From: jag@unislc.uucp (John Ganske)
Subject: Minnesota Vikings News 8/25/92 - Cleveland game
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Distribution: us
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 13:40:37 GMT
Keywords: browns game 


Vikings news from the Minneapolis StarTribune for Tuesday August 25, 1992.
The following is from an article by staff writer Jim Souhan titled
"56-3: Vikings do no wrong" (this sports section headline was done in
type that is about 3/4 of an inch high).

    Rich Gannon grabbed the Vikings' starting quarterback job by the
    throat Monday and helped throttle the Cleveland Browns for good 
    measure.

    Gannon, in his first start of the preseason, erased any residual 
    doubts that he will be this team's starter with a spectacular first
    half that led to the Vikings' 56-3 victory at Cleveland Stadium.

    The victory gives the Vikings, who have outscored their opponents
    110-6 and have only scored more points than 56 once in franchise
    history, a 3-0 preseason record for the first time since 1973.
    But while such victories are worth less than the ink required to
    record them, the developement of key players is vital to a team with
    a new coaching staff.

    So check out this developement: Gannon, who was thrown into an 
    unexpected battle with Sean Salisbury when he reported three
    weeks late to training camp, completed 12 of 14 passes for 191 yards,
    two touchdowns and no interceptions and ran three times for 13 
    yards and another score.  His 204 yards was more than the Browns
    managed all night.  

    "I thought he played exceptinally," said offensive coordinator
    Jack Burns, whose offense has thrived no matter what quarterback
    has run it.  "He moved around under duress and made some excellent
    plays in difficult situations."

    Then again, Burns offered similar compliments to Salisbury and third-
    stringer Brad Johnson.  "It was a great night for us," he said.

    Salisbury played well again, completing all seven of his passes
    for 68 yards in the second half before yielding to Johnson, who 
    wnet 3-for-4 to make the quarterbacks an incredible 22-for-25.
    "It's still a competition," Salisbury said.  "As you can see, we
    bring out the best in each other."
    (me: Sorry Sean, but it's NOT still a competion.  The Vikes are not
    going to pay Gannon over $1 million to ride the pine.  Besides, 
    Gannon has the confidence of the team and coaches right now.)

    [stuff deleted]

    The Vikings threw their first puch when Gannon took his first snap,
    as Burns called an old Redskins standby that always seems to work.
    Gannon rolled right behind a moving pocket, looked right, then looked
    left for Anthony Carter.  Gannon found Carter alone behind the secondary
    and hit him for 47 yards and a touchdown. 

    The Vikings went form potent to patient on their drive, moving 86
    yards in 20 plays before Gannon scrambled for 2 yards and a touch-
    down early in the second quarter.

    Space limitations prevent us from encapsulating every drive, so here's
    a rest-of-the-game summary:

    Roger Craig scored on an impressive, 24-yard run after breaking through
    the Browns' short-yardage defense.  Cornerback Carl Lee intercepted a      
    gift pass from Bernie Kosar and returned it 58 yards for a score.
    Gannon's squadron-right pass at the end of the first half was tipped
    by Cris Carter to Anthony Carter for a touchdown that made the score
    35-0.
    (me: On this "Hail Mary" pass play, C. Carter went up in a crowd of
    about 4 Browns and tipped the ball to A.C., who was alone in the
    back of the end zone.)

    Darrin Nelson scored early in the second half and Ronnie West, the
    draft choice (me: 9th round out of Pittsburg State in Kansas)
    switched from receiver to running back during training camp, scored
    on two short runs, making the score 56-0 early in the fourth quarter.

    The blowout provided a respite form a trip planned by Green, who 
    doubles as a travel agent from Hades.  Here ws the Vikings' schedule:
    Awaken early to fly to Cleveland.  Sit around a hotel lobby for hours,
    without rooms.  Bus to stadium.  Play in muggy heat after drizzling  
    rain.  Leave just in time to miss a fireworks display and concert in the
    stadium by the Temptations and Four Tops.
    (me: Oh dear me, these poor exploited football players have it real 
    hard.  Imagine, sitting around a hotel lobby for hours - and without
    rooms!)

