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With Gerhart Stepping In, Vikings Offense Won’t Change

Following the season-ending knee injury to Adrian Peterson last week in Washington, there will be a change this week at RB for the Vikings. That’s the bad news. The good news, though, is that the change will be restricted to the identity of the starting RB rather than a change in offensive style or philosophy.

The Vikings offense is one built around a strong running game and around the NFL’s best RB. And when you build a team with that makeup, it’s important to have a backup RB who can be trusted with shouldering the load. By selecting Toby Gerhart in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft, the Vikings secured insurance.

Peterson was sidelined earlier this season with an ankle injury, and Gerhart stepped into the lineup and filled in admirably. He averaged 75.0 rushing yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry with 1 rushing TD while also hauling in 13 receptions for 80 yards and 1 TD. Then when Peterson left last week’s game in the 3rd quarter, Gerhart came in and immediately ripped off a 67-yard rush, the longest of his career, and finished the game with 11 carries for 109 yards, the first 100-yard rushing game of his NFL career.

By no means will anyone argue that Gerhart – or any other NFL RB – can replace the play-making ability of Peterson, but there’s also no question that Gerhart has shown that he can step into the lineup and be the kind of productive runner this Vikings offense needs.

“One of the things about Adrian’s absence earlier in the season, we had a chance to get Toby some extended snaps and we really haven’t altered the offense by any means,” Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier said earlier in the week. “Toby has done a very good job in Adrian’s absence, did a great job Saturday of stepping in and performing and rushing for over 100 yards. We really haven’t had to alter things and we really don’t plan to. We look forward to eventually getting Adrian back on the field but we don’t think we have to really alter the offense.”

Another reason besides Gerhart that the Vikings offense will maintain its philosophy for the last game of the season is the offensive line’s run-blocking ability. Yes, the offensive line has been criticized much this season for their pass protection. But this group has been very good in the running game. The Vikings enter the final week of the regular season ranked 3rd in rushing TDs with 17 and 4th in rushing yards per game with 149.3

“I don’t know that it does this last week,” Vikings Offensive Coordinator Bill Musgrave responded when asked if Peterson’s absence would require the offense to change philosophies. “Our O-line has embraced a lot of the concepts that we have gotten good at this year so we want to keep on keeping on in that regard and Toby has proved that whether it be Adrian or Lorenzo Booker or Toby back there, we can block people and create some holes.”

The Peterson-less Vikings offense will have a good challenge this week as they go against a Chicago Bears defense that ranks 6th against the run, allowing just 97.5 rushing yards per game. The Vikings ability to establish the run will be paramount to keeping the Bears defense off-balance, which is an important part of protecting QB Christian Ponder. And protecting Ponder so he can sit in the pocket and develop as a passer is the #1 reason to watch the Vikings this weekend.

Gerhart, Raymond Up For Weekly Awards

A pair of young Vikings are up for weekly awards this week after providing a helping hand in the Vikings victory over the Washington Redskins on Saturday.

RB Toby Gerhart has been nominated for the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week after rushing for 109 yards on 11 carries at, appropriately enough, FedEx Field. Joining Gerhart as nominees for the award are Pittsburgh’s Rashard Mendenhall (18-116-1) and Buffalo’s C.J. Spiller (16-111-1). Gerhart has the lowest yardage total of the 3 finalists by a slight margin, but it should also be noted that he gained those yards on just 11 carries.

Vikings fans can vote for Gerhart on NFL.com/FedEx now through 2:00 p.m. CT on Friday.

The other Vikings player up for an award is rookie S Mistral Raymond, who has been nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors. Raymond tallied 6 tackles, 2 passes defensed and a 4th-quarter INT, which he returned for 31 yards, in the Vikings win over Washington. Raymond’s INT basically sealed the Vikings victory because it set up Ryan Longwell for a 23-yard FG that put the Vikings up by 10 points with just over 4 minutes to play in the game.

Bengals QB Andy Dalton, Raiders WR Denarius Moore, Panthers QB Cam Newton and Redskins RB Evan Royster are also finalists. Vikings fans can vote for Raymond on NFL.com/rookies now through Friday at 11:00 a.m. CT.

Several Vikings Step Up In Win Over Washington

The Vikings earned a tough 33-26 road victory over the Washington Redskins on Saturday, and there was nothing conventional about how the game unfolded. Minnesota jumped out to 10-0 lead, trailed 13-10 early in the 3rd quarter, watched both Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder leave the game due to injury, and then outscored Washington 23-13 the rest of the way to notch the win.

