From: jag@unislc.uucp (John Ganske)
Subject: Minnesota Vikings News 9/29/92
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Distribution: us
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 00:16:13 GMT


The first item in my Vikings post for today is an editorial by StarTribune
sports editor Patrick Reusse.  I appeared in the STrib on Monday September
28, 1992 - the day after the Vikings shellacked the Bengals.  Using the name
"Bengals" reminds me that I had to explain umpteen times to my kids why
those football players had those stripes on their helments.  My daughter
loves tigers (and all cats for that matter), but she couldn't seem to be
able to recognize the Cincinati Bengals as any thing like any kind of tiger.
I didn't have to try to explain to her for very long because this game was
one of those that I could quickly leave for some outdoor chores on another
beautifull fall day in Minnesota.  The game was never in doubt after Darrin
Nelson ran back the opening kick off for 53 yards.  Those Cincinnati pussy-
cats did bat Rich Gannon around a little bit, but they never did really roar.

  enough already, the editorial:

     "You can have ol' what's-his name; he'll take Allen"

     disclaimer: the views expressed in this editorial do not
		 necessarily agree with the views of this poster.

	Herschel Walker was back in form last week, when he averaged
	2.5 yards on 22 carries for the Philadelphia Eagles in a 30-0
	victory against Denver.  The follow-up stories in Philadelphia
	suggested that there was extra attention paid to Herschel and that  
	was the reason quarterback Randall Cunningham was able to pass with
	such success.

	You know what that means: Philadelphia still is early in the Herschel
	Experience.  Walker is dishing out that lingo of his, and the
	players, the media, and the sporting public are devoring it.

	The Eagles were among the NFL teams receiving a bye on Sunday,
	giving Walker as least one more week to enjoy his status as a hero.
	Several hundred miles to the west, out of view of those Philadelphia
	saps, the difference between Walker and a quick-hitting, determined
	running back again was being defined for the Vikings - players,
	media, and fans.

	The Vikings clobbered the washedup Cincinnati Bengals 42-7.  This
	lifted the purple idols to 3-1 and kept them in a tie for the NFC
	Central with a more unlikely contender, Tampa Bay.

	There are a number of improvements in these Vikings over the outfit
	that went 8-8 last season.  One of the most obvious is at running
	back, where Walker was allowed to leave town and Terry Allen moved
	in as the starter.

	This a a transition the previous coach, Jerry Burns, started to make
	in 1992, but old Burnsie still was stuck with the chore of trying
	to mollify Walker.  That meant wasting 15 or more plays per game,
	instructing the quarterback to wither hand off the ball or try
	to throw it into Herschel's bad hands.

	There are no such restrictions on Dennis Green and his coaches.
	They can use Allen to the fullest and watch the opposing defenses
	tremble as he fires through the line, then darts for open spaces.

	"Allen is a pleasure to block for," tackle Tim Irwin said.  "He
	hits the hole so fast, you don't have to throw the greatest block
	in the world for him.  Terry also has that instinct where he zigs 
	the right way when he hits the line.  You never see him cutting into
	a tackler."

	Darrin Nelson was able to get things started yesterday with a 53-yard
	kickoff return.  Immediately, the Vikings were at the Cincinnati 45.
	Six plays later, they were in the end zone.  Allen had three carries
	for 14 yards, then caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Rich Gannon.

	The quarterback matchup on this day was no contest.  Gannon was the   
	guy with splendid rhythm.  Cincinnati's Boomer Esiason was the guy
	who couldn't complete a pass for any distance.  Bommer's favorite
	deep receiver yesterday was Todd Scott, the Vikings' strong safety.

	Esiason's day of misery started with an underthrow to cornerback
	Audray McMillian on Cincinnati's first possession.  This put the
	Vikings at Cincinnati's 46.

	An incompletion and a holding penalty on Brian Habib made it second
	and 20.  The Bengals have adopted a blitzing-style of defense under
	the Shula kid, their new coach.  They were ready to go snorting after
	Gannon in this situation.

	The answer to this as a screen pass to Allen.  He tucked in behind
	the blockers, then darted free and made it a yard past the first-down
	marker.  Soon, Cris Carter was catching a 15-yard touchdown pass.

	Carter finished the afternoon with 11 catches for 124 yards and two
	touchdowns.  An there still are people who wonder why Buddy Ryan
	hasn't been able to get an NFL coaching job since he was fired in
	Philadelphia?

	Carter's two touchdowns did not give him team honors yesterday.
	Allen had three - by halftime.  After the TD reception, Allen scored
	on runs of 2 and 1 yards.  He finished the day with 11 rushes for
	40 yards and five catches for 64 yards.

	Three touchdowns were plenty for Allen.  The Vikings' rotation 
	system at running back seems to be that Allen takes the first quarter,
	then Roger Craig gets one-third of the remaining action.  Yesterday,
	after it was 28-0, Allen offered one of his rotations to Craig and
	the veteran accepted.

	"Maybe I could have scored another touchdown there, but there is no 
	sense in being greedy," Allen said.

	Another thing that did not seem to make sense was the presence of  
	Gannon and Allen still out there on Riverfront Stadium's hard turf
	in the fourth quarter.  Gannon was recovering from a broken bone in
	his hand and sore ribs, and Allen suffered a hyperextended knee a      
	couple of weeks ago.

	Allen took a screen pass 19 yards to Cincinnati's 31 early in the
	fourth quarter.  He bounced out of bounds.  "I liked to have knocked
	myself out, my helmet hit that turf so hard," he said.

	That was it for Allen.  Gannon stayed in to hit Hassan Jones with
	a 31-yard TD that made it 42-7.  He came back for another series,
	before Sean Salisbury finally was tossed the mop to clean up.

	Green used to coach the Northwestern Wildcats.  After all the beatings
	his 'Cats took, maybe Green figured another group of inept cats -
	Cincinnati's - deserve no mercy.

	A few years back, when the Vikings threw a screen pass, it was to 
	Nelson.  When a small back hit the line, them zigged away from the
	tacklers, it was Nelson.  Nelson was asked if he was reminded of his
	youth when watching Allen.

	"No, he is not as fast and he doesn't cat as quick as I did," said
	Nelson, with a smile.  Allen was getting into his civilian clothes
	in the locker next to Nelson's.

	"Listen to yourself talk, you crippled-up old man," Allen said.
	"You know what I keep telling you: 'Just hang on, old man, and I'll
	take you where you never been before,'"

	What location did Allen have in mind?  We know this: It is somewhere
	a team relying on Herschel Walker never will go.


John Ganske      -------------------------
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Unisys Corp.                            jag@unislc.slc.unisys.com 
Roseville, Minnesota                  jag@unirsvl.rsvl.unisys.com
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