But something is just missing. I don't know what it is. But we got to find it," he said.
To begin with, Williams said, the Vikings shouldn't obsess about the Bears.
"I'm excited to play them. But it ain't about the Bears," he said. "It's about us executing our game plan. If we do that, we'll win the game. We can't worry about what they're going to do."
Much of the Vikings' fortunes hinge on the play of the starting quarterback. Jackson missed the past two games with a groin injury, and veteran Kelly Holcomb didn't fare much better than the second-year quarterback. Jackson, the 33rd-rated quarterback in the league, is confident he can return to the lineup. He rehabilitated at his alma mater, Alabama State, during his visit to his hometown of Montgomery. On Friday, he even did some work on a practice field.
Asked if he will be able to return to the lineup Sunday in Chicago, Jackson said, "I'm pretty confident.
"The way it felt (Monday), and it's only going to get better."
Jackson said his focus is on getting his burst back.
"It feels good," he said of the groin injury he suffered in overtime of the loss to the Lions last month. "It's not 100 percent, but it feels good enough to go out there and play and do everything I've been doing."
But there are still reservations about fielding Jackson on the road, against an aggressive and athletic Bears defense. In addition to his own mobility, Jackson acknowledged that he has a lot of work to do to regain his rhythm.
"I've been out almost a month now, not really doing too much," he said. "I probably don't have all my speed back. But when the game comes, the adrenaline flows, and you don't think about it as much."