To be on the road and face that much adversity – Peterson left with a severe knee injury and Ponder suffered a concussion – but still come out with a win is a testament to the Vikings depth and refusal to quit on the season.

Peterson and Ponder were both forced out of the game early in the 3rd quarter. Backups Toby Gerhart and Joe Webb stepped right in and were productive for the rest of the game. Gerhart finished with 109 yards on 11 carries, the first 100-yard game of his career, and Webb was 4 of 5 for 84 yards and 2 TDs, and he also added 5 carries for 34 yards and 1 TD.

But it was more than just Gerhart and Webb who stepped up on Saturday. Seven-year veteran Joe Berger started at LG in place of Steve Hutchinson, rookie interior OL Brandon Fusco replaced Anthony Herrera at RG after Herrera left with an injury, rookie S Mistral Raymond grabbed an INT and ended a big-time drought for the Vikings defense, and Brian Robison forced and recovered a fumble off of Rex Grossman.

There are more examples of guys who stepped up in the victory, but you get the picture. And Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier was clearly pleased with the way his team played, from the top of the roster all the way to the bottom.

“As I mentioned earlier, just a good overall effort by our football team to go on the road and get a win against a Redskins team that had just come off a big win against the Giants the week before,” Frazier said during his customary day-after-the-game press conference. “And to handle some of that adversity that occurred during that game, to see the number of players who stepped up like they did, whether it be Toby Gerhart, Joe (Webb) coming into the game when Christian (Ponder) was injured, some of our defensive guys just stepping up, Mistral Raymond coming back and getting an interception for us, the big caused fumble by Brian Robison as well.

“A lot of good things in that football game. A lot of guys contributed to that win on Saturday, which really should be a spring board for us as we prepare for this ball game against Chicago.”

Near-Flawless Brees Propels Saints To 42-20 Win Over Vikings

Drew Brees is one of the best QBs in the NFL, and the Vikings saw the reasons why first-hand on Sunday at Mall of America Field. Sitting atop the NFC South standings and still in the hunt for the NFC’s #2 playoff seed, the Saints put together a 42-20 victory over the Vikings behind a 412-yard, 5-TD performance from Brees.

The game was not lopsided from the beginning, however, because the Vikings came out looking ready to give the Saints all they could handle. New Orleans won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff, but just 3 plays into the drive the Vikings recovered a fumble and were already in scoring range. In what would become a theme of the game for the Vikings, though, the offense couldn’t muster any production and Ryan Longwell came on to salvage a score with a 44-yard FG.

The teams exchanged punts later in the 1st quarter, but on his 3rd trip to the field, Brees started putting the pieces together. He led the Saints on a 10-play, 84-yard scoring drive to take a 7-3 on a 5-yard scoring pass to WR Lance Moore. The Vikings hung tough in the 1st half – Longwell hit a 49-yard FG in the 2nd quarter and Christian Ponder found Toby Gerhart for a 10-yard score later in the quarter – and at halftime the Saints held a 21-13 lead.

Even so, Brees was already 20 of 24 for 247 yards and 3 TDs, and it was apparent that he and the Saints offense were in great position to take advantage of an injury-ravaged Vikings secondary. And it didn’t take long for that negative outcome to unfold, as Brees needed just 4 plays on the Saints first drive of the 3rd quarter to toss his 4th TD of the game, this one to backup TE John Gilmore.

The Vikings offense just couldn’t respond, and after going 3-and-out the Vikings watched Brees and Co. score another TD on a 3-play, 53-yard drive. The TD was a 47-yard pass to Moore, which was the 5th TD pass of the day for Brees. At that point the score was 35-13 in favor of the Saints and the situation looked dire for the Vikings.

There was no improbable comeback in the cards for the Vikings this week. The Vikings offense had only 3 of their 12 drives go over 6 plays, and for the game the Vikings netted just 207 yards and 12 first downs. The Saints, by contrast, totaled 573 yards, were 8 of 11 on 3rd down and picked up 36 first downs. Brees found 9 different targets in the passing game and spread his 5 TD passes out to 4 different receivers. This was Brees line in the post-game box score: 32 of 40 for 412 yards, with 5 TDs and no INTs for a passer rating of 149.2.

New Orleans was also efficient on the ground, rushing for 161 yards on 38 carries (4.2 yards per rush).

