Week 10 of the NFL season kicks off tonight as the Minnesota Vikings host the Washington Redskins. Ian Eagle, Trent Green and sideline reporter Laura Okmin will have all the action from the Metrodome beginning at 8 PM Eastern. For a preview of the game, Trent Green filed this report:
Pondering the Minnesota QB situation:
The quarterback scenario for the Vikings is a mess. Until they decide who they’re going with and they stick with him, it’s hard to get any kind of rhythm or continuity on the offensive side of the ball. Everyone in the league knows that the Minnesota offense runs through Adrian Peterson and finding a quarterback and scheme to complement him is an absolute must. Whether that’s play-action or moving the quarterback around in the pocket, something needs to be done to help the team’s star attraction.
Speaking of, Adrian is actually having a good season. I know people are saying he’s having a down year, but he’s leading the league in average yards per game and in 50-yard-plus runs and is averaging over 4.5 yards per carry. Coming off his MVP performance of a year ago, the high expectations coming into this season were sky high. He might not be reaching those lofty goals he set, but he’s still going to be right there among the best running backs in the NFL at season’s end.
Rally around the Redskins redux?
I think there’s a really good chance Washington could rally to a playoff spot just like they did a year ago. Even sitting at 3-5 at the moment, if you look at the remainder of the schedule, only three of the eight games are against teams with a winning record and all three of those contests will take place at FedEx Field. The ‘Skins have won their last two games at home and have a lot of division games left to play, so I think they’ve got a chance to make a late-season run. Plus, the NFC East is not particularly strong this year, so in my mind, RGIII and company are still very much alive.
Silver linings:
Let’s face facts, the teams playing tonight have won just four of the 16 games they’ve played this season. A .250 winning percentage doesn’t exactly get it done in the NFL. That said, there are some silver linings here. For Washington, Robert Griffin III has played much more consistently in the past few weeks. Coming off that serious knee injury you expected inconsistency early, but his accuracy is returning and he’s buying time with his legs again – which helps in the passing game both in terms of getting the ball down field and in tucking and running for first downs.
On the Minnesota side of things, you need to look a little harder to find a positive. With the indecision they’ve shown at the quarterback position and the fact they’re 1-7, they look likely to be in the mix with the winless Jaguars and Bucs for that #1 overall pick. That’s not much of a silver lining for this season, but it could put them into position to select their quarterback of the future.
– Trent Green
Former NFL quarterback Trent Green is the analyst for Thursday Night Football on WestwoodOne. Tonight, he’ll be alongside Ian Eagle for the call as the Washington Redskins visit the Minnesota Vikings. Coverage begins at 8 PM Eastern on WestwoodOne.
