It’s Go Time

It’s here. We can finally wash off the stink that was the 2010 season. The vomit Moss left all over the locker room has been cleaned up. Favre isn’t coming back and Frazier’s stability replaces Childress’ rigidity on the sidelines. Another gun-slinging veteran looking for a bounce back season will be leading our Purple and Gold. If he fails, the eager rookie QB is just waiting for his chance. And nowhere in site is Tarvaris Jackson. (Good luck with that Seattle.) AP looks to be dominant with a healthy Steve Hutchinson. (Is 2,000 yards in play this year?) Percy Harvin hopes to make the 3rd year leap and become the teams #1 receiver, while the now healthy Visanthe Shiancoe and the rest of the three-headed TE monster look to assert their collective will along with the entire O-line.

On the other side of the ball, Chad Greenway and his new multi-million dollar contract seeks to be the face of the defense, but he’ll have to fight Jared Allen for that right. Allen is looking to bounce back with a sack-happy 2011. He’ll have to do so initially without D-line staple Kevin Williams, who is suspended the first two games, and Ray Edwards, who left Minnesota for Atlanta. In Edwards place is longtime Vikings Brian Robinson. Greenway finds himself similarly with a new face. Fellow linebacker EJ Henderson has returned, but Ben Leber has signed with the Rams. In his place is EJ’s brother Erin. The secondary remains a big question mark. Cedric Griffin and Chris Cook are both coming off of ACL injuries and Antoine Winfield is aging. All the while, the safeties still look be as bad as ever. (Can we bring Darren Sharper back 3 years after deeming him too old?)

How this season will turn out is anybody’s guess. Some are predicting a 10-6 season, while others project a palindromic 6-10 finish. Half of us here at TC Huddle have cautioned that this will be a painful year of McNabb short hops. The other half have keyed in on 2010′s brutal schedule, the lack of home games and the inordinately high number of of INTs last year to put the Vikings in Wild Card contention at season’s end. This could be a wild season. Get your popcorn ready or use the best restaurant guide in the Twin Cities to find a spot to watch the game. Fasten your seatbelts and let’s play some football. (Go ahead. Click that last link and try not to get excited.) No more talk. It’s go time.

Read more at TC Huddle