The Vikings scored a late TD – another Ponder-to-Gerhart connection – to push their score to 20 points, but a bevy of mistakes by several parts of the offense led to an unproductive day overall. In his return to action from an ankle injury that cost him 3 games, Peterson ran for 60 yards on 10 carries, including a 39-yard dash. Gerhart led the club in receiving with 4 receptions for 46 yards, while Percy Harvin was held in check by the Saints defense (3 receptions, 8 yards).

LBs E.J. Henderson and Chad Greenway led the club in tackles, with 11 and 10, respectively. No one was able to sack Drew Brees and in amazing fashion, the play-by-play post-game stats show that the Vikings had just one tackle for loss (E.J. Henderson recorded it).

The loss drops the Vikings to 2-12 on the season, and now they’ll prepare on a short week for a road game against the Washington Redskins on Christmas Eve.

Vikings Nosed-Out By Broncos 35-32 In Nail-Biter

Christian Ponder and Percy Harvin went stride-for-stride with Tim Tebow and Co., but defensive miscues and a late-game INT by the short-handed Vikings were enough of an advantage for the Denver Broncos to escape Mall of America Field with a tightly-contested 35-32 decision on Sunday.

It was the defense that got the Vikings going early, as DE Jared Allen tackled Broncos RB Willis McGahee in the end zone for a safety on Denver’s first offensive play. Denver responded when LB Mario Haggan, starting for the injured Von Miller, intercepted a Ponder pass and returned it 16 yards for a TD. But that’s all the Broncos would get in the 1st half, as the Vikings defense limited Tebow to just 37 total yards. A highlight-caliber TD catch by Kyle Rudolph and a pair of Ryan Longwell FGs gave the Vikings a 15-7 lead at halftime.

Denver responded right out of the gates in the 3rd quarter, marching 78 yards in 9 plays to score on a Demaryius Thomas 21-yard reception. The team’s exchanged punts after that, and then Harvin took a short pass from Ponder and turned it into a thrilling 52-yard TD reception to extend the lead to 22-14 late in the 3rd quarter. But Thomas scored again on the Broncos first play of the ensuing drive – making the score 22-21 in favor of the Vikings - and it was apparent this game would go down to the wire with two young QBs – Ponder and Tebow – battling to the end.

The Vikings and Broncos combined for 24 points in the 4th quarter. The Vikings struck first when Harvin – clearly the best player on the field on Sunday – blew past the Broncos defense once again, this time for a 48-yard TD reception to extend the Vikings lead to 29-21. Once again, though, it didn’t take Denver long to respond. Tebow hit Thomas for 42 yards on the first play, then McGahee sprinted into the end zone from 24 yards out. Tebow ran in a 2-point conversion, and the game was tied at 29 midway through the 4th quarter.

Ponder, displaying the poise of a seasoned veteran, marched the Vikings down the field on a 13-play, 59 yard drive. Longwell came on to convert a 39-yard try to salvage points, and the Vikings held a late 32-29 lead. But Denver would not be denied, as Tebow guided the Broncos from their own 20 to the Minnesota 28, allowing K Matt Prater to tie the game at 29. Ponder threw an INT on the Vikings next offensive play, and that allowed the Broncos to position themselves for a game-winning 23-yard try by Prater, which the veteran kicker put through the uprights as time expired.

Sunday marked yet another loss for the Vikings, but it’s not hard to identify positives in the team’s effort. Ponder, Harvin and RB Toby Gerhart all registered career-high performances, as Ponder threw for 381 yards, Harvin tallied 156 receiving yards and Gerhart plowed ahead for 91 tough yards on 21 carries. At the end of the day, though, the Vikings couldn’t come up with a defensive stop when they needed it, and the Broncos made a play on defense – the Ponder INT late in regulation – to set up the game-winning FG.

The Broncos improve to 7-5 on the season and sit atop the AFC West; they’ve won 5 in a row and are 6-1 since Tebow took over as the starter in Week 7. The loss drops the Vikings to 2-10 on the season as they prepare to travel to Detroit for a date with the Lions next Sunday.

Harvin Adds To Impressive Season With Dynamic Performance In Atlanta

This just in: Percy Harvin is really good at football. There’s no question this offense begins and ends with Adrian Peterson, who is the best RB in the NFL. And it looks as if the Vikings have the answer at QB with Christian Ponder. But there’s also no disputing that Harvin is the Vikings most dynamic weapon, and he proved that again on Sunday against the Falcons.

It’s important for the Vikings to get Harvin involved in the offense every week, but his inclusion in the game plan this week became even more important when Peterson was ruled out because of an ankle injury. Atlanta knew Harvin would be a focal point in the offensive game plan, yet Harvin was still able to produce.