    [stuff deleted]

    Yes, it could have been worse.  Question is, are the Vikings really
    this much better?  "We can't be sheepish about the way we're playing,"
    Green said.  "That's our tempo."

    Craig has danced to this tempo before - when he was with the Super
    Bowl champion 49ers under Bill Walsh, when Green was an assistant.
    Craig thinks this whirlwind romp throught the preseason is a glimpse
    of the Vikings' near-future.
    (me: Geez, I hate to see the Super Bowl 49ers and the Vikings even
    mentioned in the same paragraph.  I don't think the Vikings have 
    anybody with anything near the leadership ability of Joe Montana,
    or the others who contributed to the winning character of that team.)

    (me: The following quotes from Roger Craig should be read in a well
    ventilated area.  Vikings fans should avoid inhaling these giddy   
    remarks.)

    "The talent is here - this is the most talented team in the league,"
    Craig said.  "That's not even an issue.  The Vikings have always been
    talented.  I remember the Vikings teams that we would go to war with
    in the '80s.  The issue is finding talent and using it in a proper 
    fashion and that's what this staff is doing.  Attitude is the key,
    and right now, we're so together, we're like one big hearbeat."

    Notes/ Kosar had not thrown a pass in the preseason until yesterday,
    and now he probably wishes he hadn't bothered.  He was chewed up by
    the Vikings' pass rush, which recorded four sacks and looked relentless. 
    ...Former Browns assistant John Teerlinck, now the Vikings' defensive
    line coach, probably took immense pleasure in the play of rookie
    defensive tackle Brad Culpeper, who had two more sacks to bring his 
    preseason total to four.  Former Vikings draft Chris Thome, who was cut
    last year, probably had deep regrets about his reuniom with Vikings
    nose tackle Henry Thomas, who made him look foolish on almost every
    play, and wound up with two sacks and a caused fumble.

    Look for the Vikgins to consider keeping West on their roster as their
    fourth back; he was spectacular yesterday. ...Free agent signee Carl
    Parker looks to have this team made;  he played with the first string
    in the first half, and finished with four catches for 39 yards. ...
    The last time the Vikings went 3-0 in the preseason was 1973, under
    Bud Grant; they went 12-2 that season.  That was also the last time
    the Vikings went undefeated ina preseason.  The Vikings also went 
    undefeated in the preseason in 1964 and '65 under Norm Van Brocklin, 
    then recorded season records of 8-5-1 and 7-7. 

    My thoughts:

	The Vikings' offensive line pretty much manhandled the Cleveland
	defense when pass blocking.
	I didn't see anything to change my opinion that the running game
	could be in trouble (so, you ask, what else is new with the Vikings?).
	I'm skeptical about a running game that is going to rely on
	Roger Craig and Darrin Nelson, and I personally didn't see enough
	from Terry Allen to indicate that he is the answer.
	(Darrin Nelson did look exceptionally quick, but he was still 
	tackled by any Brown who got as much as a finger on him).
	A coaching staff that may actually know how to use the aging
	talent in the Vikings' passing game, has me excited.
	I guess one reason that Brad Culpeper (former All-America
	defensive tackle drafted from Florida in the 10th round) went
	low in the draft, is that he is only 6'1''.  The guy does seem
	to have some of his defensive colleagues and fans excited.
	Here's hoping that he was drastically under-rated, and can
	bring some ability and attitude to a place where the Vikings
	really need it.
	And finally...fans here in Minnesota (at least in my small
	sample of it) seem to be optimistic (albeit almost grudingly),
	but taking a "show me" attitude about the season.


John Ganske      -------------------------
a readheaded dad, vegetarian, cyclist, runner, volleyball player,
programmer, and all-around good guy, glad to be back in Minnesota
and soon to become small-time (very small-time) farmer 
     -----------------------------------------------------  
Unisys Corp.                            jag@unislc.slc.unisys.com 
Roseville, Minnesota                    612 635-7545  
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