Vikings Second String Corners Need to Pick It Up

It was obvious this weekend that the professional football season has officially arrived in Minnesota.

Prior to the Vikings-Titans preseason game, I made a little stop at Cub Foods in Stillwater to grab some chips and salsa for the game. Forget about it.

Cub was packed and there was a spattering of purple jerseys getting last-minute snacks for the game.

As the game goes, it was about as vanilla as it could get for the Vikings on offense.

Veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb made his debut and only played in two series, a total of 11 plays.

He was fine going 6-11 for 40 yards and running back Adrian Peterson had only one rush for three yards.

At this point in the season, especially this year with the lockout not allowing OTA’s, the defense is going to be ahead of the offense.

Against the Titans, there was a bevy of Vikings defensive starters that sat out the preseason opener, so backups had a chance to step up and perhaps keep a spot on the roster as Minnesota will be evaluating who to keep and who to cut.

If there is any concern in the 14-3 loss to Tennessee, it had to be the Vikings secondary.

Matt Hasselbeck, making his Titans debut, was a solid 5-6 for 55 yards as he drove Tennessee made its way into the Vikings territory.

Starting cornerback’s Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield sat out on Saturday, meaning Chris Cook and Asher Allen started.

They played into the second quarter and Cook was the one who was burnt on Jake Locker’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Yamon Figurs.

Of the 194 passing yards the Titans had, 144 came against the No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks of Tennessee and that meant that the Vikings first backups were on the field during that time.

If Winfield or Griffin go down (Griffin has had two ACL tears the past two seasons), it is fair to say the opposite corner will get picked on, or at least have to get safety help, which will open the middle of the field for quick routes that can result in huge run-after-catch yards.

With the quarterbacks Minnesota will go up against this year, an injury to one of the two starting corner’s go down, it could be detrimental.

This year the Vikings play against Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler twice, Philip Rivers in the season opener, Matt Cassel, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees.

That is half the schedule loaded with good to elite quarterbacks that have the brains to pick apart a secondary, especially one that may get shorthanded.

Minnesota has three more preseason games to work out any kinks. More film study and practice will for the Vikings sake, get the secondary squared away.

If Winfield or Griffin go down and the backups don’t improve, it could be a long season for Vikings fans.