Harvin had 8 receptions for 95 yards, including a 4th-quarter highlight-caliber 39-yard grab in the back of the end zone that pulled the Vikings to within 3 points of the Falcons and made the game interesting. He also had 5 rushes for 11 yards to help Toby Gerhart shoulder the load with Peterson on the mend. Later in the 4th quarter after the Falcons had seemingly sealed their victory with a TD, Harvin took the ensuing kickoff from 7 yards deep in his own end zone and dashed 104 yards to the Atlanta 3. The return is the longest non-scoring play in NFL history. Unfortunately the Vikings were unable to punch the ball in, and ultimately the Falcons prevailed with a 24-14 win.

Add it all up, and Harvin had 210 total yards on 14 touches against the Falcons, which adds up to 15.0 yards per touch. For the season, Harvin has 1,187 combined yards this season on 95 touches, which averages out to 12.5 yards per touch. Here are a few more notes on Harvin’s performance against Atlanta…

– Harvin is the Vikings record-holder for career games of 200+ net yards, and he added to his total on Sunday. Harvin now has 6 such games, which is two more than Chuck Foreman, Tommy Mason and Adrian Peterson.

– With his 8 receptions, Harvin moved into 4th place all-time in Vikings history for most catches in a player’s first 3 seasons (182). Harvin is now 4 receptions behind Jermaine Wiggins for 3rd place on the list. Ricky Young (224) is in 2nd place, and Randy Moss (226) is in 1st place.

– With 5 rushes for 11 yards on Sunday, Harvin added to his career record and single-season record for rushing yards and attempts by a WR. Harvin has 477 career rushing yards on 66 career attempts, and 235 rushing yards on 33 attempts for the season.

Harvin’s Opportunities, Production On The Rise

If Adrian Peterson is unable to play this Sunday, it’ll be Toby Gerhart who steps into the starting RB role and will shoulder much of the burden typically handled by the NFL’s best RB. While obviously no one wants to see Peterson miss a game, Vikings fans should be anxious to see what Gerhart – selected by the Vikings with a 2nd-round pick in 2010 – can do in a prominent offensive role.

But there’s also another dynamic to the Vikings offense which should be grabbing the attention of Vikings followers – Percy Harvin’s increasing opportunities and production. Yes, Gerhart is the “next man up” in a scenario where Peterson doesn’t play, but the trend in the Vikings offense also tells you that Harvin is poised to see an increased role.

Even with Peterson in the lineup, Harvin’s opportunities have increased over the last 4 games. Here are the number of touches-yards-TDs (not including kickoff returns) Harvin has had since Christian Ponder made his first start on October 23 against the Green Bay Packers: 4-23-0; 8-77-1; 9-70-0; 11-94-1. Also, the number of times he’s been targeted in each game as not declined: 3;5;8;8.

It’s clear that getting Harvin more involved in the offense has been a priority of the Vikings since Week 7, and that effort has even increased coming out of the team’s bye in Week 9. Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier spoke on this subject Monday, following his team’s loss to the Raiders in a game in which Harvin had 11 touches for 94 yards and 1 TD.

“One of the things coming out of the bye, is we wanted to come up with more ways to get Percy the football,” Frazier explained. “That’s what we have been trying to do and that’s what we wanted to do yesterday. The fact that Adrian wasn’t in the ball game created more opportunities for Percy, being such a focal point of our offense. But that’s one of the things we want to be able to do; get the ball in Percy’s hands in a variety of ways.”

Being productive in a variety of ways is the strongpoint of Harvin’s skill set. In 2009 as a rookie, Harvin established the Vikings record for the most combined yards with 2,081 (1,156 kickoff returns, 790 receiving, 135 rushing). Then in 2010, Harvin finished 2nd in the NFC and 5th in the NFL with 1,908 combined net yards.

Whether on ground or in the air, Harvin is a dynamic playmaker who will take pressure off of Gerhart should he take over for Peterson in the short-term.

Offensive Line, Defense Step Up In 2nd Half vs. Panthers

Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder deserve every ounce of credit coming their way in the aftermath of Sunday’s 24-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers. But if you have any more credit to pass around, throw some to the Vikings offensive line and the defensive effort because both were very good in the 2nd half at Carolina.

We’ll start with the offensive line, a group that has received more than its fair share of criticism lately and also a group dealing with injuries. C John Sullivan returned to action on Sunday from a concussion suffered 2 weeks ago and RG Anthony Herrera wasn’t able to go this week because of a knee injury. Fortunately for the Vikings, veteran lineman Joe Berger stepped into both roles over the past 2 weeks and the offensive line has improved along the way.

In the 2nd half on Sunday, the Vikings put together a pair of methodical drives where the offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage. The first drive came in the 3rd quarter and culminated in a 9-yard Peterson TD run. The drive went 85 yards in 12 plays and took 5:41 off the clock. The second long drive came in the 4th quarter and culminated in the game-winning FG. The drive went 72 yards in 13 plays and took 7:10 off the clock.

In those two drives, the offensive line paved the way for a total of 14 carries between Peterson and Gerhart for 85 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and 1 TD. Offensive Coordinator Bill Musgrave did a great job of mixing in Gerhart occasionally to give Peterson a rest, and the offensive line consistently dominated the line of scrimmage to open up creases for the Vikings RBs. On the 3rd-quarter drive, here is a list of gains on the ground: 4, 9, 9, 11, 15, 1, 3, 9 (TD).

The Vikings had a 7-minute advantage in time of possession in the 2nd half, including an 11:01 to 3:59 advantage in the 4th quarter.

Defensively, the secondary will be criticized for giving up 7 receptions and 100 yards to Steve Smith and for giving up a 1st down on a 4th and 15 play late in the game. That’s all fair game, but ultimately the defense did a good enough job to contribute to this victory, and their effort in the 2nd half was much improved.

In the 2nd half, the Vikings allowed fewer 1st downs, total yards and rushing yards, and they forced Carolina into three 3-and-out drives that led to 10 Vikings points and, ultimately, the game-winning drive that was capped by a 31-yard Ryan Longwell FG.

Again, there are certainly areas that need improvement on this Vikings team, and the offensive line and defense are not absolved from that fact. But there’s no question that the 2nd half performances registered by the offensive line and the defense were major keys in the Vikings ability to scratch and claw their way to a win on the road against the Panthers.

A Look At Rounds 2 Through 7 Under Spielman And Co.

In the previous blog entry about G Chris DeGeare, we made the point that: “There’s no doubt that hitting home runs with 1st-round picks is key to success in the NFL. But if you do some research, you’ll see that selections in rounds 2-7 and also the signing of undrafted rookie free agents are just as important.”

In the previous blog entry, we also said we’d take a closer look at some of those 2nd- through 7th-round picks in the next posting. While the group isn’t full of Pro Bowlers or future Hall of Famers (yet), it is a group of players that represent at least a part of the core of the current roster. There are 10 players who’ve started games for the Vikings on the list and obviously there will be many, many more starts from this list in the years to come.

Here we go…

CB Asher Allen - A 3rd-round pick in 2009, Allen struggled at times as a starter in 2010. But over his 2 Vikings seasons, Allen has flashed some potential. With the return of Cedric Griffin in 2011, Allen will be in a position to contribute in the nickel and dime packages where he’ll be more successful.

LB Jasper Brinkley - A 5th-round pick in 2009, Brinkley stepped in as the starter when E.J. Henderson went down to injury at the end of the 2009 season. It’s easy to take this for granted, but keep in mind the Vikings had the NFL’s top-ranked defense and Brinkley was a rookie starting in the middle of the defense. The Vikings defense missed Henderson, but Brinkley was solid in his place and the Vikings advanced to the NFC Championship Game. On top of that, Brinkley has been a solid special teams contributor during his career in Minnesota.

CB Chris Cook - A 2nd-round pick in 2010, Cook had a tremendous offseason and training camp heading into his rookie season. But then a pair of knee injuries that both required surgery slowed and eventually halted his rookie season. Cook is a big, physical CB who fits what head coach Leslie Frazier wants his defense to do. The upside on Cook is big and the Vikings defense will benefit from his return.

FB Ryan D’Imperio - A lot of factors were working against D’Imperio during his rookie season in 2010. He was a 7th-round pick (#237 overall), he switched positions from college LB to NFL FB and he had an established starter in front of him on the depth chart. But D’Imperio impressed enough to stick around and was a member of the practice squad in 2010. During the offseason and training camp this year he’ll have a chance to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

G Chris DeGeare - The blog entry below this one tells DeGeare’s story.

RB Toby Gerhart - At first I think Vikings fans are quick to point out disappointment in Gerhart’s rookie season, but I don’t see it that way. He had a tough go during training camp and the early part of the season, but he continued to improve as the season went along and he had an impressive showing in a start against the Bears in Week 15 when he rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries. For the season, Gerhart average 4.0 yards per carry. Given how productive he was in college and how aggressive the Vikings were in trading up to select him in the 2nd round last year, I’m willing to give Gerhart more time to develop into a productive NFL RB.

DE Everson Griffen - A prospect with 1st-round talent who dropped to the 4th round because of off-field concerns, Griffen flashed potential on defense and productivity on special teams as a rookie. He’s in line to get more playing time on defense in 2011, especially if the Vikings are unable to reach contract agreements with either Ray Edwards or Brian Robison.

DT Letroy Guion - When the Vikings used a 5th-round pick on Letroy Guion in 2008, he was only 20 years old. He came in and didn’t produce right away, but now he’s progressed into a member of the defensive line rotation. As is the case with Griffen, Guion may be in line for even more playing time depending on what happens with potential free agents ahead of him on the depth chart.

WR Jaymar Johnson - Another 7th-round pick (2008) who remains on the roster, Johnson was in the midst of another solid offseason and training camp when he injured his wrist and was put on Injured Reserve before the 2010 season got going. Johnson will be in another battle to make the roster this offseason, but his return capabilities will help him.

S Tyrell Johnson - A 2nd-round pick in 2008, Johnson has moved in and out of the starting lineup during his 3 seasons in Minnesota. With the safety position still a bit in flux, Johnson has a chance to reclaim a starting spot if he can perform well in the offseason and in training camp. He’s a tremendous athlete who needs to polish his skills in coverage.

RT Phil Loadholt - Another 2nd-round pick, Loadholt stepped into the starting lineup as a rookie in 2009 and was one of the team’s best offensive linemen. The Vikings offense averaged 29.4 points per game during Loadholt’s rookie seasan and the 6-8, 343-pound mauler showed that he could be a talented player in this league for a long time.

WR Sidney Rice - The 2nd-round picks keep rolling in. Rice was a 2nd-rounder in 2007 and exploded for a career season in 2009 with Brett Favre under center. A hip injury slowed his 2010 season and now Rice will look to bounce back in 2011 with another strong showing. His leaping ability and sure hands are his best qualities, and they’re qualities a rookie QB would love to have in a starting WR.

DE Brian Robison – An All-Rookie honoree who was 3rd among all NFL rookies with 4.5 sacks in 2007, Robison has been a productive player for the Vikings and figures to be an important member of the defensive line rotation in 2011. He was a 4th-round pick in 2007 out of the University of Texas and one of the great aspects of his game is that he can slide inside to play DT in certain situations.

S Jamarca Sanford – With Heath Farwell, Sanford is one of the most valuable special teams contributors for the Vikings, specifically in the kick and punt coverage units. He has also logged playing time on defense and has also been a starter at safety. Considering Sanford was the SEC’s leading tackler during his 4 years at Ole Miss, it’s hard to believe Rick Spielman and Co. found him in the 7th round. But that’s what they did, and that makes Sanford one of the more under-rated Vikings draft picks in recent years.

C John Sullivan – Sullivan’s 2nd year was better than his 3rd, but I’m guessing his 4th year will be the best yet. He sat behind Matt Birk as a rookie in 2008, then stepped into the starting lineup at center for the 2009 season and helped the Vikings offense to a 29.4 points-per-game average. In 2010 Sullivan’s season was disrupted by injuries and he dealt with the passing of his father. Certainly Sullivan won’t use those as excuses, but you have to think it impacted him in some form or another.  Sullivan should enter the 2011 season in full health and he’ll have a shot to solidify his standing as the team’s anchor in the middle.

Gerhart Set To Watch Former Teammates In Bowl Game Tonight

The Vikings season is over but rookie RB Toby Gerhart has one game left on his schedule of significance. His former team, the University of Stanford Cardinal, plays in the Orange Bowl tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT against the Virginia Tech Hokies and Gerhart has plans to hop on a flight to Miami to catch the game.

There is a team meeting schedule this morning for the Vikings and after that Gerhart told me he’s heading straight to the airport to catch his flight. Because of the tight time constraints, Gerhart said he’s going straight from the airport to the stadium, meaning he’s going to have a lot of luggage to tote with him to the game. But something tells me the Stanford operations and equipment staff will take good care of him.

Gerhart will see a lot of familiar faces tonight, including a current teammate. Vikings WR Greg Camarillo also played at Stanford and he’ll be at the game as well.